Gu Xin Yan sat right beside Gu Yi, a faint smile on her face, but just looking at that smile and one could see that it was a little forced, a little stiff.
“Little Yan, is there anything on your mind? After you came back this time, why do I feel that you are rather gloomy?” Gu Yi asked as he looked at Gu Xin Yan, his eyes full of worry. This daughter of his, had been cradled within his hands from young, never letting her suffer any anguish. Now that he saw that Gu Xin Yan was looking so distracted, he could not help but feel a little worried.
Gu Xin Yan jumped slightly and immediately shook her head.
“No, I’m just a little tired that’s all.” Gu Xin Yan said with a slight smile to brush the matter off, not revealing how much of a struggle and conflicted she had been feeling this entire time.
Every night in her dreams, the same figure would always appear, seemingly neither close nor faraway. It seemed as if she could reach out and touch it but everytime she stretched her hand out, that person became further and further from her, no matter how she tried….. she was unable to reach it.
“It has been hard on you. It’s good that you’ve come back.” Gu Yi said benignly.
Gu Xin Yan smiled and did not say anything. When Gu Xin Yan turned her eyes back, her gaze suddenly spotted Gu Ying who was seated in a corner and staring at her with smile on his face.
That smile just sent chills running through Gu Xin Yan.
She and Gu Ying were step siblings from the same father. Gu Ying’s mother was married to Gu Yi before Gu Xin Yan’s mother and when Gu Xin Yan was still a very young child, she had seen Gu Ying’s mother. She was an extremely beautiful woman and Gu Xin Yan still remembered now the day when she had stumbled into that little courtyard and saw that lady playing the zither under the peach blossom tree.
That was the most beautiful woman Gu Xin Yan had ever seen in her life.
Gu Ying’s mother.
Of the Nine Temples, the Young Lady Lord of the Spirit Void Temple.
And the most beautiful person throughout the entire Nine Temples and Twelve Palaces.
It was once rumoured that the Young Lady Lord of the Spirit Void Temple was the most beautiful person throughout the entire Middle Realm and countless highly talented and good looking men had tried all ways and means seeking to merely win a smile from her. Gu Yi had been one of those pursuers at that time and it was not known why the Young Lady Lord of the Spirit Void Temple had chosen to marry Gu Yi but what was once seen to be a match made in Heaven receiving the blessings of many just changed entirely in the end.
Within the Blood Fiend Palace, no one dared to mention that person. The very young Gu Xin Yan had only seen that person once when she unconsciously stumbled upon her and saw that she was truly indeed very beautiful.
But for some reason unknown to everyone, Gu Yi changed entirely as a person after he married the Young Lady Lord of the Spirit Void Temple, no longer so loving and indulgent when he had pursued for the fair lady’s hand, to have turned to become cold and distant.
Even the birth of Gu Ying had not been able to salvage all of that. On the day that Gu Ying was born, Gu Yi was receiving Gu Xin Yan’s mother into the Blood Fiend Palace as his bride, the entire Blood Fiend Palace filled with endless celebratory festivities, but not a single person remembered about the Young Lady Lord who was labouring in childbirth.
Gu Xin Yan could no longer remember when the Young Lady Lord passed away but only remembered that her death had come and passed without a whisper. It was only after several years had passed that Gu Xin Yan came to know about the news.
It wasn’t that Gu Xin Yan was unaware of the great disparity in the way Gu Yi treated her and Gu Ying.
They were both children of his, but the harsh manner that Gu Yi treated Gu Ying sometimes highly flustered Gu Xin Yan.
Volume 17
Chapter 1648: “The Secret Worry of the Blood Fiend Palace (6)”
Towards the favour her father showed to her, it wasn’t that Gu Xin Yan was oblivious to it. She had brought it up before but Gu Yi had changed the subject to divert her attention away from it.
It wasn’t that the very young Gu Xin Yan had not wanted to be on close terms with Gu Ying. Gu Yi only had that one pair of children and Gu Ying had been blessed with extremely good looks which just made the very young Gu Xin Yan yearn to get close to him.
