Understanding the Details

Gaino's words gave the clan chief a wake-up call. Perhaps it was precisely because the Spirit-Hiding Clan had kept itself secluded from the world that this disaster had befallen them. The Spirit-Hiding Clan had lived by the principle of "if others do not offend us, we will not offend them," living peacefully alongside outsiders. But in the end, they could not overcome human greed. Those with ulterior motives coveted the Spirit-Hiding Clan's assassination training techniques. These were the clan's secret arts, never passed down to outsiders, and the very foundation that allowed the Spirit-Hiding Clan to stand firm in the universe. Naturally, they could not simply hand them over to another race. So those malicious people had joined forces with the Space Pirates to invade Spirit Bloom Star, bringing such calamity upon the Spirit-Hiding Clan.

As the clan chief led Gaino and the others toward the settlement, he explained the difficulties the Spirit-Hiding Clan faced. Feili followed behind the chief, his eyes fixed intently on Gaino and the others, watching their every move. Perhaps uncomfortable under that constant stare, Gaino stopped and turned to Feili. "Could you stop looking at us like we're thieves? There's no need for this. If your Spirit-Hiding Clan doesn't trust us, you could have simply refused us. There was no need to go through all the trouble of inviting us in, only to guard against us with such distrust. You're making it seem as if we begged to come help you. Let me tell you this: whether I involve myself in the Spirit-Hiding Clan's affairs is entirely up to me. If your clan can get through this crisis with its own strength, then I see no reason to get involved."

The moment the chief heard Gaino say that, he became anxious. He said apologetically, "I'm