Book 2 : The Masked Strength of the Sect's Trash Chapter 108

Xiao Chuang looked at his niece in disbelief, his face showing sheer astonishment.

"Xiao Yi, are you serious?"

Xiao Yi nodded, saying, "Of course. Cang Zhengchu acted shamelessly, bullying us three. I don't think it’s wrong to call him out."

Lu Shaoqing nodded approvingly, clearly proud. "Exactly right. Well done. Keep it up."

Xiao Yi beamed with a sweet smile, feeling immensely pleased. Her eldest brother praised her, her second brother praised her—she felt she was making real progress.

But Xiao Chuang was anything but pleased. His niece’s transformation had left him feeling a mix of shock and unease.

He cleared his throat and said sternly, "Xiao Yi, you shouldn’t be behaving like this. As a young lady of the Xiao family, you carry our family’s reputation. You can’t stoop to such undignified behavior."

Xiao Yi tilted her head in confusion. "What’s undignified about it? If I can't win in a fight, can’t I at least speak my mind? When I was at home, if I lost to Xiao Qun, I didn’t even dare raise my voice. It was so frustrating. Just because I can’t beat him, I should still be able to get a word in."

Lu Shaoqing chimed in, "Exactly. You may lose a lot of things, but you should never lose your spirit."

Xiao Chuang felt his patience running thin. His sweet, well-mannered niece was now acting as if berating others was a badge of honor.

Trying one last time, he said, "Xiao Yi, you need to be more careful with your words. You know the power of a Nascent Soul cultivator. With a snap of his fingers, he could—"

Xiao Yi obediently nodded, saying, "I know that, Uncle."

Relieved, Xiao Chuang felt a small glimmer of hope. Perhaps there was still some part of her that remained sensible.

Then she added, "But with you and the Sect Master here, why should I be afraid? If he acts shamelessly, I’ll call him out for it."

Xiao Chuang felt his blood pressure rise, almost as if his cultivation was slipping. Here she was, relying on the protection of others with such casual confidence. How was he supposed to explain this to his brother?

Shao Cheng shot Lu Shaoqing a pointed look and muttered under his breath, "You really corrupted her, didn’t you?"

"Hey, Master!" protested Lu Shaoqing, feigning innocence. "Please! I never taught her anything like this. She's just naturally talented in this area."

Xiao Chuang glared at Lu Shaoqing and said, "You’re lying! Who else would teach her such behavior?"

Lu Shaoqing shrugged, "Ask her yourself. Besides, I have to admit, she does have a talent for it."

Xiao Chuang clenched his fists in frustration, then turned to Shao Cheng. "Junior Brother Shao, this kid is completely out of control. You really can’t let him get away with everything."

But Shao Cheng held his ground, firm in his refusal to let Xiao Chuang lay a finger on Lu Shaoqing.

"My disciple may be difficult, Senior Brother, but he's still my disciple. You can’t take your frustrations out on him."

Xiao Yi quickly stepped between them and spoke up, "Uncle, please don’t be angry. Second Brother is very good to me."

"Good to you?!" Xiao Chuang groaned. "You’re defending him because he’s brainwashed you."

"He really has been good to me," Xiao Yi replied earnestly. "Without him, I wouldn’t have improved so quickly. My Second Brother isn’t just my senior—he’s like a real brother to me."

Xiao Chuang’s annoyance grew. "And what exactly has he done that’s so helpful?"

Shao Cheng intervened. "Actually, Senior Brother Xiao, much of Xiao Yi’s progress is due to Lu Shaoqing."

"I don’t believe it," Xiao Chuang replied flatly. "I know you like this kid, but that doesn’t mean you have to defend him all the time."

Shao Cheng turned to Xiao Yi, saying, "Xiao Yi, show your uncle your Sword Intent."

"Sword Intent?" Xiao Chuang echoed, taken aback. He had heard Shao Cheng mention it before but hadn’t fully believed it. Sword Intent was something even many of his disciples hadn’t mastered. It was no trivial feat.

Without hesitation, Xiao Yi summoned her sword, a crimson-hilted blade, and released a gentle wave of water-attribute Sword Intent. Xiao Chuang’s eyes widened as he saw the faint blue aura around the sword—an elegant yet powerful display.

After a long silence, he exhaled deeply, pride washing over his features. "Xiao Yi, you’ve done wonderfully. You truly are a talent in our Xiao family."

Lu Shaoqing, however, couldn’t resist deflating his pride a little. "Uncle Xiao, don’t go overboard. She’s not quite at the level of Eldest Brother yet."

"Mind your tongue," Xiao Chuang retorted. "Even if she’s not exactly at his level, she’s not far off."

As Xiao Chuang celebrated Xiao Yi’s progress, Lu Shaoqing shook his head and said, "Uncle Xiao, you’re too optimistic. This isn’t a competition she’ll win easily."

Xiao Yi shrank back slightly, whispering to Xiao Chuang, "Uncle, I don’t think I can surpass Second Brother."

The more time she spent with Lu Shaoqing, the clearer it became that his skill level was worlds beyond hers. Following in his footsteps was hard enough, let alone surpassing him. Her two senior brothers were both a little overwhelming—she wasn’t about to compare herself to them.

Xiao Chuang was undeterred. "Don’t be so quick to give up, Xiao Yi. You have more potential than you think."

Xiao Yi felt awkward under his expectation, unsure how to respond.

"If you think she’s so talented, give me ten thousand spirit stones as a thank-you," Lu Shaoqing quipped. "Or half the Xiao family’s wealth would work too."

A voice interrupted from behind him, sounding both surprised and furious. "You wish!"