The night of the Han family banquet at their residence, perched atop Jianghai Hill, was more than just a social event—it was a ceremony of power. Hund reds of crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling of the main hall, refracting light onto marble floors polished to look like mirrors. Outside, a procession of luxury cars crawled like glistening iron snakes under the bath of moonlight.
Lin Xuan stood before the large mirror in his room one last time before leaving. He wore a black tuxedo with an elegant slim cut, without a tie, giving off a rebellious yet high-class impression—just like a cold protagonist. There was no flashy jewelry on his body, except for the silver phoenix pin given by Seo-Ah, which he pinned behind the collar of his coat.
"Xuan, are you sure you don't want Father to come?" Lin Haifeng stood at the doorway, his face filled with unconcealable anxiety.
Lin Xuan turned around, looking at his father with a gaze that was now much more stable and humane after his inner struggle the night before. "Father, that place tonight is not for business negotiations. It is an unstable energy field. Stay at home. I have set up the Resonance security system around our gate. As long as you are inside, no ill intention can penetrate."
"But they... they are the Han family, Xuan. They have everything," his father whispered.
Lin Xuan stepped closer, holding his father's shoulders. "Your clothes might deceive human eyes, Father, but your aura can never lie to the universe. They may have everything in the physical world, but tonight I will show them that I have control over what makes everything exist. Enter your opponent's place as if you are the owner of the house, because reality always submits to those who are most certain."
Upon arriving at the Han residence, Lin Xuan was greeted by rows of neatly dressed guards with sharp, cold stares. He could feel an unusual frequency in the air—a mental pressure intentionally created to make ordinary guests feel inferior and submissive.
"Name and invitation card?" asked a giant guard at the main gate.
"Lin Xuan," he replied shortly.
The guard checked the list on his digital tablet, then sneered cynically. "Sorry, Young Master Lin. Your name has been crossed out. It seems there is a technical error, or perhaps your family's status no longer meets the standards to enter this hall."
Lin Xuan did not look surprised, let alone angry. He knew this was a small game from Song Jin-Ho. He did not argue, nor did he utter any harsh words. With a calm motion, he slightly revealed his suit collar, showing the hidden silver phoenix pin.
Instantly, the guard's eyes widened. The pin was not just metal—when it touched Lin Xuan's energy, it emitted a faint but very strong silvery aura—a mark of the Han family's highest authority, possessed only by the core bloodline.
"This... this is impossible," the guard muttered, his voice trembling. He immediately bowed his head, letting Lin Xuan pass without daring to ask further.
Lin Xuan stepped into the hall. His presence instantly created a ripple among the Jianghai elite. Whispers began to be heard. Most people there recognized him as the boy from the nearly bankrupt Lin family, but they were confused to see how he walked with an authority that even surpassed the ministers in attendance.
In the middle of the hall, Song Jin-Ho was holding a champagne glass, surrounded by sycophants who worshipped the wealth of the Song family. When he saw Lin Xuan, his face instantly turned sour. He deliberately walked to block Lin Xuan's path.
"Lin Xuan, I didn't expect you to have the nerve to sneak in here," Jin-Ho sneered loudly enough to draw attention. "Did you come to beg for a loan? Or do you want to see how my fiancée, Seo-Ah, will officially become mine tonight?"
Lin Xuan stopped right in front of Jin-Ho. He did not retaliate with a similar sneer. His eyes looked at Jin-Ho as if he were looking at a small crack in a wall that was about to collapse.
"Mr. Song, you speak as if this world is your chessboard. But you forget, even a chessboard can burn if you are too arrogant in holding the pieces," Lin Xuan said. "Your greatness is built upon the fear of others, and such a building only needs one crack to crumble. Tonight, you are not celebrating a victory, you are celebrating the beginning of your own downfall."
Jin-Ho laughed loudly, though his eyes showed unease. "A crack? Look around you, Lin Xuan! I have everything! You have nothing but your empty philosophical words!"
"We shall see if your gold can protect you when the frequency of your fate begins to turn," Lin Xuan replied before calmly walking away.
Lin Xuan found Han Seo-Ah on the second-floor balcony overlooking the garden. She looked breathtakingly beautiful in a pale gold satin dress, but her eyes reflected deep sadness. She looked like a phoenix whose wings were broken and forced to stay in a glittering golden cage.
"You came," Han Seo-Ah whispered as she realized Lin Xuan's presence. "Xuan, you have to leave now. My father... he already knows about what happened to Master Mo. The man in the white robe from that night is here. They won't let you walk out of that door alive."
Lin Xuan stood beside her, staring into the darkness of the vast garden. "I have been at the edge of the abyss since ten years ago, Seo-Ah. The difference is, this time I brought a bridge."
"This is not a joke! My father has staked everything on the alliance with the Song family. He will do anything to erase any disturbance—including you," Han Seo-Ah held Lin Xuan's hand, her hand felt cold.
Lin Xuan turned, looking into Seo-Ah's eyes with a gaze full of promise. "Fate is not something you should wait for with resignation, Seo-Ah. Tonight, I will prove that the lines on our hands were not written by those inside this hall. If they consider themselves gods over your life, then I will be the one to bring them back down to earth."
The moment was interrupted when the sound of a giant gong echoed in the hall below. The main lights suddenly dimmed, leaving dramatic lighting aimed at the grand staircase.
A middle-aged man with a very heavy and dominating aura appeared. Han Dong-Gook, the head of the Han family. Behind him stood the man in the white robe with a silver mask whom Lin Xuan had met on the rooftop. Their presence brought a cold air that seemed to freeze the champagne in the guests' glasses.
Han Dong-Gook raised the microphone, his voice booming to every corner of the room. "Tonight, we are not only gathered to celebrate the prosperity of Jianghai, but also to announce an eternal alliance. My daughter, Han Seo-Ah, will officially be engaged to the heir of the Song family, Song Jin-Ho!"
Applause broke out, but it felt stiff and forced. Amidst the cheers, Han Dong-Gook's eyes were fixed right toward Lin Xuan standing on the balcony. His gaze was full of pure killing intent, an open challenge sent through a coarse energy frequency.
Lin Xuan did not look down. Instead, he raised his wine glass filled with plain water toward Han Dong-Gook, then gave a thin smile—a smile that contained a far more deadly counter-challenge.
"Go ahead and announce your plans," Lin Xuan thought. "But in the universe I created, tonight is not about a wedding. Tonight is about a trial for those who treat human lives as a commodity."
When you stand on the edge of an abyss, do not spend your time looking down in fear. Look forward with confidence, because that is where the bridge of your destiny will form right beneath every step you take with pure intention.