Bai-Xue's eyes darkened as she met her grandfather's gaze.
"Ya-Ting and her sister... they tried to kill me," she said quietly, her voice steady but sharp.
Jia-Hai's eyes blazed with fury.
"What? Those wretched girls... How dare they! I'll kill them myself right now!"
Bai-Xue held up her hand, shaking her head.
"No, Grandpa... not now. They will die, yes—but not yet. You must understand... they didn't act alone. Someone powerful is behind this. Someone with influence, someone in a very high position."
Jia-Hai's expression darkened further.
"What do you mean, child? Do you know who it is?"
Bai-Xue's voice hardened.
"I don't want to marry the Third Prince... Min-Sheng, Grandpa."
Jia-Hai froze, shock crossing his face.
"But... but you've always liked him. You always said you wanted to marry him. Why... why now?"
Bai-Xue's lips curled into a faint, bitter smile.
"Yes... I wanted to marry him. Until I realized he tried to kill me. He conspired with those two girls, Grandpa... he wanted me dead."
Jia-Hai's face turned pale.
"You're saying the Third Prince... actually tried to kill you? Are you sure, Bai-Xue? It couldn't be a misunderstanding, right?"
Bai-Xue reached into her sleeve and produced a silver jade. The Third Prince's name was engraved on it—an artifact only he could use.
"This... proves it," she said softly, her eyes cold. "No one else could have used this. He is involved."
Jia-Hai's face darkened to an almost terrifying degree. He clenched his fists, his voice shaking with rage.
"That bastard Min-Sheng... and those rat-like nobles! They really want to die. They dared betray us, betray you... my granddaughter! Don't worry, child. I will not allow this wedding to happen. You are not alone in this. Whatever path you choose, however dangerous... I will walk it with you. I will protect you... because I believe in you, just like I believed in your mother. Now, tell me, what do you want?"
Bai-Xue looked at him calmly.
"I'll tell you... when the time comes, Grandpa."
He sighed, nodding slowly.
"Very well... but before that, there is something I want to show you. Our family... the Ning family... we have countless ancestral treasures. Come with me."
In an instant, Jia-Hai guided her to a hidden spirit storage room. The air shimmered around them, and when the light settled, Bai-Xue's eyes widened.
The room was vast—walls lined with shelves that reached the ceiling, crammed with books radiating spiritual energy. Every book seemed to hum with knowledge.
"This," Jia-Hai said, his voice full of reverence, "is the greatest treasure of our family. Here, you can find cultivation books for every element. I do not know what your spirit affinity is, but here... you will find everything you need."
Bai-Xue's eyes sparkled.
"These books aren't ordinary," Jia-Hai continued. "They are miraculous. Each contains unique techniques, knowledge from the ground to the heavens, dangerous spells, beasts you've never heard of, histories spanning thousands of years. No one outside the Ning family can access these books. My father entrusted them to me, and now... I entrust them to you."
Bai-Xue's voice trembled with awe.
"But... Grandpa... this is too precious. How can I—"
"You can," he interrupted gently. "You are my only granddaughter, far more precious than these treasures. You deserve this. And that's not all... this room contains a Mirror of Truth. But... you cannot use it until you reach godly-rank cultivation. Even I have never discovered its secrets. I believe... you will."
Bai-Xue's eyes shone.
"Thank you, Grandpa. Thank you for trusting me... and for giving me these treasures of the Ning family."
Jia-Hai smiled, a rare warmth in his eyes.
"Tomorrow, child, you must rise early. I will take you somewhere—where your new life truly begins."
He left silently, leaving Bai-Xue alone with the treasures.
She walked through the room, letting her fingers brush over the countless volumes. When the dark moon rose outside, she paused.
"Master," Dark Moon murmured beside her, "this room... it's incredible. You've truly hit the jackpot. Look at these herbs... some don't exist anywhere else in the world."
Bai-Xue laughed softly, her hand brushing over a shelf.
"I know, Darky. But I feel... something here is hidden, something I can't even sense fully."
Her gaze was drawn to a corner. A single black book lay there, its cover adorned with stars. As she reached for it, a strange sensation overtook her—she felt as if she were falling through space itself. She withdrew her hand, startled.
"This... is strange," she whispered.
Turning to Dark Moon, she chuckled.
"I've witnessed so much drama since morning... my mind feels like it's going to explode. I think it's time to rest. You should too, Darky. Tomorrow... we have lessons for many little bullies waiting for us. We need to be fresh."
With a playful wink, she exited the spirit storage room and returned to her room. She settled into her bed, ready to dream of the new life that awaited her.