Jan-Mei was completely stunned as she watched the scene unfolding before her eyes.
For a moment, she almost forgot how to breathe.
The Bai-Xue standing before her... felt strangely unfamiliar.
She could hardly recognize her own master.
In Jan-Mei's memories, Bai-Xue had always been the quiet, fragile young woman who lived inside the Ning Mansion. She had always appeared timid and frightened, like a small bird that would tremble at the slightest sound.
Her master had always lowered her gaze, speaking little and keeping to herself, as if the entire world was something she feared.
But one day, Bai-Xue suddenly disappeared.
No one knew where she had gone.
And when she returned... everything had changed.
From that day onward, the Bai-Xue Jan-Mei knew was no longer the same person.
The warmth and fear in her master's eyes had vanished, replaced by something far colder.
She had become like a wild beast lurking in the shadows.
Silent. Watchful. Dangerous.
Bai-Xue no longer trusted anyone.
Her gaze was always sharp and alert, as if she were constantly guarding herself against unseen enemies. She kept everyone at a distance, allowing no one to get too close.
To Jan-Mei, it always felt as though her master had built an invisible wall around herself.
A wall so high and so cold that no one could cross it.
Bai-Xue would simply sit quietly, observing everything like a patient hunter waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
No one was allowed to approach her.
No one was allowed to see what lay beyond that wall.
But the Bai-Xue standing before Jan-Mei today...
was completely different.
There was no fear in her eyes.
No cold vigilance.
No invisible wall separating her from the world.
Instead, Bai-Xue looked... genuinely happy.
Her smile was soft and bright, the kind that came from the heart rather than from careful restraint.
This version of Bai-Xue felt warm, alive, and free—like a person who had finally laid down the burdens she had carried for so long.
Jan-Mei stared at her in disbelief.
Because this Bai-Xue...
was someone she had never met before.
Bai-Xue suddenly froze when she saw Jan-Mei sitting on the ground, having fallen onto the grass.
"Jan-Mei!"
Her eyes widened with shock.
Without hesitation, Bai-Xue hurried toward her, the hem of her robes swaying as she ran.
"Jan-Mei, are you alright?" she asked anxiously, kneeling beside her.
The moment Jan-Mei heard Bai-Xue's voice, she snapped out of the chaotic storm of thoughts swirling inside her mind.
Her breathing was uneven as she slowly lifted her head.
And then—
Something suddenly clicked in her mind.
White hair.
Red and blue eyes.
The white mask.
And the legendary Phoenix Beast Master...
Jan-Mei's face turned pale with shock.
Her heart began to pound violently in her chest.
The thoughts racing through her mind were so unbelievable that she could hardly accept them. Every instinct inside her was screaming that it couldn't be true.
But the person standing right in front of her...
How could she possibly ignore what her own eyes were seeing?
Jan-Mei clenched her trembling hands, gathering every bit of courage she had.
Her voice shook as the words slowly left her lips.
"M... Master Bai-Xue..."
She paused, her eyes filled with disbelief as she stared directly at Bai-Xue.
"A-Are you... the White Mask?"
The moment those words left Jan-Mei's lips, the atmosphere fell into a strange silence.
Rinvi and Shin-Lu instinctively turned to look at each other, their expressions filled with surprise and disbelief.
Neither of them spoke a word.
Bai-Xue, however, remained calm.
She slowly reached out and gently took Jan-Mei's hand in her own. Her touch was warm and reassuring as she helped Jan-Mei rise from the ground.
A soft smile appeared on Bai-Xue's face.
"I'm sorry, Jan-Mei," she said gently.
Her voice carried a quiet warmth that made the tense air soften.
"I couldn't tell you the truth before."
Her eyes lowered slightly as if recalling the past.
"When I first returned to the mansion... I didn't know who I could trust and who I couldn't."
There had been too many enemies. Too many hidden dangers lurking in the shadows.
"But now," Bai-Xue continued softly, looking back at Jan-Mei, "I know that you would do anything for Bai-Xue."
Her words were calm, yet filled with sincerity.
Jan-Mei's heart trembled.
"So... you really are the White Mask, Master?"
Her voice was barely more than a whisper.
A single tear slowly formed in the corner of her eye before sliding silently down her cheek.
The truth she had only dared to imagine was now standing before her.
Bai-Xue looked at her calmly and nodded.
"Yes, Jan-Mei," she said quietly.
"I am the White Mask."
Slowly, Bai-Xue lifted the white mask from her face and held it in her hand.
The smooth surface of the mask gleamed faintly under the light.
