The Family Council and Unexpected Interruption
Inside the grand council hall of the Shu Mansion—the most influential and ancient cultivator estate in Shu City—a heavy and suffocating atmosphere prevailed. Gathered around the massive mahogany table at the center of the room were the current leader of the Shu family (Mi-Shu's father), her mother, and the most revered, patriarchal figure of the clan—her Grandfather.
The terrifying news of the disaster in the forest had not yet breached the four walls of this room. Instead, they were deeply engrossed in a completely different and critical family decision.
Grandfather took a slow sip of his spiritual tea, speaking in his deep, gravelly voice, "For the honor, dignity, and future cultivation prospects of our Shu Family, we must finalize the marriage alliance for Ruo-Shu without any further delay. Ruo-Shu is our firstborn and eldest daughter—the 'First Miss of the Shu Family'. Securing a suitable match for her means elevating the power of the entire Shu family to the next level."
Mi-Shu's father nodded in agreement, "You are absolutely right, Father. The future of our entire empire depends on our eldest daughter's marriage."
Right at that moment, the heavy wooden doors of the council hall burst open. Standing at the threshold was a exhausted, battered, and dust-covered Mi-Shu. The stark remnants of the forest's primal terror were still vividly written across her face. Seeing Mi-Shu suddenly interrupt the room in this state during such a grave discussion, everyone present gasped in shock.
The Half-Truth and Hidden Secrets
"Mi-Shu! What happened to you? Weren't you out in the forest for your cultivation training?" her mother cried out in deep anxiety.
Mi-Shu stepped into the room, leaning heavily against the edge of the table to steady herself. She took a ragged breath to calm her racing heart. She knew how vital it was to report every single detail of the forest disaster to her family, but at the same time, the memory of Ray-Lin's terrifying black mist and blood-red eyes flashed across her mind. She thought to herself, 'If I tell Father and Grandfather that Ray-Lin used a Dark Art to paralyze a Blue Rank beast, they will execute him as a Demon Cultivator right away instead of rewarding him. I cannot commit such a betrayal against the man who saved my life.'
Having made up her mind, Mi-Shu began recounting the events of the forest to her family. She meticulously described how they had been trapped between the ten-thousand-year-old ancient Tree Demon and the fifty-five-thousand-year-old Black Wolf. However, she very cleverly omitted the core detail. The fierce, ancient power of the Dark Lord hiding within Ray-Lin, his eyes turning pitch-black, and his use of the forbidden 'Soul Breaker' technique remained locked away in the deepest recesses of her mind. She simply stated that Ray-Lin had risked his own life, utilizing a strange and incredibly powerful sword art to hold off the monsters, and was currently severely injured and completely drained of energy in their guestroom.
Cold Gratitude and Petty Currency
A heavy silence descended upon the council hall once the story concluded. Mi-Shu's father and Grandfather exchanged glances. The typical arrogant mindset of a high-born, powerful family in the cultivation world immediately surfaced on their faces.
Mi-Shu's father spoke in a cold, dismissive tone, "Hmph, I see. But how did a common cultivator manage to stop a massive Blue Rank beast? Mi-Shu, I doubt this boy's intentions are pure. He probably knew beforehand that you were a daughter of the Shu family. By saving the life of a high-born miss, he is likely trying to keep tabs on us or waiting for a grand opportunity to exploit. You cannot trust these low-level, rogue cultivators."
Her mother chimed in, supporting her husband, "Exactly. He might have a sinister motive regarding our daughter."
Grandfather raised his hand, gesturing for everyone to quiet down, and said in a grave voice, "Regardless of his status, since he has saved the daughter of our Shu Family, we must clear our debt to him for the sake of our public reputation. Have him brought here. And listen, tell him directly that from now on, he must maintain his distance from the daughters of our family. A commoner like him shares no common ground with the lineage of the Shu family."
Mi-Shu's father pulled a small pouch from the table drawer and added, "As a price for saving a life, we shall grant him 10,000 Low-Level Ki Magic Stones. As standard cultivation currency, this is a massive fortune for a commoner. With these low-level magic stones, all accounts between us will be thoroughly settled."
The Protest and Heated Arguments
Witnessing the blatant arrogance and petty ingratitude of her own family, Mi-Shu could no longer contain herself. Seeing the narrow-mindedness of her family members made her tremble with rage.
