"Very well," Elder Qin said, nodding as he rose from his seat. "If your masters ever reconsider their position, you know where to find me. The Blazing Dawn Sect will not forget this matter."

With that, Elder Qin turned and exited the meeting hall, his thoughts heavy with the weight of the strange happenings in Dongu Village. Though the Eternal Will Sect had refused to cooperate, Elder Qin was far from finished. Something about this situation gnawed at him, a loose thread that begged to be unraveled. He was determined to uncover the truth, no matter how elusive it seemed.

As he made his way towards the stables, preparing to leave the village, one of his subordinates hurried over to him. "Elder Qin!" the man called out, slightly out of breath. "A young lady is requesting to meet with you. She claims to have been the head maid of Jinwei Mansion and says she has a very serious message for you."

Elder Qin’s eyebrow arched slightly in curiosity. "Bring her to me," he ordered, his mind already racing with possibilities.

Fifteen minutes later, in one of the guest rooms of the Eternal Will Sect,

Elder Qin found himself sitting opposite a visibly anxious woman—Xiao Min.

Xiao Min had wanted to deliver this message ever since she had spotted Edina in Dongu Village. Edina’s presence in such a remote area was alarming, especially given her position in the sect’s ongoing power struggles. The instant Xiao Min recognized Edina, she knew she had to inform Mistress Li Mei. However, using a public messaging service was out of the question—it was too risky, too open to interception.

Determined to carry the message herself, Xiao Min had initially planned to travel directly to the Blazing Dawn Sect, but her finances were woefully inadequate. Her sister’s recent wedding had drained her savings, leaving her with barely enough to make the long journey to Ganso City. For the past few weeks, she had taken on various odd jobs around the village, slowly gathering enough money for a carriage ride. Only today had she finally managed to scrape together enough to negotiate a ride to the city.

Just as she was about to make arrangements, something caught her eye—a row of horses in the Eternal Will Sect’s stables, each bearing the unmistakable crest of the Blazing Dawn Sect. Recognizing the opportunity, Xiao Min immediately made her way to the sect to see if anyone could deliver her message safely.

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When she learned that Elder Qin Cha Mu—Mistress Li Mei’s father-in-law and a key figure in the Mu family—was already at the sect, she knew she had found the perfect person to entrust with her information. Not only was Elder Qin deeply embedded in Mistress Li Mei’s faction, but his close relationship with her meant he was privy to the most sensitive of the sect’s plans and schemes. There was no one better suited to protect the message.

Now, sitting before him, Xiao Min felt a mix of relief and nervousness. She had finally reached someone who could help, but she also knew the gravity of the message she carried.

"Elder Qin," she began, her voice steady but filled with urgency, "I come to you with critical information. I spotted Edina in Dongu Village a month ago along with Imperial Carriages. I do not know why she was here, but I fear her presence is perhaps a part of a larger plan. I felt it was necessary to inform Mistress Li Mei, but I couldn’t risk using public channels. That’s why I’ve come to you."

Elder Qin had already verified Xiao Min’s identity through the Blazing Dawn seal she carried—an emblem given to all former high-ranking staff members as proof of their service. But beyond that, he also recognized her, recalling her from past encounters during her duties in Jinwei Mansion. She was indeed who she claimed to be.

As soon as she finished speaking, Elder Qin's mind shifted into high gear. "She was here last month?" he mused aloud, his gaze sharpening with newfound intensity. "Now that's quite interesting…"

He began piecing the situation together quickly. Last month coincided with the Shining Blade Sect’s grand ceremony, where all eyes were focused on the sect’s internal matters. The only opportunity Edina would have had to slip away from the Shining Blade Sect would have been during her brief departure with Princess Huangshu. At the time, everyone had assumed the two had gone on a leisurely trip to Ganso City or Hiro City for sightseeing, but now it seemed they had ventured somewhere far more significant—Dongu Village.

The timing was no coincidence. Last month was also when the Blazing Days Sect had been bought out and rebranded as the Eternal Will Sect, coinciding with the mysterious leak of the Mu Mansion's architectural plans. Elder Qin could now see the connections forming. Edina and Princess Huangshu were likely involved in something much larger than anyone had realized, maybe trying to form a new imperial faction? That seemed a more reasonable plan.

"Of course," Elder Qin muttered to himself, connecting the final dots. The leak of the architectural plans had seemed suspicious from the start. It now became clear—it was all a ruse, a carefully crafted bait. By leaking the plans, they forced the Mu Family to relocate Edina's inheritance from the Mu Mansion, an action that would have not happened if not for the fabricated threat.

"This is bigger than we thought," Elder Qin finally said, his voice low but deliberate. "The leak was a trap—a way to manipulate the Mu Family into moving something valuable. Edina and Princess Huangshu are certainly working together on something major."

Xiao Min listened closely, feeling the weight of Elder Qin's words settle over the room. The scale of what she had uncovered seemed beyond anything she had anticipated, but at least now, it was in capable hands.

"Thank you for bringing this to me," Elder Qin said, his voice grave. "You did well. I'll make sure this information reaches the right people. For now, keep your eyes and ears open, but stay discreet. We may need more from you soon."

As she left the room, Elder Qin leaned back in his chair, his mind running through countless possibilities. He would need to act quickly and carefully. Edina’s movements were no longer just childish endeavors—they could potentially shake the power balance within the sects and beyond.

He stood up, resolved. Whatever Edina and Princess Huangshu were planning, he would be ready.