A cold rain fell on a cold night, and the silent canyon lay like a slumbering dragon, eternal and still. Thoughts clashed in the darkness—some wept, some worried, and some were consumed by guilt.
High above, a magic circle suddenly appeared, and two figures emerged from the shadows—one petite and delicate, the other tall and burly.
A white glow surrounded them as they surveyed the night, their gazes eventually settling on the campsite below the canyon. The petite figure spoke softly, “The anomaly is nearby, likely connected to the people down there.”
“Who’s there?” the tall figure suddenly barked, and in an instant, both assumed defensive stances.
From the darkness, a woman materialized out of nowhere, still dressed in lazy sleepwear, yawning as she regarded them. “You’re from the Magic Bureau?”
“Liu Ying?” The two hesitated, then relaxed slightly. “What’s happening here? The spatial anomalies are unusually severe.”
“A descendant of the Tuoba family used forbidden summoning magic. I happened to be wandering nearby and dispersed it with a single strike.” Liu Ying pulled out a scroll. “The details are all in here. The rest is up to you.”
They took the scroll, exchanging glances before the woman nodded. “Since you’re already here, could you handle a few more anomalies? We’d feel more at ease with you around.”
“Hey, hold on—why should I do your work? I’m not part of the Magic Bureau.”
“But you’re from the Liu family, and since you’re with the Magic Guild, we’re practically family.” The woman smiled. “If you ever need anything, just ask. Mutual benefit, right?”
“Besides, something strange has been happening in the training zones lately. Yesterday, a horde of Tyranno beasts appeared in Zone B, and even the graduates from Tian Xingzi were severely injured. They probably won’t be able to graduate this year,” the man added.
“Tian Xingzi?” Liu Ying’s brows lifted.
“Should be your teammates. But don’t worry—they called for help in time, so no lives were lost. They’ve already been sent back,” the woman reassured. “As for the group below, could you escort them back? The training zones are about to be completely locked down. Be careful—things have been unusually unstable lately.”
Liu Ying sighed in relief. As long as they weren’t in mortal danger, it was fine. She quickly stopped the two before they could leave, retrieving two small bottles from her spatial storage—one containing a snake, the other a bear.
“Ran into these recently. They don’t belong in this zone. Send them back where they came from.”
The snake was the same one that had nearly devoured her when she first arrived on the Beast Island. Creatures of that level had no place in a training zone—one misstep, and the students would be wiped out.
The two nodded, taking the containment bottles before stepping into a teleportation circle and vanishing.
Liu Ying glanced down at the canyon once more, then disappeared in a flash, reappearing inside a small mountain cabin. Outside, a massive tiger, five or six stories tall, lay snoring soundly.
This was her spatial ring.
Spatial storage technology was highly advanced in modern times, making life convenient everywhere. Cheaper options included spatial pouches, chests, and boxes, while more expensive ones took the form of rings, necklaces, and other accessories. The most premium could even accommodate living beings.
Back in her space, Liu Ying threw herself onto the bamboo bed and closed her eyes. Though she appeared to be sleeping, her mind was occupied with what the Magic Bureau had just told her.
In the current world, there were four supreme organizations: the Mage Guild, the Tian Xingzi Magic Academy, the World Magic Investigation Bureau, and the Non-Human Races Alliance. The Magic Bureau, also known as the Dark Magic Investigation Bureau, was responsible for investigating any illegal magic and maintaining world peace.
For instance, if a mage broke the law and the local law enforcement of a small nation was incapable of investigating or apprehending them, the Dark Magic Investigation Bureau would step in. In short, they were the ones who punished rogue mages.
Take Chen Tianjing, for example—she had already been handed over to the Magic Bureau. As for whether the demon summoned by Tuoba Yichen was guilty or not, that was for the Magic Bureau to judge and analyze. Only when necessary would law enforcement be mobilized.
What Liu Ying was really concerned about was the anomaly they had mentioned.