She stepped forward, standing defiantly before her parents, and spoke in a fierce, rebellious voice, "Why are you treating Ray-Lin like this? If he hadn't risked his own life, I wouldn't be standing alive in front of you today! And you want to settle the value of my life with a few measly low-level magic stones? This is a blatant injustice!"
"Watch your tongue, Mi-Shu!" her father barked back. "We are the Shu Family! We do not live under anyone's charity. He will be given his due reward and sent on his way. That is final."
Mi-Shu locked eyes with her father and said with unwavering resolve, "Think whatever you want, but I gave Ray-Lin my word. I promised him that we would go to the 'Magic Academy' together. This decision will not change. He is coming with us."
The moment those words left her mouth, the temperature in the room seemed to drop by a degree. A profound look of displeasure and anger crossed Grandfather's face as the head of the family, though as a seasoned cultivator, he chose not to voice it. However, Mi-Shu's father could no longer control his fury. He slammed his hands down and stood up from his chair, roaring.
"Impossible! That will never happen!" her father bellowed. "You know full well how much wealth the Shu family has spent this year to secure your admission to the Magic Academy and to arrange our specialized 'Magic Ship'! In this ridiculously expensive cultivation market, bringing an unknown, ordinary commoner along means doubling our expenses. I will absolutely not agree to this wasteful spending."
He pointed directly at Mi-Shu, delivering his final verdict, "Hear this clearly—there is no room for an extra member on our Magic Ship. That boy is not going with us."
Mi-Shu refused to back down. Standing toe-to-toe with her father, she countered, "If Ray-Lin doesn't go, then I won't step a single foot into that academy either! I will not abandon the man who saved my life halfway like a coward."
The bitter dispute between father and daughter turned the atmosphere in the council hall toxic. Never in the history of the Shu family had a child rebelled so fiercely against a patriarch's decision. Mi-Shu's mother stood in a corner, completely stunned by the reaction, but lacked the courage to voice any objection against her husband.
The Patriarch's Decree and Ray-Lin's Entry
Just as the situation was about to spiral entirely out of control, Grandfather slammed his palm heavily onto the table. A subtle wave of Ki rippled through the room, instantly silencing the chaos. As the ultimate head of the Shu family, his word was absolute law.
Grandfather spoke in a deep, absolute tone, "Enough. I will tolerate no further squabbling. I cannot allow word to spread that a daughter of the Shu family broke her promise, bringing shame upon our name. Very well. The boy shall accompany us to the Magic Academy."
"But Father—!" Mi-Shu's father tried to protest, but Grandfather raised a sharp hand to cut him off. Despite his son's intense reaction, Grandfather remained unyielding.
He looked at Mi-Shu and added, "However, I have one condition. In three days, our family's specialized Magic Ship will set sail for the academy. Therefore, he must present himself here at the main courtyard of the Shu Family within these three days. If his body is too weak or if he is unable to come on his own, we will send a servant of the Shu family to fetch him. As long as he arrives on time, we will take him with us."
Right at that exact moment, a calm yet incredibly deep voice echoed from outside the half-open door of the council hall—"There is no need."
Everyone whipped their heads around toward the door in surprise. Standing there, leaning weakly on a walking cane, was Ray-Lin. Due to the severe backlash of the Soul Breaker, his face was still dangerously pale, but his gaze was sharp and piercing. He had heard every single insulting word spoken about him inside the room.
He swept his eyes across everyone in the room, locked his gaze directly onto Mi-Shu's father, and spoke in a quiet but resolute voice, "You do not need to trouble any servant to come fetch me. I will arrive here in three days, perfectly on time, walking on my own two feet."
Hearing Ray-Lin's brief yet fiercely confident response, Mi-Shu's father was deeply irritated, but due to Grandfather's imposing presence, he couldn't unleash any further reaction. Grandfather himself was secretly impressed by the youth's grit and gestured with his eyes for everyone to remain calm.
With the Patriarch's final decree, the heated debate inside the council hall drew to a close. Mi-Shu was overjoyed by her grandfather's words. She rushed forward to gently support Ray-Lin, flashed a victorious glance at her father, and led Ray-Lin out of the suffocating room. As they walked down the long corridors of the Shu Mansion, they both knew—the journey to the Magic Academy in three days would change their lives forever.
[This marks the end of Season 1 — The thrilling complexities of Ray-Lin, Mi-Shu, and the destiny of the Shu Family will unfold with greater secrets and grander empires in the next season.]