Eternal Temptation: Awakening Sinful Desires

Chapter 173: What is the proof of your accusations? - 2

To everyone's surprise, they found an old man wearing a white robe floating above the Cutler's residence, gazing at Rias and William with a calm demeanor.

Experience stories on m _v _lempy _r.

He had long gray hair and a thick beard that reached his chest, while his dark eyes contained an endless amount of wisdom and experience.

A scar ran down the left side of his face, giving him an imposing appearance.

Despite his old appearance, his muscular body was filled with vigor and vitality, and he gave off the image of an immovable mountain that would never succumb to adversity.

The moment he appeared, all of the nearby elders recognized him. That old man was none other than Grand Elder Nathan Cutler, one of the most influential figures within the entire Twilight Mist sect.

"Grand Elder Cutler..."

"Grand Elder Cutler has arrived!"

The crowd whispered amongst each other as they began discussing amongst themselves about this sudden development.

Rias narrowed her eyes when she saw Nathan appear and said, "Grand Elder Cutler, I didn't know that you would stop your close-door cultivation to interfere in this matter."

Nathan let out a chuckle as he responded, "Elder Rias, I know your personality, so I decided to step in to prevent any further clashes between you and my son, William. I'm sure that you would agree with me that it's better for our sect's reputation if this matter doesn't escalate any further than necessary."

Upon hearing this, Rias sneered and replied, "Reputation? Grand Elder Cutler, this is about justice and punishing the culprits. Do you dare to question my sense of justice?"

Nathan sighed as he shook his head and replied, "Of course not, but I don't think that your judgment is impartial in this matter either."

"Impartial?" Rias muttered under her breath. "Hahahaha! Grand Elder Cutler, your grandson schemed against my daughters, Scarlet and Cecil, and almost took their innocence, yet you call me biased. Can you say that my anger is unjustified? Or are you saying that your grandson, Rick, deserves to be excused for his crimes?"

Upon hearing Rias' words, Nathan furrowed his brows, while William, who was barely hanging onto consciousness, gritted his teeth in frustration.

"This is absurd! Rick is not to blame for this! If anyone should take responsibility for their actions, it should be your daughters, who conspired with outsiders to harm Rick! It is obvious that they're lying to you so that you'll take their side in this conflict!" Ava, who appeared next to William, shouted at Rias while supporting him.

Rias stared at Ava with contempt in her eyes as she responded, "What did you say? I can overlook you insulting me, Ava Carter, but do not ever dare insult my daughters in front of me again. They conspired with outsiders? That is such a bold-faced lie that even a toddler wouldn't fall for it. Is your brain rotten, Elder Ava?"

"You-"

Ava wanted to retort, but Nathan raised his hand, signaling for her to keep quiet.

"Elder Rias, I understand that your anger is justified and your intentions are pure, but what is the proof of your accusations? How do you intend to prove your claims?

If you cannot provide evidence for your statements, then this matter will get nowhere." He reasoned with her, trying to maintain the peace to avoid a full-blown conflict, and continued while looking at the trio that were standing at some distance, "How about this, Elder Rias? Why don't we ask that boy over there to explain his identity and his involvement in this matter before making any judgment?"

"Father, you can't be serious!" William exclaimed when he heard his father's words. "Rick has been suffering from grievous injuries, and the spirit healers can't help him recover. It's obvious that he is a victim here!"

However, the moment Nathan laid his eyes on William, he shot him a stern glare that shut him up right away.

William knew that his father meant business. If he continues to interrupt him, then he'll be punished by him as well.

Therefore, he wisely decided to remain silent.

Although Rias trusted her daughters, it wasn't the same for Asher. After all, she just met him for a brief period, and she wasn't sure if he also had any malicious intentions in his heart.

There are many times when enemies hide behind innocent faces and use tricks to deceive the eyes of others. They disguise themselves as sheep and infiltrate the group to find weaknesses to exploit. It is the oldest trick in the book of deception and treachery, used by wicked people to achieve their selfish goals by manipulating the emotions of others.

Thus, she remained silent when Nathan proposed such an idea and waited for Asher to speak instead.

As for the trio, they were taken aback when they suddenly became the center of attention.

Scarlet and Cecil wanted to speak on his behalf but held themselves back in the end when they saw that Asher still remained indifferent despite the tense atmosphere.

After all, he was the one who asked them not to share his family background before he passed the trial and became the official disciple of the Twilight Mist sect.

He wanted to avoid attracting too much attention and surprise a certain someone who was training in closed-door cultivation on the special grounds of the Twilight Mist Sect that were restricted.

After staring at his son for a few moments longer, Nathan turned his gaze towards Asher and ordered him to speak with a commanding voice. "Boy, approach here now and state your name and circumstances. Tell us everything regarding your identity and the events that transpired."

He also released his aura, causing massive pressure to bear down on Asher, which almost forced him to his knees.

A frown marred Asher's face due to the sudden display of power, and he glared at the old man with disdain in his eyes as he stood tall. "Old man, it seems like your family likes to threaten others into submission, huh? Well, maybe you never learned that there are always bigger predators in the food chain."

Everyone became shocked when they heard his disrespectful words. No one has ever dared to talk to Grand Elder Cutler like that before.

Ava gasped in shock when she heard Asher's insolent speech and was about to scold him, but at that moment, a hypnotic voice rang out.

"Fufu... Darling, you seem to be in a bad mood."