The grand hall of the Lu Clan was filled with elders who's cultivation was enough to dominate any middle ranks clan, its towering jade pillars lined with golden dragons. The air was heavy with incense smoke that did nothing to cover the tension in the room.
Lu Yun stood in the center, covered in whip marks, blood seeping from some of the injuries on his body. His tattered robe clearly showed how thin he was—a clear sign of not being fed properly. His lips were pale, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
At the top of the steps sat Lu Tianhe, not only the patriarch of the Lu Clan but also leader of this holy land. His face was dark with fury. Beside him sat a beautiful woman—Lu Yun's biological mother in name only—her gaze as cold as ice with disappoint written all over it.
On Lu Tianhe's right stood the so-called second son, Lu Ming, a boy with delicate features and kind eyes on the surface. But behind that gentle mask hid the heart of a snake. Feeling his brother's gaze, Lu Ming lowered his head slightly, his voice soft as he spoke.
"Father, please don't blame Big Brother too harshly… Maybe he was just feeling… jealous. I know I've been receiving more attention lately. Perhaps Big Brother felt jealous and did this for your attention…"
Lu Yun's anger rose as his brother's words fell. Only he knew how vicious Lu Ming truly was. He had fooled everyone in his past life. He was a demonic cultivator, and in the next 100 years, he would kill all the members of the Lu family and the disciples and elders of the Holy Land to refine them for his cultivation.
As he was thinking this, his Second Senior Sister, stepped forward, her red lips curled in a sneer.
"Jealous? Hah! This trash? What right does he have to be jealous of you, Brother Ming? He can't even tame a wild horse, let alone raise a spirit beast. He's lucky the family even keeps him around."
Fourth Senior Sister, Qian, laughed coldly. "That's right. Always pretending to be loyal and hardworking. But in the end, he's just a dog trying to bite its master. Poisoning the Thunder Python? How shameless, just to gain your attention."
Lu Yun bit his tongue until he tasted blood. He lifted his head, his dark eyes filled with cold fury, but he said nothing.
Lu Tianhe's voice boomed like thunder.
"Lu Yun! The evidence is clear. The beast you poisoned was a treasure of our clan. From this day forward, your cultivation breeding peak is given to Lu Ming. And you! You will be sent to the Demon Sea for three years of reflection! If you accept this punishment without complaint, I will spare your life!"
As his words fell, every elder around couldn't help but tremble. The Demon Sea was a place where countless demon beasts lived. Sending someone there was like sending them to their death. They all knew that even if Lu Yun did not die, he would surely lose his cultivation.
After hearing the familiar words from his father—just like in his past life—Lu Yun's body trembled. His heart felt like it was being torn apart, and endless anger burst open.
Punishment? Spare my life? When have I ever been treated as part of this family?
His mind raged as memories surged forth.
Lu Ming, the child they picked up from who knows where, gets the finest cultivation resources, lives in the most luxurious peak, and is showered with love. I, their own blood, sleep in the stables, on cold straw meant for beasts. When I begged for a place to stay, they said there was no room. When I worked day and night to gather herbs for my sisters, they took them without thanks and even broke my bones for daring to come to their place. In my past life, when my second sister faced tribulation, I risked my life to help her—and she was the one who devised this plan to frame me, to give access to my beast breeding peak to Second Brother. I gave them everything I could, and how did they repay me? The servants beat me because they didn't like my handsome face. The maids spat at me and starved me for days. Because of all this torture, many of my bones always stayed broken as I did not get elixirs to heal them.
Lu Yun's gaze lifted slowly, locking onto Lu Tianhe's face. For the first time, there was no humility in his eyes. No longing. Only hatred. Pure, bone-deep hatred.
Lu Tianhe's brows furrowed. That look—it chilled him to the bone. Why does this useless son look at me like that… as if he wants to kill me?
Lu Ming noticed too. His gentle mask faltered for just a moment, a flicker of fear passing through his eyes.
Lu Yun's mouth opened. The words he had buried in his heart for years—he wanted to show this family their true face and hypocrisy and cut all ties with them.
But then—
A voice echoed in his mind.
["Heh. Feels bad for you, man. But you're not getting your revenge. I'll be taking over from here."]
Lu Yun froze. His mouth, just about to speak, stayed open but no sound came. His heart pounded wildly, his vision darkened, and his soul was absorbed by someone from Earth.