Thunder rumbled behind the thick clouds overhead, and winds swept dust wildly across the barren land. Amid the haze, a flash of crimson knelt low against the cold ground.

Long black hair spilled over her shoulders. She leaned on an icy sword that barely kept her upright. Blood stained her lips—its vivid red shocking against her pale face, hinting at a deeper betrayal.

A faint glow broke through the dark clouds, casting light on her tattered figure. She slowly looked up, squinting against the brightness. Then, with a soft sigh, she whispered:

“So it was my brother who did this to me after all.”

He had turned against her. Just like that.

Her voice, hollow and low, was lost in the sand-stirred winds.

And then—her body collapsed, finally giving in.

—In Year 36,572 of the Tianqi Wind Realm, the Divine Maiden fell. That same year, her brother claimed dominion over the Wind Realm. People hailed his rise. Heaven and earth rejoiced. He was named Isaac Thorne.

…

“Ugh, look how ugly she is.”

“And she can’t even cultivate.”

“What a disgrace. She really thought she had a shot with the Third Prince?”

“Toad, meet swan. Dream on.”

“Exactly.”

Voices rang out around her, harsh and mocking, grating on her ears.

So noisy… too noisy.

Seraphina Thorne abruptly opened her eyes, annoyance flaring—but froze the moment she saw her surroundings. Something… was off. Wasn’t she supposed to be dead?

She remembered dying—betrayed by her brother, left to die in the desert. But now, somehow, she was here again. Alive.

Reborn? Really?

She let out a quiet snort. So this was her second shot at life. Didn’t seem fair after what she’d gone through. And as for her dear brother…

Lost in thought, she didn’t notice someone stepping closer—until a voice broke in, sharp and mocking.

“Well, well, look who’s awake. You were sprawled out on the ground like that—someone might’ve thought we actually hurt you,” sneered Clara Vance, dressed in pink, looking down at her with gleaming contempt.

Beside her stood a man in costly robes, casting Seraphina a cold glance.

“Seraphina,” he said with open disgust, “I’ve told you. I don’t like you. Stay as far away from me as you can.”

Seraphina?

Liking *him*?

What on earth were they talking about?

“Tsk, even the Third Prince himself couldn’t be clearer.”

“Right? And she still keeps hanging around him.”

“She’s just a useless wreck. How shameless can she get?”

All the whispers around her grated on her nerves. Seraphina frowned, brushed off the dust on her torn clothes, and stood up slowly.

A glint of anger flashed in her eyes.Now she more or less figured out what was going on—they were clearly talking about her, saying she was clinging to the Third Prince like some toad dreaming of a swan.

Seriously? Her, clinging to him?

Seraphina Thorne narrowed her eyes, cold and sharp, then stepped right up to the two of them. Her voice was calm but cutting. "You think you’re worth it? Who do you even think you are, acting all high and mighty in front of me?"

Back then, she could’ve crushed someone like this with one hand.

"Seraphina! How dare you insult His Highness the Third Prince!" Clara Vance's eyes widened in disbelief—when did this woman start acting so brazenly?

The Third Prince’s face went dark. He’d just been publicly insulted by someone everyone called a waste.

"A decent dog knows not to block the road. I was talking to him. Who gave you the right to butt in and stir up trouble?" Seraphina’s tone turned even colder as she sliced Clara a glance. Fragments of the past flooded her mind, and suddenly, everything made sense.

"You… you..." Clara was actually startled. Why did this woman suddenly seem so intimidating? Damn it, had she just been scared by Seraphina?

"Seraphina Thorne! Don’t get too full of yourself!" The Third Prince frowned, staring her down. Something felt off about her—she’d been all quiet and meek before, and now, after fainting, it’s like she’d turned into someone else.

"Too much? And what about how you humiliated me in front of everyone? That wasn’t too much?" Her voice dropped to a deadly chill. "Your Highness, as long as I’m still breathing, one day you’ll see what 'too much' really means."

The Third Prince watched her carefully. For a second, he caught a flash of rage in her eyes—so quick it almost didn’t register. How could someone with no abilities have that kind of presence?

As the crowd kept glancing her way, Seraphina looked around, expression ice cold.

On the Canglan Continent, cultivation was everything. Kids were born with different levels of talent, and everyone went through a test at age six to see their potential.

The rankings went from Heaven, Earth, Black, to Yellow—Heaven being the highest—and each had five elemental attributes: Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth.

Seraphina? She was the Thorne family’s legitimate daughter. From the start, she’d been doted on beyond belief. Everyone expected her to shine during her talent test.

But she had shown nothing. Absolutely no talent. A total waste.

That single test shattered her status. From then on, everyone in the family looked down on her, and people stared and whispered whenever she stepped out.

No wonder she’d grown up timid and spineless.