Morvain Family Estate
The Morvain Family Estate stood proudly in Azure Maple City, its crimson walls and jade-tiled roofs bearing the weight of centuries of history.
Once a respected noble cultivation clan, the Morvain Family had gradually declined over the past few decades.
Yet today, every elder, guard, and disciple wore their finest robes.
A distinguished guest was arriving.
The cries of spirit beasts echoed through the mountains as a luxurious flying carriage descended from the clouds, drawn by four snow-white cranes whose wings shimmered with spiritual light.
"Young Master Ethane Kaelor has arrived!"
The announcement spread throughout the estate.
Dozens of Morvain disciples rushed toward the main courtyard, their faces filled with anticipation.
"It’s really Young Master Ethane of the Kaelor Family."
"He’s so handsome... My heart is racing."
"I heard he reached the Sixth Stage of Qi Refining before the age of twenty."
"A rare genius indeed."
"They say he was personally accepted as a disciple by an Inner Sect Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect."
The elders exchanged satisfied smiles.
Years ago, the Morvain Family Matriarch had arranged a marriage between Scarlet Morvain and Ethane Kaelor.
If the marriage proceeded, the declining Morvain Family would gain the protection of one of the region’s most powerful noble clans.
Moments later, the magnificent carriage came to a gentle stop.
A young man stepped down first.
He wore elegant white robes embroidered with golden clouds. His handsome face remained calm and indifferent, while a jade sword hung from his waist.
Several beautiful women dressed in elegant white robes followed behind him.
Among them, one woman stood above the rest.
She wore the robes of an Inner Sect disciple, her graceful figure radiating confidence and authority. Every movement carried the dignity of a true cultivator.
A powerful aura surged from her body.
Foundation Building Realm.
The younger disciples stared at her with undisguised admiration.
"So young... and already at the Foundation Building Realm."
"As expected of a disciple from the Heavenly Sword Sect."
"Even Young Master Ethane is fortunate to travel under Senior Sister’s protection."
Compared to the awe directed toward the Inner Sect disciple, Ethane’s reputation as a cultivation genius seemed far less dazzling in the eyes of the gathered women.
The Morvain elders stepped forward and respectfully greeted him.
"Welcome, Young Master Ethane."
Ethane merely nodded.
His golden eyes swept across the courtyard before settling on the Morvain Family Matriarch.
"I came today for one reason."
His calm voice echoed through the suddenly silent courtyard.
"I am here to dissolve the marriage agreement."
Silence fell.
Every smile froze.
The Morvain Family Matriarch forced a smile.
"Young Master Ethane... surely this is some misunderstanding?"
"It is not."
Ethane’s expression remained cold.
"I have no intention of marrying Scarlet Morvain."
Whispers spread throughout the gathered disciples.
"What?"
"The engagement is being canceled?"
The Matriarch’s expression stiffened.
"May I ask your reason?"
Ethane glanced toward the back of the crowd.
"Bring Scarlet here."
Moments later, a young woman slowly walked into the courtyard.
Scarlet Morvain.
She possessed breathtaking beauty. Her long crimson hair flowed behind her like burning silk, while her crimson eyes remained calm despite the countless gazes fixed upon her.
Yet everyone knew the truth.
Despite her beauty, Scarlet was unable to cultivate.
At sixteen years old, she was still stuck at the First Stage of Qi Refining.
In a world where strength determined one’s status, she was considered the shame of the Morvain Family.
Ethane looked at her without emotion.
"So this is the woman I was once engaged to."
Scarlet met his gaze calmly.
"You wished to see me?"
"I did."
Ethane spoke without hesitation.
"Our engagement ends today."
His words struck the courtyard like thunder.
Scarlet remained silent.
"I have been accepted as a personal disciple of an Inner Sect Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect."
"My future lies alongside the greatest geniuses of this generation."
"My path leads to the Heavenly Sword Sect... and perhaps even beyond."
He looked directly into Scarlet’s eyes.
"And you?"
"You remain a waste."
The Morvain disciples lowered their heads.
Some pitied Scarlet.
Others quietly nodded in agreement.
Ethane continued mercilessly.
"A cultivator without talent is no different from a mortal."
"You cannot walk the same path as me."
"You are unworthy of becoming my wife."
Each sentence pierced deeper than the last.
The Morvain Family Matriarch clenched her fists.
"Young Master Ethane... your words are excessive."
Ethane smiled faintly.
"Excessive?"
"I am merely stating the truth."
He produced an ancient jade scroll from his sleeve.
"The marriage contract."
With a flick of his fingers, spiritual energy surged into the jade contract.
The ancient parchment burst into flames, turning to ashes before everyone’s eyes.
"Our engagement no longer exists."
The ashes drifted through the silent courtyard.
Scarlet watched the burning fragments quietly.
