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Shen Hong was seething with frustration. Despite a year of isolated training, his efforts to reach the legendary rank had been in vain. 

No matter how many ancient tomes he consulted or how much soul force he absorbed, he was stuck at a plateau, unable to break through to the legendary rank.

Then, one day, he sensed a disturbance nearby—a presence approaching. 

A mere silver rank. 

His irritation flared. 

"What is this insect doing here?" he wondered. 

Without intending to kill but to intimidate, Shen Hong unleashed a wave of his aura and bellowed, "Who dares disturb me?!"

He expected many things, but not the response he received. 

"Brother!" 

The voice made him pause. 

"Shen Xiu?!" he thought, surprised. 

Shen Hong had never held much affection for his younger sister, viewing her as another of his father's late-life mistakes. 

Despite their sixty-year age gap, she was still his little sister, he had accepted her into the family, adhering to his own principle of taking care of family members, no matter how little he thought of them.

"Shen Xiu, even if you are my sister, I don't make exceptions. If you've come to disturb my training without a good reason, your life ends here," Shen Hong growled, his voice laced with a deadly threat.

"The Scarlet Sunburst Array has been plagiarized from the Snow Wind Family!" Shen Xiu shouted back, desperation clear in her voice.

Her words made Shen Hong pause, his aura momentarily retracting as he processed her claim. 

"Is that so?" he mused, a spark of interest igniting as he lifted his fingers.

....

Shen Xiu, gathering her strength, rose from the ground as she felt her brother's aura dissipate.

Before her, the lake miraculously parted, creating a path for her to approach the house. 

With a heart heavy with trepidation, she moved forward and, once outside the house, kowtowed deeply. 

"Shen Xiu greets the Patriarch," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, her forehead pressed to the cool ground.

"Speak!" commanded Shen Hong, his voice thundering across the open space.

Swallowing her fear, Shen Xiu responded, "I have found, with concrete evidence, that the first Patriarch stole the Scarlet Sunburst Array from the Snow Wind Family's Book of Snow and Fire."

"How concrete is the evidence?" Shen Hong's question felt as heavy as a mountain pressing down on her.

"I have the book in my hand," Shen Xiu bravely stated, retrieving the book from her spatial ring and placing it in front of the door before resuming her position of deference. The wind seemed to obey Shen Hong's silent command, swirling around to lift the book up for his inspection. He scrutinized the inscription array, his silence more intimidating than any words could be.

"This is dangerous to the Sacred Family. How many people know about this?" Shen Hong finally broke the silence.

"Me and my partner," Shen Xiu confessed, the weight of her revelation hanging in the air.

"Partner?" Shen Hong's eyebrow raised slightly, a hint of interest in his otherwise unwavering demeanor, but he quickly dismissed it, deciding it irrelevant to the matter at hand.

"Hmm, this information is something valuable to the Sacred Family. I will make sure you are rewarded for this act," Shen Hong declared.

"Thank you for your kind words," Shen Xiu replied, her voice small.

"But, this information does not require me to intervene personally. Tell me, sister, why are you here telling me this and not the elder council?" Shen Hong's question cut through the air, his tone sharp and demanding. 

"If I may?" Shen Xiu's voice was tentative, seeking permission.

"You may," replied Shen Hong.

Shen Xiu carefully placed an inscription array on the ground. 

Like before, the wind gently lifted it into the air, presenting it for Shen Hong's inspection. "This is Xiu Li's Scarlet Sunburst Inscription array," she started, her voice steadier now. "It's more efficient than the original Scarlet Sunburst, easier to make, and completely unique. It's crafted with a new set of circuits unknown in Glory City."

Shen Hong paused, giving the array his full attention. Activating it, he watched as a ring of fire formed, analyzing Shen Xiu's claims. As the flames danced before him, he realized she was right. The new array was indeed superior in every way she had described.

"What is it that you want, sister?" Shen Hong finally asked, his gaze piercing.

Shen Xiu swallowed hard before answering, "I just want the family's honor to be protected."

A smile, rare and unexpected, crossed Shen Hong's face. 

"Stand up, sister. We have a council to attend to." 

The doors to his house swung open, signaling her to follow.

Surprised by the unexpected warmth in her brother's words, Shen Xiu stood up and nodded, a feeling of relief washing over her. As she prepared to follow him, she looked up at the sky and smiled to herself, "You are really amazing, Nie Li."

Everything she had presented and said was according to Nie Li's instructions, and the results spoke for themselves. Yet, even with the successful outcome, Shen Xiu found herself baffled by Nie Li's foresight. How could he have predicted not only the outcome but also the precise reactions and responses of someone as intimidating as her brother?

"Geniuses are scary, but he is my genius." 

...

Elder Shen Ming was utterly bewildered by the day's events. 

At first, a terrifying demon beast seemed to attack the Sacred Family's northern armory, only for it to be revealed as some sort of illusion. 

But that confusion paled in comparison to what happened next: the Patriarch, Shen Hong, had emerged from his isolated training, and an urgent elder council was convened.

Shen Ming's surprise deepened when he saw Shen Xiu sitting beside the Patriarch. What was she doing there? He wondered as all the elders, including himself, bowed in respect to Shen Hong.

