Firmament Sword

Despite being a Tier Eight Great Sword Master and using the Shaking Light Step for an all-out strike, not only did she fail to pierce her opponent, but the woman flicked her blade with a single finger, almost making her lose her grip on the sword!

’What level of cultivation is this?’

’Could it be that this old woman before me has broken through the rank of Great Sword Master and reached an even higher realm?’

Lianyi’s gaze hardened. She stared coldly at the person before her. Then, she saw another old woman, with white hair but a youthful face, walk in.

”The defenses here look lax on the surface, but they are actually tight on the inside. This old one seems to have underestimated this secular family,” the newly arrived old woman said, raising her head to look at Lianyi.

”The resemblance is uncanny, truly uncanny!” The second old woman nodded repeatedly as she looked at Lianyi.

The first old woman, the one who had almost knocked the sword from Lianyi’s hand, said with a thin smile, ”Not only does the young lady look like the Sect Leader, but her talent is also similar! That surprise strike just now nearly wounded this old one.”

”Nearly wounded you, Junior Sister? How is that possible?” the second old woman exclaimed, as if she had just heard the most unbelievable thing.

”It’s true. The young lady’s current strength should be at the level of a Tier Eight or Nine Great Sword Master.”

”Who are you people? I don’t know you! What do you want, breaking into my home in the middle of the night?” Lianyi stared coldly at the two baffling old women. For some reason, she felt a strong aversion to them.

”As for who we are, the young lady will find out in due time. For now, we must trouble you to come with us to meet someone. Once you see that person, everything will become clear,” the first old woman said, looking at Lianyi with a touch of arrogance.

This old woman gave Lianyi a very bad feeling. She seemed incredibly arrogant and hypocritical; even the faint smile on her face looked forced, as if she were squeezing it out for the sake of smiling. It couldn’t have been more fake.

Moreover, both of these old women with their white hair and youthful faces carried an air of looking down on the entire world, as if no one was worthy of their notice.

”I don’t know you, and I won’t go with you. You should leave at once.”

Lianyi looked calmly at the two women before her and said, ”I don’t want to alert the Guards in the mansion, nor do I want to hold you accountable for breaking into my home in the middle of the night. Leave now, or don’t blame me for being impolite.”

”Hehe, the young lady not only looks like her but has her temper too. Stop making a fuss and be a good girl. We mean no harm; we’re just here to take you to see your family,” said the second old woman.

”My home is here, and my family is here! I don’t need you to take me anywhere!” Lianyi said coldly.

”Enough!” The first old woman was finally losing her patience. She said coldly, ”Young lady, stop this fuss. Your own background... you should be aware of it, shouldn’t you? We are here to take you to see your birth parents!”

”What... What are you talking about?” Lianyi swayed slightly and steadied herself with effort. She bit her lower lip, forcing herself to calm down quickly. Then, she said faintly, ”You have the wrong person. My birth parents are right here.”

”Young lady, stop deceiving yourself. If you have anything to say to this family, do it now. We don’t have much time to waste on you!” The first old woman seemed to have a short temper. Once her last bit of patience wore out, her attitude changed drastically.

The second old woman, however, seemed to have a better temperament. She glanced at her companion and said softly, ”Junior Sister, the young lady never knew about her background. A reaction like this is to be expected.”

With that, the second old woman looked at Lianyi and said softly, ”Young lady, you are the daughter of our Sect Leader. Back then, to escape her enemies, the Sect Leader had no choice but to leave you on a barren mountain while she led them away. The Sect Leader watched as a General rescued you. Otherwise, we would never have been able to find you today!”

Lianyi’s face turned deathly pale. She didn’t want to believe the old woman’s words were true, but while the location where she was abandoned wasn’t exactly a secret, very few people knew about it.

Thus, for a moment, Lianyi couldn’t tell if they were telling the truth.

Logically, Lianyi already believed most of what they said. Both of these old women were far stronger than her. If they truly wanted to do something to her, they would have acted long ago. Why waste time talking?

Adding to that was the deep-seated, condescending pride exuded by the old woman who had fought her... it only confirmed for Lianyi that these two were not people of the secular world.

”Then why... did it take eighteen years for you to come looking for me?” Lianyi hesitated before asking.

”Well... there were, of course, unspeakable difficulties. But you must believe, young lady, that your mother loves you deeply.” The corner of the second old woman’s mouth twitched slightly as she said softly, ”We came this time specifically to bring you back.”

As she spoke, the old woman took out a Scroll from her robes and unrolled it. The image of an exquisitely beautiful woman appeared before Lianyi’s eyes.

The Scroll was clearly old, and the woman depicted in it bore a striking resemblance to Lianyi.

Looking at the beautiful woman on the Scroll, Lianyi’s heart suddenly ached. After a moment of silence, she shook her head and said, ”I believe what you say, but I can’t go back with you right now.”

”Why? The Sect Leader has been waiting to see you! For this day, she has waited a full eighteen years!” the first old woman said, staring coldly at Lianyi. ”Don’t you want to meet your own birth mother? Do you intend to be an unfilial daughter?”

