Why Did He Despise Her? What Had She Done Wrong?

Make him plead for mercy?

Chu Tian turned to glance at his third uncle, Chu Tianyun, then smiled. "All right, Auntie. I'll ask Third Uncle to show mercy."

Chu Tianyun, standing beside him, could not help but laugh.

After all, the one who had ordered Liu Zheng to be imprisoned, closely watched, and interrogated was none other than his son-in-law, Chu Tian.

Yet Luo Yushan had come begging Chu Tian.

"On behalf of that bastard Liu Zheng, Auntie thanks you, Little Tian. Don't worry, Little Tian. Once he gets out, I'll keep a close eye on him and never let him act recklessly again."

Only after repeatedly thanking him did Luo Yushan turn and scold Liu Yun beside her. "You girl, why are you so clueless? Little Tian isn't holding it against you, yet you can't even apologize or thank him?"

"Chu Tian, thank you for being willing to save my father."

Liu Yun bit her lip and spoke in a tiny voice, as though saying those words had exhausted every ounce of her courage.

After all, no matter how willful she had been in the past, no matter how excessive her demands of Chu Tian had been, he had always taken the initiative to indulge her, forgive her, and care for her.

But over the past two days, Chu Tian had seemed like a completely different person.

The way he looked at her was as though he were looking at someone utterly unrelated to him.

He no longer secretly brought her the precious cultivation resources Chu Tianwang had given him, nor did he share them with her. Let alone apologizing or indulging her, he did not even take the initiative to greet her.

It was as though she were nothing more than an irrelevant passerby.

Especially after news came that Chu Tian had claimed first place on the Earth Ranking, Liu Yun felt even more aggrieved. She increasingly felt as though Chu Tian had begun to despise her.

But what right did Chu Tian have to despise her? What had she done wrong?

It had been the Chu Family who had taken the initiative to seek a marriage alliance with the Liu Family and arrange their childhood betrothal. It had also been Chu Tian who had come looking for her of his own accord and willingly helped her.

What had she done wrong?

When she had seen Chu Tian arrive at the Liu Family earlier, she had originally thought that as long as he took the initiative to speak to her, she would take the out he offered, forgive him, and not hold it against him that his third uncle had killed so many Liu Family members.

Yet Chu Tian had ignored her.

So what if he had taken first place on the Bone Forging Ranking and luckily reached first place on the Earth Ranking? What was so remarkable about that?

It was not even certain how long he could remain at the top of the Earth Ranking.

What right did Chu Tian have to suddenly stop treating her well? Yesterday, he had even been so fierce toward her and struck her over a lowly maid.

Liu Yun's heart brimmed with grievances, yet she still did not believe she had done anything wrong. With her lips pursed and her head lowered, she simply refused to apologize first.

Seeing her daughter like this, Luo Yushan was both furious and anxious. She hurriedly explained, "Little Tian, don't be angry. Little Yun knows she was wrong. She's just a young girl and thin-skinned, so please be understanding. You may still be young, but your marriage has already been arranged. You'll be family in the future, so don't take it to heart."

Family?

Hearing those words, a chill flashed through Chu Tian's eyes. Thinking of those disgusting events from the original plot, killing intent surged in his heart.

He could no longer be bothered to continue playing at civility. Chu Tian said indifferently, "Not every trivial matter is worth my concern. As for being family, forget it. I can't bear such an honor."

Luo Yushan's face immediately turned pale. The implications of those words ran far too deep.

"Little Tian, listen to Auntie explain."

Chu Tian ignored the mother and daughter and walked forward.

But at that moment, Liu Yun's eyes reddened. Tears slid down her cheeks like scattered pearls as she suddenly ran before Chu Tian and spread her arms to block him. "Chu Tian, explain yourself. Are my matters nothing but trivial things in your eyes?"

"Ye Fan saved my life. Is it wrong for me to want to repay that kindness with everything I have? What right do you have to treat me this way because of it?"

"Explain yourself, or don't even think about leaving."

Chu Tian's gaze was icy as he replied indifferently, "How you choose to act has nothing to do with me. Move aside."

"I won't. You have to explain yourself today!" Liu Yun shouted.

Slap!

A violent gust of wind was followed by a crisp slap. Liu Yun was sent flying.

Chu Tian withdrew his hand, greeted Chu Tianyun, then left the Liu Family estate and returned to his palace carriage.

The nine blazing lions snorted, soared into the sky, and flew toward the sect.

He had never been some saintly mother.

He had been reborn to witness the splendor of this world, climb to its pinnacle, and see the scenery beyond that summit.

Before him, the petty schemes and little thoughts of a girl who loved playing clever tricks were utterly transparent.

If not for the deep entanglements between the Chu Family and the Liu Family over the years because of the marriage alliance, he would not even have spared Liu Yun a second glance.

"Chu Tian, you bastard! You hit me again!"

Liu Yun's little face was swollen and red once more. Lying on the ground, she wept bitterly. She truly could not understand why Chu Tian's attitude toward her had changed so drastically.

It felt like a little dog that had always belonged to her, one that would wag its tail and pounce on her whenever it saw her, had suddenly begun ignoring her. And when she went up to speak to it, the little dog would even bare its teeth and bite her.

"You girl, why are you so stubborn?"

Luo Yushan hurriedly ran over and helped her daughter up, saying angrily, "Your father, that bastard, has utterly led you astray. What 'a drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring,' what 'repaying kindness with everything you have'—it's all nonsense.

The benefits you've given that piece of trash over the years were worth a hundred of his lives.

Now look at you. Retribution has come."

But scolding was one thing; she was still her own daughter. Moreover, the Liu Family's survival still depended on Chu Tian. Luo Yushan softly persuaded her, "Your mother has lived long enough to see through these things. I can tell that Little Tian still cares about you deeply. As long as you lower your head, admit your mistake, and promise never to associate with that piece of trash or anyone from the Ye Family again, Little Tian will forgive you."

"Mother, I only wanted to repay a kindness. What did I do wrong?" Liu Yun gritted her teeth, clinging to the last shred of her stubbornness.

Yet for no reason at all, a trace of regret suddenly arose within her.

Had she gone too far in trying to repay that kindness and neglected Chu Tian's feelings?

Should she find an opportunity to apologize to Chu Tian in person?

"You want to repay a kindness. What does that have to do with my Chu Family?" Suddenly, Chu Tianyun's voice rang out, thick with Sha Qi.

The mother and daughter turned around. Chu Tianyun was staring at them, making their bodies shudder as their faces instantly went pale.

"It has already been confirmed that the Liu Family's violations of the clan laws had nothing to do with you. You may return to your residence in the estate and travel to and from the sect. However, you are not allowed to wander around the estate, nor are you permitted to speak freely with others. Otherwise, bear the consequences yourselves."

Chu Tianyun did not bother further with the mother and daughter. There were still many matters in the Liu Family requiring his attention to clean up.

After all, it now seemed that keeping Liu Yun's childhood betrothal in name was merely a temporary measure.

Without the Dao essence bestowed by the Destiny Dao Venerable, Liu Yun's true talent would soon be exposed. Then, after the Chu Family carried out Righteous Extermination of Kin, they could cancel the engagement as a matter of course without stirring any doubts within the sect.

How could an ordinary girl who possessed only an Innate Physique, whose family bore original sin, and whose physique had been falsified possibly be worthy of the Chu Family's young master?