The awkward situation didn’t last too long.


    Even with Lyra awake, Rinne’s task remained unchanged. Lyra’s breathing was still weak, and she didn’t seem capable of doing much yet. Rinne crouched beside her and prepared to administer the pill. Before doing so, she spoke in an even tone, her voice partially muffled by the wolf skull mask and the hood of her outer disciple uniform.


    “You’re awake. This simplifies things. Don’t resist and concentrate. This pill can help you repair your spiritual roots.”


    Lyra nodded faintly, her gaze filled with trust and desperation.


    Without resistance, she swallowed the pill Rinne placed in her mouth. The pill dissolved instantly, releasing its potent spiritual energy that coursed through her body like a soothing tide. The energy pooled in her dantian, spreading outward to the broken fragments of her spiritual root.


    Rinne observed the entire process with her spiritual sense.


    The spiritual energy from the pill acted as tiny threads, attaching to the broken fragments of Lyra’s spiritual root. These threads pulled the fragments toward one another, stitching them back together with delicate precision. One by one, the pieces reconnected, merging into the main root.


    Everything proceeded exactly as Rinne had envisioned when designing the pill inscription. However, she had no way of knowing the original shape of Lyra’s spiritual root. The reconnections were made according to proximity for convenience, like grafting branches from the same plant together.


    Of course, a spiritual root was no mere plant, and such changes would undoubtedly affect Lyra’s future cultivation. There was little Rinne could do about that now; Lyra would have to adapt to the changes on her own.


    Now that Lyra''s treatment had been taken care of, Rinne had to consider the aftermath. Currently, Lyra was considered a criminal; if she were found to be safe and well, there was a high chance she might be hunted down and killed for good. To prevent this, she would need a brand-new identity.


    As Rinne pondered the situation, an idea began to form in her mind.


    ???


    Lyra’s POV:


    The process of reconnecting her spiritual root took about one and a half incense sticks’ worth of time.


    As the final fragment fused with the main root, Lyra felt a wave of relief wash over her. Her spiritual energy no longer leaked from her dantian, and the biting cold of the weather no longer sapped her strength.


    However, pain lingered in her abdomen, sharp and unrelenting. Even extending her spiritual sense felt like an agonizing ordeal. Despite this, Lyra managed to wake fully and push herself into a sitting position. She glanced down at herself and froze, mortified to find she was in nothing but her underwear.


    Before she could voice her embarrassment, the masked girl tossed a sect handyman’s robe and a mask in her direction.


    “Your status can be considered a fugitive now, wear this for now and follow me.”


    Lyra hesitated briefly, then obeyed, slipping into the rough but functional garment and donning the mask. After she finished changing, the girl looked at her seriously before speaking.


    "Can you suppress your cultivation level to the 4th level of Spirit Gathering?"


    Lyra tilted her head slightly, then nodded.


    Without further ado, she closed her eyes and focused. A faint fluctuation of spiritual energy rippled through the air as her aura diminished, aligning perfectly with the 4th level. The girl gave a small nod of approval, satisfied with how smoothly Lyra accomplished the task.


    "Good. Let’s proceed,"


    Lyra followed the girl through the frosty terrain, her curiosity growing with each step. This mysterious figure couldn’t be much older than 10 years old, yet her calm demeanor and decisive actions were far from childlike.


    She began to reassess her earlier assumptions.


    The cultivation level she had sensed—1st level of Spirit Gathering Stage—seemed implausible. The pill that had repaired her spiritual root was likely a Golden Lotus Pill. That was a 3rd-grade pill, comparable in value to a Foundation Pill. No cultivator at the 1st level of Spirit Gathering Stage could possess such a pill, let alone use it so casually.


    Lyra recalled the various ways cultivation levels could be concealed. Techniques like the Turtle Breath Technique she did just earlier could suppress one’s aura, and numerous treasures could achieve similar effects. Another possibility crossed her mind, although it seemed unlikely.


