Martial Peak
chapter-3037

Chapter 3037, Innocent

Although Madam Hua found the timid-looking girl familiar, she couldn’t remember where she had met her before. She had been living on this Spirit Island for about 200 years, so even if she had really come across the girl before, it must have happened before then.

However, the young girl’s cultivation and appearance suggested that she was just a teenager, which meant that she couldn’t possibly have been alive 200 years ago. Therefore, it wasn’t possible for Madam Hua to have met her before. Moreover, the young girl’s face and eyes, which resembled those of a woman she knew, made her feel repulsed.

Then, Madam Hua shifted her attention to the person hiding behind Yang Kai. Instantly, she figured out who that person was, so she sneered, “What’s the point of you hiding behind a man? Get out now!”

Hearing that, Lu San Niang couldn’t help but start shuddering, and she didn’t dare to reveal herself.

Seeing that, Madam Hua was certain that her speculation was right, so her lips curled up and said, “San Niang, it’s been more than ten years since we last met. Don’t you recognize me anymore?”

[San Niang?] Yuan Wu was startled for a moment before he gazed at Madam Hua in shock. At that instant, he realized that Madam Hua and Lu San Niang knew each other. Feeling apprehensive, he thought, [If Madam Hua and Lu San Niang are on good terms, then… I’m doomed.]

However, after he examined Madam Hua’s expression, he was able to set his mind at ease. [It’s fine. They’re not on good terms. In fact, there must be some grudges between them.]

Pretending to know nothing, Yuan Wu gazed at Madam Hua and asked, “Madam, do you know her?”

Madam Hua scoffed, “Of course I know her. We lived together for almost 200 years, and she always took good care of me. We know each other very well.”

With a fawning smile, Yuan Wu said, “What a coincidence.”

It was then he realized that both Madam Hua and Lu San Niang must be the captives of the Dragon Clan on this island. Judging from Madam Hua’s furious expression, he reckoned that these two ladies must have been in a fierce competition for Fu Chi’s favour, so it was understandable that they were on bad terms now. After Fu Chi expelled Lu San Niang from Dragon Palace, she was forced to relocate to Half-Dragon City, while Madam Hua stayed in the same place. Now that Madam Hua had come across her old foe, naturally, she wasn’t in a good mood.

“San Niang, why don’t you want to see me? Why are you hiding behind a man? I can see you, you know?”

Left with no choice, Lu San Niang moved away from Yang Kai and hung her head low with an anxious expression.

After Madam Hua snorted, the two ladies around her growled, “It’s really you!” Apparently, they knew Lu San Niang as well. Because of Madam Hua’s attitude, they also looked coldly and disdainfully at Lu San Niang, as they took pleasure in the latter’s misfortune.

Previously, Lu San Niang was Fu Chi’s favourite woman, so her position on this island was equivalent to that of the current Madam Hua. During the past 200 years of competition, Madam Hua had always lost to Lu San Niang. Now that Lu San Niang had been expelled from the palace though, Madam Hua didn’t have to be wary of her anymore. After all, it was said that the winner took all, and Madam Hua was the winner.

“Elder Sister Hua, fellow Sisters…” Lu San Niang hung her head low and greeted them as she grew more anxious by the moment. If possible, she would never have wanted to reveal herself; however, since Madam Hua had figured out her identity, it would be pointless for her to keep hiding. Furthermore, they had to solve the problem on this day, otherwise, it might turn into a bigger problem in the future. Gazing at these familiar faces, Lu San Niang couldn’t help recalling the unhappy memories from the past.

The woman holding the fish tank glared at Lu San Niang and snarled, “How impudent! How dare you call us Sisters! You’ve been expelled from the palace, so you have no right to address us in such a way! What a shameless woman!”

Although the other woman uttered nothing, her expression suggested that she shared the same thoughts. In the past, they were wary of Lu San Niang because the latter was Fu Chi’s favourite. However, now, they had gained Fu Chi’s favour, while Lu San Niang had been discarded by the Dragon Clan like a piece of trash. Since she was just a piece of trash, there was no way they would be afraid of her.

With a faint smile, Madam Hua said in a magnanimous manner, “Forget it. We lived together for a long time. Don’t be too hard on her now.”

Hearing that, the woman beside her stopped speaking. Appearing to be victorious, Madam Hua looked at Lu San Niang in a haughty manner and asked, “We haven’t met for more than ten years. How are you?”

Lu San Niang pressed her lips together and replied softly, “Many thanks for your concern. I’ve been doing well.”

In response, Madam Hua nodded gently, “Very good, you have no idea how sorrowful I was when you were forced to leave the island back then. I even went to beg Senior Fu Chi so that you could stay, but he had made up his mind, so there was nothing I could do. You don’t blame me for that, do you?”

After shaking her head, Lu San Niang replied, “No, I have never blamed you.”

With a smile, Madam Hua said, “I knew that you were a magnanimous person. It’s no wonder that you were Sir’s favourite in the past…”

As she spoke, she looked at Lu San Niang from the corner of her eye. Seeing that the latter appeared to be dejected, she continued gleefully, “Your power was second only to Senior Fu Chi at that time, so even I had to be respectful to you; however, life is full of uncertainties, isn’t it? Look how different the situation is now.”

