Chapter 8: Variable

“I, Mu Yanqing, now swear to the heavens that from this day forth, I sever all ties with Mu Dalian as father and daughter. From now on, whether the Mu family prospers, faces disgrace, or meets its destruction has nothing to do with me! I, Mu Yanqing, shall be an orphan with no father and no mother. Even if I achieve greatness, it will have not a single cent of connection to the Mu family!”

Her words were so firm, her gaze so sharp and resolute.

Mu Dalian’s heart shook violently.

“Now, everyone get out of my way!” she shouted coldly, the sharpness in Yu Mei's eyes intensifying further.

Seeing her so serious, the eunuch did not dare to say anything more and hurriedly issued orders. The crowd blocking the path finally split into two rows, clearing a small path. Yu Mei did not hesitate, gripping Mu Dalian and walking briskly toward the exit. Unexpectedly, just as she took her first step, her skirt was yanked from behind, followed immediately by a burst of sorrowful weeping.

“Miss, please take Yu'er with you! Miss, Yu'er belongs to you in life and will be your ghost in death! Miss, please take Yu'er along... *sob*... Yu'er would rather die than be separated from you...” Yu'er wept like pear blossoms in the rain, her thin, gaunt face covered in tear stains; her crying was heart-wrenching.

Yu Mei turned back to look at her. Just as she was about to speak, Mu Dalian seized the opportunity. With strength from an unknown source, she broke free from the restraint of the green sword and struck out with her palm, hitting Yu Mei heavily in the chest. The force was so great that Yu Mei stumbled back repeatedly until her back slammed against the rear courtyard wall, only then coming to a halt...

“Cough, *pfft*...” After several heavy coughs, she spat out several mouthfuls of blood. A layer of cold sweat broke out on her pale, small face as she slumped weakly against the wall, sliding down to the ground.

“Miss!” Seeing this sudden turn of events, Yu'er cried out in alarm and scrambled up from the ground, running toward her.

“Men, attack! Kill Mu Yanqing! Kill this demoness!” The eunuch's shrill voice carried a sense of urgency. Seeing Yu Mei collapsed and weakened, everyone swarmed forward. They even disregarded Yu'er's figure in front of them; in Yu Mei's eyes, they actually trampled her brutally under their feet...

There were guards brought by the eunuch, servants from the Prime Minister's manor, and commoners from the Tianyao Kingdom. Every single one of them had bloodshot eyes; not one person realized that a human life was being crushed beneath their feet...

“Yu'er!” Yu Mei's eyes widened. She seemed to see that little girl desperately reaching out toward her... This crowd of inhuman beasts!

“If I do not die today, one day, I will surely sweep through Tianyao and avenge my Yu'er!” A heavy hatred swept through her heart, and the temperature in her eyes grew even colder. Looking at this crowd that seemed to have lost all reason, the bloodthirsty desire in Yu Mei's heart seemed to be ignited once more...

“Kill her!!”

She slowly closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep, refusing to look any longer, but her heart was a frozen wasteland...

However, Yu Mei did not see that at the final moment when the crazed crowd was striking at her, a violent gust of wind erupted, halting their steps. When the wind died down, Yu Mei's body was seen lying safely in the arms of a man...

The man had a slender build, his white robes fluttering. His body lines were so perfect that even standing in such a wretched place, they could not mask the noble aura about him. It was a pity that a mask covered his face, preventing anyone from seeing his features.

Peerless elegance.

This was the only word everyone could think of to describe the man before them.

The silver-masked man held Yu Mei tightly in his arms. Her petite body appeared so fragile before him. A smile played at the corners of his mouth, and through the mask, his eyes were filled with nothing but doting affection...

“Little one, how could you fall asleep at such a critical moment?”

He brushed her hair aside as if no one else were there, his voice as gentle as flowing water. The blood covering Yu Mei's body stained his pure white robes, yet he seemed not to care at all, focusing solely on wiping the blood from her face.

Such a gentle man, such tender care...

“Who are you? Why have you appeared here?” Mu Dalian narrowed her eyes, calmly sizing up the silver-masked man.

Hearing this, the silver-masked man stopped his movements. His gaze slowly shifted toward Mu Dalian, his indifferent eyes carrying an overwhelming pressure. “What kind of thing are you? What right do you have to speak?”

Domineering! Arrogant! His manner of speaking was so similar to Yu Mei's that Mu Dalian was utterly rebuffed.

“If she suffers even the slightest harm today, you will surely pay for it!”

Leaving behind a chilling sentence that struck terror into the heart, the silver-masked man held Yu Mei and, with a light leap, soared into the sky.