"The council greets the Patriarch," they chanted in unison, though glances were surreptitiously cast towards Shen Xiu, who seemed indifferent to their attention. Then, Shen Hong raised his hand, demanding silence.

"I have come to make a declaration," Shen Hong announced, capturing the attention of everyone present.

A palpable tension filled the room as Shen Hong continued, "From this day forward, the Sacred Family will replace the Scarlet Sunburst Array with this." He revealed Shen Xiu's inscription scroll, holding it up for all to see.

"Why?" 

The question cut through the tense silence, startling everyone. 

It had come from the newly appointed elder of trade, whose sector would be directly affected by such a change. Around him, faces turned, some showing pity for breaking the unspoken rule: one does not question the Patriarch during his declarations.

In response to the breach of etiquette, Shen Hong simply smiled. 

The air in the room began to twist strangely around the elder who tried to beg for mercy. Suddenly, as if caught in an invisible vacuum, the elder's body burst open, blood and bones fragments scattering in all directions. 

Shen Hong had just killed a 5 star Gold rank like a bug.

The demonstration of power was silent but unmistakably clear. 

Everyone in the room remained silent, not daring to react, as the message was understood: the Patriarch's decisions were not up for debate.

"Sister, you take over," Shen Hong said, settling back into his seat with an authoritative ease. 

Shen Xiu, taking a deep breath, began to unravel the story behind the Scarlet Sunburst Array and the creation of Xiu Li's version. Shen Xiu omitted Nie Li's role in all of this. 

As she spoke, the room listened in rapt attention, understanding dawning on their faces.

Elder Shen Ming, a look of sudden clarity in his eyes, couldn't help but ask, "Shen Xiu, were you the one who made that demon beast appear in the armoury?" 

All eyes turned to Shen Xiu as Shen Hong raised an eyebrow in silent question. With a smile, she answered, "It was just a test run of a new array I'm working on. It's not complete, by the way."

"And what is this new array?" Shen Hong inquired, intrigued.

"It's an illusionary array that can serve as a distraction," Shen Xiu explained. 

The room erupted into murmurs of shock and curiosity, the idea of such an array being beyond their imagination. 

Elder Shen Ming felt a vein throb in frustration; instead of discrediting her, he had inadvertently given Shen Xiu a platform to enhance her value to the family.

"I look forward to this new array," Shen Hong said, turning his attention to Shen Ming. 

"Ming, how long until Xiu Li's Scarlet Sunburst array can begin production?"

"A month," Shen Ming responded, as heads around the room nodded in agreement. The challenges of mass-producing this new array were numerous: scribes needed training on the unfamiliar circuits, old materials had to be replaced, and the precise alignment required for the effects meant there was little margin for error.

One of the elders, sensing an opportunity amidst the tense discussion, spoke up cautiously, "Patriarch, if I may." 

With a nod from Shen Hong granting him permission, he continued, "Shouldn't we consider changing the name of the Scarlet Sunburst Array to something else because keeping the current name might attract unnecessary scrutiny and questions about its origin? It could potentially undermine the family's credibility and the array's authenticity in the eyes of our peers and rivals."

Shen Hong considered the elder's suggestion, his gaze sweeping over the assembled council members, measuring their reactions. 

Turning his attention back to Shen Xiu, he said, "Dear sister, in light of these concerns, I'd like you to choose a different name for your array. We don't want it associated with that plagiarized mess." 

"Patriarch, if I may?" Shen Xiu interjected politely.

"You may," he nodded.

"I understand the concern," Shen Xiu began, addressing the elder who had raised the point about changing the array's name. "However, I believe the name of the array should remain unchanged. If we alter it, it could inadvertently draw more attention to the Scarlet Sunburst Array and the circumstances surrounding its origin. It's important to remember that we are the only ones aware of the plagiarism issue. Changing the name now would seem more suspicious, as if we have something to hide." 

Her response was measured and thoughtful, displaying a depth of strategic insight that left the room in silent contemplation. 

"Would it tarnish our honor if we didn't change the name? What if we introduce Xiu Li's array as a new innovation and gradually start replacing the Scarlet Sunburst Array, thereby disassociating it from the Sacred Family's name? But if we keep the name Xiu Li's Scarlet Sunburst Array then..." The elder trailed off, his point made, as all eyes turned to Shen Xiu, who appeared visibly upset.

The name was a testament to her and Nie Li's hard work, a symbol of their dedication and innovation. 

She didn't want to relinquish it. 

After a moment of internal struggle, Shen Xiu found her resolve and said, "As long as 'Xiu Li' remains in the name, I don't care about the rest."

The council members exchanged curious glances, each one pondering the identity of this mysterious 'Li.' 

Yet, with Shen Xiu's newfound status within the family, none dared to press the issue further, except perhaps the Patriarch himself.

However, the Patriarch had other matters to address. 

"As Patriarch, I believe Shen Xiu deserves a reward for her contributions," he announced, effectively shifting the focus of the council meeting. 

Agreement echoed around the room, recognizing Shen Xiu's role in not only protecting the family's reputation but also opening new avenues for profit.

"Sister, I am willing to grant you two wishes."

....

[ Author Note: Guess, Shen Xiu's two wishes. One wish for herself and one wish for Nie Li ]