Chapter 010: The Ruthless Father

“That ugly creature entered the Five Elements Array?!” Ou Xinya jumped off her bed in fury upon receiving the news.

“Xinya, sister?” Ou Xinyu looked at her with confusion. Her elder sister had always been kind to every child in the family, even to Ou Xinlai, whom she always addressed as ‘little sister.’ So why would she call Ou Xinlai an ugly creature today?

“Ahem, my apologies, I must be muddled from illness.” Catching the strange look, Ou Xinya quickly composed herself. “Though little sister Xinlai’s talent is lacking, she’s still the chief’s daughter. What I meant was, the chief should have sent her to the Five Elements Array much earlier; it’s just surprising that he’s only doing so now. I’m worried it might be too late.”

After hearing Ou Xinya’s words, resentment flared in Ou Xinyu’s heart. “Indeed, with Xinlai’s poor talent, what right does she have to enter the Five Elements Array? She’s only relying on her status as the chief’s daughter. Even so, it doesn’t seem the chief favors her much—otherwise, why wait until now? I fear the chief is simply making a show of it. Even if Xinlai goes, it will be a wasted opportunity.”

Ou Xinyu’s words, echoing Ou Xinya’s sentiments, greatly satisfied her.

Putting on a face of worry, Ou Xinya said, “Xinyu, it’s one thing to say these things to me, but don’t let them spread. If others hear, they’ll think the chief is abusing his power and that Xinlai is utterly useless in the family.” Ou Xinyu was willful—the more someone told her not to do something, the more she would do it.

How could such a formidable chief have such a disappointing daughter as Ou Xinlai? Ou Xinya gritted her teeth. She longed to be the chief’s daughter, to enjoy every privilege, and to claim the engagement with Prince Xuan!

“There’s nothing that can’t be spoken aloud. If they’ve done nothing shameful, why should they fear my words?” Ou Xinyu’s fiery temper was something Ou Xinya had mastered. Hearing Ou Xinya’s warning only made her more indignant.

Just as Ou Xinyu was preparing to storm out and declare the chief’s favoritism to the entire clan, a pair of wicked eyes suddenly flashed in her mind. The owner of those eyes had once warned her: if you’re afraid of pain, don’t mess with her again.

Uneasy, Ou Xinyu rubbed her left hand. She still didn’t understand how it had been injured, nor why Ou Xinya had abdominal pain. Her own hand had healed completely, but Ou Xinya’s stomach had yet to recover.

A sudden, crude noise broke the silence—a loud fart echoed in Ou Xinya’s room, followed by a strange odor wafting through the air.

Ou Xinya’s expression changed, embarrassment flickering across her face as she looked at Ou Xinyu.

Ou Xinyu’s face was equally unpleasant. She never would have imagined that her elegant elder sister could produce such a foul stench!

“Xinya, sister, what’s been wrong with you lately?” Ou Xinyu asked with genuine concern. She’d noticed the heavy floral scent mixed with a trace of something foul as soon as she entered the room. So the source was Xinya herself.

“I don’t know either,” Ou Xinya replied, her face turning a shade of green. She had always prided herself on her grace and dignity, never losing composure before others. “My stomach pains were unbearable. After taking the medicine Xinlai prescribed, the pain eased somewhat, but now I can’t control the gas.” Each time the pain was at its worst, a particularly vile fart would escape her. Only once the stench had dissipated would she feel relief and the pain would subside.

Ou Xinyu rose and went to the window for fresh air. No wonder all the windows were wide open—it was to release the ‘gas.’

Ou Xinya saw through Ou Xinyu’s avoidance instantly and clenched her teeth. If she ever discovered that her embarrassing problem was truly Ou Xinlai’s doing, she would make her pay dearly! She had forced Ou Xinlai to feign death once; she could make her die for real a second time!

Remembering how Prince Xuan’s shove had nearly cost Ou Xinlai her life, Ou Xinya’s teeth itched with resentment. Why, why hadn’t Ou Xinlai died then?

If she’d known things would turn out this way, she never should have relaxed when the doctor pronounced Ou Xinlai beyond hope. She should have pressed a pillow to Ou Xinlai’s head and finished the job herself!

Only with Ou Xinlai dead could she have everything she desired—including Ye Zifei!

Even if Ou Xinlai entered the Five Elements Array, so what? She would make sure Ou Xinlai never came out alive.

Meanwhile, in another place, Ou Xinlai, still lost in deep sleep, was unceremoniously thrown into the Five Elements Array by her unscrupulous father and landed in a heap, dazed and dizzy.

She had no idea what the entrance to the Five Elements Cavern looked like, only that it seemed to be a very narrow passage. Wrapped in her quilt, she was jostled and battered by several protrusions at the entrance, as if she were tumbling off a cliff.

“Damn, that hurts,” Ou Xinlai muttered as she crawled out of her quilt. What hurt most wasn’t the bruises from the fall, but her hand. In truth, the moment those five strange old men entered her room, she had already awoken. In terms of power, she was no match for the five elders or her cheap father, so she could only play along and hope to escape unscathed.

Who could have guessed her father would be so ruthless, tossing her down without a second thought? As he threw her, she’d desperately clung to his sleeve, but he’d used some strange technique to strike her, leaving her entire arm numb.

Ou Xinlai realized this must be the so-called supernatural ability spoken of in this world of four kingdoms.