Yang Guo: I'm invincible in the opening battle against Aunt Guo!

Yang Guo's expression changed.

He had just seen Cheng Ying slowly walk towards the bed and thought she wanted to see what Lu Wushuang looked like first, but he never expected her to suddenly make a move!

A cold glint flashed in Li Mochou's eyes.

Although she hadn't expected this unfamiliar woman to suddenly attack, how could a Grandmaster react so swiftly?

Seeing the sword tip already three inches from her throat, she neither dodged nor avoided it, but simply reached out her left hand and picked up the whisk that was placed to the side.

The silver whisk curled out like a nimble snake, precisely wrapping around Cheng Ying's sword.

"bite--"

The crisp sound of metal clashing rang out.

Cheng Ying felt a supple yet immense force coming from the sword, her tiger's mouth trembled violently, and the longsword flew out of her hand, landing on the ground with a "clang".

She staggered back two steps, her face deathly pale.

Such powerful internal energy! Such exquisite techniques!

Li Mochou then slowly got out of bed, casually grabbed the apricot-yellow Taoist robe draped beside the bed, put it on, and tied the belt.

She didn't even glance at the longsword on the ground, only giving Cheng Ying a brief, indifferent look, her tone calm and unwavering:

"Young lady, you have quite the temper. You drew your sword the moment we met. I, Li, have never met you before, so what is the source of such deep-seated hatred?"

As she said this, her gaze turned to Yang Guo, her eyes filled with a question.

These are the people you brought; you should at least give an explanation.

At this moment, Lu Wushuang was also awakened by the sounds of fighting.

She rubbed her eyes and sat up, asking groggily, "Master... what's wrong?"

When she saw the scene inside the room, she was taken aback. Her gaze lingered on Cheng Ying's face for a moment, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly. She felt that the woman in green looked somewhat familiar, but she couldn't remember who she was for a moment.

Cheng Ying also came to her senses at this moment.

She ignored Li Mochou's question.

Instead, he looked at the girl who sat up in bed.

She was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with delicate features and shallow dimples on her cheeks. Although she looked quite different from the five-year-old girl I remembered, the charm in her eyes and brows was still there...

(Note: All the characters in this book are over eighteen years old, but they look young, like fifteen or sixteen.)

"Wushuang...?" Cheng Ying called out in a trembling voice.

Lu Wushuang was taken aback upon hearing this, and looked at Cheng Ying carefully, finding her increasingly familiar.

Those eyebrows, those features...

"You are..." she hesitated, "my cousin?"

"It's me!" Tears welled up in Cheng Ying's eyes instantly. "Wushuang, it's me, my cousin Cheng Ying!"

Lu Wushuang's eyes widened, and she jumped off the bed, not even bothering to put on her shoes, rushing barefoot towards Cheng Ying: "Cousin! It really is you!"

The two women hugged each other tightly, both of them weeping uncontrollably.

Cheng Ying stroked Lu Wushuang's long hair, choking back tears, and said, "I thought... I thought you were long gone... You've suffered all these years..."

Lu Wushuang shook her head, tears streaming down her face: "Cousin, I'm fine... I'm perfectly alright..."

The two sisters embraced and wept. After ten years of separation, they were reunited at this moment, and they had so much to say but didn't know where to begin.

Yang Guo stood aside, watching this scene, and was also filled with emotion.

He coughed lightly and said gently, "Uncle-Master, Wushuang, please sit down and talk."

Li Mochou had tidied her clothes, walked to the table and sat down, poured herself a cup of cold tea and sipped it slowly.

Cheng Ying then remembered that there were other people in the room.

She released Lu Wushuang, turned to look at Li Mochou, her eyes still filled with hatred, but now with a more complex expression.

Lu Wushuang sensed the awkward atmosphere and quickly took Cheng Ying's hand, whispering, "Cousin, this is my master..."

"Master?" Cheng Ying's voice suddenly rose. "Wushuang, you call her Master? Do you even know who she is? She is none other than Li Mochou, the Red Serpent Fairy who massacred the Lu Family Manor, killed your parents, and kidnapped you!"

Lu Wushuang bit her lip and nodded: "I know."

"Knowing all this, you still acknowledge her as your master?" Cheng Ying looked at her cousin in disbelief. "Wushuang, did she coerce you? Or did she bewitch you with evil magic?"

"No." Lu Wushuang shook her head, a hint of struggle flashing in her eyes, but it quickly turned into calmness. "Cousin, listen to me."

She pulled Cheng Ying to sit down at the table, and Yang Guo also sat down beside her.

Li Mochou continued drinking her tea, her expression calm.

