The estate of the Zhen Family covered a vast expanse of land in Oak City. No other building could match its grandeur in the City, not even the County Governor’s Manor.

Area occupied by this Estate was so large that even the entire inner-city of any Tier 3 City would seem smaller in comparison.

In the north eastern area of this vast estate, there was a three storeyed courtyard. The entirety of the third floor of this courtyard was converted into a cultivation chamber.

Fragrant smoke curled up from a lit agarwood incense. The smoke danced to the rhythmic breathing of the old man meditating in the chamber.

The frail figure had a long mustache and a thin silky white beard reaching upto his chest. He sat in the lotus position with his eyes closed, trying to feel the energy inside his body.

This figure belonged to none other than the Second Elder of the Zhen Family, Zhen Fa.

Suddenly, his eyelids twitched and his eyes flew wide open. His dark murky pupils cleared as he hurriedly got up and rushed outside the courtyard.

Up in the sky of the courtyard, Zhen Fa saw a man slowly descend towards the ground. A green lotus bloomed under his every step and supported his weight.

The eyes of Zhen Fa widened as he recognized the martial skill.

“Verdant Lotus Steps! The figure in the sky is a Chakra Sage from the Mu Family?”

He mumbled with shock. Indeed his guess was correct.

The person arriving at his courtyard was a Chakra Opening Realm Expert, someone the people of Tier-3 Cities venerate as gods!

The figure of the woman gently landed on the ground. Zhen Fa felt a slight oppression and fear when he saw her cold gaze. But this was not the first time he was seeing a Chakra Sage. He regained his composure and approached her with a smile.

“What brings this esteemed Sage of the Mu Family to my humble abode?”

Zhen Fa may not have identified the woman but he recognized the signature skill belonging to the Sages of the Mu Family. Hence, he was extremely polite when speaking to her.

“Path Finder Zhen, do you not know why I am here?”

The woman asked with a chilly tone. Zhen Fa helplessly smiled while cold sweat ran down his back.

‘The only intersection Zhen Family had with the Mu Family was through Mu Shi. It seems that this woman is here to demand an explanation.’

The Second Elder thought as he pursed his lips.

His silence irked the Sage and her patience ran thin. A wild green aura pressed down on Path Finder Zhen, causing his face to turn red and knees to buckle.

“You sent my grandson to the Planar Rift in Beech City! Explain to me why his soul plate has shattered?”

Astonishingly, this gorgeous woman who looked no older than twenty was a grandmother of a man in his 30s!

The Second Elder sneaked a peek at her beautiful appearance with slight shock but he had nothing to report to her. So, he stayed quiet.

When the second elder still did not answer her, she increased the pressure by a notch. This caused the old man to suffer from a splitting headache. He felt as if thousands of thorns were piercing his brain!

The dignified second Elder of a County Class force kneeled on the ground and lowered his head as he begged the woman to retract her aura.

“I am sure that the respected Sage also received the news. I… I have nothing new to report.”

Aura from the Chakra Opening Realm Expert receded as it was never there. The Second Elder felt a piercing gaze of the old woman in young body. He did not dare to lift his head and meet her eyes.

A few breaths later, he heard a cold command.

“Recount to me everything you know.”

The old man tried to get up from his knees when another blast of pressure pressed him to the ground.

“Did I permit you to stand?”

Hearing the chill voice, the Second Elder could only grit his teeth and endure the humiliation.

He told her everything, except for Path Finder Qian Bu’s speculation. He still harbored a tiny hope of winning the favor of the Mu Family if he found out the real culprit himself.

A few moments passed but Zhen Fa did not hear any reply from the Chakra Sage. He slightly raised his head to get a glimpse of her face.

Unfortunately, his shifty eyes met the cold gaze of the Chakra Sage. The Second Elder felt a shiver run down his spine. That gaze held killing intent.

“The Su Family, huh?”

A long time later, the Second Elder heard her whisper. Then suddenly he felt a swoosh of wind. When he lifted his face, it was slapped by her billowing robe as she jumped up into the air.

Watching her diminishing figure, Zhen Fa breathed a sigh of relief.

Just as he was about to get up, he felt a familiar aura press down on him keeping him kneeling. This aura possessed a hint of heavy water energy. It caused the ugly face of the Zhen Fa contort with rage.

“Patriarch! What are you doing?”

Zhen Fa shouted, looking in the direction of the newly arrived figure. He was his elder brother, the Patriarch of the Zhen family, Zhen Yu.

“I didn’t hear you shout when that little girl who had merely opened her first Chakra pressed you down? Did your old bones perhaps enjoy it?”

Zhen Yu asked, ridiculing the pitiful condition of his younger brother.

Patriarch Zhen had shed his mortal body and regained his youth by opening the seventh and last Chakra of the Chakra Opening Realm. This was the reason why he looked younger despite being older than Zhen Fa.

The Path Finder glared hatefully at his brother. He was the target he always wanted to surpass.

But Zhen Fa knew there was no hope for him to do it in his life that was nearing its end. So he hoped his son would inherit the position of Successor of the Zhen Family, letting him have at least one last victory over his brother.

This was the reason he had decided to collude with the Mu family. Yet, he had been caught, that too in this embarrassing position.

Soon, the pressure on him reduced and then dissipated. A hand helped him up from the ground.

“Brother Fa, I know you want to surpass me. I know you covet the position of the Successor for your son, but keep the matters of family within the family.”

The Patriarch spoke with a warm smile, patting the dust off from the embarrassed Second Elder’s robes. Then suddenly, his tone became very chilly and sharp as a warning escaped from his lips.

“Don’t involve the outsiders.”

Nodding meaningfully at Zhen Fa, the Patriarch then leisurely stepped into the air with his hands behind his back and returned to his Courtyard.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep