Then Princess Mei went to the door, only to meet Butler San standing solemnly at the entrance, his expression unreadable.
"Oh, you're here for Grandfather Yue?" she asked, a bit surprised by his timing. "I'll inform him."
She turned and walked back inside, her silks trailing softly behind her.
Within the room, Empress Qingtian had her gaze fixed on her father. His face, once resolute and composed, now held a flicker of fear. A rare sight—one that unsettled her more than she was willing to admit. What could cause her father, the mighty Yue, to wear such an expression?
As Grandfather Yue quietly left the room with Princess Mei to attend to Butler San, a heavy silence fell between the two remaining women.
Yue ;Ling stood up slowly. Her expression remained calm, but her eyes betrayed the careful calculation within. She moved with purpose, her fingers glowing faintly as she activated the array.
"An illusion realm," Empress Qingtian whispered, watching the spell unfold.
With a few swift movements, Yue Ling began weaving the Art of Refinement — the ancient techniques passed down within the Yue family. But what startled Empress Qingtian even more was the seamless integration of the Snake Tribe's forbidden array within her refinement technique. This wasn't just a barrier. It was an intricate illusion realm designed to shield all eyes from seeing what transpired inside the room. Outsiders would perceive nothing but silence, emptiness.
"Only those with the Void Element can do that," the Empress murmured under her breath, glancing at her daughter, Princess Mei, who looked equally stunned.
Princess Mei had never seen Yue Ling so focused, so powerful. For all her mischief and stubbornness, this was something else entirely.
With a soft sigh, Yue Ling reached up and, with a delicate snap of her fingers, removed her veil.
A stunned silence overtook the room. Both mother and daughter gasped in awe.
Her beauty was not just mesmerizing — it was unearthly. Ethereal. The kind of beauty that legends were made of.
"She…" Princess Mei couldn't finish her sentence.
"She's the most beautiful person in the universe," Empress Qingtian finished softly, her voice almost trembling. But in that same moment, fear seized her heart — not from envy, but from understanding the danger this beauty could bring.
Quickly and gently, she stepped forward and fixed the veil back over Yue Ling's face, her hands trembling slightly. She adjusted it with the tenderness of a mother dressing her child.
"You must never remove this veil again," she warned softly, her voice thick with emotion. "No matter the situation. Thank the heavens you at least know how to disguise yourself."
A pause.
"Did Grandfather Yue ever tell you that the first man who sees your bare face will be responsible for you?" Empress Qingtian asked, eyes locked on hers.
"Yeah, he did," Yue Ling replied. "But… what if the person is useless? What if I don't like him?"
The room stilled. And then… the word slipped from Yue Ling's lips like a breeze she didn't realize had escaped.
"Mother…"
She froze. Empress Qingtian did too.
Something warm flickered in the empress's chest — something she had locked away for so long. Something that began to burn again the moment Yue Ling said the word.
Empress Qingtian drew in a breath, steadying her emotions. Her voice came gently, with quiet strength.
"Just call me aunt, not mother," she said with a faint smile.
"Even if your mother were here… you would be my second daughter. You know that, right? Because the way you've acted with Grandfather Yue, it's clear that you and my mother were more than just family. You're best friends, not rivals like other stepsisters do." Yue Ling replied
Empress Qingtian blinked at her, lips quivering. "Of course. I said that because I don't want people who don't understand our relationship to think otherwise. But… it's your choice."
The Empress smiled.
"Has Grandfather Yue ever told you anything about the Heavenly Palace before?" Yue Ling asked suddenly.
"Not at all," Empress Qingtian replied. "He's always been secretive. If not for the fact that I came here, I wouldn't even know I had family. I thought everyone had perished… leaving only Grandfather Yue, Butler San, and the maids here in Crescent World."
"I'm so sorry," Empress Qingtian said quietly, sorrow dancing behind her lashes. "He had to do that. Because of a duty… or perhaps a wish he needed to fulfill."
Yue Ling tilted her head. "A wish?"
"You'll understand more in time."
The two of them sat there for a while, falling into laughter and warmth as Yue Ling shared stories of her childhood — how she'd tricked Butler San into letting her slip into the village, the chaos she caused, the trouble she brewed. The empress laughed so freely she nearly forgot the weight of her title and all the burdens she carried.
Eventually, she stood, leaving the two girls to continue chatting.
Outside, Butler San approached quickly. "Empress," he said, bowing. "Grandfather Yue is in the hidden garden."
She nodded. "Good. I need to speak with him."
"There's one thing," he added solemnly. "You'll need to use your blood to enter the world he created. It's the only way he can ensure privacy — no one can hear you, and no one can disturb you."
She frowned. "Why would he do that?"
Then her voice cracked.
"Do you know what I had to sacrifice… just to fulfill Ye'er's last wish?" she said, voice trembling with raw hurt. "Why, Father… why?"