Chapter 127: A Newfound Respect

Ling Yanfeng had a broad face, large ears, sword-like brows, and bright eyes. He appeared to be a man of upright character, looking far more honest and reliable than the handsome Yu Shiyu, who possessed a wild, wicked air about him. "Sister Shuang, the wind is strong here, and your health is delicate. Why have you come?" he asked with feigned concern, pointedly ignoring the Yu family disciples behind her.

The Yu family disciples, who had been imprisoned for so long without cause, were utterly silent. Yu Ruoshuang hung her head, feeling a pang of guilt.

Pulling her sister behind her, Yu Youwei spoke with elegance, yet her words were absolutely venomous: "Don't bother calling her 'sister' so casually. Do you really think that by wearing a human skin, people can't see that you are nothing but a beast?"

"Who are you? How dare you trespass into the forbidden grounds of my Sword Sect!" Ling Yanfeng could no longer maintain his facade of a smile; his face turned ashen as he barked the question.

Yu Ruoshuang stepped forward to shield her sister, declaring loudly, "She is my sister."

Even though she harbored resentment, Yu Youwei’s heart softened when her naturally timid sister took a protective stance. Squeezing her sister's hand, she said, "Others have used the despicable method of ruining your reputation to vie for the position of Sect Successor. You have the advantage of being close to the source; you are perfectly capable of fighting for it yourself. As for this creature wearing human skin, treat him as a plaything delivered to your doorstep. If you like him, there is no harm in taking him as a concubine-husband. If you don't, just slit his throat with a single stroke."

This outrageous advice was something only Yu Youwei dared to say to Yu Ruoshuang. The expressions on the faces of those present were nothing short of spectacular.

"Can I really? I..." Yu Ruoshuang asked, uncertain.

"Don't make me look down on you," Yu Youwei retorted, her brows knitted together in irritation.

"You are Yu Youwei! How dare you come to my Sword Sect!" Ling Yanfeng shouted, his face dark and gloomy.

"I came to the Sword Sect originally intending to slaughter you." With a flick of Yu Youwei’s will, the Qingshuang Sword transformed into a streak of azure light, pressing against Ling Yanfeng's forehead. Even the Protector Ling standing beside him failed to intercept it in time.

Ling Yanfeng was a man of some standing, and his expression did not waver. Just as he was about to speak, the azure light flashed, and the Qingshuang Sword circled back to Yu Youwei’s wrist. She shook the sword on her wrist and added, "To kill you would be as easy as flipping my hand. Now that I see my sister is not entirely devoid of spirit, I will leave you for her to deal with personally."

Ling Yanfeng had no chance to utter a retort, his momentum instantly deflating.

The Yu family disciples cheered, and a brilliant glimmer appeared in Yu Ruoshuang’s eyes.

Even Yu Youwei had not expected that her words today would change the course of Yu Ruoshuang’s life forever. Her original intention was merely to muddy the waters of the Sword Sect to buy time for her second brother to stage a comeback; she never imagined her sister would take it to heart.

Before Ling Yanfeng and his men could lash out, Yu Ruoshuang spoke: "Protector Ling, it is fortunate that you are here. Ling Yanfeng has imprisoned these sect disciples without cause. If the Enforcement Hall cannot handle this impartially, I will file a complaint with the Elders' Hall against the Enforcement Hall."

Was this truly the same Yu Ruoshuang who was more delicate and soft than the flowers of early spring?

Cultivators are prone to gossip, and news of the scandal between Yu Ruoshuang and Ling Yanfeng had already been spreading like wildfire. As soon as the standoff began at the First Line Cliff, onlookers poured in from all directions. When Yu Ruoshuang spoke, everyone—except for Yu Youwei, who did not know her well—was stunned.

Giving her sister an encouraging look, Yu Youwei felt a genuine acceptance of her sister, and her smile grew more sincere.

It seemed that gaining her younger sister’s approval was a glory beyond measure. Influenced by Yu Youwei, Yu Ruoshuang looked at Ling Yanfeng and found him truly repulsive: "Ling Yanfeng, I will never let you off!"

