Chapter 26: A Villain’s Gambit and a Family’s Despair

There was still some time before dinner.

Lan Wu Xi and Xiao Xue stood by the side of the courtyard, conversing.

Seeing this, Xiao Xue’s mother smiled knowingly and left, granting them privacy.

The atmosphere around them grew subtly strange.

“So you came all this way to find me, even showing up at my home. What exactly is your purpose?”

Xiao Xue observed Lan Wu Xi warily.

The last time, he had inexplicably offered to teach her cultivation. When she refused, he had soon after appeared at her doorstep, clearly harboring ulterior motives.

‘Could this man have discovered my secret?’ she wondered.

As this thought crossed her mind, Xiao Xue’s expression gradually turned cold.

A flicker of killing intent even flashed in her eyes.

She resolved to strike immediately if this nominal senior martial brother made any suspicious move.

Everyone believed her strength was merely at the first stage of Qi Refinement.

In truth, she had long since cultivated to the Profound Wheel realm.

Had her true power been known, she would undoubtedly be considered a top prodigy among the younger generation in the Azure Phoenix Manor.

However, due to certain circumstances, she couldn’t fully unleash her cultivation, which kept her apparent strength at the first stage of Qi Refinement.

Yet, if she were to actively remove the restrictions on her cultivation, coupled with the cultivation method that fellow had passed down to her, her chances of eliminating this senior martial brother were substantial.

Moreover, afterwards, no one would likely suspect her of the deed.

After all, she bore the moniker of a ‘first-stage Qi Refinement waste’.

Coupled with her specific circumstances, unless she actively revealed her true cultivation, even a cultivator of the Heavenly Void realm would be unable to discern her real strength.

Poor Lan Wu Xi remained oblivious to the fact that he had already been blacklisted by Xiao Xue.

His mind was entirely preoccupied with how he could earn the protagonist’s trust.

Time was of the essence; the male lead’s steadily growing power exerted immense, silent pressure on him.

If he didn’t act soon, he would truly be waiting for death.

“I heard from Teacher Bai Lio that your family’s situation isn’t ideal,” Lan Wu Xi began.

“You’ve been exchanging all your monthly cultivation resources for money. If this continues, you’ll likely be expelled within two years, and you know this.”

Xiao Xue remained impassive.

Even without his words, she was acutely aware of the situation.

She, too, yearned to shine brightly in the Azure Phoenix Manor, to escape the constant ridicule and receive more cultivation resources each month.

However, a profound secret lay hidden within her.

If she were to willingly break her current restraints, she could indeed reclaim her true strength, and her path forward would be as smooth as she envisioned.

Yet, her unique fortuitous encounter would vanish completely as a consequence.

It was widely known that becoming a peak powerhouse required more than just talent.

Immense power as a foundation, along with strong destiny or ‘qi luck’, were all indispensable conditions.

Lacking any one of these would ensure a future fraught with difficulties and dangers.

Merely suffering wounds would be considered a light outcome, for the Azure Continent never lacked exceptionally talented geniuses, yet only a handful ever reached the pinnacle.

With that fortuitous encounter, she would undoubtedly avoid many detours in her future journey.

Weighing the gains and losses, the outcome was obvious: she absolutely could not sacrifice the greater good for a small gain, or she would suffer an irrecoverable loss.

“So, what are you trying to say?” Xiao Xue asked.

“Ahem,” Lan Wu Xi cleared his throat. “I simply feel that, as your senior martial brother, I can offer you some assistance. Don’t misunderstand; I am a core disciple, after all. With my guidance, your strength will undoubtedly improve rapidly.”

He continued, “If you’re truly worried about anything, just consider it a favor you owe me. In the future, if I ever face trouble, I’ll rely on you to help me.”

Lan Wu Xi secretly calculated in his heart.

He gazed at Xiao Xue with hopeful eyes, thinking, ‘Surely she won’t refuse this time?’

‘Just one favor, and she gains my help? That sounds incredibly worthwhile,’ he mused. ‘If I really get into trouble later, the protagonist certainly won’t refuse to act, right? Then my objective will have been achieved.’

“I have my own plans for this,” Xiao Xue replied. “Senior martial brother, you should worry about yourself instead.”

Xiao Xue turned to leave, seemingly determined to sever all ties with Lan Wu Xi.

‘Is it his villainous constitution acting up again?’ he wondered. ‘To be so disliked by the protagonist this early on… his future looks bleak.’

