Chapter 27: The Duke’s Reckoning

“Senior! This, this is all a misunderstanding!”

Duke Xiao’s knees slammed heavily against the marble floor, the sharp pain from his kneecaps far overshadowed by the terror gripping his heart.

At this moment, he finally connected the “Su Liyue” from the secret report with the young girl his son constantly spoke of.

A cold sweat instantly drenched his back.

That seemingly ordinary girl… how could such a formidable presence stand behind her?

Now, his sole prayer was that his foolish son hadn’t committed some irreparable blunder, for otherwise… offending this powerful being, whom even a Saint Archmage held in awe, would not only cost him his ducal title but would likely erase the entire Xiao family from existence.

The white mist exhaled by the shadowy figure condensed into frost on the Duke’s temples, his voice deep and resonant like the chilling winds of the Nine Netherworlds.

“This Venerable One finds… your estate, it seems, somewhat unworthy of a Duke’s name.”

“You, you mean…?”

Duke Xiao’s teeth chattered uncontrollably, the oppressive presence of the shadowy figure so close it nearly froze his blood.

His worst fears had been confirmed.

His good-for-nothing son had indeed provoked someone he should never have.

The shadowy figure let out a low chuckle, then flicked a fingertip.

“Snap!”

A crisp snapping sound exploded through the hall.

“I just heard… someone wanted to cripple someone?”

Outside the window, a blinding white light suddenly flared.

When Leander tremblingly pushed open the stained-glass window, the Saint Archmage’s spectacles slid directly down his nose.

The seven majestic mountain peaks encircling the Duke’s mansion had, at this very moment, vanished without a trace!

All that remained were seven perfectly smooth, mirror-like cross-sections, reflecting an eerie glow under the moonlight.

Moving mountains and filling seas!

This was clearly… a manifestation of touching the realm of laws! And to accomplish it so effortlessly…

Duke Xiao’s face turned ashen, his body trembling like a sieve.

This time, he had truly kicked an iron plate (TL Note: A Chinese idiom meaning to encounter a formidable opponent or insurmountable obstacle).

No longer caring for his noble dignity, he crawled forward on all fours. His luxurious formal attire became stained with dust, and the gem-encrusted sash dragged messy trails across the floor.

In his mind now, only one thought remained.

To survive, that was the greatest blessing!

Beside him, Leander was in an even more wretched state. The hem of his magic robe was soaked, though he knew not when, and his legs had long since buckled, forcing him to his knees.

The Saint Archmage’s understanding was crumbling; magic of such magnitude, yet requiring no incantation? This completely transcended the common knowledge of the magical system!

Unless…

Unless the other party was an existence far surpassing even a Forbidden Mage!

“S-Senior, please see clearly!”

Duke Xiao’s voice was almost distorted, never had he imagined that the heir carefully groomed by his family would invite such a colossal disaster.

The mere hint of power casually displayed by the figure before them shattered his courage; had the other party not intended to establish dominance, they likely wouldn’t even have had the chance to speak.

The shadowy figure casually flicked his sleeve, yet this subtle gesture caused both kneeling men to tremble simultaneously.

“A misunderstanding?”

The deep voice carried a chilling amusement.

“Do you recall, when your son publicly unleashed ‘Blazing Inferno,’ he left no path to survival for my precious disciple, did he?”

These words struck Duke Xiao like a bolt of lightning. He, of course, remembered the killing move his son had boasted about at the time, but he never, ever expected…

“If it were you,”

The eerie shadowy figure suddenly leaned forward, and this single motion terrified Duke Xiao so much that he wet himself through his formal wear.

“Watching your own child being beaten to the brink of death, would you still consider… this a misunderstanding?”

As the last word fell, the entire Duke’s mansion shook violently, and all the crystal chandeliers inexplicably exploded simultaneously.

Even more bizarrely, the sparkling fragments suddenly froze in mid-air, as if time itself had stopped, instilling profound dread.

Witnessing this spectacle, both Leander and Duke Xiao naturally understood its implication: this was a warning, as simple as it could be—a warning stemming from absolute power!

“Senior, please quell your anger! Though my son is mischievous, he would never lay a hand on a girl. I believe there must be some misunderstanding here!”

Duke Xiao forced himself to speak with composure, yet failed to notice his legs were already trembling uncontrollably.

“Indeed,” the shadowy figure sneered,

“Precisely because your son intended to harm my disciple’s companion, not her directly… otherwise, where you stand now would already be a barren plain.”

Duke Xiao’s pupils contracted sharply; within these words, a sliver of hope emerged!

“But your son publicly attempted to gravely injure my disciple’s companion, and for that, this debt…”

Before the shadowy figure could finish, Duke Xiao’s nascent hope plummeted instantly to the depths of despair.

That unfilial son! A dignified ducal heir, daring to harbor designs on a girl who was already claimed? And even publicly assaulting someone?!

