The words sharply echoed all around, causing the wandering servants of the clan to stop and stare.
Meng Lin’s face twitched, and a ferocious expression began to emerge, especially when she looked behind Wei Ting and her older sister Wei Bing, and saw the guards of the Luo Clan standing there, doing nothing.
They were supposed to inform them first before letting anyone inside the Clan, but these men had done nothing of the sort.
’And how did they already know about the incident?’ Meng Lin gritted her teeth. ’Who shared the news?’
She was about to lose control over her emotions once again, as her spiritual presence slowly spilled out from her, enveloping the surroundings.
A heavy pressure settled over the courtyard like a blanket.
Wei Ting and Wei Bing, alongside their maids, noticed it immediately and snapped their heads toward Meng Lin.
However, before the situation spiralled into chaos, Luo Ming finally spoke, placing a hand on his mother’s shoulder to calm her down.
"That’s a strange question, Fairy Wei Ting." He said, and added inwardly, ’Mother, please, don’t lose control now!’
"Strange?" Wei Ting echoed, her beautiful brows knitting together. "What’s strange about it? In fact, after seeing Second Madam’s reaction, I am even more inclined to believe it was true. How could you do that, Luo Ming?"
"That is the question you should ask yourself." Luo Ming retorted, his expression oddly calm. "You have known me for a while now, Fairy Wei Ting. We have played Go together and I played the zither for you many times."
Luo Ming’s face hardened.
"Knowing all of that, did I ever show you any behaviour that suggested I was capable of such a thing?"
His voice was the same as before, and his appearance identical to what they all remembered.
However, to anyone who had known Luo Ming before, the change in how he spoke and carried himself was instantly visible.
Meng Lin had been the first to notice, though she put it down to the framing having caused her son to change accordingly.
She was secretly glad about it. She had always loved her son more than anything, but she had always been afraid he was far too gentle for this world.
Now, however, Luo Ming seemed to have realised his own deficiencies.
"You had never shown it." Wei Ting finally spoke again, trying to regain her composure at how different this Luo Ming was. "But the heavens blessed humans with the ability to deceive better than any other race! For all I know, Luo Ming, you were putting on an act to appear innocent."
"Acting?" He laughed sharply, a surge of irritation rising within him. "I see you came here having already decided I was guilty. Please move aside, I have no time for this."
"You are not even defending yourself, Luo Ming!" Wei Ting shouted angrily.
The surrounding servants watched with hushed voices, their expressions toward Luo Ming all carrying hidden disgust and contempt.
"I said move." Luo Ming repeated, growing impatient. "I will not waste time convincing someone who arrived here having already branded me guilty."
"I am not just anyone, Luo Ming!" Wei Ting said, stepping forward. Meng Lin’s fingers twitched. "Do you know that everyone in Wei City — my Family’s City — already knows about this incident? What do you think people will think of me, your supposed fiancée, now?"
She huffed, clearly growing angrier.
How did Luo Ming dare to act this way when her reputation was about to be tarnished because of him?
How would her fellow junior and senior sisters and brothers see her now when they heard of it?
The more she thought about it, the more her Qi churned restlessly.
At that, Meng Lin was finally about to intervene when Wei Bing — who until now had been strangely staring at Luo Ming — finally spoke.
"Little sister, let’s not be hasty." She said. Her voice was soothing and serene, yet utterly cold. "Perhaps all of this is nothing but a misunderstanding."
Wei Ting, and both maids from the Wei Clan, looked at Wei Bing in hidden surprise.
Since when had Wei Bing — this Ice Fairy — ever bothered herself with something like this?
"What do you mean, Elder Sister?" Wei Ting said, her voice tight.
"I said simply not to be hasty." She repeated, now looking at Luo Ming. "We should give young master Luo Ming the opportunity to prove his innocence first."
"Does it even matter?" Wei Ting retorted, indignant. "People in the City are already talking about nothing else. His reputation is ruined. And mine will be too if people learn of our engagement! I cannot accept it!"
Luo Ming almost rolled his eyes in exasperation and barely stopped himself.
He realised he was simply wasting time here instead of going straight to the Hall of Elders and proving his innocence.
And he could feel his mother growing more and more frustrated by the scene.
’They are truly not idiots.’ Luo Ming thought, looking past the two sisters and landing his eyes on the Luo Clan guards standing there talking among themselves. ’After failing to drag me to the Disciplinary Hall yesterday, they decided to ruin my reputation before I even had the chance to prove myself innocent.’
With his reputation already in the dirt, Wei Ting — the youngest daughter of the Wei Clan — would never risk her own by making their engagement official.
For a moment, Luo Ming found himself genuinely disappointed. Even if it was not truly him, he still remembered playing with her so many times, showing her his respect and affection.
Yet the young maiden had not hesitated for a single moment to shatter everything when he found himself in a difficult situation.
"You should not make such hasty decisions, Little Sister. We must speak to mother first. You cannot decide this on your own!" Wei Bing said the exact words that caused Wei Ting to flare up.
"I can decide for myself!" She shouted. "Mother already forced me into this relationship and now look at what it has brought me! I will end it here and now so that everyone knows!"
The servants’ whispers grew louder.
Luo Ming looked at his mother, and knew it was time to go. And fast.
However, before leaving, he activated his Soulblade — Soul Record — on both sisters, simply to test it.
His mother’s cultivation was far too high for him to attempt it on her.
But despite her considerable talent, Wei Ting was still young, having only reached the Third Root of the Seedling rank. Wei Bing had reached the Sprout rank.
With himself at the Second Root of the Seedling rank, the difference between them was not great enough for Soul Record to fail.
And since a Soulblade required no Qi to activate, he did it swiftly and stealthily.
As he activated it, something flickered in front of him.
[Name: Wei Ting]
[Age: 18 years old.]
[Cultivation rank: Seedling (Third Root)]
[Bloodline: Unawakened.]
[Soulblade: None.]
[Innate Alignment: Righteous Path.]
[Cultivation Technique: Third Way of the Crouching Dragon.]
[Martial Arts: One Step for Three Steps, Hissing Snake Sword.]
[Description: Feels extremely embarrassed and mildly disgusted by her soon-to-be fiancé, Luo Ming. However, there is also a sense of relief inside her at finally having a reason to avoid an engagement with a lazy young master with no real talent. She is eager to return and share the good news with Lin Han.]
Luo Ming frowned at the description. ’Lin Han?’
He thought, but stopped as his attention was pulled to the information on Wei Bing.
[Name: Wei Bing]
[Age: 20 years old.]
[Cultivation rank: Sprout (First Leaf)]
[Bloodline: Unawakened.]
[Soulblade: Heart Demon.]
[Innate Alignment: Demonic Path.]
[Cultivation Technique: Third Way of the Crouching Dragon.]
[Martial Arts: One Step for Three Steps, Hissing Snake Sword, Moonlight Dance (First Half).]
[Description: Currently wondering why Luo Ming is still alive in this timeline, why his face suddenly appears as though carved from the purest white jade, and why she finds herself wanting to destroy his engagement to her own sister.]
Luo Ming’s silver eyes snapped wide open, and he looked straight at Wei Bing by pure reflex.
’What in the world?’
—End of Chapter 5—