Chapter 2 — Shattered Roots, Revealed Truths

Before I could even open my mouth to respond, Thien Thien sprinted forward to block my path. Her face was twisted into a mask of pure malice, her eyes burning with an intensity that suggested she wished to consume me whole. "You have already enjoyed every prestige and favor this sect has to offer! Now that I have finally returned, not only do you isolate me by gathering your clique, but you even intend to ruin my coming-home banquet?!" She burst into tears, her expression so pitifully aggrieved that one would think she was the victim. "I have suffered through every hardship imaginable... Why can you not just leave me in peace? I have never provoked you, so why must you target me at every turn?!" She let out a shrill, desperate cry, "He is my father! My own flesh and blood! Get away from me! You are not allowed to steal him away!"

The commotion instantly drew the attention of every guest at the banquet. Gazes converged upon us from all corners—some filled with astonishment, others with skepticism, and not a few with the predatory gleam of those who delight in a spectacle. My master’s expression darkened instantly; clearly, he was mortified by the scene, yet he lacked the heart to reprimand Thien Thien harshly. Instead, he could only offer a weary, gentle coaxing: "Father only has one daughter, and no one can take that away from you. Be a good girl now! Your senior sister likely has something of great importance to discuss with me; why don't you go play with your brothers and sisters for a while?"

But Thien Thien would not be placated. She shrieked, her voice sharp with bitterness, "Father! It is bad enough that you do not drive her away, but now you are helping her bully me?! Why did you even bother holding this banquet to welcome me back? Just hold one for her instead! After all, I am clearly of no importance to anyone!"

My master looked around, catching the curious, mocking, and whispering gazes of the guests. His heart was heavy with bitterness and deep embarrassment. He had, of course, heard the rumors circulating of late—it was clear that Thien Thien was the one stirring up trouble, and it had nothing to do with me. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, she insisted on pointing her spear solely at me, as if my very existence prevented her from finding peace. Unwilling to become a laughingstock before the entire sect, my master deepened his voice and scolded her sternly: "That is enough, Thien Thien! Whatever the matter is, we shall discuss it later. Stop this unseemly display; do not lose face for us!"

My fellow senior brothers also stepped forward, voicing their dissatisfaction: "The truth has been clear for a long time; why do you persist in this? When you were lost years ago, it was through no fault of Phi Phi’s! Why are you so determined to heap all the blame upon her?"

Thien Thien bit her lip until it turned pale, then flushed a deep, indignant red. Her eyes overflowed with resentment and defiance as she hissed through clenched teeth: "All of you... you are all shielding her! A day will come when you will regret this! I am the one chosen by heaven! I am the true daughter of destiny!"

As soon as those words left her lips, the entire hall fell into a stunned silence. The sheer arrogance of her tone left everyone speechless, and my master’s face grew ghastly. He had spent the previous days warning her repeatedly: "There will be many honored guests at the banquet; under no circumstances are you to speak disrespectfully or target Phi Phi." She had nodded obediently at the time, yet now... she dared to utter such delirious, prideful nonsense in the middle of her own celebration.

The heads of other sects began to stir, their expressions shifting as they voiced their grievances: "Master of the sect, you cannot be so ungrateful! Does everyone not know that your sect only enjoys its current prosperity because of Phi Phi?"

"That is correct! Phi Phi is a girl of integrity. Years ago, when we all offered her preferential treatment—lavish resources, treasures, and the promise of dedicated training—she still chose to stay with you. You promised you would treat her like your own daughter—is this how you allow her to be humiliated?"

"If your young lady cannot tolerate Phi Phi, then you might as well let her join our sect! We would certainly cherish her like a rare jewel!"

"Even if Thien Thien is the daughter of your beloved, she has no right to be so tyrannical!"

