Green Snake's Bamboo Mouth, Wasp's Tail Needle

Ni Hao.

Su Yi was no stranger to him either. Back when he had become Green River Sword Mansion's Outer Disciple Sword Leader, Ni Hao had already been a figure who could summon wind and clouds among Green River Sword Mansion's Inner Disciple East Courtyard Disciples.

Although the two knew each other, they had not had much to do with one another.

Su Yi paid no mind to that trace of indifference and disdain Ni Hao had inadvertently revealed.

"Now that you've seen me, if there's nothing else, you and Ni Hao can leave."

Su Yi spoke calmly, issuing an order to see his guests out.

Nan Ying immediately felt surprised, as if she could not believe such blunt words had come from Su Yi's mouth.

After a moment of silence, she said apologetically to Ni Hao, "Senior Brother, could you let me speak with Senior Brother Su alone?"

"All right. Don't take too long. Uncle-Master Zhou is still waiting for us at the Li Family."

Ni Hao nodded, directly ignored Su Yi, then turned and left the courtyard.

Su Yi frowned, but in the end, he decided to hear what Nan Ying had to say.

"Lingxue, go wait in my room first."

He said it softly.

Wen Lingxue also sensed that the atmosphere was off. She gave a murmur of assent, then turned and entered Su Yi's room.

Beneath the Old Locust Tree, only Su Yi and Nan Ying remained.

"If I hadn't come, how would I have known that Senior Brother Su had actually fallen to such a state?"

Nan Ying stared for a moment at Su Yi, who was close at hand. Suddenly, the corners of her lips curved faintly in a playful arc, and her snow-white chin lifted.

At that moment, she seemed like a different person.

She was no longer quiet and gentle, no longer delicate and pitiful as an orchid. Between her lovely brows was an undisguised disdain and smugness.

"The Green River Sword Mansion's Outer Disciple Sword Leader of those days—what glory you had! But who would dare believe that today's Senior Brother Su has had his reputation swept into the dirt in Guangling City, and is a live-in son-in-law anyone dares to mock?"

Nan Ying said with a beaming smile, "How is it? That feeling must be hard to bear, right?"

"You came here just to laugh at me?"

Su Yi raised his brows, inwardly muttering, During those three years, how could I have ever taken a fancy to such a scheming, fickle and capricious woman?

"That's right. I came here exactly to laugh at you!"

Nan Ying made no attempt to hide it, her tone full of ridicule. "Back then in Green River Sword Mansion, you were the Outer Disciple Sword Leader. I had to fawn on you everywhere, curry favor with you, and every time I saw you, I had to put on a look of worship and awe."

"I originally thought that if things continued like that, when you smoothly became an Inner Sect Disciple, you could give me a hand and let me have a chance to enter the inner sect to cultivate too. Who would have thought that before you became an Inner Sect Disciple... you first became a cripple who had lost all his cultivation!"

At this point, her chest heaved, and her charming face was already filled with grim hatred. "The three years of effort I spent on you were all destroyed just like that!"

Su Yi's tightly furrowed brows gradually smoothed out, and he said with a flat expression, "So, back then when you stayed by my side, you never once had any true feelings?"

"Of course!"

Nan Ying answered without the slightest hesitation. She had originally intended to see Su Yi fly into a rage, heartbroken and miserable.

But she discovered that Su Yi had remained calm the entire time.

That indifferent posture made her feel extremely uncomfortable.

But soon after, Nan Ying regained her composure, smiling sweetly as she said, "Fortunately, after you became a cripple, I found an opportunity and got together with Senior Brother Ni Hao."

"He is an Inner Disciple East Courtyard Disciple, a dazzling figure who can summon wind and clouds in Green River Sword Mansion. Even you back then weren't worthy of carrying Senior Brother Ni Hao's shoes!"

"And with his help, I already entered the inner sect to cultivate half a year ago. With my current status, I'm far beyond what a useless Son-in-law like you can compare to."

