The Moon Owl utterly eradicated the black-robed woman’s soul, then turned her gaze toward the massive spiritual cocoon hovering before Illusory Glass’s hospital bed. Within it seemed to stir the soul of someone familiar.

“Is it Illusionary Mist?”

Perhaps due to losing her physical form and being severed from the Time Temple, the thick cocoon slowly dissipated. Illusionary Mist’s soul would vanish completely before long.

New to soulcraft, the Moon Owl’s knowledge remained limited. She had no way to preserve a soul—could only watch helplessly as Illusionary Mist’s spirit faded.

At that moment, Illusory Glass awoke. Though the newborn Time Temple held wonders, none mattered more than Illusionary Mist. She snapped her eyes open, locking her gaze onto the cocoon.

“You’re awake!”

The Moon Owl shifted her focus from the cocoon to Illusory Glass—but Illusory Glass didn’t reply. Instead, she reached out and anchored the hospital room in time.

“Mm… Thank you, Sister Moon Owl.”

Only the Moon Owl, a nurse, and the patient in the next bed remained. Who had brought the Eye Orb? Likely only the Moon Owl.

No time for distractions. Illusory Glass worried—the cocoon was vanishing too fast. She, too, felt powerless regarding souls. Her own soul was strong, but her techniques crude. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been overpowered so easily.

Gritting her teeth, she scoured memories from countless reincarnations—her greatest treasure. Maybe a method hid within. But her mind yielded nothing. Only two options remained: stash Illusionary Mist’s soul inside the Time Temple, or use time suspension to halt the dissipation.

She dismissed suspension immediately—she lacked the mana for prolonged stasis. Only one path remained: place the soul in the Time Temple, then find a new vessel. And guidance… a soul-guiding Magic Tool, or someone with that rare ability.

Such things were near-mythical. Across lifetimes, Illusory Glass had never heard of either.

“Then… Sister will stay in the Time Temple for now.”

Illusory Glass commanded the Temple absolutely. Even if it rejected Illusionary Mist, she could force her to remain. Each use of the Temple’s power would expel her—but it was manageable.

Securing the cocoon, Illusory Glass threw herself into the Moon Owl’s arms. Trapped in timeless solitude within the Temple, weighed by relentless enemies, she’d clung to memories of Illusionary Mist and those waiting beyond. She’d endured.

Now, warmth flooded her. Past hardships surged. Tears welled, spilling onto the Moon Owl’s coat.

“Hold on.”

An ill-timed ring shattered the moment. The Moon Owl answered without hesitation.

“Trouble at the border.”

Blade’s voice. The Moon Owl stiffened—she’d been back barely thirty minutes.

“I’m heading to Blade’s office. Rest well. You’ve just awakened.”

Illusory Glass didn’t linger. As guardian of the isolated Twelfth District, the Moon Owl bore immense duty. Illusory Glass had never seen a guardian this overwhelmed.

The Moon Owl stepped through a spatial rift. Blade projected surveillance onto the screen: ruins-strewn border, silver-armored figures searching.

“Them again.”

Not the first encounter. Since Zhao Qingsnow’s group left for District Twenty One, these intruders exploited the district’s weakened state. Cantata Two teams drove them off repeatedly—yet they always resurfaced like mushrooms after rain.

Cantata Two lacked mobility. They also handled Magic Maidens from other districts and Abyss-born invaders tearing through rifts. Only five were fully active: Qiu Sheng, Chen Xiaoyin, Lu Jin, Lu Shi, Dawnlight. Qianchun counted as half—her power unstable, her focus on developing Aklatia. Chen Xiaoyin and Qiu Sheng guarded the east; Lu Jin and Lu Shi, the west; Dawnlight secured the warehouse and field hospital.

Now, with Zhao Qingsnow and the Old Woman returned, pressure eased slightly.

“You handle it this time. Next time, mark it for Zhao Qingsnow.”

The Moon Owl reappeared at the border. A squad of over a dozen silver-armored figures stood nearby. The armor blocked magical detection. No names given. No purpose declared. Sneaking. That alone justified elimination.

They never saw her come. Cloaked in black, the Moon Owl stepped lightly atop their helmets like a specter. She spread her arms—space folded inward. She yanked one figure free. The moment her grip tightened, his body sank, melting into silver liquid that splattered the rubble. The others followed, dissolving within the sealed space.

“Just like before…”

Past attempts to capture them always ended this way. Lab tests confirmed: mostly mercury. The Moon Owl sealed the puddle in a pocket dimension—just in case.

“Handled.”

Back at the office, Blade listened, equally baffled.

“They leave no trace. One compromised, all dissolve. We can’t ignore them—not for the Twelfth District.”

“Go be with Illusory Glass. I’ll assign Zhao Qingsnow, then attend a meeting.”

Blade wished Zhao Qingsnow rest—but the district ran like a relentless machine. Even the Moon Owl, told to rest, kept her spatial senses draped over the entire Twelfth District. Zhao Qingsnow departed immediately, fresh from District Twenty One’s perils, already racing toward new danger. Blade sipped coffee, prepped encrypted gear and comms frequency, adjusted her collar, and opened the video call.

“Hello. I am Blade.”

On screen: an aged man cradling a delicate, petite girl.

“I am Yin Tianchen. This is my daughter, Yin Chen Yue.”

“Hello, big sister~”

The sweet voice jolted the drowsy Blade awake.

“What a lovely girl.”

After brief pleasantries, Yin Tianchen turned serious.

“Rouge Rabbit—an underground syndicate in the Second District. Vast resources, research prowess, global influence.”

Blade had researched them. A major power—though recent headquarters disasters crippled their labs. Only scattered branches operated. Yet their northwest influence remained unshaken. And now they sought partnership with the battered Twelfth District branch.

“You investigated well. Our headquarters suffered an anomaly—an incident involving the Magic Maiden government and the Seekers. Sound familiar?”

Blade’s brow furrowed. She hadn’t known the Seekers and Order Keepers were involved.

“Their target: a heart sealed behind a door. Only a Key can open it.”

“A heart?”

Blade shot upright. Night Frost’s words echoed:

*“It seemed to be a pancreas.”*

Zhao Qingsnow’s report flashed back:

*“That brain tried to flee with the Eye Orb.”*

Now Yin Tianchen’s words:

*“A heart, sealed behind a door.”*

It clicked.

“Could what they’re searching for in the Twelfth District… be that Key… and that door?”