"I wear this mask so that no one can discover that the person behind it... is Bai-Xue."
Her gaze grew colder as a faint shadow passed through her eyes.
"There are still many criminals roaming freely in this world."
Her voice lowered slightly.
"The people responsible for my mother's suffering are still out there... living without punishment."
A quiet determination filled her expression.
"And until the day I make them pay for their crimes..."
Bai-Xue looked at the mask in her hand, her fingers tightening slightly around it.
"...this mask will remain my shield."
Her eyes lifted again—calm, resolute, and filled with an unshakable resolve.
"This mask will protect Bai-Xue... until the truth is finally settled."
Jan-Mei stood there silently, tears still clinging to her lashes.
But this time, those tears were not only from shock.
They were also from pride.
Because the person standing before her...
was no longer the fragile girl from the mansion.
She had become someone far greater.
Jan-Mei's heart was filled with mixed emotions.
She was happy—deeply happy—that her master had now become someone so powerful that even an emperor would have to think twice before provoking her.
But at the same time... her heart ached.
What kind of suffering had her master endured?
What kind of hardships had forced a young girl to walk such a dangerous path... becoming one of the most powerful figures in the country simply to protect her own life?
Jan-Mei could not even imagine it.
Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke.
"But... Master," she said softly, "how is all of this even possible? You... you were never able to cultivate before. Your cultivation core was weak... wasn't it?"
Bai-Xue simply smiled.
A calm and gentle smile.
"I will tell you everything," she said quietly.
As she spoke, she gestured toward Rinvi.
Understanding her meaning immediately, Rinvi gave a small nod before turning and walking back into the mansion.
Bai-Xue then took Jan-Mei's hand and led her toward a beautiful cherry blossom tree standing nearby.
The delicate pink petals swayed softly in the breeze, occasionally drifting down like falling snow.
Beneath the tree stood an elegant wooden table and several chairs.
Shin-Lu was already seated there, watching them quietly.
Soon, Bai-Xue, Jan-Mei, and Shin-Lu sat together beneath the blooming tree, surrounded by the gentle fragrance of the blossoms.
A moment later, Rinvi returned from inside the mansion carrying a tray with freshly brewed tea.
She gracefully placed the cups before them and began serving the tea.
Steam slowly rose from the porcelain cups, blending with the peaceful atmosphere beneath the cherry blossoms.
And there, while sipping tea beneath the falling petals...
Bai-Xue began telling Jan-Mei everything.
She spoke of how Ya-Ting and Hai-Rang had secretly joined forces with others to plot her death.
She told her how she had encountered Shin-Lu and Rinvi during her desperate escape.
How she had discovered the truth about her sealed cultivation core...
And how she had finally broken the lock that had suppressed her power for so long.
But the most shocking revelation of all—
Prince Min-Sheng had also been involved in the conspiracy to kill her.
By the time Bai-Xue finished her story, Jan-Mei felt as if the ground beneath her feet had completely disappeared.
Her entire body trembled.
Tears suddenly began streaming down both of her cheeks.
"I... I didn't know..." she whispered brokenly.
"I didn't know anything..."
Her voice cracked as guilt overwhelmed her heart.
"Please forgive me, Princess..."
Jan-Mei lowered her head, her shoulders shaking as she cried.
"I failed to protect you."
"So much happened to you... and I didn't even realize it."
The mere thought of how close Bai-Xue had come to death made Jan-Mei's heart ache unbearably.
Her master had walked through such a terrifying storm alone.
All Jan-Mei had ever wished for was to see Bai-Xue living happily and peacefully.
But the world had been unbearably cruel to her.
Bai-Xue gently reached out and wiped the tears from Jan-Mei's cheeks.
Her movements were calm and comforting.
"Do not dwell on the past, Jan-Mei," she said softly.
"What has already happened cannot be changed."
Her gaze lifted slightly, a quiet strength shining within her eyes.
"And perhaps... what happened was not entirely bad."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"Because now, I am strong."
"I am capable of standing on my own."
"And I am capable of making those who wronged us... pay for their crimes."
Her voice was calm, but the determination behind it was unshakable.
"But from now on..."
Bai-Xue looked directly at Jan-Mei.
"All I need... is the support of the people who truly belong by my side."
Her expression softened.
"And you, Jan-Mei... are one of those people."
Jan-Mei suddenly smiled.
There was warmth in her eyes as she looked at Bai-Xue.
"Master," she said softly, her voice steady but sincere, "since the day I became aware of the world... I have always regarded you as my everything."
