Chapter 5: The Sweetest Revenge

“Yun Xueshang… that person… she’s in love with me…?”

Hua Yan listened to her grandmother’s perfectly logical analysis, utterly dumbfounded. In the ten years that had passed, the figure she had secretly resented every single day now vividly resurfaced in her mind.

***

The air was filled with the clamor of gongs and drums, punctuated by continuous cheers. There, upon the central martial arts stage, stood the cold-faced immortal in white robes and white hair, the focal point of all eyes.

A gentle breeze caressed her flowing garments, making her appear as if radiating an otherworldly aura. Wielding a divine weapon, a sharp sword, her every move was fierce and decisive, sweeping all before her.

It was precisely because of such a person that Hua Yan had first felt the urge to compete, to challenge and discover who was truly the foremost amongst the younger generation.

Yet, who could have foreseen that she, endowed with extraordinary talent and an undefeated record since childhood, would find herself utterly powerless, suffering a crushing defeat that even transformed her into a woman?

Could this Yun Xueshang possibly like her? Like her enough to even bear her a daughter?

For a moment, Hua Yan remained frozen, then she threw back her head and burst into hearty laughter, her voice brimming with triumphant glee.

“Hahahaha! Yun Xueshang! You have finally met your match! For ten years, I’ve yearned for revenge, diligently training myself, yet always feeling it wasn’t enough!”

“I was troubled, unsure how to defeat you, but who would have thought you’d deliver such leverage right into my hands!”

“Since you’re smitten with me, then all the better! This Young Master shall be the man you can never have in this lifetime!”

“This is the sweetest revenge! Hahahahaha—ow!”

A familiar ruler landed squarely on the derrière of the ‘man Yun Xueshang would never have,’ making her yelp in pain.

“Don’t you even look at yourself! You’re a woman now! How dare you still talk about being a man no one can have! Fool!”

Hua Yuheng glared exasperatedly at her troublesome grandson—no, granddaughter, she corrected herself internally—as she withdrew the ruler.

“Let this old woman tell you, in our Hundred Flowers Valley, there’s no place for such mincing nonsense!”

“Now, you get out of this valley and bring your wife back to me! If you fail to retrieve Rongrong’s mother, don’t even think about stepping foot into the Hundred Flowers Valley again for the rest of your life!”

“Huh?”

Hua Yan’s apricot eyes grew misty once more. She lifted her face from the soft couch, wiping away freshly shed tears, and stared intently at her grandmother, trying to discern even a hint of jest in her expression.

Alas, years of experience told her that her grandmother’s words were, without a doubt, entirely serious.

Before she could even process this, Hua Yuheng walked past her, bending down to pick up Hua Xiangrong, who was playing nearby.

“You’ll take little Rongrong with you when you leave. While you’re out, teach her the basics of cultivation. She’s reached the age where she should begin her training.”

“Huh?” x2

Hua Yan glanced at the pink-haired girl in her grandmother’s arms, then at the pitiful golden-winged magpie clutched in the girl’s small hands.

The bird’s feathers were already ruffled and disheveled from being fiddled with, turning it into a veritable golden fluff ball.

Yet, intimidated by the terrifying aura of those around it, it could only bury its head in its wings, showing not an ounce of its majestic spiritual beast demeanor, looking more like a wronged quail.

‘This is definitely a little demon lord! I absolutely do not want to travel with such a demanding little ancestor!’

Alarm bells immediately rang in Hua Yan’s mind. She urgently blurted out,

“Why? Wouldn’t it be better for Rongrong to stay in the valley rather than come with me? She…”

“If you don’t bring the child, how do you expect to bring her mother back on your own, you scoundrel? I reckon it would be good enough if she doesn’t draw her sword and hack you once she realizes your true nature!”

Hua Yuheng scoffed, mercilessly cutting her off.

“As for safety, I trust that with your cultivation at the late Nascent Soul stage, combined with your abilities, you are more than capable of handling most situations outside. Don’t tell this old woman that you can’t even protect your own daughter.”

“Of course, to supervise you and to add an extra layer of protection for little Rongrong’s safety, I will personally refine a sound transmission protective talisman in the coming days.

It will allow you to communicate with me over a thousand li and, with my cultivation, defend Rongrong against three fatal injuries.”

“All right, it’s settled then!”

With that, Hua Yuheng gave Hua Yan no more room for negotiation. She cradled her well-behaved great-granddaughter and walked directly out of the hall, leaving Hua Yan with only the distant, laughing chatter of the old and the young.

“Little Rongrong, do you like little birds? Should great-grandmother have people catch more for you to play with?”

“No need, Great-Grandmother, that would be too much trouble. Just having this one with me is enough.”

“Oh, Rongrong is so well-behaved! Much more sensible than your mother was at her age! Come, Great-Grandmother will take you to pick flowers!”

“Yay! Thank you, Great-Grandmother!”

Watching the pair, laughing and chatting as they slowly receded into the distance, Hua Yan was speechless for a long moment, feeling as though she wanted to cry but had no tears left.

