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"Interesting," Xu Zimo said with a faint smile, watching the light of the morning sun stream through the window.

The shadow of the window pane was cast across the floor, dust lazily resting in the cracks along the windowsill.

“Fate cannot be changed. Destiny will eventually arrive. But me, Xu Zimo? I don’t believe in fate. Every step I take is rewriting my own destiny. Just wait, one day, even this world will crawl at my feet. Grand Emperors? Nothing but bones on the path I walk.”

If Xu Zimo had followed the same path as in his past life, he might not have had this much confidence.

But now, all he lacked was gathering the Black-Gold Energy to complete the world of his True Fate.

Creation, that was Xu Zimo’s foundation, his confidence.

When that day of success comes, even Grand Emperors would be nothing but ants. No one would dare stand against him.

...

"Senior Brother, should we have the sect investigate this incident?" Little Gui asked.

"No need. We’ll meet again eventually," Xu Zimo shook his head. "You can stay in the room next to mine for now."

Little Gui nodded.

After Chi Qianxue returned Chi Yu to his room, she soon arrived at Xu Zimo’s door.

Her expression was poor, her eyes sunken with fatigue.

"The deal between our clan and the Ice Snow Mountains is complete. We’ve secured the Spring of Life," Chi Qianxue said. "If nothing goes wrong, I’ll receive the Ancestor’s inheritance tomorrow."

"Congratulations," Xu Zimo said.

"But of course, something went wrong," Chi Qianxue replied.

"What happened?" Xu Zimo frowned slightly.

"Someone is spreading rumors about us all over Sky Pond City," she said after a pause.

"About us?" Xu Zimo was momentarily surprised, but quickly pieced it together after recalling the incident with Chi Yu.

"So someone wants to use this to strip you of your position as Empyreaness, and drag me down with you. Wonderful," Xu Zimo chuckled. "Your clan is a mess. Petty schemes and backstabbing, it’s non-stop."

"When we get there, keep quiet and let me do the talking," Chi Qianxue instructed.

"What do you mean?" Xu Zimo asked.

"The Patriarch and Grand Elders want to meet you."

...

In the central hall of the Chi Imperial Clan, the atmosphere was somber and heavy.

Sitting at the head of the hall was the current Patriarch, Chi Yuanbin.

He wore a deep green robe, exuding immense authority. His presence alone was overwhelming.

His gaze was sharp and distant, his right hand rhythmically tapping the armrest of his chair.

On either side of him, the clan’s elders were seated in order of seniority.

These were all powerful cultivators at the Empyrean Meridian and Imperial Meridian levels. Even though they weren’t releasing their auras intentionally, the mere leakage of spiritual pressure made the atmosphere in the hall feel crushing.

Xu Zimo entered the hall alongside Chi Qianxue.

She bowed slightly and respectfully said, "Patriarch, I’ve brought him."

Chi Yuanbin nodded slightly but said nothing.

An elder seated to the side suddenly barked, glaring at Xu Zimo: "Impudent! You stand in the Chi Imperial Clan’s council hall and don’t kneel to the Patriarch?"

As he spoke, a faint pressure from his Empyrean Meridian Realm aura began pressing toward Xu Zimo.

Xu Zimo turned his head, chuckled, and said calmly, "Kneel? Old man, do you have a death wish?"

"Insolent!" the elder roared. His aura surged like a dragon, spiritforce condensing wildly in the air.

"Enough," Chi Yuanbin waved his hand, and in an instant, the elder’s energy dragon dispersed into nothingness.

The elder’s face changed slightly, but he merely snorted coldly and continued to glare at Xu Zimo.

"What is your relationship with Qianxue?" Chi Yuanbin asked in a neutral tone.

"Nothing to say. The innocent have nothing to explain," Xu Zimo answered blandly.

Hearing this, Chi Qianxue rolled her eyes and quickly explained, "Patriarch, he and I are just friends, purely platonic. There’s no truth to the rumors."

"Lies! I saw him run out of your room half-dressed!" Chi Xing shouted from the side.

Chi Qianxue frowned, her expression tinged with anger. She said coldly, "Do you have any proof? Just your word? Do you know the consequences of slandering the Saintess?"

"I have no proof, but I saw it with my own eyes!" Chi Xing insisted stubbornly.

At this point, there was no turning back for him, he had to stick to his story.

He glanced toward Chi Yang, only to find his brother completely silent, offering no support.

"Patriarch, making a judgment based on one person’s accusation is reckless," an elderly woman on Chi Qianxue’s side said calmly, stepping forward.

She wasn’t without influence or allies in the clan.

"Rumors stop with the wise," another elder spoke in agreement.

Chi Yuanbin turned his gaze toward Chi Xing. The immense pressure in his eyes fell directly on Chi Xing’s shoulders.

Chi Xing wiped the sweat from his forehead, his mouth dry. He didn’t dare meet anyone’s gaze.

"Chi Xing is to be stripped of three years’ worth of cultivation resources. This matter ends here," Chi Yuanbin said after a long silence.

"Patriarch…" Chi Xing asked nervously, "But why?"

Chi Yuanbin only gave him a cold glance, then swept his gaze across the hall.

"I understand internal competition. Healthy rivalry pushes people forward. But malicious scheming? I don’t want to see that again. Next time, there will be no leniency."

As his words fell, everyone below quickly expressed their agreement.

Just then, a voice broke the silence.

"Now that your clan matters are settled, shouldn’t mine be addressed?"

All eyes turned toward the voice.

Xu Zimo stepped forward with a light smile.

"You don’t get to act so bold here, boy!" the elder from before shouted again.

Even Chi Yuanbin frowned slightly, turning his calm gaze on Xu Zimo.

"I’m a fair man," Xu Zimo smiled. "You hurt me, I pay it back. You wrong me, I make it right."

He drew his long blade. The blade energy surged through the hall, pointing directly at Chi Xing.

"You dragged me into this mess. I kill you. Sounds fair to me, doesn’t it?"

"Insolent! This is the Chi Imperial Clan, you don’t get to decide how justice is served!" the elder scoffed, gathering a surge of spiritforce in his palm and lashing out at Xu Zimo.

This time, even Chi Yuanbin did not intervene.

Xu Zimo let out a cold snort. Countless streams of spiritforce roared from his body.

And in the next moment, a beastly roar echoed from the endless void…