THE EMPEROR'S EXPRESSION darkened, and Elder Leo scowled uncomfortably. Something wasn't right. The elder didn't know what it was, but a sudden unease crawled beneath his skin. He was restless.
"Since there's fire, shouldn't you put it out?! What are you shouting and disturbing the crown prince's banquet for?!" Emperor Jun roared, slapping the armrest.
The eunuch shivered, fearful of losing his life. He quickly dropped to his knees and cried, "Your Majesty, the fire in the northern part of the palace is odd—it cannot be extinguished by any means!"
Then, as if recalling something critical, he turned to Elder Leo and kowtowed deeply. "Imperial Preceptor! We beg you, please help us extinguish the fire!"
The people at the banquet stirred. Whispers turned to gasps, and fear rippled through the crowd. The plea to the Imperial Preceptor carried a deeper implication—was this fire... magical?
Terra took a sip of her tea, unbothered, before coldly remarking, "Why don't we stop chattering and go look into it first? If you keep dawdling, the fire will soon reach this very hall. Then all of you will be burned eternally."
The word "eternally" struck the air like thunder. Elder Leo's eyes snapped to her, narrowing. A seed of suspicion sprouted in his heart.
The emperor was startled out of his haze by her words. He immediately sent men to investigate the northern wing and ordered the Imperial Preceptor to assist. Elder Leo shot a fleeting glance at Terra, who followed casually behind them, and his brows furrowed. The girl had spoken of 'eternal fire'—a concept only known within the magical realms.
No ordinary person should know of it. It wasn't just rare—it was arcane, an advanced form of magic even Elder Leo couldn't wield. So how had she known?
Still, he couldn't jump to conclusions. First, he had to confirm what kind of fire it really was.
When they arrived at the northern palace, the elder almost collapsed. Olivia, standing nearby, noticed his reaction and rushed to steady him.
"Master, are you okay?" she asked, stunned by the massive blaze already consuming several palace buildings. Guards and servants scrambled frantically, trying to douse the flames—but nothing worked.
"The fire... it's blue," Olivia mumbled, transfixed. "It's my first time seeing a fire like this."
The flames roared as if alive. Their blue hue made them mesmerizing—beautiful and terrifying. Everyone present wore expressions of horror. If it couldn't be stopped, the entire palace would burn to the ground.
"What in heaven's name is this?" Emperor Jun barked, pointing at the flames. "Can it be extinguished?"
Elder Leo's fists clenched tight. His complexion paled. "This is no ordinary flame. It's higher-level magic," he said grimly. "Evacuate the palace at once!"
The words struck like lightning. Panic erupted. Chaos exploded across the palace grounds.
"Protect the emperor!"
"Protect the crown prince!"
"Protect the elder and the ministers!"
Guards scrambled, nobles shouted, and palace maids fled. Amidst the mayhem, Terra sneered.
The old man was panicking? Over a few flames?
How humiliating.
She died because of this coward?
She perished at the hands of a man who couldn't even quench a bit of fire?
Her chest tightened with contempt and shame. It was pathetic. If she could rewrite her life all over again, she swore—she'd make every one of her deaths count.
She sighed.
Anyway, the show had barely begun. There was no way she'd let these people, especially that emperor, leave just yet.
"Imperial Preceptor," she called out, stepping in front of the elder to block his retreat.
Elder Leo turned, standing rigid. Olivia had already slipped away toward the crown prince, leaving only the elder, a few eunuchs, and Terra facing the raging blaze.
Terra didn't waste time.
With a faint smile, she raised her hand and slowly closed her palm.
Instantly, the raging flames vanished.
The sky above dimmed. The northern wing of the palace, once a sea of fire, was cloaked in ash and silence. The crowd froze in disbelief. All motion ceased. Eyes widened in horror and awe.
The girl—had stopped the eternal fire.
Step by step, Terra walked toward the Imperial Preceptor, her calm expression never wavering. When she was just three feet away, she lowered her head slightly in a mock bow and whispered with a taunting smile:
"Imperial Preceptor, I had thought you were someone… interesting. Even if it was the Eternal Fire, shouldn't a cultivator stronger than its caster be able to extinguish it?" She smirked at his terrified stare. "What a shame. And here I hoped you'd entertain me a little longer."
Elder Leo trembled. His mouth opened to retort, to shout, to scold—but someone interrupted.
"Someone! Someone's coming out of the burned palace!"
Everyone turned toward the smoke.
All eyes whipped to the collapsed ruins. Slowly, through the thinning smoke, emerged a figure—black cloak trailing, burdened by another body on his back.
Gasps filled the air.
"Isn't that the Imperial Uncle's guard?"
"What's he doing here?"
"Who's that child he's carrying?"
Emperor Jun's eyes narrowed. The man was, unmistakably, his brother's personal guard. But why was he still here? Was he behind the fire? Was he the traitor who dared to torch the imperial palace?
