The next morning, thick steam rolled through the Ancestral Reflection Chamber's body-cleansing pavilion.
The sanctuary served as a place of ritual purification—a mandatory step for any punished clan member before crossing the sacred threshold. Heat radiated from massive stone pools, creating a dense mist that clung to the grand stone pillars and obscured the light.
"Young Master Zhi," one of the two guards assigned to escort him called out through the haze. "You must hurry. We cannot waste any more time here. The Chief Martial Instructor will be checking the status of your seals shortly."
Submerged in the warm water, Wang Zhi gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with humiliation.
You low-life dogs wouldn't dare speak to me in that tone if my core weren't sealed, Zhi thought bitterly, glaring at the guard's silhouette through the steam.
Normally, these men would be groveling at his feet for a shred of favor. Now, because his Qi was frozen, they treated him like a common prisoner. His gaze shifted to the edge of the pool, where a set of pristine, spotless white linen robes rested—the mandatory uniform of disgrace. Folded beneath the cloth was a half-jade pendant, secretly slipped into his palm by his grandfather, Wang Gu, just before he was dragged away.
Outside the pavilion, the morning quiet was broken by the rhythmic thud of heavy boots.
Five fully armored guards marched into the courtyard, their hands resting casually on the hilts of their standard-issue clan blades.
Guarding the massive wooden doors, the captain of Wang Zhi's escort watched the approaching patrol with sharp eyes. The five men appeared completely relaxed, their expressions open and friendly. They looked like any other patrol unit completing their morning rounds.
"Hey, brother," the lead guard of the five called out, stepping up to the entrance. "What's the situation in there? Is the Young Master throwing another tantrum?"
The captain's face remained stoic, leaving no room for banter. "This sector is under strict lockdown by order of the Chief Instructor," he replied coldly. "Keep your patrol moving."
The lead guard chuckled, scratching his neck in an attempt to ease the tension. "Come on, brother. We're all serving the same clan. We just came to see if you needed a shift rotation."
Behind him, the four other guards stood silently, their postures loose and unthreatening.
A muffled voice echoed from inside the pavilion. "Young Master Zhi is finished with his cleansing! We are bringing him out!"
Hearing his comrade, the captain relaxed his guard slightly. "Understood! Bring him through!" he called over his shoulder.
In that fleeting second, the lead guard's casual demeanor shattered. The friendly smile vanished, his eyes turning as cold and sharp as honed steel. Taking a synchronized step backward, he smoothly cleared the doorway.
The heavy wooden doors creaked open. Wang Zhi emerged first, clad in the plain white linen robes, followed closely by his two personal guards.
The five arriving guards immediately halted and offered a formal bow. "We greet the Young Master."
Wang Zhi did not spare them a glance. He kept his chin held high, desperately clinging to what little pride he had left. But as he took his first step past them, the lead guard straightened his posture.
"Young Master Zhi... are you truly of the pure Crimson Clan bloodline?"
A suffocating silence fell over the courtyard.
Wang Zhi froze mid-step. His face contorted with explosive rage as he slowly turned his head, his glare sharp enough to draw blood.
A mere guard... a useless ant dares to question my bloodline to my face?! Zhi's mind screamed. I reached the Qi Gathering Realm at nine years old! My talent alone is proof enough! If anyone's bloodline should be questioned, it's that trash, Wang Fang!
The injustice burned in his veins. Because of Wang Fang, he was forced to wear these robes of shame. Because of Wang Fang, he was being mocked by common foot soldiers.
Before Wang Zhi could roar a response, one of his escort guards stepped forward, his hand snapping to his sword hilt. "What kind of absurd question is that?!" the guard barked. "Reaching the Qi Gathering Realm at nine is absolute proof of his bloodline density! Show some respect, or I will report you to—"
"Then our mission is complete," the intruder interrupted smoothly, his tone dropping all pretense of deference.
"What do you mean—" the second guard started, his brow furrowing in confusion.
SHWAP!
A sickening, metallic tear severed the sentence mid-word.
Two of the newly arrived guards drew razor-thin daggers with blinding speed. In a seamless, terrifyingly coordinated strike, they slit the throats of the two genuine patrol guards standing alongside them.