    ''Could this senior be a Body Snatcher?''


    Nascent Soul cultivators who died could still linger in the world for a certain period in their soul form. These wandering souls could possess others, often targeting children or babies. They were particularly vulnerable since they had not yet established their cultivation, making possession easier. This practice, known as Body Snatching, allowed such souls to begin anew life at the cost of another life.


    However, sect formations under the Immortal Alliance banner were specifically designed to repel such entities. Given this, Lyra set the notion aside, though her curiosity about Rinne’s true nature only deepened.


    As they trudged through the snow, Lyra decided to break the silence.


    “Thank you for saving my life, senior. I am Lyra Zhelar.”


    A moment later, she hesitated, realized that she had been disowned not too long ago. The memory of the harsh words, the finality of the separation, and the sting of being cast out from what she called family all came rushing back. From then on, she was no longer allowed to use the surname Zhelar.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    She lowered her voice, correcting herself.


    “No, I am Lyra. I have no surname.”


    The girl gave no immediate reaction, continuing to walk ahead in silence. Lyra mustered her courage and asked,


    “May I ask senior’s name?”


    Hearing her question, the girl stopped walking, seemingly lost in thought. She turned her head slightly toward Lyra, her expression unreadable behind the mask.


    The girl asked with a calm but detached voice.


    “Do I have to answer that question? Is knowing my name important?”


    Lyra’s heart sank slightly.


    She had only meant to show gratitude and satisfy her curiosity. However, her question, though seemingly innocent and straightforward, might have been interpreted by the senior as presumptuous.


    Still, she maintained her composure, replying with a polite tone.


    “No. If senior doesn’t want to answer, then senior doesn’t have to.”


    The girl went silent for a moment, her gaze turning forward again. Then, with an air of understanding, she spoke.


    “I see. It is inconvenient if you don’t know what to call me. Let’s see… you can call me… yes… Agrat, Agrat bat Mahlat.”


    Lyra blinked, unsure if the name was real or fabricated, but she decided not to press further.


    Instead, she repeated the name aloud.


    “Agrat bat Mahlat. Is that senior’s name? It doesn’t seem like a surname…”


    She couldn’t help but wonder about the meaning behind such an unusual name. Before she could speculate further, Agrat answered.


    “It means Agrat, daughter of Mahlat.”


    With that, she resumed her walk.


    Lyra quickly followed, her mind swirling with thoughts. From Agrat''s full name, which uses a different customary naming, Lyra concluded that she came from a distant place that had not yet been reached by the influence of the Immortal Alliance. Otherwise, she would have introduced herself using the unified language standards.


    As Lyra pondered this, Agrat spoke again.


    “By the way, you keep calling me senior, perhaps because you think of me as some sort of old guy snatching a child’s body, right? But I can tell you, this body has been mine from birth, and I am currently seven years old. According to seniority, I am still your junior.”


    Lyra was stunned. “What?!”


    Agrat ignored her reaction and continued.


    “Our Qadistu… tribe, clan, family, or whatever term you use in your language, is a bit special. We inherit our parents’ memories from their birth up to the time they copulate to create us. And of course, parents inherited grandparents’ memories. This continues all the way back to the first ancestor, accumulating countless knowledge in the process. The reason why I don''t act like a child is because of this.”


    Lyra listened in awe, struggling to comprehend such an extraordinary lineage.


    From her understanding, this Qadistu was similar to the clan system but with a different naming custom. They did not add their clan name to their surname, instead they used the same naming method as ordinary commoners.


    But what was surprising was their ability to pass on memories to their descendants. She pictured the senior, a seemingly ordinary little girl, yet holding within her the accumulated wisdom of countless ancestors. Was it possible that she had witnessed the rise and fall of empires, the birth and death of stars?


    “Does that mean senior has indirectly experienced thousands of years?”


    Despite Agrat’s earlier correction, Lyra couldn’t help but address her as senior. Lyra felt it would be rude to call Agrat by her first name, even though Lyra was technically Agrat''s senior sister now.


