The two had an unpleasant spat earlier in the side chamber. Now Cai Zhao intended to ease the tension, but the harmonious atmosphere lasted barely a quarter of an hour before this temperamental youth before her inexplicably flew into a rage again.
Cai Zhao's chopsticks froze mid-air, her eyes wide with disbelief. Easygoing by nature, she couldn't fathom why Chang Ning always had to speak with such venom.
"Your grandaunt clearly knew your mother only mentioned becoming a nun in a fit of anger. Instead of dissuading her as an elder should, she actually encouraged the younger generation to persist in their mistakes—truly a Twin Lotus pair, equally muddleheaded and foolish!"
"How dare you insult my family elders!" Cai Zhao flared up.
"I say what I please," Chang Ning sneered. "Given your aunt's intelligence and perceptiveness, I refuse to believe she never considered these truths. It's just that the world is full of tedious elders who enjoy shackling the young with hypocritical conventions..."
Cai Zhao slammed her chopsticks down with a crack, her expression stern. "Senior Brother Chang's vision is so lofty, his wisdom so profound—this junior sister dares not aspire to such heights. Since we clearly speak different languages, it appears Senior Brother Chang has no need for my protection anymore!"
Fuming, she nearly stormed out immediately. Yet Chang Ning's temper proved even fiercer—without a word of explanation, he simply rose with a cold laugh and strode out, leaving Cai Zhao fuming at having her dramatic exit stolen.
She seethed like a teakettle with its lid blown off, steam practically whistling from her ears.
Cai Han peeked up from his bowl and whispered, "Sis... actually, what Senior Brother Chang said about Grandmother and Grandaunt... Mom said something similar to Aunt before..."
"Just eat your chicken leg!"
The boy persisted in his tiny voice, "Sis, when Aunt was alive, she often said she greatly admired Great Hero Chang..."
"Shut up! Eat your chicken leg."
Young Cai Han pressed on undaunted: "Is it okay for Senior Brother Chang to go out like that? What if he runs into those waiting to teach him a—"
"Shut up and eat your...!" Cai Zhao growled in frustration before relenting, "Stay put and don't wander off!" Then she hurried after Chang Ning.
Pushing through bustling crowds, Cai Zhao stopped several servants for directions. Chang Ning's pustule-ravaged face stood out more conspicuously than a three-legged toad, ensuring even the busiest servants noticed him. They pointed her along a clear path.
Through the main hall doors, left at the passageway, past the floral gate—she arrived at a desolate backyard cluttered with discarded items. There stood Chang Ning... surrounded by five 'bullies'—Qi Lingbo & Outer Sect Disciples A, B, C, and D.
Cai Zhao nearly groaned heavenward. Why had her aunt never mentioned that chivalry required such exhausting emotional labor? Half-dead from anger herself, she now had to rush to his rescue without even time to properly fume!
Her gaze took in Chang Ning's torn robe hem and the telltale wrinkles where sleeves had been grabbed. The midday sun glared harshly, casting shadows that made his expression unreadable. In the interplay of light, she thought—or perhaps imagined—she detected threads of irritation and bloodlust emanating from him, even hints of brutality.
Some hero, she scoffed inwardly. All that temper without even the strength to wrangle a chicken!Qi Lingbo, shedding her earlier gentle and obedient demeanor in front of elders, now wore a face full of malice: "...Where's all that bravado from when you were lecturing me just now?! Chang Ning, I don't even want your heart's blood anymore—just kowtow eighteen times to me and eat that dog shit over there, and we can still be fellow disciples!"
The crowd of onlookers clamored with threats and jeers.
Chang Ning replied coldly, "If you enjoy eating dog shit so much, be my guest. I wouldn't dream of taking what you love."
"You—!" Qi Lingbo seethed with rage.
Cai Zhao took a deep breath and leaped forward, landing gracefully in front of Chang Ning like a drifting blossom.
Seeing the girl standing protectively before him, the darkness in Chang Ning's eyes slowly faded, and the arm he had tensed in his sleeve gradually relaxed.
