Su Li's footsteps paused, her aggressive stance instantly deflated by those words. She turned her head to look at Du Qi—the guy had just woken up and bumped his head, and was currently in a completely dazed state. He was rubbing his forehead, his brow furrowed, his eyes half-open. He looked like he hadn't quite grasped the situation yet.
Su Li narrowed her fox-like eyes. Brothers? Someone from the South-Central Du Clan... She remembered Du Qi mentioning before that he had long been removed from the clan registry. It seemed this newcomer did not come with good intentions.
Receiving no response, the young man repeated his words from before, his voice even louder this time, each word ringing out with crystal clarity:
“Your foolish younger brother requests that Eldest Brother Du Ling come out for a talk!” She didn't know if he was using some sort of technique or ability, but his words sent a jolt through one's mind, like a stone cast into a tranquil lake, sending ripples spreading outward.
Su Li frowned and steadied her mind. He was indeed no ordinary person.
“He's asleep. If you have something to say, you can say it to me.” Su Li stared coldly at the scholar-robed man before her. Spiritual energy circulated through her meridians, preparing her for any sudden attack. Her fox ears pricked up slightly, and her nine tails swayed gently beneath her robes, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
The man smiled disdainfully, the curve of his lips carrying an obvious condescension. “Fellow Daoist, this is a private matter of our Du Clan. Please excuse yourself. Furthermore, as a woman, I'm afraid you have no place interfering in this.” His tone was polite and his phrasing respectful. But as Su Li stared into his eyes, she saw no mere dismissal, but a deeply ingrained sense of certainty—that a woman had no business meddling in a man's affairs.
A surge of anger flared within Su Li. What do you mean a woman has no place interfering? She had cultivated diligently for a hundred years, rising from a mere little girl in the Beast Taming Sect to the position of Sect Master, and pushing herself from the eighth level of Soul Transformation to half-step Void Refinement using calamity seeds, precisely so that she could interfere in whatever she pleased!
She couldn't be bothered to waste her breath on someone like him. Engaging in a battle of words with a Confucian cultivator was just asking for trouble; she had already learned this lesson the hard way with Du Qi. Thus, she decided to play to her strengths and leverage her absolute martial superiority. If you think you're so tough, try hitting me. If you dare raise a hand, I'll bury you headfirst into the dirt! She sat down heavily on the carriage frame with an aggressive, domineering posture—legs spread wide, arms resting on her knees, chin slightly tilted up as she glared up at Du Yi.
She wasn't looking at a person; she was looking at prey. Her tails unfurled behind her, swaying lazily. It was a clear, provocative message: Go ahead, make a move if you dare.
Facing Su Li's blatant, threatening gaze, the scholar-robed youth's lips twitched. The Scholarly Heart seed's location was definitely pinned right here, so he was certain that fellow Du Ling was inside. Why was there a fierce, aggressive woman standing guard beside him, one who clearly looked like trouble?
His gaze swept over Su Li. A half-demon lineage, a nine-tailed fox, a cultivation level of at least the Void Refinement stage, and that suffocating murderous aura forged on battlefields—she was not someone he could clash with head-on. A beast clad in fur and born of an egg. What kind of trash has Du Ling been associating with all these years!
Since force was out of the question, he would have to use his wits. The scholar-robed youth steadied his mind, calming the ripples in his heart, and put his smile back on. “Could it be that Eldest Brother is planning to hide behind a woman? It seems that even after all these years, you still haven't made any progress.”
Su Li frowned. These scholars valued face above all else. If Du Qi was accused of hiding behind a woman... She glanced back at the carriage, wondering what he would do. She didn't know if he would come out, but she hoped he wouldn't. This was a blatant provocation. She worried the idiot would fall for it.
A rustling sound came from inside the carriage. The young man's lips curled upward. He knew this trick had never failed to work on Du Ling, and this time would be no different.
A lazy voice drifted from inside the carriage, sounding as if its owner had just been dragged out of bed, still thick with sleep. “So what if I am?” Du Qi rubbed his bumped forehead, where a small lump had already formed.
He knew this journey wouldn't be peaceful, and look, retribution had arrived. If his brother thought he could provoke him with past matters, he was sorely mistaken—he was no longer the person he used to be. He didn't care in the slightest about hiding behind a woman. After all, he no longer had any need to prove himself to anyone.
The young man's smile froze on his face. He remained half-bowed, unsure whether to straighten up or stay as he was.
How had Du Ling turned into such a shameless rogue after leaving home for a few decades? He had expected to meet a weak, easily manipulated Du Ling who wouldn't even dare look him in the eye.
Instead, he had met a lazy, sarcastic scoundrel who didn't take him seriously at all!
Facing this pair of shameless rascals, he was so infuriated that his temples throbbed like a beating drum—thump, thump, thump—making his head ache. Taking two deep breaths to calm himself, he forced the smile back onto his face, though it was now utterly shattered and strained.
“Eldest Brother, Father misses you dearly. One must never forget filial piety.” Seeing that he couldn't coax Du Ling out, the young man simply brought up their father to pressure him. He refused to believe he couldn't force him out!
“Heh.” A mocking scoff escaped Du Ling's throat, sounding as if he had phlegm stuck there that he couldn't spit out or swallow. “Filial piety? The old man probably wishes I were dead.”
He lifted the carriage curtain and leaned out, exposing half his body. One hand rested on the doorframe while the other continued to rub his forehead. Having just woken up, the bright light outside made him squint, but a cold light flickered in the depths of his eyes. He looked at Du Yi as if observing a complete stranger.
“Du Yi, why bother putting on such a hypocritical show to find me? If you want the Scholarly Heart seed, just say so. Why play all these tedious games?”
Du Yi's lips twitched in a fake smile that looked like a human-skin mask pasted onto his face. “Eldest Brother, you worry too much. This time, I merely sensed that after many years of wandering, you have finally returned to the Central Continent. I am only here to bring you home and welcome you back.”
Du Ling waved his hand as if shooing a fly. Looking at his “good younger brother” before him, who was trying so hard to put on a display of brotherly affection, he felt nothing but intense disgust.
“Tsk.” He clicked his tongue, drawing out the sound as if tasting something incredibly foul. “What do you want me back for? I was removed from the clan registry long ago, which is exactly what you wanted, isn't it? Now you and your low-born mother can rule the Du family as its masters.”
Du Yi's expression changed. A malicious smile curled the corners of Du Ling's lips, a strange sense of pleasure rising in his heart. Staring at Du Yi's twisted face, he continued.
“Your composure is still lacking, my dear younger brother. If it's not for the Scholarly Heart seed, then the old man's health must be failing, and he wants me back to continue serving as his Baxi.”
“Am I right?”
Du Yi's face froze completely.
Rate on N.U.
