It was as if a thunderclap suddenly exploded on flat ground, striking heavily in the hearts of the Su family elders.
None of them had ever expected that the usually obedient Su Liumeng could have such a rebellious side.
Like a meek little lamb who suddenly grows claws, she couldn’t wait to stretch them out and show her defiance.
The wind on December 1st had already turned sharp.
Below the mountain pass, a sudden whirlwind rose, gradually pulling everyone back from their stunned daze.
Su’s mother flew into a rage and made a move to slap Su Liumeng. “You, you, you—”
“You unfilial daughter! How dare you be so disobedient! Do you even know what you’re saying?”
Su Liumeng’s palm was like an unshakable iron clamp, firmly catching the slap aimed at her face by the arm.
She met her mother’s gaze without flinching. “Mother, as the heir to the family’s successor, every word and deed of mine represents the honor of the Su family. Are you trying to humiliate the dignity of our family in front of everyone?”
The moment these words came out, even the long-silent eldest elder’s expression changed.
Su’s mother’s face shifted from ashen blue to flushed red in just two seconds.
Countless harsh, scrutinizing eyes around them made her feel utterly humiliated and even angrier at Su Liumeng’s unfilial behavior. “I have the right to hit my daughter. It’s only natural, and no one can say a word against it.”
Suddenly, Su Liumeng shook off her mother’s arm. Her beautiful face was as cold as frost. “First and foremost, I am a descendant of the Su family and the successor of this generation. Only secondly am I your daughter, Jiang Yue. Please do not confuse priorities. Or have you already placed your own position above the Su family?”
With that pointed accusation, the other elders’ faces changed as they frowned and stared at Su’s mother.
This was already shaking the very foundation of the Su family. Those who cunningly manipulate rules will ultimately be bound by them.
“Hm?” The Su family head’s eyes moved over, neither warm nor cold.
Su’s mother immediately panicked and hurriedly explained, “I didn’t mean that. Don’t put words in my mouth.”
Looking down at the red mark on her arm, anger surged through her. “Su Liumeng, do you still know the difference between respect and hierarchy? Do you still recognize me as your mother? I’ve raised you for over ten years—is this how you repay me, by talking back?”
“The marriage I arranged for you was also for your own good.”
“And you? You talk back at every turn, always defiant. You’re utterly ungrateful and unfilial, not like the others who are obedient.”
Su Liumeng’s expression remained unchanged, her tone calm and steady. “If I had no lover, I would willingly accept Mother’s wishes. But since I already have someone I like, and Mother suddenly tells me about a marriage arrangement without any prior notice, anyone would naturally resist.”
“Therefore, I am not ungrateful or unfilial.”
“Moreover, if I were incapable, I would listen to the family in everything and put the family’s responsibilities first. But now that I am qualified to contribute to the family and confident that I can bring glory to the Su family, the family should grant me some freedoms within the rules. Isn’t that the unspoken rule of the Su family for centuries?”
Su Liumeng’s gaze remained icy, her words reasonable and courteous, leaving no room for others to find fault.
The eldest elder, still listening, slowly bowed his head in agreement.
After finishing, Su Liumeng bowed deeply toward her mother, lowering her stance. “For these reasons, I hope Mother can forgive me for being unable to comply. Please understand.”
Yielding to advance—that was her strategy.
This move caught Su’s mother completely off guard; she never expected Su Liumeng to be so sharp-tongued.
“You, you, you—” Su’s mother was at a loss for words, her eyes widening.
She was silenced by this combination of verbal blows and even staggered back two steps, her face growing redder with frustration and humiliation.
The fragile little girl she remembered suddenly revealed her fangs, leaving her mother both frightened and unable to counter.
Once upon a time, Su Liumeng was a meek, obedient girl.
Now, before the highest-ranking members of the Su family, she had silenced her mother.
Her words clearly hinted that the fault lay with her mother.
At this moment, no one had stepped forward to defend Su Liumeng. Her eyes flickered slightly, knowing one last move was needed.
A sharp and fierce Tibetan Mastiff was only admired in the Su family.
Otherwise, without the corresponding strength, others still saw you as just a dog—and nothing more.
Turning to face the other elders, Su Liumeng bowed again. “Mother just said I could only be the lowest among heirs and must find a marriage to bring more glory to the Su family. I personally do not agree.”
“I have always believed that I am qualified to compete for the position of family head.”
“This is not youthful arrogance but courage brought by my strength.”
“Since ancient times, the Su family’s rule has been that any family head can only marry in a husband. Xuanmen Daozi may be impressive, but he is not a suitable candidate for such a marriage. Therefore, this marriage was impossible from the start.”
Su Liumeng raised her chin slightly.
The young girl seemed born with an unyielding spirit.
Her exquisite face bathed in golden sunlight, growing dazzling in the eyes of others.
She was beginning to reveal her true brilliance.
