The tension in the main hall of the Liu residence was so thick it felt like the air itself had conspired to crush the gathered elders. Patriarch Liu Feng sat stiffly at the head of the room, his knuckles whitening as they gripped the carved armrests of his chair.
His expression flickered between a sour frown and barely veiled unease. The news of the impending arrival of the young masters from the Shen and Zhou clans had shaken the council, and it showed.
Elders exchanged hurried whispers, their voices rising in a nervous crescendo as furtive glances darted toward their leader. No one wanted to be the first to speak aloud the collective fear lurking in their hearts: they were woefully unprepared.
The anxious murmuring hit its peak just as the massive doors to the main hall swung open with a resounding crash. A deafening silence descended as all eyes turned toward the entrance.
Lady Chen Xi strode in, her vermilion-colored robe a blazing statement against the muted tones of the hall. The fabric flowed around her like molten fire, commanding attention with every step. Heads turned, conversations died, and the weight of the room shifted.
Liu Feng allowed himself the briefest moment of respite. The Matriarch of the Liu clan had seized the moment with her timely arrival. She always had a knack for theatrics—an art form she wielded as effortlessly as she did her razor-sharp wit.
"Perfect timing, as usual," he thought, the corners of his lips twitching despite himself.
Chen Xi's crimson-painted lips curved into a subtle smile, fully aware of the ripple her presence caused. Though her husband might hold the title of patriarch, everyone in the room knew who truly held the reins in moments like these. She moved with the kind of grace that wasn't taught but inherited—poised, deliberate, and dangerously captivating.
"Gentlemen," she said, her voice a tantalizing blend of honeyed warmth and cold steel, "I see you've all gathered. How very industrious of you."
Liu Feng cleared his throat, fighting to suppress the faint flush rising to his cheeks. "Chen Xi, we were... mediating the, ah, pressing matter at hand." His tone carried a valiant attempt at authority, but even he knew how futile it sounded under her gaze.
The elders, too busy adjusting their postures to appear dignified, merely nodded in agreement. Most of them couldn't meet her eyes, their minds likely swimming with far less honorable thoughts.
Chen Xi's smile sharpened, though it never lost its charm. "Of course you were. And yet, something tells me the true 'matter at hand' might be less dire than you'd have me believe."
"Oh?" Liu Feng arched a brow, attempting to match her playfulness. "And what, pray tell, would that be?"
She leaned in ever so slightly, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Are you using this as an excuse to summon me. I do seem to have that effect."
Before Liu Feng could retort, the doors burst open again, this time with a force that made the previous entrance seem polite. The young masters from the Shen and Zhou clans stormed in, their expressions thunderous, their steps echoing with righteous indignation.
"Where is he?" Shen Mu bellowed, his voice cutting through the room like a blade. His sharp features twisted with fury. "Where is the insolent wretch who dares insult the Shen and Zhou clans?"
Zhou Tian followed closely, his gaze icy and calculating. He radiated a menace that matched Shen Mu's fiery anger, though his was quieter, more restrained. "We won't leave without answers," he added, his tone smooth yet dripping with venom.
Liu Feng rose to his feet, his imposing stature doing little to mask the tension in his movements. "Young Masters, please. Let us handle this with civility."
"Civility?" Shen Mu scoffed. "Your clan has the gall to speak of civility after this offense?"
Zhou Tian's lip curled into a sneer. "Do not think we've come to exchange pleasantries, Patriarch Liu. This insult will not go unanswered."
Before the patriarch could respond, Chen Xi stepped forward, her expression unyielding yet disarmingly serene. "Gentlemen," she began, her voice calm but commanding, "surely there's no need for such hostility. Let us settle this matter like the esteemed leaders we claim to be."
Shen Mu's gaze flicked to her, his scowl deepening. "And who are you to speak of leadership, Lady Liu? Is it not your clan that harbors the very man responsible for this disgrace?"
The hall fell deathly silent, the weight of the accusation pressing down on everyone present. Liu Feng's jaw tightened, but before he could defend his wife, another voice cut through the silence.
"Now, now," Li Wei drawled, stepping out from the shadows like a cat toying with its prey. His expression was one of infuriating amusement. "No need for such harsh words, Young Master Shen. I'm here, after all. Shall we dispense with the dramatics?"
Shen Mu's fists clenched, his nostrils flaring. "Li Wei. You dare show your face after what you've done?"
Li Wei offered a languid shrug, his smile widening. "What can I say? I'm a man of bold actions. It seems not everyone shares my appreciation for... creativity."
"Creativity?" Zhou Tian snapped, his composure slipping. "You've humiliated our families, degraded our honor, and you call it creativity?"
"Perspective is everything," Li Wei said lightly. "Some might call it humiliation. I prefer to think of it as... character development."
The tension in the room became unbearable, the elders visibly shrinking in their seats.
"Enough!" Liu Feng's voice cracked like a whip, silencing the clamor. He fixed a piercing glare on Li Wei. "This is not the time for your games. You will conduct yourself with respect—or I'll see to it personally."
Li Wei's grin faded, replaced by a look of mock solemnity. "Of course, Patriarch Liu. I live to serve."
Chen Xi stepped forward once more, her eyes narrowing at Li Wei in a silent warning. "For all our sakes, behave yourself," she murmured, her voice low enough for only him to hear.
Li Wei smirked, though his expression carried an edge of sincerity. "As you wish, Lady Chen Xi."
Shen Mu and Zhou Tian exchanged a glance, their fury tempered—if only slightly—by the patriarch's firm stance.
"Very well," Shen Mu said reluctantly. "We'll hear what you have to say. But make no mistake, our patience wears thin."
Liu Feng nodded, his shoulders straightening as a flicker of hope returned to his expression. "Thank you. Let us discuss this as equals, for the sake of peace among our clans."
As the elders scrambled to rearrange the seating, the hall settled into a tense calm. The faint hum of anticipation lingered in the air, a reminder of the fragile balance they were all desperate to maintain.
**Main Quest Initiated: A True Young Master Has No Rivals**
**Objective**: Young Master Shen And Zhou Have Been Smearing Gold On Their Faces, Show Them the Meaning Of A Sky Above A Sky.
**Rewards:**
- 1500 EXP
- 800 System Coins
-Heaven Ascension Pill
Chen Xi's gaze lingered on Li Wei, her expression unreadable. He met her eyes briefly, his smirk returning. "Let the games begin," he murmured under his breath, the faintest trace of a challenge in his tone.
And so, the discussion began, with the fate of the Liu clan hanging in the balance.