Inside the council hall, curls of sandalwood incense drifted from the darkwood table, yet the fragrance failed to lighten the stifling, oppressive atmosphere.

Shen Li leisurely adjusted his silk cuffs, a predatory smile dancing on his lips. His gaze swept slowly over the assembled elders, like a venomous snake sizing up its next meal.

“Father, though the Celestial Venerable is a man of great magnanimity, his dignity was publicly slighted,” he said, his voice dripping with a calculated, honeyed regret. “If we simply hand her over now, wouldn’t it make the Shen Family appear desperate and opportunistic?”

He paused for effect, noting the flicker of interest in the elders’ eyes before pressing his advantage. “How about this: we announce that Ye Qingxian was merely concerned about her standing, but after careful reflection, she is now eager to serve the Celestial Venerable as a concubine. This move preserves the Celestial Venerable’s face while proving the Shen Family’s absolute sincerity.”

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

A sharp clink echoed as the Fifth Elder’s hand trembled, splashing tea onto his robes embroidered with pine and crane patterns. He hadn’t expected the Second Young Master to be so ruthless. The other elders exchanged stunned glances, the audacity of the suggestion hanging heavy in the air.

Bang!

Nangong Wan slammed her palm onto the table. Spiritual tea surged over the rim of her cup, staining the dark wood like a dark omen of her rising fury.

“Nonsense!” Her voice was a shard of ice, her phoenix eyes flashing with cold rage. “Ye Qingxian is the rightful wife of the Shen Family’s main line. To demote her to a concubine for another man? What would become of our reputation if word of this reached the public?”

Shen Li immediately dropped into a humble posture, though his eyes remained sharp. “Mother, please try to understand. Your son only has the family’s future at heart. If Ye Qingxian can gain favor as a concubine, she could secure benefits for the Shen Family that an ordinary disciple never could.”

He turned his head, casting a pointed look at Shen Xian. “Third Brother, don’t you agree?”

The failed assassination attempt in the cultivation caves had left Shen Li simmering with resentment. Now, he saw a perfect opportunity to trample his rival into the dirt.

Shen Xian’s knuckles turned white as he gripped his chair, but his face remained a mask of calm. He saw it clearly—when Shen Li uttered the word “concubine,” even the usually stoic Grand Elder had given a subtle nod. The other elders were already calculating the profit.

To them, Ye Qingxian was an outsider. If she could be bartered to build a bridge to a Celestial Venerable, they saw it as a bargain.

“I disagree,” Shen Xian said, his voice steady and resonant.

He met their collective gaze without a hint of tremor.

“Third Brother disagrees?” Shen Li chuckled, a mocking lilt in his voice. “Could it be that you simply can’t bear to part with your beautiful Dao Companion?”

The Grand Elder stroked his long white beard, his cloudy eyes shifting. “Xian’er, this concerns the rise and fall of our clan. That Celestial Venerable is a mighty Nascent Soul expert. Even the scraps from his table could ensure the Shen Family’s prosperity for a century.”

“Exactly!” The Second Elder barked, slapping the table so hard the jade pendant at his waist jingled. “Ye Qingxian is nothing more than a discarded girl who has lost her cultivation! Serving a Celestial Venerable is a blessing she hasn’t earned in eight lifetimes!”

Nangong Wan’s eyes blazed, but before she could retort, the Family Head, Shen Xiong, raised a hand to silence the room.

The usually authoritative patriarch wore a look of deep contemplation. “What Li’er says… is not entirely without merit.”

As the Family Head, the clan’s interest was his North Star. If sacrificing one woman could propel the entire Shen Family into a new era of power, it was a price he was willing to pay.

A fine crack spiderwebbed across Shen Xian’s teacup.

“Father!” Shen Xian’s voice remained level, though the veins on his clenched fist bulged beneath the table. “Qingxian is a daughter of the Ye Family’s main line, and furthermore—”

“Furthermore, what?” Shen Li interrupted, his lip curling in a sneer. “A nominal wife whose wedding night was never even consummated? Third Brother, it’s common knowledge you haven’t even been allowed into her room since the wedding day, isn’t it?”

A wave of muffled, derisive chuckles rippled through the hall. It was an open secret among the elite, but hearing Shen Li weaponize it so publicly was a calculated insult.

Suddenly, Shen Xian smiled.

He leisurely wiped a stray tea stain from his hand. When he looked up, his eyes were as cold as a mountain peak in midwinter. “Second Brother seems remarkably concerned with his sister-in-law’s private affairs… one might wonder if you covet her for yourself?”

“Outrageous!” Shen Li’s face paled, then flushed crimson.

