Han Yu frowned inwardly.
Something did not fully align.
Her power was immense, clearly beyond Nascent Soul, but during the battle, he had not felt the overwhelming presence of a Dao Embryo that he would expect from a Dao Treading realm cultivator.
If she were Dao Treading, Danqing Xun would have been crushed instantly.
But she had fought him.
Struggled, even.
Not lost, but not trivialized the fight either.
"Are you Dao Shell," Han Yu asked cautiously, "or higher?"
Madam Cold Fang did not answer immediately.
Instead, she turned away, looking toward the distant peaks of the Harrow Mountains.
"Titles are meaningless," she said at last. "What matters is survival."
Han Yu accepted that answer, though it left him uneasy.
If she was truly Dao Shell realm, then her remaining lifespan should be nearing its end.
Yet she showed no sign of decline.
Which meant only two possibilities.
Either she had found a way to extend her life beyond natural limits.
