Novel

Chapter 4: Kneel or Rise

In the tense aftermath of the auction upheaval, Li Zhen faces a calculated ultimatum from the clan that once shielded him, demanding public submission to erase his challenge. Unyielding, he turns their threats into a reckoning, invoking buried loyalties and past betrayals. Meanwhile, Chen Wei delivers the critical sealed confession exposing the auction riggers and shadow council, shifting the conflict from a local dispute to a city-wide power struggle. A minor clan quietly breaks ranks to support Li Zhen, signaling cracks in the dominant faction. But Madam Xue retaliates fiercely, threatening Chen Wei’s safety to crush Li Zhen’s resolve. The chapter closes on Li Zhen’s calm, controlled defiance, setting the stakes higher as the auction’s final hammer looms.