“Even if they could, even if they had beaten me severely, it would be like a flood washing over the Dragon King’s temple – internal affairs of the Six Sects. We should let it go,” Cai Zhao said, but thought to herself, ‘As if that’s possible. I’d have to smash the heads of anyone who bullied me afterward.’
Qi Lingbo seized the moment to praise, “Junior Sister’s magnanimity is truly admirable, the spirit of a true knight!”
“You’re too kind. Harmony brings wealth, after all,” Cai Zhao played along, maintaining the cordial atmosphere.
“What if someone insulted your aunt, Lady Cai?” Chang Ning suddenly asked.
Cai Zhao’s expression cooled.
“What if someone called Lady Cai a ‘dragging bitch who took over a decade to die’?” Chang Ning’s tone was calm, and his long lashes lowered. “Would Junior Sister Zhao still consider it mere verbal sparring, not worth dwelling on?”
Qi Lingbo jumped up, pointing at Chang Ning’s nose and shouting, “Don’t talk nonsense! … Sister Cai, don’t listen to him. He bears a grudge against me and is trying to sow discord!”
Cai Zhao ignored her, all traces of a smile gone from her face. “Senior Brother Chang Ning, please explain clearly.”
Chang Ning said, “Three years ago when Lady Cai passed away, my father went to pay his respects. On the return journey, overcome with grief, he fell seriously ill. As we were near Mount Jiuli at the time, Sect Leader Qi brought my father into the sect to recover. One day, the Sect Leader and his wife had a fierce argument. Zeng Dalou failed to mediate, so he came to ask my father for help. When my father arrived, he overheard Lady Sulian shouting, ‘Everyone says Cai Pingshu was fatally wounded fighting Nie Hengcheng for the world’s sake, but that bitch dragged on for over a decade before dying. You keep telling me to remember her kindness, it’s so annoying!'”
Qi Lingbo panicked, “Sister Zhao Zhao, don’t listen to this madman. How could my mother say such things? That’s all… that’s all…”
“It wasn’t just my father present at the time, but also Zeng Dalou and Elder Li from the outer sect,” Chang Ning stated decisively.
Cai Zhao’s small, pale hand slowly clenched on the table, her nails digging deep into her palm.
“My father didn’t say another word. He immediately left the mountain, despite his illness,” Chang Ning’s eyes were like icy water, clear and cold. “Sister Zhao Zhao, in this world, not everything and everyone can be dealt with through ‘harmony brings wealth’.”
The golden threads of auspicious clouds woven into the dark brown tablecloth flickered in the bright lamplight, giving off a dazzling white glare. It reminded Cai Zhao of the strands of white hair she had noticed in her aunt’s temples when she was young. At that time, Cai Pingshu was only twenty-five years old.
Cai Zhao recalled the Yin Qinglian she had just met – with radiant skin and jet-black hair, living a life of honor and wealth as the revered wife of the world’s number one sect leader. She wondered if there was truly such a thing as justice in this world.
“There are many guests today, and everyone in the sect is extremely busy. Senior Sister, perhaps you should go attend to the guests,” Cai Zhao said, her expression indifferent.
“No, no, no, Sister Zhao Zhao, let me explain. My mother was arguing with my father then. She spoke without thinking, it just slipped out in the heat of the moment…” Qi Lingbo explained frantically.
Cai Zhao said coolly, “In this vast world, it’s not that no one can speak ill of my aunt, but those who have benefited from her kindness cannot. Speaking without thinking is not acceptable, nor is letting things slip out. Senior Sister, please leave.”
Qi Lingbo flew into a rage, “Chang, who do you think you are? Your family met with disaster and came to Qingque Sect to recover and seek refuge. You should be overwhelmed with gratitude and know your place! How dare you now speak such vile words and try to disrupt the brotherhood of our North Chen Six Sects. You homeless dog, have you no shame! If you look down on us so much, why do you linger in our sect? If you have any guts, get out of here quickly. Don’t embarrass yourself here!”
Chang Ning sat upright, not moving an inch. “I’m indeed not as concerned with a face as my father, who felt he was only causing trouble for others and never remembered the kindness shown to him. Since Young Miss Qi’s memory is poor, let me remind her of a few things.”
“Twenty years ago, when your mother, Lady Sulian, ran away in anger and nearly fell victim to evil cultists, it was my father who came to her aid. Nineteen years ago, when two of the Three Elders of Qingque were killed by the evil cult, and Nie Hengcheng hung and whipped their corpses, no one from the North Chen Six Sects dared to challenge him at Wanshui Qianshan Cliff. It was my father who went undercover and risked his life to retrieve the elders’ remains. Sixteen years ago, when Sect Leader Qi set up an elaborate trap to avenge Old Sect Leader Yin, my father played a crucial role…”
With each incident Chang Ning mentioned, Qi Lingbo’s face grew darker.
“These are just the well-known incidents. There were many more where my father contributed greatly without recognition,” Chang Ning looked at Qi Lingbo with derision. “My father never mentions these things, but that doesn’t mean your Qingque Sect has forgotten. Given all this, my staying in the sect to recover is entirely justified.”
Qi Lingbo wasn’t unaware of these events. Qi Yunke had reminded his daughter countless times. However, under her mother Yin Sulian’s influence, she had come to believe that the Qingque Sect was the world’s greatest sect, and it was only natural for martial artists to serve it. Unless the Qingque Sect chose to mention past kindnesses, others shouldn’t bring them up.
Chang Ning glanced at Cai Zhao and chuckled lightly, “But justified or not, even all these past kindnesses haven’t stopped Young Miss Qi from constantly thinking about digging out my heart’s blood, right? Sister Zhao Zhao, don’t you agree? Sister Zhao, Sister Zhao Zhao…”
Cai Zhao turned her head towards the lampstand, lost in thought. It took several calls before she snapped out of it. “Oh, I just remembered a story I heard in Luoying Town. There was a line in it: ‘You spilled your hot blood for the world, but how many remember now? It seems all in this world are ungrateful.'”
Chang Ning smiled, “What story is that? I’ve never heard of it.”
Cai Zhao shook her head gently, “My mother wrote that story.”
Chang Ning was stunned.
“Now I understand what my mother meant,” Cai Zhao sighed softly.
Their back-and-forth exchange, each sentence implying Yin Sulian’s ingratitude, was more than Qi Lingbo could bear. She abruptly stood up, her beautiful eyes blazing with anger. “You… you just wait!” She kicked over her stool and stormed out of the side room in fury.