"I shall first finish my business with the other three traitors who have plotted against my father, the former Chief of Shen Clan.
"Long story short, Shen Junce ambushed my father with his other five vassals during his expedition deeper into the forest."
Shen Liqian said what Shen Lijian didn't want to say aloud.
The clan gasped and looked at the surviving traitors, their eyes scornful.
Breath steamed and hung in the air without a word.
"So it was really a betrayal…"
"Former Clan Chief Lijian had to go through so much alone."
"It's too vile."
Their entire clan struggled, and hunters were in high demand to ensure everyone could at least eat meat once a month, wear warm fur, and reduce the number of beasts around the village to prevent beast overpopulation.
Plotting against one another was too cruel to begin with.
Shen Liqian walked over to the remaining traitors.
Shen Yiren and Shen Jixian appeared at his side, clearly showing everyone their allegiance.
The wooden bow in Shen Jixian's hands reminded everyone of the archer in the shadows who had taken down Shen Quo and halted Shen Junce for a moment.
Shen Yiren had single-handedly defeated Shen Yan.
All of them had decisively dealt with their enemies!
Stopping short before the traitors, Shen Liqian surprised the clan as he made the clan's salute and slightly bowed his head.
"You have contributed a lot to the clan by embarking on dangerous hunts.
"It goes without saying that you saved many lives in the Shen Clan with the food and resources you brought back to the clan with your bravery."
The faces of the traitors went from stunned to hopeful.
They imagined their contributions to the Shen Clan would allow them to survive.
They couldn't be more naive.
Shen Liqian tightened his grip on the hilt and let the pity drain from his face.
Shen Liqian straightened and looked down at them.
"For your contribution to the clan, I will allow you to kill yourselves in exchange for my not banishing your families from the clan.
"Your choice?" he asked, his eyes cold.
The traitors struggled with this option.
No one wanted to die.
Eventually, one of them buckled under the scornful eyes of the entire clan.
He asked, "Will you really not banish my family?"
"I will not," Shen Liqian replied.
The man nodded and stood up.
Turning around, he took his last glance at his wife and children, who were crying and screaming his name.
He took out a small dagger from his pocket and pushed it against his heart.
"Remain… true… to your… words…," he said.
After spitting a mouthful of blood, he dropped to his knees, then fell face-first onto the snow.
A thin wail rose, broke, and vanished into the cold.
One traitor down.
The other traitors caved in and repeated the man's actions.
Their families mattered most to them in the place Shen Junce had called a shithole.
They had no one else, after all.
A heavy silence blanketed the clan once all the traitors were dead.
Shen Liqian nodded and struck his left palm with his right fist.
"We will observe a minute of silence for the fallen brothers of Shen Clan who have gone astray."
No one moved, and even the winter held still.
He closed his eyes.
The rest of the clan mimicked him, enduring the harsh winter in silence.
Even the winter seemed to bite soundlessly.
After a minute of silence, Shen Liqian turned his eyes to the families of the traitors.
All flinched under his stare.
"Shen Junce's remaining family members, and the families of the other five traitors we have just paid our respects to.
"All of you will now live on the outskirts of Shen Clan."
The clan sucked in a cold breath.
A traitor's wife rose and screamed.
"How could you?!
"You promised my husband you wouldn't banish us from the clan!
"I have given birth to two cultivators at the Fifth Stage of Qi Attunement!
"I don't deserve this fate!
"Do you even know how dangerous it is to live on the outskirts?!"
Beasts wandered close and sniffed around the outskirts.
If beasts decided to try their luck, people living on the outskirts would be their first targets.
Not everyone would be able to flee, even if hunters were stationed there.
Shen Liqian narrowed his eyes.
It's exactly like Shen Junce said.
A woman's biggest achievements are her offspring.
I hate this.
He turned to his vassal and whispered, "Is there any full-grown Frostheart Snowcup?"
"Yes."
Shen Jixian nodded.
"Bring me one with the roots and dirt," Shen Liqian replied.
When Shen Jixian sprinted to the manor's garden, Shen Liqian walked to the center of the clan's plaza.
He lodged his sword deep in the ground and spoke to the clan.
"Her words must have struck a sore point in your hearts.
"It's like she confirmed Shen Junce's words, isn't it?
"But that will be a thing of the past from now on.
"We will grow past those mortal boundaries and find each other's purpose."
It was then that Shen Jixian returned with the fully blossomed Frostheart Snowcup.
For a heartbeat, the cold felt lighter.
He held it carefully in a clump of dirt.
Yet no one even looked at his hands, only at the beautiful blue, chalice-shaped flowers facing upward.
Their silver stems held them like lanterns, and the leaves dusted in moonlight fluttered gently as Shen Jixian carried them.
Within the cups was a mint-flavored nectar that could be drunk at any time.
Girls of any age were captivated by the beautiful flower and would love to have it in their house to tend to it.
Men were also captivated by it, swearing to protect it while their women or daughters tended to it.
Shen Liqian took the flower's earthen base gently from Shen Jixian and walked to where he had lodged his sword.
He squatted and dug a small hole where he planted the first flower.
"It's called Frostheart Snowcup.
"We will tame the winter with its help.
"It will blossom along with our ambition to develop further and give us more seeds to plant across the entire village.
"In other words, this flower will represent our progress.
"Who wants to learn the new cultivation method for this flower first?"
A forest of hands rose to his question.
A little girl leaped out of the line and ran toward Shen Liqian.
She wore so many blankets over herself that she looked like a little penguin.
When she stopped short before Shen Liqian, her mother's strict words echoed in her heart.
She cupped her hands.
"Greetings, Chief Liqian!"
Shen Liqian softened into a smile as he extended his hand into the little girl's hood and ruffled her hair.
"You can call me big brother like you usually do since I haven't been to the Clan Chief's Manor yet."
The one who walked out of the line was Shen Jixian's little sister, Shen Kexin.
Shen Liqian knew her well and adored her as his little sister, so his strict chief-like aura melted the moment she ran over to him.
Beside him, Shen Jixian was embarrassed and kept looking from his parents to Shen Liqian, unsure what to do.
Shen Kexin was too young to understand the mood.
"Oh!
"I see!
"I want to cultivate this pretty flower, big brother!"
Shen Liqian nodded.
"Of course.
"Sit down in a lotus position and focus.
"I will imprint the cultivation method into your mind."
Shen Kexin smiled brightly, her red cheeks puffed out.
"Okay!"
At his cue, Shen Liqian told Zhiyin to appear beside him.
She imprinted the method into Shen Kexin's mind.
Meanwhile, Shen Liqian took off his robes and blanketed Shen Kexin in them to ensure she didn't catch a cold or get frostbite.
The entire clan warmed to the moment between them and looked forward to the youngest generation using the new cultivation method for the first time.
Even the woman and her family banished to the outskirts couldn't speak or argue with Shen Liqian.
The clan didn't allow it.
Later that day, Shen Yiren did the dirty work and took all banished families to the outskirts.
"Sorry to make you do this," Shen Liqian said.
Shen Yiren shook his head and smiled.
"Long before I met you, I had decided to walk a dirty path.
"I don't think being your spear will keep me clean.
"You've carried out dirty orders by now, so just count on me."
Shen Liqian smiled faintly at his reliable friend and vassal.
"Thanks."