In the lamplit quiet of Lǐ Róng's study, the three conspirators sat in heavy silence, each wrestling with the monumental problem of the Young King's soul. The couple’s thoughts spiralled in shared anguish, while Wǎn Lù’s mind calculated risks and gambits, weighing the use of a technique she had never dared to reveal.

  [Xuè Lán]: "Bǎobèi, what if we have Captain Zhào meet his mother? As her Younger brother, there might be a slight chance he could summon her spirit from the heavens."

  [Lǐ Róng]: "It is a possibility, but consider his reaction upon learning of his nephew’s condition. He would be utterly devastated. He already blames himself for being a useless uncle; this would be a path of pure pain for him." As the couple debated the grim calculus of family trauma, Wǎn Lù raised a hand, her movement sharp and deliberate in the still air. Both turned to her, their expressions shifting from despair to wary hope as they nodded for her to speak.

  [Wǎn Lù]: "I understand this is a secret of the highest order, so I must ask you both to bind this to your hearts. I possess... an ability. It allows me to visit the Xīnyù of another person—to observe and diagnose issues within their spiritual landscape without causing harm or disruption to their soul. If I can enter his Xīnyù, I may be able to summon her spirit directly, or speak to him in a place where the laws of emotion still apply. The catch is this: only I can enter, and not for long. Ten minutes. We would have only ten minutes to solve this. If he perceives the intrusion as a threat... You two know him better than anyone. How would he respond? Can we proceed tonight?"

  [Xuè Lán]: "We can. But you must be more than careful. You must be his shadow, a ghost in his own mind. If anything goes awry, you understand the consequences." Wǎn Lù gave a single, determined nod, the weight of the mission settling on her shoulders. The three of them shared a final, steadying breath and settled into the tense vigil, waiting for the profundity of the Hour of the Ox. Lǐ Róng slipped away to Jian Zhi's chambers to confirm his state. He eased the door open with infinite care, making not a sound.

  [Lǐ Róng]: (Whispering from the doorway) "Bǎo, Princess. He is asleep. Go quietly. Take your position beneath his bed."

  [Wǎn Lù]: "Beneath the *bed*? Aish… What more must I endure for this man? I will make him repay every ounce of this sacrifice," she muttered under her breath. She moved with a thief's grace, slipping into the room and across the floor. She crawled into the space under the bed, the wooden planks still warm from the day. Above her, Jian Zhi rested with an almost preternatural calm. Wǎn Lù stole one last glance at his serene face before disappearing into the shadows.

  [Wǎn Lù]: (Internal Monologue) *"Mr Deadeyes, sleeping like a peaceful infant, yet carrying the strategic knowledge of a millennial scholar within that skull. Just wait. Once you are fixed, I will finally claim what is due to me."* She closed her eyes, centring her spirit, and whispered the incantation that was both key and covenant: "Spirit-Pulse Resonance." (魂脉共鸣 - Hún Mài Gòngmíng). As the words left her lips, a soft, aqueous luminescence emanated from her form in the darkness. Her consciousness unravelled from its physical moorings, flowing like a silent river into the vast and structured expanse of Jian Zhi's Xīnyù.

  Upon entering, she was met by a sight of majestic, terrifying order. His Heart's Domain was a masterpiece of spiritual architecture.

  [Wǎn Lù]: (Internal Monologue) *"Earth, Fire, Metal, Wood… each element segregated into its own perfect, sovereign district. And what is that at the centre? No… it can't be. Why are there two apothecary beasts here?"* Her gaze was drawn to the two mighty forms presiding over the realm: the serene yet formidable **Serene Fury Qilin (仁怒麒麟 - Rén Nù Qílín)** and the awe-inspiring, dominant **Golden Azure Crimson Dragon (金碧赤龙 - Jīnbì Chìlóng)**.

  In the distance, she saw him—Jian Zhi—practising his forms with lethal precision. Then, in the void above him, a blinding, gentle light blossomed. From its heart stepped forth Lin Wei, Jian Zhi's mother, her spirit radiant.

  [Wǎn Lù]: (Internal Monologue) *"So that is her. She is… breathtaking. No wonder he possesses such a striking face. [She gives a sharp mental shake] Focus, Wǎn Lù. Focus!"* She darted closer, concealing herself behind the stark silhouette of a petrified tree, and listened.

  [Jian Zhi]: "[A genuine, warm smile gracing his features] Ma, you came again tonight. I told you to rest in the heavens. Are you so eager to watch me train?"

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  [Lin Wei]: "[Her entire spirit blooming with happiness] Aigoo, my little Jian Zhi has grown so strong and tall! Why wouldn't I come to watch? Besides, there aren't many pressing matters among the clouds. Ah, tell me—have you made up with your grandfather and uncle? How is my foolish brother faring?"

  [Jian Zhi]: "Your brother still strives daily to prove his worth to the King. Grandfather governs a province now. Ma, there is a girl… she bears your name. She is sharp and fiercely kind, a gifted healer. Just like you. She is part of the family now. Your adopted daughter."

