Countess Tatyana lounged in her grand study, delicate fingers gliding over parchment, signing off documents with effortless grace. Her crimson eyes flickered toward the door at the sound of a knock. With a slow, deliberate motion, she opened it, revealing Anna, her trusted attendant.
"Did you find it?" Tatyana's voice was a smooth purr, dripping with authority. "The cultivation technique Convergence of the Stars?"
Anna bowed her head respectfully, though there was a glint of irritation in her deep brown eyes. "Yes, my Lady. The ones in possession of it are the Constellation Palace, a mere third-rate sect. However, they demand something absurd in exchange—Little Miss's hand in marriage to their young master."
Tatyana's lips curled into an amused yet deadly smirk. "Oh? And you told them who they were dealing with?"
Anna's sneer was razor-sharp. "Of course. I offered them treasures beyond their worth, but they refused. It seems their young master caught a glimpse of Little Miss during one of her training sessions and has been infatuated ever since. If my Lady recalls, this is the same boy who attempted to harass her three months ago—until our guards left him a whimpering mess."
Tatyana leaned back in her chair, rolling her wrist idly. "Ah, him... Second-generation noble brats are always the worst. Spoiled, entitled, and utterly unaware of the consequences of their actions."
She stood, her crimson silk robe falling into place around her elegant yet deadly frame. "I'll handle this personally. This technique is for my little Yassy, and I refuse to accept failure."
A soft knock interrupted the moment, and a pair of golden, slit-pupiled eyes peeked around the doorframe. Tatyana and Anna's expressions immediately softened as they welcomed the young girl in.
"Mom! Are we learning about the powers of the world today?" Yasenia asked, her voice bright with excitement.
Tatyana hesitated. She adored their lessons together, but this matter couldn't wait. Gently, she stroked her daughter's silky black hair. "Today, you'll study with Anna. I have something to retrieve, and it might take a few days. I'm sorry, Little Yassy."
Yasenia blinked, immediately sensing the weight behind her mother's words. She was sharp—too sharp for her young age. It was the first time her mother would be away for so long.
Still, she didn't complain. Instead, she turned to Anna with a mischievous grin, her long tail swaying playfully. "Hehe, then today you're my prisoner, and you must teach me everything!"
Anna gasped, placing a dramatic hand over her heart. "Oh no! How could this be? Lady Tatyana, please! Save this poor servant from her terrible fate!"
Yasenia giggled, her melodic laughter filling the room, and even Tatyana found herself rolling her eyes with a faint smile. She pulled her daughter into a warm embrace, murmuring into her ear, "Be careful while I'm away, and never be alone. This world is beautiful on the surface, but danger lurks where you least expect it."
Yasenia's golden eyes shimmered with understanding. With a flick of her tail, she boosted herself up to press a tender kiss against Tatyana's cheek. "Don't rush just because of me. I know you're strong, Mom, but even the strongest can't predict every danger. Be careful. I love you."
Tatyana and Anna both blinked in surprise before their expressions melted into proud smiles.
After their goodbyes, Tatyana stepped outside, her mood immediately cooling into something lethal. She summoned Richard, the household's most trusted guardian.
Richard, a towering man of controlled strength, arrived swiftly. He bowed with a gentlemanly grace, his sharp brown eyes unwavering. "What are my Lady's orders?"
Tatyana's gaze was icy yet resolute. "I'll be taking some of our forces to acquire Convergence of the Stars. While I'm gone, stay vigilant. If enemies make a move, activate the single-use killing array and do not leave until I return. Yasenia's safety is your only priority."
Richard's playful smirk vanished, his tone grave. "Understood, my Lady. Even if it costs my life, no harm will come to the Little Miss."
Tatyana nodded but didn't turn to leave just yet. "You're the second-strongest in this house. I'd rather not lose a capable right-hand man, so take care of yourself too. Remember—you have a son to protect now."
With that, she disappeared into the night, heading toward the barracks.
---
Meanwhile, inside the study, Yasenia and Anna settled into their lesson.
"Little Miss, the first thing you must understand is that our world is vast—far beyond what the eye can see," Anna began, smoothing out a scroll. "We do not have a single name for it, but our continents have distinct titles."
Yasenia leaned forward eagerly, tail flicking.
Anna's lips curled into a fond smile before continuing, "We are in the Sky Continent, the largest of them all. Surrounding us are four smaller continents—Black Tortoise to the North, Azure Dragon to the East, Phoenix to the South, and White Tiger to the West."
Yasenia nodded in understanding, though her mind swirled with the weight of so much information.
Seeing through the little girl's thoughts, Anna chuckled. "Don't worry, Little Miss. You're only five. We have plenty of time to learn everything."
Yasenia straightened proudly. "Time does haste! Step by step, I must achieve to be waste!"
Anna burst into laughter, scooping the blushing girl into her arms. "Haste makes waste, Little Miss! Step by step, you must achieve to be wise!"
Yasenia pouted, her flushed cheeks resembling ripe peaches. Anna smiled, adjusting the girl in her arms. "Let's go to bed. It's already late."
---
Tatyana's battleship sliced through the night sky, an unstoppable force heading toward the Constellation Palace. The cold glint in her crimson eyes promised devastation.
Her male troops exchanged wary glances. They knew better than to question her fury.
The female troops, on the other hand, were seething with barely contained rage.
"They dared to desire our Little Miss?"
"Death."
"Death."
"Death."
After four days of travel, the battleship arrived at the Star Dome Valley. Tatyana stepped off, her commanding presence causing the very air to tremble. With a wave of her hand, she stored the ship in her spatial ring, then signaled her 132 elite warriors to form the Yin-Yang battle formation.
Her voice, imbued with power, echoed across the valley. "I am Countess Tatyana of the Moon Empire. Bring your sect leader before me."
A deep voice responded cautiously, "Why would the esteemed Countess grace our humble sect? Please, enter and discuss matters inside. However, I must insist that your entourage wait outside."
Tatyana sneered, her voice thick with raw, unyielding will. "You have one chance. Bring yourself before me, or I will flatten this pitiful sect where it stands."
The sheer force of her voice shattered the composure of weaker cultivators. Some fainted, others collapsed to the ground, their bodies wracked with fear.
Inside, the sect master paled. This woman… She's a monster in human form!
In a desperate attempt to salvage the situation, he rushed outside, bowing hastily. "C-Countess Tatyana! This is all a misunderstanding—please, allow us to resolve it peacefully!"
Tatyana didn't spare him a glance. "Bring the Convergence of the Stars technique. You have lost the right to negotiate."
The sect master obeyed, his soul chilled by her presence. But when his idiot son entered the hall, grinning, everything went from bad to worse.
"So this is my future mother-in-law! Hello, Moth—"
CRACK!
His father slammed him into the nearest wall before he could finish.
Tatyana's expression darkened further. "His punishment is now a thousand years without carnal pleasures."
The sect master paled. A thousand years without grandchildren…
Tatyana took the scroll, turned on her heel, and left. But when she returned home days later—
—her mansion's grounds were covered in corpses.