Truth.

Bui Tuyên listened to the explanation about the Three Ancient Intents and thought to himself.

" The words of Red Dust Sage and the Manor Lord were almost identical. The only difference was that, in the Manor Lord's eyes, this was something so trivial it wasn't even worth mentioning.

So this is Axe Intent... a taboo…? Then what does it mean to be someone who wields a taboo? 

No. To off topic

I'll deal with the matter at hand first."

He spoke up, "I think the same as you. There's no point in everyone staying here. It would be better if you all return to your own duties."

…

"Haha, that's right! Why are we still here?"

Red Dust Sage suddenly burst into hearty laughter. The others around him snapped out of their daze, glancing at each other in confusion.

…

After everyone had left, Bui Hung stepped forward, grabbed Bui Tuyên, and pulled him into the tent. His expression was serious as he asked,

"Tuyên, what you displayed just now… was that truly a taboo?"

Bui Tuyên didn't hide anything and repeated what Red Dust Sage had explained.

Hearing this, Bui Hung grew solemn.

"Tuyên, you've spent your time training but never cared to read, so you probably don't know. Those who wield a taboo attract the attention of the Heavenly Dao. If you ever act against the principles of righteousness, the Heavenly Dao will punish you immediately—divine tribulation will descend, curses will take hold. Not just you, but your entire family will be implicated. In the worst case, an entire nation could fall. A thousand years ago, this very reason led to the collapse of the Huanglong Empire. You must be extremely careful. Do you understand? 

Look at your face ,I know you clearly don't understand.

 Here—take this. Read all the books in here, and you'll understand. And from now on, you need to cut down on your reckless behavior."

Bui Tuyên was alarmed.

"Wielding a taboo means being watched by the Heavenly Dao? One wrong step and I'm done for? The Manor Lord gave me something this dangerous? And yet, Red Dust Sage even congratulated me?! Oh… right, he's a Confucian scholar—he cultivates self-discipline…"

He clutched his head in frustration.

"Uncle, what do I do now?! You're telling me to become some goody-two-shoes? That's impossible for me! Should I just forget about it? No, I can't—I've already comprehended the intent, I can't just abandon it…"

Seeing Bui Tuyên panic, Bui Hung, as his uncle, could only try to console him.

"Calm down! You're not a child anymore. It's time you started acting like an adult—get married, settle down, stop drinking and gambling. This is the perfect chance for you to turn over a new leaf!"

Bui Tuyên's mind raced.

He suddenly recalled the moment when the Manor Lord seemed troubled. 

' But even so, this was too much! Forcing me into something like this… The Manor Lord always looks so gentle and kind, but he's actually a petty, vindictive man! I was too careless! '

"Uncle, don't worry. I'm not someone who doesn't understand the gravity of the situation. I will be careful."

…

Shortly after, the two great armies of the Tian Tzu Empire and the Domain of Chromatica withdrew. This stirred up quite a commotion.

Rumors spread—some said the two dynasties had discovered something, others speculated that they had already obtained what they were looking for.

As discussions ran rampant, that very night, for reasons unknown, both the Great Prosperian Dominion and the Land of the Ancestor also withdrew their troops. Whispers circulated that the celestial phenomenon was actually a sign of an ancient power reawakening.

In a single night, the five-nation alliance fractured—four of the five had abandoned the battlefield.

This left only the Moonlight Empire, standing alone against the foreign forces lurking on the borders. Realizing that maintaining the blockade was no longer a viable strategy, the Moonlight Empire Emperor withdrew his forces to protect the imperial capital, leaving only a small garrison at Wolfspiren Citadel.

…

Having seen everything through to the end, Bui Tuyên thought to himself,

"I've managed to make all five armies beneath the mountain withdraw… I've fulfilled the Manor Lord's instructions."

Wait.

"Did the Manor Lord ever actually say he wanted this to happen…?"

!! 

"Well, That was just the implication in the order. Why should we go down the mountain and take these worthless things.

whatever. 

I just hope he won't hold it against me."

"It's time for me to return."

He looked up at Strong Bull Mountain, shrouded in mist—mysterious, wild, and ancient.

But he knew…

Buried within that place lay an extraordinary destiny.

The path to immortality—within his reach.

This opportunity…

He could not let it slip away.

...

It was late at night, and the moon shone brightly. In Lalatina's room, Liora hugged a pillow, while Luna lay on her stomach, resting her chin on her hands, listening intently.

"This evening, the manor lord summoned me. He wanted me to examine his physique."

"The manor lord we met is not his true body, but merely a part separated from the original, possessing independent consciousness."

Seeing the wide-eyed, slack-jawed expressions of the two, Luna sighed.

"It's unbelievable, isn't it? As far as I know, only cultivators can create avatars, but they can't have independent consciousness—they're just lifeless puppets."

…

"Then, when I examined his body, something felt… off."