Knowing that Madam Hua was mocking her, Lu San Niang just remained silent. Now that she was the weaker one, she had no choice but to kowtow to her. Furthermore, she had never been a woman who loved to compete with other women to win a man’s heart.

“By the way, why have you come back to this island? Have you gotten Sir’s permission?” Madam Hua suddenly changed the topic.

“I don’t have his permission.” Lu San Niang shook her head gently.

Pretending to be surprised, Madam Hua asked, “How did you dare to come back without his permission? Aren’t you afraid that he’ll punish you if he finds out about it?”

With a grin, Yuan Wu explained, “Madam, we’ve come to this island to help Sir build a palace. All of them are here to help as well, so they don’t need anyone’s permission.”

Upon learning the reason behind it, Madam Hua said, “Oh, I see. You have to be more meticulous, then. This palace is being built for Sir’s upcoming wedding, so everything has to be perfect. If there’s any mistake, all of you will be punished.”

“Wedding?” Yuan Wu was startled because he hadn’t heard of this news. A few days ago, Fu Qi brought all 500 of them to this island and told them what they had to do before promptly leaving. However, he didn’t tell them what the palace was for. It wasn’t until they heard it from Madam Hua that they came to the realization that this palace was being built for Fu Chi’s wedding.

It was indeed big news because there was only a small number of Dragon Clan members, and the period it took for them to reach maturity was unbelievably long. Furthermore, the ratio of men to women was unequal, so it was difficult for them to fall in love and get married. As far as Yuan Wu knew, the last wedding of a Dragon Clan member took place more than ten thousand years ago, which went to show how important a wedding was for them.

Understanding all this, Yuan Wu hurriedly said, “Madam, please rest assured. I’ll do my best to build this palace so that all of the Masters of the Dragon Clan will be satisfied.”

“Good,” Madam Hua nodded lightly. Then, she sighed and spoke helplessly. “Sir is going to get married soon. I wonder what will happen to us. San Niang, I’m really envious that you left the palace more than ten years ago. We have no choice but to stay here, and we don’t even know who the future Mistress is that we’re going to serve.”

All of a sudden, Lu Yu Qin growled, “You can also leave, then. No one is forcing you to stay!”

Although she was young and inexperienced, she could easily tell that Madam Hua and the other ladies were awful people. They kept picking on her mother as they spoke in an overbearing manner. Having been enraged by their attitude, she couldn’t take it anymore and flared up.

Lu San Niang’s expression changed abruptly as she pulled Lu Yu Qin’s sleeve and chided, “Don’t speak like that.”

With narrowed eyes, Madam Hua stared at Lu Yu Qin and said lightly, “San Niang, she must be the bastard child, right?”

Lu Yu Qin had already been born when Lu San Niang was expelled from the island. It was because Lu Yu Qin had no Dragon Vein at all that she and her mother had to be forced out of the island.

Judging from Lu Yu Qin’s age and appearance, Madam Hua was certain that she was Lu San Niang’s daughter. Having been provoked by Lu Yu Qin, she stopped being polite to Lu San Niang. She had never been fond of Lu San Niang anyway, so naturally, she loathed her daughter as well.

Furthermore, Lu Yu Qin was the daughter of Lu San Niang and Fu Chi. Although she didn’t have any Dragon Vein, she was still Fu Chi’s descendant. The very existence of Lu Yu Qin was like a needle in Madam Hua’s heart, so she had to remove it.

With a pale face, Lu San Niang pleaded, “Elder Sister Hua, she’s just a young girl who knows nothing, please forgive her.”

The woman holding the fish tank said coldly, “As her mother, do you know nothing as well?”

Lu San Niang bit her lip and replied, “Elder Sister, please forgive her. I’ll apologize on her behalf.”

Madam Hua sneered, “Are you implying that I’m a cold-hearted person? Am I so terrifying?”

“Elder Sister, you mean…”

Madam Hua waved her hand, “I will allow this matter to pass.”

Surprised, Lu San Niang uttered, “Many thanks, Elder Sister.”

Then, Madam Hua said, “However, I won’t forgive the culprit who hurt Xiao Hong. San Niang, do you know that after you left, I’ve been missing you every day?”

Naturally, Lu San Niang wouldn’t believe her. In the past, Madam Hua was her archnemesis who kept provoking her. Even though she ignored Madam Hua, the latter still wouldn’t stop competing with her. Obviously, Madam Hua was just spouting nonsense when she claimed that she had been missing Lu San Niang after the latter was forced to leave. Instead, she must have been gleeful.

“Fortunately, I chanced upon Xiao Hong.” Madam Hua then turned to look softly at the red carp in the fish tank, “Over the past decade, Xiao Hong has given me lots of comfort, so I’ve regarded it as my family member. Now that it has been hurt, I won’t let the culprit go. So, I hope that you’ll understand me.” As she stared coldly at Lu San Niang, she questioned, “Who was the one that injured Xiao Hong?