“Stop right there!” Ye Zhongwen, seething with rage, grabbed Su Mo’s arm. “If you dare step out that door today, I no longer have a daughter named Ye Qingyi!”
Su Mo glanced at Ye Qingyi. She clenched her jaw, fighting back tears. “Let’s go, Qingyi. This family isn’t worth staying for. I’ll be with you from now on.”
“Who the hell do you think you are? What right do you have to decide for her?”
“Sorry, but she has more right than you ever will.” Su Mo forcefully shook off Ye Zhongwen’s grip and strode out.
A figure in black blocked their path. “Second Young Miss, don’t act rashly. The family head is just angry—he didn’t mean what he said.”
“No, no. It’s precisely because he’s angry that his true feelings came out. Don’t worry about it.” Su Mo patted the black-clad man on the shoulder like a condescending elder and walked past him.
Black-Clad Man: “…”
“Arrest that unfilial daughter and that insolent brat!”
The black-clad man hesitated. “Family Head…”
“Arrest them!”
“Yes!”
“Oh? Resorting to force now?” Su Mo sneered, a faint crimson haze rising in his eyes.
Seven Emotions Secret Art—Wrath Mantra!
The black-clad man had intended to subdue them barehanded, but the formerly “delicate” Second Young Miss suddenly summoned a blade out of thin air. The sheer killing intent radiating from it was anything but ordinary, instantly shaking his confidence and making him instinctively dodge.
“Uncle Black, if I recall correctly, my sister once fought her way through the Ye family with this move, right? Back then, no one could even touch her.”
Black-Clad Man: “???”
Since when is fighting also a chance to throw shade?
Years ago, Ye Qingyu had been surrounded by Ye family enforcers under Ye Zhongwen’s orders. Yet, with a self-created blade technique, she had rendered them all helpless.
The incident was still a topic of awe among those who knew.
“What she could do back then, I can do now.”
Under the Wrath Mantra’s enhancement, Su Mo’s physical strength and reflexes doubled instantly. In pure physical combat, he now rivaled most C-rank fighters.
Boom!
The “Tetanus Blade” crashed against a spear, sending the black-clad man flying dozens of meters back. He staggered several steps before steadying himself.
Looking down, he saw a dent in his trusted weapon—clearly smashed in by sheer force.
“Still want to continue?”
The black-clad man blinked, then suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. “Family Head… I’m afraid I’m no match for the Second Young Miss!”
“Useless!” Ye Zhongwen spat those two words before storming off to check on his precious son.
With no further orders from the family head, no one dared obstruct them. The crowd parted, allowing Su Mo and Ye Qingyi to descend the mountain unimpeded.
Only after they were far gone did the murmurs begin.
“The Second Young Miss is terrifying! She made the family head’s personal guard cough up blood with one strike!”
“No kidding. She’s got the same aura as the Eldest Young Miss back in the day. Looks like another legend’s rising.”
“But between you and me… if the first two young misses are so strong, how come the later ones…”
“Dude, you’ve got a death wish! Talking smack about them? Bold!”
“I didn’t even finish my sentence…”
“Relax. What’s said here stays here. No one else will know.”
Foot of the Mountain.
Ye Qingyi took one last look at Mount Ye before tears finally spilled over.
“Su Mo… do you think I’m stupid? They clearly don’t see me as family, yet I keep forcing my way in. And now, here I am—kicked out again.”
“No. This time, it’s different. This time, you’re the one rejecting them.”
As an outsider, Su Mo had been so disgusted by the Ye family’s behavior that he’d briefly fantasized about slaughtering them all.
He couldn’t fathom how a father could be so callous toward his own daughter—repeatedly siding with Ye Qingwen and Ye Qingshu, right or wrong.
No wonder those two turned out so rotten. Spoiled rotten by their family, what else could they be?
“I thought Grandpa was on my side. But when I was being bullied, he stayed silent. Yet the moment Ye Qingshu collapsed, he panicked. That was the last shred of hope I had. From today on, I have nothing to do with the Ye family.”
She laughed bitterly, tears streaming into her mouth—salty, bitter.
“Cry if you need to. Don’t hold it in. My shoulder’s yours.” Su Mo patted his shoulder.
Ye Qingyi burst into loud, unrestrained sobs—the first time she’d ever lost composure like this. Su Mo’s heart ached watching her.
So this is what it’s like to care for someone. Their joy is your joy; their pain is your pain.
It was Su Mo’s first time feeling this way.
Eventually, exhausted from crying, Ye Qingyi’s breathing evened out against Su Mo’s shoulder. She’d fallen asleep.
Not wanting to disturb her, Su Mo stood motionless. Over an hour later, she suddenly murmured, half-asleep:
“Su Mo… since you took me away, you’d better take responsibility. Don’t abandon me… I’ve been abandoned too many times already…”
Su Mo’s nose stung. “I promise.”
“Pinky swear.”
“Huh? You’re awake?”
Her eyes red, she glared. “What, you thought I was sleep-talking?”
“Well, yeah. You’re such a heavy sleeper—ow! Hey, stop that! Hahaha!”
“Serves you right for mocking me! Take this!” She tickled him mercilessly until he surrendered.
Bystanders shot them odd looks.
In the winter chill, a beam of sunlight breached Mount Ye, warming Ye Qingyi’s face. It wasn’t enough to shed their coats, but it made her yearn for tomorrow’s sun all the more.
…..
On the way back, Su Mo received a message from Shen Hong: Report to the Jiangcheng Branch immediately to discuss operations against the Hundred Immortals Sect.
He called Xia Qingqing and Huo Jingshu, sharing Shen Hong’s location with them.
“Ready to get to work?”
“Mhm.” Ye Qingyi nodded obediently. “I’ll follow your lead.”
Northern Dipper’s Jiangcheng Branch.
The meeting room was filled with branch executives, Shen Hong at the center.
“Commander Shen, entrusting this operation to rookies seems unwise. Veterans should lead, with the newcomers assisting.”
“Rookies become veterans through experience. Besides, Ye Qingyi isn’t just any rookie. In terms of qualifications, she surpasses everyone here.” Shen Hong acknowledged their concerns but stood firm.
Just then, Su Mo’s group arrived. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Take your seats.”
Shen Hong dove straight into the mission briefing.
In the end, Su Mo’s team was assigned one task:
Storm the Hundred Immortals Sect’s stronghold in Jiangbei. Capture their newly appointed Jiangcheng leader—alive.