Chapter 32: Sacrificial PawnsBack inside Ye Yue’s private chambers, she paced back and forth across the carpeted floor, her face flushed with pure indignation."Master, can you believe the utter rubbish they were spewing in there?!" Ye Yue vented, her hands shaking. "I am absolutely certain they framed Aunty Xue and Ye Feng! Ever since that witch Ye Shuyin became the Patriarch's wife, my uncle hasn't been in his right mind. He’s always targeted that mother and son!"Bai Ruoshi sat calmly at the tea table, blowing softly over her cup. "The deed is already done, Yue'er. Rather than wasting your energy getting angry over what has already happened, you should channel that focus into your cultivation."Ye Yue sank onto the edge of her bed, looking up with frustrated eyes. "But Master—!""Wake up to reality," Bai Ruoshi interrupted, setting her teacup down with a sharp click. "The entire sect has poured massive resources into you with the sole hope that you can join the Imperial Guard. If

Chapter 33: The Monster in the DarkBlinding arcs of lightning tore through the night air, crackling like thunder claps as a surging bolt shot straight toward Ye Tian. Ye Tian desperately raised his heavy sword to parry, but the weapon shattered upon impact into a hundred glowing shards. The explosive force blew him backward, slamming his body hard into the crumbling stone walls of the courtyard.Standing in the center of the fading sparks was an old man. His face was weathered with ancient wrinkles, yet his physical build was broad and rigid, resembling a warrior in his twenties.Lin Batian gasped, his eyes wide in absolute shock. "Father..."Lin Ze and Lin Ao stared in disbelief, while the surrounding elders bowed their heads, chanting frantically, "Greetings, Supreme Elder Lin Xuan!"Lin Xuan merely glanced at them, his face twisted in pure disgust. "Pathetic."Ye Tian pulled himself up from the smoking rubble, his robes charred and bloodied. He coughed up black ash, looking up wit