The chill emanating from Xiao Cheng froze the corpses on the ground into ice crystals.
Duanmu Ling'er snapped out of her shock and spat coldly. "None of you court people are any good. What right do you have to mention the four words 'upright and honorable'?"
Xiao Cheng gave Duanmu Ling'er a cold glance and smiled mockingly. "Miss Duanmu, do you know what Ning Xiaochuan is to you?"
"An enemy," Duanmu Ling'er said.
Xiao Cheng spoke slowly. "You do not know, and I cannot blame you. After all, you have lived at Nine Deaths Cliff since childhood, and the Demon Emperor forbade anyone from mentioning what happened twenty years ago."
"What does he have to do with what happened twenty years ago?" Duanmu Ling'er asked.
Xiao Cheng smiled. "In truth, you are all family! To be precise, your father is the full elder brother of Ning Xiaochuan's mother, which makes you Ning Xiaochuan's cousin. His own blood cousin."
"What?"
Duanmu Ling'er's heart could no longer remain calm, and her gaze fixed itself on Ning Xiaochuan.
Naturally, she knew she had an aunt who had once been the Demon Sect Saintess. Her father had mentioned her many times before and had always lamented her fate.
But that aunt had betrayed the Demon Sect and married a Little Marquis of the court.
The Demon Emperor had decreed that no one was to speak of this matter. Those who disobeyed would be killed.
Thus, she had never known whom that aunt had married, much less that Ning Xiaochuan was her aunt's son.
Duanmu Ling'er stared at Ning Xiaochuan in sudden realization. There was less hostility in her eyes as she said, "So this was why you disguised your identity. You... why did you return to the Demon Sect?"
Ning Xiaochuan did not answer