Hua Xianle

Chapter 29:

Yu Ziyuan couldn’t move. One second she was aiming her weapon at the one-eyed man, and then the next thing she knew, Zidian was gone. As she looked away from the ashy remains of her beloved weapon, all she could see was a piercing red eye that turned into a crescent when the man smiled.

“Y-you… what…” her voice started out as a trembling whisper before giving way to a terrified shriek. “What have you done to Zidian?!”

A snap. One single snap and he had destroyed a Spiritual Weapon that had been a Meishan Yu treasure for generations. He didn’t even blink as he did it, leaving her with nothing but the broken, useless remains of Zidian’s ring form.

“Something that has been long overdue,” the man sneered, glaring at her with an air of superiority and contempt. “Let’s see if you can still act superior to everyone around you without your precious weapon to mask how weak you truly are.”

“H-how? How could you… you…” Her fists clenched and she got right in his face, attempting to intimidate him. Considering he was a good head and a half taller than her, it failed. “YOU’LL REGRET THIS! I WILL MAKE YOU PAY FOR LAYING A HAND ON A SECT MADAME AND DESTROYING MY SPIRITUAL TOOL!! ATTACKING ME IS THE SAME AS ATTACKING YUNMENG JIANG, AND I WILL SEE TO IT THAT-!!”

“That what? That I suffer? That I face your oh-so-righteous fury because I didn’t cater to the whims of a spoiled child pretending to be a Sect Madame?” Hua Cheng snorted, shaking his head. “No, Yu Ziyuan. The only one who will be facing the consequences of their actions will be you.”

No one… absolutely no one… spoke to Yu Ziyuan that way. She made sure that anyone who did cross her suffered for the remainder of their short, miserable life. Not even Jiang Fengmian tried to treat her like this! But this man… this man talked back at her as if she was mud under his boots. This man didn’t fear her, didn’t care what she was capable of. But how?! She was a Sect Madame. Hell, she was practically the Sect Leader in all but name! No one could defy her!!

“This isn’t over…” she hissed under her breath, turning to leave. However, she found that the door to the office was now sealed, preventing her from doing so.

“Have you suddenly gone deaf, Yu Ziyuan?” The man mocked her. “I suppose it was only a matter of time with how often you screamed at others.”

“What is the meaning of this? Let me out! NOW!!”

“Not a chance.” The man stepped closer, pinning Yu-Furen against the locked door. “Do you have any idea how badly you’ve screwed up here? You came to Cloud Recesses without an invitation, disturbed the peace by barging in and screaming like a banshee, and then you attempted to attack not only the Lan Sect Madame but a guest as well. And what’s worse, you did this all in front of both the Lan Sect Leader and the Nie Sect Leader, both of whom I am certain will be more than willing to see you punished for this affront.”

Yu Furen was breathing heavily now, hating the tiny nugget of fear that was creeping into her stomach. She squashed it as best she could, attempting to shove the man back. He didn’t even budge.

“I am a Sect Madame! You cannot punish me!”

“Yes, we can,” Qingheng-jun interjected, rising to his feet before leveling Yu-Furen with an icy stare that put Lan Wangji’s to shame. “Your title does not make you untouchable. This is not Lotus Pier, where you can act like a wild animal and get away with it. This is Cloud Recesses, and because of the actions you have taken today, you will be detained until Sect Leader Jiang can come to discuss proper recourse.”

Yu Ziyuan was absolutely seething from anger. Her fist clenched as she instinctively tried to summon Zidian, only to be reminded that it was gone. She did have her sword, but even in her rage, she knew that drawing it here and now would just make things worse.

“If you want to discuss business with Lotus Pier, then talk to me! Jiang Fengmian and I are of equal standing!”

“Equal standing?” Hua Cheng sarcastically commented as he leaned on the wall while crossing his arms and raising his brow. “And yet, as far as I’ve heard, every time your husband expresses an opinion or idea that does not match yours, you claim that he is undermining your abilities to decide.”

“It’s because he is!” She actually stomped her foot like a child. “He never listens to me!”

“And you don’t listen to him,” Madame Lan countered, taking her seat next to her husband. “Do you even know what being a Sect Madame means, Yu Ziyuan? It means you are supposed to support your Sect Leader, to aid him in running his sect and ensuring the continuation of their traditions and practices. It is why I wear the Lan Forehead Ribbon and practice the Lan teachings. It is also why Madame Jin continues to properly train her son in the ways of Sect politics for the benefit of Lanling Jin.”

“What are you saying?! JUST SPIT IT OUT ALREADY!!”

“Happily.” Madame Lan straightened up, glaring at Yu Ziyuan. “Ever since your marriage, you have not been performing your duties as Sect Madame. You have forced the teachings of Meishan Yu on the Jiang Cultivators, you have sullied Lotus Pier with your vitriol and hatred, and you have refused to compromise on anything that does not fit your vision. Even your title is a blatant disrespect to your husband, Madame Yu!”

Qingheng-jun placed a hand on his wife’s back, urging her to collect herself. She was panting at this point, rage coloring her cheeks before she forced herself to regulate her breathing. She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and refocused herself. When she opened them again, she was calmer and in control.

“I suppose I am simply wasting my breath talking to you. A woman as brainless as you is beyond help. I feel nothing but pity for you, Yu Ziyuan. Truly.”

For once, Madame Yu had nothing to say. She wasn’t taking anything Madame Lan said to heart, or reflecting on her shortcomings. No, she was simply pissed off that she was outnumbered. Whatever, they were all idiots who would drag the cultivation world to ruin. Once Jiang Fengmian arrived, she would show them who was the true Sect Leader of Yunmeng Jiang. Then they would all pay for this affront. Starting with that one-eyed peasant.

…

While the adults waited for the Jiang Sect Leader, the Heir was kneeling in the punishment pavilion in utter fury. His back ached from the 300 strikes he had been forced to take, and the idea of being made to copy this sect's 3000 rules for an entire month had him livid!

It was all because of that damn servant’s son! Why did everyone care so much about the brat?! He was a traitor and a worthless cultivator, unfit to lick the mud from his boots. And yet everyone treated him like he was the freaking Heavenly Emperor himself! He should have made sure the damn servant stayed in the water, let him drown like the worthless vermin he was.

“A-Cheng…”

Jiang Wanyin was pulled from his enraged thoughts by his sister’s voice. He looked up, seeing her standing in front of him with her kind, gentle smile.

“Jiejie…” he whispered.

“It’s okay, A-Cheng. A-Niang is here, and I heard that A-Die is coming too. They’ll fix this and everything will be okay. I promise.”

Jiang Cheng nodded, trusting his sister explicitly. “Yes… A-Niang will fix everything. She’ll make sure those damn Hua admit to the greatness of Yunmeng Jiang. She’ll put them in their place, then we can drag their precious ‘Hua Xianle’ back to Lotus Pier where he belongs.”

Unbeknownst to the siblings, a lone figure was hiding behind a pillar, smirking to himself. He pulled out a fan, twirling it in his fingers as he slipped away unseen.

‘You witless fools. The only thing your mother will do is bring shame to Yunmeng Jiang. And soon, Meishan Yu will follow.’