”Unfilial daughter? Besides giving birth to me, did she ever care for me for a single day? In my heart, I have only one mother! And that is the Lady of the National Guardian General, who raised me since I was a child and treated me like her own daughter!” Lianyi retorted, looking coldly at the old woman.

”You... How insolent!” the old woman barked in a low, furious voice.

”Junior Sister, that’s enough!” The second old woman frowned and couldn’t help but interject. She then turned to Lianyi and said, ”Young lady, is there something unfinished you have here? It’s like this: we’re bringing you back this time because there is an important event in the sect, and the Sect Leader wishes for you to participate. After the event is over, you should be able to return.”

”Senior Sister...” the impatient old woman began, frowning.

”Enough. Listen to me,” the second old woman interrupted her junior sister, then looked at Lianyi with a kind expression.

Lianyi was no pampered noble girl ignorant of the ways of the world. Although no one in the Xu Family had ever mistreated or looked down on her, she had, after all, served as a Maid for many years!

As a Maid, the ability to read people and situations was the most basic of skills.

’Don’t be fooled by the second old woman’s pleasant words and seemingly kind attitude. If I really refuse, she might not show her true colors, but she’ll surely use both hard and soft tactics... perhaps even threaten my family to force me to go back with them.’

Lianyi had often fantasized about what she would do if her biological relatives ever came to find her.

’Would I weep and acknowledge them? Or would I ignore them completely...’

She never expected that this mother, who supposedly loved her so dearly, wouldn’t even show her face. Instead, she sent two powerful old women to forcefully take her back and be done with it.

Anyone who knew the situation would call it a family reunion. Anyone who didn’t would think it was a kidnapping!

Taking a deep breath, a glint of coldness flashed in the depths of Lianyi’s eyes. She said softly, ”You came so suddenly, I’m completely unprepared. The people who make decisions in the mansion are not home right now. So, I need to make some arrangements. Give me three days. I will get everything in order, and then I will leave with you.”

Seeing that the old woman was about to protest, Lianyi said with a determined look, ”This is my bottom line. You may not care about a secular family, but to me, this… is my home! You may look down on the people of this world, but in my eyes, they are my true family!”

The second old woman hesitated for a moment before nodding. ”Very well. We were a bit hasty this time. Three days it is. We only hope that you won’t go back on your word in three days, young lady!”

”I may be just a woman from the secular world, but I know the weight of a promise.” Lianyi sheathed her sword and said coolly, ”I won’t see you out.”

The two old women exchanged a look, and in a flash, they vanished from the room.

As if all her strength had been drained, Lianyi collapsed into a chair. The tears she had been holding back so desperately finally streamed down her face.

’So this is... what my loving birth mother... has done? She wants to drag me back so coldly and expects me to be grateful? I just hate that I’m too weak right now. Otherwise, I’d run them both through with my sword and drive them away! I don’t want to acknowledge any relatives! My family... is right here!’

”Why so sad, Princess of Vulture? If you don’t want to go back, how about I go and send those two old women on their way for you?” A calm, gentle voice suddenly spoke from outside the window.

”Ah? Who’s there?” Lianyi was startled. Without taking the time to wipe away her tears, she shot to her feet, fury blazing in her chest.

’So, all of you think the National Guardian General’s Mansion is a public gate? You can just come and go as you please?’

”Don’t worry, it’s me. I was just passing by.” Following the voice, a man in white robes drifted into the room, followed by two exceptionally beautiful maids.

”Young... Young Master Feng, what are you doing here?” Seeing who it was, Lianyi’s anger instantly subsided, replaced by a look of surprise. ”Why have you come here?”

”I had nothing to do tonight, so I went for a walk and happened upon this situation. If you don’t wish to go back, I can help you, for the sake of your young master.” The perfectly, almost devilishly handsome Young Master Feng gave a slight smile.

”My young master… since when is he on such good terms with Young Master Feng?” ’Although the man before me is the most handsome man I’ve ever seen, in my heart, he can’t compare to my own young master.’

”Your young master and I hit it off. I like him,” Young Master Feng said with a gentle voice and a broad smile.

”Li... like...” A chill ran down Lianyi’s spine. She glanced cautiously at the two beautiful maids behind Young Master Feng and thought to herself: ’This Young Master Feng… he couldn’t… he couldn’t be into men, could he? Heavens, if that’s the case, isn’t my young master in danger?’

If Young Master Feng knew what Lianyi was thinking at this moment, he would probably fly into a rage, take his two beautiful maids, and leave, swearing never to get involved in the Xu Family’s affairs again.

”Actually, it’s not that I don’t want to see my birth mother. For so many years, I’ve thought about her day and night. Who in this world could ever sever the bond of blood?” Lianyi couldn’t help but shed tears. ”It’s just… I don’t want to be taken back like this, half-forced against my will.”

”Hmm... I see. Don’t worry, leave this to me. Just go ahead and arrange your affairs here. In three days, those two will not dare show you any disrespect again!” Young Master Feng smiled slightly, said no more, and drifted away with his two beautiful maids.