The silence that followed the departure of the Spiritual Beast elders was heavy, lingering in the cold air of my room like a physical weight. I stood by the window for a long time, watching the silver moonlight dance over the rooftops of the Secluded State. Tonight, something fundamental had changed. I wasn't just a child trying to hide anymore; I had secured the loyalty of the forest’s true kings.
But I knew better than to grow complacent. In the world I had written, peace was a thin veil over a pit of vipers. Old Zhu was still out there, weaving his petty schemes, and the Empire’s shadow was never far behind. To protect what I was building, I needed more than just alliances. I needed a force that defied the common laws of this world.
I sat back down on my meditation mat, my breath com
