Shen Qingshuang shot her a displeased glance. "Why did it take so long? Didn't I send the message over yesterday?"
Xiao Lan seemed rather afraid of the second young lady and carefully explained, "The eldest young lady is about to break through to the Bone Tempering Realm. She's been in seclusion cultivating, and the clan elders strictly forbade anyone from disturbing her. The eldest young lady only learned about this matter this morning."
"Hmph! It's only the Bone Tempering Realm. What's there to make such a fuss about? Those old fogeys are making a mountain out of a molehill! With so many Bone Tempering Pills supplied by the family, if they'd given them to me, I'd have reached the Bone Tempering Realm by now! If Shen Qingyao can't break through to the Bone Tempering Realm, she doesn't deserve to be the greatest martial artist among the younger generation of the Shen Family." Shen Qingshuang snorted.
Xiao Lan knew she harbored some resentment toward the family and didn't dare respond. She hurriedly took a letter from her sleeve and carefully handed it over.
Shen Qingshuang accepted the letter and read it closely. A faint surge of force in her hand reduced it to tiny scraps of paper that fluttered to the ground.
"Pulling the firewood from beneath the cauldron—Shen Qingyao, what a ruthless scheme!"
Shen Qingshuang murmured, then waved her hand. "You may go. Tell Shen Qingyao that I'm very disappointed in her progress in martial arts."
"Yes." Xiao Lan bowed her head and hurried out of the courtyard as if fleeing for her life.
Shen Qingshuang fell into thought again. After a long while, she quietly gave Xiao Qing a few instructions.
The crowd hadn't been joined by Chief Constable Shen Qingshuang. Instead, Xiao Qing arrived, her face as