Fresh crimson blood erupted in violent sprays, staining the stone floor. The betrayed guards had no time to draw their weapons; clutching their severed necks, they collapsed into the dirt with wide, disbelieving eyes.
The scent of copper and death instantly fouled the crisp morning air.
An ambush! the captain's mind screamed.
"W-What is the meaning of this?!" the captain yelled, his voice cracking with terror. Seeing his men slaughtered in an instant made his knees tremble. His sword rattled wildly against its scabbard as he staggered back. "Why are you slaughtering your own brothers?!"
The lead infiltrator offered no answer, letting out only a low, chilling chuckle.
Behind the captain, the two remaining escort guards hurriedly stepped in front of Wang Zhi. Though their legs shook, they drew their steel, determined to fulfill their duty to their last breath.
"Instead of asking why we did it..." the leader sneered, his voice dripping with malice, "...you should be asking who we are."
"Who you are?!" Wang Zhi shouted from behind his protectors, his voice laced with panic. "What is that supposed to mean?! No outsider could ever breach our clan grounds!"
"Oho?" The leader's eyes narrowed into cruel slits. "You Crimson Clan nobles really think highly of yourselves. You truly believe your grand estate is impenetrable? That no one can slip inside and leave as they please? Today, your precious clan will learn just how wrong you are."
With a flick of his wrist, the leader produced three yellow paper talismans. He tore his open and tossed the remaining two to his accomplices, who ripped theirs in unison.
VMMM!
A foul, grey mist erupted from the torn parchment, completely enveloping their bodies and warping their silhouettes. As the smoke dissipated, the Crimson Clan uniforms dissolved, replaced by the rugged, battle-worn gear of seasoned mercenaries.
The lead infiltrator's face twisted as the illusion faded, revealing deep, jagged scars across his skin. His left eye rolled back, exposing a milky-white, blind socket.
BOOM!
The moment the disguise talisman tore, the spiritual seal masking the leader's cultivation violently shattered. The suppression lifted, unleashing the suffocating aura of a Middle Qi Condensation master. The sudden pressure caused the nearby stone pillars to crack and the surrounding trees to shudder. Behind him, his two accomplices unleashed their own power, their Early Qi Gathering energy flaring to shield themselves from their leader's crushing weight.
Instantly, the two guards protecting Wang Zhi unleashed their own Qi, forming a joint barrier to shield the powerless young master from the pressure.
"Holding all that back wasn't easy," the blind leader said, cracking his knuckles.
Bandits?! How?! the captain thought frantically. Out of all the forces in the region... how could mere bandits bypass our outer defensive arrays?!
"Bandits?!" Wang Zhi panicked, his voice high and shrill. "What do you want from us?!"
Stripped of his cultivation, the young master was completely defenseless.
"Wise to ask," the bandit leader muttered, popping his neck. "All I want... is you."
"Me? Why—" Wang Zhi started.
"How dare you demand the Young Master, you bastard!" the guard on the left roared. Unable to endure the humiliation any longer, he broke formation and charged forward, cursing at the top of his lungs.
"No! Fall back!" the captain screamed, reaching out, but it was already too late.
"AHHHH!"
The guard unsheathed his blade with a sharp ring, channeling every drop of his Qi into his limbs. Leaping into the air, he raised his heavy sword above his head and brought it down with all his might, aiming straight for the bandit leader's neck.
The bandit leader did not shift his stance. He didn't even bother to parry. A mocking smirk stretched across his scarred face.
In a fraction of a second, his hand blurred. A wicked short dagger slid into his grip, spinning between his fingers with terrifying agility. Before the guard's heavy blade could complete its arc, the dagger flashed forward like lightning.
SPURT!
The blade pierced straight through the guard's throat. With a brutal, practiced flick of his wrist, the bandit leader sliced outward, severing the neck in one fluid motion.
Hot blood sprayed from the blade's tip as the guard's body collapsed like a ragdoll.
The strike was far too fast for mortal eyes to trace. In his final, fleeting moment of consciousness, the guard's severed head tumbled through the air, his fading vision watching the stone floor rush up to meet him."