The Heavenly Maiden smiled faintly. Her voice was as crisp as silver bells, revealing that she was not very old. She said,
"Since we came here today, we naturally have a certain degree of confidence.
Your master, Yuan Bin, claims to the outside world that he is a lone rogue cultivator with no one to rely on. But if he truly were a rogue cultivator, where would he have found such vast wealth to build Flower Valley, Worm Valley, and Taoyun Residence?"
The moment those words left her mouth, the middle-aged steward's expression changed. His face turned cold and murderous as he eyed the Pudu Cult party with deep hostility. If not for his fear of their formidable martial arts, he would likely have driven them out already.
Yuan Bin, who had been silently watching all along, completely stopped fiddling with the emerald lizard in his hands. He leaned his head slightly forward toward the Heavenly Maiden and took the initiative to ask,
"You know my origins?"
The dull indifference had vanished from his eyes, replaced by wariness and rejection. Deep within his pupils, a thick strand of malice lingered without dispersing, chilling the hearts of the Pudu Cult members.
The Heavenly Maiden knew that her words had struck Yuan Bin's sore spot and exposed his weakness. She nodded and said directly,
"That is correct. In truth, after my master learned of your background, he felt deeply indignant on your behalf. You were the eldest son of the Qing Prefecture Yuan Family, yet because your birth mother was of low status, you were cast aside by the family, hated by your legitimate mother, and even targeted for murder several times. It was truly unjust.
"Moreover, the cause of your birth mother's early death remains a mystery. She likely did not