Fortune Across the World

Chapter 193: Resolving Internal Conflict, Uniting Against External Threats

"I—" Le Mengxiao attempted to continue her denial, but the Palace Master interrupted her decisively, "Enough." With a wave of her wide sleeve, she asserted her authority as a master, "Le Mengxiao, you have truly disappointed me."

Hearing this, Le Mengxiao's facade crumbled, and years of pent-up resentment erupted from her heart. Genuine tears filled her eyes as she looked directly at the Palace Master, saying, "Master, you suspected me all along, didn't you? Because of those rumors... you kept me around only because Le Zhuyi hadn't returned. You couldn't find evidence and didn't want to weaken Qianli Palace's strength..." She laughed bitterly, her gaze never leaving the Palace Master, and pointed at Le Zhuyi, "From childhood, in your eyes, I've never measured up to her, no matter how hard I tried or how madly I practiced martial arts. You never valued me because Le Zhuyi is your biological daughter..."

The Palace Master frowned, experiencing a tumultuous mix of emotions. She had raised her five disciples with genuine affection, each one. Besides Zhuyi, Xiao'er, Han'er, Lan'er, and Chun'er were orphans. To avoid showing favoritism, she had been hardest on Zhuyi, a decision she had always regretted. Why, then, were there still grievances? What should she have done differently?

Le Zhuyi's eyes also brimmed with tears, her heart aching just as much as Le Mengxiao's. She hadn't realized her senior sister held such deep resentment towards her. Among their sisters, her mother had always been toughest on her—praise was rare, criticism harsh. If given a choice, she'd gladly trade that "favoritism" for more love and care.

From the back of the hall, Le Menglan, both anxious and angry, stepped forward to address Mengxiao, "Senior Sister Xiao, how can you say that? Master treats us all the same! Sister Zhuyi earned her favor through her own efforts!"

But Mengxiao was too entrenched in her beliefs to listen, mumbling to herself as if lost, "But I was the first to join the palace, the first disciple..." Her voice rose, filled with hatred, her gaze locking onto Le Zhuyi, suddenly shouting in a mad rage, "I was the first disciple! Biological? Does being biological really matter that much? Today, I'll make sure you die!" Before her shout ended, she pulled out a dagger from somewhere and lunged at Le Zhuyi standing by the table.

Ding Qiyu, startled, reacted swiftly, pulling Zhuyi behind her and drawing her Wuchang Sword diagonally to block Mengxiao's attack.

However, before the dagger could reach the sword, a dark longsword flew across the hall, piercing Mengxiao's shoulder with such force that it propelled her against a scarlet pillar, pinning her there.

The strike was so fast that few in the hall reacted. Le Zhuyi glanced at Ding Qiyu, who had instinctively protected her, feeling warmth and a rising urge to cry.

Pinned by the sword, Mengxiao looked down at the blood staining her clothes, then past those nearby to see who had thrown the sword—it was Ding Qiyu's old master.

The old master, his brow furrowed, emanated a severity unmatched by ordinary warriors. Stepping forward to stand beside Zhuyi, he met Mengxiao's gaze and said sternly, "You intended to harm my daughter. Out of respect for you as Qiuli's disciple, I spared your life with that strike."

Hearing this, Le Zhuyi's heart fluttered. She turned to her father, tears finally spilling over. This man was her father, and the sense of security and warmth was the love she had never known.

To Mengxiao, the old master's words pierced deeper than the blade in her shoulder. The fire in her eyes extinguished as she surveyed the room: the disciples ready to denounce her, the younger sister defending Zhuyi, Ding Qiyu who had shielded Zhuyi, the old master who had acted for Zhuyi, and finally, the master whose eyes were filled with complexity and heartache. She realized she had lost, just as she had countless times before to Le Zhuyi—this time utterly and hopelessly.