Early the next morning, the sky above the Su Manor was still painted in pale blue and soft gold. Morning wind flowed gently through the Rain Appreciating Pavilion courtyard.
Zhuo Riyan stood in the open space outside the house, both hands resting on his waist, eyes closed. He breathed in deeply, feeling the cool, fresh air fill his lungs. For a rare moment, everything felt calm.
Little Cat sat proudly on top of his head, its fur swaying lightly with the breeze. The small beast looked half-asleep, half-satisfied, as if the world had nothing worth worrying about.
The two of them looked absurdly peaceful, like there were no schemes, no enemies, no fucking problems waiting ahead.
Zhuo Riyan's thoughts drifted back to the night before.
Sister Mei… hah.
She really didn't give a damn about the internal struggles of the Su family. Last night, she had said bluntly that this manor was far too small for real cultivation. At the time, he had laughed, but now he knew she was right.
This place would never hold him.
I have to leave this manor as soon as possible.
Their conversation had stretched until midnight. No schemes, no pretending. Just honest words. It had been… fun.
He opened his eyes slowly.
Both he and Little Cat were waiting.
Footsteps sounded behind him.
Su Jing stepped out of the house. Her face looked tired and aged, traces of long-term illness etched into her features. Yet beneath that worn appearance was the grace of a woman who had once been stunningly beautiful.
She walked up to Zhuo Riyan and gently placed her hand on his shoulder.
"I'm here," she said softly. "Now get going."
Zhuo Riyan turned his head. Little Cat did the same, peeking over his forehead. Mother and son met her gaze.
Both of them smiled.
"Let's go," Zhuo Riyan said calmly.
Little Cat lifted its head proudly and added, "We'll win this fight."
With that, Zhuo Riyan walked forward, Su Jing by his side, Little Cat perched confidently on his head. Together, the three left the Rain Appreciating Pavilion and headed toward the grounds where the competition would be held.
Inside the Su Manor stood the Su Clan Arena.
It was not massive, but its size was roughly equal to the Rain Appreciating Pavilion. Stone walls surrounded the arena, firm and solid, clearly built to withstand violent clashes of beast qi and techniques.
Rows of seats encircled the arena. Numerous Su Manor servants had already taken their places, filling the area with noise and anticipation. Guards armed with spears and swords stood at regular intervals around the arena and along the outer perimeter, their expressions sharp as they maintained order and security.
At the center of the arena stood a single large stone platform.
This platform was where the fight for the Rain Appreciating Pavilion would be decided.
On one side of the arena, elevated above the audience, was a viewing room built into the structure. Inside it were two large thrones carved from dark stone—reserved exclusively for the Su Clan Leader and his second brother.
Below, among the audience, four smaller thrones had been prepared. These seats belonged to the sons of the clan leader and his second brother.
Soon, footsteps echoed from the entrance.
Su Hangan arrived.
He entered the elevated viewing room with a dignified stride. Behind him followed his second brother, Su Tengan—the father of Su Wen and Su Shen. Compared to Su Hangan, Su Tengan looked noticeably younger, his aura calm yet sharp.
Standing behind Su Tengan was Su Zin, dressed in his white martial attire, his presence steady and imposing.
Su Hangan and Su Tengan took their seats on the two main thrones. Su Zin remained standing beside Su Hangan, hands behind his back, eyes calmly scanning the arena.
The moment the servants below saw Su Hangan, the arena erupted.
"Master Hangan is here!"
"Master Hangan, live for eternity!"
Voices overlapped, loud and excited.
Some servants noticed Su Zin and immediately began whispering.
"Hey, look! Sir Zin is here."
"Yeah, I love him so much—look at his beautiful face, kyaa."
A fat, ugly servant clasped her hands together, eyes filled with delusion and affection. "I'll propose to him after this competition."
Su Zin's expression did not change in the slightest.
Minutes later, several figures entered through the main gate.
Su Fenjen, Su Luoling, Su Wen, and Su Shen walked in together, their expressions varying from calm to calculating. They climbed the side stairs and took their seats on the four smaller thrones prepared for them.
Soon after, their wives and children followed.
The wives sat close to their husbands among the audience seats, whispering quietly. Meanwhile, the children who would participate in the competition gathered near the central platform.
Su Mei stood calmly, her expression cold and detached.
Su Luejiao looked tense but confident.
Su Kim held his fan, smiling faintly.
Su Man stood beside him, arms folded.
Su Qang remained silent, his eyes sharp, his aura heavy.
All participants were present.
All except one.
Su Hangan glanced sideways at Su Zin, his brows knitting slightly.
"Where are Riyan'er and Jing'er?" he asked.
Su Zin replied calmly, "They are outside the arena. They are coming straight inside."
Su Hangan nodded slowly, his gaze returning to the arena.
The competition was about to begin.