Inside the main hall, Yu Zheng was the only person who hadn’t heard Yu Xingwu’s inner thoughts.
He was genuinely infuriated by her arrogant and domineering remarks.
The word “good-for-nothing,” in particular, felt like a slap across his face.
Yu Zheng had always been fiercely protective of his children. Even if his biological daughter possessed an inferior Five-Element Spiritual Root, she couldn’t be called a good-for-nothing.
Especially when he saw his biological daughter silently enduring the humiliation, too afraid to defend herself, the anger he had repeatedly tried to suppress flared up again.
Clenching his fists, he glared at Yu Xingwu with barely concealed fury, his voice sharp. “I’m the one who arranged for Niannian to become Sword Venerable Feng Chen’s disciple. Even if you have objections, you’ll keep them to yourself!”
“Niannian may have a Five-Element Spiritual Root, but she’s already at the peak of the Qi Refining Stage and is about to reach Foundation Establishment. You have a Heavenly Spiritual Root, but how much stronger are you than her?!”
Hearing this, Yu Xingwu immediately became displeased.
Yu Zheng could dote on his biological daughter all he wanted. He could even abandon her, his adopted daughter.
After all, according to the storyline, Yu Zheng would eventually sever their father-daughter relationship anyway. She couldn’t care less about that. But he had no right to compare her Heavenly Spiritual Root to a Mixed Spiritual Root.
“I’m certainly not that much stronger than her, but I’ve already reached Foundation Establishment, and she hasn’t. Now that you have your biological daughter back, you haven’t even noticed that your adopted daughter has reached Foundation Establishment?”
“Then again, the two of you are father and daughter, while I’m just an outsider. It’s only natural that you didn’t notice my breakthrough.”
“Oh, right. Didn’t you want me to give her my Storage Ring? Fine, I’ll give it to her. But Yanyun Peak isn’t part of my late mother’s inheritance, nor is it a place where a talentless Five-Element Spiritual Root cultivator belongs! Yu Yuefu can forget about ever getting her hands on it!”
With that, Yu Xingwu removed the Storage Ring from her finger and tossed it onto the table beside Yu Zheng.
Yu Zheng stared at the Storage Ring on the table, his expression complicated.
Ever since bringing his biological daughter back to the sect, Yu Zheng had been entirely preoccupied with figuring out how to make up for everything Yu Yuefu had lost. He genuinely hadn’t noticed that Yu Xingwu had already reached Foundation Establishment.
It also made him realize that he had indeed neglected the daughter he’d personally raised.
He still remembered promising to celebrate when she reached Foundation Establishment.
Moreover, after reaching Foundation Establishment, a cultivator could truly choose which path of cultivation to pursue.
Fire and Metal Attribute Spiritual Roots were the most suitable for cultivating the Dao of the Sword, as they could enhance the damage inflicted by sword techniques and increase their offensive power.
That was precisely why he had arranged for her to become Sword Venerable Feng Chen’s disciple. He had even promised to find her a suitable personal sword once she reached Foundation Establishment.
Yet not only had he failed to notice her breakthrough, but he had also harshly reprimanded her.
Thinking about this, Yu Zheng suddenly felt a surge of guilt. The anger on his face gradually faded.
His tone softened considerably. “Sword Venerable Feng Chen has already agreed to accept Niannian as his disciple. At the banquet three days from now, Niannian will formally acknowledge him as her master in front of everyone. From then on, she’ll live at Zhaoyao Peak.”
Hearing the words “Zhaoyao Peak,” a trace of surprise flashed through Yu Xingwu’s eyes.
Yu Zheng actually wasn’t making her give Yanyun Peak to the female protagonist? What wonderful news!
But then again, why wasn’t Yu Zheng taking his biological daughter’s side?
She didn’t let any of her surprise show. Instead, she acted as though Yanyun Peak had always rightfully belonged to her and had simply escaped being taken away.
She even remembered to continue her performance. “So what if she lives on Zhaoyao Peak?! So what if Master accepts her as his disciple?! I’m the only Junior Sister of Zhaoyao Peak! A useless good-for-nothing like her should stay away!”
Yu Zheng rubbed his temples, feeling as though his head were about to split in two. “Enough! Who taught you to keep calling someone a good-for-nothing? Go back and face the wall to reflect on your behavior!”
Hearing this, Yu Xingwu immediately flicked her sleeves in anger and stormed away, bringing her performance to a perfect conclusion.