"At first, his body seemed completely mortal, as if he'd never cultivated before. But surrounding him was an immensely powerful force acting as protection. When I touched him, it felt like I was lost in an endless void, completely isolated in a vast, empty space. At that moment, I was terrified—my heart felt as if an invisible hand was squeezing it. I had the distinct feeling that if I overstepped even slightly, I would be crushed instantly."

"In that instant, I realized how insignificant I was. That must be his true power—an existence as vast as the endless sky. This was the first time I had ever encountered such a force."

Lalatina nodded in agreement. As the master of this manor—a place that separated two realms—how could he be weak?

But… did this mean he wielded power related to spatial laws?

Liora, seeing the two of them fall silent for so long, grew impatient and urged, "Mei , what happened next?"

…

"After that, the force scanned me thoroughly but didn't seem too hostile, so I gradually regained my senses. I proceeded with a standard physical examination."

"But even after examining him twice—from his soul to his body—it was clear that he was a mortal among mortals, with no trace of cultivation. Yet I had the distinct feeling that the manor lord and that mysterious energy were two separate entities."

"During the examination, I'm not sure if it was intentional, but the manor lord seemed to push that mysterious force through me. It followed the same trajectory as my own energy flow, as if he were examining my physique in return. I don't know for sure… Maybe it was just instinct. After all, if he could control that power freely, he wouldn't need to cultivate at all."

"Once I finished, the energy withdrew. It was… very strange."

Lalatina pondered for a moment before speaking.

"I don't think you need to worry too much. If he wanted to harm you, he could have simply handed you over to Zhao Yu to deal with. There would be no need for such subtle tricks. Do you really think he would use such an underhanded method?

I believe it was merely an instinctive self-defense reaction. Even if his current body and soul are mortal, he was once a great power."

Aurelius Liora noticed that Luna was about to argue and quickly cut in—she needed to defend her brother.

"Sister Mei , it was just a reflex. How could he harm you in such a crude manner? I think if he really wanted to deal with you, he could have just had Zhao Yu say a few words, and you'd be like a fish in a net.

You must have done something to offend the manor lord! Don't try to hide it!"

Hearing Liora's words, Luna cried out in her mind, What a good little sister! But she had to endure—she needed her to speak well of her before the manor lord.

"I have something to tell you all. That Zhao Yu is not actually a Sage. He used to have an infatuation with Madam Kim —yes, the same Madam Kim ."

"She told me that in the past, he was deeply obsessed with her, but because of their different statuses, he never dared to cross the line. He's Zhao Yu of the War God Hall, a cultivator. A hundred years ago, he was at the Golden Core stage, and as far as I know, he still is."

…

Lalatina was shocked.

"Are you serious? But the two Grand Scholars confirmed his status—how could they be wrong? You're not just speaking out of frustration, are you?"

Seeing how concerned and slightly irritated her senior sister was, Luna felt both exasperated and amused.

"Sister, I'm telling the truth! Madam Kim said so herself. Besides, didn't you notice how Zhao Yu kept following her around today?"

"As for the two Grand Scholars, I suspect the manor lord did something. Remember how, before we received our identity tokens, the manor exuded hostility toward us? But once we got them, everything felt calm and welcoming."

"Also, I get the same feeling from Madam Kim as I do from Zhao Yu—like I can't fully comprehend them."

…

Lalatina spoke up.

"If what you're saying is true, then Zhao Yu is not a Sage. But that means, back in the grand hall, he was trying to have two of the greatest scholars of our time thrown into a river… Such loyalty…"

Liora suddenly interjected.

"That doesn't matter, hyung! The manor lord is just too powerful. If he can bestow a title that deceives even the Grand Scholars, who's to say if it would fool a true Sage?"

Lalatina and Luna glanced at Liora, who looked utterly smug and pleased with herself.

In their hearts, they both thought, What a good little sister…

…

"Liora, didn't you once say that in my past life, I was the manor lord's rival? Say something! Don't just stay silent…"

"I have this feeling that he especially enjoys asserting dominance over me. I have no choice but to let him have his way. I even learned how to flatter people…"

"When I told him the truth—that his physique was that of a mortal, one of the weakest in this era—he just laughed and said it was a 'Sacred Body' in his time."

"In that moment, I knew I had misspoken, so I quickly backtracked and admitted my own ignorance. I even praised him. But for some reason, he still seems to hold a grudge against me!"

"Lalatina, Liora, you both have to help me reconcile with him!"

Liora stared at Luna for a moment. Then, with complete confidence, she puffed out her small chest and declared,

"Mei, don't worry! Aurelius Liora will protect you!"

"What a good little sister!" The same thought ran through both Lalatina and Luna's minds.

But..not the same

…

"Mei, don't worry. Tomorrow, I'll take you to reconcile with him."

Luna, moved to tears, threw herself into Lalatina's embrace and sobbed.

"Thank you, sister! Thank you so much! You're the best!"

As she gently patted Luna's back in comfort, Lalatina added,

"Your flattery skills are terrible—no wonder he holds a grudge against you."

… Silence…