Chapter 2: A Father’s Disappointment

The main hall of the Lin family estate was as cold as ever, its grandeur marred by the icy atmosphere that hung over Lin Yun. The tapestries on the walls told stories of martial triumphs, legendary ancestors, and the glory of the Lin family—none of which Lin Yun felt he could claim.

At the far end of the hall, Patriarch Lin Zhen sat on a high-backed chair carved from black oak. His sharp eyes bore into Lin Yun as he approached. Each step felt heavier, as though the weight of the patriarch's judgment was physically pressing down on him.

"You called for me, Father?" Lin Yun asked, keeping his voice steady despite the turmoil within.

Lin Zhen's gaze flicked over him, assessing, cold. "Do you know what they're saying about you?"

Lin Yun clenched his fists at his sides. "No, Father."

"They call you a failure," Lin Zhen said bluntly. "The once-bright star of the Lin family, reduced to a cripple. A disgrace to our name."

The words stung, but Lin Yun refused to let it show. He met his father's gaze, refusing to look away.

"I didn't choose to lose my Qi Core," Lin Yun said quietly.

"No," Lin Zhen replied, his voice cutting, "but you chose to remain useless after it was destroyed."

The silence that followed was deafening. Lin Yun's chest tightened, but he held his ground.

"What do you expect me to do?" he asked.

"I expected you to fight," Lin Zhen said, rising from his seat. "To prove that you're more than just your Qi Core. But instead, you've hidden yourself away, wallowing in self-pity."

Lin Yun's nails bit into his palms. He wanted to scream, to shout that he *was* fighting, that he *was* trying. But the truth was, he hadn't known where to start—until now.

"Is that all, Father?" Lin Yun asked through gritted teeth.

Lin Zhen's eyes narrowed. "Leave. Don't return until you've found a reason to hold your head high again."

Lin Yun turned on his heel and left the hall, his heart pounding. He wasn't sure if it was anger, frustration, or determination that filled him, but one thing was certain: he couldn't keep living like this.

Later that night, Lin Yun found himself wandering the quieter parts of the estate. The moonlight illuminated the stone pathways, casting long shadows across the walls. It was here, away from the prying eyes of the family, that he overheard two elders speaking in hushed tones.

"…the boy's a lost cause," one said.

"Perhaps," the other replied, "but the archive may yet hold something for him—if he dares to seek it."

Lin Yun stopped in his tracks, his heart racing. The archive. He had heard rumors of it before—a forbidden section of the Lin family library, said to house ancient techniques and secrets deemed too dangerous for common use.

The elders' voices faded as they moved on, but their words stayed with him.

"If I dares to seek it…" Lin Yun muttered to himself.

He clenched his fists, the fire of determination igniting within him.

If the Lin family wouldn't give him the tools to rise, then he would take them for himself.