Her gaze did not waver.
"If you ever asked it of me... I would give my life for you without even the slightest hesitation."
Bai-Xue listened quietly.
Then she smiled.
But instead of pride, there was gentle disapproval in her eyes.
"Giving your life is a very small thing, Jan-Mei," Bai-Xue said calmly.
Her voice was soft, yet filled with meaning.
"I do not want you to die for me."
She looked directly into Jan-Mei's eyes.
"I want you to live... for me."
The moment Jan-Mei saw Bai-Xue's bright, genuine smile—
it felt as if all the sorrow and heaviness within her heart melted away like snow beneath warm sunlight.
A warmth spread quietly through her chest.
Then Bai-Xue turned slightly toward the others.
"Let me introduce everyone properly," she said.
She gestured toward Shin-Lu.
"Jan-Mei, from today onward... you have another master as well."
"This is Shin-Lu."
A faint warmth entered Bai-Xue's voice as she continued.
"He is my brother."
"My family."
For a brief moment, her eyes softened as she looked at the three of them.
"My real family... is all of you."
Hearing those words, Jan-Mei's heart trembled.
She quickly lowered her head and respectfully bowed toward Shin-Lu.
Shin-Lu watched her calmly before speaking in a steady voice.
"Anyone who is important to my little sister Bai-Xue... is also important to me."
His tone carried quiet sincerity.
"And if there ever comes a day, Jan-Mei, when you feel tired of the world... when you need a place to rest..."
He gestured toward the surrounding mountains and blooming trees.
"You may come here to Slang Blossom Valley."
"From today onward, this valley is also your home."
When those words reached her ears, Jan-Mei felt a gentle, cool breeze pass over her face.
Her soft black hair swayed lightly in the wind.
In front of her stood Bai-Xue, Shin-Lu, and Rinvi.
All three of them were smiling at her.
But this smile felt different.
It was warm.
It was sincere.
It was the kind of smile that accepted her not as a servant... but as one of their own.
For the first time in her life, Jan-Mei felt something she had never truly known before.
Belonging.
She was no longer alone.
She was no longer someone without a home.
She had a family.
She had a place that belonged to her.
And as that realization settled into her heart—
Jan-Mei's eyes slowly filled with tears.
But this time...
those tears were born from happiness.
The peaceful atmosphere in Slang Blossom Valley continued as the four of them sat beneath the blooming cherry blossom tree, quietly enjoying their tea.
Soft laughter occasionally drifted through the air.
The gentle fragrance of flowers surrounded them, and the warm sunlight filtered through the pink petals above, creating a calm and joyful scene.
For a moment, it felt as though the world outside the valley no longer existed.
But that peace did not last long.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps could be heard approaching from the distance.
A valley attendant quickly arrived and respectfully bowed.
"Master," he said, lowering his head.
"Someone from the Royal Palace has arrived with a message and an invitation."
The words instantly changed the atmosphere.
Shin-Lu slowly set down his teacup.
Without a word, he rose from his chair and walked toward the attendant.
The attendant carefully handed him a beautifully sealed letter bearing the golden emblem of the Imperial Family.
Shin-Lu calmly broke the seal and unfolded the letter.
His sharp eyes scanned the contents.
A moment later, he spoke.
"This invitation comes from the Royal Palace," he said.
His voice remained steady, but the meaning of the message was far from ordinary.
"It is sent in the name of the entire Imperial Family."
Bai-Xue raised her gaze slightly.
"To whom?" she asked.
Shin-Lu looked toward her.
"It is addressed to the White Mask... and her family."
The words hung quietly in the air.
Then Shin-Lu continued reading the contents of the message.
"The Royal Palace announces a grand celebration."
"This year marks the sixteenth birthday of the Third Prince, Min-Sheng."
A faint shadow passed through Bai-Xue's eyes when that name was spoken.
But Shin-Lu continued calmly.
"In addition, the celebration is being held to welcome Emperor Xing-Jiang-Lin, who has recently arrived in our country as an honored guest."
"The Imperial Court is organizing a grand banquet and ceremony within the Royal Palace."
Shin-Lu lowered the letter slightly.
"And the White Mask... along with her family... has been formally invited to attend."
Silence settled beneath the cherry blossom tree.
The soft wind continued to move through the valley, scattering pink petals across the ground.
But now the peaceful atmosphere had changed.
Because everyone present understood one thing clearly.
This was not just an invitation.
It was the Imperial Palace's way of summoning the mysterious White Mask into the heart of the empire.