"Father, if I'm a bastard, then what does that make you?"
Sean Xuan didn't care at all. When he said this, there wasn't the slightest hint of grievance in his voice—no emotion, no rise or fall.
"Unfilial son, you—what did you just say?" Sean's father was so furious his face turned green, his fingers trembling uncontrollably...
Sean Xuan was completely unfazed and replied with good temper: "Father, you heard right. Your precious children called me a bastard and told me to get out of Skyvault Palace. They said Skyvault belongs to them and that an outsider like me should leave. If I'm an outsider, if I'm a bastard, then what does that make you?"
Sean Xuan wasn't angrily questioning anyone; he was simply stating the facts, but that was exactly what made people furious...
Fiona Xuan immediately sensed things were going wrong and jumped in, looking aggrieved: "Dad, it's not like that... Big Brother is just talking nonsense. I never said anything like that. I came to ask Big Brother to visit Mom—she's seriously ill and keeps thinking about him, but Big Brother hurt my brother instead."
Fiona Xuan looked pitiful, tears streaming down her face as she said, "Dad, I admire Big Brother so much—how could I ever call him a bastard? Dad, Big Brother bullied me; you have to stand up for me."
Fiona Xuan cried like a weeping doll, throwing herself into Sean's father's arms as if suffering some tremendous injustice...
Sean Xuan said nothing and didn't try to defend himself. He just stood there quietly, as if watching a farce—but he couldn't bring himself to laugh...
His home had ceased to exist the day his father married that woman.
He no longer had a home...
One was the beloved daughter who had always been kept close and cherished; the other was the son who had been away for decades, growing more and more disliked. Naturally, Sean's father believed Fiona Xuan...
"Sean, you've really disappointed me. If you don't like Skyvault Palace, you can move out—I'm not stopping you." Ever since Sean Xuan appeared, Skyvault Palace was thrown into chaos, and Sean's father resented his presence just as much.
If you expect nothing, you won't be disappointed. Sean Xuan realized he wasn't sad or disappointed at all...
The father he remembered was long dead. The man standing before him now was so unfamiliar it was frightening—there wasn't a trace of warmth left. Without hesitation, Sean Xuan called his friends out...
"Luckily I have a group of friends here to testify, or I'd never be able to clear my name." Sean Xuan looked at his father with indifference, showing no pride. Fiona Xuan, however, turned pale and started trembling as soon as she saw the group: "Dad, Big Brother—he's framing me!"
This time, Fiona Xuan was genuinely frightened into tears, but Sean's father had no time to listen—because the young heroes from the martial world started speaking, and each word was harsher than the last...
"Greetings, Master Xuan. Normally, we wouldn't meddle in your household affairs, but since we heard everything, we have to speak up for Sean. We swear on our honor that every word Sean said is true. Just now, that young lady pointed at Sean, called him a bastard, and told him to get lost."
"We all thought it was ridiculous—someone actually told the future Palace Master of Skyvault to get out of Skyvault? What kind of rules does this place have?"
"Master Xuan, has Skyvault Palace changed hands? How come we never got the news?"
...
All the friends Sean Xuan had invited were well-known young figures in the martial world, each from a good family and proud in their own right. They had no reason to lie for Sean, nor could Sean possibly convince so many people to lie for him...
With things as they were, the truth was plain to see.
Not only did Fiona Xuan call Sean Xuan a bastard, she refused to admit it, but...
Sean's father wasn't angry with Fiona Xuan at all. Instead, he was furious at Sean for airing the family's shame in public: "Sean, your sister is young and doesn't know any better, but shouldn't you know better? Why are you, as the eldest brother, making such a fuss over something so trivial?"
Even in front of these outstanding young heroes, Sean's father refused to waver, stubbornly defending his precious daughter. Fiona Xuan seized the chance to cry: "Dad, I was wrong. I really didn't mean to call Big Brother that. Big Brother said I was a lowborn child from a concubine, and I lost my temper. Dad, I know I was wrong, I won't dare again, Dad..."
"It's okay, I know you didn't mean it." Sean's father patted Fiona Xuan's back, comforting her instead.
Sean Xuan was long used to this, unfazed by it, but for his friends, it was the first time they'd seen such a thing. They were all stunned, at a complete loss for words...
They had never seen anyone so lacking in sense. Was the Palace Master of Skyvault out of his mind?
"Master Xuan, your daughter is so young but speaks such cruel words, and you don't think she's at fault?" Someone finally spoke up for Sean Xuan.
"Young Master Marcus Jiang, my daughter is just a child—she's innocent and naive. How could you take her words seriously?" Sean's father stood firmly by Fiona Xuan, placing all the blame on Sean Xuan: "But Sean, you're old enough to know better. Why did you invite your friends to the palace without telling me first?"
He even implied Sean Xuan had set Fiona Xuan up, and that Marcus Jiang and the others were being used by Sean.
"Father, I did send someone to inform you, but you were busy..." Sean Xuan stressed the word "busy." His father knew he'd been acting recklessly these days and blushed with embarrassment...
The young heroes hadn't thought much of it, but Sean's father's reaction made them suspicious...
Was the Palace Master of Skyvault really this kind of person?
Everyone was stunned, unable to believe what they were seeing...
"Sean, is he really your father?" Marcus Jiang, who was closest to Sean Xuan, couldn't help but speak up for him.
No wonder Sean Xuan refused to stay home—if it were him, he wouldn't last a minute in such a place.
Sean Xuan gave a self-deprecating smile and didn't answer. His father's face turned ugly, and he said through clenched teeth, "Marcus Jiang, this is my Skyvault Palace."
"Skyvault Palace—the greatest palace under heaven, I know it well. If it weren't for Sean, do you think I'd ever come here?" Marcus Jiang was proud and direct, speaking up for Sean Xuan without holding back.
Respect elders?
With a father like Sean Xuan's, not beating him up was already showing him more respect than he deserved.
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"Young Master Marcus Jiang, that's quite a tone! Someone—" Sean's father was so angry his face turned purple, about to order Marcus Jiang thrown off the mountain, but Sean Xuan interrupted him: "Enough, Marcus, let it go."
It looked like he was persuading Marcus Jiang, but in fact he was stopping his father's order.
"Sean, you—" Sean's father was very displeased, but Sean Xuan ignored him: "If you have nothing else to do, you'd better take those two to see a doctor. When I strike, I never hold back—I can't say for sure if it will be fatal."
Everyone could hear the self-mockery in Sean Xuan's words, but his father took it seriously: "You wretch, how dare you strike your brother and sister so hard? You'd better pray they're all right. If anything happens to them, I'll hold you responsible."
His father's face changed dramatically. Forgetting about punishing Sean Xuan, he rushed off with Fiona Xuan and her brother to see the doctor. The siblings had embarrassed themselves in front of outsiders and quickly slunk away...
"I'm sorry to have put you all through this—it was my fault," Sean Xuan apologized to his friends, but they knew perfectly well that none of this was his doing.
One by one, they comforted Sean Xuan, making it clear they would let their families know about the Palace Master's conduct, and if...
If anything changes in Skyvault Palace in the future, they will stand by Sean Xuan unconditionally and vouch for him.
Sean Xuan nodded lightly, showing nothing on his face, but inside he was coldly amused...
His father probably still didn't realize what he'd lost today...
A Palace Master with a ruined reputation, blinded by foolishness and replaced by his son—no one would blame the son for it...
But now isn't the time—and he no longer cared about Skyvault Palace...