  [Lin Wei]: "[A proud, tender smile] I am glad you are protecting our people. But Bǎobǎo… are you taking care of *yourself*? I see you training, growing strong enough to shield the weak. But you also need rest. You need a cooling phase in your life, a gentle rain."

  [Jian Zhi]: (He hesitated for a fraction of a second before his smile returned, flawless and practised) "I am taking care of myself, see? Strong, mighty, blooming with vitality. Do not worry for me, Ma." They continued to speak, and Jian Zhi seemed more alive than Wǎn Lù had ever witnessed—lively, expressive, his smiles reaching his eyes.

  [Wǎn Lù]: (Internal Monologue) *"Aigoo, Mr Deadeyes… you have a side like this? I can scarcely believe it. But I cannot let you deceive your mother any longer. My time is short."* Steeling herself, she broke from her cover and sprinted toward them, placing Lin Wei's spirit directly between herself and Jian Zhi.

  [Lin Wei]: "Who are you? How did you enter this place? Bǎobǎo, is this your wife?"

  [Jian Zhi]: "Ma, she is not my wife. She is a princess from the Azure Mandate Empire. And I, too, would very much like to know how and why she is here." His voice had lost all warmth, replaced by a cold, analytical edge as his mind doubtless began calculating the security breach.

  [Wǎn Lù]: "[Offering a polite, swift bow] Greetings, Lady Lin Wei. I am Wǎn Lù, as your son said. My title is irrelevant. I have come to relay a message to you. It is of the utmost importance." Jian Zhi’s eyes were locked on her, analysing, predicting her next words.

  [Lin Wei]: "Speak, child. I am listening."

  [Wǎn Lù]: "Then brace yourself. Your son has been lying to you. He does not take care of himself. The moment you died, his soul lost its Water element. Ever since, he has been slowly transforming into a calculating statue of pure efficiency. When those who care for him beg him to find a solution, he wounds them with his words, cold and cruel in his ignorance. He is an emotionally tone-deaf brat." Lin Wei's expression transformed. The motherly warmth evaporated, replaced by a cold, towering anger forged from profound concern.

  [Lin Wei]: "Jian Zhi. Is she speaking the truth? It must be, for I see no Water here. Let me guess. You hid this because you thought I would drown in guilt and blame myself for your sickness. Is that why you shouldered this alone and never spoke a word? Answer me, *Your Majesty*." Her final words were dipped in ice.

  [Jian Zhi]: "[His voice thick with uncharacteristic guilt and hesitation] I… She speaks the truth. Your deduction is also correct. I have no justification to offer. I am… content this way. Meeting you each night, accelerating the Kingdom's growth to protect its people, providing them a structured happiness—that is sufficient. I do not care if the process consumes me. The output is all that matters."

  [Lin Wei]: **"JIAN ZHI!"** Her voice rang like a cracked bell across the Xīnyù. "You think people are happy merely because of your *results*? No! They are happy and safe because there is a *person* there to achieve those results. Without *you*, how can they possibly replicate what you have built? Are you planning to die? Is that why you are exploiting yourself without mercy? [Her tone softening into a sigh that held the weight of the world] Bǎobǎo, listen to me. Remember what I taught you: a General is someone who protects the weak. He cannot be substituted by his methods. Understand your own irreplaceable worth to this Kingdom. And then… let us fix your soul."

  Jian Zhi stood perfectly still, absorbing every word as if it were a foundational axiom being rewritten.

  [Wǎn Lù]: **(Internal Monologue)** *"Uhm, what in the heavens… No wonder he's stubborn and calculative. He takes after his mother. What an iron-willed lady. But I must ask about the cure—my time is bleeding away!"*

  [Jian Zhi]: **(Internal Monologue)** *"Mother is correct. This variable must be integrated into the equation. If I terminate, they could manage with my scripts, but could they truly perceive the systemic threats as I do? The external enemies remain. Eliminating them is inefficient if I am degraded… but is there a path to integrate Water without incurring a guilt-debt? Should I inquire…?"*

  Lin Wei observed the subtle shifts in both their auras—the princess's frantic urgency, her son's internal processing—and she spoke, her voice regaining its serene authority.

  [Lin Wei]: "Bǎobǎo, your new line of reasoning is a good step. Fixing yourself without a guilt-debt is possible." Jian Zhi looked up, genuine confusion breaking through his analytical mask.

  [Wǎn Lù]: **(Internal Monologue)** *"[Profoundly shocked] Can she… read thoughts? Just how profound is her knowledge? What *is* she?"*

  [Lin Wei]: "Wǎn Lù, was it? Yes, I can. I do not know everything under the sun. But I know enough to cure my son."

  Wǎn Lù stared at the spirit of Lin Wei, her earlier caution now eclipsed by a staggering wave of respect. She understood, with crystalline clarity, that in this woman's presence, concealing one's thoughts was not just difficult—it was utterly impossible.