Chapter 10: Unveiling Hidden Depths
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Chapter 10: Unveiling Hidden Depths
"So, where did you get the rare objects from?" Huang Yuan's voice was sharp, laced with skepticism as his eyes narrowed at Huang Nian.
"I acquired them from the Treasure House," Huang Nian replied calmly, holding his gaze without a hint of wavering.
Huang Yuan's frown deepened. "What Treasure House? There's no such place in Longyuan that carries treasures of this rarity. Are you suggesting a mysterious source no one's heard of?"
"Father, just because I lack spiritual Qi doesn't mean I resort to theft," Huang Nian said, a trace of bitterness in her tone.
"Dad, don't push Sister too hard," Huang Ning interjected sweetly, her voice laced with false concern. "Even if Sister did steal, maybe she had her reasons. The Empress Dowager is notoriously difficult to please, after all."
"That may be true," Huang Yuan responded, his voice growing stern, "but that doesn't justify stealing. I raised you better than that."
"Father, you know as well as I do that sometimes circumstances force people's hands. Perhaps Sister felt she had no other option," Huang Ning insisted, her words an underhanded attempt to frame Huang Nian as guilty.
Huang Yuan's expression softened slightly as he considered his younger daughter's words. "Even so, stealing is disgraceful and brings shame to our family."
Huang Nian's eyes flashed with controlled fury. "Where is your proof that I stole anything? Those objects were gifts, and you're quick to accuse me of theft simply because they are beyond your reach?"
"Sister," Huang Ning said, her voice dripping with mock sympathy, "those objects are incredibly rare. Even Father doesn't possess them. If you didn't steal them, where did you get them?"
Huang Nian's lips curled into a cold smile. "Not everyone has to stoop so low as to betray others or crawl for favors like you, Huang Ning."
The sting in her words sent a ripple of tension through the room. Huang Yuan's face darkened with anger. "How dare you speak to your sister in such a manner! Apologize at once!"
Huang Nian's eyes hardened. "I don't recall my mother giving birth to a scheming serpent like her." Without waiting for a reply, she turned on her heel. "If there's nothing more of importance to discuss, I'll be on my way." With that, she strode out of the Huang Lounge.
Her defiant exit left an air of unease lingering. 'She was never this bold or disrespectful', Huang Yuan thought, baffled by her sudden change in demeanor. Huang Nian's rebellion stirred old memories, memories he had tried to bury—the strong-willed girl she once was.
What neither Huang Yuan nor Huang Ning knew was that Huang Nian's bitterness stemmed from more than their disdain. Once, she had been a talented and courageous child, admired by the royal family. Her unmatched potential had led to her betrothal to the Crown Prince, a future filled with promise. But that bright future had been shattered the moment Huang Ning poisoned her, tainting her body and sealing her meridians. The poison robbed her of her cultivation abilities and subjected her to agonizing pain, reducing her to the "trash" they now mocked. Huang Ning, the daughter of a mere maid who later became a concubine, had always envied her.
"You... Come back here!" Huang Yuan shouted, his voice hoarse with frustration, but his command went unanswered.
"Father, don't exert yourself. Your health is more important," Huang Ning cooed, patting him gently on the back. Despite her outward concern, her eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
"Why is Huang Nian so different from you?" Huang Yuan lamented, still seething. "She brings nothing but disgrace to our family."
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Dilapidated Courtyard
In her sparsely furnished room, Huang Nian sat in a corner on a weathered wooden chair. Her face was calm, yet her mind was resolute as she closed her eyes, focusing on absorbing the spiritual Qi from her surroundings. It swirled around her, gathering like a storm as it flowed into her body. Her cultivation level surged from Golden Core Early Stage to Golden Core Intermediate Stage within moments. But she didn't stop there. She pushed harder, her determination unwavering until she broke through to Nascent Soul Intermediate Level.
As she opened her eyes, they gleamed with a newfound power and clarity. With a swift motion of her hand, a book appeared in her palm, its worn cover bearing the title: *The Book of Alchemy*.
Huang Nian whispered the title under her breath, but before she could examine it further, a small creature leaped out of the pages—a pure white cat with sparkling blue eyes. The feline gracefully landed on her lap, looking up at her as if it held the wisdom of ages.
"Finally awake, aren't you?" Huang Nian murmured, her voice softened by a rare smile. The white cat meowed in response, as if affirming her words.
The shadows that plagued her past still loomed, but now Huang Nian was determined to reclaim the strength that was stolen from her. The time to reveal her true potential was drawing near, and this time, she wouldn't let anyone stand in her way.