Yang Lingqing looked utterly haggard, her eyes vacant and lifeless, her red lips drained of color. Two trails of clear tears still streamed down her face.
Clearly, these years had not been kind to her.
Just moments ago, she had fainted from excessive longing, only to dream that her son had cultivated to become an Emperor Realm powerhouse and led his paternal lineage, the Chen Lineage, to rise above the many other factions...
"How could I have such a daydream... Fan'er, your mother misses you..."
Tears shimmered in Yang Lingqing's eyes. A dream, in the end, was only an illusion.
More than ten years ago, when her son was still tiny, she had left the Chen Lineage in White Emperor Province and returned to her maternal lineage to seek help, hoping they would help the Chen Lineage.
When she left, the Chen Lineage might have been weak, but she herself had been fine. Now, however, she was imprisoned in this quiet hall, unable to return.
After so many years of failing to fulfill her duties as his mother, she was overwhelmed with guilt!
Dreaming of her son again only brought forth endless longing and pain.
Though she longed for her son to become a dragon, and this daydream was her greatest hope as a mother, the more she hoped, the more she suffered.
"I wonder whether you've been well all these years, and how the Chen Lineage is doing..." Yang Lingqing closed her eyes in anguish.
Her mind was filled with the little figure her son had left in her memories, impossible to dispel. Growing up alone, lonely and helpless, eating poorly and sleeping badly, with no one to look after him...
As for the shackles on her body, she had long since grown used to them.
Just then, a commotion arose outside the door. Soon, the lock was opened, and a middle-aged man pushed the door open and entered.
An old man followed behind him.
"Madam, why put yourself through this!" The old man sighed at the sight of Yang Lingqing.
"What does it have to do with you!" The mere sight of him angered Yang Lingqing.
This man was Chen Shujian, the Chen Lineage elder who had accompanied her back! He had been responsible for protecting her along the way, yet he had turned traitor!
Even more unexpectedly, Chen Shujian had flourished in their Yang Lineage, earning her elder brother's regard and trust. Who would believe it?
Though they were all family and had no need to speak as outsiders, in this situation, he was doing better in her own home than she was!
The middle-aged man before her was her elder brother, Yang Qi.
Hearing her words, Chen Shujian was thoroughly angered.
...Yet inwardly, he frantically repeated, I am an undercover agent, I am an undercover agent. Madam doesn't know either. I absolutely cannot reveal any flaws. Phew~
"Enough." Yang Qi stepped forward and gestured for Chen Shujian to withdraw.
Then he stood with his hands behind his back and looked at Yang Lingqing. "Little sister, why put yourself through this?"
"If you would stop making a fuss about returning to the Chen Lineage, why would I have to imprison you? Why would you have to suffer like this?"
Over the years, Yang Lingqing had tried to escape many times. There was no choice but to imprison her in chains.
Yang Lingqing glared at Yang Qi.
"Elder brother, though this is my maternal lineage, the Chen Lineage is my home too! My son and husband are there. How can you expect me to abandon them! How can you expect me to stand by and watch..."
"Insolence! A mere Chen Lineage is nothing but an ant, nowhere near our Yang Lineage, the greatest lineage in Weiyang Domain! What would you go back for?" Yang Qi flew into a rage.
"To get yourself killed! I'm doing all this for your own good."
"For my own good?" Yang Lingqing laughed bitterly. "You're merely afraid the Chen Lineage will become a burden and affect your position!"
Smack.
Yang Qi's expression instantly turned cold. With one slap, he sent Yang Lingqing crumpling to the floor.
"Eldest young master, please calm your anger. Madam simply has an obsession in her heart." Chen Shujian hurriedly tried to reason with him.
Yet he could only watch helplessly, unable to say anything useful.
Yang Qi understood this reasoning as well.
He said coldly, "A wise man recognizes the tides of the times. If you weren't my younger sister, I wouldn't even bother with you."
"Though our Yang Lineage falls far short of the top lineages of the Desolate Ancient Domain, what do we lack! Yet you went and privately pledged yourself to a man from a mere ant of a minor lineage in White Emperor Province, tens of thousands of miles away! You made yourself a laughingstock."
"If you would just stay here obediently, none of this would have happened!"
Chen Shujian's aged face twitched as he silently repeated, I am an undercover agent.
Yang Lingqing held her cheek and said nothing. She and her elder brother shared the same father and mother. Her elder brother had other rivals for the position of Yang Lineage head-their father's position-brothers who shared their father but had different mothers.
Thus, her elder brother feared that her ties to the Chen Lineage would drag him down and affect his seizure of power, rather than provide him with support.
