Linda led her group and the three young men down from the snow?laden mountains. The storm thinned as they descended, mist curling away to reveal a small town nestled in the valley. Lanterns glowed warmly against the frost, their light shimmering like fireflies caught in glass. The faint scent of pine smoke drifted through the air, promising hearths and shelter.

  The inn at the town’s center welcomed them with firelight spilling from its windows. Its wooden beams were dark with age, yet sturdy, and the carved sign above the door bore the emblem of a plum blossom.

  Nathan was laid to rest comfortably in one of the rooms. His breathing was shallow but steady. Mateo chose to remain at his side, sitting cross-legged in meditation, his aura folding inward as he restored his qi while keeping silent watch.

  Uriel, meanwhile, went to have a chat with Linda and her colleagues in their quarters. Through their conversation, he learned that they were no longer in the Azure Region. Somehow, the pocket realm had hurled them across the Coloured Continent—into the Purple Region, an unfathomable distance—hundreds of thousands of miles. Even a Nascent Soul expert flying day and night would need more than a month to return to Azure.

  He concluded that the pocket realm had rejected their breakthrough to Foundation Establishment and expelled them far beyond their homeland. Now, they were stranded, and the path back was uncertain.

  Linda, in turn, questioned him about their identities and what sect they were from. He simply replied that his name was Riel and that he and his brothers were rogue cultivators on a journey to gain experience.

  Linda frowned. At their age and cultivation level, such strength was unthinkable without powerful backing. She did not believe him, but she played along.

  “Since you brothers are rogue cultivators,” she said, “do you mind joining our Mighty Purple Clan? We are a mid?level clan, rich in resources, cultivation tools, and techniques. With us, you brothers will never be short on these resources and are bound to have a bright future.”

  Her words carried promise, yet beneath the polished tone lay calculation. The clan’s warmth masked ambition, and Uriel sensed that every offer of shelter came weighed with unseen chains of obligation.

  Uriel’s gaze hardened. He did not answer immediately. Instead, he said, “When big brother Nathan wakes, I’ll let him decide.”

  It was a polite deflection, but his heart was unmoved. He had no interest in joining any clan. Nor was he eager to return to the palace. Yet he thought of Wren and the few loyal attendants who had watched over him back home. They probably would be saddened by his absence. Still, perhaps this exile was providence—a way to escape the suffocating grasp of the Royal Family. If his faction were disbanded, his followers would simply be reassigned or dismissed. No one else would suffer for his choices.

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  When the conversation ended, Uriel returned to Nathan’s side. Mateo’s eyes opened as Uriel entered, his meditation breaking.

  “How is he doing?” Uriel asked quietly.

  “Judging from his vitality, better than earlier,” Mateo replied.

  Uriel then gave Mateo a briefing on what he had learned—that they were far from home. Mateo did not mind; there was nothing left for him in the Azure Region after his mother’s passing. All that mattered now was becoming stronger, strong enough that no one would ever dare to bully him again.

  “In other words, we are stuck here,” Mateo said.

  Uriel nodded. “By the way, we haven’t been introduced.”

  “Yet like this idiot, you call me brother.”

  “He’s indeed an idiot,” Uriel said, a rare flicker of humor in his voice. “And yet none of us can leave his side.

  “I’m Uriel, by the way. But from now on you will call me Riel. What’s your name?”

  Mateo hesitated, as though the word itself carried weight. Then he answered. “Mateo.”

  “If anyone asks, we are brothers, and our parents died.”

  Mateo nodded, accepting the fiction.

  ____

  Two hours later, Nathan finally stirred. His body was sore despite showing no physical ailment thanks to the healing pill, but his internal injuries had not completely healed. Uriel rushed to his side.

  “Are you alright?” he asked.

  “Were you worried?” Nathan sat up, his voice hoarse but playful.

  “Who’s worried about an idiot?” Uriel smacked his head lightly.

  “Is this how you treat a brother while he’s down?” Nathan complained.

  “Shut up, you idiot.” Uriel smacked him again.

  For some reason, Mateo—usually reserved—couldn’t help but smile.

  “Is that a smile?” Nathan teased, turning toward him.

  Mateo looked away, embarrassed, his ears faintly red.

  Afterwards, Uriel informed Nathan of what had occurred while he was unconscious: their location and Linda’s invitation to join her sect. Nathan processed the information in silence before speaking.

  “I think we should join the clan.”

  Uriel’s eyes narrowed. “Are you sure?”

  “To be honest, I have nothing left in the Azure Region,” Nathan said. “And my aim is to grow stronger. We’ll need to start somewhere.”

  “Since that is your wish, then I’ll follow you,” Uriel replied.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to return to the palace?” Nathan asked.

  “You’ve seen how I’m treated. Why would I?”

  Nathan turned to Mateo. “What about you, third brother?”

  “Anywhere you go, I go,” Mateo said simply.

  “Third brother, I never knew you cared so deeply about me. Come over here and give your big brother a hug,” Nathan said with a grin.

  “Don’t flatter yourself. I’ll stay only until my debt is paid—after that, you’re on your own,” Mateo said flatly

  “Debt? What debt?” Nathan looked confused.

  “It doesn’t matter.” With that, Mateo left the room, his expression unreadable.

  “What’s his issue?” Nathan asked, looking to Uriel, who was just as clueless.

  “Just stay here and restore your qi. I’ll go inform Linda that we will join her sect,” Uriel said.

  Nathan nodded and assumed a meditative position.