Shen Xuan kept his eyes on Lu Qingmei, almost entranced by her noble and icy aura. The hall was silent; everyone noticed how boldly he was staring at the Punishment Elder. No one had ever dared such a thing before.
An elder gave a soft cough, snapping Shen Xuan back to his senses. He quickly bowed and greeted Lu Qingmei. Still, the boldness he had just shown left the crowd stunned.
The disciples who had witnessed the fight were then questioned. Their words made it clear—Shen Xuan had not been the one to provoke the conflict. Lu Zhenyu had started everything.
Even so, everyone knew how strict the Punishment Elder was. Whether guilty or not, Shen Xuan would not escape without a heavy fine.
All eyes turned toward Lu Qingmei. Her cold presence weighed on the hall, and tension filled the air. Finally, her voice, sharp and commanding, echoed:
"Even if you were provoked… why did you beat him so badly? Do you realize it will take him two or three months to recover? The wasted resources alone will be immense. Can you afford such a fine?"
Whispers spread instantly. This was the first time the Punishment Elder herself had directly questioned an ordinary disciple.
Before Shen Xuan could respond, Lu Haoran suddenly stood up. His thunderous voice shook the entire hall:
"Punishment Elder, don't worry about fine. I, Lu Haoran, will pay his fine!"
The hall erupted in shock. Disciples exchanged stunned looks, elders frowned in disbelief. Was this truly the same Lu Haoran, known for his stingy and strict ways? Since when did he volunteer to pay fines for others—let alone an outsider?
Lu Yichen and Lu Wenxuan both looked displeased. They had also wanted to use this opportunity to step in for Shen Xuan, to win his favor.
Lu Qingmei's eyes flickered with surprise. Her cold expression did not change, but a thought crossed her mind:
"This miser… since when did he start paying for others?"
The atmosphere in the hall grew heavier, and all eyes fell on Shen Xuan once more.
The hall fell silent as Shen Xuan's voice rang out, sharp and filled with fury.
"Sorry? A fine? For what exactly? I acted in self-defense! It was your Emperor Clan's disciple who broke the rules first, and now you expect me to quietly pay for it? What kind of joke is this? Is this an Emperor Clan… or a lawless jungle?"
Gasps echoed through the crowd. No one had ever dared to speak like this in the Punishment Hall
Shen Xuan's eyes burned with cold anger as he continued, his words cutting deeper with every syllable.
"You say he is a so-called Heavenly Genius? And because he got hurt, I must pay? Are you mocking me? Everyone knows here that I cannot afford the fine, and by mentioning it you're only trying to remind me of my limits. I accept that I'm not noble, I'm not rich, but if you think that doing this will make me inferior, then you are mistaken. There is no humiliation in this for me, because I already know who I am and I know that I am far better than many people in this world.
The disciples and elders alike froze, their expressions stiff. The atmosphere became suffocating under Shen Xuan's rage.
"I should remind you," Shen Xuan's voice grew colder, carrying a deadly edge, "that you should be thankful I didn't kill him on the spot. If I had known your rules were this twisted, I would have killed him without hesitation!"
His killing intent surged, shaking the hearts of everyone present.
The crowd trembled. Sweat dripped down the faces of disciples. Even elders shifted uncomfortably. This was the first time anyone had dared to openly lash out against an Emperor Clan in such a way.
Even Lu Qingmei, the infamous Punishment Elder herself, was stunned. For the first time in decades, she found herself at a loss for words. Her intention had not been what Shen Xuan assumed, yet facing the boy's fierce, unyielding gaze… she couldn't find a reply.
The other elders exchanged glances, shock written all over their faces. Not even the Clan Head had ever been spoken like this to this women.
The moment Shen Xuan's furious words echoed, the hall froze.
At that instant, one of the two Senior Elders slowly opened his eyes, his aura surging like a tidal wave. His voice thundered through the chamber:
"We know you are the Clan Head's disciple, but that does not mean you can insult our clan and its elders without consequence. Today, in the Clan Head's place, I will discipline you!"
The elder's figure blurred as he reached out to suppress Shen Xuan
But before his hand could fall, a cold, noble voice rang through the hall:
"What is happening here?"
A ripple of invisible pressure swept across the hall, freezing everyone in place. In the very next instant, a middle-aged man appeared at the center.
It was none other than Lu Zhen, the Clan Head.
The entire hall went still in shock. Elders and disciples alike immediately rose and bowed."Greetings, Clan Head!"
Even the two Senior Elders lowered their heads. Even Lu Qingmei herself bowed deeply.
Lu Zhen's sharp eyes fell upon Shen Xuan, and for a brief moment, surprise flickered across his face—his usually calm disciple was brimming with unrestrained fury.
