Tian Yang stood there, completely dazed, even long after Ren Xia had left. Eventually, almost absentmindedly, he lifted his hand and touched the spot where Ren Xia had kissed him. The warmth was still there. However, Huang Xiao Li’s smiling face suddenly appeared in his mind, instantly snapping him out of his daze. ’Kulas was right. She’s a dangerous and unpredictable woman. I need to be especially careful when around her…’ Tian Yang thought to himself as he left the Celestial Sword Sect. After leaving the Celestial Sword Sect, Tian Yang traveled deep into the wilderness, searching for a secluded area away from prying eyes. Once he found a desolate, untouched area, he finally set his focus on something he had long neglected—his martial techniques. Although his cultivation base had grown significantly over the past fifty years, his martial techniques remained stagnant. During his time in Han Zexian’s cavern, his mind had been entirely consumed by the diary and the engravings on the walls, leaving little to no time for him to practice his martial techniques. While Tian Yang trained, Ren Xia tried to acquire information on Kulas. The first person she went to for such information was naturally her own family. Coincidentally, Ren Xia’s mother paid her a visit at the Celestial Sword Sect just a few weeks after her meeting with Tian Yang. Seated within her courtyard, surrounded by the gentle rustling of flowers, Ren Xia and her mother enjoyed their tea in peaceful harmony. Their conversation was light and pleasant at first, with her mother inquiring about her time at the sect, her progress in cultivation, and any challenges she had faced. Ren Xia responded with ease, sharing details of her breakthroughs and training progress. However, as the conversation continued, Ren Xia eventually brought up Kulas, a name she hadn’t mentioned to her family for decades. "Mother, this may sound random, but have you heard from or about Kulas recently?" The moment Ren Xia spoke his name, her mother, who had just lifted her teacup to her lips, suddenly trembled. A faint ripple disturbed the surface of the tea as her fingers momentarily stiffened around the delicate porcelain. For a brief second, an unreadable expression flashed across her usually composed face—one that Ren Xia had never seen before. Then, slowly, she lowered the cup, placing it carefully back onto the table. "Did something happen? You haven’t mentioned him ever since your engagement was broken." Ren Xia kept a calm demeanor and responded, "A friend mentioned him not long ago, and I realized that I haven’t heard a word about him for over fifty years now. I don’t care about his situation, but it does intrigue me how quiet he’s been. Don’t tell me he died?" Her mother didn’t immediately respond. Instead, a heavy silence settled between them, the only sound being the soft rustling of flowers in the gentle breeze. Then, after what felt like an eternity, she finally spoke. "Sorry, but I also haven’t heard from him or the Immortal Might Clan recently." Her voice was calm, steady—too steady. "After your engagement was broken, our relationship with the Immortal Might Clan hasn’t been the same. It might take some time before things return to normal." On the surface, her words were logical and reasonable. But Ren Xia knew better. She had spent a lifetime reading the subtle nuances in her mother’s expressions and tone. And right now… her mother was lying. She wasn’t just withholding information—she was deliberately hiding something from her. "Is that so?" Ren Xia kept her cool and responded nonchalantly. "By the way, I wouldn’t mind completely severing ties with the Immortal Might Clan." Her mother shook her head and said, "You know that’s not possible." "I know." As their meeting neared its end, Ren Xia’s mother set down her teacup and spoke with deliberate intent. "Before I leave, I need an answer for you-know-what." Ren Xia’s expression remained composed, her response almost instantaneous. "If you’re talking about who my next fiance will be, I am still considering my options." Her voice was calm, unaffected—as if she had expected this conversation from the very beginning. Despite how last-minute the question might have seemed, Ren Xia knew this was the true reason for her mother’s visit. "Your father and I both know you’re trying to delay it as long as possible, but you really need to make up your mind soon, as it’ll greatly affect our clan. We love you, but our patience has a limit, and it’s running thin." "Of course, mother." Ren Xia managed to keep a calm demeanor until the very end. Once her mother left, Ren Xia’s calm expression turned grim. "Love me? What a joke. I am nothing but an object with a price in their eyes," she coldly sneered. After failing to acquire any information on Kulas from her family, Ren Xia changed her methods, using more unorthodox methods. A few years later, in the midst of his training, Tian Yang noticed the communication jade slip Ren Xia had given him was trembling. He quickly answered it. "Hello?" "I have the information you want." Ren Xia’s voice resounded from the jade slip, her tone calm but carrying an undertone that Tian Yang couldn’t quite place. "Great. I’ll come to meet you at the Celestial Sword Sect," Tian Yang responded immediately. However, Ren Xia quickly rejected the idea. "No, let’s meet somewhere else. I’ll give you the location in a few days." The moment she said that, Tian Yang’s expression darkened slightly, and a bad feeling settled in his gut. "Okay..." And with that, their conversation ended. For the next several days, Tian Yang waited anxiously for Ren Xia to reach out again. A week later, Ren Xia finally reached out with the location. "I’ll be there in three days," Tian Yang replied. "Okay." Without hesitation, Tian Yang set out toward the destination. Three days later, he arrived as promised, stepping into a private room at a quiet restaurant where Ren Xia was already present. Yet, the setting was anything but ordinary—there was no food on the table, and Ren Xia was in disguise.