Her expression never changed.
Ethane frowned slightly.
"You aren’t angry?"
Scarlet replied calmly.
"If you’ve already made your decision, then there’s nothing left to discuss."
Her composed response surprised everyone.
Ethane shook his head.
"At least you know your place."
He turned toward the elders.
"I advise the Morvain Family not to pursue this marriage any further."
"Our families are no longer equals."
His words landed like a slap across the faces of every elder present.
Several disciples clenched their fists in humiliation.
The Morvain Family had invited everyone expecting to discuss a wedding between the two families.
Instead...
They had witnessed the Kaelor Family publicly dissolve the engagement and humiliate the Morvain Family before their guests.
They had become a laughingstock.
Ethane stepped toward the exit.
Then he paused.
Without turning around, he spoke one final sentence.
"A phoenix never nests with a sparrow."
"When our paths cross again..."
"I hope you understand the difference between heaven and earth."
With that, he left.
The spirit carriage rose into the sky, disappearing beyond the clouds.
Even after it had departed, a strange silence lingered throughout the estate.
No one dared to speak.
Finally, one elder slammed her hand onto a stone table.
"Shameless!"
Another elder let out a weary sigh.
"...But he wasn’t entirely wrong."
Scarlet lowered her head.
The whispers began almost immediately.
"A waste..."
"No wonder Young Master Ethane rejected her."
"She has disgraced the entire family."
"If not for her, we wouldn’t have suffered this humiliation."
Each word cut deeper than the last.
The Family Matriarch closed her eyes in exhaustion.
The prestige of the Morvain Family had been trampled before every disciple.
And Scarlet...
Had become the symbol of that disgrace.
The courtyard remained deathly silent.
No one stepped forward to defend her.
To the gathered disciples, this outcome was only natural.
In the cultivation world, strength determined everything.
Talent was status.
Power was dignity.
Without either, even unmatched beauty held little value.
The Family Matriarch slowly opened her eyes.
Her gaze settled on Scarlet.
For a brief moment, hesitation flickered across her face.
Then it vanished.
"Scarlet Morvain."
Scarlet raised her head.
"Yes, Matriarch."
"You have brought shame upon the Morvain Family."
Her voice was calm, yet every word carried the weight of authority.
"Because of you, our family has become the laughingstock of Azure Maple City."
The surrounding elders lowered their heads in silence.
No one objected.
The Matriarch continued.
"From this day forward, Scarlet Morvain is stripped of her status as the Young Miss of the Morvain Family."
A wave of shock swept through the courtyard.
"The Young Miss has been stripped of her title..."
"She’s really being abandoned by the family..."
The Matriarch showed no emotion.
"You will surrender your identity token, your cultivation resources, and your residence within the inner estate."
"From this moment onward, you are no longer a member of the Morvain Family."
The words fell like a final judgment.
Scarlet stood motionless.
After a long silence, she reached into her sleeve and removed a crimson jade token engraved with the character Morvain.
She looked at it quietly for a moment.
Then she stepped forward and placed it on the stone platform before the Matriarch.
"I understand."
Her voice remained calm.
Without another word, Scarlet turned and walked away.
No one tried to stop her.
No one called her name.
As her lonely figure disappeared beyond the gates of the Morvain Family Estate, countless eyes watched in silence.
To everyone present, Scarlet Morvain’s story had come to an end.
However...
Not everyone believed the matter had truly ended.
Among the gathered disciples, a young woman watched Scarlet’s departing figure with a faint smile.
With Scarlet expelled from the Morvain Family, her greatest obstacle to becoming the next Family Matriarch had disappeared.
"Mother, now that Scarlet is gone, I have the highest chance of becoming the next Family Matriarch of the Morvain Family."
Standing beside her was her mother, one of the family’s elders.
The elder remained silent for a moment before shaking her head.
"It’s not that simple."
The young woman’s smile faded.
"What do you mean?"
The elder narrowed her eyes as she watched Scarlet disappear into the distance.
"As long as Scarlet is still alive, there is always a chance that she could return."
"Unexpected opportunities exist everywhere in the cultivation world."
"I will not allow even the slightest possibility."
A cold glint flashed across her eyes.
Raising her hand, she summoned a trusted guard.
"Summon the Dead Knights."
The guard’s expression changed.
"The Dead Knights... Elder, are you certain?"
"I am."
"I want Scarlet Morvain eliminated before sunset."
"There must be no witnesses."
"And there must be no trace linking this matter to the Morvain Family."
The guard immediately lowered her head.
"As you command, Elder."
Moments later, several figures clad in black armor silently departed from the Morvain Family Estate.
They were the Dead Knights—elite assassins who carried out the family’s darkest orders.
Their mission was simple.
Find Scarlet Morvain.
And ensure she never saw another sunrise.
***
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