Martial Peak
chapter-2631

Translator: Silavin & Ashish

Translation Checker: PewPewLazerGun

Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys

“Serenity City?” An Ruo Yun’s expression changed after hearing this name and asked, “What happened?”

Serenity City might be unfamiliar to others, but to An Ruo Yun, it was like a thorn in her heart. In the past, Shi Tian He didn’t hesitate to disobey her and marry a man from Serenity City.

Shi Tian He’s figure trembled after hearing her question and she timidly looked at An Ruo Yun. Noticing that An Ruo Yun wasn’t looking at her, bitterness immediately filled her heart as she knew that her Honoured Master hadn’t forgiven her; otherwise, why hadn’t she summoned Shi Tian He and questioned her since she had seen her?

Yang Kai replied, smiling, “Speaking of which, it has something to do with Junior Sister An.”

An Ruo Yun thoughtfully looked at the pale Shi Tian He after hearing this. She maintained a stoic face, making it extremely hard to tell what was going through her mind.

“How does the matter of Serenity City have anything to do with Eldest Senior Sister? Senior Brother Yang, let’s hear the details,” Zhang Sun Ying curiously asked.

Yang Kai answered, “Junior Sister Ji Yao and I were resting at night in Serenity City a few days back. When we were about to leave the city, we ran into someone in disguise who wanted to leave Serenity City as well, but was being stopped by some people…”

He told everything that had transpired at Serenity City’s gate. He kept staring at An Ruo Yun while he was speaking, as if he was talking to her alone.

When she heard that Dong Hai completely ignored the century-long love between husband and wife, not only slandering Shi Tian He for stealing the Dong Family’s treasure but also expelling her from the Dong Family in public, the armrest on An Ruo Yun’s chair was crushed to dust.

Although An Ruo Yun had expelled Shi Tian He, she had raised her after all, so how could she let some Dong Family bully her Disciple like this?

What’s more, she knew Shi Tian He the best. How could it be possible for her to commit a lowly act like theft?

“Later, Junior Sister Ji Yao and I learned that the stealing of some precious family treasure was just false pretence while the root cause was that when Tian He learned that her Master Sect was in trouble, she wanted to return to the valley to render aid. But now, the Northern Territory is in turmoil and things don’t end well for anyone who has anything to do with Ice Heart Valley. As such, the Dong Family didn’t dare to let Tian He reveal her identity and pinned this crime on her to expel her from the Dong Family, so as to separate her from them lest they become implicated.”

Yang Kai continued, “Junior Sister Ji Yao and I ran into Tian He and finally came to know about Ice Heart Valley’s situation; after which, we rushed over as quickly as we could.”

After speaking, he picked up the cup of tea beside him and slowly took a sip.

“They went too far!” An Ruo Yun couldn’t hold it in anymore and smashed the other armrest with a smack.

In the main hall, many Ice Heart Valley disciples also looked angry.

For millennia, all the men of the Northern Territory had taken immense pride in being able to marry an Ice Heart Valley disciple, but now, when the dragon was in the shallow water and the tiger had come down to the plain, a mere Serenity City Dong Family dared to bully them.

An Ice Heart Valley disciple had married into the Dong Family as their matron, but in the end, she was expelled from the family in public, and her reputation was also smeared.

Ice Heart Valley’s disciples were fuming in anger.

“Tian He, come here!” An Ruo Yun raised her eyes and finally stared at Shi Tian He by Yang Kai’s side.

Shi Tian He’s tender figure fiercely trembled after hearing this. Her steps were shaky and she was having a hard time lifting her feet. Yu Dan even had to give her a little push and an encouraging look before Shi Tian He finally walked to An Ruo Yun and knelt down.

She didn’t say a word, just kept crying.

An Ruo Yun lifted her hand up high as she stared down angrily at her former Disciple. It seemed that she wanted to unleash a slap, but after a few tries, she couldn’t do it and instead stomped her foot as she dropped her arm.

