Because Xia Wantang was from a branch of the Xia Family and possessed exceptionally striking looks, Xia Renhe and Liu Wan'er had given her heavy protection since she was little, and most members of the Xia Family did not know the original owner's true cultivation level.
Although the head of the Xia Family was greedy, he was not foolish enough to tell everyone about Xia Wantang's situation.
Therefore, in the eyes of most members of the Xia Family, Xia Wantang was a "secret weapon" that the Xia Family had kept hidden for a long time, and they had no idea that she was actually a fraud.
As for the war of words between Xia Wantang and Xia Ba at the very beginning, they had not taken it too seriously.
Now, seeing Xia Wantang beating Xia Ba, they felt it was completely normal:
The second young master couldn't beat the Saintess, wasn't that a matter of course?
The second young master had even taken the initiative to provoke the Saintess; for someone like the Saintess who looked like a celestial being, beating him to death served him right!
Some servants also saw that things were amiss and immediately slipped away covertly to report the matter to Xia Yingwu.
When Xia Yingwu rushed over, he saw his youngest son being trampled on the ground and wildly beaten by Xia Wantang.
Xia Ba's back was a bloody mess, and he had already been beaten until he could barely cry out.
"Stop!"
"Xia Wantang, what immense audacity you have, who gave you permission to lay a hand on Baba!"
Xia Wantang raised an eyebrow:
"Father? I am your grand-aunt, as well!"
Hearing this, Xia Yingwu was infuriated, brandishing his sword as he attacked Xia Wantang.
Yet the very next instant, his sword was knocked to the ground by an Ice Blade.
The speed was so fast that none of the onlookers even managed to see it clearly.
Feeling the abundant and formidable spiritual energy emanating from Xia Wantang's body, Xia Yingwu widened his eyes, his expression a mix of shock and delight:
"You--?!"
"Your cultivation level is higher than before??"
This little lass, wasn't she only at the initial stage of the Human Martial Realm previously?
Xia Yingwu's cultivation level was at the middle stage of the Mystic Martial Realm, so there was no way Xia Wantang could possibly have knocked his weapon down with a simple Ice Blade.
Could it be... that the Palace Lord of the Azure Cloud Palace had given her some sort of magical treasure?
Thinking of this, Xia Yingwu's gaze turned somewhat greedy once more:
"Wantang, oh, you've finally managed to return to the Xia Family for once, why don't... we step aside and speak privately first?"
Eager to know what on earth had happened to Xia Wantang, Xia Yingwu couldn't even spare a thought for Xia Ba, who was still sprawled on the ground.
Anyway, practitioners could suffer a bit of flesh wounds; it wouldn't kill them.
"You few, clean the courtyard up, and take the second young master and that maid away to tend to their injuries."
"Yes!"
Xia Renhe still wanted to say something to his daughter.
Xia Yingwu was not an easy person to deal with, and he truly didn't want his daughter to be alone with him.
Seeing this, Xia Wantang gave her father a look, signaling for him to set his mind at ease.
As soon as they entered the reception room, Xia Yingwu asked impatiently:
"Wantang, ah, it seems you are doing quite well in the Azure Cloud Palace, your cultivation has made progress?"
Xia Yingwu was not stupid; even if he wanted to covet treasures, he first had to confirm whether the other person was still as easy to manipulate as she used to be.
Besides, the other person's status was now that of the Saintess of the Azure Cloud Palace, so he truly couldn't make a move against her casually, or else he wouldn't be able to give an account to the Azure Cloud Palace.
Xia Wantang chuckled softly:
"My current cultivation level has already reached the perfection stage of the Mystic Martial Realm."
She always proclaimed this cultivation level to the outside world anyway, so there was no need to deliberately hide it from the members of the Xia Family.
Xia Wantang had another objective in returning this time, which was to notify all knowing parties to properly keep the secret regarding her.
Naturally, with her strength, even if anyone gossiped about her behind her back, she could completely refuse to admit to it.
Hearing this, Xia Yingwu's eyes widened to the extreme, almost smoothing away the wrinkles on his forehead:
"W-What?! The m-Mystic Martial Realm perfection stage!?"
"How on earth did you manage to achieve this!?"
"Could it be that the Palace Lord of the Azure Cloud Palace gave you some kind of magical treasure?!"
Knowing the other's intentions, Xia Wantang let out a cold snort and said:
"Family Head, could it be that you've lost your mind in your old age? If I didn't possess any genuine skill, the Palace Lord would have been too busy killing me to hand over a magical treasure to protect my body, wouldn't she?"
"There is only one reason—I truly possess the cultivation level of the Mystic Martial Realm perfection stage."
Hearing this, Xia Yingwu was angry yet dared not speak.
