Right then, in the main hall of the Dongfang family, a middle-aged man sat upon the sofa, his eyes slightly closed, seemingly lost in tranquil repose. Yet, an aura of supreme authority emanated from him—it was Dongfang Daoming, the patriarch who had long presided over the Dongfang lineage. One could hardly deny he was a significant figure.

Among the eight great families of Huaxia, the Dongfang clan had managed to maintain its standing. Though they still relied on the protection of the Xuanmen sect, the Dongfang family had also poured countless efforts and merits into their position. This was precisely why Mu Qingfeng held the Dongfang lineage in such high regard. The brow on the patriarch’s square face twitched slightly. He straightened up, picked up the tea from the table, took a slow sip, and then finally turned his gaze to Dongfang Shiling and Dongfang Mei'er, who had just walked in through the doorway.

"Father!"

"Dad!"

As Dongfang Shiling and Dongfang Mei'er saw the middle-aged man look toward them, they both called out reflexively.

"Aren't you two supposed to be in class right now? Why aren't you in school?" The middle-aged man frowned, looking at them with palpable confusion.

"Father, actually..." Dongfang Shiling felt a knot of apprehension tighten in his stomach, and with that, he immediately dropped to his knees!

"Hm? Shiling, what is this?" Dongfang Daoming’s brow furrowed even deeper, his mind filled with doubt. Usually, Dongfang Shiling would never kneel so readily or for so long; what on earth was happening today?

"Mei'er, you kneel too." Before Dongfang Shiling could answer his father, he commanded the Dongfang Mei'er standing beside him.

"Why? Hmph, I still don't know for sure if he is who you think he is!" Dongfang Mei'er looked thoroughly displeased, her inherent stubbornness shining through; she simply refused to fully believe it yet.

Indeed, Dongfang Shiling had yet to hear his father confirm Yang Yi's true identity, but he was eighty percent certain Yang Yi had to be from the Xuanmen. Otherwise, how could Yang Yi have known the sect’s rules? And even if he wasn't, the two of them had still violated those rules. If that Yang Yi really did show up at the Dongfang residence, then...

Lost in these thoughts, Dongfang Shiling sharply ordered, "Mei'er, kneel!"

"No, I won't!" Dongfang Mei'er deliberately ignored her brother, turning her head away.

Witnessing this dynamic between the siblings, Dongfang Daoming grew extremely puzzled. His expression turned grave as he demanded, "Shiling, what precisely is going on?"

"Uh, Father, the matter is actually like this." Dongfang Shiling recounted the midday events at the Chinese restaurant to Dongfang Daoming. As he spoke, he watched his father’s face for changes, but the more he looked, the heavier his heart became. He had originally planned to plead for a lighter punishment for his sister, but now, that seemed highly unlikely.

Upon hearing the name Yang Yi, Dongfang Daoming's expression shifted dramatically. Although he hadn't yet spoken Yang Yi’s connection to the Xuanmen aloud, his voice began to rumble like distant thunder. "Someone come!"

"Yes, Master!" An old servant entered and responded.

"Immediately go to the study and retrieve the file bound in gold from the drawer!" Dongfang Daoming cast a grave look at the stunned Dongfang Mei'er, praying internally, When will this girl ever stop causing trouble? Sigh—if that person truly is who I fear he is, then...

Looking somewhat anxious, he paced a few steps before settling back onto the sofa, his face set in a stern mask that made him appear overwhelmingly imposing. Dongfang Shiling, kneeling on the floor nearby, was already breaking out in a cold sweat, his mind racing with unknown fears.

In less than a minute, the old servant returned to Dongfang Daoming’s side, holding a file. "Master, the file has arrived."

"Hm!" Dongfang Daoming took the file and quickly flipped through the pages. After a few glances, he walked over to Dongfang Shiling and asked, "Is the person you described this one?"

"Slap!" The file was tossed onto the floor by Dongfang Daoming. Dongfang Shiling quickly confirmed the contents: Yang Yi. Age nineteen. Currently resides at... Reading through this information, his face turned even more pale than his father's had been. By the time he reached the photograph and the title of Xuanmen Sect Leader, his pupils dilated violently.

"Your expression seems to have confirmed for me that the youth you encountered at noon today is indeed the Master of our Xuanmen sect, yes?" Dongfang Daoming’s face hardened, his immense, inherent authority radiating with controlled fury.

"Yes!" Dongfang Shiling nervously glanced at his father before responding.

"Hmph!" Dongfang Daoming snorted, sparing a brief look at Dongfang Mei'er standing to the side. Without another word, he swung his hand out and delivered a sharp slap. "Smack!"

"Father!" Seeing his father strike his sister, Dongfang Shiling instinctively rose to intervene, but he was a fraction too slow!

Dongfang Mei'er, having received the blow, felt a stinging heat across her cheek, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes. "Dad, why did you hit me!"

"Why did I hit you?" Dongfang Daoming felt a surge of sorrow and bellowed in agonizing realization, "Do you have any idea what terrible trouble you've caused today?"

"Even if he is from the Xuanmen, you didn't have to hit me. You've never hit me a day in my life!" Dongfang Mei'er cried, her face streaked with tears, appearing deeply wronged yet still stubbornly defiant!