    Agrat didn’t seem to mind. She paused for a moment, as if contemplating, before replying.


    “Not really. I’m still too young right now. The limit of the memories I can access is very restricted. I’ll gain access to more as I reach certain strengths.”


    Lyra nodded, though another question burned in her mind.


    If what Agrat said was true, then the Qadistu clan’s accumulated knowledge could rival, or even surpass, that of the Immortal Alliance itself. This revelation sent a thrill through her, but it also raised a multitude of questions.


    <ul style="text-align: left">


    <li>What kind of knowledge had her clan gathered over the years?</li>


    <li style="text-align: justify">Was it merely historical, or did it encompass powerful techniques and secrets that could change the balance of power?</li>


    </ul>


    The Immortal Alliance, known for its vast resources and connections, had always been a formidable entity. If her clan truly held knowledge that could match or exceed theirs, it could shift the dynamics of their world.


    “This Qadistu clan seems really great. Such a powerful clan—why has no one ever heard of them?”


    To this, Agrat simply shook her head.


    “We’re almost at our destination. I suggest you don’t ask further. Quickly forget and don’t tell anyone about our conversation just now. Otherwise, bad things will happen.”


    Hearing the serious tone in Agrat’s voice, Lyra didn’t dare press further. It was clear the water ran too deep for her to wade into. It wasn''t long ago that Lyra became the victim of a conspiracy created by Celia. She had no desire to involve herself in another conspiracy.


    She glanced ahead, spotting the Outer Affairs Hall. Curiosity filled her once more. Why had Agrat brought her here? Whatever the reason, she would find out soon enough.


    ???


    Rinne’s POV:


    While Lyra appeared deep in thought, Rinne found herself sinking into a pit of self-loathing.


    All because she didn’t want to reveal her real name, she had ended up fabricating an elaborate lie—naming herself after a game character and conjuring up a ridiculous backstory of a hidden clan with fantastical abilities.


    She could only feel sorry for a certain Qadistu demon for borrowing her name.


    ''Why the heck did I do that?''


    Rinne sighed inwardly. The habit of creating false identities had been an essential skill during her days as an evil cultivator, and it seemed to have followed her into this life.


    She couldn’t help but resent Lyra for asking her name. Even the Outer Affairs Hall staff hadn’t asked for it. But in Talia’s case, there hadn’t even been a need, as her information was already printed on her sect token.


    Now the lie had been told, and she had no choice but to make up more lies to support it. Fortunately, the hidden clan story she had fabricated would provide a reasonable excuse if anyone tried to investigate. No records would naturally mean the clan was too well-hidden to be found.


    Everything had already happened, thinking about it was no longer any use. Rather than continue dwelling on that, it would be better for her to focus on the next problem.


    Reaching into her bag, Rinne pulled out a sect token and handed it to Lyra.


    “Before we enter the hall, activate this with your spiritual energy,”


    The token had belonged to a deceased 2nd level of Spirit Gathering stage female handyman disciple named Fenira.


    It was the same disciple whose robe Lyra now wore. Of course, Rinne had already erased Fenira’s spiritual imprint and manipulated the token’s information to retain only the necessary details.


    Frostfire Sect’s tokens were crafted by the Artifact Refining Peak, which of course, also listed in Rinne''s victim lists. Naturally, the elder there had the knowledge of the mechanisms of the tokens. Rinne had only to search and read the relevant memories to learn it.


    Lyra accepted the token, her body expression shifting from surprise to understanding. Rinne could only guess what thoughts were running through Lyra’s mind, but in the end, it probably didn’t matter.


    Without hesitation, Lyra activated the token with her spiritual energy. A faint glow emanated from the artifact, signaling the establishment of a new spiritual imprint. From this moment forward, Lyra had inherited the identity of the late Fenira, a Frostfire Sect handyman disciple.


    With the matter settled, the two of them entered the Outer Affairs Hall.