Chapter 10: Stepping Up for Justice

“Good day, Miss Nangong.” The crowd quickly greeted Nangong Lin with respectful bows.

“Everyone, there’s no need to be so formal. Please, rise.” Nangong Lin waved her hands, clearly uncomfortable with all the attention.

Suddenly, a desperate scream rang out from the Liu family estate. “No… please, don’t! I’m begging you!”

“Too late. I can’t wait any longer. Ruyan, just give in to me already!” Another voice answered coldly.

The commotion instantly drew everyone’s attention; all eyes turned toward the Liu family.

……………

Inside the Liu residence, Wang Qiang’s lecherous hand reached out for Liu Ruyan.

“As long as I’m alive, I won’t let you lay a single finger on my lady!” Xiaocui, Liu Ruyan’s maid, gritted her teeth and latched herself to Wang Qiang’s leg with fierce determination.

Wang Qiang glanced down, displeased. “Get lost! Don’t ruin my mood. I’m not interested in you!”

With a thunderous crash, he kicked Xiaocui hard against the wall. She hit the ground and didn’t move again.

Wang Qiang spat on the floor in disgust, snarling, “What’s wrong with living? Why are you so eager to die?” He looked at Xiaocui’s mangled body as if what he’d done was nothing at all.

“Ruyan, what’s so bad about being the Wang family’s young mistress? Why do you keep rejecting me over and over?” He turned his gaze to Liu Ruyan on the bed. “If you’d agreed sooner, your maid wouldn’t have died. So really, it’s your fault!”

Liu Ruyan stared at Xiaocui’s broken body, tears streaming down her face. Blaming herself, she sobbed, “Xiaocui, this is all my fault…”

Wang Qiang sneered at the weeping Liu Ruyan. A cold flash crossed his eyes. “All this time, I’ve been swallowing my pride—trying everything to win you over. But you just keep ignoring me!”

“You see yourself as some untouchable, pure fairy—while everyone thinks I’m a villain. Maybe I’ve got a bad reputation, but my feelings for you are real.” He laughed bitterly, “How could you be so blind to that?”

“But none of that matters anymore. Tonight, it’s done. There’s no turning back!” With a twisted smile, Wang Qiang pressed his hand to his head and stared hungrily at Liu Ruyan.

“Ruyan, just give in to me.” He pounced toward the bed.

“No… Please, just let me go.” Liu Ruyan fought back with everything she had, but as only Fifth Stage Sword Practitioner Realm, she was no match for Wang Qiang and his Sword Sea Realm power.

She couldn’t even end her own life. Wang Qiang, fearing she’d kill herself before he could have her, had sealed her meridians from the start. Even her father, at the peak of Sword Qi Realm, was held back by Wang Qiang’s men.

With a loud rip, Wang Qiang tore Liu Ruyan’s blouse, exposing her pale skin.

Paralyzed, Liu Ruyan could only watch as Wang Qiang continued tearing away her clothing. Tears ran unchecked down her face—her despair overwhelming.

“Don’t worry, Ruyan. I’ll be good to you.” Wang Qiang ignored her sobbing, his lust intensifying at the sight of her exposed skin.

“Stop crying, you’re breaking my heart.” He gripped her wrists tightly with one hand while the other roamed her body.

Liu Ruyan, seeing no hope left, squeezed her eyes shut. Hot tears slid down her cheeks as she resigned herself to her fate.

She was ready to give up.

With a deafening crash, the door was suddenly kicked off its hinges.

“You beast! Let that girl go, right now!” Nangong Lin’s furious voice echoed through the room.

Wang Qiang was mid-fantasy, anger rising at the interruption. But when he saw who it was, his eyes widened with greedy excitement. “You—what a beauty. Even prettier than Ruyan! Are you hoping to join in?”

“Who would’ve thought—two at once! What a lucky day! Hahaha!” Wang Qiang lunged toward Nangong Lin. “Come here, little beauty! Let me show you a good time!”

“You bastard! I’ll kill you!” Nangong Lin was so furious she nearly rolled up her sleeves to fight right then and there.

“Why are you running so fast? You don’t even know what dangers are ahead.” Just as she was about to charge forward, Gu Qingyi appeared and stopped her, seeing her burning with anger.

“Brother Gu, did you see that? If I’d been a moment later, Ruyan would’ve lost everything!” Nangong Lin pouted angrily, shot Gu Qingyi a glare, then pointed at Wang Qiang. “Quick, Brother Gu—beat him to death!”

Lost in his fantasies, Wang Qiang finally noticed Gu Qingyi and roared, “Who the hell are you? How dare you meddle in Wang family affairs?”

“You must have a death wish, kid!” Wang Qiang, no longer in the mood for pleasure, lashed out at Gu Qingyi.

Gu Qingyi glanced coolly at the half-dressed Wang Qiang and said coldly, “You’re not even worthy for me to draw my sword.” In a flash, his figure darted past Wang Qiang. The next thing Wang Qiang knew, Gu Qingyi had him lifted by the throat.

“Let me go, or you’ll regret it!” Wang Qiang’s face turned purple as he struggled and screamed for air.

Gu Qingyi’s gaze turned ice-cold as his grip tightened. His voice was chilling. “The last person who threatened me has weeds three feet high growing on his grave.” With a sickening crack, Gu Qingyi twisted Wang Qiang’s neck a full circle.

“What bad luck.” Gu Qingyi looked at Wang Qiang’s corpse with disgust before tossing it out the Liu family gate—sending the bystanders outside scattering in terror.

“W-was that… Young Master Wang? Wait—someone’s dead!” The crowd outside, still watching a moment ago, suddenly broke apart and fled.

……………..

Nangong Lin rushed to the sobbing Liu Ruyan on the bed, quickly taking off her own coat to cover her.

She gently patted Ruyan’s back, speaking in a soothing voice. “There, there… It’s all over now.” Ruyan only sobbed harder.

“Ruyan, are you okay? Where’s that little bastard?” Liu Yuan, having dealt with the trouble outside, rushed in anxiously to check on Liu Ruyan.

He was a man with a scruffy beard and ill-fitting clothes, yet he had an undeniable air of maturity and rugged handsomeness. This was none other than Liu Ruyan’s father, Liu Yuan.

“Ruyan, it’s all my fault—I was too weak to protect you…” Liu Yuan closed his eyes in bitter pain at the sight of his daughter’s suffering.

“If only I had strength… If only I was stronger!” Liu Yuan pounded his fists on the floor in self-reproach. “If Ruyan suffered this humiliation for nothing today, I wouldn’t have the face to meet our ancestors—or your mother in the afterlife.”

[Sword Qi Continent cultivation level hierarchy: Ordinary Person, Sword Practitioner Realm, Sword Qi Realm, Sword Sea Realm, Sword King Realm, Sword Emperor Realm, Sword Saint Realm, (Demi-God Realm), Sword God Realm]

[The Demi-God Realm has never appeared in the world. As a result, it has been all but forgotten. Also known as False God Realm, it is clearly documented in the Ancient Inheritance Scrolls.]