Vermilion Spirit Alliance Awaits Your Arrival

"Actually... I met Ray's father again," Grace said. "No, wait! I went to see him for the Prime Spirit Root, and now... we're together..."

She had once told him the secret about her Prime Spirit Root, so he knew.

Henry Tuoba was silent for a long time before asking, "Do you love him?"

Grace nodded.

Henry Tuoba's eyes were full of bitterness. "In the end, I was still a step too late..."

"I'm sorry," Grace said. "In the last life, I let you down. In this life, I will do everything I can to help and protect you. But..."

"You don't need to say more, I understand," Henry Tuoba looked straight into her eyes. "But what I want, whether in the past or now, has always been just you!"

Grace lowered her eyes, feeling incredibly guilty inside.

After a long silence, Henry Tuoba asked her, "Is he good to you?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Then stay," Henry Tuoba said. "Just remember, if you ever run into trouble, come find me anytime."

After he finished speaking, he took something from his pocket and handed it to Grace.

It was the Vermilion Talisman.

He had three Vermilion Talismans in total. Anyone who possessed one could travel freely throughout the Vermilion Kingdom, even inside the royal palace.

Moreover, showing this talisman was as good as meeting the emperor himself—it granted immense privilege.

Grace shook her head and tried to give the Vermilion Talisman back to him. "I can't—"

"Take it," Henry Tuoba said. "With your talent, you'll end up in the Vermilion Kingdom sooner or later. You know what things are like on my side. When the time comes, I'll need your help."

Grace thought for a moment, then nodded and put the Vermilion Talisman away. She asked, "Will you send troops to attack the Blue Moon Kingdom?"

In the last life, Colin Gu had toppled his kingdom.

In this life, it's easy to imagine—he'll definitely send Colin Gu straight to hell!

Henry Tuoba was silent for a moment before replying, "Not for now."

"Why?"

Henry Tuoba looked at her and said, "Don't worry about these things for now. Focus on your cultivation—the Vermilion Spirit Alliance is waiting for you."

Grace pressed her lips together and nodded.

Since he needed her, she would go!

"I'll have someone tell Colin Gu... that you tried to kill yourself in a fit of anger, but failed, so you're not fit for a long journey. That's why I'm keeping you here," Henry Tuoba said. "But in the future, I'll come for you."

Saying it like this would make Colin Gu feel guilty toward her, but also wary of Henry Tuoba, so he wouldn't try to bring her back to the palace.

Just like before, Henry Tuoba was always so thoughtful and meticulous when it came to her.

"Thank you," Grace said quietly, head bowed. "I thought that in this life, I'd pay back everything I owed you. I never expected that from the very start, I'd owe you so much more..."

"If you really think you owe me," Henry Tuoba said, "Grace, can you tell me one thing?"

"What is it?"

"The person who gave you the Prime Spirit Root—Ray's father—who is he, really?"

Grace replied softly, "It's... Evan Xiao."

She didn't need to explain to Henry Tuoba who Evan Xiao was.

Because he knew better than anyone—more deeply, more painfully.

In the last life, it was Evan Xiao who led the troops to break through the Vermilion capital...

"So it really was him..." Henry Tuoba shook his head with a bitter smile. "When I saw you two at the inn that day, I had a bad feeling..."

Grace bit her lip and said nothing.

"Why didn't I see him today?"

"At this moment, he's probably been captured by the Windspire Kingdom," Grace said.

"Captured by the Windspire Kingdom? What do you mean?" Henry Tuoba asked, confused.