After taking a deep breath and calming herself down, An Ruo Yun, “Unfilial Disciple, have you realized your mistake!”

Shi Tian He burst into tears and admitted, nodding, “Disciple has realized her mistake!”

An Ruo Yun stated with rage, “A hundred years ago, I advised you not to marry into the Dong Family because of that coincidental life-saving grace. There were many other ways to repay such kindness. There was no need to sacrifice your happiness! You sowed your fate yourself. Why do you humiliate yourself like this!?”

Shi Tian He, with her head touching the ground, kept prostrating and crying, “I ask Honoured Master to punish this unfilial disciple!”

An Ruo Yun stated with a cold face, “Don’t call me Honoured Master. You ceased to be my disciple a hundred years ago. You and I have already severed the ties of Master and Disciple. Everything you are facing is the result of your actions that day, whether it’s sour or bitter, you have to face it yourself. It has nothing to do with me, and neither does it have anything to do with Ice Heart Valley!”

“I beg Honoured Master to punish this unfilial disciple!” Shi Tian He weepingly begged.

An Ruo Yun angrily shouted, “You still dare to call me Honoured Master!”

Zhang Sun Yin couldn’t stand it anymore, standing up to intervene, “Eldest Senior Sister, please calm your anger. Although Tian He didn’t listen to you and disobeyed you in the past, she has suffered so much now. I believe she will never make the same mistake again. What’s more... She desperately tried to return to Ice Heart Valley when she heard that the Master Sect was in a difficult position. Can’t Eldest Senior Sister forgive her out of consideration for her will and loyalty?”

The other Junior Sisters also nodded one after another as they began to persuade her.

Upon seeing this, Yu Dan hurriedly walked forward and knelt down before An Ruo Yun and pleaded, “Honoured Master, please forgive Junior Sister Tian He this time.”

Zi Yu also came to An Ruo Yun’s front and begged, kneeling down, “Honoured Master, Junior Sister Tian He has already realized her mistake, please forgive her!”

Just like Shi Tian He, both of them were direct Disciples of An Ruo Yun, so they were qualified to intercede.

“You…” An Ruo Yun immediately became angry after seeing this, pointing at Yu Dan and Zi Yu as she grit her teeth and shouted, “Good, good, it seems your wings have hardened and now you are disobeying me while still daring to call me your Honoured Master.”

Yu Dan and Zi Yu’s tender figures trembled before they spoke in unison, “Honoured Master, please don’t be angry, Disciple wouldn’t dare.”

“Since you dared not, then quickly stand up,” An Ruo Yun angrily ordered.

Yu Dan and Zi Yu glanced at each other before pleading in unison again, “Honoured Master, please forgive Junior Sister Tian He.”

“You dare bargain with me!?” An Ruo Yun was completely incensed.

“Enough!” Bing Yun suddenly intervened.

As soon as she spoke, everyone immediately fell silent.

Bing Yun looked around before finally gazing straight at the prostrating Shi Tian He, who had her head touching the ground all the while, “Your name is Shi Tian He?”

Shi Tian He hurriedly turned around and replied, suppressing her cries, “Disciple Shi Tian He, greets Ancestral Founder!”

“En!” Bing Yun lightly nodded before pondering for a while and continuing, “Since you disobeyed your Honoured Master a hundred years ago and were expelled from the Sect for this crime, logically speaking, you are no longer a part of my Ice Heart Valley. Your life and death has nothing to do with us…”

Shi Tian He’s figure trembled after hearing this, falling into despair.

Bing Yun immediately continued, however, “But since your heart was still with the Master Sect and you risked your life to come to its defence, this Queen will give you a chance!”

She Tian He hurried asked, “This disciple earnestly requests for Ancestral Founder’s instructions!”

Bing Yun smiled and explained, “This Queen will take charge of this matter and admit you back into Ice Heart Valley. But...whether you can worship back under your Honoured Master or not will depend on your future performance.”