The more she spoke, the smugger she became. Clearly, she was deliberately trying to provoke and humiliate Su Yi.

But to her surprise, Su Yi's expression still did not change in the slightest, unruffled as a still pond.

"You have nothing you want to say?"

Nan Ying could not help asking.

Su Yi said casually, "I just feel a bit sorry for Ni Hao. He's nothing more than a tool you're using. Once you cling to an even thicker thigh in the future, you'll definitely kick him away."

Nan Ying was stunned, then suddenly gave a faint smile and said, "Su Yi, oh Su Yi. I never thought you'd become quite a bit smarter now. You're right, but right now, I won't admit it."

Su Yi nodded. "Understandable."

"You understand shit!" Nan Ying sneered. "If you hadn't delayed me for three years, why would I only have become an Inner Sect Disciple half a year ago?"

Su Yi sighed inwardly. The him of those three years had simply been blind.

This woman was far more than scheming and fickle. She was nothing less than a whore who would stop at nothing to climb upward!

After thinking for a moment, Su Yi said seriously, "Your methods and shrewdness still aren't good enough. A truly formidable character wouldn't, like you, expose all the ugliness in their heart just to vent a bit of resentment from back then. Even if you're going to be a whore like a white lotus, you still have to set up a pretty chastity arch."

But Nan Ying covered her mouth and giggled, saying, "You finally flew into a rage and couldn't help cursing me? Let me tell you, in other people's eyes, I'm gentle and quiet, pure as jade, considerate and understanding. Even among the sect's elders, quite a few have developed feelings for me."

"You, a useless Son-in-law, say I'm a whore—who would believe you?"

She laughed with incomparable delight.

"Martial Sister, it's getting late."

From far outside the courtyard came Ni Hao's voice.

At once, Nan Ying's smile vanished. The baleful air and hatred all over her disappeared, and that faint trace of melancholy returned between her brows, enough to stir pity in anyone who saw her.

Her bearing was quiet and composed, lovely and moving, standing slim and graceful.

Su Yi shook his head as he watched. Who would have thought all of this was an act?

"Su Yi, you and I are already people of two different worlds. No matter how unwilling you feel, you can only live under another's roof like a lowly ant, clinging to life with your last breath."

"And in the future, I will surely ride the wind straight up and ascend to a peak you are destined to spend your whole life looking up at, never able to reach!"

Nan Ying drew close to Su Yi, her gaze indifferent and heartless, and said softly, "Remember this. From now on, don't mention what happened today to anyone. Otherwise, there is nothing I won't do."

As she spoke, she smiled faintly, turned, and left. "Of course, even if you do tell others, no one in this world will believe the words of a useless son-in-law like you!"

Watching her figure disappear, Su Yi could not help rubbing his nose, then laughed.

This was for the best. At the very least, it counted as untying a knot in his heart from back then, so he would not still hold any lingering affection for a bitch like her.

As the saying went:

A green snake's tongue, the needle behind a wasp's tail.

Neither of those is truly poisonous; deepest and most venomous is a bitch's heart.

"Brother-in-law."

The room door opened quietly, and Wen Lingxue walked out. Her expression looked very poor, and the gaze she turned on Su Yi carried a trace of worry.

"You heard?" Su Yi asked.

Wen Lingxue said indignantly, "I heard some of it vaguely. That woman is simply too vicious. I've never seen anyone as shameless as her! If I'd known she came with bad intentions, I wouldn't have brought her here."

"There are plenty of people like that in the world. No need to fuss over her."

Su Yi smiled and rubbed Wen Lingxue's head.

Only then did he notice that after just seven days apart, the aura on the young girl had clearly undergone some subtle changes.

"You've already begun Flesh Tendons?" Su Yi said in surprise.

Wen Lingxue immediately smiled, bright and dazzling, and said happily, "It's still the cultivation technique Brother-in-law taught me that's amazing. In just seven short days, it's given me a change like shedding my mortal body and exchanging my bones."