As fury twisted his features, Loid knelt calmly.
"Your Majesty," he said, his tone unwavering, "this servant was sent by His Highness, the Imperial Uncle, to visit the Eleventh Prince."
A wave of silence blanketed the courtyard.
Eleventh... prince?
There were only ten imperial sons. Who was the eleventh?
Prince Zak, weak but alert, glanced at the emperor. This was his father. He had never seen him before—but who else wore a dragon robe with such authority?
When the emperor's sharp eyes fell on him, Zak instinctively looked away. Then he glanced around the crowd, searching for someone—his sister.
"Fifth Brother shouldn't have bothered," Emperor Jun said evenly, masking his confusion and unease. Why would his brother suddenly take interest in an unknown prince? The boy didn't seem extraordinary at all.
"Your Majesty jests," Loid replied. "Had this servant not come, the prince would not have survived the night. My master would be weighed with guilt—for failing the late Empress."
The emperor froze.
"The late Empress?"
Everyone knew who that was—Empress Hannah. She had been the empire's star, the bridge to the Earth Realm. Without her, the Immortal Dragon Empire would still be blind to magic knowledge.
"What's my son's connection to Empress Hannah?" Emperor Jun asked sharply.
"Yes," Loid replied, "the Eleventh Prince's mother was the daughter of Lady Harriet, the Empress's personal attendant."
Gasps rippled through the audience.
Lady Harriet was no ordinary maid—she was a cultivator from the same clan as Empress Hannah, serving as her sworn guardian. Her daughter, for reasons unknown, later became a palace maid… and bore the emperor a child.
Now that child stood—barely—before them.
Shadow Guard Loid laid out the lineage with respectful clarity, avoiding any overt accusation. But the implication rang loud: You neglected the son of Empress Hannah's most loyal retainer.
No one dared speak. They turned their eyes to Emperor Jun, curious if he would express guilt, remorse—or rage.
But the emperor merely sighed. It was long, and theatrically empty.
"So, my eleventh son is actually Lady Harriet's grandson," Emperor Jun remarked. He appeared to be reliving the past, but he was merely acting.
What did Empress Hannah or those connected to her have to do with him? He had no interest in them—only in seeing them suffer. He looked at the boy with feigned compassion, but inwardly he was already devising ways to crush the bastard.
Emperor Jun's mother had tried everything to raise him to the throne when he was still a prince, yet his imperial father never relented. That old man was utterly devoted to Empress Hannah.
He could still remember how his mother once knelt, begging for even a glance of affection—only to be scorned. He remembered how Empress Hannah, aided by Lady Harriet, had humiliated her.
Yes, his mother had schemed, but so what? The empress had already secured the emperor's favor. Why then did she need to publicly disgrace her?
His eyes burned, nearly turning red, but he forced himself to remain composed.
Sensing the tension, Shadow Guard Loid stepped forward and spoke evenly, "Your Majesty, His Highness the imperial uncle would like to request that the eleventh prince be placed under Duke Pei's Estate—as a disciple."
"What?"
"Please permit the eleventh prince to learn martial arts under their care," Loid added.
Emperor Jun's brow furrowed. "He's not yet twelve. A prince of his age shouldn't leave the palace. What if something happens to him?"
"Is the Emperor casting doubt on our Duke Estate?" Lily interrupted coldly. She stood before Elder Leo, with Ji Mei silently behind her. "Need I remind you, Emperor Jun? Nowhere in this empire is more secure than our estate."
His frown deepened. He didn't want to agree. Something about this made his instincts bristle.
"And," Lily continued, cutting in before he could speak, "the eleventh prince has no presence in the empire. Neither your ministers nor the people even know he exists. If word gets out that you hid away a prince in the darkest corner of your palace—neglected and mistreated—what will the people think of you? Whether you claim ignorance or not, the fact remains: it happened under your reign. You'll face their judgment regardless."
She smiled thinly. "So why not wash your hands clean? Punish the ones responsible. Issue a decree: the eleventh prince will study under the Pei Family. We'll even help you repair your reputation."
If the people turned against him, the empire's foundation would shake.
Emperor Jun's expression turned darker. He glanced at the ministers present—men of high rank. And this wretched girl had aired her terms before them. Even a whisper from their lips would deepen the blow to his standing.
Lily saw through him. She looked at the ministers and smiled. "This is your emperor. As loyal officials, you'll help him, won't you?"
The ministers trembled. They nodded in silent panic, sweat dripping down their temples.
Satisfied, Lily turned back to Emperor Jun. "So, what will it be, Your Majesty?"
He wanted to curse, to slam his fist on the floor. Who was the emperor here?! Did these people only answer to the Pei Family now? Was he nothing to them?
He inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly. "...Very well."
Only Elder Leo, his throat tightened by rage, found himself unable to speak.