The white glow faded from Tang San, leaving him exposed and alone. He bowed with dignity, voice unyielding even under their eyes. "My respects, sect master. My respects, elders."

All eyes shifted to Tang Yin. Without speaking, she dipped into a flawless curtsy, graceful as only someone taught at the moonlight pavilion could. Rising smoothly, she moved to stand beside her brother, maintaining the silence.

One of the elders, with long eyebrows, spoke. "Deathgod domain."

"Yes." Tang San made no effort to conceal what it was.

"So one of you possesses Tang Hao’s talent. Though another like him and the sect will burn again. You—just third-generation. Your sister—a civilian," another spat out. Tang Yin arched a brow but remained composed. Her hard-won training paid off as she did not lose her temper; instead, she concealed and locked her spirit power even deeper inside. Sea dragon Douluo had not failed to beat into her how to conceal her

spirit power, but she did remain standing. "How dare you stand and not kneel!"

Tang San hesitated on the verge of kneeling. Suddenly, Tang Yin’s good arm came out from beneath her coat, gripping his shoulder to stop him. She shook her head firmly, her eyes hard with resolve. She had refused to kneel before the sect master once, and she would not yield now. Behind Tang Xiao, Tang Yuehua watched anxiously, her mouth tight with worry as she observed the siblings’ defiance.

Tang San bowed instead now. "I, Tang San, hope for no forgiveness, not for myself, not for my father. I only wish to recognise and pray to my ancestors.”

"Bullshit!" another elder, the slim one, thundered. "In view of your father's conduct and deeds, don't even think of asking for forgiveness, praying, or even returning to the sect. You both are half-breeds, descended from an evil wench of a spirit beast. You have utterly no right! Even if Clear Skys Gates are sealed, no bastard like you two would be allowed to return!"

"Seventh brother." The elder with the long eyebrows said. "Watch your words, there are many of the younger generation watching, and they ask to pray to their ancestors, not all the rest." The slim elder only sent an angry look at his fellow elder.

"A Bastard." Tang San said in a low and rumbling voice. "Who did you say is a bastard?" The coldness coming from him was deeper than the one he had used with the deathgod domain.

Tang Xiao said nothing, his face merely ashen from fury and the stain of holding said anger bottled inside.

"You two," the elder ranted. "If not for that animal Tang Hao involving the Sect, my eldest son would still be alive and have been ambushed and killed by Spirit Hall whilst purchasing supplies for the sect."

"Enough!" The long eyebrowed elder thundered. "Seventh elder, if you cannot control yourself, leave."

Tang Yin snorted. "You’re not listening," she said, coolly. "We never asked to join you. All you have done so far is insult us, our father, and our mother. We want no forgiveness. We only want to honour our ancestors. As it is our blood right." Her gaze was hard. "But I won’t

tolerate those who spit on my mother’s memory. The enemy is Spirit Hall, not us."

Tang San watched his sister, her words freezing the room. Her expression was open, blue eyes blazing with fierce, unyielding clarity. There was no pretence in her, no deceit.

She faced the elders, gaze impenetrable, her posture as unyielding as steel, even as they used their spirit power on her—her body forged by the brutal climb up the Sea God Island stairs.

"Are you challenging me, little girl?" The seventh elder said beneath her stare, while he wondered how she was standing, his gaze flickered to her brother.

"Yes," she said, jaw tight. "No one insults my mother."

"You are nothing but a civilian. You cannot even fight." He spat out. "Talentless little girl."

"But I can." Tang San said and stepped to his sister, putting a hand on her shoulder, asking her to calm herself before stepping forward.

"Please advise me, seventh elder."

"hahaha!” The seventh elder laughed, until tears ran down his chees in amusement." A junior challenging me! If it were Tang Hao, it would be appropriate; you are not even a challenge."

Beside Tang Xiao, Tang Yuehua cursed under her breath, her gaze cold. If it were your second brother, would you even dare accept, or would you hide behind pompous words? But she held her tongue—if Tang Xiao stayed silent, so would she. She glanced at Tang Yin, who still masked her spirit power, and in that instant, seeing the glint in the girl’s eyes, she understood.

They had a scheme—she sensed it. It echoed Tang Xiao's, giving Tang San space to prove his merit. Tang San was ruthless and commanded fear, but Yin unnerved her more when her gaze flickered to the girl she knew was a powerful spirit master.

Tang san would be a star in the clan, the next genius, if only he revealed his true worth. But Yin—Yin was something else. Her spirit power eclipsed even her brother’s monstrous talent, but she had a temper quick to ignite and the soul of an artist. An explosive combination.

If her brother was harmed, Yin—who abhorred killing and shunned it when she could—would do anything to see Clear Sky crumble, once strong enough. For her, emotion outweighed logic, unlike her brother.

Those who killed easily found their revenge ended with a single death. But those who withheld, who delayed until the last moment, for they hated killing when they finally made their choice, they would not stop until nothing remained to sate their wrath, which Tang Yuehua was fairly certain of when it came to Yin. When Tang Yin would turn truly furious, it would be like a volcano exploding.

Someone like that was far more dangerous.

Tang Sans words interrupted his aunt's thought as he asked. "Don't you dare?"