“Eh?! Do I really have no charm at all?”

At this moment, Lan Wu Xi couldn’t help but question himself.

Was it true that he possessed no allure whatsoever?

For the first time in years, Lan Wu Xi’s confidence in his own charm wavered.

Given his status, countless young maidens in their prime would have thrown themselves into his arms.

Yet, after repeatedly hitting a wall with Xiao Xue, Lan Wu Xi found himself speechless.

‘Am I truly destined to be nothing more than a villain?’ he pondered.

****

“Xiao Xue, Xiao Xue!”

The main door suddenly burst open.

A disheveled man, covered in dust and dirt, stumbled in, appearing utterly wretched.

At the sight, Xiao Xue’s face instantly darkened.

She rushed forward to help the man up and asked.

“Father? Aren’t you at work? Why are you back?”

“You… you quickly take your sister and leave! That person from the Lin family is here again. You absolutely must not let them catch you!”

“How can this be? Didn’t we give them the money? Why are they still coming to harass us repeatedly? Is there no law anymore!”

“Cough, cough. Just don’t ask so many questions. Hurry and take your sister away. It will be terrible if they see you. Your mother and I will handle them. I believe they won’t make things too difficult for us if they only see the two of us.”

“What’s going on?”

Lan Wu Xi stepped forward, his face etched with confusion.

From their conversation, he sensed something was amiss.

He also vaguely caught the words “Lin family,” making him wonder if this had any connection to Lin Yunxi.

“And who might this young friend be?” Xiao Xue’s father asked, noticing Lan Wu Xi.

“I am Xiao Xue’s senior martial brother. Uncle, what did you mean by the Lin family just now? Is it not that young master from the Lin family who has come?”

“No, it’s not him. It’s someone from a branch of the Lin family, a man named Lin Hong. He specializes in usury,” Xiao Xue’s father explained with a heavy sigh.

“Last time, our old master fell gravely ill and urgently needed treatment. We had no choice but to borrow money from Lin Hong. Now, the interest has compounded, more than doubling in less than half a month.”

“We barely managed to gather enough money, but now they claim it’s still not enough. They want to take Xiao Xue and her sister to the Lin family as servants to pay off the debt. If they go in there, who knows what they’ll face? What are we to do?”

“Father, we cannot let this continue!” Xiao Xue declared.

“We must resist! If we don’t, it will only embolden them further.”

Xiao Xue’s delicate brows furrowed, her eyes blazing with furious indignation.

Her hands clenched tightly into fists.

“No, we can’t! Even the Grand Judiciary Hall cannot intervene in this matter. The Lin family’s power is too immense; our family simply cannot contend with them.”

“Your father is right,” a sneering voice cut in.

“It’s utterly impossible for your family to resist our Lin family. So, you and your sister should obediently enter my Lin family and serve as lifelong servants.”

The voice continued, “And your sister’s looks aren’t bad either. I’m sure some of our important figures will take a liking to her kind, hahaha.”

The main door suddenly exploded inward, sending splinters of wood flying.

Several figures emerged through the entryway.

The man leading them, Lin Hong, wore a cruel sneer, a necklace carved from spirit stones glinting at his throat as he advanced with a cold laugh.

Beside him stood two burly men with fierce, ‘leopard-headed, ring-eyed’ appearances, clearly not benevolent individuals.

Both exuded a profound spiritual aura, indicating they had undeniably reached the Profound Wheel realm.

This display underscored the Lin family’s tyrannical arrogance, as they brazenly sought to coerce debtors into selling their daughters to settle debts.

“Husband!”

At that moment, Xiao Xue’s mother rushed from the living room, cradling Xiao Xue’s sister, and asked in a panicked tone.

“Gentlemen, haven’t we already paid a sum? Could you please grant us a few more days for the remaining amount? We promise to deliver it in full then.”

“Hahahaha, are you joking with us?” Lin Hong scoffed.

“When our Lin family acts, rules are irrelevant. No one can hinder what we wish to do. Since important figures in our family have taken an interest in your daughters, that is your good fortune.”

He added with a chilling laugh, “Rest assured, our important figure is very gentle with women. At most, they might end up crippled. And if he’s in a good mood, he might even reward you with some silver, hahahaha.”

Unbridled laughter filled the entire courtyard.

At this, Lan Wu Xi’s face darkened considerably.

They intended to lay hands on such young girls, and from their tone, it was clearly not the first time.

This wasn’t just perversion; it was the act of beasts in human skin!

