Lan Meishan hated the way this was unfolding.
He had not predicted Ningyan's reaction, not truly. But neither had he expected the sharp ache that came with it. His decision had not only wounded Ningyan... it had unsettled something within himself as well.
He closed his eyes briefly.
Killing his father had always been the path he prepared for.
Years of cultivation. Years of restraint. Years spent breaking away from the shadow of Lan Yunlai.
And yet.... it still did not feel like enough.
He had fought too long to sever those chains. To erase the marks left on his body… and his mind. Even after escaping, even after carving out his own strength, Lan Yunlai still reached for him.
And Ningyan had almost died because of it.
That alone was reason enough.
Meishan lowered himself into a meditative position, robes settling neatly around him. Spiritual energy gathered faintly at his core, a dim emerald glow surfacing behind his closed lids.
Silence held for a moment.
Then...