Shi Tian He looked up, looking at Bing Yun with pleasant surprise and gratitude, but very soon, she turned her head and said in a bitter voice, nervously looking at An Ruo Yun, “Since Honoured Master disagrees, this disciple doesn’t dare to return to Ice Heart Valley.”

Bing Yun smiled and added, “Your Honoured Master is my Disciple, since this Queen has given her order, how would she dare to disagree. Ruo Yun, what do you say?”

An Ruo Yun glanced at Bing Yun before she bowed and stated, “Disciple will follow Master’s order!”

After she finished speaking, she looked back at Shi Tian He and ordered, “Why are you still on your knees? Quickly thank Ancestral Founder!”

Shi Tian He was startled but she hurriedly composed herself and kowtowed, “Many thanks for your magnanimity, Ancestral Founder.”

After thanking Bing Yun, Shi Tian He finally stood up, her face beaming with happiness, but tears still flowing out of the corners of her eyes.

An Ruo Yun angrily rebuked, “Are you still going to embarrass yourself?”

While speaking, she threw a handkerchief to Shi Tian He.

Shi Tian He caught it but didn’t use it to wipe her tears, instead just clenching it tightly and using her sleeve to dry her eyes. Zi Yu and Yu Dan stood back up as well and couldn’t help but smile as they exchanged a glance.

“From now on, you will cultivate by Zi Yu’s side. Don’t worry about the Dong Family. After we have settled things here, I will personally go and uphold justice for you!” An Ruo Yun stated in a cold voice.

As soon as she proclaimed this, Shi Tian He knew that she was still in her Honoured Master’s heart. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have said anything about seeking justice for her.

She shook her head and stated, “Honoured Master, the Dong Family doesn’t exist anymore…”

“Doesn’t exist!” An Ruo Yun’s pretty eyes flickered with a cold gleam as she coldly snorted, “They were let off too easily, but if that’s the case, so be it. From now on, you will peacefully stay in the valley. If you commit another mistake in the future, you will not be forgiven!”

“Yes!” Shi Tian He respectfully replied.

“Congratulations Senior Bing Yun for reuniting with your disciple, congratulations Junior Sister An for reuniting with your disciple,” Yang Kai, who had been drinking tea all the while, seeing that things had settled down, finally smiled and congratulated, cupping his fists.

Bing Yun smiled and said, “It’s thanks to you. Speaking of which... several major events involving my Ice Heart Valley are connected with you. It seems that there is an inexplicable relationship between you and I.”

She was able to escape from the Solitary Void Sealed World and return to Ice Heart Valley mainly because of Yang Kai, and now, Ji Yao and Shi Tian He had returned thanks to him. If this wasn’t fate, then what was it?

“Just some chances and coincidences,” Yang Kai smiled. Immediately though, he turned serious and asked, “Senior, Junior Sister Ji Yao and I have just heard some rumours outside and are not that clear about Ice Heart Valley’s exact situation. Senior, could you please elaborate?”

When Yang Kai brought this up, everyone turned serious as Bing Yun asked, “What do you want to know?”

Yang Kai replied, “Seeking Passion Sect and Ice Heart Valley should be on par with each other in terms of strength, so how were they able to force Ice Heart Valley into this precarious position?”

Bing Yun replied with a sigh, “The two Sects were indeed almost on par with each other, but half a year ago, Seeking Passion Sect’s Vice Sect Master suddenly broke through to the Third-Order Emperor Realm. With Feng Xuan and him teaming up, this Queen wasn’t their match. In addition, my Ice Heart Valley has always been somewhat isolated from the world and never formed close ties with other Sects while Seeking Passion Sect has actively recruited many from their subordinates and outside forces. It has been difficult for my Ice Heart Valley to reverse such momentum, leading to us retreating to the valley to seek shelter behind our Sect Defending Array.”