Su Li looked over toward Wuzhi and found him smiling and handcuffed. "Wuzhi, what are you doing here? I've been looking all over for you all day since yesterday."

"Second Madam must've overlooked the Disciplinary Hall. Wuzhi had spent the entirety of yesterday being interrogated in there," replied the scholar.

"Disciplinary Hall? Interrogation?" Su Li narrowed her eyes. As a [Wisdom Path] cultivator her mind was incredibly quick. She instantly turned toward the council of elders and bitingly asked, "Elders. May I please know what exactly is going on in here?"

Anyone could see the scathing anger in her tone. The council of elders kept their mouths closed and it was eventually the kind-looking elder, who had previously helped out Wuzhi with a word, that explained.

"We were undergoing a murder trial for—"

"Actually," interrupted Wuzhi. "I was being framed for a murder which I did not commit." He then shrugged his shoulders and casually continued, "I knew that my arrival would be cause for much trouble and fanfare but I did not expect to be tried for murder on my very first day in the family."

Smiling brightly, seemingly as if there was not a grain of sarcasm in his words, he finished. "Quite memorable, though. I don't think that I'll ever forget this."

Others might have written this off as him being flippant; however, Su Li was unlike others. As a [Wisdom Path] cultivator she saw more than what appeared on the surface causing her to immediately grasp the underlying meaning in his words.

For an instant, she was reminded of her first meeting with Wuzhi; that dinner almost a year ago. Back then, she had faintly felt this and today, her feeling had been confirmed.

This youth, Wuzhi, was not easy to deal with. He was sharp, able, intelligent, and most importantly… a schemer, just like herself.

"You fools!" cried Su Li, instantly silencing the room. "Do you even realize who it is that you are framing for murder!?"

"He is Golden Sovereign Mu Wudi's second eldest son! A child who had been lost for all these years and only now managed to return to the family!!"

A moment of stillness passed before expressions of shock and horror appeared on everyone's faces.

Wuzhi, meanwhile, gazed at the azure-robed fairy and quietly chuckled. "Ho-ho! Interesting. So this is how you want to play?"

---

"Do you like the tea?" asked Su Li, as she sat across Wuzhi on a sofa with a pleasant expression on her face.

Taking another sip of the cup in his hand, Wuzhi enthusiastically nodded and replied, "I do. It's very nice tea."

He reached for a biscuit placed on the table in front and threw it into his mouth. The scholar's stomach rumbled fiercely with hunger as he hadn't eaten anything since the afternoon of the 1st.

"How's younger brother Yuelong? Is he safe? Is he alright?" asked Wuzhi, reaching for another handful of treats.

At his question, Su Li inwardly sighed; it had begun. "Fortunately, our treatment managed to reach him in time. The worst scenario was avoided and his situation is now stable. Currently, he is being escorted back home here."

"I see. I am glad that he's safe and healthy. Was the reason behind the accident discovered?"

"We won't know about the exact situation until Yuelong himself wakes up and explains. However, from what we managed to discover from our investigations, it appears that Yuelong used a forbidden technique of the [Sacrifice Path] to power up during the final moment."

"Oh, the [Sacrifice Path]! That's not good! Wasn't the [Sacrifice Path] outlawed for study by the Heavenly Spirit Tower? I can't imagine it being good for the reputation of the Mu Household's heir to be known for practising an outlawed Path."

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"…" Su Li did not speak. She quietly sat and stared at Wuzhi.

The scholar also wiped the exaggerated expression on his face and returned to wearing a polite smile. He put down the empty tea cup on the table before him and leaned back onto the sofa with his legs crossed.

After a quick inhale, he began. "Second Mother, neither are you a fool nor was I born yesterday. So, why don't we stop beating around the bush and speak our hearts?"

Su Li stayed quiet for a few seconds. She then also put down her tea cup and nodded her head. "That would be better."

"Excellent," clapped Wuzhi. "I assume you want Yuelong to retain his position as 'Eldest Son' of Golden Sovereign Mu Wudi?"

"Indeed. It would be best for the Mu Household if the status quo remained as it is."

