"Erin has been slowly getting used to life over there. She’s working very hard. It’ll probably only be a few months before she finishes her introductory courses and can officially start studying Taoist Talismans. Master is very pleased with her too. But she really misses you. She hasn’t said it out loud, but I can tell..." Sean Raines described Erin Quinn’s life in meticulous detail. Finally, with a wry smile, he produced a rectangular box and placed it on the table. "She asked me to bring this to you. She said I had to hand it to you personally, and no peeking!"

Paige Summers laughed as she listened. She leaned forward, picked up the box, and opened it. Inside, it glittered brightly, filled entirely with Crystal Cores. There weren’t just more than she had given Erin when they parted—most of them were Sixth-rank Crystal Cores!

Her smile vanished.

"Like hell you didn’t peek. Spit it out, where did these come from? Don’t tell me she’s being sent on hunting missions now."

Sean Raines stared at her for a moment before relaxing back into the sofa.

"Of course not! My master is strict with his disciples, but that’s only after they become adults. A girl her age who knows how to sweet-talk people has it pretty comfortable. As for these, don’t worry about it and just keep them. They’re most likely introductory gifts from other people." He shrugged. "Master thinks very highly of her, and since she’s his final disciple, he can’t help but show her off a little. You get it."

Only then did Paige Summers feel relieved. She smiled. "That little rascal. When you go back, tell her I’ll hold onto these for her. I miss her a lot, too. Tell her to study hard; an opportunity like this is hard to come by. I’ll visit her when I have time."

Sean Raines cut straight to the point. "There’s no time like the present. Why not today? Seeing you will put her mind at ease." This was his main objective today—to take her back with him.

Paige Summers hesitated for a moment, then agreed.

’If nothing else, I should check if Erin is truly doing well,’ she thought. ’Besides, we need to have a talk about her sending Crystal Cores back to me.’

The Taoist Association looked the same as always, but Paige Summers noticed an extremely rare RV parked in the lot.

It was a brand she recognized, once world-renowned for its superior quality and often favored by government officials.

But since the apocalypse, she had never seen one.

This vehicle had also been modified, but the changes were very discreet, and the exterior largely retained its original appearance.

It was an exceptionally rare sight.

’Whoever can afford a vehicle like this is no ordinary person.’

She had a strange, unsettling feeling.

"Let’s go!" Sean Raines said when he saw her staring at the vehicle in a daze. "My master’s friend drove that here. Why, do you like it?"

Paige Summers forced a smile and pushed the stray thoughts from her mind. "No, it’s just a rare sight."

"That’s true. A lot of people actually drove them before the apocalypse, but you weren’t born back then."

Paige Summers fell silent and simply followed him toward the main hall.

"Let’s go see my master first."

Paige Summers nodded. ’It was the polite thing to do, after all.’

Inside the main hall, Serenus was seated in his usual spot, though a woman was sitting across from him. They were in the middle of a conversation, but they both fell silent when Paige and Sean walked in.

"Master, Paige Summers is here."

Serenus nodded. "Come in, have a seat."

Paige had thought she would just be paying her respects, so she was surprised to be asked to stay. It would have been rude to decline, so she did as she was told and sat down.

Serenus didn’t say anything out of the ordinary. He simply praised Erin and then asked how Paige had been doing lately.

"I was on a mission outside the city with some friends and just got back. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Evie, so I came to visit her."

"You went outside the city?!"

The cry of alarm came from Serenus’s guest, the woman. Paige hadn’t taken a proper look at her out of politeness, but now she couldn’t help but turn to face her. The woman looked to be in her late thirties, very beautiful, and, for some reason Paige couldn’t place, her face was strikingly familiar.

Suddenly, she recalled something.

’The last time I was here, Serenus commented on my looks. Sean said it was because I resembled a friend of his master. Could it be... her?!’

’It must be her...’ The more Paige looked, the more certain she became.

’My face, especially from the nose up, bore a striking resemblance to this woman’s.’

’Is it really just a coincidence?’

But their auras were completely different. The other woman had the air of a gentle lady from a wealthy, cultured family. At this moment, however, that same woman wore an incredibly complex expression—a mixture of shock, fear, regret, and sorrow all tangled together.

’What in the world is going on?’

Paige furrowed her brow, the motion almost imperceptible.

Sean Raines quickly interjected, "Aunt Lowell, you don’t have to be so shocked. Which young person these days doesn’t go outside the city to get experience? I know you’re just finding it hard to believe because Paige is so young, but she’s actually incredibly capable!"