“Senior, please see clearly! Had I known earlier that the young lady had a companion, I would never have allowed this scoundrel to…”

“Heh,” the shadowy figure abruptly interrupted,

“Didn’t Duke Xiao just declare that he would cripple someone?”

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Duke Xiao’s temple. Having held a high position for years, he had, in a fit of rage, inadvertently created a fatal weakness for himself!

“Senior, please be magnanimous, this humble one was merely confused for a moment…”

“Confused?”

The shadowy figure’s laughter caused the temperature in the hall to plummet. “You, who have held the ducal seat firmly for decades, could be confused? Or perhaps you intend to treat this old man as a fool?”

Duke Xiao felt a chill permeate his entire body. This being not only possessed heaven-defying power, but even more terrifyingly, he saw through everything with piercing clarity, each word striking at the heart.

“This junior is foolish; I beg the Senior to show me a clear path.”

The shadowy figure stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his robes stirring without a breeze.

“Originally, this Venerable One was wondering if you would be as ignorant of propriety as your dog of a son… but now it appears, Duke Xiao, you are indeed a clever man.”

Duke Xiao had barely exhaled a breath of relief when the shadowy figure’s next words plunged him into an ice-cold abyss.

“Before sunset tomorrow, personally go to Starfall Academy and apologize to my disciple, Su Liyue. This matter will then be considered settled…”

The shadowy figure paused meaningfully. “Otherwise, the Duke’s mansion and the position of Saint Archmage, losing one or two wouldn’t be a great loss…”

Duke Xiao’s pupils constricted. For him, a dignified Imperial Duke, to bow his head and apologize to a mere young girl? This was simply…

But then he recalled the heaven-reaching methods the shadowy figure had just displayed.

Moving mountains and filling seas, words becoming law.

If this being were truly angered, let alone his ducal title, it was likely the entire Xiao family would…

“Senior, rest assured! This junior will personally call upon them tomorrow to offer my apologies!”

Duke Xiao prostrated himself heavily, his forehead pressing against the cold marble floor, no longer daring to hesitate even for a moment.

“Very good.”

The shadowy figure’s voice suddenly became ethereal and indistinct, as if emanating from all directions.

“Since Duke Xiao is truly repentant, this Venerable One will show leniency. However…”

The shadowy figure’s form suddenly twisted and distorted in the candlelight, his voice echoing with a chilling resonance:

“Should this Venerable One not see the Duke at Starfall Academy before sunset tomorrow…”

Before he finished speaking, Saint Archmage Leander’s magic robe suddenly stirred without a breeze, and seven magical gemstones simultaneously flew from his waist, spinning wildly around him.

“You, this ‘witness,’ will undoubtedly be very pleased to…”

The shadowy figure paused meaningfully.

“Seek an explanation on behalf of this Venerable One.”

Duke Xiao shuddered, cold sweat instantly soaking his lavish formal attire.

The threat in these words was unmistakable: if he dared to play any tricks, not only would the Xiao family suffer, but even the esteemed Saint Archmage would be implicated!

He secretly glanced at Leander, seeing that the usually lofty Saint Archmage’s face was now as pale as paper; he didn’t even dare retrieve his most cherished magical gemstones, which were spiraling out of control.

Offending either of them would be enough to doom the Xiao family to eternal perdition!

“Senior, rest assured!”

Duke Xiao prostrated himself heavily, his forehead striking the marble floor with a dull thud.

“Before the hour of Wei (TL Note: The hour of Wei is between 1 PM and 3 PM), this junior will certainly call upon them tomorrow to offer my apologies! Should there be the slightest mishap, I am willing to accept any punishment!”

The shadowy figure’s form gradually faded, yet just before completely vanishing, it solidified for a brief moment.

“S-Senior!”

Duke Xiao bravely raised his head. “Might this junior inquire about your esteemed title, so that I may…”

“Soul Palace… Protector Xiao…”

These words echoed through the hall like the chilling winds of the Nine Netherworlds, each syllable causing a subtle distortion in space.

Not until the last syllable of “Fa” had completely faded did a spine-chilling “hehehe” laughter erupt from all directions, as if countless shadowy figures were laughing in unison from the darkness, causing cold sweat to pour.

Yet, within moments, the eerie laughter abruptly ceased, and the stagnant air in the hall finally began to flow once more.

As for Duke Xiao, he simply collapsed onto the floor, his backside hitting the ground. He only then realized his legs had long since gone numb from terror.

Meanwhile, Saint Archmage Leander, standing nearby, was now staring at him with an unprecedentedly cold gaze… as if he had been summoned today specifically to experience the sheer terror of the formidable figure his son had offended, instilling an indelible sense of dread.

This very fear, he realized, was the first time since reaching the Saint Archmage realm that he had truly, viscerally understood what it meant for something to be truly unfathomable!