Yu Ruoshuang had always lacked a mind of her own and was easily deceived. She had known Ling Yanfeng captured the Yu disciples, yet she had been fooled by his web of lies, forgetting everything else. He had claimed that capturing them was merely to prevent them from causing trouble at the wedding and that he would release them afterward; she had believed him implicitly.

Today, her rushing to the First Line Cliff to release them had already shocked Ling Yanfeng. Her threat to report the Enforcement Hall to the Elders' Hall, followed by her direct confrontation, filled him with a sense of impending crisis. He roared, "Ruoshuang, do not listen to Yu Youwei! She hates the Yu family, she hates you and your mother, and she is only here to take revenge on you!"

Yu Youwei did not argue, waiting quietly for her sister's response.

The Yu family disciples watched Yu Ruoshuang anxiously, fearing she would be swayed by Ling Yanfeng. Those who did not know who Yu Youwei was began asking about her origins.

Taking a deep breath, Yu Ruoshuang spoke with unprecedented firmness: "She is my sister! We are both daughters of Yu Tianming. When I was bullied, my mother and grandfather hid away. Only my sister charged into the Sword Sect, intending to kill you to avenge me."

The mountain wind carried Yu Ruoshuang’s words far, echoing through the valley. In the distance, the secluded Fourth Madam Yu and Sect Master Ying flew out simultaneously, only to stop in their tracks.

The unfamiliar intensity of Yu Ruoshuang filled Ling Yanfeng with panic: "Sister Shuang, I truly love you. I was just confused for a moment. Didn't you say you forgave me?"

"I never said I forgave you. Whether to take you as a concubine-husband or to slaughter you—I need to think about it further." Yu Ruoshuang lifted her chin proudly, commanding like a queen: "Move aside."

Protector Ling shouted in anger, "You may leave, but Yu Youwei has trespassed into forbidden territory; she must be captured."

"If you want to touch my sister, you will have to step over my corpse." Being the daughter of Yu Tianming, once Yu Ruoshuang’s spirit was ignited, her tone grew firmer with every word.

Hearing this from afar, tears streamed down Fourth Madam Yu’s face as she muttered to herself, "Mother didn't hide; I just didn't have the face to see you." Her daughter had been defiled under her protection, and she felt the urge to tear Ling Yanfeng apart. But her daughter was naturally timid and unable to endure the slightest hardship; if she didn't marry Ling Yanfeng, she feared that even if another man were to marry her for her beauty and background, he might later use the stain of her lost virtue to manipulate her. That was why she had swallowed her pride and agreed to the Ling family's proposal.

At the summit of the main peak, the thin-faced Sect Master Ying revealed a faint smile and remarked, "Shuang'er has truly made people look at her with new eyes today."

Under the Podocarpus tree behind Sect Master Ying, an old man in gray robes, dozing in a rocking chair while clutching a giant sword, said, "Her sister's words were the most to my liking. A 'plaything delivered to the doorstep'—ha! That girl has guts to say such things. The old monster of the Ling family is going to hate that little girl to death. I can't wait to see the look on his face right now."

"Hmm, she said that if Shuang'er keeps her position, she can fight for the title of Sect Successor. Do you think she truly has the courage to compete?" Sect Master Ying felt a faint sense of anticipation.

The old man in gray didn't mince words: "Shuang'er has just been protected too well by you lot. After all, she is Yu Tianming’s daughter."

"She is also of the Ying family bloodline!" Sect Master Ying retorted unhappily.

The old man laughed, "Even Shuang'er said that when she was bullied, her mother and grandfather hid away, and only her sister charged into the Sword Sect to avenge her. You have the nerve to call her of the Ying family bloodline—I’m embarrassed just hearing it."

"I wasn't hiding; I was in seclusion!" Sect Master Ying roared, his face turning red. His shout was so loud that the entire inner sect could hear him.

"Pray tell, if you were in seclusion, why did you come running out?" the old man asked with biting sarcasm.

Hearing his own roar echoing in the air and feeling trapped by his own words, Sect Master Ying bellowed, "I'm going to slaughter that little beast Ling Yanfeng right now!"