Scene 1 – Shadows Behind Smiles
Several days earlier.
Within the Zhao Clan's inner hall, the air was heavy with incense and something far more oppressive.
Thin coils of smoke drifted upward, curling around carved pillars and bronze beast lamps. Beneath that calm surface lingered a constant pressure—subtle, cold, and sharp—killing intent that never fully faded from Zhao Qingtian's presence.
The Zhao elders sat in a semicircle, hands tucked into sleeves, eyes fixed on the lone figure standing at the center of the hall.
Lin Wuji.
The former Great Elder of the Lin Clan stood straight-backed, his robes immaculate, yet his face betrayed none of that composure. Beneath his controlled posture simmered resentment that had fermented for years.
Zhao Qingtian broke the silence at last.
"So," he said slowly, voice smooth but venomous, "the true owner of Nine Tails Apothecary… is Lin Xian?"
Lin Wuji's jaw tightened.
"Yes, Patriarch Zhao."
His eyes burned as he spoke, hatred leaking into every word.
"That boy destroyed your pill distribution routes, severed your profit veins, and dismantled decades of quiet arrangements. Worse still, he turned his schemes inward. Because of him, I was stripped of my elder seat, humiliated before the entire Lin Clan."
His hands clenched.
"Lin Yuan—of all people—was elevated to Patriarch. A man I once overshadowed. My authority, my influence, my future… all stolen by a single brat."
The temperature in the hall seemed to drop.
"He smiles and pretends to be righteous," Lin Wuji continued, voice trembling now, "but every step he takes poisons those around him. If aiding the Zhao Clan means crushing him, then I will gladly offer everything I know."
Zhao Qingtian leaned back, fingers tapping the armrest slowly.
"So," he said with a thin smile, "you were defeated by the son, not the father."
A ripple of cruel amusement passed among the elders.
"How fitting."
One elder scoffed.
"For humiliation like that, death would be mercy."
Zhao Qingtian rose to his feet.
The moment he stood, spiritual pressure surged outward, forcing several elders to stiffen unconsciously.
"Then we won't grant him mercy," he said calmly. "We'll repay him properly."
He turned toward the hall's doors, gaze distant and calculating.
"When Lin Yuan ascends as Patriarch," Zhao Qingtian continued, "that will be the Lin Clan's moment of greatest pride."
The torches flared violently, shadows writhing across the walls.
"And pride," he said softly, "is best drowned in blood."
His lips curled upward.
"Coronation day will be their funeral."
---
Scene 2 – A Father's Pride
Back in the present.
Morning sunlight spilled across the Lin Clan courtyard, illuminating dew-kissed stone paths and the peach tree standing proudly at its center.
Lin Yuan stood beneath it, hands clasped behind his back, taking slow steps back and forth. Though his expression was composed, the slight tension in his shoulders betrayed him.
Lin Xian approached lazily, teacup in hand, watching his father with faint amusement.
"You've walked that path twelve times already," Lin Xian said. "If this were cultivation, you'd have broken through by now."
Lin Yuan coughed lightly.
"I'm just… making sure everything is prepared. Tomorrow isn't an ordinary day."
From behind a pillar, a small head peeked out.
"Father's nervous~!"
Lin Yuan turned sharply.
"Yue'er!"
Lin Yue giggled, darting back behind him.
"Don't tease your father," he scolded, though the corners of his mouth twitched.
Lin Xian set his teacup down.
"She's right. You look more like a groom awaiting his bride than a clan patriarch."
"Brat," Lin Yuan muttered, though his tone carried warmth. "If not for you, none of this would exist."
Lin Xian met his gaze, smile softening.
"You carried this clan for years, Father. You earned this long before I returned."
Lin Yue tugged at Lin Xian's sleeve, eyes sparkling.
"Big brother, will you really sit with us during the ceremony? Everyone will stare!"
"Let them," Lin Xian replied casually. "Maybe they'll finally appreciate my looks."
"That's disgusting!" Lin Yue laughed, hiding behind her father again.
Lin Yuan chuckled, deep and genuine, the sound echoing warmly through the courtyard.
For a brief moment, everything felt peaceful.
Then Lin Xian's gaze sharpened.
"Father," he said quietly, "may I see your hand?"
Lin Yuan hesitated, then extended it.
Two fingers pressed against his wrist. Lin Xian's eyes narrowed as he examined the spiritual flow beneath the skin.
"As expected," Lin Xian said. "Your meridians are still partially sealed."
Lin Yuan sighed.
"Years ago, I was ambushed by an assassin. The poison damaged my meridian channels. I accepted long ago that this was my limit."
Lin Xian shook his head.
"There's no such thing as irreversible damage."
Not while I'm here.
---
Scene 3 – Nirvana's Touch
Lin Xian guided his father to sit beneath the peach tree, cross-legged.
Petals drifted gently through the air as Lin Xian stepped back, his expression turning focused. His hands moved rapidly, forming seal after seal, golden light gathering between his palms.
"Stay still," he said calmly. "It will hurt."
Before Lin Yuan could respond—
Nine streaks of golden qi burst forward like lightning, plunging into his back.
Each strand struck a meridian node with perfect accuracy.
Lin Yuan's body shuddered violently.
"This—!"
"Nirvana Scripture," Lin Xian said softly. "Verse One: Rebirth Through Purity."
The courtyard filled with a low hum as golden light wrapped around Lin Yuan's body. Dark qi seeped from his pores, evaporating into the air like black smoke.
Lin Xian stood unwavering, aura steady and radiant, movements precise and sacred.
Lin Yue watched from the side, breath caught.
"Big brother… he looks like a god…"
Time seemed to stretch.
Then—
BOOM!
A violent surge erupted from Lin Yuan's dantian. His aura exploded outward, shaking the courtyard, petals scattering in a storm of color.
The barrier suppressing him for years shattered instantly.
"This feeling…!" Lin Yuan gasped. "My meridians—they're whole!"
His cultivation surged, roaring past its former limits, stabilizing at the peak of Spirit Foundation.
Lin Xian withdrew his hand.
"Congratulations," he said calmly. "You're back where you belong."
Lin Yuan turned, eyes shining.
"Xian'er… you gave me back my life."
Lin Xian waved it off lightly.
"Save that for tomorrow."
Lin Yue clapped excitedly.
"Father's amazing again! Big brother's the best!"
Lin Xian looked at them—his father's pride, his sister's joy—and for once, the weight on his shoulders eased.
"Tomorrow," he said softly, "will be unforgettable."
And far beyond the peach tree's shade, unseen shadows were already sharpening their blades.