Shen Xian stood up, his gaze sweeping over the council. “Elders, do not forget: my wife is a human being, not a tool for you to barter. Furthermore… she has the Ye Family standing behind her.”

“Heh,” Shen Li sneered. “And what could a fading Ye Family possibly do?”

The words had barely left his mouth when a commotion erupted outside.

“The Ye Family Matriarch has arrived!”

Before the guard could finish the announcement, a stooped but imposing figure marched into the hall. The Ye Matriarch leaned heavily on her coiling dragon staff, followed by four elders whose auras weighed heavy on the room. Her wrinkled face was a mask of indifference, but her sharp, piercing eyes made everyone in the room shudder.

Shen Li’s smug expression froze. He hadn’t expected the Matriarch to travel in person, let alone appear at this exact moment.

“Has this old woman arrived at an inconvenient time?” the Matriarch asked, her voice hoarse yet vibrating with power. Her staff struck the floor with a dull, heavy thud. “I heard someone was eager to arrange the life of my Ye Family’s daughter?”

The hall went bone-dry silent.

Shen Xiong hurriedly rose to greet her. “Matriarch, you have traveled far. We have been remiss in our welcome.”

Despite his own power, he had to show the proper respect to a woman of her standing. But the Matriarch ignored him entirely, walking straight toward Shen Li. Though she was short and bent with age, Shen Li involuntarily stumbled back a half-step under her pressure.

“So, it was you?” The Matriarch narrowed her eyes. “You wish for my daughter to be a concubine?”

Shen Li’s throat bobbed as he forced a weak smile. “Matriarch, you misunderstand. This junior was merely—”

Slap!

A resounding crack echoed through the hall.

The Matriarch’s hand had moved faster than the eye could follow. A bright red palm print bloomed on Shen Li’s cheek.

“My Ye Family’s daughter—who are you to decide her fate?” the Matriarch’s voice rose, a terrifying intensity flashing in her eyes.

Shen Li clutched his face, his eyes wide with disbelief. He—the esteemed Second Young Master—had been slapped in front of the entire family council. What stung more than the blow was the silence; not a single person moved to defend him. Even his mother, Nangong Wan, merely frowned and looked away.

“Matriarch, please, calm your anger,” Shen Xiong interjected, stepping forward. “Li’er is young and impulsive. His words were offensive, but…”

Seeing the Matriarch’s fury, Shen Xiong immediately shifted the blame onto his son. He knew this woman—she was as decisive as she was ruthless. For the sake of the alliance, he could not afford to provoke her.

“Young?” the Matriarch sneered, pointing her staff at Shen Xian. “Your third son is years younger, yet I don’t see him spouting such drivel!”

Shen Xian stepped forward and bowed deeply. “Grandson-in-law pays his respects to the honored Matriarch.”

The Matriarch’s expression softened slightly as she patted his shoulder. “Good child… you have suffered much today.”

She turned back to Shen Xiong, her tone leaving no room for negotiation. “I came today to make one thing clear to everyone in this room: Qingxian is the pearl of the Ye Family. She is not an object to be manipulated by anyone!”

Shen Xiong’s brow furrowed. While the Ye Family was currently less powerful than the Shen Family, the two clans had been intertwined for generations. To maintain their dominance in the Azure Province, he still needed the Ye Family’s support. A total break in relations would be disastrous.

“The Matriarch speaks too gravely,” Shen Xiong replied with a strained smile. “This situation arose from my own lack of consideration.”

“Lack of consideration? It looks more like someone is trying to sabotage the bond between our houses,” she snapped, her gaze lingering on Shen Li one last time. “That slap was for my daughter. Should there be a next time…”

She left the threat hanging in the air, but the weight of it was unmistakable.

Shen Li’s face was livid, yet he lacked the courage to speak. He looked to his father for support, only to be met with a warning glare.

“Apologize to the Matriarch immediately!” Shen Xiong barked.

Shen Li gritted his teeth, but before he could speak, the Matriarch waved him off dismissively. “Save it. I have no interest in hollow words.”

She turned back to the Family Head. “I have heard the rumors regarding the inheritance. This matter concerns both our houses. I urge you to deliberate with extreme care.”

She emphasized “extreme care” with a chilling finality.

“Naturally. It is a matter for both families,” Shen Xiong agreed, forcing a nod.

“Good. Tomorrow, our Family Head will visit in person to discuss the details,” the Matriarch stated. She turned and began to depart, her stride as firm as her resolve.

“Father, your son takes his leave as well,” Shen Xian said, cupping his hands before following her out.

As he passed his brother, Shen Xian paused just long enough to cast a single, silent glance at Shen Li. The message in his eyes was clear:

That slap… did it feel as good as you expected?