5: Face Changing

Dong — —

After finishing reading, NanGong RuoLin collapsed to the ground, her eyes vacant, as if her Soul had been drained. She murmured dejectedly, “How is this possible? It’s not a broken engagement after all. Why? Why isn’t it a broken engagement? Why…”

“Oh dear, Niece Nangong Xueli, a misunderstanding!”

“I knew it! What kind of person is Lin Yang Daozi? He is a hero among the younger generation. How could he abandon Nangong Xueli just because her cultivation was crippled?”

“Haha, it was all a misunderstanding just now, Nangong Xueli, please don’t take it to heart.”

“Sister Nangong Xueli, don’t worry, from today onwards, I will be your protector. If anyone dares to speak ill of you again, I’ll break their legs!”

“Nangong Xueli, we are all Family…”

After only a brief silence, many people immediately gathered around, their faces wreathed in smiles, and began to curry favor with Nangong Xueli.

Looking at these people who had just been cold to her, wishing to quickly drive her out of the Family to seize the compensation for the broken engagement, Nangong Xueli experienced for the first time what it meant to be two-faced.

“Family?”

Nangong Xueli sneered, pointing at the treasures scattered on the ground, and declared her ownership, “Would Family members try to snatch the things my fiancé Lin Yang specially sent for me?”

As she mentioned the words “fiancé,” a strange emotion subtly stirred within Nangong Xueli.

She had known about Lin Yang’s existence for a long time, but for some reason, when she spoke of him herself this time, an indescribably strange feeling arose in her heart.

“Slap!”

Nangong Qian’s eyes flickered slightly upon hearing this. He immediately walked up to NanGong RuoLin with a dark expression, slapped NanGong RuoLin, who was still in a daze, and sternly reprimanded her, “You scoundrel, who allowed you to touch Nangong Xueli’s things?”

NanGong RuoLin was spun half a circle by the slap, her head buzzing, and traces of blood oozed from the corner of her mouth.

Seeing this, Nangong Qian showed no pity. Instead, he quickly collected all the treasures on the ground into a Storage Ring, and after refolding the letter, put it back into the envelope.

Then, with a smiling face, he handed the letter and the ring to Nangong Xueli, “Hehe, NanGong RuoLin was rude, and I have already taught her a lesson for you. It was a misunderstanding just now, Nangong Xueli, please don’t take it to heart.”

“No matter when, you are an indispensable member of our Nangong Family!”

Nangong Xueli glanced indifferently at the Clan Chief, who had suddenly become somewhat humble. She said nothing more, simply retrieving her letter and Storage Ring with a calm expression.

Although she appeared very calm on the surface, in reality, Nangong Xueli’s heart was as turbulent as the sea before a storm, unable to find peace.

Lin Yang, an eighteen-year-old Martial Ancestor Prodigy, the personal disciple of the Saint Essence Sect Master, one of the Sect’s Four Daozi, and a leader among the younger generation, had a bright future ahead of him.

And she, Nangong Xueli, was now just a crippled Qi Refining practitioner. In this world where strength was revered, even her own kin despised her.

However, Lin Yang, despite being adorned with so many accolades, remained steadfastly by her side, even swearing an oath with a blood letter to protect her for all eternity.

For a young girl at a tender age, this was undoubtedly an irresistible blow.

Even Yao Mu, who resided within her, had fallen into a period of silence.

In the treacherous cultivation world, could such a touching love story truly exist?

Today was truly an eye-opener.

“Impossible! Absolutely impossible!”

Just then, NanGong RuoLin, who had been slapped, suddenly stood up, disheveled, and shouted, “She’s a cripple, why would Lin Yang still be devoted to her?”

“Fake! It’s all fake!”

“Nangong Xueli, you hussy, all of this today must be a play you deliberately arranged with someone, isn’t it?!”

“Hahaha, you might fool others, but you can’t fool me, NanGong RuoLin!”

NanGong RuoLin laughed maniacally, her face twisted in a grotesque grin, pointing at Nangong Xueli.

Looking at the somewhat deranged NanGong RuoLin, a hint of pity flashed in the eyes of everyone present.

The truth was already laid bare: Lin Yang had not only not broken off his engagement with Nangong Xueli but had also promised to protect her for life. Yet, NanGong RuoLin still refused to accept the truth.

This was understandable, after all, the outcome was too different from what everyone had previously expected.

