"Among kin, the mask is worn,
For power's rise, trust is torn.
Beneath the guise of fraternal grace,
A dagger waits to claim its place."
...
"What did you just say?!" Sun Qing roared, instantly rising from his seat, his aura exploding outward like a tidal wave.
The pressure filled the grand hall instantly, slamming into Sun Lao, who stumbled backwards before dropping to one knee. His face turned pale, beads of sweat forming on his brow as he struggled to breathe.
"Brother—your aura," Sun Lao gasped, his voice strained. "I—I can't breathe!"
Sun Qing's eyes flashed, and with a snort, he pulled back his aura. The oppressive aura in the room dissipated, but the fire in his eyes burned just as fiercely.
"Who was assigned to protect Sun Zhao?" Sun Qing demanded, his voice sharp enough to cut stone.
Sun Lao gulped, still on one knee, his head lowered in both respect and fear. "It… It should have been Sun Bao."
Sun Qing's brows furrowed deeply, the lines on his face etched with frustration. "Sun Bao? How could this happen? He's only at the seventh level of Qi-Refining!"
"Patriarch," Sun Lao interjected quickly, his voice trembling slightly, "Sun Bao broke through to the eighth level of Qi-Refining a few days ago."
Sun Qing's frown deepened, his stare pinning his younger brother in place.
"And that was reason enough to let them leave without proper support?" Sun Qing's tone dripped with contempt.
Sun Lao winced, knowing full well how volatile his older brother could be when it came to his youngest son. "The young master… he didn't want to wait for others to return. Most of our cultivators were on missions and wouldn't be back for a few days."
"And so he left with just Sun Bao," Sun Qing said, his voice low but wrapped with a menacing tone.
"Yes," Sun Lao confirmed quietly.
Sun Qing paced the room, his expression stormy. "Foolish. Reckless." His muttering was half to himself, half directed at the room at large.
After a moment, he stopped abruptly and turned back to his brother. "Do you know where they went?"
Sun Lao hesitated briefly, then nodded. "Yes. Yanxia Mountain."
Sun Qing's gaze sharpened. "Yanxia Mountain? That's a few thousand miles from Qinghai City."
"Yes, Patriarch," Sun Lao said, his voice low. "The young master insisted on going there. He mentioned rumours of a rare treasure appearing in the area." Sun Lao trailed off, afraid to continue.
"And, you didn't tell him that was foolish?" Sun Qing snapped, his patience thinning.
"I was in seclusion, I only left today and was told everything after investigating," Sun Lao finished, his words barely above a whisper.
Sun Qing's fists clenched tightly, his nails digging into his palms as his frustration boiled over. Without sparing another glance at his younger brother.
"I will be going there now. Take control of the clan affairs in my absence."
"Y-Yes, brother."
Sun Lao lowered his head.
Too distracted and burdened to notice anything amiss, Sun Qing stormed out of the hall. The doors swung open with a forceful creak as he stepped outside, summoning his sword with a flick of his wrist.
The blade hovered in midair, and with a single leap, Sun Qing landed atop the sword and flew off, becoming a streak of light disappearing into the horizon as he headed toward Yanxia Mountain.
The grand hall fell silent.
Sun Lao slowly rose from his kneeling position, his expression calm and composed.
Then, an evil smirk covered his face, growing into a full sneer as he glanced toward the now-empty throne of the patriarch.
"Strength isn't everything, foolish brother," he murmured, his voice carrying a tone of mockery. "You've always been so blinded by your power and talent that you can't even see the knife poised at your back."
He adjusted his robes, smoothing out the creases as he turned towards the throne and sat down on it.
"I will slowly destroy you, but first, I had to make sure that idiot who inherited the same 'great talent' as you vanishes for good."
Sun Lao's eyes narrowed, his smirk deepening.
"That fool," he muttered, almost amused at the thought.
"He easily believed the rumours I carefully allowed to spread about a rare treasure hidden in Yanxia Mountain. A treasure that supposedly enhances the beauty of anyone who consumes it?"
"Since he is dead, 'he' should have already done the job. Although, I'm not sure why he did it before schedule."
"Well...The faster he dies, the better I guess, haha."
He chuckled softly, the sound bouncing in the empty hall.
"Soon," he whispered, his voice almost reverent, "I will break through to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment."
Sun Lao stood up and walked confidently out of the hall.
Before leaving through the large door, his gaze landed on the throne. "And then, step by step, I will take what should have been mine from the beginning. The Sun Family will be mine to command, and no one will dare stand in my way."
...
Unbeknownst to Lin Fang, his actions had inadvertently stirred a hornet's nest. By cutting down Sun Zhao, he gave Sun Lao an opportunity to not dirty his hands with Sun Zhao's death.
He had unintentionally lit the fuse in a volatile family struggle within the powerful Sun Family.
And now, the Sun Family's patriarch, a cultivator at the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm, was hurtling toward him.
Meanwhile, inside the cosy cave, Lin Fang was blissfully unaware of the chaos brewing thousands of miles away. Seated cross-legged near the warm campfire, he focused inward, his breathing calm and his qi circulating through his body.
Although his cultivation wouldn't advance to a new level or realm because he didn't have a cultivation manual for the Foundation Establishment realm, Lin Fang didn't mind.
Cultivation wasn't just about breakthroughs, It's about keeping your mind sharp and your body in harmony.
Besides, if Ling Fang didn't keep practising, what else was he supposed to do? Stare at the fire all night?
Lin Fang's qi flowed in smooth waves, spreading warmth throughout his body.