Under the elder's frightening pressure, Rin could barely breathe.
The peaceful atmosphere inside the wooden hut had completely disappeared. The elder's chilling aura pressed against his body like an invisible mountain. Rin's chest tightened, and even drawing a single breath became difficult.
Yet despite the terrifying pressure, his eyes remained steady.
He gave his answer.
"Why does it matter whether they were right or wrong?"
The elder's eyes narrowed.
The crushing pressure suddenly disappeared.
Rin immediately took a deep breath, finally feeling the weight lift from his shoulders.
The elder looked at him with curiosity.
"What do you mean?"
Rin straightened himself and said, "They already acknowledged that the Tang Clan was strong enough to carve fear into them. They used cheap tricks, even though they called themselves orthodox, to stop one clan."
His expression remained calm.
"If I were the Matriarch, I would just laugh at them and say, 'The position you all want fears hidden weapons and poison.'"
For a brief moment, the elder simply stared at him.
Then—
"Hahaha!"
A smile appeared on her aged face, and she began laughing.
"That's right! Why should the Tang Clan bother running clans that fear us?"
Rin continued, "As Matriarch, instead of leading the Five Great Clans, I would make the Tang Clan like a lone snake whose fangs bite anyone who comes into its path."
The elder's laughter stopped.
"Tang Clan is not a snake, young boy."
Rin looked at her curiously.
The elder casually raised her hand.
With a slight movement of her fingers, her Qi spread into the surrounding forest.
Leaves rustled outside.
A moment later, a snake and a toad flew from the forest, carried through the air by her Qi.
Rin watched carefully.
"If we become a snake, we will never be considered orthodox," the elder said.
Her gaze shifted toward the two creatures.
"That Matriarch also thought she must make the Tang Clan like a snake. But a snake hunts weak prey and fights foes who merely try to approach it peacefully. How can such an animal be considered righteous?"
She pointed toward the snake and the toad.
"But then she saw this situation."
Rin directed his attention toward them.
The snake slowly moved toward the toad.
The toad had striking, bright-red skin, its appearance almost beautiful beneath the fading light.
The snake opened its mouth.
It struck.
The toad was swallowed into its mouth—
But suddenly, the snake dropped it.
The serpent violently twisted across the ground.
Its body convulsed.
It looked as though it were suffering unbearable agony.
Rin stared in shock.
The elder calmly watched the scene.
"A snake is frightening. It has sharp fangs and powerful venom. All of this intimidates its opponents—just like the unorthodox."
She looked toward the brightly colored toad.
"But that toad looks beautiful. It attracts everyone."
Her eyes sharpened.
"Yet it is poisonous enough to kill even the snake that tries to bare its fangs at it."
Rin's expression slowly changed as he began to understand.
"When the Matriarch witnessed this scene, she decided that the Tang Clan should become like this toad—easy to approach, harming no one, but giving agony a thousand times over to anyone who tries to bare their fangs at it."
A proud light appeared in the elder's eyes.
"And from this came the Tang Clan's saying—"
Her voice carried through the quiet hut.
"Repay kindness a thousandfold—and vengeance even more."
Rin remained silent.
Now, he understood what the Tang Clan truly was.
The elder slowly stood.
"Let's get out of this garden. It's about to get dark."
Rin nodded and followed her.
───
The evening sky had already begun turning crimson as they walked through the dense garden.
Rin followed silently behind the elder until they finally reached the entrance.
The two guards immediately became serious the moment they saw the old woman.
They straightened their backs, cupped their hands, and bowed deeply.
"We greet the Supreme Elder!"
Rin froze.
His eyes widened.
Supreme Elder?
He stared at the old woman he had spent all this time casually talking with.
Only now did everything fall into place.
The mysterious control over the forest.
The effortless object manipulation.
The Nine-Colored Serpent.
The immense Qi.
This elder was none other than one of the Ten Strongest Orthodox Martial Artists—
The Poison Empress.
A Transcendent Stage martial artist.
The Supreme Elder walked past the guards before noticing Rin's stunned expression.
She gave him an amused glance.
"Oh? To think this younger generation still remembers this old woman."
Rin immediately composed himself and spoke in a respectful tone.
"How could someone not know about one of the Ten Strongest Martial Artists in the Central Plains?"
The Supreme Elder chuckled.
"Ha! That's just an empty title."
They continued forward.
Not far away, Rin spotted Yu Meixian and the Tang Clan Matriarch, the Poison Queen.
The two women also noticed them approaching.
Yu Meixian respectfully greeted the elder.
"It's been a while, Elder."
The Poison Queen also greeted her.
"You came out of the garden, Mother?"
The Supreme Elder's expression immediately darkened.
"You brat! What kind of Matriarch are you?! How can you send some little boy into our garden without any guide or guard? Do you think our Tang Clan garden is some beautiful garden for relaxing the mind, ha?!"
The Poison Queen remained remarkably calm beneath her mother's scolding.
"Mother, I knew he would be safe. You were already there, and I'm sure you would never let any guest of our Tang Clan get hurt."
The Supreme Elder stared at her daughter.
"Damn brat. You're always good with words."
Her gaze then shifted toward Yu Meixian.
The anger on her face faded.
"Well, I'm sorry about your master."
Yu Meixian's expression became solemn.
The Supreme Elder continued, "She was so talented with the sword. If she had trained just a little more, she might have broken through that wall and reached the apex of the sword."
A trace of regret appeared in the old woman's eyes.
"It's a pity."
The evening wind passed between them.
The Supreme Elder then waved her hand.
"Well, let's eat. It's already night. Let's all sit together and eat."
They all headed toward the Tang Clan's main estate.
───
By the time they reached the main estate, lanterns had already been lit throughout the Tang Clan.
Their warm glow illuminated the enormous courtyards and ancient wooden halls.
As Rin entered, he spotted his brother.
Lianzhen was talking to a man who appeared to be in his forties. He had a well-maintained body and long hair, carrying himself with a graceful and composed presence.
Yu Meixian greeted him before turning toward Rin.
"Rin, meet him. He is the Patriarch of the Tang Clan."
Rin respectfully greeted him.
The Patriarch looked between Rin and Lianzhen, his eyes brightening.
"Oh, what beautiful young men! You two brothers must have been born with Heaven's blessing. You are both so handsome."
Lianzhen smiled.
"We're not that pretty, ha."
The Patriarch laughed.
"Oh, the food is ready. Just sit at the dining table."
They all took their seats around the dining table.
Soon, Tang Xiuying arrived.
She joined them.
But the moment she saw everyone—and especially Rin—her earlier confidence completely disappeared.
She lowered her head, unable to meet Rin's eyes.
Then another person arrived.
She appeared younger than Tang Xiuying.
It was Tang Yuxin—
The Second Young Lady of the Tang Clan and Tang Xiuying's younger sister.