"Sister, that Chu Feng knew I was your brother, but he doesn't fear you at all," Xia Ran said aggrievedly.
"To know you're my brother and still dare lay a hand on you — he's truly courting death."
Xia Yan was indeed furious, yet she hadn't lost her reason. Instead, she asked, "How did the two of you come into conflict? Was it that Chu Feng who picked a fight with you first?"
"Of course not, sis — you know my personality. I've always been friendly to everyone. When have I ever gone looking for trouble? My grudge with that Chu Feng came about because…"
Xia Ran shed tears of grievance as he recounted his feud with Chu Feng to Xia Yan.
Of course, everything he said was carefully curated — casting himself as the virtuous, righteous party while painting Chu Feng as an irredeemable villain.
When his account reached the surrounding crowd, every on-hlooker wore an expression of shock. Had they not heard it with their own ears, they never would have believed that Xia Ran could be so shameless — twisting black into white and stirring up trouble like this. After all, they knew the facts and the truth were nothing of the sort.
But none of them dared speak up. They could only let Xia Ran distort the truth as he pleased, because they were afraid.
"Despicable! The Northern Profound Court actually harbors such a vile person."
"Where is he? Bring him to me at once."
Xia Yan, ignorant of the truth, believed everything Xia Ran said. Learning that her brother had been bullied so惨ly, she ground her teeth in fury, and a faint murderous intent surged within her beautiful eyes.
Seeing Xia Yan like this, Xia Ran appeared aggrieved on the surface, but inwardly he was overjoyed.
Everything was going exactly as he had predicted.
Everything had been meticulously orchestrated by him. The moment he learned Xia Yan had emerged from seclusion, he had arranged for someone to deliver a pre-written letter to her, while he himself hurried here to frame Chu Feng.
Seeing Xia Yan's reaction now, he knew Chu Feng wouldn't live past today.
He was thoroughly pleased with himself — after all, Chu Feng's impending doom was entirely his handiwork.
"Misunderstanding! This is all a misunderstanding!"
Suddenly, several figures swept through the air and landed — it was the head of the Northern Profound Court along with a number of elders. Having learned of Xia Ran's arrival, they'd sensed something bad was about to happen and rushed over, arriving just in time to witness Xia Ran twisting the truth.
"Head of the Northern Profound Court, you still dare show your face?"
"You're truly impressive — you've really opened my eyes."
"You actually tolerate such an evil disciple in your court?"
"No wonder the Northern Profound Court under your leadership has grown worse by the day."
When Xia Yan saw the head of the Northern Profound Court, she showed not the slightest trace of alarm. Instead, she was overbearing and imperious — looking like a noble princess holding a minister accountable. Her bearing was lofty, and yet no one found it surprising. Xia Yan truly had the capital to be this way.
"Xia Yan, it's a misunderstanding — this really is a misunderstanding. The truth is not as it appears," the head pleaded desperately.
"Misunderstanding?"
"Look at these injuries on me — do these look like a misunderstanding to you?"
Xia Ran shot to his feet and roared with an unsatisfied scowl. With Xia Yan backing him up, his confidence had swelled enormously.
"Xia Ran, the matter between you and Chu Feng was minor to begin with. There was no need for it to escalate to this point," the head counseled him.
"Sis, you see? I've been beaten to this state, and he still calls it minor — that's the attitude of the Northern Profound Court."
Xia Ran looked toward Xia Yan with a grievance-laden expression.
"Head of the Northern Profound Court, you'd best hand over that Chu Feng right now. Otherwise… I'll have my grandfather and my maternal grandfather come here to have a word with you."
The moment these words left her mouth, the head's face — along with those of the enforcement elders — turned ashen.
Xia Yan's grandfather and maternal grandfather — what manner of figures were they? Even the Eastern Dragon Court and the Western Tiger Court wouldn't dare offend them, let alone their humble Northern Profound Court. They had known Xia Yan would come making trouble after emerging from seclusion, but they hadn't expected her reaction to be this extreme.
Their furious gazes fell upon Xia Ran. Under normal circumstances, Xia Yan truly wouldn't behave like this. The reason she was now was entirely because of Xia Ran — his self-inflicted suffering stratagem and his embellished exaggerations that had inflamed Xia Yan's rage.
Yet they were powerless to do anything about it. When they tried to explain the truth to Xia Yan, she refused to listen to a word.
Even the head felt a sense of despair, and the rest of the Northern Profound Court could only conclude that Chu Feng was as good as dead. Who could possibly stand against a Xia Yan like this?
"Oh my — isn't that Brother Xia?"
"Haha, I never expected it — so you're Xia Yan?"
Just then, a voice suddenly rang out from within the crowd.
The moment the voice sounded, the crowd scattered like a startled swarm of bees. The onlookers — elders and disciples alike — had recognized who that voice belonged to, and fearing they might be implicated, they immediately fled to a distance. The patch of sky that had moments ago been crowded with figures was, in the blink of an eye, left with only a single person standing alone. If there was ever a definition of being isolated, then this person was undoubtedly the most isolated of all.
And that person was none other than Chu Feng!!!
"You!!!"