Five years later, Northern Border City, Junwu Empire.
"Master!!!"
With a sharp gasp, Feng Wu bolted upright from the bed!
"Fifth Miss, Fifth Miss—"
Outside the door, her personal senior maid, Qiuling, hurried in. Placing a basin filled with water onto the washstand, she rushed anxiously to Feng Wu's side.
In Qiuling's eyes, her Fifth Miss had always been stunningly beautiful and radiantly charming, but right now, her face was as pale as snow.
Aching for her with all her heart, Qiuling quickly softened her voice and asked gently, "Did the Miss have a nightmare?"
Staring at Qiuling, Feng Wu's consciousness slowly cleared as she finally remembered.
Zuo Qingyun had destroyed her True Phoenix Blood, and to save her, her Master had once again fallen into an endless slumber... This was no dream; it was what had truly happened five years ago!
Ever since her True Phoenix Blood was destroyed, she had fallen from her pedestal as a genius young maiden to become the disgrace of the Feng Clan. Along with her Beautiful Mother and younger brother, she had been bundled up and thrown out to the Feng Family Old Residence in Northern Border City on the empire's frontier.
Qiuling fetched a pair of fluffy slippers, placed them before Feng Wu, and helped her over to the dressing table to tidy up.
——
"Sister! Sister! A letter came from the Imperial Capital!"
Accompanied by a flurry of hurried footsteps, a little lad rushed in like a gust of wind.
The boy looked about twelve years old and was exceptionally handsome.
His skin was whiter than snow, his facial features were delicate, and his eyes—in particular—had long, slightly curled eyelashes, looking dark, bright, and astonishingly large.
Without waiting for Feng Wu to ask, Feng Xiaoqi shoved the letter into her hands. "Sister, look quickly!"
It was a red envelope, signifying a red alert, which explained why Feng Xiaoqi was in such a rush.
While others panicked, Feng Wu remained completely calm. With slender, white-as-jade fingers, she unfolded the envelope, swept her gaze across it, and leisurely read through the contents.
"Sister!" Fixing his gaze entirely on Feng Wu and seeing her frown slightly, Feng Xiaoqi grew even more anxious. "What happened in the Imperial Capital? Has something changed?"
Qiuling also wore an expression of curiosity and suspense.
Lifting the letter in her hand, Feng Wu smiled faintly. "It's nothing. Jun Linyuan is just inspecting the border city."
Qiuling let out a gasp. "That almighty and supreme Crown Prince is coming over?"
"Mhm," Feng Wu replied. "We'll just steer clear of him. It's just that the Feng Clan has always tried to cozy up to this Crown Prince again, so I'm afraid someone from the main family will be coming here."
"Ah! What should we do?!" Feng Xiaoqi almost jumped up. "They've already thrown us out to this border estate, what more do they want? Do they mean to wipe us out completely?!"
Glancing sideways at Feng Xiaoqi with annoyance, Feng Wu scolded, "What are you panicking for?"
Tears practically welling up in his eyes, Feng Xiaoqi cried, "Sister! How can you expect me to stay calm! If it were the old you, whoever came could just be batted away with a single slap, but now you... your cultivation has been crippled!"
"Seventh Young Master!" Qiuling's gaze was sharper than ever before!
Realizing he had said the wrong thing, Feng Xiaoqi slapped both hands over his mouth, staring wide-eyed and remorseful at Feng Wu, completely at a loss for what to do.
Feng Wu smiled faintly. "So what if my cultivation is crippled? Could it be that your sister here can't start cultivating all over again?"
Feng Xiaoqi's eyes lit up instantly. "Sister! You've found a way? You've found a way to start cultivating again?!"
Feng Wu spread her hands. "Nope."
Feng Xiaoqi's little shoulders slumped immediately.
At an angle where no one else could see, a profound and unfathomable glint flashed through Feng Wu's eyes.
Her Beauty Master had once said that if she wanted to resume cultivating, she must refine a Nine-Turn Spirit-Returning Pill.
She knew the recipe for the Nine-Turn Spirit-Returning Pill and had the ability to refine it, but she was currently missing the final ingredient—the Immortal Spirit Fruit.
Feng Wu had been eyeing this Immortal Spirit Fruit for five years, and it was finally on the verge of ripening...
At the same time, Feng Wu was well aware that Big Feng and Sixth Feng from the Feng Clan would be arriving very soon. Given those two arrogant personalities, without her there to protect her Beautiful Mother and naive little brother, they would likely be bullied to a miserable degree. Therefore, she had to get her hands on the Immortal Spirit Fruit as soon as possible and restart her cultivation!
Feng Wu clenched her fists tightly: Jun Linyuan, are you really just here to inspect Northern Border City, and nothing more?!