Mama Young closed the window, and Aurora Sinclair finally released a shaky breath. The Power Domain of a High-Rank Martial King was sweeping by.

Aurora Sinclair immediately held her breath, forcing all her bodily functions into a state of feigned death.

The Power Domain enveloped the house for a good half hour. By the time it finally receded, Aurora Sinclair’s back was soaked with sweat.

’The sun is scorching today.’

She kept herself carefully hidden, avoiding the people under the eaves and the Martial King lurking somewhere. She ran to a mountain spring on the back of the mountain, tossed the thin skin mask from her pocket into the clear water, and let it soak for five or six minutes before carefully applying it to her face.

It would take another ten minutes or so for the mask to completely bond with her skin.

She had to wait.

After some time, she suddenly heard the faint sound of footsteps behind her.

Aurora Sinclair glanced around. She was in a small, recessed gorge with nowhere to hide. She dove straight into the spring, held her breath, and sank to the bottom.

Because she was wearing swimming goggles, she could open her eyes and see the surface from below.

She saw a man with a slender build standing on the bank, shedding his clothes. He then stepped into the water and began to bathe.

Aurora Sinclair pressed herself against the rocky wall of the spring, not daring to move. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The man’s skin was as white as snow, and his waist-length silver hair was dazzling in the sunlight.

His features were so delicate that if it weren’t for his masculine physique, Aurora Sinclair would have probably mistaken him for a woman.

Aurora Sinclair watched for a moment, then let her body blend in with the ripples of the water. She began to drift backward, intending to distance herself from the man.

Suddenly, the man lowered his head, his voice a low, teasing drawl. "I was beginning to think you wanted to see the whole show."

Aurora Sinclair’s heart seized. She tried to swim back quickly, but the man was faster. He shot through the water, grabbed her ankle, and yanked her toward him.

Covering her face with one hand, Aurora Sinclair lashed out with a punch that knocked the man back, allowing her to wrench free from his grasp.

Surprise flashed in the man’s eyes. He raised his hand and unleashed a wave of Power at Aurora Sinclair.

Aurora Sinclair dodged instantly, her heart leaping into her throat. ’It’s him—the Advanced Martial King.’

She flicked her wrist, sending an invisible force at him. As he dodged, she used the opening to flee, putting a dozen meters between them in an instant.

A look of impressed surprise crossed the man’s face. He stood in the stream with his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes fixed on the slender figure as it shrank into a distant dot.

Aurora Sinclair fled in a panic. She touched her cheek and, feeling that the skin mask had now fully bonded with her face, finally breathed a small sigh of relief.

’I kept my face covered the whole time, but I wonder if he still managed to see it.’

"Joy Young—where did you run off to?"

Aurora Sinclair froze. She immediately lowered her head, put on a pitiful expression, and walked over meekly.

Mama Young was so angry she looked like she wanted to hit her. ’Is this the kind of place you can just wander around in?’

"Where did you go?"

Aurora Sinclair kept her head down and mumbled, "The hot spring..."

"What were you doing there?"

"I was looking for my watch." Aurora Sinclair pulled an extraordinary-looking watch from her pocket.

Mama Young gave her a suspicious look up and down, then reached out and pinched her cheek. "That’ll teach you to run off again..."

"I won’t do it again, I promise..." Aurora Sinclair replied in a wounded tone, covering her cheek and keeping her head slightly bowed.

A look of relief washed over Mama Young’s face.

Her tone softened a little. "Don’t run off like that again. Now, go change your clothes."

***

Just as Aurora Sinclair finished changing, there was a knock at the door. It was a woman from the Yamada Clan.

Pretending she was about to do laundry, she put her wet clothes in a basin and took them into an adjacent room.

Mama Young went to open the door.

Standing outside was a demure woman in traditional attire.

She held two sets of traditional garments and said with a smile, "Honored guests, our Family Head is deeply grateful for your assistance. He asks that you please wear these to the banquet this evening."

Mama Young thanked her and closed the door.

"You really did the Family Head and his wife proud today." Mama Young said, pleased, as she looked at the new clothes on the bed.

Aurora Sinclair shook her head. "I wasn’t really thinking about that."

"Are you still afraid of water?"

"...I am."

Mama Young shook her head with a sigh of resignation.

As evening approached, Aurora Sinclair suddenly developed an upset stomach, seemingly from catching a chill.

Mama Young glanced at the time and asked anxiously, "Are you still not feeling better?"

"No. Mama Young, you should go without me. I don’t think I can make it. It must be from getting cold during the day..."

Aurora Sinclair replied, her voice weak, as if she were completely drained.

Mama Young glanced at the time again, then called out as she was leaving, "There’s medicine in my suitcase! Take some yourself."

"Okay..."

Once Mama Young was gone, Aurora Sinclair slowly emerged from the lavatory.

With light, nimble steps, she leaped onto a rooftop and, under the cover of night, began to secretly tail Victor Trent and his group.

After about seven or eight minutes, they arrived at the location of the banquet. It wasn’t held indoors, but in an elegant, separate courtyard.

A long, low table was set for each person, who had to remove their shoes and kneel on soft cushions on the floor.

Aurora Sinclair carefully crept to the edge of the roof and peered down at the banquet below.

The silver-haired man was surprisingly absent, but the old man from the first day—the one who looked to be at death’s door—was seated there.

"Grandmaster..."

The old man beckoned to Victor Trent, then looked toward Raina Young. "And this is... who is this...?"

Victor Trent sighed. "This is your grand-disciple’s wife, Raina Young."

"Come here, let me have a look..."

A flicker of joy appeared in Raina Young’s eyes. She and Victor Trent came here every year, but the Grandmaster had never once called her forward.

’He’s finally calling me over. Does this mean he finally approves of me?’

She suppressed her joyful expression, walked over slowly, and, copying Victor Trent, knelt and placed her hand on the old man’s.

"Grandmaster..."

"Hmm... and who is this...?"

Victor Trent patiently stated Raina Young’s identity once more.

But the old man suddenly pushed her hand away, saying with apparent displeasure, "Not you... It’s not you..."

The color drained from Raina Young’s face. She was suddenly reminded of Victor Trent’s deceased wife, and a surge of indignation welled up inside her.

’That woman was from the Yamada Clan. Other than being powerful, how could she possibly compare to me?’

Suddenly, the old man beckoned to Mama Young. "...And who might this be?"