“The Mother Tree… still as breathtaking as ever,” Madam Kitsura murmured, her gaze fixed on the towering giant in the distance. A wave of nostalgia washed over her.

In her younger days, she had spent countless hours under its sprawling shade—moments etched so vividly in her mind they felt like yesterday.

’Those memories… so precious. And yet… those days will never return.’ Her smile softened into something bittersweet.

Moments later, the carriage passed through the massive gate of the Elven Kingdom. Its insignia drew immediate attention from the elves.

The bond between their late queen and the Matriarch of the Misty Fox Village was still remembered, even if decades had passed. And it had been many, many years since a fox from the Misty Fox Village had entered their lands.

“Isn’t that the Misty Fox insignia?!”

“It is! And on a royal carriage, no less!”

“Could it be… Madam Kitsura herself?!”

Excited whispers spread like wildfire among the crowd.

The sight of the ornate, gold-trimmed carriage—flanked by Misty Fox royal guards—only fueled their curiosity. Yet none dared to step in its path.

“Don’t stop,” Kitsura instructed, her voice calm but tinged with anticipation. “Straight to the palace. I’m growing impatient to see Little Mireya.”

Meanwhile, in the royal palace, Yuan sat with Mireya perched gently on his lap. His arms encircled her waist, her head resting lightly against his chest.

“I’ve sensed someone with a rather… unique power entering the kingdom,” Yuan said softly. “She’s a woman—with fox ears and tails. A fox demihuman.”

“A fox demihuman?” Mireya repeated, surprise flashing across her face. Her mind turned quickly.

’Could it be… Aunt Kitsura?’

Closing her eyes, she spread her Divine Sense over the entire kingdom in an instant. Her awareness brushed over the incoming carriage—bearing the unmistakable insignia of the Misty Fox Village.

’That insignia…’ Recognition struck her like lightning. ’It’s exactly the one Aunt Kitsura always carried—engraved even on her fan.’

Her eyes widened, disbelief flickering before a smile began to form.

Once she peered inside the carriage, Mireya’s eyes widened in surprise as she spotted a very familiar woman lounging in a seductive pose.

’It’s really Aunt Kitsura! But… what is she doing here? Is she here to meet me?!’ Mireya screamed inwardly, her chest tightening in sudden panic at the unexpected guest heading straight for her palace.

’I can’t believe she’s coming to the Elven Kingdom after all these years! I have to prepare immediately!’ Her expression hardened with urgency.

She rose from Yuan’s lap at once, turning to him with a seriousness that caught him—and everyone else in the room—off guard.

“Yuan, there’s an important guest coming to the palace. She’s my aunt. Please behave in front of her. I don’t want you disrespecting her.” Mireya’s voice was firm as she quickly began changing her clothes—there was no way she’d greet Aunt Kitsura in a messy state.

“Alright, I won’t say anything foolish. You have my word,” Yuan replied with a faint smile, though he, too, changed his attire. Still, his Divine Sense lingered on the beautiful woman inside the carriage, and he couldn’t shake the strange feeling she gave him—something he couldn’t quite put into words.

Meanwhile, the elegant carriage rolled to a stop before the Evergreen Palace.

A female guard stepped forward and opened the door. The first thing to emerge was the woman’s snow-white, flawless legs—enough to draw every nearby guard’s attention instantly.

“The weather here… just as beautiful as I remember,” a soft, sultry chuckle escaped her lips as she stepped down from the carriage in full. Her mere presence made the male elves’ eyes lock onto her, helplessly drawn to her curves and graceful movements.

She ignored their stares, her gaze fixed on the Evergreen Palace before her. A small, nostalgic smile curved her lips.

“So many years have passed… yet the palace looks exactly the same. It brings back such wonderful memories…” she murmured, her tone carrying a hint of longing.

The massive golden palace doors swung open, revealing Mireya striding out with a wide, radiant smile.

“Aunt Kitsura! It’s been so long!” she called, nearly breaking into a run. The guards at the entrance exchanged shocked glances at the sight of their queen acting so warmly.

“Ah, my little Mireya has grown so much…” Kitsura’s eyes softened as she opened her arms and drew Mireya into a warm embrace—though her smile retained its signature seductiveness.

’So that faint feeling earlier—like I was being watched—came from Little Mireya. She’s become strong… unbelievably strong. Even stronger than her mother, Valeryan,’ Kitsura thought in quiet astonishment.

But her expression shifted subtly. She sensed no Mana in Mireya’s body—none at all. Instead, she detected a different power inside her… one far purer and several times more potent than Mana itself.

’And this energy… so pure, so dense… could it be the legendary Spiritual Energy—Qi—that was only ever whispered about in our family’s oldest texts? But… how is this possible?!’ Kitsura’s heartbeat quickened. Her disbelief was plain in her eyes.

A faint golden light shimmered in her gaze as her pupils subtly shifted. Intricate patterns—like sacred runes—flashed for the briefest moment before her vision sharpened beyond normal sight.