Seeing Yang Lingqing remain silent, Yang Qi snorted coldly.
"No matter what, you will absolutely never return to the Chen Lineage! Besides, I came today to inform you that the Huang Lineage head is interested in you. We'll choose an auspicious day and settle the matter..."
"Oh, and he doesn't mind that you've been married and have a son. You, however, will only be a concubine. You should thank the Huang Lineage head for being willing to grant you this honor and opportunity."
But he knew that once his sister married into that lineage, she would have virtually no standing. She was already finished. The Huang Lineage was also far inferior to their Yang Lineage, and its head was an old man to boot. Yet he needed to win them over and gain their support.
The Chen Lineage, on the other hand, was merely a burden and would offer him no help whatsoever. Not to mention how far away it was. There was no need to waste time.
Considering that his sister had already been married, she might as well not return to a mere Chen Lineage. It would not be good for her to remain unmarried and alone for life either. Thinking of it this way, the deal was fairly worthwhile, without much of a loss.
Chen Shujian was utterly dumbfounded. At my age, am I supposed to storm a wedding?! Everyone knew that old bastard from the Huang Lineage was a pervert! He only grazed on grass younger than himself and turned none away.
Boom.
To Yang Lingqing, it was a thunderbolt from a clear sky. She dropped straight to her knees. "Elder brother, please, I beg you. Elder brother, I'm your own younger sister. I have a husband and a son."
"Don't send me to the Huang Lineage."
She pleaded desperately.
She was afraid. Her elder brother wanted to use her status as his own younger sister to befriend other lineages and contend for power in the future! But she already had a family! If she went there, she would be no better than a worthless maid.
As Yang Lingqing clutched his trouser leg, Yang Qi remained unmoved.
"Hmph, you brought this upon yourself! Otherwise, as your elder brother, I would at least have found you a good marriage. Besides, since you're marrying beneath yourself either way, what difference is there between marrying into the Huang Lineage and marrying into the Chen Lineage? The fact that the Huang Lineage head doesn't disdain you is already the best possible outcome. Be content..."
Chen Shujian could barely keep his blade sheathed, but if he died, it would truly be all over. No, I must find a way.
Seeing how utterly resolute her elder brother was, Yang Lingqing's face turned deathly pale.
"I want to see Father. I want to see Mother... They still have a grandson..."
She had come to her maternal lineage for help, needing resources and cultivation techniques. After all, she knew some things about Great Emperor Xuanji, but the Chen Lineage truly had declined! She had never intended to lose herself here.
Yang Qi's expression grew somber.
"Father won't concern himself with you, and Mother was already furious because you insisted on marrying him back then. Now, for the sake of our future, Mother won't let you act willfully either! I have the final say. This matter is settled. Prepare yourself properly..."
"Elder brother!" Yang Lingqing was terrified. It was all because the Chen Lineage had declined, leaving her without the backing to give her a voice.
Her voice was nearly hoarse. "He's your own nephew..."
"My own nephew? I never acknowledged him!" Yang Qi snorted coldly. "Little sister, if you persist in this delusion, I wouldn't mind personally paying this nephew of mine a visit!"
He placed particular emphasis on the words "nephew of mine," his threat unmistakable.
Yang Lingqing collapsed onto the floor, despairing.
No, I absolutely cannot let Elder Brother go to the Chen Lineage!
"Let's go." Yang Qi ignored Yang Lingqing. His sister would think things through. As it stood, the Chen Lineage was of no use whatsoever and would only be a burden. What familial ties were there to speak of!
"Eldest young master, why not let me try to persuade Madam?" Chen Shujian said.
Yang Qi glanced at Chen Shujian, then turned and left. Chen Shujian had best know his place and not keep switching sides, or he would not mind killing him either. As for wariness? There was none to speak of.
Even if Chen Shujian wanted to keep switching sides, without a lineage backing him, he was merely an ant Yang Qi could crush whenever he pleased, depending on his mood.
Yang Lingqing was dazed, her gaze vacant. How could this...
Chen Shujian said cautiously, "Madam, I will find a way to save you!"
Being an undercover agent was simple: exploit human nature, namely the pleasure the other party took in conquest, and satisfy them. This was an ancestral precept devised on the spot! Of course, he did not believe Yang Qi would trust him completely.
Yang Lingqing immediately looked at Chen Shujian in disbelief...
The Chen Lineage.
That day.
"Sign in."
[Ding, sign-in successful. Congratulations to the host on obtaining an emperor-grade spirit artifact, the Star Warship...]