If the Magic Bureau had been deployed and the training area was being sealed off, then this was no small matter. She was increasingly convinced that Future Ying’s warning had been particularly useful—unless absolutely necessary, she really shouldn’t allow herself to be in a weakened state.
Lost in thought, she eventually drifted into a deep sleep.
……
The next day, the rain continued to drizzle without end. The camp had temporarily halted all outings, so Yang Xiyan strolled through the flower garden under a parasol, her black boots sinking into the muddy soil, leaving deep footprints behind.
After wandering around the garden, Yang Xiyan found no signs of the so-called anomaly. If Xue Ruoqing and the others hadn’t been lying, then the love grass here must have already been uprooted by Liu Ying.
Truth be told, she was still confused. They had all been so alarmed, yet nothing had happened to her. She hadn’t encountered any love grass or Chen Tianjing—she had simply spent the day happily, eating delicious food, only for someone to suddenly claim she had been violated, while the other three argued among themselves.
How absurd!
It had taken her a long time to piece everything together.
But what truly saddened her was Tuoba Yichen. She had always thought he was someone she could entrust her life to, never imagining he had been keeping a lover behind her back. It pained her deeply—even more so because her family had known all along but chose to act as if nothing had happened.
This was unacceptable!
She had thought she could live a stable, happy life, only to realize fate was not in her hands.
As she wandered, tears silently fell. She had already cried secretly last night, yet here she was, weeping again—grieving Tuoba Yichen’s betrayal and her family’s deception.
What should she do?
“Xiyan!” The others, noticing her in the flower garden, were startled and urgently called out to her, telling her to come back quickly. Yang Xiyan glanced back at them before slowly making her way over.
“Yanyan, are you okay?” Xue Ruoqing rushed to her side, her face full of concern.
“I’m fine,” Yang Xiyan replied with a gentle smile.
Xue Ruoqing took in her despondent expression, her own eyes dimming as she lightly bit her lower lip. After bidding farewell to the others, she ran outside and crouched in a crevice beneath the cliff, quietly sobbing.
Before long, An Leiya emerged slowly from behind her, silently giving her space but saying nothing.
Xue Ruoqing noticed her presence and choked out between sobs, “I—I thought this would only benefit Yanyan, so I agreed to Auntie’s plan. I never expected things to turn out like this. I—I’ve wronged Yanyan.”
An Leiya watched her quietly. “If the family decides something, even without you, there would have been someone else in your place. There’s no need to cry.”
“If I had been stricter with the review, this wouldn’t have happened. Now I can’t be with Tuoba Yichen—what should I do? Yanyan will definitely be betrothed to that fatso when she goes back. That guy has been trying to curry favor over and over… Even my aunt won’t be able to stop it.”
“Yeah, they’ve offered too many benefits.” An Leiya stared at her. “Don’t cry so hard. There’s always a way. Let’s go back and discuss it properly as sisters. Maybe losing Tuoba would actually be the better choice.”
“How could that be…? Tuoba is undoubtedly the best candidate. He may be a bit of a flirt, but he’s still an outstanding man. Yanyan is naive and delicate. If she doesn’t have someone strong to protect her, her future will be miserable. That’s the fate of her clan.”
“Stop crying. First, go apologize to Yanyan. Honestly, I think what she said earlier wasn’t a lie. She just went to the flower garden and came back completely unharmed—that’s practically impossible.”
“How do I apologize? I don’t even have the courage to face her.”
“Just tell her the truth. Share your feelings with her. Yanyan is very gentle—if she understands you, she won’t blame you. Besides… I don’t think she’s actually angry with us.”
“Really…?”
Yang Xiyan wasn’t really angry with them. She was just resentful. What truly drained her strength was Tuoba Yichen’s indifference and the pressure from her family. Seeing the girl in front of her crying her eyes out, she was a little surprised.
Listening to her slowly pour out her heart, Xiyan fell silent.
