Hearing this, the masked man turned his gaze towards Feng Jiu, offering no further words but instead seeming to scrutinize her intently. After a prolonged silence, he finally spoke, his tone carrying a note of certainty. "The little girl can only grow up safely if she is under my guidance. Your current circumstances prevent you from providing her with the necessary protection, especially with your husband, Xuanyuan Mo Ze, still missing. Do you truly believe she will be safe if you keep her by your side?" As he continued, the masked man's voice softened subtly. He rose to his feet, his gaze not meeting Feng Jiu's slightly shifting expression, and began to pace slowly across the courtyard, his hands clasped behind his back. Abruptly, he halted his movement, his eyes lifting to the sky as he addressed Feng Jiu once more. "The intricacies of this world far surpass your current understanding. Consider this: with your level of cultivation, why are you still unable to control life and death?" Upon finishing his statement, his gaze returned to Feng Jiu, observing the slight furrow in her brow and the unwavering focus of her eyes upon him. A faint smile, devoid of genuine warmth, touched the corners of his lips. "You have matured at an accelerated pace, so much so that your very existence poses a threat to certain powerful entities. Before you reach a level of power capable of shaking the foundations of the heavens and earth, they will undoubtedly seek to eliminate you, and they will not hesitate to harm your children in the process." Feng Jiu's outward composure remained unbroken, yet within her, a storm of contemplation brewed. His words were laden with significant implications, prompting deep thought. Including the late Old Man Tianji, this was the second individual to impart such cryptic warnings to her. However, these pronouncements remained frustratingly vague, touching upon realms she had yet to encounter or comprehend. "You suggest that our existence poses a threat to certain powerful beings?" Feng Jiu inquired, her gaze steady. She paused momentarily before continuing, "What manner of beings are these powerful entities you speak of? We have resided in this world for a considerable time and have never encountered such beings. They are not present here." "Indeed, they are not here," the masked man affirmed, his eyes fixed on hers. "Those who have ascended to higher realms cannot return to this one. Had they been here, you would not have survived for this long." Hearing this, Feng Jiu's brow furrowed further, her gaze intensifying with suspicion. A note of caution laced her voice as she pressed him for answers. "Then who are you? How do you possess this knowledge? And why do you desire to take my daughter as your disciple? What is your true purpose?" The masked man met her gaze directly, then abruptly reached up and removed the mask concealing his face, revealing the visage beneath. It was a face marred by severe burns, rendering it unrecognizable and undeniably unsettling. Yet, having shed the mask, the man regarded Feng Jiu with a calm and indifferent expression, as if the disfigured face was merely an inconsequential detail. His following words validated this impression. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮 "This face is somewhat unsightly, hence my use of a mask to avoid startling people, particularly the young girl who has caught my attention." Holding the mask in his hand, he slowly approached and seated himself opposite Feng Jiu. He placed the mask on the table and with a wave of his hand, a stream of air enveloped the courtyard, creating an apparent seal. Feng Jiu's eyes flickered towards the seemingly sealed space, a glint of understanding in their depths. "To prevent those old codgers from eavesdropping," he explained matter-of-factly. "I, too, originate from the higher realms, but I am unable to descend in my true form, thus I am utilizing this temporary vessel. Your two children were not originally destined to live, and had you not contracted an ancient Super Sacred Beast to illuminate their fate stars, they would not have survived until this point. However, even with this intervention, they will face numerous perils as they mature."