Chapter 49: Li Qingqing's Slander, Li Qingqing's Elder Brother Zhao Xin Appears!

On the martial training grounds of the Li family, the moment Li Qingqing’s voice faded, absolute silence fell.

The elders of the Li family, the disciples, and the visiting guests all turned their gazes toward Li Qingqing.

Had they misheard?

Was Li Qingqing choosing this exact moment to announce her departure from the Li family? They were utterly bewildered.

The Li family was on the verge of relocating to the Tailong Sect, poised to soar into a prominent family of the surrounding region. Yet Li Qingqing, one of the shining pillars of the Li family’s prestige, was publicly severing ties with them right now.

Among the guests, a youth wearing a human-skin mask to conceal his aura raised his head. He looked at Li Qingqing with a mixture of shock and solemnity, then glanced toward the Li family before lowering his gaze slightly.

Others among the crowd wore faint smiles of schadenfreude.

Upon the elevated platform, a flash of fury crossed Li Zhan’s eyes. Although he had some inkling that something was amiss, he truly never expected Li Qingqing to go this far!

In broad daylight, was she deliberately trying to humiliate the Li family?!

Li Zhan could hardly believe that Li Qingqing, whom the Ancestor and the entire family had cultivated with such meticulous care, could be so vicious and ruthless, plunging a dagger straight into the heart of the Li family!

Why couldn’t she have spoken of this in private?!

The Li family had never treated her poorly!

A forced smile appeared on his face as he turned to face the distinguished guests. "Ha-ha, Qingqing is merely playing a joke. There is no need for everyone to be alarmed."

He had to suppress this matter immediately; it concerned not only Li Qingqing's actions but the dignity of the entire Li family!

The guests forced polite smiles, but before their laughter could sound, their expressions froze.

"Patriarch, please forgive me. This is the last time I shall call you Patriarch."

Li Qingqing spoke with a slight smile, sweeping her gaze across her kinsmen and the visiting guests. "Everyone, my personal philosophy differs vastly from that of the Li family. I hereby formally notify the Li family that I, Li Qingqing, am withdrawing from the clan. From this day forward, all ties of gratitude and duty are broken."

With that, Li Qingqing produced a dark jade ring and placed it upon the table on the arena platform. "The Li family has treated me well. Let these treasures serve as compensation for the resources spent on my upbringing."

What a formal notice! What a condescending settlement!

Raging flames of fury ignited in Li Zhan’s chest. How utterly cold-blooded Li Qingqing was!

"A notice? Compensation?"

A calm voice rang out. Li Xuan appeared on the platform seemingly out of nowhere, seating himself beside the table. A cup of freshly brewed tea was sending wisps of steam into the air. Near Li Xuan's feet, a white hound cast a peculiar look at Li Qingqing.

"Greetings, Ancestor!"

"Greetings, Ancestor of the Li family."

The members of the Li family and the visiting guests stood up in unison. Li Qingqing alone remained standing, her brows furrowed as her gaze locked with Li Xuan's.

[You have caused the Daughter of Destiny, Li Qingqing, to feel uneasy. Villain points +100, lifespan +1.]

Li Xuan raised an eyebrow. Good grief, the meager amount of villain points Li Qingqing provided only made him miss Ye Fan even more; Ye Fan was truly a wealthy benefactor.

Li Xuan sighed inwardly. He had never encountered such pitifully low villain points from Ye Fan. Who on earth was she looking down upon?

Li Xuan nodded slightly. The guests looked at him with curious eyes. Was this the legendary Ancestor of the Li family?

Many of the guests were laying eyes on Li Xuan for the very first time.

Li Zhan’s heart tightened, and he sighed inwardly. Li Qingqing must have completely lost her mind! To actually provoke the Ancestor!

Li Xuan said indifferently, "You wish to leave my Li family?"

Instead of answering, Li Qingqing countered, "Ancestor Li, do you intend to stop me?"

Li Qingqing braced herself inwardly. If the Ancestor tried to stop her, she had means of escape. Even so, she had hoped to avoid a complete falling out with the Li family, let alone a confrontation with drawn blades.

After all, there were still good people within the Li family.

"Stop you?" Li Xuan shook his head slightly. "No, I will not stop you. Nor would the Li family ever keep someone with a divided heart. However, before you leave, there are some matters we must clear up."

Li Qingqing frowned, feeling a flicker of curiosity. What else was there to discuss between her and the Li family? Yet she felt no fear—she owed the Li family nothing!

