Madam An could no longer regard the young man before her as an ordinary person.
Everything happening here would eventually spread.
There were no walls without cracks.
And—
Some things could be done but must never be spoken of openly.
For example, a certain assassin going mad and slaughtering tens of thousands in one go.
—Such was the rule of the human world.
Madam An suddenly felt a pang of regret.
Why had she insisted on coming here today?
She composed herself and said, “I don’t know much about this matter either. It seems that Officer Luo’s younger sister is investigating it.”
All eyes turned to Xiao Mengyu.
“Congratulations. I heard you’re about to be engaged. But why are you with him?” Madam An asked with a tone of surprise.
Xiao Mengyu gave a slight bow and said softly, “Greetings, Madam An. I am not engaged.”
Madam An smiled. “But I heard—”
Shen Ye immediately cut her off. “You keep talking about things you’ve just ‘heard.’ First, it was about me, and now it’s her. Don’t you think it’s irresponsible to spread rumors like that?”
Madam An stuttered.
As a successor of the Jiangnan Song family, how long had it been since someone had spoken to her in such a tone?
Before she could react, Shen Ye turned to Xiao Mengyu.
“Hey, Madam An says you’re investigating. Do you know who the real culprit is?”
—No matter what is said, whether true or false, we must control the conversation, rather than letting others dictate it!
The crowd held its breath.
Countless eyes focused on Shen Ye and Xiao Mengyu.
The ordinary examinees still hadn’t grasped the situation, their faces filled with confusion as they whispered among themselves, trying to understand what was happening.
The clinking of glasses and silverware came to a halt.
Music started playing.
Orchestral melodies filled the banquet hall, creating an atmosphere of joy and celebration.
Yet no one stepped forward to dance.
The well-dressed heirs of prestigious families no longer engaged in their witty displays.
They stared at Shen Ye in confusion.
His blunt words were too unsettling—
After all, weren’t such matters meant to be discussed under the table?
This was a banquet!
No—
They simply dared not speak.
Unless they wished to sever ties with their families and become enemies of the aristocracy, no sane person would dare.
Xiao Mengyu smiled, her gaze distant, and said softly,
“It’s not convenient to say right now.”
“Oh? It’s inconvenient? Then never mind.” Shen Ye responded immediately.
—He never intended for her to say anything. He was simply shifting the topic, preventing Madam An from using the engagement issue against her.
“Yes, it’s inconvenient,” Xiao Mengyu said.
Silence filled the air.
It was as if everyone had collectively exhaled in relief.
Suddenly—
A loud, authoritative voice rang from afar:
“The daughter of the Luo family is virtuous, composed, and discerning. She wouldn’t spread unfounded rumors.”
“As for the engagement, she is just a young girl. She may not yet be aware of the family’s arrangements.”
“—But indeed, she is to be engaged.”
The crowd turned to look.
A stern-looking middle-aged man stood at the entrance of the hall.
A long sword hung at his waist, still exuding traces of killing intent. It was unclear how many people he had slain to possess such an aura.
Madam An chuckled. “Luo Erlang, what brings you here?”
The middle-aged man, addressed as Luo Erlang, looked at Xiao Mengyu with a grave expression and barked, “I told you to return home. Why didn’t you?”
“Greetings, Uncle. I was preparing for the exam, so I did not return,” Xiao Mengyu replied with a bow.
“You do have an arranged engagement. This is the family’s decision. Madam An meant well; don’t misunderstand her,” Luo Erlang said.
“Alright,” Xiao Mengyu replied.
“Come with me,” Luo Erlang ordered.
“Where to?” she asked.
“I just told you—it’s about your engagement,” Luo Erlang said.
“Did Grandfather agree? What about my father? Did he approve?” Xiao Mengyu asked.
Luo Erlang hesitated for a moment before saying, “The family head will be informed soon. As for your father, he is still unconscious—but this is good news. If he knew, he would surely be pleased.”
“My father would be pleased? He would be furious… Tell everyone, how old is my fiancé this year?” Xiao Mengyu sighed.
Luo Erlang’s gaze turned sharp. He barked, “We are in public! Stop your insolence and come with me!”
Xiao Mengyu shook her head.
“Grandfather hasn’t approved. My father hasn’t given his consent. And yet, you dare make decisions for me?”
Her expression was more composed and free-spirited than ever before.
At that moment—
Shen Ye suddenly noticed that the evaluation above her head was no longer blurred.
An unmatched sharpness radiated from her, accentuating the strikingly simple two words:
Sword Saint.
[Title Effects:]
“Sword resonance +10.”
“All attributes +5.”
“Sword techniques deal double damage.”
“—The gateway to true mastery begins here.”
Shen Ye’s pupils contracted sharply.
Previously, he had received a prompt stating that “gaining 20 points in all attributes qualifies one as a True Person.”
So “True” and “Saint” were equivalent in professional ranking?
Luo Erlang’s face twisted in rage. He unsheathed his sword and roared,
“This is the family’s decree! If you dare defy—”
Clang.
A violent gust tore through the hall.
A shadow flashed across dozens of meters, followed by the crisp sound of a sword being sheathed.
