"Good tea..."

"That's great to hear," Yin Meili replied as she observed the man sipping tea in front of her. After a few moments of pause, she continued, "So, why has the Xin family's heir visited our Yin family's estate?"

The man paused for a moment, placing his cup down, and fixed his gaze towards Yin Meili and her eldest daughter, who stood beside her. He spoke with an stoic demeanor, "I come today not as the heir of the Xin family but as the law enforcement elder of the sect. As for the reason for my presence... I believe you already know that."

He continued, ignoring the increasing tension in the room, "The traitor from the Yin family—"

"It hasn't been proven yet." Yin Meili interrupted, her expression cold and her words blunt.

The man sighed, "Please do not act as if you don't know. Grand elder Yin, of all people, should definitely know that your granddaughter has tarnished the sect's honor."

"Did the sect master allow you to pursue Feng'er?" Yin Meili questioned him, her eyes narrowed as she stared at the man. Her eldest daughter, Yin Xiu, scowled, visibly annoyed by the man's complete disregard for respect.

The man responded, "He told me to discuss this matter with Grand Elder Yin."

Yin Meili's tone remained defiant, "Then, I have no reason to listen to you."

The man continued, unfazed, "Well, that is indeed correct, there's nothing I can do about that as an elder... However," he paused, "even if we leave the matter of the sect's honor aside... Do you really think the Xin family will let that filth of yours trample all over our name like that? This is a declaration of war. Be prepared to lose the lives of your kin, Matriarch of the Yins."

"You...!" Yin Xiu growled at the man in anger as he blatantly threatened the Yin family's matriarch and the greatest seat of honor.

"...What did Xin Dongyang say regarding this?" Yin Meili spoke, knowing that Xin Dongyang, while reckless, wasn't one to make such decisions.

"Honor before life," the man spoke, his words carrying an enigmatic power as a Taiji symbol materialized behind him, and his jewel-like heterochromatic eyes with their striking red and blue shades, shone serenely, "This is one of the core principles of my Xin family. We do not mind a few deaths if it is to erase a blemish upon our honor. We are more than ready to battle to the death. We do as we please... unlike you... And thus, there's no need for Grandfather's intervention."

"Rather than mine, I believe Grand elder Yin should rather be worrying about her own family, even those beneath you have begun to question your authority and defy your commands... But, I believe you are well aware of this."

"..."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

A heavy silence hung in the air, with Yin Meili refusing say anything not giving an answer.

"Sigh... well then, make your your decision. A single traitor or..." His eyes shone ominously as he stared at the pair before him, this wasn't a matter that he could ignored, not after what had happened "the many innocent members of the Yin family."

Behind the man, a mysterious aura emanated from the Taiji symbol, casting a palpable weight over Yin Meili and Yin Xiu. Despite being a transcendent immortal(4th immortal stage), Yin Xiu found herself unable to utter a word.

This aura wasn't coercive, yet it maintained a subtle yet definite control over its surroundings.

"..."

"..."

The standoff continued as the man and Yin Meili locked eyes, each unwilling to yield to the other's will. Ultimately, it was Yin Meili who relented and broke the silence.

"To all members of the Yin family," her voice resounded throughout the Yin Family's territory, "The authority of Yin Xifeng, as a member of the main family, has been revoked. She is henceforth declared a traitor to both the family and the sect."

Her voice, imbued with her Immortal qi, carried across the land, reaching all, whether they were near or far.

"You..." Yin Meili turned to the audacious individual who had attempted to manipulate her, her words laced with an icy chill, "Do you truly believe you will remain unscathed after harming my family?"

The man, however, displayed no signs of fear. Instead, his previously stoic expression transformed into one of emotion, a mixture of maddened laughter, unrestrained anger, and mockery. "Hahaha! How hilarious! Yin Meili, you who have been shackled by the past, you who carry the legacy of your ancestors... You are powerless against me. You cannot touch me, as long as the covenant between the five families exists, as long as you are bound by your family's Dao!"

"You... Once you step out of your nest, you wil—"

However, the man interrupted her, no longer displaying any emotions, "That accursed granddaughter of yours has crossed the line! If you intend to persist with these childish threats, then go ahead."

With that, the Taiji symbol finally receded, and the man rose from his seat, turning to depart the room.

...

After the man left, Yin Xiu, brimming with frustration, turned to her mother, the matriarch of the Yin family. "Mother! Why must we endure that man's threats? The Yin family is more than capable of taking—"

"Dao intent," Yin Meili spoke just those two words, yet the weight they carried far surpassed what Yin Xiu had anticipated. "That boy has achieved Dao intent."

"How?! He hasn't even reached the transcendent awakening realm! How could he have awakened a Dao intent?!" Yin Xiu's voice was tinged with disbelief as she questioned her mother, but Yin Meili remained silent, sending an eerie shiver down her daughter's spine.

...

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...

"Huu..." Yin Meili let out a light sigh, her thoughts returning to the memory of the alternate future.

Her main body had warned her about this matter long ago, but there was little she could do, as the engagement between Jianyu and Xifeng was necessary for Xifeng's sake. Moreover, at the time, Jianyu had not resembled the man from the memory.

"...It should be fine since he has no intentions of hurting Feng'er." This matter had weighed heavily on her heart for years, and it was a relief to be freed from it.

"But, what did Feng'er do in the future to..."

Unfortunately, her main body had provided little information about this alternate future, leaving many questions unanswered.

...

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