In response, Grace Smith still remained silent. Yet her cool, clear gaze seemed to say, “Why should I trust you? Just because you look cute?”

“It’s true that all of this is unbelievable. It’s normal for Sister Smith to have doubts.”

Emily wasn’t in a hurry either; anyone suddenly arriving at Taiyi Palace would be confused. Let alone a seventeen-year-old girl.

She smiled and said, “With time, Sister Smith will naturally know that everything Emily says is true.”

The two girls stepped out of the pool, and the water on their clothes vanished on its own.

At this moment, Grace Smith finally noticed she was wearing a black long robe, a traditional ancient style with a cross-collar, and a dark golden lotus flower embroidered on the left side of her chest. On her feet was a pair of knee-high black boots with dark golden lotus patterns.

The robe and boots were quite neutral in style, not really made for girls, yet they fit her perfectly. They looked both noble and mysterious.

Grace Smith quietly let go of Emily’s small hand. She silently visualized her source star; deep in the center of her brow, a source star spun leisurely, shining with a brilliant yet gentle light.

“To be able to visualize the source star, to sense source power…”

Grace Smith immediately confirmed that this was not a dream, nor some kind of mental illusion.

A Source Master can only visualize the source star and communicate with source power when fully conscious.

So, is all of this real?

Grace Smith was bewildered; her wisdom and experience could not explain any of what was happening before her.

Emily saw Grace Smith in a daze and gently tugged at her: “Sister Smith—”

Grace Smith looked at Emily, and Emily gave her a look, signaling her to greet James Carter.

Facing the mysterious and unfathomable James Carter, Grace Smith truly didn’t know what to say.

James Carter had been observing Grace Smith, noticing that she was a cautious, reserved, and very calm girl. Judging by her bearing and details of her movements, she must come from a good background, had received an excellent education, and was skilled in combat.

So far, James Carter was fairly satisfied with this apostle.

After all, she was a delicate and beautiful girl, looked intelligent, and had a cautious, reserved personality. To be chosen by the Taiyi Order, she must be well-suited to cultivate the Formless Yin-Yang Wheel.

Grace Smith was still somewhat resistant to him, which was also normal.

After a few more visits, once she experienced the power of the Formless Yin-Yang Wheel, trust would naturally be established.

For now, he needed to take the initiative.

James Carter lowered his voice, speaking in a deep and resonant tone: “Grace Smith, fortunate child, from today onward, you are this seat’s first apostle.”

Grace Smith frowned slightly but did not object. After all, it was the other party who said it; she hadn’t agreed.

On someone else’s turf, she didn’t want to directly clash with them.

James Carter didn’t need a response from Grace Smith. He raised his hand and pointed, and the black lotus in the pool suddenly flew up, transforming into a stream of light that shot into Grace Smith’s brow.

Grace Smith’s vision went black, and a vast, intricate, and mysterious flood of information thundered through her mind.

In that instant, she suddenly learned all the essentials of the Formless Yin-Yang Wheel and felt its boundless, inexhaustible power.

This left Grace Smith utterly shocked; even when she ignited her source star, she had never felt anything so intense.

“What exactly is this power? And who, really, is Taiyi?”

As Grace Smith comprehended the Formless Yin-Yang Wheel, she was both deeply shocked and filled with even more confusion and questions.

James Carter’s deep and authoritative voice echoed in Grace Smith’s mind: “You must keep this place a secret, and not let anything leak out. Do not let your master’s high hopes for you be in vain…”

Grace Smith was startled again. How could his voice enter directly into her mind?

Before she could figure it out, she saw that a black-and-white circular wheel had appeared on the source star at her brow.

It looked similar to a Taiji diagram, but on closer inspection, there were billions of tiny gears interlocking and driving each other inside, causing the black-and-white wheel to spin and change constantly.

“So this is the Formless Yin-Yang Wheel!”

Grace Smith suddenly understood: this black-and-white wheel, more complex than a mechanical watch movement by billions of times, was the materialized Formless Yin-Yang Wheel.

Then, Grace Smith woke up.

In the dim bedroom, Grace Smith sat silently on the bed for a while, then suddenly jumped barefoot onto the floor, a pair of cold daggers in her hands stabbing in quick succession.

Her feet seemed to have invisible rollers, gliding smoothly and silently as she advanced and retreated.

Amid the sharp, hissing sound of blades slicing through the air, the pair of daggers crossed and stabbed repeatedly, leaving a faint trail of silver light in the darkness.

Grace Smith finished her moves and stood still, transitioning from extreme motion to utter stillness with perfect fluidity.

This set of Nine Gale Slashes—this was the first time she could perform nine consecutive slashes with both hands at once, and she still had energy to spare.

Previously, her best record was six slashes with each hand.

The Formless Yin-Yang Wheel hadn’t directly increased her strength, but it allowed her to control her body with far greater precision and subtlety, making full use of every bit of power.

Opponents who were once evenly matched with her—now she could easily take on two at once.

After a long while, Grace Smith let out a soft breath and murmured to herself, “Such powerful strength…”

Only at this moment did Grace Smith confirm that everything that had just happened was not an illusion. The Formless Yin-Yang Wheel’s ultimate control over power had at least doubled her combat ability!

Her current situation was precarious, and she needed greater strength.

This sudden increase in power was extremely precious to her. It might even be enough to change her fate.