The Liang family estate was unusually quiet, the heavy silence a precursor to the gathering of the elders. Liang Yue sat cross-legged in the study, her small hands clutching the hem of her tunic, waiting. She could sense it—something was shifting, something bigger than just her daily training.
When Lady Liang entered, followed by Liang Fei, Liang Mei, and General Liang Zhen, the room seemed to tighten. Even Liang Ran, usually fidgety, was subdued, sitting properly by the window.
Lady Liang stood at the head of the room, her voice calm but firm.
"The other families are moving."
Liang Yue's brows furrowed. She had heard whispers of them before—the powerful families that ruled from the shadows, just like hers. But today, it felt different. More real.
Lady Liang continued, "The Summit will convene soon. The Lei Family and the Bai Family have sent word. It will not be long before the Wu Family makes their move as well."
At the mention of the Lei Family, Liang Zhen's hand unconsciously touched the scar running down his arm. Memories of past battles seemed to flicker across his hardened face.
"The Thunderline," Liang Fei murmured, adjusting his cufflinks, his mind already racing with political strategies. "Their warriors control lightning itself. They won't come without an agenda."
"And the Bai Family?" Liang Mei asked, her voice curious but guarded.
Lady Liang's lips pressed into a thin line. "The Silent Flame. Masters of the mind. They heal... and they destroy, all without lifting a weapon."
Liang Yue absorbed every word, feeling the world she knew expand outward into something vast—and dangerous.
After the official meeting, the family slowly drifted into smaller conversations, tension lingering like a charged storm. Liang Mei pulled Liang Fei aside by the window.
"Fei," she said quietly, glancing at where Liang Yue was now speaking with Liang Ran, "you saw her results."
He nodded grimly. "She's unstable. Too much raw power, not enough control."
Liang Mei's gaze softened. "She's only nine. She's just beginning. But they'll expect too much from her too soon."
Fei looked at his younger sister across the room—small, determined, carrying the weight of a bloodline ancient and heavy—and exhaled slowly.
"We have to shield her," Liang Mei whispered. "At least until she learns who she really is."
Fei agreed. But in his heart, he wondered: Would they be able to shield her at all? When the Fourth Bloodline stirred, not even family might be enough to contain it.