“Please, I beg you! We only have these two daughters. Please, just give us a little more time. I implore you!”

Xiao Xue’s father rushed forward, kneeling on both knees and kowtowing, pleading for mercy.

He had cast aside his dignity as a man for his daughters, but his pleas were met only with merciless mockery and a brutal kick from one of the burly men.

“Scram! How dare a filthy wretch like you, a mere animal, try to negotiate with us?”

That kick, delivered by a Profound Wheel realm cultivator, held no reserve.

Xiao Xue’s father was sent flying several meters, slamming against the wall.

Scarlet blood splattered across the stone, his fate unknown.

Such savage brutality was truly enraging.

“Husband!”

“Father!”

Xiao Xue could no longer restrain herself.

Her eyes now gleamed with a bloody light, and the faint spiritual energy around her began to surge.

Within her mind, a fierce argument erupted.

‘Xiao Xue, Xiao Xue, calm down quickly! Don’t let anger consume your reason!’

‘They hurt my father! That’s my father! Master, don’t stop me, I must tear them to shreds!’

“I advise you two to come willingly,” Lin Hong threatened.

“Otherwise, your father’s fate will be even worse than this!”

“I will…” Xiao Xue muttered, her head bowed low.

No one could discern her words, yet the icy aura emanating from her caused the surrounding air to grow increasingly frigid.

The smug Lin Hong remained utterly unaware that, in Xiao Xue’s eyes, he was already a dead man.

Just as Xiao Xue was about to cast aside all pretense and fight to the death, a sigh echoed through the air.

Lan Wu Xi, who had remained silent and unnoticed by Lin Hong until now, stepped forward.

The furious tremor in his eyes revealed the depth of his emotions.

Simultaneously, his cultivation at the late Profound Wheel realm fully erupted, unrestrained, subtly overshadowing the two opposing Profound Wheel cultivators.

“The Lin family remains as overbearing as ever,” Lan Wu Xi remarked. “It seems your Lin Yunxi still hasn’t taught you to always leave a path for retreat, lest you invite disaster upon yourselves.”

“This aura! He’s also a Profound Wheel cultivator? Who are you, sir…?”

Lin Hong had assumed that everyone in Xiao Xue’s family, apart from Xiao Xue herself, were ordinary people.

Yet, suddenly, a Profound Wheel realm cultivator had appeared, whose aura suggested he was even stronger than the two men Lin Hong had brought.

He was undoubtedly a formidable practitioner within the Profound Wheel realm.

How could such a powerful individual be connected to this family?

Lin Hong cursed inwardly at his miscalculation.

Despite this, his expression betrayed no hint of panic.

‘So what if he’s in the Profound Wheel realm?’ he thought. ‘Such strength is like an ant before an elephant when facing the Lin family, easily crushed. Even Golden Core experts must be wary and act cautiously when dealing with the Lin family, let alone a mere Profound Wheel cultivator.’

“I am merely a passerby,” Lan Wu Xi stated.

“However, the Lin family’s domineering methods are truly daunting.”

“Heh, our Lin family does not require your instruction, sir,” Lin Hong retorted.

“May I ask what relationship you have with this family? Are you truly intending to oppose the Lin family for their sake today?”

Lin Hong attempted to scare Lan Wu Xi off with the Lin family’s reputation, knowing that a direct confrontation would be unwise given their current slight disadvantage in power.

“Me? I am her… um…”

Lan Wu Xi opened his mouth, but found the words wouldn’t come.

It was then that he realized: ‘Right, what exactly am I to Xiao Xue? We’re not related, and she just rejected my goodwill. My current status, apart from being a nominal senior martial brother, is practically nothing.’

“I… I am…”

Lan Wu Xi glanced at Xiao Xue, his mind frantically sifting through all possible relationship statuses.

Finally, he plucked out the most suitable phrase.

“I am nothing to her.” Lan Wu Xi shook his head, speaking truthfully. “It’s a fact, I am indeed nothing to Xiao Xue.”

“Is that so? Then, sir, you presumably won’t be…”

Upon hearing this, Lin Hong quickly spoke, thinking, ‘Just as I thought! How could this family possibly know such an unknown cultivator?’

He was confident now that Lan Wu Xi wouldn’t oppose the Lin family for these people.

“But!”

Interrupting Lin Hong, Lan Wu Xi shook his head with a helpless sigh.

Then, a statement that stunned everyone, including Xiao Xue, escaped his lips.

“She is my person. That is enough!”