Chapter 81: Bai Clan

The grand main hall of the Bai family estate was a monument to centuries of martial prestige. Towering pillars of polished jade held up a vaulted ceiling painted with swirling depictions of ancient wind spirits. The air inside the pavilion was filled with the scent of burning high-grade incense designed to calm the mind and nourish the heart.

Yet, despite the luxurious surroundings and the calming aromas, the atmosphere within the hall was overwhelmingly tense, practically suffocating under a thick blanket of political anxiety.

Seated upon the elevated, central throne was the Patriarch of the Bai Clan, Bai Changkong. His face was currently pulled into a severe, troubled frown. To his immediate left and right, seated upon slightly lower chairs were the core elders of the inner circle.