In an empty, neglected garden, an old man plays the flute, the melody full of sadness and bitterness that brings pain to the hearts of all who hear it.

A woman in blue hanfu stepped into the garden but she did not disturb the old man, she found a stone bench and sat quietly, the sound of the flute permeated the air and the girl supported her chin while listening to music with her eyes closed.

A few minutes later the music finally stopped, the old man put his flute on his lap then took a deep breath while looking up at the blue sky, flocks of white birds flying and swirling harmoniously in the sky as if they were dancing. . The old man’s eyes crinkled as his memories drifted to a past that seemed so far away.

“Do you remember why our ancestors built this place, what hope was behind it?” said the old man suddenly.

The woman looked at the old man and looked up at the sky as he tried to remember something then he said: “To make a shelter so that we can make a family and live in peace”

The old man averted his eyes and stared at the dead flower beneath him, “But after years of forgetting about it, we give in to power, engrossed in fame, wealth and glory, little by little we become more and more distant from the ideals of our ancestors. Before we know it we had hurt each other in the name of greed, we kill and we plot anyone who gets in our way even if they are our own family, it’s hard to believe how easy it is once you cross the line…”

“Third elder….” She didn’t know how to answer that.

“Evil can only run free when a few good people turn their cheeks, did you ever hear that?” the old man wryly smile “I let down so many people including your mother and Jin Hao mother” 

Jin Hua pressed her lips tightly she want to say ‘it’s not his fault’ but she can’t because as an elder he’s more or less responsible for what happened that’s why she can’t say any consolation words for him and the old man knows it full well.

He took a deep breath then store his flute in his spatial ring, he clasped his hands while walking towards Jin Hua.

“So no one’s coming back?” the old man’s face hardened.

Jin Hua know what he meant thus she shook her head dejectedly “No, they… aren’t human anymore” anger flared upon her face “Jin Kai tried to deny it but the entire continent knew Lao Min Na was involved in the deaths of hundreds of people who went crazy after taking the pill, now all the kingdoms on the continent are exterminating all of the pills and the elixir made by her if you don’t believe me you can check it yourself.”

The third elder raised his hand “That’s not necessary” he raised his hand, actually, he had suspicions about Lao Min Na’s medicine because it was too good to be true and none of the alchemists in the misty Lake clan could figure out the medicinal ingredients, which is very strange.

“Jin Kai has blocked any information from outside and he doesn’t let anyone out except those he trusts, if we’re not careful it’s not only my position that’s dangerous as well as yours, we won’t be able to do anything if Jin Kai started watching my movements”

Jin Hua took a deep breath, the third elder was the first person he contacted when he returned to Misty Lake, at first he wasn’t sure if the third elder would believe his words about Lao Min Na, but who would have thought the third elder quickly believed her without hesitation as if he has to wait for someone to confirm his suspicion since then the third elder sheltered Jin Hua inside his own house, he gives her identity as new recruit disciple so Jin Hua could stay with him.

Protected by that identity Jin Hua is allowed to roam in the Misty lake clan territory with that she gather any information about Jin Kai and send it to Jin Hao and Bei Li Yan with Lan Hua’s help.

“I know Jin Kai didn’t have the best characters but I thought at least he care about the Misty Lake clan future, no matter what this place is his home and the people that live here are his family, I never thought he will do this to us” Jin Hua words filled with confusion and anger.

The old man cast his gaze to the empty garden as he reminiscence the past “Jin Kai has always had big ambitions since he was young. Unfortunately, his talent is overshadowed by Jin Hao’s talent in many areas, it’s even more embarrassing that Jin Hao doesn’t have much support or resources as he did, still, Jin Kai can never beat Jin Hao and that reality took a toll on his pride.” The old man’s face was shrouded in a mixture of pity and disappointment.

“Actually Big Brother Jin Hao never cared about the leader position, as matter of fact, I always felt that sooner or later Big Brother would leave the Misty Lake clan…” Jin Hua’s voice was thick with regret.

The old man’s face is immediately heavy with emotion knowing he was one of the reasons why Jin Hao hated this place because he was the one who was involved in covering up Jin Hao’s mother’s death because he wanted to keep a little peace that remains in the Misty Lake, sadly to do that he has to hurt Jin Hua and Jin Hao….especially Jin Hao.

