Xiang Minghou’s legs gave out as he tried to get out of bed, and he nearly collapsed. He pointed a finger at the door. "Close... close... the door..."

"Luo Xuan, close the door," Ye Qianning called out without lifting her head as she bent down to support him.

Luo Xuan hit the hallway floor with a THUD. He staggered to his feet and, with trembling hands, went to close the door...

Seeing this, Xiang Minghou grew even more panicked, staring at Ye Qianning with a hint of reproach. "You... you..."

"Father, sit down. Don’t be nervous." After helping Xiang Minghou onto the bed, Ye Qianning turned to pour him a cup of tea. "Drink this. It will help you calm down."

Xiang Minghou took it and downed it in one gulp. It took nearly a minute for his breathing to return to normal.

"So, Father, do you believe in the supernatural now?"

’In my past life, I really did die. Without this body, I probably would have been just a remnant soul, dissipating into thin air.’

Xiang Minghou still shook his head.

"Father, I don’t just possess the Genesis of Duality. I also have some of the fruits from the Compendium of Wonders." As she spoke, Ye Qianning produced a Flame Demon Fruit, which was said to have the power to extend one’s life.

Xiang Minghou was too shocked to speak. "This isn’t the work of ghosts or monsters... This is simply divine."

"I don’t know about being divine. All I know is that for as long as I can remember, I’ve often dreamed of a place filled with white light. I used to think it was just a dream, but later I realized it wasn’t. The seeds for the items in the Compendium of Wonders all come from a void-like world in my mind. It’s called a void, but I can touch everything in it. It’s called real, but none of you can see it. Sometimes, I can’t even tell which world is the real one anymore."

’Even now, I don’t understand this space very well. I always feel like it holds immense power, and I haven’t even revealed the tip of the iceberg.’

Xiang Minghou was not a man who believed in gods, but upon hearing her words, he couldn’t help but feel his daughter was a reincarnated immortal from the fabled mountain of Penglai.

"Have you told anyone else about this?" he asked, both shocked and terrified. ’The immortal mountain of Penglai, the items from the Compendium of Wonders... any one of them would cause people to go into a frenzy to possess them.’

Ye Qianning shook her head. "I was too young to understand before. I’ve only just started to realize what this all means, and I’ve only told you, Father."

"That’s good, that’s good." Xiang Minghou instructed her in a panic, "Pangtuan, you must remember: never take these things out again. Don’t speak of this to anyone else, and you are forbidden from touching those items again."

’The moment any of this is revealed to the world, it will surely bring a fatal disaster upon her.’

"I understand, Father. I told you because I trust you."

"No, Pangtuan, you’re too young. You don’t understand human greed. People who seem kind on the surface will turn around and bite you the moment their interests are involved. You must remember this. Never mention it to anyone again," Xiang Minghou said with grave seriousness, his heart filled with fear.

Ye Qianning tilted her head in thought. "I told you, Father. Will you kill me for these things?"

"Nonsense," Xiang Minghou scolded. He raised his hand, holding up three fingers. "I, Xiang Minghou, swear to the heavens: as long as I have breath in my body, I will protect you with my life. If I break this oath, may the heavens strike me down with—"

"Father, you don’t have to. I believe you." Ye Qianning cut him off, using her two small hands to pull his large one down.

’My judgment of people is never wrong. Once I’ve decided to trust someone, I never doubt them.’

Xiang Minghou stared at her chubby, doll-like face, overcome with the urge to hide her away from the world, terrified she would be discovered—especially by the Emperor... 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

’An emperor’s ambition is a terrifying thing. Though the immortal mountain of Penglai is only a legend, the emperors of the four nations have never stopped searching for it. If they were to learn that what they seek is right in front of them...’

A shiver ran down Xiang Minghou’s spine at the thought.

He repeated his warning with the utmost gravity, "You must never, ever touch those things again. Do you understand?"