Sweeping across the heavens, starting with the first emperor of the ancient times.

"Little Nineteen, were you frightened?" The Wang family patriarch's voice was gentle and indulgent.

He didn't take this trivial matter seriously at all. Although the Heavenly Court had been fair in enforcing the law over the years, treating everyone equally regardless of their power level, he was still a very reasonable person.

But he's different; his Wang family is human, and a prominent human family at that.

He is incomparable to any other power or race; he and the Heavenly Emperor are of the same race, and he is a major power within the human race.

Shouldn't they at least have some special privileges?

Wang Shijiu's initially anxious heart immediately relaxed, and a wronged expression appeared on his face:

"Ancestor, I just love that shuttle. That Aoki En didn't know what was good for him and dared to fight me... My wrist still hurts."

"Oh? Is that so?" The Wang family patriarch feigned displeasure and addressed the Wang family head and core clan members standing below in a loud voice:

"Look, our 19th son got into trouble outside, but he still knows to bear it when he gets back. He's so sensible."

A knowing, soft laugh rippled through the quiet room, creating a relaxed yet arrogant atmosphere.

"Ancestor, what about the Heavenly Court over there..." The Wang family patriarch stepped forward and whispered a reminder.

"The Heavenly Court?" The Wang family patriarch gave a soft hum, picked up his teacup again, his tone calm yet exuding an undeniable confidence.

"The Heavenly Court establishes laws to demonstrate justice, but this justice must also take into account human relationships and the dignity of ancient families. The Qingmu family? A small family that relies on a king to maintain its prestige, does it deserve to be compared with my Wang family?"

"My Wang family has stood for tens of thousands of years, with outstanding talents in every generation, and we have produced more than one quasi-emperor."

"Not to mention other places, even in the Heavenly Court's Enforcement Hall, our Wang family has some influence and respect."

"Is the enforcement team really going to make such a fuss over a minor, unintentional prank between juniors, thereby damaging the reputation of my Wang family and discouraging many established human clans?"

The Wang family patriarch took a leisurely sip of tea, his tone growing increasingly dismissive:

"It was just a lesson taught to a ignorant young man from the borderlands. To my Wang family, what difference is there between such a so-called genius and an outer servant? Is it really worth them crying and making a scene in the Heavenly Court? They're just making a fool of themselves."

"Our ancestors were wise!" an elder immediately bowed and flattered.

"The Aoki family is probably at their wits' end, trying to extort money and curry favor with my Wang family. They're like ants gazing at the sky, oblivious to their own insignificance!"

"That's exactly right!" another elder chimed in, his face laced with sarcasm.

"The fact that Nineteen even bothered to take a liking to his family's possessions is already an immense honor for them. Instead of being grateful, they rebelled. Now that their foundation is damaged, it's their own fault, and they have no one else to blame but themselves!"

As Wang Shijiu listened to the elders of the clan talking amongst themselves, the last trace of unease in his heart vanished.

He slightly raised his chin, toying with the shimmering moon shuttle in his hand, and said proudly, "Ancestor, look how beautiful this shuttle is when it flies!"

"Yes, I'm glad you like it." The Wang family patriarch nodded and smiled, his eyes full of doting affection.

"I'll have your third great-uncle go to the storeroom and the market to find some newer and more interesting things for you to keep you entertained. As for the Aoki family..."

He turned his gaze to the head of the Wang family, his tone casual as if he were giving a trivial instruction:

"Send someone to deliver three thousand catties of ore, saying that my Wang family, out of consideration for our shared human lineage, could not bear to see them in such a state of destitution, and is therefore bestowing this reward upon them."

"Let them keep their own children in check and stop such extortionate acts that only damage the harmony within our human race. If they continue to be so ungrateful and spread rumors... humph."

A soft snort, devoid of much anger, yet it sent a chill down the spines of all the core members of the Wang family in the quiet room, making them feel the cold, authoritative authority of their ancestor's words, befitting a quasi-emperor.

That means that if the Aoki family doesn't know how to be appreciative, what awaits them may not just be a reward, but utter annihilation.

"I will obey the teachings of our ancestor!" The head of the Wang family bowed and accepted the order. His face no longer showed any worry, only a trace of disgust and contempt for the ungrateful Aoki family.

"Come here, Little Nineteen, come to the old ancestor's side and tell me all about it. What interesting things did you see on this trip? Did you meet any talented individuals from other noble families?"

The Wang family patriarch no longer paid attention to this trivial matter in his eyes, and instead inquired with great interest about his great-grandson's experiences.

The quiet room quickly returned to its harmonious atmosphere, filled with the aroma of spiritual fruits and celestial wine, and filled with lively conversation.

And then there's Aoki Yan, whose foundation is completely destroyed and whose future is bleak, as well as the humiliation, grief, and hopeless struggle of his entire family.

In the relaxed and arrogant conversations and casual, albeit seemingly casual, decisions of these aristocratic families to bestow rewards, it was as if nothing had ever happened.

In the ancestral shrine of the Aoki family, the flickering candlelight illuminated the bag of Originium in the hands of the Aoki family patriarch.

The core members of the family were all present, but no one spoke; only suppressed breathing and the cracking sound of clenched fists filled the air.

"Three thousand catties of source stones..." The voice of the Aoki family head was hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing. He picked up the bag and slowly poured the shimmering source stones inside onto the cold floor of the ancestral hall.

The jingling sound was particularly jarring in the deathly silence.

"Our Qingmu clan's century-long dream of cultivating a genius's foundation has been destroyed, severing their future. In their eyes, is he only worth three thousand jin of Origin? And they expect us to be grateful and keep quiet?"

"This is not a reward or an apology, but an insult to the Aoki family."

"This is outrageous!" A young elder suddenly stood up, his eyes bloodshot, his aura unsteady.

"We are all human, so what gives them the right? Just because they have a quasi-emperor ancestor, do they think they can treat us like dirt and trample on us at will?"

"Why should I?" Another white-haired elder smiled bitterly, his eyes filled with despair.

"Because we are weak, weakness is the original sin. The Wang family has done this more than once or twice! I heard about their reputation when I was young and traveling around!"

Countless small families and independent cultivators have been driven to ruin and death by them, ultimately forced to swallow their bitterness and resentment. They've long been accustomed to doing such things.

"Yes, they're used to it!" The head of the Aoki family slowly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, but there were no tears, only hatred and anger.

"I will never forget the look of despair on Yan'er's face. What the Wang family sent was not the source, but an insult to us. My Qingmu family has a long history, and although we have never been a powerful family, our ancestors never taught their descendants to live on their knees!"

His gaze swept over every grief-stricken and bewildered face in the hall, and his voice suddenly rose.

"Does the Wang family think that just because they've spoken, we should wag our tails like dogs, be grateful, and shut up and accept our fate? I, Qingmu Yu, am making this clear today—this matter is not over!"

"Even if my entire Aoki family is wiped out, with our last breath, we will splatter the Wang family with blood. We may be weak, but we have backbone, and the Wang family cannot crush that backbone!"

"Yes, let's fight them!"

"I'd rather die than suffer this humiliation!"

"Do they really think they can cover up everything? I don't believe there's no justice in this world!"

The crowd was filled with righteous indignation, and the long-suppressed anger and humiliation erupted completely at this moment.

A sense of tragic grandeur permeates the air. To submit is to endless bullying, and to resist may still lead to death, but at least one can die standing!

"Fight? How do we fight?" a more rational elder asked in a hoarse voice.