The past bled into the present like ink in water.
Wei Lin remembered hunger—the kind that gnawed at the bones and made even the smallest scraps of food feel like salvation. She remembered her father's trembling hands as he counted their last coins, her mother's hollow eyes when she realized they had nothing left. She remembered her younger brother, Wei Jian, clinging to her arm, his tiny fingers digging into her skin as he whispered
"Jiejie, I'm scared."
They had been scammed.
Their family had pooled every ounce of their wealth into a trade venture that was supposed to lift them out of poverty, a deal sealed with sweet words and false promises. But when the time came to collect, the so-called merchant vanished, leaving them destitute. Worse, the debt collectors arrived soon after, demanding repayment for loans they never took. The price was steep—everything they owned, and when that wasn't enough, their lives. Wei Jian was kidnapped and after days of finding in desperation, they didn't find him.
Wei Lin stood in front of her family that night, arms outstretched, ready to fight, ready to die if it meant protecting them. But death never came.
Instead, he did. Atlas Ryland.
A man draped in casual arrogance, smiling like the world owed him nothing yet moving like he owned it anyway. He had no reason to intervene, yet he did. With a single glance and a few sharp words, he tore apart the debt collectors' schemes, exposing their lies with ease. When one of them dared to challenge him, he dealt with it—not with brute force, but with the kind of calculated cunning that left them shivering. Within minutes, their family's execution was no longer an inevitability but an afterthought.
Then he did something that changed everything.
He found Wei Jian. The boy had been taken as collateral, whisked away by thugs who wanted leverage. Atlas didn't just return him; he brought him back personally, unscathed, standing proud with a grin as if he'd merely gone shopping.
"Families should never be separated over something as pitiful as money" he had said.
"And I don't like owing debts, even the unspoken ones."
Wei Lin had fallen to her knees that day, tears streaming down her face. Her family owed him everything. But Atlas only chuckled, waving her off as if he hadn't just rewritten the fate of her entire lineage.
"If you're so grateful, then work for me. I need people who can hold their own" he had told her.
"Ryl Trading is going to be more than just a company. It's going to be a force. Be part of it."
And she had.
Since then, Wei Lin had pledged her life to Atlas Ryland. Not out of obligation, but out of choice. The work was tough, but it was fair—no unreasonable hours, no exploitation. Over time, as her family's finances stabilized, she climbed the ranks, eventually becoming one of the heads within Ryl Trading. Atlas never cared for gender, background, or status—only capability.
She remembered once asking him, hypothetically, what he would think if she liked girls. His response had been instant, dismissive in the way only Atlas could manage
"I don't care. Can you still work? Should it bother me?"
That was who he was—a man who only ever judged worth by what someone could do, never by who they were and that was why he was worth following.
The present came crashing back with the sound of a distant boom.
Wei Lin barely had time to react before the force sent a tremor through the halls of the Silver Lotus Sect. Dust trembled from the rafters as the shockwave pulsed through the walls.
She spun, just in time to see Meilin—staggering back, her eyes wide in shock. Her outstretched hand still crackled with residual Qi, her body trembling from exertion. The air itself vibrated where the energy had been released, the sheer force of it pushing outward like an invisible storm.
Layla had absorbed too much from Atlas—and she had needed to let it out. Now.
The result? A devastating wave of raw power that exploded outside the hall, sending debris flying and forming a concussive force that nearly knocked her off her feet. But before she could hit the ground, Meyu was already there.
"Damn it!" Meyu cursed as she caught Layla midair, the impact sending a sharp jolt of pain through her own back. She gritted her teeth, holding onto the younger girl tightly.
Layla gasped, her breath ragged, her limbs weak. The pain was secondary. The fear was worse.
"What the hell just happened?!" Meyu demanded, steadying herself as she gently set Layla down. "Is Atlas—?"
A deep voice cut through the air before she could finish.
"He's stable."
Lin Wuye emerged from the hall, his expression as calm as ever, but his eyes sharp with concern. He stepped forward, looking down at his daughter first, then at Meyu, who still held onto Layla protectively.
"The excess Qi in Atlas' body was too volatile. Meilin had to expel it before it tore him apart" he explained. "The release was sudden, but necessary."
Meyu exhaled sharply, her fingers tightening on Layla's arm. "And him?"
Lin Wuye's gaze flickered toward the doorway, where Atlas remained unconscious, his breathing shallow but steady. "He will live."
Silence fell over them. Relief, exhaustion, and unspoken worries hung in the air like a thick fog.
Layla swallowed hard, still trembling. "I didn't mean to—"
"I know" Lin Wuye interrupted gently. "You did what you had to. Now, rest. All of you."
For the first time since that night began, Wei Lin let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Atlas had survived.
Meyu rushed in, her heart pounding as she caught sight of his unconscious form. Relief flooded her as she saw the slow, steady rise and fall of his chest. He was alive. She clutched their hands together, a silent prayer of gratitude escaping her lips as her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
She swallowed hard, blinking rapidly, but the emotions refused to be restrained. "Thank you…" she whispered, to no one in particular, to everyone who had fought to keep him alive.
Then, unable to hold it back any longer, she sank to her knees beside him, shoulders shaking as she let out quiet sobs of relief.
The others, sensing the weight of the moment, silently stepped back. Even Bao, who had been prepared to speak, hesitated before gesturing for the group to leave them alone for now.
Morning arrived with Jiang stepping through the gates of the Silver Lotus Sect, stretching his arms after the long journey. Zhao Lihua walked beside him, her usual confidence dimmed by fatigue. They had expected a calm arrival, perhaps an update on Atlas' condition, or even just the usual sect commotion.
Instead, they were met with destruction.
Jiang's jaw nearly unhinged as he took in the scene before him. The once pristine halls of Silver Lotus lay battered, debris scattered across the courtyard, scorch marks lining the walls. Several sect disciples stood frozen, their eyes wide as they whispered among themselves. Behind them, a group of students who had arrived for their morning training stood in stunned silence.
Zhao Lihua's face twisted in disbelief. "What the hell…?"
Jiang blinked, then slowly turned his head to Meyu, who stood near the wreckage, arms crossed, looking entirely unfazed.
"What happened?!" Jiang demanded, waving an arm toward the destruction.
Meyu sighed dramatically. "Ah, you know. Just a minor case of catastrophic Qi overload. Nothing to worry about."
Zhao Lihua's eye twitched. "That is not minor!"
Meyu grinned, rubbing the back of her head. "Okay, okay. So, Atlas nearly exploded, Meilin had to unleash a Qi wave that nearly sent her flying into orbit, and now we have a few extra holes in the architecture. But hey, the good news is—Atlas survived!"
Jiang stared at her, then at the destruction, then back at her. "… I need a drink."
Jiang immediately frowned in the realisation of the last two words from Meyu's mouth, crossing his arms. "Atlas? He's back from Shrouded Peaks?"
Meyu nodded. "Yeah, he's alive. Battered, but alive."
Elder Jian Bo stepped forward, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "The customers we brought in—twelve in copper tier, seven in silver, and one noble in gold. Quite the mix, wouldn't you say?"
A slow, deliberate clap echoed behind them, drawing their attention.
Shen Jue, the only noble who had actually paid for his entry into the sect, stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "Fascinating. I was told Silver Lotus was a place of discipline and refinement. Yet, from the looks of it, it seems more like a battlefield after an explosion."
Meyu turned, grinning lazily. "Oh, don't worry, nobleman. We believe in hands-on education. You get your money's worth and a little surprise or two."