"I agree. The status quo should remain the same. The current world is akin to a dormant volcano that is on the very verge of explosion. It wouldn't do well for the Mu Household if we descended into chaos right now."

A trace of appreciation appeared in the depths of Su Li's eyes as she heard these words. However, it soon disappeared when Wuzhi followed. "Now then, let us discuss what I am owed."

"First, I am owed recognition. I do have the blood of the Golden Sovereign flowing within me and despite what will be publically known, there is no denying that I am, in fact, the eldest son."

"So, you want status?"

"Correct. Not too weak, because I don't want to be bullied like what happened today but also not too strong that I would be stepping on the toes of everyone within the family. Actually, the status of 'Second Son who returned to his nest after being lost for all these years' would be perfect."

Stretching his second finger, he continued. "Second, I am owed riches. I am fairly certain that given Fairy's Path and cultivation, you wouldn't need me recalling the life of hardship that I had spent in the Isilda Continent. I don't want to live like that anymore."

"I will not be too greedy and ask for a lot of money. I'm sure that the Household will be hard-pressed to come up with a lot of money given that it is preparing for Younger Brother Yuelong's marriage this year. So my request is this; make me the 'Shopkeeper' of a few businesses that the Household operates in Miu Aisla City. I will run it in the family's steed."

Su Li hesitated at this condition and said, "Becoming a 'Shopkeeper' and running a business in Miu Aisla City is not easy, Wuzhi. Not only will you face many challenges, but you will also be representing the interests of the Mu Household. Also, you will be required to meet a certain profit margin and even pay tithes to the Household."

"Wuzhi is warmed to receive Second Mother's kind instructions; however, I like a challenge. Besides, I cannot simply sit on my ass doing nothing while my other siblings contribute to the Household. I want to earn my living and not simply be a freeloader."

"…I see," Su Li replied with difficulty. "I will see what I can do."

"There is no rush. I was actually supposed to head to the Sacred Snow Heart Sect with Aunt Mingxi before coming here to the Mu Household. However, Man proposes and Heaven disposes; the plan changed at the final moment."

"For now, I will greet the other members of the family and pay respects to my ancestors. Then, I will head to the Everfrost Region in the north of the continent with Aunt Mingxi and spend some time there. I only hope to have my second condition met after my return."

"Those are all my conditions. I would like to return to my residence for now and rest a little. If Second Mother could arrange for my meeting with the family to take place during dinner, I would greatly appreciate it."

Wuzhi then rose from his seat and bowed in thanks. He then turned around and prepared to leave. Just as he was about to exit the room, the azure-robed fairy suddenly said. "Wuzhi, about today—!"

"Second Mother needn't worry. I will not mention anything about today to Aunt Mingxi if you don't. Besides, I am not as petty as to seek revenge over a minor misunderstanding. I would be happy if the matter was sufficiently redressed and I receive some compensation for my difficulty."

Su Li rose from her seat and said, "I promise that you will be compensated fairly and that this issue is investigated properly."

Wuzhi smiled in reply and left. Su Li, now alone in the room, sat down and intensely pondered over the conversation that had just finished.

---

--

-

In the empty Disciplinary Hall where the murder trial had taken place earlier today, a cohort of servants worked about busily as they cleaned after today's events.

One particular servant worked near the stand where the accused had stood for the entirety of the ordeal. As he wiped and swept the floor, the servant noticed a strange 'something' falling on the floor.

He bent down and picked it the item, giving it a closer look. It took him a moment to identify the item after the discovery of which, his face paled with fear causing him to drop the item.

It was a bloodied and broken human fingernail.

Subconsciously, his eyes grazed past the interiors of the wooden stand where he discovered a dense clutter of scratching. This, coupled with the broken fingernail, allowed even the muddle-headed servant to piece the facts together.

Someone had scratched the interior of the stand with such intensity that it had resulted in their fingernail being broken!

His shock and fear hadn't yet come to an end as the servant vaguely made out readable characters scattered within the scratching.

CUFFED ME… BOUND ME AGAIN!... AGAIN!... WHY ME!?WHY!?!... RUIN THEM… I'MGOINGTODESTROYTHEMALL!!!

The servant dropped his broomstick and ran away.