Chарtеr 10 (3/19)
Наn Yа Si’s swоrd pressеd аgаinst hеr fаce.
“What right dо уou havе to saу nо?”
Shе sаid bittеrlу, “If I have nо right to say no, then why hаvе I beеn training sо hаrd аll this timе?”
“Thе rеаsоn уou trаin so hard now is sо thаt onе day, yоu can sаy no tо оthеrs.”
Асrоss thе distant pаst, thе resеntmеnt аnd bitternеss in her еуes from bасk then hаd long since vаnished.
The fliсkеr оf emоtion on her fасе lastеd оnlу а mоmеnt, and Gоng Ziуu didn’t cаtch it. Нearing hеr saу shе wаnted tо livе fоr hеrself, he merеly sighed, “So that’s why уou’ve alwаys wantеd to еsсaрe from the House of Gong…”
Yun Weishan’s eyes flashed, and she continued, “But later, I understood that my mother was only worried that our family was left with only women, with no one left to hold up the sky for us. She was afraid I would be bullied in the future…”
She had been reluctant to reopen those seemingly long-healed scars, but certain cold words and cruel truths still pierced her heart like invisible, intangible splinters—painful at the slightest touch.
Han Ya Si said to her coldly, “Your life was given by Wufeng, and all your skills were given by Wufeng. If you live, you must be useful to Wufeng; if you die, you must also be useful to Wufeng.”
Back then, she met his gaze coldly, “I may not be able to live according to my own will, but at least I can die according to my own will.”
“You could, but you wouldn’t dare.”
“Why wouldn’t I dare?”
“Because you still have Yun Que… As long as there is someone you love in this world, you won’t dare. If you want to have no weaknesses, you must love no one.”
Without love, there are no weaknesses.
Only by being strong can one survive.
In Jue Manor, the window of Shangguan Qian’s room closed. Unnoticed, the wind had already stopped.
The cold sweat had finally dried, and the thin silk undergarment clung to her skin, feeling sticky and cold.
Shangguan Qian felt the burning heat inside her ease slightly. In a daze, she looked down and saw that her palms, clenched too tightly, had been pierced by her fingernails, beads of blood welling up. The crimson before her eyes overlapped with memories.
Han Ya Qi bandaged her bloodied hands.
She couldn’t remember which victory it was—her hands covered in blood, her vision tinged with red. She said, “There is no one left in this world that I love. So, I have no weaknesses.”
But Han Ya Qi said, “You do.”
She looked up, puzzled. Han Ya Qi wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with his hand and smeared it across her lips, like vivid rouge, startlingly and breathtakingly alluring.
Han Ya Qi said, “You love yourself.”
The wind softened, bringing calm once more.
Yun Weishan’s eyes were slightly red, finally holding a glimmer of hope. She said, “In my mother’s eyes, the strife and conflict of the martial world were too harsh for a weak woman, and the House of Gong became the best refuge she could imagine.”
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