"Mother… why did it take so long for you to return?" Xue Li asked.
Xue Jinghua sighed.
"There's unrest in the Royal Court," she answered honestly. "We may be dragged into a full-scale conflict with another powerful nation."
Xue Li's expression tightened. "How soon?"
"Hard to say. It could be years—or only months. But things are going to change, and soon."
By the time they arrived outside the Nameless Guild's guildhouse, the atmosphere felt heavier than before.
Stepping out of the carriage, Supreme Elder Xue paused, studying the building.
'The walls have been renovated,' she noted.
A brief sweep of her senses revealed faint scorch marks and lingering traces of powerful flame Qi along the structure. At first sight, it seemed as if the guildhouse was as good as new, but Supreme Elder Xue knew better.
'This guildhouse was engulfed in flames…' she thought.
She couldn't understand how or why, so all she could do was sigh.
