Chapter 39: The Threat of Su Zhentian

Su Yunqing, however, cared not a whit about whether she could ever return to this home. In her eyes, this household had long since left her heart cold and devoid of any attachment; she found it utterly repulsive, and consequently, she felt neither hesitation nor reservation.

"If that is truly the case, then that is exactly what I desire!" she replied, her tone even tinged with delight, a reaction that made Su Zhentian’s face burn with humiliation.

He had been brimming with confidence, assuming that the other party had no reason to refuse. Now, however, he realized it was merely his own arrogance; it seemed she truly cared nothing for the Su family.

If that was the case, so be it. A granddaughter who held no affection for him was not worth keeping; even if he forced her to stay, no bond could be cultivated. It would be better to cast her aside entirely, if only to save himself from further irritation.

"Very well. Since you have made your decision, from this day forth, the Su family has nothing to do with you. The rise and fall of this house will no longer concern you. Even if you wish to leverage the influence of the Su family, it shall not be permitted. Furthermore, I will expel you from the clan; your name shall be struck from the ancestral records!" He believed his words were harsh enough to make her reconsider, and he had braced himself for a psychological battle.

Yet, she shattered his expectations once more. Without a moment's hesitation, Su Yunqing replied, "That is wonderful. Please ensure you do exactly that. I am most grateful."

Su Zhentian’s face, which had been maintaining a semblance of a smile, instantly stiffened. Seeing that even this tactic failed to ensnare her, it was clear she was determined to draw a line between herself and the Su family.

He felt as though his family were being treated like some ferocious beast, and his expression darkened. With a look of disdain, he retorted, "Hmph, as if the Su family is so desperate to keep you! Since you have made your choice, do not regret it. Even if you come begging to return to the Su family in the future, it will not be allowed!"

With that, he flicked his sleeves violently and turned his back on her, his eyes filled with contempt.

Su Yunqing merely arched a brow. Far from being nervous, she felt only impatience. "Oh? Is there anything else, Patriarch Su? If not, I shall be going."

She turned and began to walk away, but after a few steps, she seemed to recall something. She halted and glanced back. "By the way, I hope you will keep your word. Do not disappoint me!"

With those words, she departed, her pace never slowing. She did not bother to look at Su Zhentian, whose face had grown increasingly livid, and within moments, she had vanished from his sight.

Once she had left, the elders of the Su family immediately swarmed around him. One of them could be heard asking, "How did it go? Did she agree?"

"What do you think?" Su Zhentian swept a cold, furious gaze over them and let out a sharp scoff.

Seeing his expression, the elder knew she had refused. Frowning, the elder continued, "Patriarch, could it be that you didn't make your meaning clear? Perhaps..."

"What? Was I not clear enough? Do you suggest I should have knelt before her to make my meaning clear?" He had been suppressing his rage, and with the elder walking straight into the line of fire, he erupted.

The elder, who had intended to say more, immediately shut his mouth upon seeing the Patriarch’s fury, fearing further trouble.

Seeing that the elder dared not retort, Su Zhentian’s brow relaxed slightly. "Stop wasting your thoughts on her. You would be better off checking on Yunqi and the others; at least they know how to be grateful and value our ties."

Although no one knew exactly what had transpired between him and Su Yunqing, his attitude made it clear that the encounter had been far from pleasant.

Upon returning to her room, Su Yunqing began to meditate. The clamor outside was of no concern to her; she wished to seize the moment to regulate her internal energy so that she could attend to her business once her body was fully restored.

In any case, before she left, there were matters that needed to be brought to an end.

Two days were spent in this state of cultivation before her strength returned. Just as she stepped outside, she found a crowd of people waiting at her door, craning their necks to look in. Upon seeing her emerge, they surged forward with excited expressions.

In no time, she was surrounded, the air filled with noisy, irritating chatter.

"Enough! Can you all move aside? You are blocking my path!" She looked at the wall of people before her, feeling a sense of helplessness, and her tone was predictably sharp.

"Su Yunqing, please do not take any of my previous offenses to heart!"

"Quite right. I didn't understand you before, which led me to say many hurtful things. I apologize for my past words and hope you will forgive me and not hold it against me."

"I shouldn't have spoken to you that way, let alone bullied you. Now, you may bully me back—as long as you do not treat me as an enemy, I am willing to do anything!"

The voices around her were a mixture of apologies, pleas, and excuses; all were eager to declare where they stood.

In their eyes, she was someone destined for greatness. It was best not to make her an enemy, lest they complicate their own futures. After all, no one wished to offend a disciple of a major sect, and she was highly likely to become one—perhaps even one who would rise to power within those hallowed halls. If they did not curry favor now, they feared their future would be grim.

How could she fail to understand their motives? When she was of no use, they threw stones at her while she was down and hurled insults; the moment they realized she had value, they scrambled to fawn over her. They were as opportunistic as ever.

"Enough. Do not disturb me again, or I shall not have the patience to listen to your drivel." She had no desire to associate with such people and found their behavior repulsive; naturally, she offered no warmth.

None of those present dared to offend her now. Her entry into a major sect was already a certainty; even if she were to be rejected later and return, her prospects would still outshine theirs. Anyone with a modicum of sense knew how to choose.

Realizing she would not lash out at them, they breathed a sigh of relief, indifferent to her cold demeanor.

As they parted to let her pass, her brow smoothed slightly. Then, she noticed Su Yunyue not far away, watching her with undisguised hostility.

Su Yunqing chose to ignore her and headed toward the academy gates. To her surprise, Su Yunyue followed her.

She continued walking, and when she realized Su Yunyue was still shadowing her even after she had exited the academy, the truth became clear. Her eyes turned cold, and she altered her course, heading toward the outskirts of the city.

As she walked further into a desolate, uninhabited area, she came to a stop on a flat patch of grass. She turned to face the direction behind her and said coldly, "You have been following me the entire way. Come out!"

Su Yunyue stepped forward, followed by a dozen men dressed in black. Standing at the forefront, she looked at Su Yunqing with an arrogant, overbearing air. "So, you knew from the very beginning?"