"What happened here?" Lu Zhen asked, his voice calm but carrying undeniable authority.
One of the Senior Elders quickly stepped forward, recounting the entire incident. Lu Zhen listened in silence, then let out a deep sigh. Slowly, he walked to the central seat—the same chair where Lu Qingmei had been presiding just moments ago—and sat down with the composure of a true ruler.
He turned his gaze toward Shen Xuan."Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Shen Xuan's eyes burned as he looked directly at his master. His voice was sharp, filled with bitterness.
"If I had known things would turn out like this… I would never have become your disciple. You are a useless man who cannot even properly manage his own clan. What could you possibly teach me?"
His words struck like thunder.
The entire hall fell deathly silent. Elders trembled in disbelief, their hearts pounding. No one had ever dared to speak to the Clan Head like this.
Yet Lu Zhen did not grow angry. Instead, he let out a sigh and gave a faint mocking smile."You are right. I have been away from the clan for many years. Naturally, the state of affairs has deteriorated."
His gaze swept across the hall, and suddenly every elder lowered their heads in shame, not daring to meet his eyes.
Finally, Lu Zhen's attention fell upon Lu Qingmei. His expression dimmed."I never thought I would be disappointed by you as well."
Lu Qingmei's lips parted, as if to speak, but before she could, Lu Zhen raised his hand, cutting her off.
"This matter ends here. As of today, Lu Zhenyu will be removed from the Heavenly Genius List permanently. His place will be given to Shen Xuan."
The hall erupted into murmurs of shock. Removing a recognized genius from the list was unheard of, and to replace him with Shen Xuan was even more astonishing.
But Shen Xuan only shook his head, his voice firm."No. I don't want any Heavenly Genius title. All I want… is peace."
Lu Zhen studied him for a long moment before nodding slightly."Very well."
He rose to his feet, his voice sweeping across the silent hall."This meeting is over. Disperse."
No one dared to argue.
Under countless stunned gazes, Lu Zhen placed a hand on Shen Xuan's shoulder and calmly said,"Come. We're going to Thousand Flower Peak."
With that, the two vanished from the hall, leaving behind an uproar of whispers, disbelief, and awe.
At Thousand Flower Peak, within a serene garden filled with fragrant blossoms swaying under the evening breeze, Shen Xuan sat with his master, Lu Zhen.
Lu Zhen's gaze was calm as he finally spoke."Xuan, I apologize. I've been away from the clan for years, wandering in search of enlightenment. Because of that, some within the clan have grown arrogant and careless."
By now, Shen Xuan's earlier fury had cooled. He lowered his head slightly and said,"It's alright, Master. I think I spoke too much as well. I even called you useless in front of everyone… I'm sorry. But when anger takes over me, I can't seem to control it."
Of course, Lu Zhen already knew why Shen Xuan's personality was this way. Du Hai had once told him about Shen Xuan's trauma. A soft smile curved Lu Zhen's lips.
"It's fine. Useless… perhaps I am. My senior brother used to call me that all the time."
Then, with a faint chuckle, he added,"As for Punishment Elder, she is not as bad as you think. I believe you misunderstood her. After all, I know her well—she is my junior sister. There were three of us under our master: my senior brother, the current head of the Bai Clan—the number one Emperor Clan—my junior sister, Lu Qingmei, and myself. Our master already ascended to the Immortal Realm many years ago."
Shen Xuan was taken aback, shock flickering in his eyes at this revelation. Slowly, he nodded in silence, processing the weight of the truth.
After some more conversation, Lu Zhen rose, leaving Shen Xuan alone in the moonlit garden.
Night deepened. Shen Xuan sat quietly until his thoughts grew heavy. He suddenly found himself missing Grandpa Du. A sigh escaped his lips. Rising, he leapt onto the roof of his chamber and lay back against the tiles, staring up at the vast sky.
The stars shimmered like scattered jewels, the moon casting its pale glow upon him. Shen Xuan took a long, deep breath.
As he gazed into the heavens, faint illusions began to take shape—images of his mother appearing before him.
His eyes welled up, and he slowly lifted his hand, reaching out as if he could touch the fleeting vision. His voice trembled, barely above a whisper.
"Mom… I miss you so much… more than you could ever imagine."
Tears streamed down his cheeks, silent but unending.
No matter how cold or unshakable Shen Xuan appeared before others, the truth was different. Deep inside, he was still a broken boy—haunted by memories he could never erase.
There were warm fragments, like Du Yaoyao and Grandpa Du. But there were also nightmares he could never outrun.
And under the endless starlit sky, Shen Xuan let his tears fall freely, hidden away from the world that only saw his strength.
(Copyright © 2025 Aliyan. All rights reserved.)