Chapter 2: Who Dares Lay a Hand on My Sister

Tianxie City, Northwest Official Road.

Two processions, one from the south and one from the north, advanced toward each other along the road. Both were accompanied by the blare of suona horns, the crackle of firecrackers, and bursts of laughter—a scene of unmistakable festivity.

In the southern procession walked the Mu family, one of the five great powers of Tianxie City, along with onlookers from various other factions. Their purpose was to send off the Mu family’s bride.

According to tradition, the bridal party must travel five li beyond the city before meeting the groom’s family.

The northern procession was the groom’s party, from the Yang family of Baling City.

At the head of the Mu party rode Mu Zihao, the Grand Elder of the family, atop a well-fed horse, radiating pride and satisfaction, his face beaming with a broad smile.

Behind him, the rest of the party walked on foot, save for the bride, who rode slowly forward atop a red horse, her face hidden beneath a crimson bridal veil.

The bride’s name was Mu Tianxue, sister to Mu Tianhen, fourteen years of age—the very age for marriage.

For most, this would be a moment of great joy, but for Mu Tianxue, it was an act of necessity.

Beneath the red veil, her face—stunning enough to topple kingdoms—showed not a trace of happiness. Instead, tears streaked her cheeks, marking her helplessness.

And yet, she did not resist. She sat atop her horse, her heart in turmoil.

“Brother, you must take care of yourself. I won’t be able to look after you anymore. Please, don’t ever defy the Grand Elder again. You must live well.”

“If there is another life, I don’t want to be your sister; I want to be your bride. I hope that by leaving, I can exchange my happiness for your peace and safety…”

As these thoughts echoed in her mind, tears flowed like a spring, soaking her bridal dress.

Soon, the two processions met five li outside the city walls, and both stopped to begin the formal exchange.

“Elder Mu, you’ve worked hard!” called the Yang family’s leader, a middle-aged man who rode forward, clasped his hands to Mu Zihao, and turned to address the Mu entourage. “Thank you all for your efforts! Now, distribute the wedding coins!”

At his command, servants hurried forward, each bearing a red tray, passing out wedding coin pouches made of red paper to the Mu family members.

“Bride! My bride! I want to see my bride!” shouted the Yang family’s groom, flailing his arms from horseback, drooling at the mouth—a clear simpleton.

But he was born into wealth and was the Yang family’s sole legitimate male heir, unlike any ordinary man. So far, he had already married three wives, all in hopes of producing an ideal successor.

Alas, fate did not favor them. Two of his wives were barren, while the third bore only daughters. The Yang family’s bloodline stood on the brink of extinction.

Thus, they sought yet another bride—Mu Tianxue, this time as a concubine, hoping she would bear them a son.

The Yang family was one of Baling City’s three great powers and had already allied with the Mu family through marriage. Mu Zihao’s wife was none other than a daughter of the Yang family and the current patriarch’s sister.

Their union was a consolidation of strength, mutual support in all things.

Mu Zihao had overseen the Mu family’s affairs for three years now, all but considering himself the head of the family, lacking only an official proclamation. He meant to use this marriage as leverage to rightfully claim the position of family head.

By custom, the bride’s veil was not to be lifted before the nuptial chamber, especially not in the case of powerful families, where tradition was paramount.

But with the Yang family’s simpleton bellowing and making a scene, this rule was discarded without a second thought. Mu Zihao cared nothing for the bride’s feelings—the sooner she was delivered, the sooner he could secure his position.

He ordered someone to lift Mu Tianxue’s bridal veil.

Everyone in the Mu family knew that Mu Zihao meant to show all present that Mu Tianhen’s line was finished, and that the family, in need of a leader, would naturally turn to him for succession.

Thus, the servant nearest to Mu Tianxue did not hesitate. He strode forward and, with a swift movement, lifted the veil, revealing her peerless face.

No one cared whether her face bore happiness or tear stains.

“Pretty bride! Ha ha, pretty! I want a kiss!” shrieked the Yang family’s simpleton, clapping his hands and trying to rush forward, only to be held back.

Mu Tianxue paid no mind to whether her veil was lifted; her heart was elsewhere, fixed on her brother, Mu Tianhen.

From the moment she left home, she had become a mere puppet, no different from a walking corpse.

Once the wedding coins had been distributed, the Mu family’s ceremonial duty was nearly over, and Mu Tianxue was about to cease being a Mu maiden and become a Yang bride.

At that moment, Mu Zihao raised his voice to announce to both families and the gathered crowd, “Today is a day of double happiness for the Mu family! First, we marry off our daughter; second, we establish a new heir!”

“My son, Mu Tianyou, awakened the bloodline of the Martial General two days ago—a blessing for our family!”

The crowd was stunned, all eyes turning to the young man beside Mu Zihao with undisguised envy.

To awaken a bloodline was a rare gift among martial cultivators. The Martial General’s bloodline was particularly powerful—a legend in a fifth-tier city like Tianxie.

Who would have thought Mu Tianyou would awaken such a bloodline!

It meant he was now an unrivaled genius, his future limitless, perhaps even destined to surpass his elder brother.

Basking in their awe, Mu Tianyou’s face glowed with pride as he gave a cursory salute in all directions.

Mu Zihao continued, “Therefore, under Tianyou’s leadership, our family will thrive as never before. For the sake of the family’s prosperity, I hereby declare that the title of heir is stripped from Mu Tianhen and bestowed upon Mu Tianyou!”

“On what grounds?” A sharp, clear voice rang out. Mu Tianxue, who had until now remained silent, glared at Mu Zihao and demanded, “On what grounds do you rob my brother of his title?”

“You promised me that if I married Yang Shen, you wouldn’t trouble my brother! Why do you break your word now?”

She swung herself off the horse and strode forward to confront Mu Zihao, her eyes blazing with anger.

“On what grounds?” Mu Zihao sneered. “Mu Tianhen’s dantian is destroyed, his cultivation gone—he’s a cripple now. How could such a person be heir to our family?”

“Would the noble Mu family entrust its fate to a useless wretch?”

“My brother is not a wretch!” Mu Tianxue shouted, her voice ringing. “He was Tianxie City’s greatest prodigy! He sacrificed his cultivation to save our family. He can recover—he will cultivate anew!”

“As Grand Elder, you act purely out of self-interest, passing the heir’s title to your own son. What’s next? Will you seize my father’s position as clan head as well?”

“Insolence!” Mu Tianyou interjected angrily. “As a daughter of the Mu family, how dare you defy the Grand Elder? That is an unforgivable offense! Men, slap her!”

At this, how could they allow Mu Tianxue to speak further? Her words threatened to ruin all their plans.

“Yes, Heir!”

A burly middle-aged man stepped forward, approaching Mu Tianxue with a grin. “Mu Tianxue, you’ve defied the Grand Elder. By order of the Heir, I’ll teach you a lesson!”

He changed his address swiftly, already acknowledging Mu Tianyou as heir, and was the first to carry out his command, hoping to be noticed and promoted in the future.

Indeed, upon hearing this, Mu Tianyou nodded approvingly.

Thrilled, the man determined to make a good show of it.

He addressed Mu Tianxue, “As a daughter of the Mu family, you show no respect to the Grand Elder—this is impiety. As a bride of the Yang family, you throw a public tantrum—this is impropriety.”

“Such an impious and improper woman must be disciplined…”

He was cut off mid-sentence by a thunderous shout.

“Who dares touch my sister!”