A severed hand, still clutching a sword, dropped to the ground.
Luo Erlang was sent flying, crashing into the palace wall with a bloodcurdling scream.
Xiao Mengyu stood where he once had and said softly,
“To arrange a marriage for a relative without informing their parents, and without the family head’s approval—”
“—Uncle, you have overstepped.”
She glanced at the fallen sword.
“This Luo Shui Sword is a symbol of the Grand Steward of our family. It is an artifact our family reveres.”
“You are no longer worthy of wielding it.”
She raised her hand—and signaled.
“Luoshui, would you be willing to follow me and keep my Remnant Snow Sword company?”
The longsword on the ground trembled lightly like a spirit snake, shaking off the severed arm before soaring into the air and landing in Xiao Mengyu’s hand.
Gasps erupted from the crowd.
The disciples of the humble sect had never seen such a sight before, while the scions of noble families were filled with jealousy and envy.
Shen Ye pondered briefly and immediately understood.
If this sword was a divine weapon with a spirit and symbolized the authority of the Luo family, then at this moment, that authority had fallen into Xiao Mengyu’s hands!
Because the divine weapon had acknowledged her!
At the same time, the rankings began to shift.
On the pyramid-shaped leaderboard, Xiao Mengyu’s name leaped upward, joining Nangong Sirui at the very top!
Tied for first place!
The entire banquet hall was in an uproar.
Xiao Mengyu, however, remained utterly indifferent, as if she was unaffected. She patted the longsword at her waist and shot Shen Ye a look that said, “Don’t mind it.”
—It’s because of the divine weapon, not because I’ve gotten stronger.
That was the message she wanted to convey.
Shen Ye said nothing.
But he knew it wasn’t that simple.
—If her conviction hadn’t solidified, she wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this, nor would the divine weapon have recognized her.
As for Nangong Sirui—
As a key figure nurtured by a great family, he was surely hiding some powerful artifacts as well.
So this ranking wasn’t just about individual strength.
—It also accounted for equipment and resources.
That being said, Shen Ye himself had nothing but the “Frost Moon Shocking Heaven” technique, yet he had still reached the five-star ranking—making his standing all the more genuine.
Hiding his rank was the right decision.
Who knew how many treasures these noble heirs possessed?
If a battle were to break out, it was best to keep them guessing.
On the other side—
The medical team had swiftly moved in to stop Luo Erlang’s bleeding and treat his wounds.
His severed arm was also taken away.
“Xiao Mengyu, you dare to seize the family’s divine weapon? You’re finished!”
Luo Erlang’s face was twisted in rage. “Without the patriarch’s approval, this is an act of defiance! You’ll be beaten to death and cast out of the family!”
Xiao Mengyu didn’t even look at him. She continued walking toward Shen Ye, speaking without turning her head.
“Blinded by greed, yet wielding a divine weapon, and you couldn’t even take one strike from me. I wonder what Grandfather will think of you.”
Luo Erlang’s throat stopped as if he had been choked. He could no longer make a sound.
He was carried away on a stretcher.
Xiao Mengyu rested her hand on the sword hilt and walked over to Shen Ye, smiling.
“It wasn’t convenient to talk earlier. Now we can.”
Shen Ye snapped back to reality.
—What does this girl mean?
Oh.
Right, I asked her if she knew the truth earlier.
Could it be…
Xiao Mengyu, adopting an extremely solemn expression, said,
“Your friend is dead. My brother is dead too. I’ve investigated everything.”
“But do you really want to hear it? Because once you do, there’s no turning back.”
No turning back.
In other words—
Are you afraid of dying?
Shen Ye naturally understood her underlying message.
“What’s there to be afraid of?” Shen Ye grinned. “Let people speak, the sky won’t collapse. If you’ve found the truth, tell me. But if you’re still uncertain, then don’t say anything at all.”
—I’m not afraid. Are you? If you are, you don’t have to speak.
Xiao Mengyu’s eyes brightened even more.
A mere boy, untrained in any systematic way, untempered in his will, lacking the high-level education of noble families—
And yet, he had this kind of resolve.
Since they wanted to crush them, to hunt one down while forcing the other into marriage—
Then they would make this matter so big that it couldn’t be contained.
Life and death—it was that simple!
Xiao Mengyu’s emotions were stirred, and she let out a silver-bell-like laugh.
She switched the swords from her left hand to her right, quickly tied them to her waist, and rubbed the hilt while trying a few drawing motions. Then she glanced around at the faces illuminated under the brilliant lights.
From this moment on, no amount of greed or malice could stop her from doing what she needed to do.
Because some things no longer mattered to her.
And others mattered more than life and death.
“Then I’ll really say it?” She squinted her beautiful eyes, her tone light and casual.
“Say it,” Shen Ye decided.
Xiao Mengyu spoke swiftly.
“Did you know? Lady An’s niece, Song Qingyun, said she liked you. Then a bunch of noble heirs got jealous and hired assassins to come after you.”
“Those assassins killed my brother.”
“They also killed your best friend.”
“—And they slaughtered tens of thousands.”
