Given that the Divine Blade Sect and the Hale family stood on equal footing, Iris knew very well that her earlier threat carried little weight.
Even if she, the Saintess, were to die at the hands of the Hale family's Saint Lord, Magnus might not truly turn against Alex for her sake.
Magnus was cautious by nature. He never acted recklessly. He always weighed benefits before making a move.
Alex's calm expression proved that the threat had no effect on him.
"Secondly," Alex said slowly, "you may leave. But he cannot."
He rose from his throne unhurriedly. His gaze fell upon Knox, cold and disdainful.
"I did not allow him to leave."
"No!" Knox shouted instinctively, anger surging through him.
"You just said it yourself. As long as Isolde leaves behind the Seven Orifices Divine Heart, we can leave."
He hesitated for a moment, the sting on his face reminding him of his earlier humiliation. After weighing the situation, his tone softened slightly.
"Saint Lord Alex," he said with forced humility, "you are the head of a saintly family. Surely you would not break your word and become a laughingstock of the world."
"I was referring to Isolde," Alex replied calmly.
"Isolde has disregarded the interests of her family and committed shameless acts with an outsider. As the head of the Hale family, I merely intend to rein her in as a warning."
"This is an internal matter of my family. We will handle it ourselves."
His gaze turned cold.
"But you… are an outsider. Your account must be settled separately."
As he spoke, Alex looked toward Iris with a faint smile.
"Saintess Iris, let me ask you something."
"If an unknown man entered the Divine Blade Sect, seduced your female disciples, and caused chaos within your sect… even with Sect Master Magnus's mild temper, would he truly let it go with only a slap?"
Iris fell silent.
She could not refute him.
A poor youth with mediocre cultivation had barged into a noble family, tried to take away their most cherished woman, and insulted the Saint Lord in front of the entire clan.
It was a disgrace.
Even Magnus, who was known for his calm temperament, would not tolerate such behavior.
And Alex… was far more ruthless.
If this matter were not resolved properly, the Hale family would become a joke among all the saintly lineages.
Iris closed her eyes briefly, then exhaled slowly.
"Knox," she said.
"…Disciple is here," Knox replied cautiously.
"Kneel."
"What?"
Knox's expression changed dramatically. Disbelief filled his eyes.
He had just been slapped and humiliated. Now his own master wanted him to kneel?
In front of everyone?
Was she still his master?
"Master, I…"
"Kneel!" Iris's voice sharpened, completely different from her usual gentle tone.
Seeing the coldness in her eyes, Knox felt a chill run down his spine.
He dared not resist.
Slowly, painfully, he lowered himself to his knees before Alex.
Humiliation burned within him like fire.
But he knew he had no choice.
Today's situation had already gone beyond his expectations. The information he relied on had failed him. Alex was no longer indulgent toward Isolde, and his greatest trump card had vanished.
If he angered Iris now, he might truly die here.
After Knox knelt, Iris stepped forward and bowed slightly.
"How should we resolve this matter today? Please enlighten us, Saint Lord Alex," she said respectfully.
"On behalf of the Divine Blade Sect, I will certainly give you an explanation."
Alex watched her for a moment, admiration flickering briefly in his eyes.
Then he nodded with a faint smile.
"That is the proper attitude when admitting a mistake."
"The Saintess is renowned for her beauty. I am a man of reason and will not act unreasonably."
His tone was calm, almost gentle.
"If you wish to take your disciple away today…"
He paused.
"Exchange it for your most precious treasure."
"What?"
Iris's composure faltered. A trace of panic flashed through her eyes, though she quickly masked it with a polite smile.
"I wonder what Saint Lord Alex is referring to."
"We are all sensible people," Alex said calmly. "There is no need to pretend."
His gaze sharpened.
"Your virgin spiritual treasure."
"The Jade Sword and the Blood Purification Bottle."