Cai Zhao spread her hands with a conciliatory smile. "Senior brothers and sisters, let's talk this out calmly, shall we?" As she turned her head, she caught Chang Ning's clear gaze fixed on her, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
Qi Lingbo gritted her teeth. "Well, well—the Flower-Fluttering Crossing technique. The light-footed skills of Fallen Blossom Valley live up to their reputation. Junior Sister Cai, your timing is impeccable. It seems you're determined to oppose me."
At fifteen, Cai Zhao had always been easygoing in most matters, standing firm only on major principles like dumpling fillings and the perfect steaming time for fish. But since leaving Fallen Blossom Valley, she had realized that many things she considered normal required repeated and solemn declarations in the outside world—such as the principle that righteous sects should never bully the weak.
"Senior Sister, Uncle Qi specifically asked me to keep an eye on Senior Brother Chang Ning earlier. Surely you heard him too—why make things difficult for me?" Cai Zhao's smile faded. "As juniors, we may not be able to share our elders' burdens, but at the very least, we shouldn't cause a scene in front of everyone. The Snow Lotus Pill may be rare, but it's not the only one in existence. There will be other opportunities to obtain it in the Martial World, and you can use it for your training then."
Qi Lingbo clenched her jaw. "Let me be frank with you. Though my grudge with Chang Ning started over the Snow Lotus Pill, if he hadn't repeatedly insulted and humiliated me, I wouldn't be this unreasonable! If you don't believe me, think back to what happened in the side chamber earlier—his sarcasm isn't a one-time thing!"
Cai Zhao paused and turned to Chang Ning. "What exactly did you say to Senior Sister?"
Chang Ning's eyes glinted with amusement. "Which time are you referring to?"
Cai Zhao had no choice but to ask Qi Lingbo what Chang Ning had said to provoke her. Qi Lingbo trembled with fury. "Cai Zhao, are you deliberately trying to humiliate me?!"
At this point, the outer disciples chimed in with their contributions—
Pointy-mouthed Disciple A: "Senior Sister kindly brought that bastard Chang some medicinal soup, and he had the nerve to say the Snow Lotus Pill was a healing treasure—feeding it to her was like giving ginseng to a fat pig..."
Monkey-cheeked Disciple B: "That time Senior Sister specially brought fine fabric to have his robes tailored, the little brat said her mannerisms were like a concubine's maid currying favor with a wealthy family."
Ugly-melon Disciple C: "Three months ago, after Senior Sister defeated the Golden Blade Sect leader's prized disciple by the Heavenly Pool, Second Senior Brother gave her the elegant title 'Celestial of the Heavenly Pool.' But Chang Ning claimed the Golden Blade Sect leader only let his disciple lose to suck up to our sect master. He said 'Celestial of the Heavenly Pool' should be changed to 'Nepotistic Celestial' instead."
Misshapen-date Disciple D: "Last month—"
"Enough! Shut up!" Qi Lingbo wished she could stuff mud into the mouths of these four idiots.Cai Zhao wanted to laugh but felt it would be unkind, so she turned a questioning gaze toward Chang Ning instead.
Chang Ning said indifferently, "I only spoke the truth."
Cai Zhao glared at him. "Hurting others with words is still wrong."
Seeing the girl's clear, beautiful eyes filled with disapproval, Chang Ning finally lowered his voice. "My injuries aren’t healed, and the poison hasn’t cleared. Why would I have the leisure to pick fights? If they hadn’t come over to drag me into their nonsense, I wouldn’t have bothered speaking at all."
Cai Zhao thought it over—that did make sense.
"Nonsense! Senior Sister Qi gracing you with her words is an honor. Don’t mistake kindness for weakness!" The pockmarked disciple finally managed to finish his interrupted line.
Qi Lingbo sneered, "Junior Sister Cai, what do you have to say? Are you determined to shield this brat? I won’t break his arms or legs—just teach him a small lesson."
Disciples A, B, C, and D burst into mocking laughter behind her:
"Exactly! No broken limbs—just a couple of meals of dog dung!"