Although she had to admit, acting out that entire scene had been exhausting.
Damn it! Even going to school had never been this tiring.
She also suddenly realized that she’d completely forgotten to observe how Shen Zhuo looked at the female protagonist!
Oh no! She loved watching people fall in love at first sight! But she’d been so busy acting and completing her mission that she’d forgotten all about it.
Oh well, there was no point dwelling on it. Knowing how the system operated, it would undoubtedly assign her more missions at the banquet Yu Zheng was hosting for the female protagonist three days later.
She had only just reached Foundation Establishment, and only cultivators at that stage or above could fly on swords. There was no better time than the next two days to stay on her own peak and practice the Sword Flight Technique.
…
Two days later, Yu Xingwu had successfully mastered the Sword Flight Technique. She hadn’t left Yanyun Peak during those two days.
Meanwhile, news that the Grand Elder had brought his biological daughter, Yu Yuefu, back to the sect had already spread throughout the Tianlan Sect.
“Have you heard? The Grand Elder returned to the sect a few days ago, and he brought back his biological daughter, who’d been missing for years!”
“What? No way! Doesn’t the Grand Elder only have one daughter, Yu Xingwu? Where did another daughter suddenly come from?”
“Apparently, the two girls were switched at birth. The Grand Elder has already publicly announced that Yu Xingwu is his adopted daughter.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. From the treasured apple of his eye to a Fake Young Miss! With Yu Xingwu’s temperament, there’s no way she didn’t cause a scene, right?”
“Of course she did! I heard she even caused trouble at Zhaoyao Peak! The True Young Miss is also going to become Sword Venerable Feng Chen’s disciple, and the two of them nearly got into a fight!”
“In the end, Yu Xingwu was punished and ordered to face the wall and reflect on her mistakes. Haven’t you noticed that she hasn’t come out to throw her weight around these past two days?”
“Looking at it that way, Yu Xingwu is rather pitiful. Now that the biological daughter has returned to the sect, I’m afraid the adopted daughter is going to lose her father’s affection.”
“I think so too. I heard the Grand Elder is hosting a banquet today. Important figures from the major sects and a whole group of talented young disciples are coming to attend. That shows just how much he dotes on his biological daughter.”
“Apparently, at tonight’s banquet, the True Young Miss will formally become Sword Venerable Feng Chen’s disciple in front of everyone.”
“I’ve also heard that the Grand Elder deliberately arranged this banquet to find a suitable Dao Companion for his biological daughter!”
…
Several Inner Sect disciples were gathered together, chattering excitedly about the latest gossip.
Sensing someone approaching, they turned around, only to find themselves looking at a strikingly beautiful, radiant face.
The newcomer was none other than Yu Xingwu.
The disciples froze, involuntarily shivering.
Yu Xingwu had always been arrogant and domineering. They had just been gossiping about her behind her back, and there was a good chance she’d overheard them.
Terrified, they hurriedly bowed in greeting. “Greetings, Junior Senior Sister!”
Yu Xingwu was Sword Venerable Feng Chen’s youngest disciple and also a Direct Disciple. Only Direct Disciples from other peaks could address her as Junior Sister.
Because Inner Sect disciples ranked below Direct Disciples, they could only address Yu Xingwu as Junior Senior Sister rather than Junior Sister.
Yu Xingwu had spent the past two days diligently practicing sword flight at Yanyun Peak. She’d only just come out to get some fresh air and wander around when she happened to overhear people gossiping about her.
She wasn’t angry about it in the slightest.
After all, she was a devoted member of the gossip-loving crowd herself! If they hadn’t been talking about her, she would’ve been tempted to join their conversation.
“What are you all standing around here for?! Aren’t you afraid I’ll throw my weight around and make your lives miserable?!”
The moment they heard her words, the disciples scattered like frightened birds escaping from a cage, terrified that even a moment’s delay would bring disaster upon them.
Who in the sect didn’t know that whenever Yu Xingwu lost her temper, she loved whipping people?
Besides, Direct Disciples generally treated Inner Sect disciples as though they were beneath notice. The fact that they’d managed to escape from the villainess in one piece was already incredibly fortunate!
But wait, something wasn’t right.
Shouldn’t Yu Xingwu have been furious and beaten them to vent her anger? Why had she simply let them leave?
Watching the disciples scatter in every direction, Yu Xingwu could barely suppress her laughter.
So this was what being a villainess felt like!
It was surprisingly satisfying. She was starting to get hooked!