The Bai Clan's flying ship sailed smoothly across the skies, leaving a trail of faint golden ripples in its wake.
Inside, it was as if they had stepped into another world entirely.
Polished spiritwood halls gleamed under the soft light of qi-lanterns, silken drapes swayed gently with the motion of the vessel, and every corridor exuded quiet grandeur.
The floors, the walls, even the furniture-everything bore subtle inscriptions, harmonizing qi through the ship in a way that made it feel less like a vessel of war and more like a palace afloat in the heavens.
Meilin's eyes sparkled as she leaned closer to Mingzhu, whispering in awe.
"Sister Mingzhu... this ship... it's basically a palace in the skies! Look at those runes-this isn't just protection, it's also formation-linked heating and cooling. And that-"
She giggled softly, cheeks still faintly flushed from her earlier indulgence-
"It even has a bath! Can you believe it? A flying ship with a bath carved of jade stone, with water flowing nonstop, I swear, I could live on this ship and never complain."
Mingzhu gave a small nod, her lips curving faintly.
She too had been impressed-though unlike Meilin, she was more reserved in showing it.
For them, flying ships were synonymous with weapons of war.
Heavily armed vessels, bristling with spirit cannons and filled with explosive formations, their sole purpose was destruction.
To see such a vessel instead dedicated to comfort was shocking-almost wasteful.
Sun Yaoqing, sitting across from Bai Zihan, let her gaze drift across the surroundings with a calm expression, but her thoughts betrayed a different story. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novelꜰire.net
This is too extravagant!
To use such a treasure only for comfort and travel-it was arrogance.
And yet, as she leaned back against the cushioned seat, the faint fragrance of the Misty Jade Garden tea lingering in the air, she found herself liking it. (If traveling could always be this comfortable, I wouldn't complain either...) She hid the small curl of her lips behind her teacup.
However, her eyes also quietly glanced at Luo Qing, who was talking with Bai Zihan with a smile on her face.
Bai Zihan showed more respect to her than he did to the entire court of the Falling Star Empire.
After some time, her ruby eyes shifted back toward Bai Zihan, who sat in composed silence, as if this luxury meant nothing to him.
She said suddenly, her tone polite but edged with curiosity.
Her lips curved slightly.
"Did you not say you needed a guide? We've been traveling for so long... and yet you haven't asked me where you wish to go."
Her attendants exchanged puzzled glances.
It was true-if Bai Zihan needed her to act as a guide, why hadn't he consulted her even once?
They had traveled as if Bai Zihan already knew where they were going in the Falling Star Empire.
"I already have a guide, though I don't know whether to trust him or not."
At that moment, Bai Zihan lifted his hand, and with a snap of his fingers, the sound of chains rattled through the cabin.
From a side chamber, two Bai guards dragged a figure into view and threw him down onto the polished floor.
The princess and her attendants turned sharply, their eyes narrowing as the man was revealed.
His body was bound in heavy chains, bloodied bandages wrapped tightly around his face and torso. Bones jutted at unnatural angles, his skin mottled with bruises, one eye swollen shut.
He looked barely alive, his breathing ragged, yet still clinging stubbornly to existence.
Sun Yaoqing's brows furrowed.
Bai Zihan's crimson gaze glinted coldly.
"The man is from the same organization that tried to kill me," he said lightly, as if speaking of the weather.
"He knows the location I need. But if he dares to deceive me, well, then I would have to ask him kindly again."
"No no no, I am telling the truth, Young Master Bai."
Zou Shiji replied, scared out of his wits when he heard Bai Zihan's words.
The attendants froze, their expressions turning grim as they studied the half-dead man who twitched faintly under Bai Zihan's gaze.
A chill ran down Sun Yaoqing's spine-not from the captive, but from the calm, casual way Bai Zihan had spoken, as though torture, death, and pursuit were simply part of his daily routine.
