Wu Ming had been following Hou Danxue in a daze the entire time, watching her arrange every detail without a single moment’s rest.
By the time they finally took their seats, Hou Danxue had barely managed to take a sip of tea to catch her breath before someone arrived to stir up trouble.
“I have heard that the husband of the Hou Family Head is none other than Xi Ni of the Wushuang Pavilion. I wonder if Huang has the honor of witnessing Great Hero Xi’s elegant demeanor?”
Wu Ming’s nerves shot to high tension upon hearing this. When they married, they had borrowed Xi Ni’s identity; the Hou family had announced to the world that she was Xi Ni, so such a misunderstanding was only natural.
But now, she wasn’t concealing her gender at all. Anyone looking at her would see the lack of an Adam’s apple and know she was a woman. How was she supposed to explain the previous deception regarding Xi Ni’s identity?
She couldn’t exactly say she had killed Xi Ni, taken his tokens, and impersonated him. Making such a grand announcement would bring the Wushuang Pavilion straight to their doorstep.
“Family Head Huang’s information is too outdated,” Hou Danxue replied. “I do not have a husband—only a wife. It just so happens that my wife’s martial arts are even stronger than that of Xi Ni.”
“A wife…”
The man’s gaze drifted between Wu Ming and Hou Danxue in a way that made Wu Ming incredibly uncomfortable.
She wanted to snap his neck, but she was a person of status now. She had to consider the Hou family; she couldn’t act recklessly and cause trouble for her wife.
“Does Family Head Huang have any other business?”
“After hearing Family Head Hou’s words, Huang’s curiosity has only grown. The Jianghu has never heard the great name of ‘Madam Hou.’ I wonder just how transcendent her martial arts are to have won the heart of the Hou Family Head.”
Standing by Hou Danxue’s side, Wu Ming gripped her own arm with increasing force, struggling to restrain herself from attacking.
What “nobody”? It was only because she was too cautious—everyone who had ever seen her move was dead! Naturally, no reputation could spread.
She wasn’t stupid; fame brought trouble. Previously, she was just a wandering rogue with no fixed abode; she couldn’t afford that kind of trouble.
Wu Ming had never cared about such things before, but now, being pointed out as a “nobody” hurt unexpectedly.
If only I had a status that could bring glory to Hou Danxue’s face…
How can the wife of the Hou Family Head be a nobody…
Hou Danxue was certain the person before her was there to cause trouble. She narrowed her eyes and smiled at him.
Come to think of it, they were quite fated. If it weren’t for Wu Ming’s appearance, she would have ended up in the backyard of this Huang family.
She had been too busy and had forgotten to seek trouble with them, yet he actually had the audacity to come looking for her, coveting the Hou family’s wealth.
In that case… she would grant him a life of being bedridden and lingering in illness.
Hou Danxue stood up, pressing closer step by step. She was a master of poisons; such a close distance was more than enough to achieve her goal.
She wouldn’t let him die too quickly or easily. She wanted him to watch his family decline, watch his descendants slaughter one another, be tortured by pain, and be abandoned by his offspring to die a miserable death.
“I wonder how Family Head Huang wishes for my wife to prove herself?”
“Cough… actually, there is a great figure attending this funeral. Has Family Head Hou heard of the Seven Star Alliance?”
“The current Martial Arts Alliance Leader hails from the Seven Star Alliance.”
“Exactly! That Seven Star Alliance! One of the Seven Stars has arrived this time!”
As Hou Danxue stood in confrontation, she strained to control her expression, but her hand hanging beneath her sleeve clenched tightly.
She knew it—the Hou family’s immense wealth would attract predators. But she had thought they could protect it…
A great figure from the Seven Star Alliance had come. Clearly, the Huang Family Head before her was merely a scouting pawn. There were far too many people wanting to carve up the Hou family.
“One of the Seven Stars? I wonder which one?”
Hearing something interesting, Wu Ming’s gloom vanished instantly. She squeezed forward to proactively ask the man she had just loathed.
“Haha, it is the most senior one, the sworn elder brother of the current Alliance Leader—Tianshu!”
“Wow! That’s great! I actually have a chance to trade blows with Tianshu!”
Hou Danxue felt a pang in her chest seeing Wu Ming’s foolishly happy look. She grabbed Wu Ming and pulled her back.
“It is truly the Hou family’s fortune that such a great figure could attend my father’s funeral.”
“Indeed, indeed. So, Family Head Hou, when do you plan to set up the arena? You wouldn’t want to disappoint Tianshu, would you?”