“I can’t blame him for that, he suffered too much in this place and no one helped him… when his mother was killed at the hands of his aunt and also his father’s wife, no one did justice to him, and when he tried to take revenge to the woman who killed his mother he was punished for it…locked without food in his room for days and as if that’s not enough to punish him someone poisoned him to die and his body thrown away in the wilderness like a piece of garbage, and after that, we forgot about him completely as if he never existed,” he said sigh in resignation knowing some actions were unforgivable whatever the reason. 

“Although we can’t change the past, it’s still not too late to make amends” Jin Hua comforted the old man but the old man shook his head weakly.

“I’m not seeking forgiveness, I’ve wronged him too much for too long, it’s a little too late for that, don’t you think” the old man smiled bitterly as he recalled the pain, anger, and disappointment on Jin Hao’s face when people refused to investigate his mother’s murder, and he included among those people.

The third elder knew that ever since that day Jin Hao had lost all his hope to everyone at the Misty Lake clan therefore after he become a powerful figure he deny any connection to his own clan and refused to return.

Jin Hua wanted to say something but the words caught in her throat even though she also didn’t have a good life in the Misty Lake clan but because she was a woman Jin Kai didn’t pay much attention to her in fact he found her rather useful that’s why she didn’t experience the hardships that Jin Hao had.

“Enough for that” The third elder waved his hand “Out of the seven elders, the first and second elders have died so there are only five elders including me, most of them support Jin Kai just me and the fifth elder neutrally but it can ‘don’t take too long’ he took a deep breath.

Everyone who supported Jin Kai had to take the pills he gave them even though it increased their cultivation by leaps and bounds. however, the third elder noticed a change in the behavior of the person taking the pill.

The most visible is how they become more aggressive, crueler and their emotions are very easily provoked by trivial things even the worst is that they become uncontrollable and go crazy like what happened to people who were sent to the forest whispering with excuses. healing. Of course, neither of them recovered but Jin Kai blamed the Hei Shen, Long Ming, and Jin Hao sects.

“Right now Jin Kai is trying to persuade the fifth elder to support him by approaching his granddaughter, you know how much the fifth elder cherishes his only granddaughter, right…?” The third elder scrunched his face in worry.

Jin Hua widened her eyes in surprise, “That girl is only fourteen years old and Jin Kai is almost thirty, besides Jin kai already has three concubines and a child, has he gone mad, fifth elder would never allow it!”

“So what, if his granddaughter insists to be with Jin Kai sooner or later the fifth elder will give up, you know how stupid that old man in front of his granddaughter, it was astonishing!” The third elder rolled his eyes.

Jin Hua gaped her mouth was open and close but there are no words come out, the fifth elder was rather eccentric he rarely involve in the matter of the clan after he lost his only daughter after that he spend his life dotting the only granddaughter he had. 

The third elder is right Fifth elder’s weak point is his grandson if Jin Kai wants the fifth elder to support then his granddaughter would be the best way to achieve it “Then what should we do?” Jin Hua wrinkled her forehead.

“Well, we can do the same as Jin Kai” the third elder puffed out his chest and smirked, “You can also approach the fifth eldest granddaughter”

Jin Hua’s face immediately changed he subconsciously pointed at himself “Me?” he said unsure.

The third elder nodded “Who else?”

“But…but, that kid is so annoying” Jin Hua complained.

Jin Hua once met the granddaughter of the fifth elder named Su Miao Lin two years ago and even though the child was only twelve years old but was very haughty and naughty, no one dared to rebuke her because she was the fifth elder’s favorite granddaughter and the old man spoiled his child like crazy.

“Yeah, that kid is really annoying” The third elder rubbed his beard feeling sorry for Jin Hua but other than this he had no other plans. the fifth elder is not only eccentric he is also very stubborn and hot-headed, no one can persuade him to do anything other than his granddaughter maybe that’s why Jin kai courting Sun Miao Lin in the first place if not, who had the patience facing someone like Su Miao Lin.

Jin Hua also understands this, he covers her face and groans exasperatedly “Fiine!” she blows her cheeks harshly and said in resign “I’ll befriend with…..her” the last words make her feel even more reluctant.