The weeks following their return to the Netherworld were a tense, intricate dance of strategy and secrets. Vex'aal's whispers flooded the mortal realm, and the seeds of doubt began to sprout. Rumors of the heroic, neutral "Ashen Sword" protecting innocent mortals from an unknown evil began to circulate, a direct contradiction to the tale of a corrupted, demonic puppet. Whispers of a power struggle within the Golden Sun Pavilion, of Elder Feng's radical ambition, began to muddy the waters of his pristine, righteous reputation. The information war was working, but it was slow, a patient game of chipping away at a mountain of lies.
The news that shattered their patience arrived on a grim, overcast morning in the war room.
Vex'aal materialized, her shadowy form radiating an uncharacteristic urgency. "Your Majesties," she whispered. "We have a confirmed location. Elder Feng and Wei Chen have left the Azure Cloud Sect. They have traveled together to a neutral metropolis in the southern provinces."
"Where?" Xue Lian demanded, her eyes narrowing.
"A place called Lan'xia," Vex'aal replied. "The City of Crimson Mist."
She projected a shimmering, illusory map of the city onto the grand table. It was a sprawling, vibrant hub of activity. "It is a crossroads of commerce and cultivation, beholden to no single sect, which makes it a perfect haven for secrets. But beneath its glittering surface," Vex'aal's voice dropped, "it is a hub for darker dealings. Brothels, illegal spirit beast trafficking, shadowy organizations… and a thriving, open market where demons are captured, collared, and sold as slaves."
A wave of cold, venomous fury washed over Xue Lian. Lan Yue's face, beside her, was a mask of pure, glacial disgust.
Xue Lian let out a sharp, cynical laugh that was devoid of any humor. "Lan'xia. Of course," she said, her voice dripping with a weary, modern sarcasm that left Vex'aal momentarily confused. "Of course they'd be in a place like that. They're men, after all."
She shook her head, pacing a small, angry circle. "You know how it is. Men with their predictable, sordid addictions to brothels and power plays and all the other disgusting… fucks." She caught herself, noticing the utter bewilderment on her ancient spymaster's face. She cleared her throat, waving a dismissive hand. "Of course, excuse those men who are loyal. It's not just men, really. Disgusting people can be of any gender. The point stands."
Her expression hardened, the brief, frustrated rant giving way to cold, strategic fury. "A city like this, a festering wound of corruption and cruelty, is allowed to exist right under the noses of the major sects."
Lan Yue's gaze met hers, her own disgust absolute. "It is the perfect place for a conspiracy to fester," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "They are meeting someone. They are planning their next move."
"Waiting for your spies to unravel that web could take months," Xue Lian stated, her decision already made. "Time we do not have. We cannot fight this war from a distance any longer."
She looked at Lan Yue, a silent question in her eyes. Lan Yue met her gaze and gave a single, resolute nod.
"We go ourselves," they said, the words spoken in perfect, chilling unison.
Their preparations were swift and secret. The most difficult part was telling their daughter. They found Xue An in the palace gardens, trying to teach her celestial dragon, An An, how to play fetch with a shimmering ball of light.
Xue Lian knelt, taking her daughter's small hands in her own. "My love," she began, her voice soft, "Mother Yue and I have a very important errand in the mortal realm. We must leave for a little while."
Xue An's bright smile faltered, her dark eyes filling with a familiar worry. "Is it the bad men? Is it dangerous?"
"There are always dangers," Lan Yue said, kneeling beside them. She gently took the promise bracelet of white fox fur from her own wrist and slid it onto her daughter's. "But we are stronger when we are together. And we will always be safe as long as we have you to come home to." She squeezed the child's hand. "We will always come home. Can you be brave for us, and look after An An while we are gone?"
Xue An looked at the bracelet, then at the determined, loving faces of her two mothers. She nodded, her expression becoming solemn and brave. "I will, Mother Yue. I will be the Empress while you are gone."
With a final, tight hug, they left their daughter in the care of the Royal Guard. Vex'aal and Ren worked together to craft new, flawless mortal disguises for them the appearances of two travelling female scholars, unassuming and easily overlooked.
They stood once more before the secret portal in Xue Lian's study. This time, they were not leaving in sorrow or desperation. They were leaving as partners, a queen and a saint, two halves of a whole, united in a singular, deadly purpose.
"Ready to descend into the viper's nest?" Xue Lian asked, a grim smile on her lips.
"As long as I am with you," Lan Yue replied, taking her hand.
Together, they stepped through the shimmering gateway, leaving their peaceful, isolated world behind. Their hunt had begun.