"Hahaha! Dog dung is highly nutritious! Maybe the Chang boy’s injuries will heal faster!"
"Brilliant! You’re missing the point—Senior Sister is mercifully teaching him the rules of the Azure Tower Sect!"
What utter chaos. Cai Zhao circulated her True Qi three cycles in her dantian, forcing a smile. "Senior Sister, please calm down. My aunt once said that the most important thing in the Martial World is reason. Some things are infuriating, but if they’re reasonable, you have to swallow your anger."
"Though Senior Brother Chang has angered you, he is the last surviving member of the Chang family. If you truly force him to eat dog dung, how could Great Hero Chang rest in peace? Besides, Senior Brother Chang is still injured—defeating him now wouldn’t be honorable. Why not wait until he recovers? When that time comes, no matter when or where you challenge him, I won’t utter a word of protest."
Qi Lingbo’s face twitched with discomfort. Easy for you to say, she thought. If Chang Ning recovered and turned out to be highly skilled, when would she ever get her revenge?
"Moreover, scholars have their debates, warriors have their duels. Since Chang Ning never laid a finger on you, if you’re truly furious, why not retaliate with words? You have numbers on your side—gather your friends and unleash a torrent of insults at him. Wouldn’t that vent all your anger? If you can’t think of enough insults, you could even hire a few storytellers from the foot of the mountain to help. Guaranteed to curse for hours without repeating a single phrase." Cai Zhao enthusiastically offered her advice.
"Insults? What insults?" Qi Lingbo looked lost.
Chang Ning leisurely added, "Ugly freak, jinx, star-crossed orphan who doomed his whole family, runaway stray dog, useless waste hiding in the Azure Tower Sect eating free meals… the list goes on."
Qi Lingbo snapped, "With skin as thick as yours, nothing I say would even faze you. Why waste my effort?" The point of insults was to wound the target’s pride—someone as shameless as Chang Ning wouldn’t care, making the effort pointless.
Having gone hungry for hours without eating, Cai Zhao was growing impatient. "I’ve said all I can. If Senior Sister still won’t listen, there’s another way."After saying this, she lightly leaped up, brushing a few petals from the nearby peach blossom tree into her palm. Then, with a swift shadow-like movement, she darted forward, weaving left and right with lightning speed, arriving before Qi Lingbo and the other four. Following five crisp pats , Cai Zhao immediately leaped back to her original spot, pulling out a handkerchief to calmly wipe her hands.
Qi Lingbo and the others looked down to find several petals imprinted on their chests or shoulders.
Cai Zhao said coldly, "The five of you combined still can't beat me. I've already promised Uncle Qi to keep an eye on Senior Brother Chang. If you're unhappy, go complain to your parents and senior brothers." —When dealing with troublemakers deliberately picking a fight, there's no need for courtesy.
With that, Cai Zhao tugged Chang Ning back to the banquet table, ignoring the curses hurled at her back by Qi Lingbo and the others.
Dragging Chang Ning by his sleeve to their secluded seats, little Cai Han was already huffing and puffing as he devoured his fourth chicken leg. Cai Zhao glared and scolded, "Eat less meat! Look how fat you’ve gotten—you could be slaughtered and sold!"
Cai Xiaohan said gloomily, "Have some sympathy for me, Elder Sister. After the ancestor’s death anniversary, I’ll be going with Uncle to visit Grandmother. This time, I’ll have to stay for at least a few months. At Grandmother’s place, not only do we have to chant ‘Amitabha,’ but we also have to eat vegetarian food."
Cai Zhao pursed her lips. "Stop whining. Grandmother is seriously ill. Be good and cheer her up—don’t make her angry!"
Tears nearly welled up in Cai Xiaohan’s eyes. "Elder Sister is so cruel! If you weren’t about to take a master this time, you’d definitely have to go to Grandmother’s too. Then, the only thing you could complain about wouldn’t be whether the dumpling filling is made from front-leg or hind-leg meat, but whether the cabbage is stir-fried, boiled, or pickled! And you tell me to cheer up Grandmother—she’d be happiest if you and I shaved our heads and became monks. Would you agree to that?"
