Outside the old man's pavilion, the three commanders stood guard, their expressions grim and focused as they maintained the protective barrier around the chamber. Crimson Shadow paced back and forth, his movements agitated and restless. His face was a mask of frustration and despair, his eyes reflecting the flickering glow of the runes that illuminated the chamber from within. The signs of the ritual's commencement were already evident. It has already been a few hours since the ritual started.
Lin Xueya watched Crimson Shadow with a keen, calculating gaze. Her voice was quiet but firm as she stepped closer to him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Is the kid more important to you than your father?" she asked, her tone probing and curious.
Crimson Shadow halted mid-step, his jaw tightening as he turned to face her. "He isn't important to me at all," he replied, his voice filled with bitterness. "But what the old man is doing… It's unethical. It goes against everything we stand for."
