Eternal Temptation: Awakening Sinful Desires

Asher told her eerything in great detail, from finding Scarlet in distress and how Cecil was manipulated to harm her by Rick to his beating Rick up in the Black Forest. He also talked about the events that led to the current situation before he asked for her assistance to resolve this problem.

Every word from his mouth made Nathan feel more and more terrified, and the color drained from his face as his body trembled with fear.

The same was true for William and Ava, who didn't know what to believe anymore. They never expected that their son would make such elaborate schemes and lie to them about the details of their conflicts with the trio.

As for Scarlet and Cecil, they were stunned by Aria's appearance, and they just stared at her while Asher recounted the story to her.

Rias, on the other hand, again felt the anger rise in her heart and clenched her fists tight while her nails dug deep into her skin, drawing a small amount of blood.

Everyone who was on the scene and heard the truth behind all this mess was also seething in anger and disgust, as they found this cowardly act despicable and unworthy of the reputation of the Twilight Mist Sect.

They didn't think that their most respected Grand Elder would stoop so low as to threaten a young man to protect a scoundrel like Rick, while William and Ava had supported his lies in public.

Nathan felt that all his years of effort and hard work had become meaningless. In his arrogance, he never expected that he would resort to bullying a young man. It made him realize how much he had been influenced by his son's character.

Aria was quiet for a long time after she listened to his explanation. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then opened her eyes and gently said, "I understand, Darling. It's indeed right that there's no place without evil in this world. This world is a mixture of light and darkness, good and evil.

There will always be people who want to hurt you for their selfish gains, but there are also people who will try their best to protect you. In this world, there's always a thin line between right and wrong. What you have to do is choose which side to stand on and for whom you fight for.

Once you know what you believe in and are determined to go through thick and thin together, you will have the courage to face the challenges of life, and everything else will just fade into insignificance.

As for this sect, well, let me handle that, since it seems there are some people who need to learn their lessons." The last sentence of Aria was like the ominous warning of a storm that was brewing in the dark clouds.

Asher nodded his head and gave a faint smile upon hearing her reassuring words, knowing that he could always count on her support, regardless of the circumstances.

Aria stroked Asher's cheek before turning around and looking towards Nathan with a cold look in her eyes. "Grand Elder Nathan Cutler, I didn't expect that you would stoop so low. Did the long years of prestige and pride finally inflate your ego to such a level that you believe that you are invincible and above the law?

For the sake of your family reputation, you've resorted to threats and intimidation towards an innocent young man who protected your sect disciples. You, who had always acted for justice and righteousness, have now gone against the very principles that you once stood for. This is really a huge disappointment and a shame for the Twilight Mist sect."

Nathan took a deep breath as he listened to her, feeling ashamed of his behavior and knowing that he deserved to be reprimanded by her.

He had long realized that it was a mistake on his part and that he should have investigated the matter before acting impulsively.

However, his rash actions had made him lose face in front of the disciples of his sect, and even worse, it made him lose his reputation for being fair and just.

"Sigh... Honorary Elder Aria, your son has my deepest apologies for what happened today. I should've handled the situation better. I hope that you can forgive me for my rude behavior earlier." He said with a remorseful expression on his face as he lowered his head in shame.

This made everyone gasp in shock upon seeing him bow his head in apology towards Asher, who was just a young man, unlike Aria, who was also an Honorary Elder of the sect despite being the ruler of the empire and is treated with reverence by most of the elders.

This was something that most of them didn't think they would see in their lifetimes. It was simply inconceivable to them. However, this also made them realize again that the Grand Elder was someone who knew right from wrong and would never hesitate to correct his mistakes when the opportunity presented itself.

Aria narrowed her eyes as she stared at Nathan before sighing and saying, "Grand Elder, I won't hold it against you, because I know about your personality and that you weren't fully aware of the facts when you acted. Besides, I know you well enough to trust your judgment. m _vl _em _p _yr only

However, I can't just ignore the fact that you threatened my son and tried to force him to reveal his identity against his wishes. So, I think it's only fair that you compensate him for the trouble you caused him."

Nathan was relieved to hear this and nodded his head in agreement before asking her, "Honorary Elder, then how about I compensate your son with three favors that he can call upon me whenever he wants? Would that be suitable to make amends for my mistake?"

"Three favors?" Aria said with a contemplative expression as she pondered over the matter and then smiled as she responded, "That's a good idea, Grand Elder Nathan. Three favors seem to be just enough to compensate my son for the troubles he faced today. However, there is still someone who needs to face punishment for their crimes."