Consequently, the greater their previous hope, the greater their current disappointment.

NanGong RuoLin found it difficult to accept such a huge disparity. Losing her reason, she suddenly turned her spearhead towards Yun Feng, directly questioning him:

“How dare you! You dare to send a letter under the guise of Lin Yang Daozi, colluding with Nangong Xueli to deceive your superiors and subordinates. I think you’re tired of living!”

At these words, Nangong Qian and the other Nangong Family members were all startled.

“NanGong RuoLin, don’t be rude!”

Nangong Qian immediately sternly rebuked her with a grim face.

One must know that Yun Feng was a Martial Ancestor expert, capable of wiping out their entire Nangong Family with a wave of his hand.

If NanGong RuoLin angered him, their Nangong Family might very well be annihilated today.

Fortunately, Yun Feng merely cast an indifferent glance at the raving NanGong RuoLin. Given his status, he disdained to bicker with an irrational Junior.

“RuoLin, accept reality. Don’t go mad anymore.”

An elder of the Clan, who was close to NanGong RuoLin, stepped forward and kindly advised her.

“What reality? Are you all blind?!”

“This person was clearly brought by Nangong Xueli to act with her; he’s not at all someone close to Lin Yang Daozi! The person is fake, the letter is fake, all of this is a conspiracy by that hussy Nangong Xueli!”

NanGong RuoLin’s face was distorted, and she shouted loudly in the crowd.

She could not accept everything before her.

Why? Why on earth?!

Nangong Xueli had become a cripple; how could she still be worthy of Lin Yang, this Prodigy?

The current gap between them was like heaven and earth, greater than the difference between a human and a dog. Why was Lin Yang still devoted to her?

She couldn’t understand!

Besides incomprehension and inability to accept, there was also a deeper, innate jealousy at play.

Both were women of the Nangong Family, so why could Nangong Xueli receive such a heaven-sent blessing, with an unparalleled Prodigy like Lin Yang devoted to her?

And she, NanGong RuoLin, could only watch from the sidelines, secretly envying, jealous, and hateful.

“Break the engagement! Why not break the engagement!? After breaking the engagement, choose me as the new marriage partner. I’m not inferior to Nangong Xueli in any way.”

“Break it, Lin Yang, why the hell won’t you break it?!”

NanGong RuoLin became hysterical, completely insane, and in the end, she even started insulting Lin Yang.

Upon hearing this, a sharp glint suddenly flashed in Yun Feng’s eyes.

Disrespecting him was one thing, but daring to disrespect Lin Yang Daozi?

“Slap!”

Seeing the sharp glint in Yun Feng’s eyes, Nangong Qian’s expression drastically changed, and he immediately slapped NanGong RuoLin again.

This slap was even more forceful, sending NanGong RuoLin flying several feet away, spitting blood in mid-air.

Not only that, this palm strike also contained a strong hidden force that directly invaded NanGong RuoLin’s body, causing her Meridians to shatter inch by inch, and the spiritual Qi within her to uncontrollably dissipate.

Her entire cultivation, under the watchful eyes of everyone, visibly and rapidly plummeted.

Within just a few breaths, she had fallen to the Qi Refining stage.

“Effective immediately, NanGong RuoLin is to be removed from the Clan’s genealogy. From now on, she is no longer a member of my Nangong Clan!” Nangong Qian said with a stern face.

“Clan Chief, you are so heartless!”

At this moment, NanGong RuoLin finally personally experienced the desolate state of mind Nangong Xueli had felt earlier.

However, it was too late.

Lin Yang’s letter had turned Nangong Xueli’s desperate situation around.

And in the face of such a change, the Nangong Family, who had previously decided to completely abandon Nangong Xueli, had to make a gesture, at least to help Nangong Xueli vent her anger, in order to have a chance to retain her.

It just so happened that NanGong RuoLin jumped out at this moment.

Since you actively walked into the line of fire, then it’s you!

It’s a pity that Nangong Xueli had already been heartbroken by these Family members of the Nangong Family. Even if ten thousand more Family members like NanGong RuoLin died now, she would no longer side with the Nangong Family.

Now, all she wanted was to quickly become stronger under Yao Mu’s guidance.

Then, she would meet her devoted fiancé as an equal.

“Such a loyal and righteous person, I really want to see what he looks like. He must be as refined and majestic as this letter…”