“Rest assured, Family Head Huang. Soon. The arena will be set up very soon. At that time, we heads of families will truly have a feast for our eyes.”
“Hahaha—”
Hou Danxue watched the man laugh as he walked away. She no longer had the energy to think about how he would die.
There were too many people coveting her wealth, and too many people she needed to kill—she simply couldn’t kill them all.
“Are you confident?”
“I can give it a try.”
When one roams the Jianghu, fighting and killing, one always leaves behind some old injuries.
Tianshu must be very old. With those old bones, Wu Ming was confident she could win against the old guy.
Provided, of course, that he was a “normal” person. If his level far exceeded her experience, she might actually fail.
Hou Danxue looked at Wu Ming’s confident expression and sighed deeply. “Forget it, you don’t understand. As a power that can stand alongside the Five Organs Sect, the Seven Star Alliance’s martial arts must have unique merits.”
“Wife, you mentioned the Five Organs Sect at a time like this… do you have some connection with them?”
“My mother came from the Five Organs Sect. Of their top-tier heritage, I inherited Poison, and my cousin inherited Gu. My poison allows me to kill invisibly, but my cousin’s Gu is even more formidable—she can achieve an undying body through her Gu insects.”
Eternal life…
Wu Ming was stunned. Was this the depth of a great sect? Eternal life was actually something that could be achieved?
“Wife… I suddenly feel like I’m not quite up to it. Is this a normal martial arts competition?”
“Of course not. They are coming with the intent to devour the Hou family. Both of us are food in their eyes. Therefore, we must win. Let them know who the real predator is!”
Hou Danxue’s clenched hand relaxed again. “If you can’t do it, then I will go!”
“I can! I can!”
Wu Ming had tempered her body; she could take a beating. Even if the opponent used sharp weapons, it would be hard to kill her.
But Hou Danxue… with such a fragile frame, Wu Ming didn’t think she could dodge the opponent’s moves. She would likely be gone before she even had a chance to use poison, and then the Hou family would truly be meat on the chopping block.
“You…”
Hou Danxue stared at Wu Ming for a long time. She couldn’t find a single place to apply poison.
She couldn’t bring herself to coat Wu Ming’s physical body in poison; she couldn’t bear to torment her wife like that.
“Wife, don’t worry! You spent so many treasures to raise me to what I am now. I will surely satisfy you!”
Hou Danxue looked at Wu Ming for a while and said seriously, “Good. You had better win. If you cannot, I will… poison everyone.”
That would also stop them from carving up the Hou family.
However, if she really did that, the Hou family’s reputation would be completely ruined. How would she do business in the future?
Hou Danxue gazed at the clear sky outside, feeling lost.
Clearly, she was also excellent. Why did her taking over lead to such a massive crisis?
Clearly, while the former Family Head was in a coma, the Hou family had been stable.
Was it because she was too aggressive in her actions?
She shouldn’t have killed those clansmen who fought her for power; she shouldn’t have confined her grandmother. If she hadn’t done those things, the Hou family wouldn’t be this weak.
If she released her grandmother now, the old woman could still use her influence to navigate these people, but she was unwilling.
She was unwilling to be trapped by these secular rules. She simply wanted to pursue greater freedom.
This loathsome world would not allow a woman to be the Family Head, nor would it allow a woman to marry a woman. She simply wanted to break all of it.
“Wife…”
Wu Ming hugged Hou Danxue. Hou Danxue turned to look at her, and their lips met.
“Fortunately… I am not alone…”
If she were alone, she truly would have hesitated. But with Wu Ming by her side, she could accept even the worst outcome.
As it turned out, Hou Danxue and Wu Ming’s nervousness was entirely groundless.
The arena was set, the poison was prepared, and Wu Ming defeated the famous Tianshu in less than three moves.
When the opponent attacked, she caught his sword with her bare hands.
Then, she simply snatched the weapon away.
For a martial artist to have their weapon taken is an ultimate disgrace. Tianshu’s dignity was completely stripped away; he left without even taking his sword.
Having defeated a famous senior, Wu Ming felt like she was floating in the clouds, yet she kept a close eye on the direction he left.
He was leaving. If he died here, would the people of the Seven Star Alliance suspect her?
Never mind what “senior” he was—bringing a group of people to plot against her wife was unacceptable. He was going straight onto Wu Ming’s blacklist.
Hou Danxue ran over. Wu Ming put down the sword, revealing her bleeding palm.
Tianshu’s sword was naturally a famous blade; she had to pay a small price. Fortunately, her body was strong enough that even a good sword couldn’t pierce through her flesh.
