SUPREME ARCH-MAGUS - Chapter 999: How to Stop?!

Salt Family Manor…

The grand assembly hall…

In the center of the hall stood Phillip Salt, his hands behind his back, a calm yet resolute aura swirling around him. The polished obsidian floor reflected his upright posture, highlighting the dramatic shift in the once quiet and obedient younger son of the Salt Family.

At the head of the assembly sat Elder Grandfather Salt, the current patriarch of the Salt Family. His long, silver-streaked beard rested on his chest, and his eyes narrowed at the young man before him.

Around him sat the core members of the Salt Family—uncle Elor, second uncle Mavin, and several elders with wrinkled faces, each with their own vested interest in the family’s affairs. Their eyes darted between Phillip and the patriarch, waiting for the fire to ignite.

“Phillip,” Elder Mavin spoke first, his voice gruff, laced with frustration. “Why have you been seen mingling with Manuka Lan? Do you think the city doesn’t talk? The rumors of your public pill offering… have brought disgrace upon our name!”

Elor slammed his cane onto the floor. “Worse, you’re engaged to Lily White. The White family is not to be trifled with. And yet, you parade around with the daughter of the Lan family? In public! At the Alchemy City Furnace, no less!”

A few other elders muttered in agreement. One said, “Our alliance with the White family is key to our position in the city. We cannot afford this scandal.”

“Enough!” The patriarch’s voice silenced the room. His stern gaze landed on Phillip. “Is what they’re saying true?”

Phillip stepped forward, his chin high, his voice steady. “Yes. It’s true. I visited the public furnace with Lady Manuka Lan. I brewed the Pill of Possession before a crowd of hundreds and handed it to her.”

A collective gasp rippled through the hall. Even the stoic patriarch blinked.

“You dare admit it so boldly?” Mavin barked. “Are you mad?”

“I’m not mad, uncle,” Phillip replied, turning toward the elders. “I’m finally awake.”

The room grew tense.

“I’ve heard enough about ‘position’ and ‘alliances’ for a lifetime,” Phillip continued, his tone sharper. “From the moment I returned from my death, all I’ve found is how I must marry Lily White, how I must survive in these family politics. There is a big scandal behind my death and many of you know it.”

He took a step closer. “Did any of you ask what I wanted? Do any of you care who Phillip Salt truly is? You all ignored me and tried to set my bride to my cousin. Now what?”

The patriarch tapped his fingers on the armrest, expression unreadable. The room held its breath.

Phillip took another step. “You all speak of Lily White as though she is a jewel I must keep polished otherwise, you all are ready to replace me with my cousin. Do you even know her? Have any of you noticed that she’s more interested in benefiting her own family than in marrying into our family?”

“She’s a prideful girl!” Elor snapped. “You should be grateful to be chosen!”

Phillip didn’t flinch. “That’s exactly the problem. Chosen. Like cattle. I’m not some passive branch of this family anymore. I have my own ambitions now. I have my own heart.”

“And you think Manuka Lan is your heart?” Mavin sneered. “The same girl who defied her clan and stormed into our house like a tempest?”

Phillip chuckled. “Exactly. She has courage. She has curiosity. She stood before our gates, not fearing ridicule or rejection. That is someone I admire.”

“And what of Lily White?” the patriarch asked finally, his deep voice cutting through the moment.

Phillip turned toward his father and bowed slightly. “I have no intention of insulting or betraying Lily White. I will speak to her myself. I will marry her also if she agrees and if not, I will end that engagement with honesty and respect. I will not make her hate me or the Salt family.”

All the family members were shocked by his answer. They couldn’t believe Phillip actually said that.

The patriarch leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing with scrutiny. “You say that as if you already know how she’ll react.”

“I do,” Phillip answered. “I’ve watched her. She respects strength and clarity. She’ll appreciate someone bold enough to walk their own path.”

There was silence.

Then one of the older elders, known to be a cunning schemer for the family’s inner court, spoke with a sly grin. “You think you’re some great hero now? You think because you brewed one flashy pill in public and charmed a Lan girl, you can change the course of this entire family?”

Phillip’s eyes sharpened. “And you think you can keep whispering in corners, manipulating marriages and allegiances, and never be questioned?”

The elder flinched.

Phillip walked forward slowly. “I warn you, Elder Jin. If I find you or anyone else trying to interfere in my matters again, I will act. I don’t need permission to defend my path.”

“You dare threaten a senior?” another elder barked.

“I dare to protect what I cherish,” Phillip said calmly.

A heavy silence fell again.

Then came the sound no one expected—clap… clap… clap…

It was the patriarch.

He clapped slowly, nodding with a deep, proud sigh.

“I see,” he murmured. “So the snake has grown fangs…”

Everyone turned toward him in shock.

The old man smiled faintly. “For years, this boy did as he was told. Not once did he raise his voice or lift his hand unless instructed. And now, here he stands… challenging the entire elder hall.”

“Father?” Elor asked in disbelief.

“I’m not senile,” the patriarch said. “I know the tides of fate when I see them. Phillip… you’ve changed.”

“I have,” Phillip said simply.

The patriarch’s gaze grew serious. “If you walk this path, there will be no turning back. Lily White’s family will not be pleased. The city will talk. The alliances we carefully crafted may fall apart.”

“I’m ready,” Phillip replied.

The patriarch slowly stood. “Then so be it. As the patriarch, I recognize your-intent. But mark my words—do not fail. Do not break Manuka Lan’s heart like some child playing with fire.”

“I won’t,” Phillip vowed.

The elders protested again, but the patriarch raised his hand.

“Enough! Let the boy walk his chosen road. If he wins, we gain more than we lose. If he falls, then he will answer for it.”

Phillip bowed deeply. “Thank you, Father.”

As he left the hall, the elders burst into hushed arguments, voices rising with anxiety and frustration. But the patriarch remained seated, watching the young man’s retreating back.

A faint smile curled on his lips.

“At last,” he whispered. “The wind has changed in the Salt Family. But how much more I need to do? How can I end this trail of sea God Legacy? How to stop this dream world? How?!!!”