The sudden flash forced Mulan to squeeze her eyes shut.

"Yikes! My eyes!"

Which "brilliant mind" stuffed a flashbang into this book?

Wasn’t this just straight-up mischief?

Mulan gently rubbed her eyes. After a brief moment, her vision slowly cleared.

"Hm? Where am I?"

The surroundings were no longer the cluttered storage of the second floor—but a completely unfamiliar space.

Mulan glanced around.

She stood at the center of a flat, open arena, utterly bare and unobstructed.

Golden-crimson walls encircled the perimeter, draped in matching banners faintly embroidered with delicate nine-tailed fox patterns.

Above, semi-circular balconies—reminiscent of medieval galleries—rose at intervals, edged in gold railings, radiating noble elegance.

Twelve viewing balconies ringed the arena, all angled toward the central floor.

Mulan lowered her gaze.

A mysterious pattern lay beneath her feet: a majestic sun cradled by a crescent moon, countless stars scattered around—as if this circular ground itself were the enigmatic Stellar expanse holding all within.

Strangely, with no visible light source or exit, everything remained perfectly clear.

"Theater of Fate?"

The words surfaced unbidden in her mind.

A theater?

No grandstands for crowds—only twelve elevated balconies. What exalted beings deserved to stand there?

Clearly, this stage wasn’t meant for ordinary spectators.

Nor could she fathom who held the right to watch.

Then she noticed: dust coated the floor; golden fixtures dulled by time. This place had long lain abandoned.

Confusion stirred within her.

"Why am I here?"

Just then, Qingqiu Zili’s voice came from behind.

"Ugh… You scared this princess half to death! Where *are* we? Does the Azure Fox Realm even have a place like this?"

Mulan turned. Qingqiu Zili’s face was pure bewilderment—and honestly, how could a local fox not know this spot?

Before Mulan could react, Qingqiu Zili lunged forward, wrapping her arms around her. Her three tails swayed anxiously as she patted Mulan up and down.

"May! Are you okay? Any pain? That flash nearly gave this fox a heart attack! I thought it’d blow up!"

"Huh?"

Mulan blinked. "Since when does light equal explosion? Did you… experience it before?"

"Ehehe~" Qingqiu Zili stuck out her pink tongue. The answer was obvious.

Mulan sighed inwardly. Given her past mischief, accidentally triggering disasters was practically routine. Foxes like her forgot pain the moment wounds healed. Though lately, she’d grown more cautious—probably because she *really* hated hurting.

Gently, Mulan eased Qingqiu Zili away. First priority: figure out where they were.

Unknown places were dangerous. Was this still within the Azure Fox Realm?

One thing was certain: this place tied directly to the Golden Nine Tails. Both the name "Theater of Fate" and the banners confirmed it.

Her eyes caught a portrait on the far wall.

"Hm? What’s that?"

Curious, Mulan approached. Qingqiu Zili trailed close behind, tails tucked tight, torn between nerves and curiosity.

The painting split into two scenes.

One: a monstrous dragon soaring through apocalyptic flames, radiating crushing pressure.

The other: a slender human-sized figure with nine flowing tails, standing firm against the beast—spine straight, fear absent. Pure courage. A living symbol of bravery and miracle.

"A hero versus a dragon?"

Mulan pieced it together.

This depicted the legendary, hotly debated battle between fox and dragon—likely a true event.

Yet the painting showed no combat details. A shame.

Why link this Theater of Fate to that ancient clash?

Had the Golden Nine Tails used this very stage to face the world-ending king of the Dragonkin?

If so… incredible.

A thrill surged through Mulan.

If *she* could wield this theater’s power… even that despicable Plunder Witch would kneel and sing her praises!

Pity the activation conditions remained unknown.

"May! Hurry!" Qingqiu Zili’s voice rang out from across the room. "This princess found stairs—leading downward!"

"Oh?"

Mulan wasn’t keen on lingering.

No danger vibes here, but they’d vanished right under the Fourth Elder’s nose. Too long gone, and the fox elders might panic.

"Let’s go down."

She wasn’t worried. This theater belonged to the Golden Nine Tails. The mysterious book that brought them came from the Black Tower’s second floor. The great auspicious beast wouldn’t harm her descendants.

She’d return to explore later.

Together, Mulan and Qingqiu Zili descended the stairs and left the mysterious space behind.

*Scene shift.*

Second floor of the Black Tower.

Over ten minutes had passed since their disappearance.

All fox clan elders surrounded the book, faces grim, silence so thick no one dared breathe.

"What *is* this book? Why did it glow and teleport May and Zili? Did they trigger something?" the Grand Elder muttered, brow furrowed.

He’d tried everything to rouse the book—nothing. Unprecedented.

Worse: the magical marks placed inside the two fox girls showed zero response.

Suddenly—

"We’re back~ Huh? Why are so many elders here?"

Mulan and Qingqiu Zili emerged from the stairwell to the third floor.

The elders froze.

"How did you get *up* there?"