Through the Veil of Time [BL]

Chapter 21: A Deep Betrayal

Ruo Xuan stood in the center of the abandoned training ground, his muscles coiled with tension. The young disciple in front of him shifted uncomfortably, his earlier defiance fading under Ruo Xuan's unyielding presence. But Ruo Xuan sensed something more than just fear. There was a lingering, expectant silence in the air—they weren't alone.

A faint rustling behind him confirmed his suspicion. Ruo Xuan didn't turn, but his ears caught the subtle footsteps growing closer. The weight of authority in the steps told him this newcomer wasn't just another disciple.

"Well done, young one," a voice rasped from the shadows. It was calm, calculated, and edged with malice. "I wasn't sure if you would actually lead him here."

Ruo Xuan's brow furrowed, his head tilting toward the sound. He recognized the voice immediately—Elder Qin, one of the oldest and most respected elders within the Tian Clan. But hearing him here, under these circumstances, sent a cold chill down his spine.

Elder Qin stepped into view, his long, graying hair tied back, his expression composed yet cold. His eyes gleamed with a quiet satisfaction as he observed Ruo Xuan and the disciple.

"I didn't expect to find you lurking in the shadows, Elder Qin," Ruo Xuan said, his tone even, though suspicion burned beneath his calm exterior.

Elder Qin smiled faintly, though there was no warmth behind it. "Ah, Ruo Xuan. You always were clever for one who cannot see. But I'm not hiding—I'm simply here to... explain."

"Explain?" Ruo Xuan's voice remained steady, but the weight of the situation pressed down on him. Something far more sinister was at play.

Elder Qin nodded slowly, clasping his hands behind his back as he took another step forward. "You see, your clan—your bloodline—should have been wiped out years ago, during the war. It was a disappointment, to say the least, when your clan survived. That war was meant to end your family's line and ensure the Tian Clan's dominance. But somehow, you persisted."

Ruo Xuan's hands clenched into fists at his sides, the memories of that war rushing back. He remained silent, waiting for the elder to continue.

"After the war, I watched as your clan struggled to rebuild, clinging to survival like weeds refusing to die. I waited, biding my time, hoping you would fall on your own. But that didn't happen, did it?" Elder Qin's voice grew colder. "No, your father, Ruo Jian, was too stubborn. Even as peace was declared, I knew he would be a thorn in my side. And when that didn't come to pass, I decided to take matters into my own hands."

Ruo Xuan's face remained unreadable, but the weight of Elder Qin's words hung heavily in the air.

The Tian Clan disciple, who had been silent up to this point, shifted uneasily. His voice trembled as he spoke, "I... I was the one who killed your father."

Ruo Xuan's breath hitched for a brief moment, but he remained outwardly composed. His blind eyes, though they saw nothing, bore into the disciple's trembling form as though he could see through him. "You?" Ruo Xuan asked, his voice a low, dangerous whisper. "How?"

The disciple swallowed hard, his fear evident. "I—I switched places with the mercenary you killed. He was meant to lead the attack, but at the last moment, I took his place and... and killed Ruo Jian."

Ruo Xuan's fists tightened further, his knuckles white with the strain. His entire body trembled with barely restrained fury, but still, he remained composed. "And you believed you could get away with it?" he asked coldly.

The disciple lowered his head, unable to meet Ruo Xuan's gaze. "I—I was following orders."

Elder Qin chuckled darkly, his eyes gleaming with a twisted satisfaction. "Yes, he was following my orders. The plan was simple—eliminate the former head of the Ruo Clan and plant enough doubt in your mind to set you against Tian Kuo. After all, a blind man cannot see the truth, can he?"