Li Tian, upon hearing the name, didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Fu Yang… mmm… are you sure, Shin Tian?"
Shin Tian nodded firmly, despite the weakness in his body. "I asked Ryo to take him, and they left for the bamboo building. But when I arrived, it was burning. Neither Ryo nor Fu Yang were there."
Li Tian fell silent, his expression tightening. His eyes seemed distant, lost in thought, as if the weight of the boy's name carried far more than the others knew.
Bai Nian, sharp as ever, caught the subtle shift in Li Tian's face. He glanced at him briefly before addressing the elders again.
Mo Mi, her voice laced with mockery, gave a faint smile. "Now we have to interrogate a ten-year-old child? Don't tell me you actually believe he stole them."
Another elder interjected. "We didn't find Ryo, but at least we can get information from the boy. Perhaps he saw who set the fire or who took the frogs."
Mo Mi sneered again. "Yes, yes, but it's disgusting to keep someone like him around, isn't it, Sir Rion? Perhaps there are even more in the Tian family who—"
Before she could finish, Bai Nian's cold glare cut through her words like a blade. Mo Mi swallowed her bitterness and lowered her head.
"Humph."
Bai Nian then turned toward Rion Yan. He knew well that this old man's granddaughter was currently staying in the Tian household. The truth was dangerously close to surfacing, and Bai Nian could already feel the storm building.
"Sir Yan," Bai Nian said carefully, "I would ask for your help in this matter."
Rion Yan, dignified and calm, nodded. His gaze shifted toward Li Tian. "Sir Li Tian, who is this Fu Yang, that even upon hearing his name you are lost in deep thought?"
Everyone in the chamber was intelligent, none of them fools. They had already sensed that Li Tian was hiding something.
Li Tian sighed. In front of this retired clan leader, concealment was useless. His voice was heavy as he admitted, "Fu Yang… is my late sister's son."
Rion Yan's eyes flickered with shock. His expression shifted, the weight of the revelation pressing against him. "Where is he? Is he alive?"
Li Tian's face twisted with bitterness. "I—I don't know. I haven't checked on him for the past few days. But we should search his dormitory."
Bai Nian's tone grew solemn, his authority filling the air. "This matter is too important to leave to guards. We will go ourselves. Li Tian, show us the way."
And so, the group of elders left the prison and began heading toward the dormitories.
---
Yet outside that very dorm, an entirely different scene was already unfolding.
Shi Tian, Sha Tian, and Cin Yan stood together, their young voices echoing through the courtyard as they called Fu Yang's name. The twins shouted mockingly, while Cin Yan's tone carried a faint lilt of amusement.
Inside, Fu Yang sat in meditation, his breathing slow and steady. He felt the disturbance almost immediately, the vibrations of their voices disrupting the quiet rhythm of his cultivation. His eyes snapped open.
He frowned and ended his meditation. Quietly, he stood and adjusted his ragged clothes. But before he could move, a faint ripple brushed across his senses. From the shadows outside, a cloaked figure observed him silently. The man gave a slight nod of approval before slipping away without a word.
Fu Yang narrowed his eyes. (Someone is protecting them. They must have sent a guard to watch over the Tian brothers… just like before.)
Still, he sighed. Distressed yet resigned, he peered outside through a tiny crack in the wooden wall. Through that narrow opening, he saw the three children standing there, shouting his name.
"So they came here with her, just like in my previous life… should I ignore them?"
He hesitated, but only for a moment. Then, with a long breath, he made his decision. Slowly, he pushed open the door and stepped out.
The sight that greeted them was far from impressive. His clothes were torn and filthy, his pale face smeared with dirt, his long black hair matted and tangled as though it had never once been combed.
Shi Tian's lips curled into a sneer. "So you finally came out, bastard. Look—the princess herself came looking for you."
Cin Yan, her curious eyes glimmering, stepped forward. Her gaze lingered on him, probing, as if peeling back the layers of his disguise. "Mmm… you are truly interesting."
Fu Yang sighed inwardly. (She's doing it on purpose. Playing with their emotions.)
The Tian brothers, still too young to grasp her game, felt only the sting of jealousy. Shi Tian's heart burned. Interesting? This beggar? Dirty, pathetic—why would she say that?
Unable to restrain his anger, Shi Tian clenched his fist and struck.
Fu Yang, rather than blocking or dodging, deliberately let the blow land. He staggered back and collapsed to the ground, curling up as though the pain was unbearable.
The twins burst into laughter, delighted by their own cruelty. Cin Yan, however, merely smiled faintly, satisfaction glimmering in her eyes.
But as Fu Yang lay sprawled on the ground, he suddenly felt it. Six powerful auras were rushing toward the dormitory, drawing nearer with each heartbeat. He recognized them instantly.
The elders.
Without hesitation, Fu Yang seized the opportunity. He twisted his body, his voice rising into a wail so loud and shrill that it pierced the entire courtyard.
"Aaahh! Please, Miss, don't kill me! I'll do anything you say! You told me to eat dog shit—I'll eat it! But please don't kill me! Aaaahh!"
His cries were so raw, so pitiful, that the onlookers froze in shock. The Tian brothers panicked immediately, rushing to cover his mouth, but it was already too late. His words had rung out clearly, echoing across the dormitory grounds.
The six figures arrived at that very moment—four elders, Bai Nian, and Rion Yan—rushing forward at full speed. Behind them trailed a wave of villagers, drawn by the commotion and eager to witness the spectacle.
When they reached the dorm, the sight before them was damning.
Fu Yang was on the ground, wailing and screaming miserably, while the Tian brothers tried to silence him with desperate hands. Above him stood Cin Yan, her face pale as if caught red-handed in an unspeakable act.
Rion Yan and Li Tian's expressions darkened instantly.
"Wow! Isn't that the flower of the Yan Clan? So the flower truly has poisonous thorns hidden beneath."
Mo Mi's cold voice laced the air like venom, but Bai Nian silenced her once again with a glare so sharp she dared not continue.
Li Tian's heart sank into despair as he saw his sons pressing down on Fu Yang, the boy crying miserably.
And Rion Yan… Rion Yan's breath caught. The granddaughter he remembered—innocent, sweet, filled with light—now stood before him looking utterly different.
Cin Yan's hands trembled as she covered her ears. Her face drained of color. Slowly, she turned, her gaze sweeping across the crowd until her eyes landed on the group of elders.
There, among them, was the one man she could never deceive.
Her lips quivered. Her voice, weak and wavering, slipped out.
"Grandpa…?"