Chang Ning couldn’t help but chuckle. Cai Zhao shot him a glare before turning back to her younger brother. "Enough nonsense. Eat your chicken leg… and this is the last one!"
After reprimanding Cai Han, Cai Zhao pulled Chang Ning down to sit, planting herself squarely in front of him with blazing eyes.
"To keep it short, I’ll set three rules for you. First, no badmouthing my aunt! Second, no badmouthing my parents! Third, no badmouthing any elders I respect… Xiao Han, if you want to keep eating meat, don’t interrupt!"
Cai Xiaohan had been about to point out the logical flaws in his elder sister’s words, but upon hearing this, he quickly lowered his head and focused on eating in silence.
Chang Ning lightly covered his lips with his sleeve, revealing a pair of charming, amused eyes.
Cai Zhao also realized her earlier words had been full of loopholes—clearly, she’d been too angry to think straight.
She scratched her rosy cheek and started over. "...Forget what I just said. New rules! First, you’re not allowed to badmouth any elders I respect—no sarcastic remarks either! Second, you’re not allowed to provoke trouble or stir up drama, creating messes for me to clean up. Third… I haven’t thought of the third one yet. I’ll add it later."
Chang Ning’s slender eyes narrowed slightly, as if about to retort, but Cai Zhao cut him off. "As long as you behave, I’ll watch over you and protect you until your injuries heal, making sure no one bullies or harasses you. How’s that?"
Chang Ning’s smile gradually cooled. Cai Zhao stared at him intently.
Chang Ning said slowly, "With Sect Leader Qi here, I may not face any real danger."
Cai Zhao snorted derisively. "Does eating dog shit count as real danger?"
Chang Ning stopped smiling.Cai Zhao glanced at Chang Ning’s torn robes. "Qi Lingbo isn’t one to swallow her pride. While your life may not be in danger, humiliation and bullying are inevitable. Stop pretending—you’re utterly sick of these persistent pests, but right now, you’re shackled by your injuries and can’t deal with them freely, am I wrong?"
Chang Ning met her gaze steadily. "And you clearly despise me, yet you still choose to protect me. Did your aunt teach you that too?"
Cai Zhao fell silent for a moment. "My aunt was a true hero—compassionate and righteous, standing up for the weak and vanquishing evil without regard for her own likes or dislikes. I only hope I don’t disgrace her teachings."
Chang Ning looked out the window briefly before speaking slowly. "My father also wished for me to become someone like him. But I fear I’ll never measure up."
Cai Zhao, thinking herself quite understanding, nodded. "Right. To seek vengeance, you’d naturally need a ruthless edge. You can’t afford to be as warm-hearted and benevolent as Great Hero Chang."
Chang Ning turned his gaze back to her, his clear, shimmering eyes resting on her face as he murmured, "That was wrong of me earlier—I shouldn’t have spoken ill of your elder. It’s just… I was reminded of something."
His tone softened unexpectedly, his fingers tracing the cloud-and-bat motif on the table. "Before my father passed, he entrusted me with the care of an elder—one I held in utter contempt. Cowardly, heartless, clinging to comfort and wealth."
"I was reluctant. Are an elder’s words always right? Not necessarily. Yet those were my father’s last wishes."
The young man’s fingers were pale and slender, the joints distinct and strong against the polished dark brown wood, evoking an old, fading elegance—like a cold white jade hairpin tucked away in the decaying heirloom box of a noble family, stirring an inexplicable melancholy in those who beheld it.
"Did you agree or not?" Cai Zhao pressed impatiently.
Chang Ning shook off his pensiveness, his gaze steady. "It’s settled, then."
"Good."
Cai Zhao snatched the last chicken leg from Cai Han’s plate with her chopsticks and took a defiant bite under her younger brother’s teary glare—standing up for the weak began at home (though she had no plans to expand the scope). She hoped her aunt’s spirit in the heavens wouldn’t be too furious to eat.
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