"Back when I was kidnapped by my master... by Li Mochou, I truly hated her to the core."

Lu Wushuang spoke slowly, her voice soft yet firm, "I watched her kill my parents and burn down the Lu Family Manor. I swear I will take revenge one day."

Cheng Ying gripped her hand tightly, tears welling in her eyes.

"During those years, I followed her around, outwardly obedient and submissive, but inwardly I was always looking for opportunities."

Lu Wushuang continued, "I thought about poisoning her, assassinating her while she was sleeping, and even dying together with her... but I never succeeded."

She gave a wry smile: "Her martial arts skills are too high, and her vigilance is too strong. I'm just a little girl; I can't hurt her in the slightest."

"Then you should be more patient and wait for the right opportunity!" Cheng Ying said urgently.

"Yes, that's what I thought too." Lu Wushuang looked at Li Mochou with a complicated expression. "But... cousin, do you know? Over the years, although she has been strict, she has never mistreated me. When I was sick, she would make medicine for me; when I was injured while practicing martial arts, she would personally heal me; if someone bullied me, she would stand up for me... She taught me martial arts, taught me to read, and taught me the rules of the martial world."

Cheng Ying was stunned.

Tears welled up in Lu Wu's eyes: "I know she killed my parents, she's my mortal enemy. But all these years, she really did treat me like a teacher and a mother. My heart is in turmoil, I hate her, but... I'm also a little dependent on her."

"Until Brother Yang appeared." Lu Wushuang looked at Yang Guo, a blush rising on her face. "Brother Yang healed my foot injury and gave me warmth and care I had never experienced before. It was also at that time that Master... Li Mochou's attitude began to change."

Li Mochou put down her teacup and said calmly, "Why say such things?"

"Master, let me finish," Lu Wushuang insisted. "Cousin, you may not believe it, but the Li Mochou of today is really not the same as the Red Serpent Fairy of yesteryear."

Lu Wushuang continued, "And... cousin, my master, Brother Yang, and I have already..."

Her cheeks flushed even more, and her voice lowered: "We've already practiced dual cultivation many times."

Cheng Ying was struck dumb, staring blankly at her cousin, then at Yang Guo, and finally at Li Mochou.

Dual cultivation?

Although she was surprised that her cousin was practicing dual cultivation with Yang Guo, she could barely understand it.

But Li Mochou... that ruthless female demon who kills without blinking an eye, actually practiced dual cultivation with Yang Guo?

And judging from what my cousin said, the three of them were still together...

This...this is simply unbelievable!

"Cousin," Lu Wushuang gripped Cheng Ying's hand tightly, her eyes filled with pleading, "I know you hate Master, and I hated him back then too. But now... with Brother Yang around, I really can't bring myself to hate him anymore. Brother Yang treats me so well, Master has changed too, and the three of us together... I'm so happy."

She paused, then said softly, "I have never forgotten the hatred for my parents. But I cannot ignore the kindness my master has shown me over the years. Cousin, the Mongol army is pressing in, and Xiangyang is in imminent danger. We should unite to fight the enemy, not fight amongst ourselves."

Cheng Ying remained silent, tears streaming down her face.

The fire of hatred that had burned in his heart for ten years gradually cooled down at this moment.

Yes, even my cousin can let go of it.

What could she possibly be so reluctant to let go of, being just a cousin who lost her aunt and uncle?

Moreover, Li Mochou has indeed changed—she could have easily taken her own life with that sword strike, but she only deflected the sword and did not kill her.

If she were still the Scarlet Serpent Fairy from back then, he would already be a corpse by now.

Cheng Ying closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, her eyes were clear.

She stood up, walked to Li Mochou, and bowed: "Master Li, Cheng Ying was rash just now and has offended you greatly."

Li Mochou looked up at her, a hint of surprise flashing in her phoenix eyes, which quickly turned into indifference: "It's alright. If I were in her shoes, I would have done the same."

Cheng Ying straightened up, looked at her, and said, word by word, "But I still have to say—what you did back then was a grave sin. Even if Wushuang forgives you, even if you repent now, those who have passed away will never come back."

Li Mochou was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded: "I know."

"However," Cheng Ying changed the subject, "since Wushuang has chosen to let go, since you have truly repented, and since... Junior Nephew Yang believes you, then I, Cheng Ying, will not pursue this matter any further."

She paused, then added, "But if I find you've reverted to your old ways and committed further evil deeds, even if I'm no match for you, I will take your life myself!"

Li Mochou smiled and said, "Okay."

Cheng Ying turned back to Lu Wushuang's side, and the two sisters embraced again.

Yang Guo watched this scene with a slight smile on his lips.

……