That the Li family had raised her was a grace she did not deny, but had she not made contributions of her own in return?

"Very well!"

Li Qingqing nodded. She wanted to see what the Ancestor of the Li family had to say. Today, she was leaving, and no one could keep her here!

"Splendid."

Li Xuan took a sip of tea and smiled faintly. "As for the grace of raising you, the Li family will not hold you to it. After all, raising you was much like raising a hound—though even a hound knows to show gratitude, will not disgrace its master's house, and can at least guard the gate."

Ye Qingcheng tilted her head: ?

[You have provoked the Daughter of Destiny, Li Qingqing. Villain points +666, lifespan +1.]

Li Qingqing’s breath hitched for a fraction of a second. Her gaze fell upon Li Xuan, her body trembling slightly. What venomous words!

Among the guests, many agreed with the sentiment. For Li Qingqing to act in this manner was indeed to put the Li family in an unjust position.

Li Xuan chuckled softly. "I am simply curious. The Li family has never wronged you—Ah, no, Zhao Qingqing. When the elders of the Li family brought you back all those years ago, they never treated you poorly. Why must you betray the Li family?"

Li Xuan’s gaze rested upon her.

[You have sent the Daughter of Destiny, Li Qingqing, into a rage. Villain points +999, lifespan +1.]

Li Qingqing clenched her fists tightly.

Before she could speak, the guests could no longer restrain themselves.

"Immortal Qingqing is actually an adopted child of the Li family?"

"Hiss, the Li family truly treated her well. They lifted her from an orphan to the very pride and face of the clan!"

"Indeed. Given such treatment, I honestly cannot fathom why Li Qingqing would want to leave the Li family."

"Goodness, I'm an orphan too! Can I join the Li family?!"

Strange, probing gazes landed on Li Qingqing. They genuinely could not understand why she would choose to abandon the Li family, let alone do so in such a ruthless and absolute manner.

Was this not publicly stripping away the Li family's honor?

If it were them—even in death, they would want to die within the Li family!

With treatment like that, anyone would have to be insane to want to leave!

Especially when remembering that Li Qingqing had just accepted a generous reward from the Li family moments prior. Goodness gracious, where did she find the audacity to do such a thing?!

And yet she had actually accepted it shamelessly!

Ah, right, she was Zhao Qingqing now.

Was Zhao Qingqing truly this thick-skinned?

Li Qingqing’s body swayed, her complexion turning pale.

[You have driven the Daughter of Destiny, Li Qingqing, to utter mortification. Villain points +66,666, lifespan +6.]

How could this be?!

Shouldn't the Li family have just let her leave quietly? Why bring up these past matters?!

Since the Li family insisted on being unrighteous and unjust, they could not blame her for what she was about to reveal!

"No, that's not it! The Li family deliberately separated me from my older brother because they coveted my Primordial Yin Physique! My brother possesses only an ordinary constitution, so they cast him aside and left him to fend for himself and die!"

Li Qingqing wore a solemn expression of righteous indignation.

"You all know very well what the Li family has done! How dare you claim you never wronged me? How have you the face to say such things? Didn't you take me in precisely because of my Primordial Yin Physique? Weren't you planning to use me for a political marriage?"

Li Qingqing’s words stunned the crowd into silence.

Those within the Li family who knew the truth burned with fury. What a shameless Li Qingqing, twisting black into white!

Since they knew the truth, they naturally knew that Li Wen, the person who had originally taken Li Qingqing in, had actually wanted to adopt her older brother, Zhao Xin!

The notion that they had coveted Li Qingqing’s Primordial Yin Physique was absolute nonsense!

What a silver-tongued wretch Li Qingqing was, truly skilled at distorting the truth and turning the dead alive!

The guests fell silent. Did the Li family covet Li Qingqing’s Primordial Yin Physique? And had they cast her brother aside?

This...

Li Xuan smiled, looking at Li Qingqing. "Are you certain of what you claim? That my Li family cast your brother aside? And that we only took you in for your Primordial Yin Physique?"

[You have caused the Daughter of Destiny, Li Qingqing, to feel deeply uncomfortable. Villain points +1000, lifespan +1.]

A flash of fierce determination crossed Li Qingqing’s eyes, and she nodded heavily.

"Of course—"

Before Li Qingqing could finish her sentence, a voice rang out from beneath the platform.

"It's not true!"

"Of course it's not true!"