Soon after the au ehe grand hall began to empty. Cultivators from various backgrounds and levels moved slowly, taking cautious steps and casting furtive gnces, mostly directed toward the upper booths where the leaders of the most iial families remaihe air was thick with tension, as everyone knew an enter betweeang and Shang families was iable.And, as if fate wao heightemosphere, the doors to the booths opened simultaneously.

  On one side, Tang Wei, patriarch of the Tang family, walked with firm steps, apanied by his daughter, Tang Xi, whose calm expression masked her stant vigince. Beside them, the enigmatic Liao Wei radiated an aura of restrained power, his cold eyes analyzing the enviro.Oher side, Shang Hua-Yen, carrying the characteristic arrogance of the Shang family, stepped out with the experienced elder Shang Zhi, whose imposing posture reflected decades of cultivation and leadership.

  As the two groups met at the entrance of the main hall, the murmurs ceased. All eyes turoward what seemed to be aable frontation.

  With an almost imperceptible smile, Shang Zhi took the first step, breaking the sileh a voice full of artificial courtesy: — "Patriarch Tang, what a pleasant surprise to see you here tonight. It seems the au brought many moments of enjoyment for your family."

  Tang Wei remained serene, his expression impassive. Before he could respond, Shang Zhi tinued, his tone now den with clearer provocation, — "I hope your family has made the most of the… little eais our youths provided us. After all, nights like this are rare, aren't they?"

  Tang Wei's eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't respond immediately. The tension in the air grew as Shang Zhi pressed further — "It's good that the juniors' antics brightened yht, Patriarch Tang. However, I wonder, how long will this good humor st?"

  The murmurs resumed but abruptly ceased when Shang Zhi, ign Tang Wei and Tang Xi, turned his attention to the man beside them.— "And this gentleman would be…?" he asked, his voice tinged with curiosity and distrust.

  Liao Wei did not reply. His cold gaze met Shang Zhi's, a out a faint scoff, which resonated like thunder in the silence.

  Shang Zhi's face hardened momentarily, but he quickly masked any sign of irritation. Internally, however, he was uled.'Who is this man?' — Shang Zhi worying to gauge Liao Wei's cultivation level. He felt a vague pressure around him but couldn't determis depth. 'Is he using a cealment artifact, or does his level truly surpass mine?'

  Before the elder could tinue, a sharp voiterrupted his thoughts: — "Why waste time with these people, elder?"

  All eyes turo Shang Hua-Yen, who was gring at Tang Xi with disdain.— "Fools ging to something they ot keep… Why not hand over the Amber Natal Milk now? That way, they spare themselves the shame."

  The hall fell into absolute silence. Even Shang Zhi gave Hua-Yen a surprised lonizing the young woman's unbridled audacity.

  Liao Wei finally reacted, stepping forward. His aura erupted overwhelmingly, pressing the enviroo the point that weaker cultivators instinctively backed away.— "Choose your words more carefully," he said, his voice low but charged with overwhelming authority.

  Hua-Yen turned pale for a moment, but her pride wouldn't allow her to retreat.

  Realizing the situation was about to spiral out of trol, Shang Zhi intervened.— "Young dy, mind your words. Do not uimate someone you do not know."

  He cautiously g Liao Wei before turning to Tang Wei.— "Patriarch Tang, it seems our juniors have much to learn about respect. How about we end this enter here? After all, tonight has been memorable for all of us."

  Tang Wei maintained a firm but sarcastie: — "I agree. The younger geion does indeed o learn how to behave. However, I must admit that tonight's spectacle was rather… educational."

  With that, Taurned and began to leave, followed by Tang Xi and Liao Wei.

  As the groups parted, murmurs resumed.— "Who is that man? How powerful must he be to face Elder Shang Zhi like that?"— "All I know is that Hua-Yen and her family should start curbing their arrogance."

  From the top of his carriage, Li Feng-Yu observed as Shang Hua-Yen, visibly humiliated and furious, left the au. Her ente, posed of promising youths and loyal bodyguards, waited patiently for their leader's and.