Su Yi smiled too, and reminded her, "On the path of cultivation, the greatest taboo is rushing for quick results. Remember to settle yourself more and temper yourself. Don't be greedy for rapid progress."

Wen Lingxue nodded hard and said, "Brother-in-law, I definitely will."

"Right, are you going to participate in the Dragon Gate Banquet?" Su Yi said.

Wen Lingxue shook her head and lowered her delicate head, as if avoiding Su Yi's gaze. "Brother-in-law, I came today because there's one more thing I need to tell you."

Su Yi was startled. "What is it?"

Wen Lingxue said in a low voice, "Early tomorrow morning, Eldest Uncle will take me and my parents away from Guangling City to Heavenly Origin Academy to visit my elder sister. The trip there and back will take at least half a month. Eldest Uncle said... he won't let you come with us..."

Her voice carried loss and helplessness.

"You're afraid I'll be upset over this? Haha, there's really no need."

Su Yi could not help laughing, and quickly comforted her.

If she did not care about him, how could the young girl possibly worry so much over a matter like this?

"Brother-in-law, then... do you have anything you want to say to my sister? Or a letter would do too. I'll help you bring it to her."

Wen Lingxue's voice was clear and crisp.

Su Yi had originally planned to say no, but when he saw the expectant look in the young girl's eyes, his heart could not help softening.

How could he not understand? The young girl had always hoped that he and her elder sister could remove the estrangement between them and reconcile.

Unfortunately, what she did not know was that, whether it was him or Wen Lingzhao, they were strangers to each other from the very beginning. There was no estrangement to speak of at all.

The reason their relationship was distant and they found each other disagreeable was simply because of this marriage.

With the power of the Su family of Jade Capital City secretly interfering, and with Old Madam Wen's cooperation, she had no choice but to suffer the grievance of marrying him.

But back then, had he himself ever been willing to marry into the family?

"How about this? Help me bring her a letter."

After thinking for a moment, Su Yi returned to his room, took out paper and brush, and hurriedly wrote a line of words.

When he returned, there was already a sealed letter in his hand. He handed it to Wen Lingxue and said with a smile:

"Now you can finally be at ease, right?"

Wen Lingxue took the letter, carefully put it away, and said happily, "Mm!"

"Remember, don't tell your sister about the secret art I taught you."

As Wen Lingxue was about to leave, Su Yi reminded her.

"Brother-in-law, don't worry. This is a secret that belongs to the two of us. I definitely won't tell a third person."

Wen Lingxue waved her hand, then left with light, cheerful steps.

"In order to go to Heavenly Origin Academy to visit Wen Lingzhao, Wen Changjing seems to be planning not to participate in the Dragon Gate Banquet at all. From this, it looks like in his heart, Wen Lingzhao, this Grandmaster Disciple, has clearly become even more important..."

Su Yi stood with his hands behind his back in the courtyard, looking thoughtful.

"That made sense. The weight carried by a Grandmaster Disciple was already enough to deter the major powers of Guangling City. As long as the Wen Family held on to Wen Lingzhao as their card, they would no longer have to worry about the shifting winds and clouds in Guangling City."

At this thought, Su Yi shook his head.

As for the thoughts of Wen Lingzhao, his wife in name, he could more or less guess a few clues.

It was nothing more than hating and resisting this marriage from the very beginning, planning to grow stronger through her own efforts, then find an opportunity to dissolve the marriage later.

As for whether she hated him, Su Yi did not care at all.

On the contrary, he wished she would hurry up and dissolve this marriage so he could spare himself from having to do it personally.

Just then, from outside the courtyard gate, the voice of the steward, Hu Quan, suddenly rang out:

"Son-in-law, there is a guest here to visit."

P.S. I have to go out to handle some matters today. The second update will be around four in the afternoon.