Chapter 214 – Si Ye's Regrets and Battle Plan

“I understand.”

Such a casual response left Yan Yunyu slightly taken aback.

She was a girl with considerable cunning and intelligence.

Earlier, she had shown a worried expression rather than blind admiration for Mu Lin’s certain victory because she believed Mu Lin’s chances against Tian Yun and Xue Ying were not high.

Xue Ying, for one, was in a league of her own—wielding a Demonic Blade Relic, she was nothing like their peers.

As for Tian Yun, although Mu Lin had defeated her, it was first and foremost a group effort. Moreover, Mu Lin had prevented Tian Yun from unleashing her ultimate move. Had Tian Yun activated it beforehand, the outcome of their duel would have been uncertain.

With these thoughts in mind, Yan Yunyu felt that mindless admiration was not the best approach.

Instead, offering worried comfort, encouragement, and reminding him that “a single victory or defeat means little” would earn Mu Lin’s favor.

However, Mu Lin’s calm and composed demeanor made Yan Yunyu doubt herself.

‘Could I have been mistaken? Does Brother Mu actually have a high chance of winning?’

…

Despite her doubts, Yan Yunyu was always efficient in action. Soon, she set out to gather resources for Mu Lin to stabilize and nurture his foundation.

As for Mu Lin, while resting with his eyes closed, he reflected on the gains and losses of this assessment and evaluated his current standing.

“With the Proficiency Panel, my strength is decent—I can be called a Prodigy. However, I am not the strongest now, let alone invincible among my peers.”

This judgment came with a sigh, as Mu Lin realized that in terms of pure talent, he feared no one.

Yet, the Aristocratic Families that had endured for millennia possessed profound foundations.

The Feather Clan’s sacred land, the Extreme Sky Domain, and the Ge Family’s Demon Blade Blood Cherry—these were extraordinary artifacts.

With such items under the control of Xue Ying and Tian Yun, their strength and growth rate far surpassed their peers.

This reality made Mu Lin abandon any notion of underestimating others.

He even felt a trace of wariness toward the Yan Family and the Chu Family.

He hadn’t forgotten one thing: Chu Hongxuan and Yan Zhanpeng… although they were being groomed as key members of their families, they were not the current heirs of the Yan and Chu Families.

“In other words, if they were fortunate enough to become heirs, their strength would skyrocket as well?”

All of this made Mu Lin’s scalp tingle, but upon careful thought, it seemed perfectly normal.

A saying from his previous life best explained this phenomenon: “How can twenty years of diligent study compete with nearly a century of accumulated wealth across three generations?”

“No, my situation is even harsher. Here, it should be: How can twenty years of diligent study compete with ten thousand years of accumulated legacy?”

This cruel reality was enough to drive countless people to despair.

Even Mu Lin felt an overwhelming sense of urgency.

“If I don’t want to fall behind others, I must continue striving.”

“After all, the Aristocratic Families aren’t limited to the Yan and Chu Families, and the so-called sacred lands aren’t limited to the Feather Clan alone. Even above the Aristocratic Families and sacred lands, there are higher powers like the royal families and the Forbidden Lands…”

…

While Yan Yunyu was busy gathering resources and Mu Lin was recuperating, the other Aristocratic Families were also taking action.

Amidst everyone’s busyness, a palace-dressed young woman endured a full day of ridicule with a face ashen with fury.

This person was naturally Chu Lingluo’s mother, Si Ye. She had become a cautionary tale among many aristocratic families, with both enemies and close friends looking at her with peculiar gazes.

However, while Si Ye’s expression outside was indeed livid, upon returning to her own room, her emotions quickly calmed down.

This transformation went unnoticed by her maid, who was currently cautiously and fearfully trying to console her: “M-Madam, please don’t be too angry. Miss Lingluo will forgive you…”

“Why should I be angry?”

“Huh?”

Si Ye’s calm expression and leisurely tone left her maid stunned.

While the maid was still processing this, Si Ye took a sip of tea and said indifferently, “No matter how much those people mock me, one thing remains unchanged: my daughter Lingluo is now one of the two people closest to Mu Lin. As long as I don’t try to separate them anymore, Mu Lin and Lingluo can become a couple. In contrast, no matter how much those who mock me sneer, their daughters won’t marry as well as Lingluo.”

