A woman appeared, her hair piled up in curls atop her head, dressed in a tight-fitting robe styled like a Daoist's, yet her lips were painted an unnaturally bright red and her face was made up to look like a young maiden. If Evan Yang hadn't known in advance she was middle-aged, he would have thought she was just a young girl.
Behind her followed a large group, and standing at her side was none other than Easton Situ. With his mother backing him up, he now stood much more confidently. Though he didn't dare look Skyward Situ in the eye, he glared at Jace Situ and Evan Yang with open provocation.
“What a strange family,” Evan Yang thought to himself, sensing the atmosphere begin to turn tense.
As Evan was lost in thought, Skyward Situ stepped forward and said, "Madam, weren't you supposed to return to your sect today?"
"I was planning to go back, but some blind fool injured my son." The woman glanced at Evan Yang and snorted coldly.
Skyward Situ quickly tried to smooth things over: "Madam, it's all a misunderstanding. The young man just explained it to me—Easton was in the wrong first." He finished and glanced at Easton Situ, who was standing smugly beside the woman.
Easton Situ, after being glanced at by Skyward Situ, withdrew his earlier bravado and hid behind the woman.
The woman only had this one son, and seeing him bullied like this, how could she be happy? She immediately exploded, "Skyward, what do you mean by this? Easton was beaten, and you still defend someone else?"
"Madam, I already said it was a misunderstanding." Seeing things spiraling out of control—and with his long-held wish already fulfilled—Skyward Situ no longer wanted to keep swallowing his pride and finally spoke his mind.
"You—" The woman, who hadn't seen Skyward Situ contradict her like this in over a decade, was both shocked and furious. She even pointed at him and demanded, "Skyward Situ, what is the meaning of this?"
"No matter what happens today, I will protect this young man." Skyward Situ stood in front of Evan Yang and Jace Situ, facing the woman's domineering presence as he spoke.
"You—you, are you really going to oppose me?" The woman retorted anxiously.
"Madam, this is the Situ household. I am the clan head here. You bring so many outsiders, never considering my position—so why ask me this question now?" Skyward Situ, unable to control the situation, faced her directly and questioned her.
"You—fine, fine, you've got some nerve. I'll let this matter go for now, but today, that little beggar must apologize to my son!" The woman, frustrated by Skyward Situ's newfound boldness and inability to control him as before, spoke through gritted teeth.
"I already said, I will protect this young man!" Skyward Situ replied again.
"You, Skyward Situ, don't forget—you are the clan head of the Situ Clan. If you protect him today, you'll bring disaster on your clan!" The woman released all her pent-up anger, her domineering aura palpable to everyone. Yet Skyward Situ stood firm, shielding Evan Yang and Jace Situ behind him.
"Are you planning to start a fight here?" Skyward Situ sneered coldly, having long lost any affection for his wife.
Seeing Skyward Situ release his aura, the woman's eyes burned with fury but she restrained herself, withdrawing her presence and saying, "Skyward Situ, remember this day. And as for that little beggar, my son's grudge will be repaid many times over."
It was the first time the woman had suffered such humiliation. Fuming, she left with Easton Situ and the others. Even Easton and Jace Situ were surprised that Skyward Situ had actually confronted her for the sake of an outsider.
After the woman and her group left, Jace Situ still couldn't believe it and asked, "Dad, you really offended Second Madam."
"Jace, in a while your stepmother's sect will surely send people to question us. So I want you to leave with this young man, to preserve some of the Situ Clan's bloodline." Skyward Situ sighed, as if making a momentous decision.
"Dad." Jace Situ hadn't expected Evan Yang's arrival would cause such upheaval, and even Evan Yang himself looked curiously at the two.
"If you're willing to listen to me, then leave with this young man right away." Skyward Situ didn't want things to turn out like this, but after so many years, now that his daughter was safe, as long as his son left the clan, he felt he had done right by his children.
"Clan head Situ, has it really come to this?" Evan Yang couldn't believe things had escalated so terribly.
"Young man, if I'm not mistaken, the person spreading the rumor about my daughter's death is most likely my second wife. Especially after what just happened—it seems she's been watching us all along and only appeared just now." Skyward Situ briefly explained the situation.
"Her? I have no grudge against her—why would she spread such news about me?" Evan Yang was even more shocked after hearing it might have been that woman who released the rumor.
"This is a family matter. Let Jace explain it to you later. I need to prepare." Skyward Situ could have left with Jace Situ himself, but he didn't—there were other branch members in the clan, and he couldn't leave them behind out of selfishness. He could only face the coming storm together with them.
Jace Situ's eyes shone red as he looked at his father, wanting to cry but unable to shed tears. "Dad."
