Meanwhile, inside the Third Pillar Pavilion.
The room was silent, yet suffocating.
Su Wen sat alone in the center of the chamber, his tall-backed chair carved from dark spiritwood. Though he did not move, an invisible pressure filled the room, making the air feel heavy and tense. Even the faint glow of the spirit lamps seemed dimmer under his presence.
Before him stood Su Kim and Su Man.
The two brothers kept their heads lowered, their gazes fixed on the cold stone floor. Sweat trickled down their temples, soaking into their collars. Their breathing was shallow, uneven, as if even drawing air required courage. Neither of them dared to meet their father's eyes.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Su Wen's fingers rhythmically struck the armrest of his chair, each sound landing like a hammer on their hearts.
"So," Su Wen finally spoke, his voice calm but edged with restrained fury, "that bastard has recovered his cultivation."
His fingers stopped.
"He is now stronger than both of you."
Slowly, Su Wen raised his head and looked at them. The moment his gaze fell upon them, Su Kim and Su Man felt as though their souls were being pierced. Their legs nearly gave out under the pressure.
Su Wen stood up abruptly.
"This is why I trained you?" he roared, his voice exploding through the room like thunder. "To lose to a loser like him?"
The walls seemed to tremble.
Su Kim and Su Man flinched violently. Their bodies instinctively stepped back, their knees shaking uncontrollably. Fear crawled up their spines, freezing their limbs. They could not even form words to defend themselves.
Seeing their pitiful state, Su Wen let out a sharp, cold sigh.
He turned his back on them and walked toward the exit, his long robes swaying with each step. As he passed between them, his voice rang out, heavy with disdain.
"Now, only First Brother's child… and Fourth Brother's child can do something about this."
Without another glance, Su Wen stepped out of the room.
The door closed behind him.
The pressure vanished instantly.
Su Kim's legs finally gave out. He collapsed to his knees, his hands slamming onto the floor. Su Man followed, falling beside him. The two brothers knelt in the empty chamber, their shoulders shaking as suppressed sobs broke free.
Tears streamed down their faces, dripping onto the cold stone floor.
The Third Pillar Pavilion returned to silence, broken only by the quiet sound of their crying—weak, humiliated.
The sky was painted in deep shades of orange and crimson as the sun slowly sank toward the horizon.
At that moment, Su Wen was walking calmly toward the massive main gate of the Su Manor. His hands were clasped behind his back, his steps unhurried, his expression outwardly composed. Yet beneath that calm exterior, a trace of curiosity lingered in his eyes, as if he were anticipating something he could not yet confirm.
When he reached the gate, his steps slowed.
Standing there was his second brother, Su Luoling.
Behind Su Luoling stood two figures wrapped in black cloaks, their auras restrained but unmistakably sharp. They were clearly not ordinary guards or servants.
Su Wen's eyes brightened slightly, and a genuine smile appeared on his face. He quickened his pace and walked toward them.
Su Luoling noticed him immediately. His brows lifted in mild surprise as he said,
"Brother Wen, why did you come here?"
Su Wen stopped in front of him and replied casually, his smile unbroken,
"Oh, nothing special. I just wanted to make sure you and the kids arrived safely."
At his words, the two cloaked figures behind Su Luoling stepped forward. Almost simultaneously, they reached up and removed the cloaks covering their heads.
Two young faces were revealed.
On the left stood a young woman dressed in white inner robes beneath her cloak. Her features were delicate but cold, her eyes calm to the point of being emotionless. She stood straight, her presence quiet yet heavy.
She was Su Fenjen's daughter, Su Mie.
On the right stood a young man clad in blue robes. His face was stern, his eyes sharp, and his posture rigid, as if discipline had been carved into his bones.
He was Su Shen's son, Su Qang—Su Shen being the son of Su Hangan's second brother.
Both of them bowed respectfully and spoke in unison,
"Uncle Wen, this junior greets you."
Su Wen's gaze swept over the two, briefly lingering on their faces. He nodded with satisfaction and said,
"You two can stand straight now. Go and meet your parents. And you, Su Qang—your father has been waiting for you."
At the mention of that, Su Qang straightened immediately, his back becoming even more rigid. He nodded once, then walked past them without hesitation.
"Understood. I'll take my leave."
Su Mie followed shortly after, her steps light and silent, her expression unchanged as she turned away.
As Su Wen watched the two juniors disappear into the depths of the manor, his smile slowly faded. He turned his head toward Su Luoling, his tone lowering.
"Brother," he said quietly, "I have something important to tell you."
Su Luoling's expression shifted, becoming serious as he nodded slightly.
Meanwhile, Su Mie did not head toward the First Pillar Pavilion as expected.
Instead, her steps slowed, then subtly changed direction.
She stopped in front of the Rain Appreciating Pavilion.
The Rain-Appreciating Pavilion stood silent, its doors firmly closed.
Standing there in silence, her expressionless eyes lifted toward the pavilion roof, as if sensing something there—something that did not belong to peace or coincidence.
On the roof of the Rain Appreciating Pavilion, Zhuo Riyan sat cross-legged, the little cat resting lazily atop his head.
The two were immersed in symbiotic cultivation. Crimson-black energy coiled around their bodies like living smoke, pulsing in steady rhythms as qi circulated between beast and master.
Zhuo Riyan slowly opened his eyes and smiled.
The little cat, clearly exhausted, stretched once and then leapt off his head, complaining mid-air,
"I'm going to sleep, meow."
Zhuo Riyan stood up and exhaled lightly.
"Yeah, me too. I already learned both techniques. I can rest before tomorrow's competition."
Just as the words left his mouth, a knock echoed from the main door of the Rain Appreciating Pavilion.
Both Zhuo Riyan and the little cat paused and turned their gazes toward the door.
"Huh, who the fuck is this at this late hour?" Zhuo Riyan muttered, glancing down.
The little cat snorted, already jumping off the roof.
"I don't care. I'm going to sleep."
It landed softly on the ground and padded into the main house, disappearing inside where Su Jing was resting.
Another knock sounded, heavier this time.
Zhuo Riyan ignored the little cat, jumped down from the roof, and landed firmly on the ground. He walked toward the door and called out,
"Wait, I'm coming."
As he reached for the door, he murmured under his breath,
"Who the fuck comes here this late at night?"