Initially, the relationship between the two was not so distant. At that time, Gu Xin Yan had always tottered along on her two short legs behind, calling out to her Big Brother Gu Ying incessantly. But it was not known from when it started that Gu Ying began to distant himself away from her, even employing highly bloody and gory methods to drive fear into her, not wanting her to take a single step closer.
Gradually, the two of them grew more and more distant. Gu Ying’s brutality terrified Gu Xin Yan terribly.
The melodious sounds of string instruments played and the dancers twirled within the Blood Fiend Palace while the youths who had just come back watched on enraptured.
No one even noticed that the one who should have been placed right at Gu Yi’s side, but had been stopped and instead seated right in a corner, the Young Lord, Gu Ying.
He sat in a place where the bright lanterns’ light did not reach, in dim darkness, like he did not fit in with everything happening there.
He sipped quietly at the wine, the corners of his mouth lifted in wild and uninhibited smile as he watched the celebratory festivities of music and dance.
“I heard that when all of you were on your way back, there was an incident that occured?” Gu Yi turned to Gu Xin Yan and asked, a smile on his face.
Gu Xin Yan was slightly taken aback and she asked: “Is Father talking about the incident between the Pure Grace Palace and the Dragon Slayers Palace?”
Gu Yi nodded.
The position of the Dragon Slayers Palace among the Twelve Palaces was just beneath that of the Blood Fiend Palace and the Flame Demons Palace, and it could be said that they were highly powerful while the Pure Grace Palace was a little weaker than them. Originally, there was no conflict between these two palaces but after they all came down from Mount Fu Yao, there had been an unexpected accident.
Just coming out from Mount Fu Yao, the routes the various palaces took were largely similar where they would take a short break after having travelled for a day and the palaces were not all that far away from each other.
But just as the respective palaces were at rest, an incident that was not neither all that big nor completely too small a deal occurred.
A disciple from the Pure Grace Palace, whom it was not known whether it was from lust driven courage or something else, actually dared to attempt to attempt to take advantage of the Dragon Slayers Palace’s Fei Yan, which stirred up quite a big ruckus then.
Fei Yan had been one of the top names in the last Battle of Deities Grand Meet and had gained the attention of quite a number of people. Although “a girl”, she possessed power in no way inferior to any of the other male youths and she was newfound strength that the Dragon Slayers Palace wanted to groom and grow, a person greatly valued.
But besides possessing a highly powerful Ring Spirit and exemplary powers, Fei Yan was also blessed with highly eye catching looks. Her beauty had also attracted quite a bit of attention from the exuberant youths. But most of them were sensible enough to not dare go provoke the Dragon Slayers Palace and could only hide their thoughts, keeping them to themselves.
However, a disciple from the Pure Grace Palace had been daringly audacious who had waited till the night fell silent and quiet when he coaxed Fei Yan to go into the dense forest, seeking to commit atrocities against her. In the end, the disciple had been wounded by Fei Yan’s Ring Spirit where the clamour had then startled people from the various palaces awake.
That incident had immediately caused people from the Dragon Slayers Palace and the Pure Grace Palace to immediately get into an argument. If not for the fact that there were people from other palaces there, the peopl
e from those two palaces might have just slugged it out there and then.
Gu Yi listened till Gu Xin Yan finished her words and his mouth then revealed a sneer.
“I am thinking that the matter is not that simple right? That Fei Yan possesses significant power and the bunch of youths from the Pure Grace Palace would hardly be her match, so how could they possibly go provoke her so ignorantly? I am of the mind that this matter has been the intentional work of the Dragon Slayers Palace.”
Volume 17
Chapter 1649: “All Done With Great Acting (1)”
With the level of might the Pure Grace Palace possessed, even if the young subordinate youths were not sensible enough at times, their adult escorts would still not possibly have permitted them to go do such a thing. Moreover, to these youths who have yet to be officially accepted into the various palaces, they would be highly fearful of giving a bad impression to their escorts even before they had set foot into the palace. If it was said that they would have the courage to commit such a deed, it would be hard to make it convincing.