In fact, watching Xia Wantang execute her moves earlier, he had already known that the other person's cultivation was definitely not weaker than his own.
Coupled with the way Xia Wantang looked down upon him from her lofty perch, it was a stark contrast to the past, as if she had truly achieved a counter-attack against the odds.
Yet the other person's words were too bizarre, and Xia Yingwu remained unconvinced:
"But half a year ago, your cultivation level was only at the initial stage of the Human Martial Realm. I tested your cultivation level for you back then, after all."
On the way over, Xia Wantang had already prepared her excuse:
"Half a year ago, my cultivation was indeed only at the initial stage of the Human Martial Realm, that is correct, but on the very second day after I entered the Azure Cloud Palace, I suddenly dreamt of an elderly man who claimed to be the ancestor of our Xia Family."
"He told me that my cultivation talent was actually exceptional, which was why I harbored a mutated Ice Spirit Root—something completely unique within the entire Xia Family."
"It was just that my talent had been sealed away previously, which was why my progress had been delayed for so long."
Xia Yingwu was somewhat taken aback, yet still found it incredible, asking with lingering suspicion:
"Is that truly the case? How can you be certain that he was the ancestor of the Xia Family?"
Xia Wantang raised her eyelids and directly played her trump card:
"Family Head, do you realize what would happen to the Xia Family if the seal is not lifted and my identity as a fraudulent Saintess is discovered by the Azure Cloud Palace?"
Seeing her solemn expression, Xia Yingwu swallowed a mouthful of saliva:
"Regular... what would happen?"
Xia Wantang's expression paused:
"We would be wiped out!"
"The Ancestor said that choosing a Saintess for the Azure Cloud Palace is by no means a trivial matter. If they are deceived by a tiny Xia Family, where would the Azure Cloud Palace's face go? Do you think the Xia Family has the capability to withstand the wrath stemming from the Azure Cloud Palace?"
Upon hearing this, Xia Yingwu's complexion changed drastically:
After Xia Wantang had left the Xia Family, he had felt regretful too.
How could he have been possessed by a momentary delusion and sent Xia Wantang away like that?
Mainly because he hadn't thought it could possibly succeed at first; who could have imagined that it actually worked? He didn't know whether that was a matter of luck or misfortune.
During the subsequent peaceful half-year, he had even thought that the Xia Family had truly pulled off a deception across the skies, never expecting that there were hidden circumstances to it all.
Seeing that Xia Yingwu was beginning to believe her, Xia Wantang continued:
"Therefore, the Ancestor specially helped me lift the seal on my body, which exhausted the very last remnants of his soul essence. In the end, he transformed into a wisp of azure smoke and dissipated within my dream."
"Before leaving, the Ancestor said that this was the final thing he could do for the Xia Family."
As she spoke, Xia Wantang even symbolically wiped away those nonexistent tears.
After listening to the story, Xia Yingwu's emotions were complex, filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred, alongside a sense of fortune and fluke.
With the facts placed right before him, he had no choice but to believe:
"So that's how it was... Then the Xia Family can also be considered to have turned a misfortune into a blessing."
Following that, his expression began to grow excited once more:
"In that case, we won't ever need to worry about the Azure Cloud Palace discovering any problems! The Xia Family can continue enjoying the benefits brought by the Azure Cloud Palace and rest easy without a single care!"
Xia Wantang:...This ungrateful and heartless wretch, he didn't care about the deceased ancestor even a little bit.
Even though she had made the whole thing up.
Coughing twice lightly, she continued:
"Over these past six months, I have cultivated day and night precisely to keep pace with the progress and prevent anyone else from discovering flaws."
"Family Head, do you know that during these past six months, rumors questioning the authenticity of my strength even spread within the sect!"
Hearing this, Xia Yingwu's heart tightened once more:
"And then? Did you manage to handle it?"
Xia Wantang said proudly:
"Naturally. Ever since the seal was lifted, my cultivation progress could be called miraculous. It was precisely because I dealt with those inner sect disciples who came looking for trouble that the Palace Lord granted me leave."
Xia Yingwu finally set his mind at ease:
"Good, good, as long as you handled it, then no one will suspect you from now on."
His mood today had been just like riding a roller coaster, constantly rising and falling.
At this, Xia Wantang wore a face full of sorrow:
"Alas, Family Head, ah, you have no idea. For the past six months, I have endured humiliation and heavy burdens, not daring to let others know that I was constantly pressing forward with my cultivation. My spiritual herbs, medicinal pills, and spiritual stones were all completely used up, and all of that was just to safeguard our Xia Family!"
"Look, shouldn't you compensate me a little?"
Xia Yingwu:...
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