She had always been protected—by her mother, by her cousins, by all kinds of elder sisters. While she had been lost in fantasies of marrying Tuoba in the future, there had been a group of people scheming to safeguard her marriage, afraid she’d be mistreated later.
Even now, she was still being protected in secret. She hadn’t learned the reason until last night.
Since ancient times, the members of her clan, the Apurodi family, had always been like this—inheriting the beauty of the Goddess of Loveliness but lacking the strength to match it. They survived purely on their enchanting appearances and pitiable charm.
Anyone in their clan, male or female, who carried even a trace of their bloodline, possessed an innate talent for beguiling allure. It wasn’t just men—even women were strongly affected by it.
“Stop crying. I don’t hate you.” Yang Xiyan exhaled and looked up at the waterfall ahead. The cool breeze gently lifted her hair, revealing a resolute expression.
“Really?” Xue Ruoqing sounded doubtful.
They had chosen to talk beneath the waterfall, under the shade of a massive tree—a good place to shelter from the rain, the same spot where a group of small animals had taken refuge the day before.
“Alright, stop crying.” An Leiya poked her cheek and glanced back at Yang Xiyan. “I want to confirm something. You really… weren’t…?”
“I don’t lie.”
“How is that possible? Even Xia Qiu said so.” Xue Ruoqing wiped her tears, remembering Xia Qiu’s teasing remarks about getting stronger.
“I don’t know either. I just know she wasn’t a bad person.” Yang Xiyan rubbed her temples. “Yichen… Tuoba said he fought Chen Tianjing for five hundred rounds, right? He even summoned a blood pact. But for me, it was like nothing happened at all.”
“Nothing at all?” The two couldn’t help but exchange glances. With such a huge commotion, even a blood pact being summoned—yet Yang Xiyan was completely unaffected? How was that possible?
The dangers summoned by a blood pact are immense—it could even get you invited for tea by the Magic Bureau. Yet, it ended as if nothing had happened. The barrier they set up shouldn’t have been capable of that.
“That night… Xia Qiu appeared out of nowhere, acting strangely. I wondered if she was the one who resolved the blood pact.”
“No, no, impossible.” Xue Ruoqing shook her head with a laugh. “Xia Qiu is just a student. No matter how skilled she is, she couldn’t have pulled that off.”
An Leiya: “Maybe she’s Tian Xingzi’s student?”
“Come on, even if she were, she still couldn’t have done it. My cousin couldn’t manage it either. And the way she looks at our Yanyan is just off. She’s no good.” Xue Ruoqing pouted, though without her usual disdainful tone.
“Xia Qiu isn’t a bad person. If she really were, and if she had any interest in me, she could’ve used your love herb on me long ago. She’s more like a gentle, older-sister type.”
Yang Xiyan suspected that Liu Ying must have secretly protected her that night, which was why she ended up in such a painful state. As Tian Xingzi’s student, Liu Ying had the ability to capture the Purple-Gold Jade Water Plover—meaning she was at least AA-rank. But even an AA-rank shouldn’t have been able to handle a blood pact…
She was torn. Could it really have been her?
Still, AA-rank is impressive no matter what.
At any rate, they needed to find that person quickly.
“The real problem now is how to explain things to the family when we get back,” An Leiya said, raising an eyebrow. “And how to handle Yanyan’s marriage prospects. After the Tuoba incident, the clan head won’t let us act recklessly anymore. He’ll prioritize the family’s revival above all else.”
“What else can we do? Pin all the blame on Chen Tianjing and Tuoba. The clan head won’t have much to say, at most stirring up tensions between the two families.”
“That… how can I make my father stop interfering with my marriage? If I become a mage, would that shut the family up?”
Xue Ruoqing froze. They all knew Yang Xiyan’s dream was to become a renowned painter—something ordinary. Why would she suddenly want to pursue such a dangerous path as magic?
“Can you handle the hardship?” An Leiya asked calmly.