FRGNM -Chapter 24 Taking Action

Ye Ningfeng nodded, looking at the sleeping woman and hoping that she could live well in the Ling family and safely give birth to the child in her womb. The current situation was not something they could control—they had to return.

“Mm. I heard the news came from Heaven Beyond the Heavens. Something has happened on Qiongyu Immortal Island. Only members of the imperial clan know about it. His Majesty…”  Gradually, the voices faded away until even Ling Ruoxi could no longer hear what they were saying.

Heaven Beyond the Heavens? Qiongyu Immortal Island? What strange places were these?

Slowly opening her eyes, Ling Ruoxi looked doubtfully in the direction the two men had left. Judging from their tone, this matter was indeed serious; otherwise, the two of them would not have rushed back so urgently.

“Oh? Our Third Miss still has the mood to sleep?” A strange voice rang out. The maid with her hand wrapped up sneered coldly. That day, when Ling Ruoxi had stepped on the back of her hand, the pain and humiliation surged into her heart. She would definitely repay this debt!

A useless young lady—what could she possibly do to them? Stealing a man, and even trying to seduce the Crown Prince and Young Master Ye—how could the woman before her be so shameless!

Scratching her head helplessly, Ling Ruoxi patted her clothes and stood up, about to head back into the room. Just as she took a step forward, the woman over there snorted coldly, moved her foot, and kicked straight at the lounge chair. The chair was about a meter high—if it hit her, the first thing it would strike would be Ling Ruoxi’s belly.

“Hmph!” Her face darkened. Although Ling Ruoxi did not possess Dou Qi from this world, years of training and reflexes had long surpassed those of ordinary people. Just as the chair was about to crash into her, she swiftly stepped back. The lounge chair brushed past her, narrowly missing her belly.

“Courting death!” Her slender fingers clawed forward. That small body somehow burst forth with tremendous strength. Cold light flashed in her black eyes. With a flip of her right hand, a sharp dagger thrust forward.

Slash!

One strike was enough! Specially trained agents knew exactly where the human body was most vulnerable. With this single stab, she severed the maid’s arterial vessel. Bright red blood spurted skyward.

The maids watching from the sidelines had not reacted at all. One by one, they stared in horror at the scene before them, completely stunned. They never would have imagined that a woman who had seemed so weak and easy to bully could become like this!

“I’ve said it before—I’m no longer the Ling Ruoxi of the past. Don’t take my tolerance as something you’re entitled to. My bottom line stops right here. Anyone who dares touch my child must be prepared to die!” Her eyes glinted sharply as they swept over the people standing there. Ling Ruoxi snorted coldly. She hadn’t wanted to create such a bloody scene for her child, nor should she have drawn a blade—but there are limits to patience. If she didn’t teach these little maids a lesson now, they would really think she had grown up being bullied!

Looking at the pool of blood on the ground, Ling Ruoxi merely snorted.

“Heavens! She killed someone—she killed someone!”

“Quick, call the master! Hurry!”

“Help! She’s gone mad!”

The maids standing in the corridor stared at the scene. When their eyes fell on the woman lying on the ground, already lifeless, they finally realized what had happened. Screaming, they hurriedly ran off.

Ling Ruoxi heard the footsteps and the heavy breathing. She didn’t need to think to know who had arrived. What a coincidence—Nangong Mo and Ye Ningfeng had just left, and her father came right after to make trouble for her. Did he really hate seeing her that much?

The corners of her lips curled upward. Ling Ruoxi folded her arms across her chest and stood there, calmly looking at the figures ahead, smiling faintly.

“You beast, you beast! The Crown Prince just left and you reveal your true nature—actually killing Qiujü!” Ling Hu’s voice exploded like thunder, as if it could tear the sky apart. His two raised eyebrows were comically expressive, his eyes triangular, his moustache bristling—truly a picture of rage.

Laughing loudly, Ling Ruoxi covered her mouth and chuckled. “Beast’s father, slow down. Be careful not to twist your old waist. For men, the waist is the most important, you know.”

“Ling Ruoxi! Look at yourself—what are you doing?! Qiujü served your eldest sister for ten years, and you actually—” Ling Roudan’s expression changed. She quickly pressed on Qiujü’s wound. Fortunately, not much time had passed and the wound was not deep—it was just that she had lost too much blood. Ling Roudan swiftly sealed Qiujü’s acupoints and summoned a medical practitioner for emergency treatment.

Raising her willow-like brows, Ling Ruoxi smiled lightly. “What did I do? I, Ling Ruoxi, already left the Ling family and cut off all relations with you. I came back today only because the Crown Prince allowed it. No matter what, I’m someone the Crown Prince brought back. This filthy maid was disrespectful to me—do you expect me to just endure it?”

“You!” Ling Huiru’s face darkened. She clenched her teeth in secret. It had been she who ordered Qiujü to deal with this wretch, but she hadn’t expected this little slut to strike so ruthlessly! Now that the Crown Prince had already left, how could he possibly still protect such an ugly thing?