  With an ironic smile, he spoke, breaking the silence: — "The Four Families petition will be fasating, don't you think? Now that Miss Shang Hua-Ren has bee a direct disciple of the Valley of Spiritual Herbs, the bance of power has shifted. But…"He paused, sing the surroundings as his thoughts wandered.— "…something tells me it will be even more iing. After all, with that mysterious man by the Tang family's side, we expect great surprises. Who knows, perhaps the Shang family will learn that arrogance doesn't alrevail."

  One of the ente members, a cultivator named Zhou Ming, responded cautiously: — "Young Master Li, Miss Hua-Ren is a genius reized throughout the city. Do the Tang have anyone who could rival her?"

  Li Feng-Yu chuckled briefly, but his eyes shoh something deeper: — "Don't uimate Tang Xi. Many overlook her, but her intelligend determination be lethal ons. Moreover…"He paused, recalling the figure of Liao Wei, the man whose presence had silenced even Shang Zhi.— "…with that man beside them, things have beore plicated."

  Before Zhou Ming could reply, Li Feng-Yu gestured to his ente aered his carriage. As the vehicle began to move, he looked out the window, his thoughts drifting to Shang Hua-Ren, his passion.— "I hope she returns soon for the petition… I want to see her again, even from a distance."

  ---------------------------------

  Ihe luxurious carriage taking her back to the Shang family plex, Hua-Yen was visibly shaken. Her ched fists trembled with rage, and her eyes shoh tears she refused to shed.— "Hateful! How dare they humiliate me like that? Just wait until my sister returns! They'll crawl at my feet!"

  Her words echoed within the carriage, but Elder Shang Zhi, sitting beside her, seemed unimpressed. Momentarily closing his eyes, he appeared to ighe young woman's outburst of emotions.

  Internally, Shang Zhi reflected skeptically: 'This girl is as foolish as she is proud. She acts without sidering the sequences. Her arrogance is both a strength and a weakness. But… perhaps I use it.'

  Opening his eyes, he cast a calg look at Hua-Yen and decided to fuel her anger, but in a directed manner: — "You're naive if you think your sister resolve this alohe differen cultivatioween her and that mysterious man is still signifit. However, there are always ways to strike at enemies. Sometimes, their weakness lies in those around them."

  Hua-Yen turo him, her eyes now bzing with a mix of fury aermination.— "Weakness? You mean that worthless Tang Xi, don't you? I bet she's ughing at me right now!"

  Shang Zhi rolled his eyes discreetly, thinking to himself: "Perfect. She's so easy to manipute. With this blind rage, I direct her against Tang Wei's daughter and, at the same time, weakeang patriarch."

  He tinued: — "Yes, perhaps starting with her is the simplest path. After all, everyone knows Tang Xi is her father's shadow. Why not make her the starting point to show that no one humiliates the Shang family with impunity?"

  Hua-Yen gritted her teeth and nodded, irely focused on her revenge.

  As the carriage advaoward the Shang family plex, the elder smiled slightly, lost in his thoughts: 'Cultivators blinded by rage are perfect ons in the right hands. And this girl is no exception.'

  ---------------------------------------------

  Meanwhile, at the Tang family plex, Tang Xi finally arrived at the main courtyard. Despite the tension of the night, her expression remained serene. She bid her father, Tang Wei, farewell with a slight nod and turo Liao Wei, who looked at her with an inscrutable expression.— "Thank you for today, Uncle . Your presence was invaluable."

  Liao Wei merely nodded, but his cold eyes seemed to soften briefly.

  Tang Xi quickly went to her room and whe there, in the hallway, she found her maid, Ah Tao, waiting for her.— "Miss! What a night it was! What happe the au?"

  Xi smiled slightly, pg a hand on the young maid's shoulder.— "Ah Tao, I'm going to cultivate now. Don't let anyone disturb me."

  Without waiting for a response, she walked into her room and closed the door.

  Aloang Xi finally allowed her emotions to emerge. Her eyes narrowed as she stared out the window, the moonlight refleg off her determined face.