At this point, Si Ye even chuckled lightly and said, “Mu Lin’s outstanding performance has given me a good slap in the face, but I’m actually happy about it. After all, this is far better than Lingluo ending up with some useless person before.”

“…”

By now, Si Ye’s maid had also realized that while her mistress’s poor judgment in misreading Mu Lin wasn’t a good thing and had subjected her to countless mockeries, compared to the scenario where the young lady ended up with an ordinary commoner—losing both face and substance—the current situation was nearly perfect.

However, thinking this far, the young maid remembered something else and asked somewhat confusedly, “Madam, if you’re not angry, why do you let others mock you? Those people are so detestable. We could fight back… Ouch…”

Before she could finish, the little maid was lightly tapped on the head by Si Ye.

“Fight back? Why should I fight back? This situation is just right.”

“Huh?”

Seeing her maid’s utterly bewildered expression, Si Ye smiled lightly and explained:

“Is it so hard to understand? If I weren’t mocked and didn’t look upset, how would the resentment Mu Lin accumulated after being suppressed by me dissipate? And if that resentment doesn’t fade, how could he be with Lingluo without any lingering barriers in his heart?”

“…”

It must be said that Lingluo’s mother truly had no favorable attitude toward Mu Lin, but her love for Lingluo came from the depths of her heart—without such doting affection, Chu Lingluo, born into the fiercely competitive world of aristocratic families, would never have developed such an innocent personality.

As her maid fell completely silent, Si Ye said calmly, “Go and give the order: don’t let the clan members stop people from mocking me. It’s best to amplify it a bit, portraying me as utterly blind. Also, spread some more news—say that even though I tried my utmost to stop them, Lingluo still loves Mu Lin wholeheartedly, unwavering and devoted…”

“Yes.”

After giving these instructions, the maid departed. When the room was empty, Si Ye’s calm facade… instantly crumbled. Her expression quickly shifted from indifference to shame, annoyance, and regret.

She was no saint; how could she possibly ignore others’ scornful words directed at her?

What vexed Si Ye even more was that while her daughter Chu Lingluo’s situation wasn’t the worst, it certainly wasn’t the best either.

“If I hadn’t intervened, Mu Lin and Lingluo would likely have remained devoted to each other for life, leaving no room for that wretched servant Yan Yunyu to come between them.”

“My relationship with Lingluo, and with Mu Lin, wouldn’t have become so strained either.”

“I harmed Lingluo.”

…

After being mocked and ridiculed, the true emotions in Si Ye’s heart were a mix of seething anger and endless regret.

Her earlier composure in front of her own maid was merely a facade she maintained to preserve her dignity.

Yet, being able to feign such calmness and indifference also spoke to her capabilities.

And her abilities extended far beyond mere pretense.

Not long after her maid left, a jade pendant she had stored in her pouch began to glow.

Upon answering, Si Ye was unsurprised to find that a Clan Elder from the Chu Family had contacted her—and immediately launched into a furious tirade.

“Foolish… long hair, short-sighted… look at what you’ve done…”

Si Ye offered no rebuttal to such reprimands. After listening humbly, she quickly responded, “Seventh Elder, let’s save the criticism and punishment for later. Since things have already come to this, we should discuss how to mitigate the losses.”

“???”

“What do you mean?”

Si Ye’s calm reaction left the Seventh Elder on the other end momentarily stunned.

Si Ye herself, however, proceeded with clear logic:

“What I mean is, the relationship between Lingluo and Mu Lin isn’t beyond repair. My interference did worsen their bond, but since I was the only one involved and Lingluo remains unaware, Mu Lin holds no resentment toward her.”

“Therefore, their feelings can still be salvaged.”

“However, my mishandling of the situation has created a rift between them. Now, we must work to mend that relationship.”

Si Ye’s words were flawless. After listening, the Seventh Elder on the other end calmly asked, “What do you intend to do? Apologize proactively?”

At this, Si Ye smiled and revealed her true intentions: “If my apology could resolve this rift, I would be more than willing to do so.”

“But I believe that alone is insufficient to demonstrate our sincerity and mend the divide between Mu Lin and Lingluo. Therefore, I propose that the clan invest heavily in nurturing Lingluo—enhancing her strength and increasing her significance in Mu Lin’s eyes.”

“…”

(End of Chapter)