Wei Lingyue looked at his daughter seated in the main chair. She was both familiar and unfamiliar to him, and a complex emotion stirred in his heart.
His daughter had returned to the clan after forming a Yuányīng, yet he, her father, had been the last to know. If Du Ruolan hadn't cried outside his closed-door cultivation chamber, he wouldn't have even known she was back.
Facing Yunxi's calm question, he sighed. "I've been in seclusion. I only left today when I heard you'd returned."
Yunxi only nodded, offering no further comment.
After being expelled from the council hall, Du Ruolan had gone back to her courtyard. She broke the barrier outside Wei Lingyue's chamber and poured out her grievances through tears, hoping he would inquire about Yunqing's whereabouts.
Yunxi studied the man who had once been spirited and imposing. His robes were still neat, but his cultivation had stagnated at the late Foundation Establishment stage, never advancing to Golden Core. That unbroken barrier had become a knot in his heart, and the more anxious he grew, the further advancement eluded him.
Though he had been in seclusion for years, Yunxi could see no progress, only the addition of white hairs at his temples.
A heavy silence filled the council hall. Yunxi had no wish to speak, and Wei Lingyue did not know how to begin. The pressure radiating from his daughter's body left him feeling suffocated.
"Yunxi, is your cultivation in the sect going well?"
It was he who finally broke the silence.
"Not bad. Master treats me well, teaching me techniques and providing resources. I was able to form my Yuányīng thanks to his guidance."
"Do you know where Yunqing is now? Ruolan said she has a master too. She must be close to forming her Nascent Soul, right?"
Yunxi's gaze sharpened. "She did take a Divine Transformation master, but unfortunately..."
She trailed off, shaking her head. Before Wei Lingyue could ask further, she continued, "When I went into seclusion, she had already left the sect to train. I heard she's in the Eastern Region now. Other than that, I don't know. Our relationship is... ordinary. We rarely speak."
Wei Lingyue frowned. "Yunxi, you are sisters, both disciples under a Divine Transformation Zūnzhě of Haoran Sect. You should watch over each other—"
"Father, have you forgotten that we're half-sisters?" Yunxi interrupted coldly. "Do you think I don't know how my mother really 'fell'?"
Wei Lingyue's words died in his throat. His expression stiffened unnaturally. "Yunxi, don't believe rumors. Your mother's death was truly an accident."
Yunxi leaned back in her chair. "Then tell me, Father. You and Mother went together to explore an ancient cultivator's cave mansion, yet you came back and she didn't. What exactly happened in this 'accident'?"
Wei Lingyue quickly explained, "We did go together, but it was her idea. We both wanted to reach Golden Core as soon as possible, so we took a risk. The cave mansion was more dangerous than expected. She triggered a trap, and—"
"Oh? Are you certain she triggered it herself, and that you didn't push her?"
Yunxi's blunt accusation left no room for evasion.
"No, no, I could never—"
"Think carefully before you speak, Father. I can easily tell if you're lying. If I need to, I can search your soul."
Her words struck Wei Lingyue like thunder. He had never imagined his daughter would hate him so deeply. He stammered, "Yunxi, how... how could you treat your father like this?"
"How couldn't I? You treated me this way first. Since the day I was born, you never once guided me. Dissatisfied with Mother but too weak to change anything, you vented all your anger on us.
Am I not your blood too? Yet because Wei Yunqing is Du Ruolan's daughter, you spoiled her endlessly and used her to suppress us. Now you see the result isn't what you hoped for.
The daughter you cherished isn't so filial after all. Otherwise, why would you still be stuck, unable to form a Golden Core?"
Every word pierced him like a blade, and Wei Lingyue's face turned ashen.
"As the Buddha says: all fruits come from seeds, and all retribution arises from karma.
You, of all people, should understand the principle of reaping what you sow. If you can't comprehend that, how could you ever hope to form a Golden Core?"
Her words were the final, fatal blow. His face went completely pale.
"How did my mother die?" Yunxi asked coldly.
This time, Wei Lingyue stopped lying. His head hung low. "When we were attacked by a third-rank beast, I... I accidentally pushed her. She fell into a rift..."
A sharp snort escaped Yunxi. The full pressure of her Nascent Soul cultivation burst forth, throwing Wei Lingyue to the ground. He coughed blood, unable to even lift his head.
Though she had long suspected this truth, hearing it from his mouth ignited a fierce rage.
She had never met Feng Jiayun, but she knew her mother had been a meticulous planner. She had even accounted for her own possible demise to protect her daughter's future. That alone was enough for Yunxi to stand firmly on her mother's side.
Wei Lingyue could not die yet. Yunxi had no wish to bear the name of patricide, so she withdrew her pressure and said coldly,
"You are my father, so I will not kill you. But you are also my mother's murderer. You would do well never to appear before me again. Don't let a few whispers from a pillow cloud your mind and send you to provoke me. I have plenty of ways to make you regret it."
She cleansed him with a Dust-Cleansing Spell so he would not appear so pathetic, then waved her sleeve and sent him away.
However, she discreetly flicked a thin ice needle into his dantian, just as she had done to Du Ruolan. These unstable elements had to remain under her control.
When Wei Lingyue returned to his courtyard, he found Du Ruolan anxiously waiting.
She didn't notice his pale complexion, rushing to ask, "Husband, where is Yunqing? Is she safe? Did something happen to her? Did Yunxi drive her out of the sect?"
Wei Lingyue's face darkened. "Yunqing is simply training outside. What does that have to do with Yunxi? Do you intend to sow discord between them, or push me to confront Yunxi? She is now a Nascent Soul Zhēnjūn, not the little girl you used to bully!"
He spat a mouthful of blood.
Du Ruolan blanched and hurried forward to support him. "I didn't mean it like that! You're bleeding... Did Yunxi—"
Wei Lingyue's expression grew even colder. With a wave of his sleeve, he sent her sprawling."This is from your anger, not Yunxi! Are you hoping she'll commit patricide so Yunqing can step over her to rise?
Let me tell you, stop dreaming. The future of this bloodline belongs only to Yunxi. Don't think I don't know how Yunqing has been treating the clan. I've kept quiet only to save your face!"