My master’s face turned beet red at these accusations. He shouted angrily: "You old vultures! Always looking for a chance to poach my disciples! I know exactly how many of my walls you have been trying to undermine behind my back!" Turning to his daughter, he barked, "Today’s incident is our fault! Thien Thien! Apologize to your senior sister immediately! And never let me hear you speak of this again!"

Thien Thien stared at him in disbelief. "Father... but this is my welcoming banquet..."

My master’s expression remained icy, his tone commanding: "Apologize!"

Thien Thien darted her eyes around the room, seeing all the disciples standing firmly behind me—their gazes filled with trust and admiration for me, and chilling indifference for her. In the end, she had no choice but to lower her head in forced submission, whispering a reluctant apology. But deep within her heart, a malevolent vow was taking root: "Phi Phi, just you wait! One day, all these people protecting you today... will fall at my feet one by one! And when that day comes... I will ensure you meet a fate far worse than death!"

My master finally let out a sigh of relief, though he secretly transmitted a message to me, apologizing quietly: "Do not hold this against Thien Thien. If there is anything in my armory that catches your eye—take it, do not stand on ceremony."

I held no grudge against my master. Everything he had ever promised me, he had kept. Moreover, he had always trusted me—and for that reason, I owed him the truth. Even if it broke his heart or left him feeling betrayed for a time, it was better than living under a veil of deception. Besides... I suspected that in his heart, he already harbored a gnawing, unspoken doubt.

Just as I prepared to send a message back, Thien Thien lunged forward, clutching my master’s sleeve with a fragile, pitiful expression: "Father... I know I was wrong... But today is my banquet... can you stay by my side just a little longer?"

Seeing her like that, my master’s heart softened once more. He patted the back of my hand gently, saying softly, "Wait a little longer, and then we shall talk."

I bit my lip. Although I had much to say, I forced myself to be patient, retreating with my fellow brothers to continue greeting the guests. Perhaps because she feared my master would finally grow to detest her, Thien Thien spent the rest of the evening behaving with unnatural docility. She stopped provoking me and caused no further scenes. She even went out of her way to ingratiate herself with the guests, filling the banquet with laughter and conversation. My master, rarely so merry, drank himself into a stupor with the other sect leaders. By the end, he enthusiastically invited them all to stay the night—and they all readily agreed.

Though he was drunk, I knew... my master had taken my words to heart. He understood me well; I was not the type of person to report trifles or demand fairness over petty grievances. If I had spoken, it was because the matter was of great importance—it either concerned him directly, or it was a calamity large enough to threaten the entire sect. Yet, my master still leaned toward the former possibility. For if the matter were truly so dire... I would never have waited until now to speak.

My master eventually sought me out, his voice low and heavy with the lingering effects of the wine: "Phi Phi, what exactly has happened?"

I looked at him, my eyes clouded with complexity. After a long moment, I slowly recounted what I had read in the archives, along with the suspicions that had been gnawing at my soul. Upon hearing this, my master’s hand began to tremble violently, and his face turned as white as a sheet of paper. He shook his head repeatedly, his voice raspy with shock: "That is impossible! How could that be? Thien Thien... she looks exactly like her mother!"

"Furthermore, the blood pact is completely harmonious. She is clearly my daughter!"

"She even has the butterfly-shaped birthmark on the back of her neck... that is the very sign of my child!"

I watched as he clung desperately to his own self-deception, and I could only sigh softly: "Master... you have felt it too, have you not? Her temperament has been erratic lately. A person who is truly kind-hearted, even if they have suffered greatly, would not be capable of such baseless jealousy—especially not to the extent of targeting only me."

"Have you not harbored doubts yourself?"

"And furthermore... that day, when you intended to examine her spiritual core, why did she suddenly recoil? Perhaps... it was because she feared you would discover an anomaly within her soul."

My master staggered back a step, his eyelids rimmed with red, whispering in a voice that was barely audible: "But clearly... she is my daughter..."

I gazed at him, finally speaking the truth I had discovered in the ancient texts: "The book states quite clearly..."