Volume One, Chapter 14: She Left Forever

“Yan’er, quickly release your mother. I promise you, no blood transfusion.” Yun Wuhen spoke.

Zhao Yan looked at him, a smile playing on her lips. “Father, didn’t you say you would make it up to me? Why not use Yun Chu’s blood to save my sister?”

Before Yun Wuhen could respond, Feng Shuangling’s expression grew agitated. “No, we can’t use Chu’er’s blood.”

“All right, I promise you.”

At these words, everyone’s eyes widened in disbelief. Yun Chu stared at Yun Wuhen incredulously, staggering a few steps before regaining composure. As the only legitimate male heir of the Yun family, his father would never allow him to undergo a blood transfusion.

“Yun Wuhen, you bastard!”

Feng Shuangling’s eyes were filled with disbelief as she struggled violently; the dagger at her throat edged closer. Zhao Yan furrowed her brow.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the elderly Madam Feng not far away. Her hands trembled incessantly, but she neither urged Zhao Yan nor stopped her. The only emotions reflected in her eyes were worry and sorrow.

At that moment, Feng Shuangling suddenly collapsed toward the dagger. Instinctively, Zhao Yan diverted the dagger aside. Seizing the opportunity, Feng Shuangling dodged to the side, but simultaneously, a burst of spiritual energy struck her from the front.

A spray of blood erupted.

Zhao Yan’s feet lifted off the ground, her body arching in midair. The anticipated pain never came, but a sharp pang struck her mind before completely fading away.

Zhao Yan knew she was leaving — forever.

Madam Feng caught Zhao Yan and gently placed her on the ground, then produced a pill for her to swallow.

She then scolded Yun Wuhen sharply, “Bastard, Yan’er cannot cultivate. Why did you strike her so hard?”

Yun Wuhen hesitated, tightening his hand beneath his sleeve.

“Yan’er, how are you?” Madam Feng looked at Zhao Yan with deep concern. Zhao Yan’s gaze was complicated. When she had threatened Lady Yun earlier, she had been terrified, yet she said nothing.

She understood her grandmother’s neutrality was to avoid putting her and her mother in a difficult position.

This injury was due to her carelessness. She knew Yun Wuhen’s words were lies, but she hadn’t expected Lady Yun to risk her life by throwing herself toward the dagger. Yet, in the end, her gamble was right.

“I’m fine.”

Zhao Yan stood, her eyes cold as she looked at Yun Wuhen. “Consider this blow from me as the severing of all ties with you.”

“The bloodline cannot be severed just because you say so. I struck you because you were wrong first.”

Zhao Yan laughed bitterly, her face twisted with sarcasm. “You want to harm me, to kill me. What’s wrong with me protecting myself? Just because I’m your daughter, do I have to obediently bow my head to you, then thank you afterward?”

A continent that has existed for tens of millions of years would perish because of me, a person who cannot cultivate? How laughable!

What pretense of nobility is this? It’s nothing but a group of cowards looking for excuses to save their own skins.

Everyone’s faces darkened. Yun Wuhen frowned deeply. After a long silence, he chose to act. A spiritual force, like shackles, instantly bound Zhao Yan. Madam Feng’s expression turned grim, ready to intervene, but Lady Yun stopped her with spiritual power.

“Mother, if this matter is not settled, no one on the Four-Star Continent will let it go easily.”

“Feng Shuangling, you owe her eighteen years. Don’t keep making mistakes.”

“Mother, I am not wrong. Everything I do is for the Yun family, for the Four-Star Continent.” Feng Shuangling steeled herself and spoke earnestly.

Zhao Yan sneered. Having lived two lifetimes, she had never seen anyone justify selfishness so righteously.

Yun Wuhen approached, shifting his demeanor as he reached out to stroke her head. “Yan’er, I’m sorry. Rest assured, after the transfusion, I will seek out the finest doctors in the world to cure you.”

The finest doctors? It was doubtful even the best on the Four-Star Continent could cure the Bloodthirst Curse. Moreover, after the transfusion, she would have only half a month to live. Yun Wuhen’s words were merely a facade to save face.