Her attention swept toward the grand palace gates, and what she saw there made her breath hitch. A few figures stood within her line of sight, each radiating the same energy as Mireya—but some of them far surpassing her in raw power.

Her eyes locked onto one in particular.

A young man—handsome, composed—surrounded by women whose beauty was almost unreal. Each of them held power in their stance, in their very breath, and yet… none of them drew her eyes like he did.

From him, the Spiritual Energy poured like a torrent. It condensed so thickly around him it manifested as a visible mist, swirling lazily yet ominously.

’That young man… he’s terrifyingly powerful! This is no ordinary accumulation of Qi—this is mastery. How can someone like him exist in a world like ours?!’ Kitsura’s thoughts raced.

Her intrigue deepened, curiosity pulling at her like a hook. How had he absorbed such vast amounts of Spiritual Energy? How had he fused it so seamlessly into his own strength?

And yet, the others by his side were no less fascinating. Their presence alone was akin to that of ancient deities—untouchable, unfathomable.

When her gaze slid to Xi Meili and Fang Xiaoyan, Kitsura almost froze. At first, her eyes saw only the surface—two beautiful demihumans radiating Qi. But the instant her true sight fully awakened, her expression faltered.

’No… they’re not demihumans at all. These two… they are mighty beasts wearing human skin!’ The realization struck like lightning. Even worse, a primal instinct rippled through her—her very bloodline shivering under their latent pressure.

Meanwhile, Yuan studied her in turn. His eyes lingered briefly on her shifting pupils, recognizing the uniqueness of her sight. There was something rare in her gaze—something far beyond the norm.

’She’s gifted—very gifted. But what a pity… born in a world without cultivation, her potential has been chained. In the right realm, she could have reached God Ascension by now,’ he thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

The silent exchange ended when Mireya, still holding Kitsura’s hand warmly, led her inside the Evergreen Palace.

The servants rushed to prepare the finest tea available, while the guests settled into the lavishly furnished living area. The air was fragrant with polished wood and fresh flowers, though Kitsura’s eyes kept straying back to Yuan and his companions, her mind still full of unanswered questions.

“So, Aunt Kitsura,” Mireya began softly, taking her seat beside her, “why have you decided to come to my kingdom? And without so much as a letter to warn me?”

“Well, if I had informed you beforehand, would it still count as a surprise visit?” Kitsura’s lips curved into a teasing, seductive smile. Her tone was warm, but her eyes carried that familiar glint of mischief.

“And as for why I decided to come… there’s nothing particularly grand behind it. I simply wished to see Little Mireya again—and to see just how much you’ve grown since our last meeting.”

She leaned back slightly, crossing one leg over the other with practiced grace. “After all, it has been over fifteen years. The last time I saw you, you were still just a young girl… trying to carry the weight of a kingdom on those delicate shoulders of yours.”

Then, her gaze sharpened, voice dipping just slightly in curiosity. “Also, I’ve heard some rather… intriguing rumors. Something about you utterly shattering Kaelrath’s pride in front of a great many witnesses? Tell me, dear… is that true?”

“Yes. Every bit of it is true, Aunt Kitsura,” Mireya replied without hesitation, a faint but confident smile tugging at her lips. “In fact, I killed every one of the guards he brought with him. They caused chaos and harmed my people the moment they arrived, so I punished them accordingly.”

Mireya then recounted the entire incident—each step, each moment of defiance—while Kitsura listened in silence. Her expression slowly darkened, the playful gleam in her eyes giving way to a simmering, dangerous anger.

“That pathetic fool…!” Kitsura’s voice rose, almost breaking into a snarl. “How dare he try to lay his filthy hands on you! If I had been there, I would have torn him apart on the spot!”

“You don’t need to waste your fury on him anymore,” Mireya said with a grin that was both regal and cold. “He’s no longer the man he used to be. Now, he’s nothing but a walking embarrassment—mocked by the entire Beast Continent.”

Kitsura’s lips curled in satisfaction, but she did not relax entirely. “Perhaps. But do not underestimate him. A man like Kaelrath won’t simply swallow humiliation. One day, he will try to reclaim his pride—and when he does, he will aim straight for you. His vengeance could scorch this kingdom to ashes.”

At those words, Mireya’s smile faded. Her gaze turned icy, and in that instant the temperature in the room seemed to drop. The air thickened, charged with her aura, pressing down on everyone present.

’This girl… she’s grown frighteningly powerful in such a short time… Her very presence is bending the atmosphere itself.’ Kitsura exhaled slowly, hiding her astonishment behind a faint sigh.

Then, as if deciding not to dwell on the subject, she let her eyes drift toward the other guests in the room. One by one, she studied their faces—pausing ever so slightly longer on Yuan—before turning back to Mireya.

“Mireya,” Kitsura said with a faint smile, “why don’t you introduce me to these remarkable individuals? They’re all far too extraordinary to be mere acquaintances. I imagine they must be… very important to you.”