Additionally, what kind of a place was the Dragon Slayers Palace? Fei Yan’s power had already attracted such a great amount of attention during the Battle of Deities Grand Meet so how many people could possibly not know of her strength?
Unless that kid from the Pure Grace Palace was an idiot, otherwise, even with all the guts in the world, he wouldn’t dare to even think of taking advantage of the Dragon Slayers Palace’s Fei Yan as regardless whether it was the Dragon Slayers Palace behind Fei Yan or Fei Yan’s own powers, they were both not things that the kid would be able to take on at all.
Hence, there was no way that Gu Yi would believe that it had all been an accident.
The incident had not been that carefully calculated and anyone with a brain who thought a little more about it would be able to detect something strange about the whole thing.
Regarding this point, not only Gu Yi had thought of it, even the people from the Pure Grace Palace knew that this incident could not possibly be as simple as it looks.
Even if one of their people had been beaten up, the Pure Grace Palace did not dare to make an issue out of it, nor would they dare to go up to the Dragon Slayers Palace to seek an explanation. But as the person from the Pure Grace Palace that Fei Yan had thrashed up had been one of the more talented candidates among this batch of disciples, it had caused the Pure Grace Palace quite a bit of anguish.
And at the same time that Gu Yi had his suspicions about the whole incident, over on the Dragon Slayers Palace side, they had also just welcomed their disciples back and right after that, Fei Yan was made to remain behind by an Elder of the Dragon Slayers Palace, who wanted to ask about the whole story in detail.
Although the Dragon Slayers Palace was stronger than the Pure Grace Palace, but unless there was an absolute need, the Dragon Slayers Palace did not want to have a falling out with any one palace. But Fei Yan had bashed up a disciple of the Pure Grace Palace on their way back, which had caused quite a bit of suspicions among people.
People were guessing that this had been the Dragon Slayers Palace’s intention but only people from the Dragon Slayers Palace itself would know that they had not known anything about it before it happened. They had been just like the disciples from the other palaces, only knowing about the news after the new disciples had returned.
The Dragon Slayers Palace’s Elder looked at the pretty “young girl” standing before his eyes and could not help but feel his head start to ache. Speaking purely only in terms of power, Fei Yan was extremely strong. It was highly fortunate that the Dragon Slayers Palace had been able to win themselves this disciple. But having stirred up so much trouble even before she had set foot into the Dragon Slayers Palace, they could not help but feel suspicious about it.
Under the current circumstances, no one could guarantee that among the disciples they had recruited, there wouldn’t be any spies planted by other palaces.
However, before the Dragon Slayers Palace’s Elder could even ask two questions into the matter, he saw great big teardrops sliding down that pretty little face from the corners of Fei Yan’s eyes.
A delicate beauty like that breaking down into a shower of tears in an instant, it immediately threw the elderly Elder into a helpless fluster.
“Why….. Why are you crying for? I am just asking about what happened then. Don’t cry already…..” The Elder was at a loss. He was not accustomed to comforting a young little girl. If it had been any other regular disciple, he wouldn’t need to mind it so much. But Fei Yan’s Ring Spirit was very powerful and if she was a spy, she could be eradicated. But if she wasn’t….. losing one of their most valuable disciples would really hurt the Dragon Slayers Palace.
Hence, before they were able to ascertain Fei Yan’s identity, the Dragon Slayers Palace would not dare to sour their relationship with Fei Yan.
“How could I possibly even make myself say it?” Fei Yan choked pitifully as he wiped his tears, looking so intolerably wronged and aggrieved.
Volume 17
Chapter 1650: “All Done With Great Acting (2)”
The Dragon Slayers Palace’s Elder was a little stunned as he stared at the weeping and sobbing Fei Yan and all the incisive and probing questions he had all prepared quickly fell in crumbles onto the floor.
[Isn’t the lass’ emotional plunge a little too drastic?]
