Ji'an sat. She noticed a small, intricately carved wooden box on the desk between them. It pulsated with a faint, rhythmic spiritual energy.
General Lin sat down heavily. He didn't speak immediately. He poured two cups of tea, his movements precise and controlled.
"Tomorrow, you are leaving," he stated.
"Yes, Father."
"The journey to the Sword Sect is three thousand miles long. Beasts, bandits plague the road... and other things."
His eyes darkened at "other things." Ji'an knew he meant the assassins Madam Lin had undoubtedly hired.
"I have prepared myself," Ji'an said confidently. "And Wangchen is capable."
"That boy..." The General's eyes narrowed slightly. "His talents are terrifying. A Flawless Spirit Root does not appear in a slave by accident. But that is a matter for another time. Tonight, we speak of you."
The General reached out and pushed the wooden box toward her.
"Open it."
Ji'an reached out, her fingers brushing the dark wood. She lifted the lid.
Inside, resting on a bed of crimson velvet, lay a pendant. It was a single piece of ancient, milky-white jade carved in the shape of a coiled dragon and phoenix merging into one.
It didn't look flashy, but the moment the lid opened, the air in the room warped. The spiritual pressure emitting from it was ancient, vast, and incredibly gentle.
"This," General Lin said, his voice dropping to a whisper, "is the Yin-Yang Void Locket. It was... an heirloom I found in a mystic realm thirty years ago. I meant to give it to your mother."
He paused, a shadow of pain crossing his eyes.
"She passed before she could use it. I have kept it sealed since then."
Ji'an looked at the artifact. "What does it do?"
"It is a supreme disguise artifact," the General explained. "Once bound to you, it does not just sit on your skin. It dissolves into your Spiritual Sea. It alters the perception of reality around your body."
He leaned forward, his gaze intense.
"Ji'an. I know of your... struggle. The binding cloth and such."
Ji'an stiffened instinctively. The binding cloth was the bane of her existence. It was tight, itchy, and restricted her breathing during martial arts.
Every day was a battle to ensure it didn't slip, to ensure the curves of her developing body remained hidden.
"This artifact," the General continued, "will project a permanent illusion of a male form to anyone below the Saint Realm. But more than an illusion, it physically masks the yin energy in your body. You will not need the cloth. You will not need to fear fainting and being discovered by a physician. Even if you die, the artifact will hold the secret until your soul dissipates."
Ji'an's eyes widened. This was... this was a god-tier item. For a crossdressing storyline, this was the ultimate cheat code!
No more breathless nights. No more panic attacks when sweating during training.
"Father..." she whispered, genuinely touched. "This is..."
"Stand up," the General commanded softly.
Ji'an stood. The General rounded the desk. He picked up the locket. His large, calloused hands, hands that had slaughtered armies, were trembling slightly as he unclasped the gold chain.
"Come here."
Ji'an stepped forward. The General placed the locket around her neck.
The moment the jade touched her skin, it didn't feel cold. It felt like sinking into a warm bath. A soft hum resonated through her skull, and then, whoosh.
The jade dissolved. It turned into a streak of white light and sank right into her chest, merging with her dantian.
Instantly, Ji'an felt a change. The oppressive weight on her chest seemed to vanish conceptually.
She knew she was still wearing the binding cloth, but the artifact's energy created a buffer.
"You can remove the cloth later," the General said, stepping back to admire his work. "Now, to the world, you are Lin Ji'an, the Third Son of the Lin family. Irrefutably."
Ji'an touched her chest. She took a deep breath, a full, deep breath that filled her lungs. The relief was so profound she almost sagged.
"Thank you, Father," she said, and this time, there was no acting. Her eyes were bright. "This is the best gift I have ever received."
General Lin returned to his seat, his expression hardening again. The tender father was gone; the General was back.
"The journey," he said abruptly. "You are worried about the Madam."
Ji'an didn't deny it. "Madam Lin... has strong opinions about my departure."
"She has strong opinions about your existence," General Lin corrected bluntly. "She has hired the Black Wind Pavilion. Three assassins. They are waiting for you at the Silent Crow Pass."
Ji'an's blood ran cold. The Black Wind Pavilion was a notorious organization.
"Father, I—"
"Worry not, they are already dead," the General said. He took a sip of his tea. "I sent my shadow guards last night. Their heads are currently in a box on their way to the Madam's father, the Minister of Rites, as a 'birthday gift'."
Ji'an blinked. She stared at her father. 'Hardcore. The old man is absolutely hardcore.'
"You do not need to look behind you on this road, Ji'an," General Lin said, his voice ringing with the iron of authority. "I am the Pillar of this Empire. As long as I stand, no arrow fired from my own backyard will reach you. I have tolerated her schemes in the mansion because I am rarely home, and I thought... I thought you were safe enough. I was wrong."
He slammed his cup down. The porcelain cracked.
"But there is one thing I do not understand," he said, looking at her with a pained confusion. "Ji'an. I know you resent me."
Ji'an paused. "Resent?"
"Since you were six," the General said, his voice heavy with regret. "You stopped calling me Father. You avoided the study. You looked at me with fear. I thought... I thought it was because I was a negligent father. I thought you hated me for leaving you alone to fight wars."
He looked at his hands.