"Hmph, a man from the Xuanmen? You really think he's just a man from the Xuanmen? He is the Sect Leader of Xuanmen, the Dragon Lord of the Black God Syndicate, and the Godfather who suppressed the entire R-nation underworld. And you actually dared to try and discipline him? He could snuff you out with a single finger." Dongfang Daoming was filled with regret; he had always spoiled her, perhaps too much, leading to her current petulant and willful personality—a true expert at stirring up trouble. His remorse was profound, especially considering the status of the man they had provoked: the Xuanmen Sect Leader.

"Sect Leader?" Dongfang Mei'er was utterly stunned into silence.

Dongfang Daoming, extremely agitated, quickly asked Dongfang Shiling, "Did he say anything else?"

"No!" Dongfang Shiling replied instantly. Even if Yang Yi had said more, seeing his father’s face alight with anger and stress, he would still have claimed otherwise. After all, this was hardly a laughing matter.

"Sigh!" Dongfang Daoming looked at Dongfang Mei'er, who remained silent but continued to weep, feeling a sharp twinge in his chest. He walked over, gently stroked her head, and pulled her into his embrace. "Mei'er, Dad was too harsh. I'm sorry."

"Waaah! Waaah!" Dongfang Mei'er suddenly burst into loud sobs at that moment.

However, Dongfang Shiling knew that with his father showing such tenderness now, the prescribed punishment according to Xuanmen regulations would likely still fall upon his sister. Thus, he pleaded earnestly, "Father, please show leniency toward my sister’s punishment. She is still young!"

"Sigh, that isn't for me to decide!" Dongfang Daoming felt his daughter tremble in his arms and let a glimmer of indulgence surface. "Don't worry. Tomorrow, I will accompany you both to Shanghai. I will plead our case for you."

"Dad!" Dongfang Mei'er felt a rush of emotion. Whether she understood her transgression or not, she had certainly received a necessary lesson now.

In the Xuanmen, all rules and regulations stood above everything else; this was the bedrock upon which the sect had endured. This was true not just for Xuanmen but for the other three major sects as well. Therefore, Dongfang Shiling understood this implicitly, thinking to himself, Since he is the Sect Leader of Xuanmen, perhaps my father pleading his case will lead to some room for negotiation.

Unbeknownst to the entire family, everything that had transpired was already within Yang Yi’s complete grasp. As for Dongfang Shiling, Yang Yi valued him not just for his steady temperament but for a distinct intelligence he possessed. Furthermore, Yang Yi harbored a separate, specific objective for Dongfang Shiling.

Soon, very soon, it reached past seven in the evening. Yang Yi, seemingly in control of everything, sat on the sofa in the villa. Recently, he had developed a fondness for cigarettes. He took a deep drag and then blew out perfect rings of smoke.

"Young Master, contact has been made with the Dongfang family Patriarch," Feng Shi reported, approaching Yang Yi with his mobile phone.

"En!" Yang Yi took the phone, a faint, cryptic smile playing on his lips, and spoke into it, "You must be the Dongfang family Patriarch, Dongfang Daoming, correct?"

"Yes, Sect Leader, please forgive me for not visiting in person!" Dongfang Daoming’s voice, laced with apprehension, traveled through the phone. Truthfully, to Dongfang Daoming, Yang Yi was a legendary figure. When he first learned Yang Yi was only nineteen, he felt genuine admiration from the depths of his heart. Setting aside the Black God Syndicate and the Xuanmen, who else could manage to topple the R-nation underworld through mere strategy alone?

"Heh heh, I won't waste time on pleasantries! My primary reason for calling you concerns Dongfang Mei'er's situation!" The smile on Yang Yi’s lips grew more pronounced, making Feng Shi beside him look utterly bewildered.

"Thump!" A sharp alarm sounded in Dongfang Daoming’s chest. He instinctively glanced toward Dongfang Mei'er, took a deep breath, and apologized, "Regarding my daughter’s transgression, I beg the Sect Leader’s understanding; she is just a young girl who doesn't know better..."

Hearing this, Yang Yi found it amusing. He quickly said, "Heh heh! Patriarch Dongfang, there's no need to be so nervous. In fact, the reason I called you is to tell you to let the matter of Dongfang Mei'er go this time. Consider it a necessary lesson for her; after all, where is the young girl who never makes mistakes? However..."

Yang Yi seemed to be admonishing, instructing, and perhaps even offering a favor, but his true intention was likely known only to himself. After a round of polite push-and-pull, he hung up the phone, his smile growing ever more intense.

Feng Shi, finding the tension almost unbearable, was about to press Yang Yi for an explanation when she suddenly spotted a chilling glint. She gasped sharply, "Young Master!"

"Bang!" "Pfft!"

"Yanran!" Yang Yi’s eyes widened in shock as he saw Feng Shi collapse in front of him. A bone-chillingly cold aura suddenly surged from his body, his eyes instantly blazing blood-red. His frame trembled violently, and his voice boomed out with an unnerving resonance: "Six Paths of Reincarnation!"