“Your hand…”
Hou Danxue grabbed Wu Ming’s hand. She was originally so heartbroken that her eyes were full of tears, but suddenly her eyes lit up, and the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but curl up.
Hmm… the hand is injured and can’t touch water. My wife is so pitiful.
“You handle things here, I’m going to kill that guy! If he dared to have such evil intentions, he should be prepared to lose his life!”
While Hou Danxue was still dazed, Wu Ming had already vanished into the crowd. Hou Danxue could only explain to the onlookers, “She went to bandage her wound.”
Next came what she was best at.
With a wife who could defeat Tianshu of the Seven Star Alliance, she could fully rely on her wife to act with pride and authority.
Heh, the other side certainly didn’t expect this outcome when they invited Tianshu.
Wu Ming went back, changed her clothes, and gave chase. She did her best to disguise herself, but Tianshu recognized her at first glance.
He would remember this figure even in death; this person had caused him to lose all face! Being defeated by a nobody meant he could no longer hold his head high in the Jianghu!
“You have already won, what else do you want? Young person, you had better know when to stop!”
Wu Ming didn’t want to waste a single word. Talking while killing is a taboo; the important thing was to kill the opponent while no one was watching.
The old bones were tough, and his internal strength was deep. Wu Ming failed to snap his neck in one go.
“You! You cannot kill me!”
Wu Ming ignored his struggles. If one strike didn’t work, she would just do it a few more times. She had plenty of strength; she didn’t believe she couldn’t kill him.
“I am your father’s—”
Wu Ming let go of her hand. Unfortunately, he said it too late. He was already dead. Wu Ming had no way to investigate further.
She could only mutter to the corpse, “You recognized my relationship to that person at a glance, so we must look very much alike. If he really wanted to find me, why would I still be an orphan now?”
Wu Ming kicked the corpse as if to vent: “Scumbag! Plotting against someone else’s family property makes you a scumbag. If he was friends with you, he’s probably a scumbag too.”
Tianshu was very famous; someone would likely come looking for him soon. She shouldn’t stay.
Wu Ming went home and stayed in the room alone in silence.
Having been an orphan for so many years, she had naturally been curious about her background. She had wondered what kind of people her parents were.
If her father was a scumbag, what about her mother? What kind of person was she?
To be able to hang out with Tianshu, his status couldn’t be poor. They wouldn’t have been so destitute that they had to abandon her. So why was she abandoned?
Hou Danxue’s mother, even while in a love-hate relationship with the Hou Family Head, didn’t forget to pass on life-saving skills to Hou Danxue.
So, had her mother never thought of her?
Wu Ming took a deep breath. Whatever. Regardless, that man’s crimes were inescapable. She could follow the trail of Tianshu to kill her way through.
She wouldn’t feel any psychological burden killing scumbags.
When Hou Danxue entered the room joyfully, she was met with Wu Ming’s expressionless face. She was startled and lit the candles in the room.
“What’s wrong? Did the assassination fail? Don’t worry, just work a little harder, and when you become the strongest in the world, who will you have to fear?”
“Wife…”
Wu Ming looked at Hou Danxue and suddenly felt like crying. At this moment, she finally understood the meaning of a marriage contract—she had a home; she was not alone.
The family she was born into had abandoned her, but she had found her own little family. In this vast world, she had a place to belong.
Unfortunately, Hou Danxue was currently in high spirits and couldn’t sense Wu Ming’s delicate emotions. She sat on Wu Ming’s lap and kissed her.
The injured wife was so pitiful, she could only lie on the bottom now. She wasn’t afraid at all.
“Wife…”
Wu Ming’s thoughts were slow, and it took her a while to react and fight Hou Danxue for the initiative.
“I’m telling you, to show their sincerity, those people sent their daughters to me as hostages! Do they think I will break these girls? No! I will train them well! I… I want to build a Peach Blossom Spring!”
“A Peach Blossom Spring?”
“I know you also hated the looks directed at us today, because we are anomalies in this world. In the Peach Blossom Spring, anomalies will become the righteous path…”
“Wife, money alone isn’t enough to achieve those things.”
Wu Ming had recovered and quickly tried to dissuade Hou Danxue.
She couldn’t understand. They had just survived a crisis, yet Hou Danxue’s actions were becoming even more radical.
If she wanted to do something so rebellious, then more than just those coveting the Hou family property would be drawn to them.
“I know I can’t do these things alone. But don’t I have you?”
“Me?”
“The Peach Blossom Spring is not tolerated by the world; it might even attract the attention of the Imperial Court. It would be destroyed before it even grows. Therefore, you must become the greatest in the world to protect me and the Peach Blossom Spring.”