Just looking at Fei Yan who was sobbing so hard to be unable to even breathe properly made him look like he had suffered some big grievance, that would immediately cause anyone to pity and sympathise with him, and be unable to use even a single harsh word on him.
“Oh, don’t just cry like that. If you have suffered any grievance, you can just tell me all about it. You are already a member of the Dragon Slayers Palace, and the Dragon Slayers Palace will not allow their disciples to be bullied in anyway out there.” The Elder had no choice but to soften his tone a little.
Fei Yan blinked his big tear filled eyes and sniffled pitifully as he looked at the Elder.
“Real….. Really? The palace wouldn’t despise me because I got into such trouble? Boo hoo….. I really did not mean it….. That person was really very bad and….. and I wanted to run away but he pulled hard at my clothes, not letting me move at all….. With no other choice left, I summoned my Ring Spirit. I really did not mean to hurt him at all! I only….. only…..” After barely saying those few sentences, Fei Yan broke into tears again, the bean sized teardrops falling from the corners of his eyes continuously, his little face red from crying.
Fei Yan had already possessed extremely good looks and now that he was sobbing so hard, he just looked so endearingly pitiful, to the extent that when several of the other Dragon Slayers Palace’s disciples who were standing at the side saw such a beauty looking so aggrieved, they found it absolutely heartbreaking to watch, immediately thinking in their minds just how maniacally cruel and heartless that scoundrel from the Pure Grace Palace was, and they wished they could immediately drag that deplorable beast to give him another good thrashing!
“We wouldn’t, we wouldn’t do that. You are a member of our Dragon Slayers Palace and it is only natural that we will protect you.” The Elder hurried to say quickly. He hadn’t been mesmerized by Fei Yan’s “beauty”, but had instead noticed one point that Fei Yan had mentioned through her words interjected with sobs.
And that was her Ring Spirit!
Fei Yan had taken part in the Ring Spirit segment during the last Battle of Deities Grand Meet and the meet’s Ring Spirit venue placed great importance on the might of one’s Ring Spirit, and did not place much emphasis on one’s personal spirit powers.
Fei Yan was from the Great Ape Tribe and although people from the Great Ape Tribe were born with unparalleled strength, there were limitations to that.
And that was the men of the Great Ape Tribe were always blessed with great strength, but their women were however slightly weaker than the average female.
Remembering t
hat point, the fact that Fei Yan was unable to resist against that person from the Pure Grace Palace now seemed rather plausible. Moreover, Fei Yan’s might came mainly from her Ring Spirit and not from her own spirit powers. Although she might possess a significant amount of power herself, but that person from the Pure Grace Palace had been one of their top three recruits with the strongest spirit powers. Reassessing the facts now, it seemed that it was not entirely impossible that Fei Yan could be restrained by that person.
Especially when it was…..
The Elder looked at the still weeping Fei Yan who was pitifully raining down tears. It had to be said that with Fei Yan’s outstanding looks and that “soft and weak” personality of hers, it would be really hard for those youthful and highly exuberant youths to be able to control their impulses against Fei Yan.
The Elder had somewhat already believed it. Before he had gotten Fei Yan to come forward, he had seeked out the youths who had been admitted into the Cloudy Brook academy together with Fei Yan and asked them things about Fei Yan, like what her personality and temperament was like in the academy and so forth.
And the content of what those youths had told him, was right about the same as what the Elder was seeing now.
It was said that when Fei Yan was in the academy, she was already so “demure and weak”, never ever getting herself involved in any of the conflicts between the other youths, a highly sensible and obedient “young lady”.
Volume 17
Chapter 1651: “All Done With Great Acting (3)”
In truth, the incident with Fei Yan seemed highly illogical at first glance but thinking carefully about it, it did not seem to be entirely impossible.
A young lady with such a soft nature who possessed such attractive looks and did not know how to turn people down. It could very well cause those youths who harboured sinister intentions to think that they had gotten lucky and had been presented with a opportunity.
Genius Doctor: Black Belly Miss Volume 17 Page 13