‘Seriously, what kind of situation is this? How did a complete stranger of a daughter suddenly appear out of nowhere?

I was doing perfectly fine as a young master of the Demonic Sect, and now, in the blink of an eye, I’m being swept out the door?’

“Sister Liu…”

The red-haired girl turned tearfully to the only other living soul in the hall besides herself.

Protector Liu produced various women’s garments, rouge, and powder from her storage bag, then knelt before Hua Yan.

“Young Ma—Young Miss, the Valley Master just sent a message instructing me to properly teach you how to be a woman, and how to be a mother.”

Protector Liu meticulously held up a bright yellow *ruqun*, comparing it against Hua Yan.

“Hmm, it seems a bit small in some places…”

She subtly glanced at the impressive curves of Hua Yan’s chest, then silently switched to another white dress, nodding in satisfaction this time.

“Young Miss, rest assured. In these coming days, I will teach you the ways of a young lady, and I guarantee that when Immortal Yun first sees you, she will be captivated by your beauty.”

“No! I don’t want this! I don’t want to learn how to be a woman!”

Yet, despite Hua Yan’s mournful, melodious wails, they had not the slightest effect.

***

Half a month later, at the valley entrance encircled by green mountains.

“Little Rongrong, remember to eat well when you’re out. If your mother bullies you on the road, use the sound transmission talisman Great-Grandmother gave you to tell me, and I’ll beat her for you later.”

The Old Valley Master reluctantly smoothed the hem of Hua Xiangrong’s dress. The girl was still dressed in pink, though in a different style.

“En! Rongrong will be well-behaved and cultivate diligently outside!”

Hua Xiangrong nodded vigorously, while Hua Yan, standing beside her, couldn’t help but urge them on impatiently.

“Oh, I know, Grandmother, you worry too much! We’re leaving now!”

Hua Yan was now adorned in a vibrant reddish-orange qixiong ruqun, its fabric imbued with flowing cloud patterns and paired with vermilion ribbons.

The bustier design accentuated the girl’s graceful figure, while the skirt’s hem was embroidered with blazing maple leaf motifs.

A sheer, flowing orange gauze cloak draped over her shoulders, appearing light and ethereal.

Her crimson hair was styled into a high bun, adorned with pearl flowers and swaying buyao tassels that shimmered with her every movement.

Her oval, exquisite face was delicate and fair, her apricot eyes sparkling with vivacity and charm, giving her an air of captivating beauty.

‘—If only she wouldn’t open her mouth, she’d be even better.’

Hua Yuheng gazed at her granddaughter now, sighing inwardly.

Meanwhile, Hua Yan’s mind was occupied with a completely different scheme.

‘Damn it! For the past half-month, I’ve been forced to wear women’s clothes every day, tormented by those female protectors and elders of the sect who’ve dressed me up in countless ways, treating me like a doll! I can’t stand being in this Hundred Flowers Valley for another moment!’

‘Once I’m out of the valley, the sky’s the limit for this bird! Who cares about Yun Xueshang! As for this little brat, I’ll just humor her, and everything will be fine!’

With these thoughts, she smiled brightly and waved a hand, summoning a delicate flower boat from her storage bag. With a flick of her slender sleeve, she gracefully stepped onto it with Hua Xiangrong.

“Grandmother, await my good news! I’ll definitely bring your granddaughter-in-law back!”

Hua Yuheng stood rooted with a crowd of valley residents, watching as the flying boat transformed into a tiny speck in the sky, eventually disappearing into the blue horizon.

“Valley Master,” Protector Liu quietly asked, “Are you truly at ease letting the Young Miss take Rongrong? It would surely be safer to let her cultivate within the valley…”

“Heh, of course, I’m not at ease.” Hua Yuheng scoffed, her fingers playfully teasing the little yellow bird left by her great-granddaughter. “With someone like Hua Yan, forget Rongrong; I wouldn’t even trust her to raise this bird.”

“Then why…”

“I simply don’t want Rongrong to suffer the same fate as Hua Yan, growing up hardly seeing her parents.”

“Look at that child, Hua Yan. She grew up without strict discipline, and now look at the state she’s in. I certainly don’t want my adorable little Rongrong to turn into such a scoundrel like her.”

The old woman sighed softly, then turned and led everyone back into the valley.

“Furthermore, with the righteous and demonic factions opposing each other and evil lurking in the shadows, this Divine Land is no longer as peaceful as it once was.”

“Even if she remains in the Hundred Flowers Valley, how long can we protect her? It’s better to let her gain experience early.”

“Rongrong possesses talent and spiritual essence; she is an unpolished gem. But as the saying goes, ‘jade uncarved is no treasure.’ Only through countless carvings and polishings can it become a true masterpiece.”

“As for Rongrong’s cultivation path, leaving it to that brat—I mean, that girl, Hua Yan, will be absolutely fine. After all, her only remaining virtue is her combat prowess.”

“But on another note,” Hua Yuheng suddenly paused, murmuring to herself, “Rongrong’s mother actually beat Hua Yan so thoroughly that she couldn’t even retaliate?

“Just how strong is she, exactly?”