Isabella stood on the high balcony of the command tower, her cape snapping in the cold wind. Behind her, the Captain of the White Unicorn Corps waited like a silent statue, his hand resting on the hilt of his saber.

"The mission is set," Isabella said without turning around. "I must depart. You know your orders. Ensure his transition is seamless, and then fade back into the shadows. I won’t be back for quite some time."

The Captain inclined his head. "As you command, Mistress. But... are you sure about this? If you wish, I can send a few of our brothers to watch over him from the dark. To ensure he doesn’t meet a premature end."

"No," she replied sharply. "The White Unicorns are too well-known. Your energy signatures are like beacons to the elders of the other sects. If even one of you is spotted near him, the game is up. We are sending him to Cloud Mist City. It is far beyond our direct influence, deep in a neutral zone. He must stand on his own."

The Captain hesitated, his voice low. "I understand. It’s just... don’t you think this is a heavy burden for a boy so young? Why bet so high on him? And especially now, when we are so close to the... event?"

Isabella’s shoulders tensed. She cut him off before he could finish the sentence. "Precisely because the time is drawing near! I don’t have another choice, Captain. The board is set, and the pieces are moving. At this point, I can only charge forward and pray that I haven’t made a mistake."

She turned slightly, and for a fleeting second, the Captain saw a flash of profound melancholy in her golden eyes—a weight of sorrow that no royal mask could fully hide.

"There is an auction in three days," she continued, regaining her composure. "Try to acquire an ancient sword for him. He cannot take any of our standard-issue weapons; they are far too recognizable. But sending him into a sword sect unarmed is... unacceptable."

The Captain let out a short, grim chuckle. "I follow, Mistress. I will look for something with the best pedigree in the worst possible condition. That way, he can claim it’s a family heirloom. A young man carrying a powerful but ragged-looking weapon is a common sight—usually, they’re just fools who don’t know the value of their ancestors’ legacy. It’s the perfect cover."

"Good," Isabella said, her gaze returning to the horizon. "You have one week to polish him. Teach him how to survive... not just how to fight. The Heavenly Sword Pavilion is a den of wolves. It will be difficult for him."

The Captain’s eyes glinted with a sadistic light. "Consider it done, Mistress. As soon as he finishes picking his skills in that library, I’ll make him taste hell. If he’s going to survive the Pavilion, he needs to know exactly how to crawl his way back from the abyss."

The scene shifted from the command tower to a secluded, shadow-drenched balcony in a different wing of the palace. Prince Charles stood with his back to the moonlight, his golden hair shimmering like a cold flame. Beside him, Commander Malphas waited in a respectful bow, his posture rigid.

"I will depart at once to oversee the borders," Malphas said, his voice low. "But, Your Highness... the Princess. Her movements regarding the boy are becoming increasingly erratic. Should we intervene? If she loses such a unique asset to her own impulsiveness..."

Charles turned slowly, a thin, knowing smile playing on his lips. "The situation is pressing, Malphas, but do not mistake my sister’s passion for stupidity. You haven’t noticed it yet, have you? Observe."

Charles tossed a small, obsidian-glass medallion toward the Commander. As Malphas caught it, a sliver of his spiritual sense brushed against the device. His eyes widened, and a visible tremor ran through his hand as the encrypted data flooded his mind.

"Is this information reliable?" Malphas hissed, his breath hitching. "If this is true, then the ’event’ isn’t just approaching... it’s already begun."

"One of my Shadows pulled it from the deep archives of the Ministry of Secrets," Charles replied, his gaze turning toward the distant stars. "It is as reliable as the blood in our veins."

Malphas tightened his grip on the medallion. "I understand. I will be cautious. I wouldn’t want to alert her guardian. That man is... problematic."

"Our ’friend’ is at the level of a Grand Fleet Admiral," Charles noted, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Cancel the original extraction plans. Let everything occur naturally. I have no intention of losing my future Rear Admiral to a premature clash with the Unicorns. If Isabella wants to throw him into the fire, let her. We will simply wait to see what kind of steel emerges from the ashes." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Malphas dropped to one knee, his head bowed in absolute subservience. "You are wise, Your Majesty. I will ensure the path is clear, but the shadows remain deep."

"Good," Charles said, looking back toward the mansion where Ethan was currently ’devouring’ the library. "There are layers to this kingdom that even my sister hasn’t peeled back yet. Let her play her game of spies and romance. We are playing for the throne of the Empire itself."

The Prince waved a hand, dismissing his Commander. As Malphas vanished into the darkness, Charles let out a soft, chilling laugh. The pieces were no longer just moving; they were beginning to collide, and at the center of the storm was a boy from the lower domes who had no idea how many kings were already betting on his life.

-------------------

From this moment forward, to avoid confusion regarding cultivation ranks, I will include this footer with the current established levels.

Note: These are only the ranks mentioned so far to avoid spoilers.

Body Refinement Realm

Skin Refinement / Bone Refinement / Organ Refinement

Spiritual Gathering Realm

Spiritual Perception / Spiritual Mist / Spiritual Condensation

Spiritual Core Realm

Core Solidification / Core Awakening / Spiritual Collapse (Half-step Spiritual Core)

Spiritual Soul Realm

Spiritual Soul Awakening / Soul Nourishing / Soul-Core Fusion

Golden Core Realm

Prime Fusion / Core Perfection / Core Destruction

Spiritual Sea Realm

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

Dao Manifestation Realm

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

Spiritual Transcendence

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??