“What? What about me? What did I do wrong? Or does the Ling family just like bullying a weak woman like me? Fine—do whatever you want. At worst, I’ll report this to the Crown Prince. I wonder whose head will fall first—yours or mine?” From the Ling family’s attitude toward Nangong Mo over the past few days, Ling Ruoxi knew that Ling Huiru was desperate to marry him—and even Ling Hu was currying favor with Nangong Mo.

Rather than making herself miserable, she might as well use Nangong Mo’s status to pressure them. She could kill a maid to set an example, but Ling Hu was, after all, Ling Ruoxi’s father. No matter how rebellious she was, she couldn’t kill him herself.

“Ling Ruoxi!” Ling Huiru could no longer endure it.

Ling Hu raised a hand to stop the people behind him and said in a deep voice, “Huiru, calm down first. Ling Ruoxi, setting aside the Crown Prince for a moment—do you know that on the Dragonbound Continent, murder is paid with life? You took action and killed Qiujü; you must pay with your life! Even the Crown Prince won’t be able to protect you!”

“Hahaha. Did I kill her? Didn’t you just save her? At most, I merely taught a maid a lesson. Would the officials really bother with such trivial matters? If they knew I was the Crown Prince’s lifesaving benefactor, would they even open a court to try this case?”

Ling Huiru’s face darkened again and again. In aristocratic households, maids were often beaten to death—such things were nothing new. Officials rarely interfered. Moreover, rumors had already spread outside that Ling Ruoxi had saved the Crown Prince.

Dragging this woman away openly wouldn’t work. The only option left was to hire assassins!

Snorting coldly, Ling Huiru gritted her teeth. “Forget it. I won’t pursue this matter with you. Father, let’s go back!”

“Safe travels. I won’t see you off.” Waving her hand, Ling Ruoxi loosened her shoulders. The Ling family was not a place she could survive in for long. She should pack up and leave as soon as possible—otherwise, she might not even know how she’d die.

“Ling Ruoxi, you were far too reckless. Even if the Crown Prince favors you, you can’t kill people! If I hadn’t arrived in time, you would’ve been sent to the authorities!” Ling Roudan frowned, looking at the pool of blood on the ground. She then took out a heavy pouch of silver. “Take this. You’re pregnant—take good care of yourself. If you want to eat something, go buy it yourself. You’ve never gotten along with the servants. Even if you give them money, you won’t get anything good.”

“Oh? Why are you helping me?” Raising her brows, Ling Ruoxi looked at the woman with interest. From her memories, when she had first returned, Ling Roudan had mocked her. But it was clear that this second sister had merely picked up some bad habits from Ling Huiru—she liked to put on airs, but her nature wasn’t bad.

Still, for a woman who loved gossip and spectacle to step in and help—wasn’t that rather amusing?

“Helping you? Tch. I’m just giving you some silver for the Crown Prince’s sake, so you don’t starve to death. Eldest sister has a bad temper—don’t oppose her all day long. If you want to keep the child in your belly, then keep it.” She handed the silver to Ling Ruoxi and turned to leave.

Looking helplessly at her departing figure, Ling Ruoxi shrugged and smiled. “If you care, just say so—no need to hide behind the Crown Prince. But I’ll remember this silver. I need to leave too.”

A sharp gleam flashed in her eyes. After returning to her room, Ling Ruoxi quickly packed a few sets of clothes, took all her money, changed into black garments, and slipped away. Her agile figure streaked past like lightning. Even without Dou Qi, her nimble skills remained.

At the same time, within the imperial palace of Northern Ning, the civil and military officials standing in rows all lowered their heads, faces pale, not daring to breathe loudly.

“His Highness the Crown Prince—National Preceptor Ye arrives!” The shrill announcement echoed through the hall.

Outside the great hall, a man in a light yellow dragon-embroidered robe strode in quickly. With a flick of his sleeves, he looked hurried. His ink-black hair was coiled atop his head, fastened with a golden crown—truly dazzling, so handsome it took one’s breath away.

Behind him walked another man, dressed in white as snow. Among all the white in the world, only he could truly wear it. His expression was calm with a hint of coldness, like winter snow—pure and detached—yet beneath that gentleness lay a sharp, cutting brilliance that made others instinctively lower their heads.

“Father Emperor, what happened? Three imperial tokens summoned me back?” Nangong Mo spoke anxiously, nearly stepping on the hem of his robe.

The man seated on the dragon throne had his brows tightly knit. Those who cultivated Dou Qi had extended lifespans—even at sixty, they looked only thirty or forty.

Ordinary cultivators could live up to two hundred years. Blue-rank Dou Qi masters could live up to five hundred years, their appearances unchanged—something truly enviable.

Some even said that Purple-rank Dou Qi masters could live a thousand years. The current emperor of Duanyun Kingdom, a Blue-rank Dou Qi master, was already two hundred and thirty-one years old, with countless descendants—this was no rumor.

Ye Ningfeng followed behind Nangong Mo, slightly lowering his head, remaining silent.

“Mo’er, you’re finally back!” Nangong Qin was anxious. He quickly stood up with a sealed letter in hand and almost ran to Nangong Mo. “Take a look at this—quickly…”

“This is… a secret message from Heaven Beyond the Heavens?” On the way back, Nangong Mo had already heard Ye Ningfeng explain the situation—but he still couldn’t believe it!