Chapter Five: What It Means to Be Family

Ouyang Xiaoyue’s face was as somber as still water, her cold, piercing gaze like two sharp blades aimed directly at Ouyang Chenxi, who looked down on her with disdain from above. At that moment, a volcanic fury erupted within her, blazing fiercely.

Yet, in the face of the harsh words spat out by Ouyang Chenxi, Ouyang Xiaoyue seemed not to hear them at all; not even a flicker of her brow betrayed any reaction. She lowered her eyes slightly, focusing on the spreading bloodstains seeping through her garment. Suddenly, her deep, tranquil eyes flashed with a chilling light that seemed capable of freezing everything in the world.

Then, she lifted her head, fixed her gaze once more on Ouyang Chenxi, and began to advance step by deliberate step. Each footfall carried the weight of a thousand pounds, compelling all who saw to take notice.

At that moment, an urgent shout rang out from afar: “Chenxi!” The cry sliced through the air like a sharp sword, piercing straight into Ouyang Xiaoyue’s ears. Her steps faltered instantly, as if frozen in place by an invisible spell.

Slowly, she raised her head toward the source of the voice and saw a middle-aged woman clad in exquisite brocade hastening their way. The woman’s once-beautiful face was dulled by worry and urgency.

Without a word, the woman hurried over and gently helped Ouyang Chenxi to her feet, her concern palpable. Then, she spun around with a fierce glare aimed straight at Ouyang Xiaoyue, her voice harsh and unforgiving: “Xiaoyue, Xiaoyue! Chenxi came all this way, tirelessly searching for you out of fear for your safety, desperate to bring you home. And you? You harbor such ill intentions, even daring to strike your own sister! Do you still have a shred of conscience?”

Her words crashed like thunder, reverberating long in the air.

At that moment, a faint rustling stirred around them, and several figures appeared one after another. Leading them was an imposing elder, whose stern countenance radiated authority without a word. Dressed in flowing black robes that fluttered in the wind, he exuded an invisible pressure that weighed heavily on the scene.

Before he could speak, Ouyang Chenxi, trembling uncontrollably as if confronted by a nightmare, burst into tears that flowed like a broken dam.

Her pitiful appearance stirred sympathy in all who witnessed it.

The elder’s expression darkened, his sharp gaze turning into twin icy arrows aimed at Ouyang Xiaoyue. His voice was cold and accusing: “Xiaoyue, what is the meaning of this? Why have you frightened Chenxi so?”

Hearing this, Ouyang Xiaoyue’s face soured, yet she stubbornly straightened her posture, biting her lip in silence.

At this moment, a small spirit hidden within a bracelet whispered softly, “Master, in my opinion, these must be your… family.” The word “family” was spat out grudgingly, as if forced through clenched teeth, revealing a clear disdain—even the spirit harbored contempt, perhaps even hatred, for these people.

“Kill them!” Ouyang Xiaoyue nodded slightly, her calm tone devoid of any fear.

“How dare you! This is your sister! How can you be so cruel-hearted? The clan leader is deeply disappointed!” The elder, Ouyang Tianxing—the head of the Ouyang clan and father to Ouyang Chenxi—showed a complex blend of anger and frustration, as if scolding a wayward child.

Cruel-hearted?

A clear voice sounded: “Master, do not be deceived by them. You are the kindest person in the world!”

Ouyang Xiaoyue nodded in agreement. Compared to these strangers, she preferred to listen to the small spirit.

Unaware that Ouyang Xiaoyue was speaking to the spirit within the bracelet, Ouyang Tianxing thought she was responding to him, and his anger flared. “If that is so, then reflect here!” he declared coldly.

He meant to have her reflect by the edge of the cliff where the biting wind cut like a blade.

“Clan leader! Xiaoyue has done no wrong to deserve such punishment!” A weathered youth, no older than eighteen or nineteen, gasped as he rushed to the cliff’s edge. Hearing Ouyang Tianxing’s ruthless words, he hurried to shield Ouyang Xiaoyue, blocking all mocking gazes.

“Xiaofeng, Chenxi came sincerely seeking Xiaoyue, yet Xiaoyue said she would kill Chenxi—such behavior chills the heart. The clan leader’s punishment is meant to teach her a lesson,” the woman holding Ouyang Chenxi frowned deeply.

“Shut up!” Ouyang Xiaofeng retorted coldly. “Clan leader, Xiaoyue’s constitution is weak, and she was frightened tonight. She may not endure such punishment!”

“Brother, the clan leader only wants what’s best for Xiaoyue,” Ouyang Chenxi whispered softly.

“You shut up too!”

“Xiaofeng!” Ouyang Tianxing’s face darkened further as his son repeatedly challenged him in front of his wife and child. “This punishment is unavoidable today. If you are dissatisfied, then suffer it with her!”

With that, Ouyang Tianxing waved his hand and, accompanied by his wife, child, and a retinue, departed in a grand procession.

As they left, Ouyang Chenxi glanced back at Ouyang Xiaofeng and Ouyang Xiaoyue with eyes full of schadenfreude.

Watching their backs grow smaller, Ouyang Xiaofeng’s fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles whitened and veins bulged. His gaze, sharp as an eagle’s, was fixed unwaveringly ahead.

Minutes, perhaps hours, passed before Ouyang Xiaofeng finally regained his composure.

He turned abruptly, eyes filled with concern and worry, looking straight at Ouyang Xiaoyue, who stood silently beside him.

His lips trembled, as if eager to speak a thousand words, yet he could only manage two laden with guilt: “Xiaoyue…”

Ouyang Xiaoyue quietly met the gaze of this man who had suddenly appeared.

From the moment he arrived, he had without hesitation shielded her behind himself.

Though she still did not understand why he protected her so fiercely, a strange, indescribable feeling welled deep within her heart.

This feeling was unfamiliar, yet curiously, she felt neither hatred nor resistance.

A deafening roar suddenly shattered the stillness, like thunder tearing through the sky, exploding with tremendous force.

The sound was so immense it seemed to make heaven and earth tremble.

Ouyang Xiaoyue, immersed in her strange inner emotions, had yet to recover from her thoughts.

This sudden roar struck her heart like a hammer, instantly awakening her from her reverie.