With that, he used spiritual power to teleport Zhao Yan beside Yun Zhaojun.

“Yun Wuhen, Feng Shuangling, you’d better never regret this.”

Zhao Yan uttered their full names sharply. Both were momentarily stunned. A complex and helpless look flashed across Yun Wuhen’s eyes before he said, “Yan’er, trust me, I will make sure you don’t die.”

Lady Yun’s gaze fell on the unconscious Yun Zhaojun nearby. A flicker of decision passed over her face as she looked at the national master. “Please, begin.”

Everyone’s opinion of Lady Yun rose several notches. Truly the matriarch of the Yun family, she could cast aside personal feelings for the greater good, inspiring deep admiration.

“Yan’er~”

Madam Feng’s wrinkled face was filled with pain and helplessness; her cloudy eyes reflected unspeakable sadness and powerlessness.

“Grandmother, an old immortal once told me back in the countryside that I am blessed with great fortune and will not easily die, so don’t worry.”

Hearing this, Madam Feng’s heart ached even more. “Your grandmother waits for you here. After your blood is changed, come back with me to the Feng family. We don’t need that Yun family.”

“All right.”

At that moment, the national master slowly approached Zhao Yan.

A strange atmosphere gathered in the air. The crowd around the square could only see the silhouette behind the gauze curtain, unable to discern what was happening inside. They craned their necks but dared not advance.

Nearby, the Crown Prince of Fengyu Kingdom’s eyes flickered with worry. He tried to speak but was silenced by a stern glance from the Fengyu Emperor. Beichen Ling swallowed the words back into his throat.

“Brother, I’m going to grandmother’s place.”

With that, Feng Zhiyue rose but was grabbed by Feng Jingmo. “Wait, I’m coming too.”

It was clear grandmother favored their second cousin sister. Now that she was forced to undergo the transfusion, grandmother must be very upset.

Watching them leave, Lonely Jingyun’s calm eyes narrowed. Had he been mistaken? Was there truly no way to salvage this situation?

“Master, shall we go see for ourselves?”

Baili Xingchen looked worried, his thoughts already far from the banquet.

Ye Lingxiao nodded. He was curious to see how the national master planned to exchange their blood.

Yun Qinghe was also curious but was stopped by her mother and had to give up.

Two stunningly beautiful young women lay side by side. If not for their differing clothes, no one could tell who was Yun Zhaojun and who was Yun Zhaoyan.

The national master approached them, gathering spiritual energy to cut shallow wounds on their hands, then quickly began to form hand seals.

“By the righteous energy of heaven and earth, by the law of the heart, using blood as the guide, the soul as the sacrifice—transform.”

As his final word fell, several beams of red light swiftly entered their bodies. Bound by the crimson glow, their bodies slowly rose, a circular six-star formation materializing behind them.

Zhao Yan’s eyes flickered. Impressive—the blood and soul formation incorporated a soul-condensing technique. He intended to turn her into a puppet without will!

Unfortunately for him, his low-level formation was beneath her notice. Now, she only awaited the right moment.

In midair, red and blue blood continuously flowed back and forth.

The crowd marveled at the national master’s exquisite formation, except for Beiling He and Lonely Jingyun nearby, who sensed something amiss.

Lady Yun nervously clutched her clothes, then looked up to meet Zhao Yan’s eyes. For some reason, those eyes made her slightly afraid. “Yan’er, don’t blame your mother. Your mother truly has no choice.”

Zhao Yan smiled faintly, but the smile did not reach her eyes. “I’m no saint, nor am I that magnanimous. How could I not blame you? I will blame you, and I will hate you—all of you.

You don’t need to pretend here. From the very beginning, you brought me back with a purpose, but you refuse to admit it. You just don’t want to be the villain.”

Lady Yun fell silent. Ironically, that silence was the most honest answer.

In a hidden corner, the spiritual chains binding Zhao Yan slowly loosened.