Standing by the doorway, Wang Ming silently watched the retreating figure of the Sixth Elder as he exited the house, a line of servants trailing behind him. Seeing the elder leave, a smirk played on Wang Ming's lips as he thought to himself,
"The academy session has been postponed till tomorrow just so I won't miss it."
He chuckled lightly, the corners of his mouth curving in amusement.
"What a childish trick to make it seem like the clan values me."
But the laughter in his eyes quickly faded, replaced by a serious glint. Turning around, he stepped back inside his house. As his footsteps echoed softly through the hallway, his mind continued to churn.
"This isn't just about today. This isn't a tactic for the moment it's a move to slowly plant the idea in my mind that the clan cares for me. Subtly, patiently, they want me to start accepting their so-called affection. Because in their eyes, no matter how intelligent I may be, I am still just a child. An inexperienced one at that."
His expression darkened slightly as he recalled the events of his past life.
"But the position and behavior of the clan leader… that's what's truly strange. In my first life, I was too naive to notice. By the time I had matured, the clan was already destroyed. I only survived by pure luck, being out on a mission when it happened."
His fists clenched unconsciously.
"But now that I reflect upon it he has no children. He never married. His lifespan is nearing its end. Reaching Rank Five Formation Apprentice would be difficult now, yet rather than entering seclusion to break through, he remains entangled in a bitter conflict with the First Elder."
Wang Ming's brows furrowed deeply.
"He was already declared the next clan leader by the Supreme Elder, someone even he wouldn't dare breathe against... so why continue this struggle with such aggression? What benefit lies in it?"
He paused at the threshold of a corridor, his eyes narrowing.
"It would be foolish to assume a man like him,someone who has ruled the clan for decades is driven by childish pride. If he were in his youth, maybe that could be a possibility. But now…? Now, he is an old fox, tempered by countless political storms. Reaching the top of the clan with just a Rank Four talent is no simple feat. That takes cunning. Ruthlessness. Calculation."
A strange unease began to crawl within him.
"But his recent actions defy understanding, even for me. What does he gain from all of this? What kind of benefit could possibly be so enticing that he would ignore his fading lifespan and throw himself into this petty power struggle… for this insignificant clan?"
That thought sent a chill down Wang Ming's spine.
A crisis.
Not one he could see.
Not one he could predict.
But one that existed somewhere in the shadows.
A crisis of the unknown.
And Wang Ming could feel it creeping closer, like a silent storm waiting to erupt.
Lost in those thoughts, he stood there quietly, the weight of uncertainty pressing heavily upon him.