This scene below the mountain pass would be remembered by many years later as peerlessly magnificent.
The eldest elder remained silent and attentive; Su Liumeng knew he was waiting for her next words.
Once she revealed her true worth, everyone would become her supporters.
A scene she had played over countless times in her mind.
When it truly arrived, the excitement unique to youth still surged within her.
“Do you see it?”
“I can do it…”
“I can declare your existence to the world in front of everyone.”
To truly love someone has never been about avoidance.
Love can be passionate, with broken wings sheltering each other through storms, but it cannot be cowardly and shrinking.
After speaking, Su Liumeng directly manifested her golden dragon phantom.
Amid the endless mountain ranges, a nearly hundred-meter-long true dragon suddenly appeared.
The towering primordial forest trees could not hide its enormous body.
The dragon’s unique roar seemed to shake the clouds and echo to every corner of the world.
Seeing this, the eldest elder suddenly stood up, no longer carrying the sorrow of losing a granddaughter.
He even laughed heartily twice. “This is—”
“Bloodline purity approaching the incarnation of a true dragon.”
“Eighty percent or more, how many years has it been since anyone in the Su family has reached this?”
He indeed had only one granddaughter, but many grandsons, so the loss was not overwhelming.
Su Liumeng’s exceptional talent had already made even this most conservative elder forget the grief of his granddaughter’s passing.
The true dragon form was the aspiration of countless Su family members.
Once successfully manifested, it meant a mythical creature guarded the Su family.
This was an entirely different concept from just a phantom.
Seeing this, how could the eldest elder not be excited?
He praised three times before turning to look coldly at Su’s mother. “Su Liumeng is the heir to the Su family. How can she be lightly married off? If word got out, others would think the Su family is weak and only trading the heir’s marriage for peace.”
“This matter is indeed your fault. You should put down your power and go reflect on your confusion.”
This was the Su family—harsh reality.
Even Su’s mother, when wrong, was immediately discarded.
If you weren’t at the center of power, you could be thrown away at any time.
Being heir and elder was roughly equal to holding the core power; Su’s mother’s position was no longer comparable.
Then, the eldest elder threw aside his sleeves and turned his ire on Su Qinghe. “Take care of your wife. The Su family’s matters are not for outsiders to meddle in.”
Slap—
The long-silent Su Qinghe suddenly slapped Su’s mother. “You disgrace me in public, making a scene. Get lost and go reflect.”
“You! How dare you hit me?” Su’s mother clutched her reddened left cheek, staring at Su Qinghe in disbelief.
For the first time, she truly saw how cold and heartless her longtime partner was.
Su Liumeng returned to her normal form, watching coldly as this so-called father fought for her.
The man who had remained silent, quietly approving his wife’s plan to marry off their daughter, had, upon seeing her true worth, transformed into a loving and respectful father again.
Su’s mother was utterly humiliated for the first time in public.
All the years of accumulated prestige were completely shattered.
She lunged forward like a shrew, clawing at Su Qinghe’s face, leaving several marks. “I’ll fight you to the death! You’ve kept mistresses all these years, and I never said a word. This decision wasn’t made by me alone, yet you’re throwing all the blame on me. Do you think that makes you innocent?”
Bang—
Su Qinghe held a high position and controlled the Su family’s wealth.
No matter where, he cared most about his reputation. He would never let a shrew vent on him.
He kicked Su’s mother aside, coldly snorting without any warmth.
“You should be grateful you bore a good daughter. Otherwise, I’d already be writing the divorce papers.”
Tears on Su’s mother’s face, she fell to the ground in disgrace.
No one stepped forward to help her.
She looked up at the man standing above her, finally lowering her eyes in defeat.
He was no longer the young man who once promised her a lifetime.
After gaining power step by step, Su Qinghe was no longer the gentle youth who held her hand tenderly.
Su Liumeng’s rebellious words were subconsciously forgotten by many.
They were just too outrageous; many assumed they’d misheard.
Seeing the timing was right, Su Liumeng wanted to clear everything up while the family’s decision-makers were present.
She bowed again. “Mother, perhaps you didn’t quite hear what I just said.”
“The one I like is a girl. I’ll show you later.”
“Good, good! Our Su family’s little phoenix has her own tastes, naturally with her reasons!” The eldest elder listened with affectionate eyes, constantly stroking his already thinning beard.
As he gradually understood a certain keyword, he nearly pulled out his beard. “Girl, what did you just say?”
Before Su Liumeng replied each time, she respectfully bowed. “I, your junior, have fallen for a girl.”
In the crowd, only one young girl’s eyes curved with a smile, as if hearing something that delighted her.
At this moment, Su Liumeng truly stood out.
How many descendants of the Su family dared to speak boldly for their love like Su Liumeng?
Because no one dared, a ripple appeared in the young girl’s eyes.
What an interesting sister.
Who was so lucky?
Su Luoxing’s eyes shimmered with charm.