She nearly forgot who Bai Zihan was, just because of how kindly he treated his servant.
(There were rumors that he annihilated one clan just because they somewhat offended him. I guess that's true!)
Princess Sun Yaoqing thought.
At the time, many didn't believe that a clan would move to destroy another powerful clan just because of the whim of a sixteen-year-old.
But looking at Bai Zihan, it seemed like he commanded power far beyond his age.
On the other hand, look at her. Despite being the most talented among the Royal Family, much less doing something so huge, even when going out, she had to be cautious.
Even when she knew who had sent assassins after her, she couldn't confront them because of lack of evidence-and perhaps because she still wanted to believe in her siblings.
"I believe you, for now!"
Bai Zihan answered as he looked at the horizon.
The flying ship descended steadily, the golden ripples in the sky fading as vessel lowered into a vast stretch of rugged mountains cloaked in mist.
Zou Shiji, still chained and trembling, forced out a weak laugh between ragged breaths.
"There... that's the place."
He lifted a trembling finger toward the valley below, where there was nothing but a small establishment.
"It may look like nothing, but don't be deceived, Young Master Bai. That place down there only appears small and inauspicious. In truth, it is a front. Inside, it's vast-layers of underground chambers."
His one good eye flickered with fear, but also a desperate will to survive.
Bai Zihan's gaze lowered, crimson eyes reflecting the shabby cluster of stone huts nestled in the valley below.
At first glance, it looked no different from a commoner settlement-broken walls, smoke rising from crooked chimneys, the faint bustle of farmers returning with their oxen.
"They really spent quite a bit to hide well."
If not for Zou Shiji, even if one came across this place, nothing would look out of place.
"Very well, Zou Shiji. Let's see if your tongue speaks the truth-or if I must ask you again."
He rose to his feet, folding his hands behind his back.
Just as he was about to descend, a voice, deep and steady like a mountain, echoed inside the cabin.
"Zihan'er, I'll accompany you."
A figure materialized near the edge of the cabin, not with the sound of footsteps or the ripple of qi, but simply appeared-as if he had been there all along, hidden in plain sight.
Mingzhu reacted instantly. Her arm swept in front of Princess Sun Yaoqing, her eyes narrowing sharply as she released a protective wave of qi.
Even Princess Sun Yaoqing's eyes widened, her grip tightening on her teacup as her pupils trembled.
To say Bai Ren appeared out of thin air would be exaggeration-but not by much.
None of them had sensed his approach. None of them had noticed him until he spoke.
And now that they did, they realized-his presence wasn't just unfathomable. It was impossible.
The aura radiating from him was not of any realm they knew.
It was deep, vast, and terrifyingly still-like an abyss that swallowed every attempt to measure it.
(Could he be in the Immortal Realm?)
A realm unknown to the Falling Star Empire-yet not unknown to the Desolate Heaven Empire.
Immortal Ascension... or perhaps even beyond that.
They couldn't even sense much cultivation from Bai Ren, and even if they did, it would overwhelm them.
"Grand Elder, looks like you were getting bored," Bai Zihan said.
He knew that Grand Elder Bai Ren, who spent most of his time in the Bai Clan just to protect it, was quite bored without much to do. After all, who in their right mind would attack the Bai Clan?
Moreover, even if one attacked-like the Li or Zhao Clans-unless they deployed their own Grand Elders or posed a threat to the Bai Clan's existence, he was not allowed to interfere.
"Hmph! Who said that? I was just worried that our heir might die because of those insolent fools."
Grand Elder Bai Ren justified it, though it was clearly a lie.
Well, Bai Zihan didn't care much.
With Bai Ren, there was no need for other Bai Clan members to accompany him.
"You all stay here. The Grand Elder and I will go and take care of this."
The Bai Clan members, of course, nodded. With the Grand Elder going, they were no longer worried about Bai Zihan being in danger. "Now then, shall we see whether they have the answer I seek?"