"Jace, your sister isn't dead. I hope that one day you can rebuild the Situ Clan." Skyward Situ said simply, then turned and vanished in a flash.
"Is this the power of the Core-Breaching stage?" Evan Yang had heard that the clan head had broken through to the Core-Breaching stage, but seeing such a master disappear so quickly before his eyes left him stunned.
Jace Situ wiped away his tears and said, "Brother Evan, let's go."
You... Evan Yang didn't know what to say. Had his arrival disrupted their lives? He felt deeply guilty.
"Let's go." Jace Situ wasn't one to hesitate; he immediately led Evan Yang out of the Situ estate. Since he was familiar with the patrol soldiers, they left smoothly. After climbing a nearby hill, Jace turned to look back at the still-normal Situ Clan patrols, feeling a bitter emotion he couldn't describe.
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Unable to hold back his curiosity any longer, Evan Yang finally asked, "Jace, who exactly is your stepmother?"
Jace Situ sighed helplessly, looking ahead. "She's the daughter of the Joyhaven Palace lord, named Fiona Maple. When my father was young, he visited Joyhaven Palace as a guest. She took a liking to him—even though he already had my mother, she used her influence to force him to marry her. Eventually, my father had no choice but to take her as his second wife. Later, she gave birth to my little brother, Easton Situ. After my mother died, she seized the opportunity to infiltrate many areas my father controlled. The people we saw earlier are probably from Joyhaven Palace."
Evan Yang was amazed after hearing this family secret. "Your stepmother's background is really something else."
"That's right. Ever since she arrived, our whole family hasn't had a moment's peace. I thought she'd settle down after having a child, but my little brother only grew more unruly, influenced by her. No matter what he did, right or wrong, she'd always back him up, letting him act recklessly. Every time I tried to discipline him, she'd punish me instead." As the Situ Clan's guard captain, Jace Situ could only wear an awkward expression now.
Evan Yang realized his arrival had stirred up their internal conflicts. Now that Lana Situ was safe, the clan head was finally starting to handle family affairs. Jace Situ came to his senses and said, "Let's go. My father should be able to deal with things."
"Oh? Does your father have a backup plan?" Evan Yang asked curiously.
All these years, my father hasn't just sat idly by. To protect my sister and me, he's made many preparations—otherwise, I wouldn't be able to leave with you like this." Jace Situ nodded and smiled.
Evan Yang agreed it made sense and prepared to leave with Jace Situ.
Suddenly, an annoying laugh came from the nearby bushes. "Do you really think you can just leave like this?"
Three people emerged. Two stood behind a young man—the same spoiled son, Easton Situ, whom Evan Yang had taught a lesson earlier. Easton wore a smug smile. After hearing Evan Yang and Jace Situ had left the clan, he rushed over, bringing two powerful cultivators his mother provided.
"Didn't expect my stepmother to have so many spies in the clan." Jace Situ glared at Easton Situ.
Evan Yang sized up the newcomers' cultivation levels, ignoring Easton Situ entirely.
Easton Situ didn't care about Evan Yang's disregard. He smiled at Jace Situ, "Big brother, you should at least say something to your little brother before you leave. How can you just abandon your post as the clan's guard captain and run off?"
"Enough talk—did our stepmother send you to capture us?" Jace Situ sneered.
Easton Situ pulled out a fan, waving it as he smiled. "Big brother, what are you saying? We're family, after all. Mother wants to see you and this young man, so she sent me to bring you both." He gave Evan Yang a sharp look as he finished speaking.
Jace Situ watched them coldly without speaking, then sent a voice transmission to Evan Yang: "One of them has cultivation equal to mine, maybe even a bit higher. The other is at the peak of Foundation Establishment. If you can stall for a while, I can rescue you."
Evan Yang nodded, saying nothing but feeling reassured. At least one opponent was at the peak of Foundation Establishment. Evan had fought Warren Wong before—even Warren wasn't his match. To stall and trap a Foundation Establishment peak expert wouldn't be difficult.
Easton Situ had no idea what Evan Yang and Jace Situ were plotting, thinking they were about to flee. He ordered the two men forward. The stronger one faced Jace Situ, while the Foundation Establishment peak expert naturally confronted Evan Yang. Easton stood by, laughing. "If you won't leave, I'll have them escort you."
Releasing his Core Formation aura, Jace Situ worried it might affect Evan Yang, so he smiled, "If you've got the guts, come with me." With a flash, he moved to a spot on the hillside.
Evan Yang remained where he was, watching the Foundation Establishment peak expert who hadn't made a move yet. Easton Situ, meanwhile, stared at Evan Yang and said, "Kid, I hear you're at mid-Foundation Establishment now. No wonder you beat me. This time, I've found you a worthy opponent. Let's see if you can still act so arrogant!"