Really wanted to snatch her away.
Ahem, ahem—
The eldest elder suddenly began coughing violently, as if unable to bear the scene before him, rare embarrassment coloring his face.
He threw his sleeves aside, no longer watching the young girl’s fierce attitude—as if she were a husky who would bark back at anyone who said the wrong thing.
“Forget it. I’m just too old to understand you young people.”
“Fine, fine, do as you please.”
“Our Su family’s little phoenix is outstanding, so it’s only natural she is different.”
The old man muttered to himself, trying to calm his shaken emotions.
Then, riding a cloud, he was the first to leave the mountain pass.
“This trial you did well. Tomorrow night there will be a celebration banquet. Bring your little, little girlfriend along to introduce her. If there’s nothing else, then disperse.”
“The elder council meeting will be held in a week to discuss the Tianyan Nine-Dragon Sword. During this period, you will hold temporary control.”
Halfway flying, the elder coughed into his sleeve.
As if if he delayed a moment longer, he might lose control and start hitting someone.
The Su family head’s eyes held a faint smile. “Alright, if no one asks, you don’t need to emphasize it repeatedly.”
Speaking of it openly would have its downsides.
Hearing this, Su Liumeng was about to say something, but Su Luo instead pouted and clung to his arm, cooing, “Dad, it’s already 2043. Everyone is cultivating now. There aren’t so many rules anymore.”
The family head smiled and gently patted the little girl’s head. “What? You want to find me a girlfriend too?”
“Hmph.” Su Luo’s eyes gleamed with mischief, but she didn’t answer directly. “I’m already working hard on my cultivation. Don’t I deserve a little freedom?”
“Alright, alright, you clever one. I’ll let you have your way.”
Around them, people came and went, chatting happily, as if no one noticed the woman sprawled on the ground, looking utterly miserable.
Those who make mistakes naturally must pay the price.
This time, Su Liumeng’s marriage issue was indeed something her mother hadn’t considered carefully.
Most people were opportunists.
Many ignored Su’s mother, passing by without even a glance and instead warmly greeting Su Liumeng.
She was the Su family’s brightest hope for dragon transformation.
After revealing her dragon blood purity, Su Liumeng’s status in the Su family had risen to an irreplaceable height.
She was already a rising star, rivaling the other two heirs, even slightly overshadowing them with the Tianyan Nine-Dragon Sword’s aura.
No matter how things turned out in the future, it was wise to make friends early.
Su’s father approached a young man. “Yuheng, your eighth place is already very good. But I hope you can understand the bigger picture. Jiujiu won’t like your presence, so don’t appear in front of her anymore.”
Su Yuheng bowed respectfully. “Father, I understand my place. Your only child is the eldest miss. I am merely her servant and will be at your side, wishing for your peace.”
Su’s father nodded in approval, then, passing by Su’s mother, stepped right over her.
Su’s mother lowered her head in utter humiliation, no longer daring to challenge the family head.
Soon, the crowd in the mountain pass had mostly dispersed.
For the second time in her life, Su’s mother experienced the despair of being coldly abandoned.
At that moment, a small hand reached out toward her.
Her eyes brightened as she looked at the young girl in front of her.
She obediently allowed herself to be pulled up, ready to say something, only to meet a pair of extremely indifferent eyes. “Mother, I am your daughter and will naturally help you. But that is all.”
“I hope you don’t cause me any more trouble.”
Su Liumeng walked away calmly, surrounded by a bustling crowd, her own cold solitude forming a stark contrast.
She had truly grown up.
No longer the little girl whose life could be controlled.
Su’s mother watched this scene with complicated emotions, lost in thought.
Above the sky, beside Su Liumeng’s escaping light, Su Luo chattered nonstop. “Sister Su Liumeng, what does the person you like look like? Even the eldest elder spoke up. I’m a little excited to see her tomorrow.”
It was true. Su Luo was genuinely curious about the person Su Liumeng was willing to risk defying everyone to protect.
Of course, she was even more interested in Su Liumeng herself.
The girl’s innate strength-worship personality made her instinctively admire anyone who dared challenge authority.
After all, it was something she wanted to do but never dared.
Su Liumeng, smelling a fragrance that wasn’t her own nearby, calmly shifted her light away a bit, then said coldly, “You will see. She is very beautiful and very gentle.”
After speaking, Su Liumeng accelerated, quickly leaving Su Luo far behind.
Behind her, Su Luo stared at the retreating light, her expression unreadable.
After leaving Beiqing for so long, Su Liumeng’s only thought now was to return home as soon as possible.
No one knew if some little kitten had secretly cried under their blanket missing her.
Whenever Su Liumeng thought of someone who, after crying, would bite her moist lips and stubbornly claim she hadn’t cried at all—that she was already an adult and shouldn’t do such shameful things—a gentle smile quietly appeared on her face.
Which grown-up constantly reminds themselves they’re an adult?