The Villain: Bound by Fate, Saved by Her

"Absurd! The Blood Shadow Demon Lord will undoubtedly lose—this is the course of fate!"

The patriarch's scepter strikes the ground with a sharp pause. "The Blood Shadow Demon Lord has bathed the heavens in blood. How could our Spirit Clan align with such a wicked force? You dare to stand here and argue for him? You are not even a true member of the Spirit Clan. Do not cause trouble here!"

"No matter how ruthless his conquest, he has brought order to the world," the girl replies, her voice steady. "Without him, chaos will consume everything. If not for his reign, would our Spirit Clan have survived to this day?"

She takes a step forward, her tone unwavering. "Patriarch, I know I am only considered half a member of the Spirit Clan and have no right to speak. But I am stating facts."

Her mother—once a candidate for the patriarch's position—bore her with an outsider. Both her parents died in exchange for her life. The Spirit Clan allowed her to remain, but she has never truly belonged.

"Then tell me this," an elder scoffs. "If the Demon Lord Ling Ye could conquer the heavens, why wouldn't Ye Tian—who will soon reach the Boundless Realm—be able to do the same?"

"In time, all will bow before Ye Tian. No one will dare to rebel against the Heaven and Earth Alliance."

"You speak of aligning with the Blood Shadow Demon Army," another elder growls. "Do you wish to lead our entire Spirit Clan to its doom? Do you want us to be annihilated by the Heaven and Earth Alliance?"

"Hmph! I have never liked you," someone sneers. "Your parents were executed for their betrayal, yet we allowed you to stay. And now, you dare to speak against the Spirit Clan?"

"You want revenge, don't you?"

"You would rather see us destroyed than stand with Ye Tian?"

The entire hall erupts in accusations. Dozens of elders and high-ranking members glare at her with scorn.

The girl's face remains impassive. She has endured these looks and these words her entire life. She has never felt any affection for the Spirit Clan. The only thing keeping her here is a lingering sense of responsibility.

"Patriarch, elders—joining the Heaven and Earth Alliance will be the downfall of the Spirit Clan," she warns. "We will decline, without question."

She lifts her gaze, her expression unwavering. "And who can guarantee that Ye Tian will remain in the Boundless Realm after the war? If he falls, what will keep the heavens from descending into chaos?"

"Presumptuous!"

The patriarch roars, his voice shaking the hall. Fury blazes in the eyes of the elders.

"You dare say our Spirit Clan will decline?" he bellows. "For countless eras, we have stood strong in the heavens! How could we fall?"

Then, with a sharp wave of his scepter, he commands, "Expel this disloyal outcast from the Spirit Clan!"

"Yes! Expel her!"

"She was never truly one of us to begin with!"

"She is nothing but an outsider! A disgrace!"

"Let her leave and watch as our Spirit Clan rises under the Heaven and Earth Alliance!"

The girl does not respond. She expected this. If the Spirit Clan chooses destruction, then so be it. She turns to leave.

"Stop!"

The patriarch's voice cuts through the hall like a blade.

"You grew up in the Spirit Clan. Everything you possess belongs to the Spirit Clan. If you leave, you will return everything to us."

His gaze darkens. "Abolish her cultivation. Then, cast her out."

The girl's breath stills.

Expelling her is one thing. But to strip her of her cultivation? To turn her into a cripple?

She clenches her fists and looks around at the people she once called her clan.

She does not beg. She knows it is useless.

"As you command."

A high-ranking elder steps forward, his palm surging with power.

Boom!

A wave of spiritual energy crashes down on her, shattering her cultivation in an instant.

A sharp pain sears through her body.

Crack!

Her meridians rupture. Her foundation is destroyed.

Blood spills from her lips as she collapses to the ground.

She grits her teeth, her vision blurring. The Spirit Clan is merciless. They did not just remove her from their ranks—they destroyed any hope of her ever practicing cultivation again.

"Hmph!" The patriarch watches coldly. "Your talent came from the Spirit Clan's bloodline. Now, everything you have returns to us."

"Leave. From this moment forward, you are no longer a member of the Spirit Clan."