Teacher by day, Farmer by passion

After the small turmoil settled, a disciple approached with a hurried bow.

"Master, the Fairy Pavilion Master requests an audience."

Ace raised an eyebrow. "Luna, huh? Send her—hmm, never mind."

Before the disciple could even turn, a soft laugh echoed from above.

"Good day, Master Ace," came Luna's cheerful voice as she descended gracefully from the sky, her long sleeves fluttering like wings.

Ace barely turned his head. "You may go," he said to the disciple, who immediately scurried off with a bow.

Luna landed softly, her expression playful as always. She approached with a light step.

"Master Ace, I've brought the items you requested."

"Follow me," Ace said, already turning and leading the way to his office.

Once inside, he took his seat behind the ornate desk and gestured for her to sit.

But Luna didn't sit. Instead, she gracefully pulled out several scrolls from her interspatial ring and laid them out on the table in perfect order, her movements precise and elegant.

Only then did she take the offered seat, folding her hands neatly in her lap.

"This is all I could gather," she said. "Even with my authority as the Supreme Pavilion Master of the Fairy Pavilion, it wasn't easy."

Ace glanced over the scrolls, his gaze scanning the array before nodding once.

"This is more than enough," he said plainly.

Luna smiled, pleased by his approval. She watched eagerly as he began to unfurl the scrolls one by one, her curiosity as vivid as the glint in her eyes.

Ace unfurled the first scroll, his eyes narrowing slightly as they skimmed the contents.

Descriptions of the Void. Vague accounts. Rumors. Half-mad testimonies from cultivators who claimed to have glimpsed eternity and returned. Most of it was poetic nonsense—philosophical ramblings more suited to a drunken poet than a researcher.

"The void… is like standing between two mirrors, forever seeing the reflection of a reflection…"

Ace rolled his eyes and set that one aside.

The second scroll was slightly better. It mentioned phenomena like void sickness, time compression, spatial layering. But even then, the terminology was inconsistent—cultivators from different sects had their own labels for the same concepts.

The third mentioned "Void Echoes"—a rare event where echoes of a person's past self could be seen or interacted with. Intriguing, but unproven.

After the fifth scroll, Ace leaned back and sighed, rubbing his temple.

Luna tilted her head, watching his expression with growing amusement.

"So," she said gently, "satisfied?"

Ace gave her a flat look. "Most of this is poetic garbage or sect-level speculation."

"I warned you," Luna replied, her smile unapologetic. "The Void is more myth than science to most people. I gathered everything I could that wasn't outright lunacy."

Ace didn't argue. Instead, he set aside the last scroll and folded his hands thoughtfully.

"There were a few useful fragments," he admitted. "Void sickness… time compression… even the concept of Void Echoes is worth exploring."

Luna crossed one leg over the other. "You think your disciple encountered one of those phenomena?"

Ace didn't answer right away. His eyes had gone distant, thoughtful. "Maybe not just encountered. Maybe… trapped within it."

A pause. The atmosphere subtly shifted.

Luna's teasing tone vanished, replaced by something quieter. More careful.

"…Is it serious?"

Ace's reply was slow, calm, but edged with steel. "If it's what I think it is, then it's not just serious. It's unprecedented."

Luna nodded once, her playfulness now replaced by sharp, calculating silence.

"Then," she said, "what will you do, Master Ace?"

Ace looked at the scrolls once more, then to the window where stars began to pierce the twilight.

"…I'll do what I always do. Find a way to break through."

Ace finally turned to Luna, his expression softening.

"…Thank you," he said sincerely. "If you ever need anything—just ask."

Luna's smile returned, gentler this time. "Actually… I do have something."

Ace raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice just enough to draw his full attention.

"The Tharz Kingdom's army is on the move," she said. "But not by land. They're advancing through the sea."

Ace blinked. "Boats?"

Luna shook her head, her tone turning grim. "No. They have a cultivator—one who parts the ocean like it's silk."

Ace leaned back slowly, eyes narrowing. "You don't know how?"

"No. And that's what makes it worse," Luna replied. "We tried scrying, scouting… even spirit birds couldn't get close. Every attempt vanished."

"Is she alone?"

"She's the vanguard," Luna said. "The army follows behind her on foot, walking the path she opens through the depths."

Ace's gaze darkened.

"Stronger than Legend Rank?"

Luna hesitated.

Then, in a near-whisper: "Very much so."

A tense silence settled between them.

Ace's fingers tapped once against the table."Where is this ambush supposed to happen?" Ace asked.

"Near the southern reef-line," Luna replied, her tone crisp. "That's where their path rises into the shallows. My scouts say they'll surface there in two days. I want to strike before they reach the mainland."

Ace shook his head. "Call it off."

Luna blinked. "Master Ace?"

"She's dangerous. You'll lose too many lives." His gaze was firm now. "Don't let your people walk into that."

"But—"

"She's Sarah," Ace said quietly, the weight of the name settling into the room like a stormcloud. "A Divine Step cultivator. A monster in the shape of a woman."

Luna's breath caught, her composure briefly shaken. "…That's not a name I expected to hear again."

"Don't worry," Ace said, his voice steady. "I'm not without options. I've already prepared the perfect trap for her."

Luna narrowed her eyes, searching his face. For a heartbeat, she looked ready to protest—but then she exhaled and gave a small nod.

"I believe you, Master Ace," she said softly. "I always have. But…" Her brow furrowed. "I don't think we'll make it in time to warn the royal guard. They've already committed to the ambush. Even Queen Arlen herself is involved. She might refuse to back down."

Ace was silent for a long moment. Then:

"Then I'll go myself."

Luna's eyes widened. "…You'll intercept them?"

"If I have to fly through the night, I will," Ace said, already calculating the distance, the timing.

Luna nodded, rising to her feet. "Understood."

She turned to leave but paused at the door.

"Master Ace… I'll prepare healing wards in the southern outpost. Just in case."

Ace gave a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "Good. But with luck, we won't need them."