Yan Jiaojiao rolled her eyes internally.
This old woman certainly knew how to hit where it hurt. If she hadn't reformed her inner core yet, she might have felt a pang of guilt.
"Are you telling me what to do?" Yan Jiaojiao flicked away the guard's whip and snorted, "Causing trouble in my courtyard, as a subordinate, aren't you being a bit too arrogant?"
Her words were heavy. Mama Chen's face grew uglier, and her tone sharpened, "If Eldest Miss behaves with propriety and accompanies me to pay respects to Madam, why the need for such a commotion!"
She couldn't refuse today.
Yan Jiaojiao didn't want to reveal her current condition too early and knew that Chen Wenyu wouldn't stop pestering her until she was satisfied. She had to play it by ear.
So, Yan Jiaojiao stared at Mama Chen and said, "Rong'er, change my clothes."
Rong'er, tears of gratitude streaming down her face, scrambled up from the ground and closely followed Yan Jiaojiao back to her room, knowing that if it wasn't for Eldest Miss's intervention, she would have been whipped again.
Since she had decided to visit Chen Wenyu's wolf's den, Yan Jiaojiao wasted no more time. She quickly changed and left, following Mama Chen all the way to Chen Wenyu's courtyard.
Unlike the secluded little courtyard where Yan Jiaojiao lived, Chen Wenyu, as Yan Zhengfeng's favored concubine, resided in a luxurious courtyard closer to the center of the Yan estate.
Carved railings and jade steps were a given, and every sight was filled with precious flowers and trees, complementing the pavilions and towers, creating a pleasing spectacle.
Unfortunately, the person living in the courtyard was utterly unappetizing.
As Yan Jiaojiao lamented the beautiful scenery, she had already arrived at the room where Chen Wenyu and the others were.
This was Yan Ruliu's room. Incense burned, masking the faint scent of blood emanating from Yan Ruliu.
Chen Wenyu was currently sitting by Yan Ruliu's bed. She had put on a veil, and her swelling had subsided. With the veil on, the lingering bruises were not visible.
Yan Ruliu, on the other hand, lay on the bed, half-dead, eyes closed, brow furrowed, groaning weakly and pitifully.
How fragile.
Having both had their bones scraped and cores destroyed, Yan Jiaojiao had woken up in the Abyss of Ten Thousand Beasts. This person, however, had been lying here for days, barely clinging to life.
Yan Jiaojiao stood there, admiring Yan Ruliu's miserable state for a while before stepping into the room. She neither knelt nor bowed, meeting Chen Wenyu's gaze unflinchingly.
Chen Wenyu was already annoyed to see Yan Jiaojiao and became even more incensed. However, fearing Yan Jiaojiao might retaliate, she suppressed her anger and said, "Won't you kneel and apologize to your sister? Have you no shame at all?"
"Kneel to her?"
Yan Jiaojiao retorted, her bright eyes conveying the unspoken three words: She's not worthy!
Even now, wasn't Chen Wenyu being too naive, still trying to control her? It was truly laughable.
Yan Jiaojiao couldn't be bothered to acknowledge her. She casually pulled up a stool by a small table and sat down.
"You!"
Chen Wenyu choked with rage, her face changing several times before she finally managed to control herself. Her voice was tight as she said, "You disregard seniority and harm your kin. You have violated the family rules and are beyond salvation. I have already reported it to have your name removed from the registration. You don't need to go for the selection at the Genan Academy in ten days."
Genan Academy?
This was the second time Yan Jiaojiao had heard this name.
When she had first returned to the Yan family, she had overheard Yan Ruliu and Yan Rou'er plotting to take her place in the Genan Academy selection.
Now that Chen Wenyu mentioned it again, Yan Jiaojiao carefully searched the original owner's memories.
The first thing that came to mind wasn't how prestigious Genan Academy was on the Boundless Continent, but the Scripture Pavilion within Genan Academy.
It was said that the Scripture Pavilion held spiritual artifacts and vessels collected by deans from generations past, and even possessed Green-grade divine artifacts comparable to the Dan-breaking Grass. Obtaining any one of them would significantly impact one's cultivation.
Genan Academy was a coveted cultivation academy, but for Yan Jiaojiao at this moment, this was not particularly surprising. What she desired were the rare treasures within Genan Academy!
To obtain a vessel that could support her cultivation's spiritual sea, why wouldn't she seek opportunities at Genan Academy?
Yan Jiaojiao nodded with satisfaction, affirming her keen perception.
"You agree?"
Chen Wenyu, however, misunderstood and was greatly surprised, thinking Yan Jiaojiao had easily given up on going to Genan Academy.
Yan Jiaojiao then looked at her again, a faint smile playing on her lips. "This Venerable... I mean, I, will participate in the Genan Academy selection. If you called me here for this matter, then there's no need to say more."
Nodding one moment and changing her mind the next, Chen Wenyu gritted her teeth, her veins bulging with anger. "Are you playing with me?"
"You don't need to worry about me," Yan Jiaojiao said. "If you dare to cancel my registration, I will kill Yan Ruliu!"
Yan Ruliu, lying on the bed, shivered.
Chen Wenyu's heart leaped. She knew Yan Jiaojiao could and would follow through. Thus, she grudgingly softened her tone. "This matter has already been reported. There's no room for your interference. If you truly wish to go, I have a way."
Yan Jiaojiao would rather believe Chen Wenyu had canceled her registration than believe she would offer advice out of kindness.
As expected, Chen Wenyu continued, "Your name is gone, but Liu'er's name is still valid. You just need to replace Yan Ruliu for the selection, and then you can enroll using that name. Whatever skills you acquire then will be your own..."
"Re-submit my registration."
Yan Jiaojiao mercilessly thwarted Chen Wenyu's plan.
She must have lost her mind to agree to impersonate her enemy.
Chen Wenyu paused, staring gloomily at Yan Jiaojiao.
If it weren't for her exceptional summoning skills and the chance to sneak into Genan Academy, Chen Wenyu would never have allowed Yan Jiaojiao to temporarily replace her daughter.
After all, it was Yan Jiaojiao who had caused Yan Ruliu to lose her inner core and become a cripple.
"You think just because I've lost my inner core, I can be controlled by you?" Yan Jiaojiao saw through Chen Wenyu's intentions at a glance. "If I replace Yan Ruliu and enter Genan Academy, by the time you've nursed Yan Ruliu back to health, it will likely be my death sentence."
Chen Wenyu ground her molars, her eyes filled with a new layer of enraged hatred at being seen through.
"Unfortunately, my mind is much clearer now than it was before," Yan Jiaojiao said, feigning regret and shaking her head.
Only someone as naive as the original owner would believe such a preposterous lie.
Yan Jiaojiao, having lived for thousands of years, would never be led around by the nose with such absurdity.
Chen Wenyu, however, slowly pulled her lips into a strange smile. "You really don't want it? I advise you to think carefully."
Yan Jiaojiao stood up, brushing imaginary dust off her clothes. "If there's nothing else, I'll be going..."
Before she could finish the word "going," Yan Jiaojiao felt a familiar dizziness wash over her, and the ceiling before her began to spin.
Yan Jiaojiao turned her gaze to Chen Wenyu. The veiled face blurred into countless afterimages, indistinct and unidentifiable.
Yan Jiaojiao struggled to lift her eyes, gritting her teeth fiercely. "You... drugged me..."