Chapter 18 — The Most Despised Son Who Shocked the World

The last night before the fateful final match, Vo Ky went to Tuyet Cot Nhai one last time before everything changed forever. The three seniors were already waiting, their eyes solemn as they saw him enter the cave with a completely different aura than usual - no longer the shy, bowed look, but the calmness of a person ready to face everything.

"You've decided, right?" Vong Ky Dao Truong asked, even though he had already guessed the answer from his student's eyes.

"Yes." Vo Ky replied, his voice firm. "Tomorrow, I will no longer hide anything. I will use Toai Cot Nhat Fist, confront Khinh Vu head-on, and expose all of his crimes in front of the entire clan."

Dry Bone Old Man nodded, his eyes showing both pride and sadness. "It's time. Over the past ten years, you've been more patient than anyone I've ever taught you. Now, you deserve to be yourself, no need to hide anymore."

"But you need to remember, exposing evil is not simply about defeating him in the arena." Senior Thiet Dien spoke, his voice still low and slow even though his health had clearly weakened in recent days, his face was much paler than a few months ago. "Patriarch Tuong Trong Khang is a man who puts honor and family rules above all else, but he also has the biggest blind spot: unconscious bias towards his only son. If there is only an empty accusation, even if you win the match, he can still find a way to cover up or minimize Khinh Vu's crime. You need irrefutable evidence, presented in front of all the elders and guests from other families, so that no one can hide or spin it. convey the truth."

"Tuyet Y has prepared all the evidence." Wuji said. "She will present to the council right after you defeat Khinh Vu in the arena."

The three seniors exchanged glances, all three realizing that this plan had many risks, but was also the best opportunity to resolve everything in one go.

"One more thing to note." Vong Ky Dao Truong added, his voice cautious. "Khinh Vu will wear the Toa Thien Armor, a treasure blessed by the family with an ancient defense formation. If you put too much force into the first attacks, you may be exhausted before finding the right opportunity to unleash the Toa Cot Nhat Fist. You must be patient, let him consume his own aura first."

"I understand." Wuji replied, remembering each of these last instructions with absolute concentration, engraved into his mind like an unforgettable order.

Dry Bone Old Man stepped forward and placed a thin black cloth bandage in Vo Ky's hand. "This is a bandage that I hand-woven from Mysterious Shadow Worm silk, capable of temporarily completely concealing the Demon Bone mark on your skin until you take the initiative to tear it off. Wrap it around your chest and arms as usual, so that no one will suspect anything until the moment you decide to expose everything."

"I understand." Vo Ky took the ribbon and clasped it tightly in his hand as a final silent promise before the decisive day.

"Do you still remember how to use Toa Cot Nhat Fist?" Old Man Dry Bone asked, wanting to check one last time before letting his students enter the decisive battle.

Vo Ky stood up, luckily, a stream of black and purple light flashed from his fist, strong enough to punch a deep hole in the cave's cliff, but he promptly regained his strength before causing too much damage, a clear demonstration of his mastery of control.

"I'm ready." He spoke, his voice full of confidence, his eyes determined without any hesitation.

Vong Ky Dao Truong stepped forward, placed his hand on his shoulder, his eyes filled with affection like a father for his son. "Remember, no matter what happens tomorrow, you have proven the most important thing: true strength is not something that can be measured by spiritual roots or noble bloodlines, but rather perseverance, kindness, and the will to never give up in the face of adversity. No matter the outcome, we are all proud of you."

Dry Bone Old Man, who was usually gruff and rarely showed emotions, also rarely patted him on the shoulder, his voice somewhat choked. "Go, son. Our thirty years of waiting are finally coming to an end."

Vo Ky bowed deeply before the three seniors, a bow not of resignation, but of the deepest gratitude. "I will not disappoint my three seniors. No matter what happens tomorrow, I will always be grateful to the three of you for giving me a life worth living and being proud of, even though I had to hide it for the past ten years."

The three seniors took him to the cave entrance and watched as his figure disappeared into the thick night mist. No one said another word, but in everyone's eyes sparkled a hope that had been cherished for thirty years, and was now about to come to fruition.

On the way back to the service area, Vo Ky stopped by Bach Ngoc Lan garden, where Tuyet Y was waiting under the moonlight, holding a small wooden box containing all the evidence he had collected over the past many months.

"Everything is ready." She said, giving him the wooden box to see one last time. "The testimony of the maid, traces of buying and selling stimulant drugs, and now more detailed reports from Duong Gia's patrol about last night's raid, along with the testimony of one of the captured assassins who survived, have confirmed that he was hired through a direct line of contact with Mr. Loi, Khinh Vu's trusted subordinate."

Vo Ky looked at the document, his heart surged with a strong determination, his eyes scanned each page one last time. "This evidence is enough that no one can deny it."

"Enough." Tuyet Y nodded firmly. "Tomorrow, when you defeat him in the arena, I will stand up and present everything in front of the head of the family and the elders, and in the presence of representatives of many other families in the Eight Clan Alliance. No one can hide this truth anymore."

The two of them stood side by side under the moonlight, not saying another word for a moment, simply feeling each other's presence on the threshold of a major event that was about to completely change the situation of the Tuong Family.

"Thank you for always being by my side." Wuji finally spoke, his voice sincere. "From the first day she saw through me amidst the scornful crowd, I knew my life would never be the same again."

Tuyet Y smiled and held his hand tightly. "And I have never regretted trusting you from that first moment. Tomorrow, fight not only for justice for your family, but also because you yourself deserve to live without having to bow to anyone."

"Are you afraid?" Vo Ky asked, his voice soft. "Tomorrow, when she stands up in front of the entire family and representatives from other families to denounce a young master, she will have to face a lot of pressure and suspicion."

"I'm afraid." Tuyet Y admitted, without hiding it, her eyes looked straight at him. "But I'm more afraid of staying silent before the truth. If I choose to avoid it just because I'm afraid of gossip, I'll never be able to forgive myself."

Vo Ky looked at her, his heart filled with deep admiration. He realized that between the two people standing together under the moonlight tonight, there was not only simple affection, but also a consensus in ideals, in the belief that justice and truth deserved to be protected, no matter what the cost was.

Before saying goodbye, Tuyet Y gave him a handkerchief embroidered with the image of Bach Ngoc Lan flowers with silver thread, which she herself embroidered during the nights waiting for news from An Van Trang. "Bring it with you as a wish of good luck."

Vo Ky took the scarf and carefully put it in his chest, next to his father's jade pendant. Those two souvenirs, one from an unknown past, the other from the present that is gradually becoming the future, lie next to his heart like two parallel sources of strength, giving him the courage needed for tomorrow.

That night, the whole Tuong Phu Thanh slept peacefully, no one knew that tomorrow would be the day all secrets would be exposed, all old power orders would be completely overthrown, and a person who was once considered the lowest would stand up to prove that he was the greatest power that this family had ever denied.