The halls of the Zhao Clan's estate were eerily silent, the flickering lanterns casting long shadows along the polished wooden floors. Every step the woman took felt heavier, the presence of her father looming over her like an unshakable mountain.
Zhao Tian sat at the head of the grand hall, his sharp eyes locked onto his daughter and the child she held close. The weight of his gaze was suffocating, an unspoken demand for answers. The gathered elders of the clan watched in silence, their expressions unreadable.
"You return after all these years, carrying a child that shakes the very heavens." Zhao Tian's voice was even, but beneath the calm tone was a storm waiting to be unleashed. "Tell me, is he truly yours?"
She lifted her chin defiantly. "Yes."
Murmurs rippled through the elders, their gazes darting between Zhao Tian and the infant. Her father's expression remained unreadable, though his fingers tightened against the armrest of his chair.
"You disappeared," he continued. "Betrayed your lineage, shamed this clan. And now you return, only when the world is stirring?"
She exhaled sharply. "I came because I had no other choice. Because there are those who seek to take him from me."
Zhao Tian's expression didn't change. "Then they will come here."
A chill ran through her spine. She had hoped, despite everything, that the Zhao Clan's power would be enough to shield them. But her father's words carried an undeniable truth—by bringing her son here, she had also brought danger to the clan.
One of the elders stepped forward, his voice laced with suspicion. "Lady Zhao, the energy that surged the night his eyes opened... it was unlike anything we have ever felt. The heavens trembled, and the Soul Mirror shattered. Who is this child?"
She hesitated, glancing down at her son. His tiny hands curled into the fabric of her robes, oblivious to the turmoil surrounding him.
"He is my son," she repeated. "Nothing more."
Zhao Tian studied her carefully. Then, in a voice that brokered no argument, he said, "I will decide what he is."
The doors to the hall creaked open, and a servant stepped inside, bowing deeply. "Master, the scouts have returned."
Zhao Tian gestured for them to enter.
Two armored figures strode in, their faces grim. The leader knelt before Zhao Tian and spoke. "We found traces of an unknown faction tailing Lady Zhao before she arrived. Skilled cultivators, disciplined movements. They never engaged, only observed."
Zhao Tian's fingers drummed against the armrest. "How many?"
"At least three confirmed, but there may be more in hiding."
The tension in the hall thickened.
Zhao Tian's gaze flickered toward his daughter. "You brought wolves to my doorstep."
She swallowed hard but held her ground. "I had no choice."
Silence stretched between them before Zhao Tian finally stood. His aura flared, commanding the attention of everyone in the room.
"If the world seeks this child, then they will not stop at mere observation." He turned toward the elders. "Strengthen our defenses. Double the guards at the perimeter. From this moment on, no one enters or leaves without my permission."
The elders nodded, moving swiftly to carry out his orders.
Zhao Tian turned back to his daughter. "You will tell me everything about what you have seen, what you have heard. No more secrets."
She hesitated for only a moment before nodding.
And in the shadows beyond the grand hall, unseen eyes continued to watch.
End of Chapter 20