Chapter 72: Breaking Out of the Cocoon, Becoming a Butterfly
The truth is revealed, the table is overturned.
Kichyō expressed everything she wanted to say clearly and openly, without any regrets.
She felt a great sense of delight, to the extent that even her gaze towards her father no longer held the same level of respect and apprehension.
She truly believed that her father had put in tremendous effort to sustain this family, but, however…
But!
No matter what the reason is, it is never justified to sacrifice one's daughter's lifelong happiness in order to maintain it!
A family is meant to protect its members, not to exploit the inherent worth of its members. This is a shameful reversal of priorities!
When you are wrong, it is unnecessary for me to continue blindly obeying without conditions.
Even if you are the patriarch, even if you are the father…!
"Please make way!"
She took a step forward, growling like a lioness.
If he hadn't witnessed it with his own eyes, Xuanma would never have imagined that he could ever see his daughter in such a demeanor.
The daughter, who had been submissive for over a decade, bears no resemblance to her mother, nor to the enchanting and deeply beloved wife that captivated him.
Now, she has finally shed the disguise of being a well-behaved daughter and dares to reveal her fangs in the presence of the head of the family.
This brings both pride and sleepless anguish to him as a father.
Xuanma's mind raced with countless thoughts, and in the next moment, his expression changed abruptly as he exclaimed in anger, "Do you think you can just walk away? Stop her, everyone!"
The family's bodyguards and the employees of the private security company approached, forming a solid human barrier.
"My apologies, Miss. I deeply regret any offense caused," the man in sunglasses gritted his teeth and spoke.
He desperately wanted to step aside, but by offending the family head, he would risk being dismissed.
"I should have known it would turn out this way."
Kichyō was not at all surprised. Her father was not easily persuaded, so instead of slowly convincing him, it was better to prove it with facts.
She had long been mentally prepared.
The time, eleven forty… Ten minutes have passed, yet it felt somewhat prolonged.
"I shouldn't be wasting too much time here," she said softly, then turned to a person nearby and asked, "Which floor is this?"
"Um, second floor," the waiter replied instinctively.
"Thank you."
As Kichyō turned back with a smile, she expressed her gratitude. This smile made the acne-faced girl blush, and in the next moment, she snatched the plate from the hands of the service staff and swiftly turned around, dashing towards the other end of the corridor.
Xuanma berated, "Stop her! She intends to jump out of the window!"
The crowd of muscular men behind pressed forward, but these beefy individuals couldn't make use of their numerical advantage in the slightly congested corridor, and they couldn't catch up to her speed.
Kichyō threw the heavy object in her hand, smashing it against the hotel window. With a loud bang, the painted glass shattered onto the floor, leaving the window wide open.
With a graceful leap, using the wide, pure white and substantial sleeves of her attire to conceal herself, she crashed into the window and leapt out.
The others stopped a few steps in front of the window, gazing at that agile and liberated figure.
The swaying wind lifted the long sleeves of her pure white attire. The girl extended her arms, savoring the wind as it caressed her neck and passed through her sleeves. In that moment, she was truly free.
In this fleeting moment, stretched and observed from afar, it appeared as if a butterfly had unfurled its delicate and pure white wings, breaking free from its cocoon, gracefully fluttering its wings beneath the azure sky.
She trod upon the lawn, from a height of three meters, landing firmly and effortlessly.
Before departing, she cast a backward glance, raising her gaze.
The father by the window wordlessly opened his mouth, only to close it again in an instant.
The girl curved her lips upward, gathered her sleeves, and briskly walked away, for she still had an important matter to attend to.
"Mr. Xuanma, do you wish to pursue?" asked a security guard.
"Is it worthwhile to give chase? To bring her back for an engagement?" Xuanma waved his hand, his expression dark and ambiguous. "Everyone, disperse. Leave me to be alone for a moment of tranquility."
The crowd dispersed.
Xuanma walked into the lounge and glanced at the white cotton cap abandoned on the dressing table.
"Master." The only person who dared to approach was the maid Ato, and she nervously said, "Please forgive me, Miss, she is…"
"Ato, ah." Xuanma gazed at the reflection of his middle-aged self in the mirror and softly inquired, "Was my daughter just now not strikingly reminiscent of her own mother?"
The maid nodded vigorously and exclaimed, "Absolutely! Like a spitting image carved from the same mold!"
"Excellent!" Xuanma burst into hearty laughter. "Splendid!"
Laughing heartily and freely, as if releasing the burden of unresolved sorrows accumulated over a decade.
He turned his head and asked again, "Why is this young lady reacting so strongly to the engagement? She even mentioned seeing someone just now. Do you happen to know anything about it?"
Ato shook her head, as the young lady seldom had any interaction with gentlemen of her age within the confines of her chambers.
Xuanma sighed, "Women should not stay confined in one place."
…
Kichyō halted in front of a familiar street corner, gazing up at the shop with the prominent characters of "Jialan" adorning its facade.
She resisted the familiar urge to pick up a stone from the roadside and throw it at the shop window, and instead pushed open the door.
"Welcome to…" greeted a young shop assistant in the antique store. "Hello, may I inquire about the purpose of your visit?"
The other person looked at her pristine white attire and pondered, "Could it be that she has come here in search of a bridegroom?"
"I want this sword," Kichyō pointed at the modest antique sword displayed inside the showcase.
"This sword, oh, this sword is remarkable, for it…"
"I know, it measures six feet nine inches long and weighs twenty-four taels."
"Ah, well…" the shop assistant rubbed his hands together. "This is an antique sword produced by the renowned Jialan Hall. It comes with a certificate of authentication, and it certainly doesn't come cheap."
"Are you willing to extend credit?" Kichyō presented her religious emblem. "Afterward, you can go here to withdraw the money."
The shop assistant glanced at the family crest and immediately nodded. "Certainly, please be so kind as to sign your name," he requested.
Kichyō, having used her own identity, purchased this sword, contented with her heart, and was about to leave when she was called back.
"Please wait, the sword hasn't been unsealed yet," said the shop assistant. "It needs to be unsealed before it can be used."
"Unsealed?"
"Yes, although the appearance of this sword resembles that of an ancient blade, it is not truly such. In fact, its forging technique originates from the Ming Country, while its design takes inspiration from the swords of Yingzhou," explained the shop assistant, a native of the Ming Country, as he tapped on the sword handle and removed a yellow talisman wrapped around it.
This scene feels familiar.
However, it wasn't over yet. The shop assistant took out an oil bottle and applied it onto the blade. As if the rust had been removed, the inscriptions hidden on the blade began to surface.
Those who are about to engage in battle, form your ranks and advance!
- "Volume Seventeen of the Book of Abundant Simplicity" -
Kichyō finally realized that despite snatching the sword a hundred times, she had never once laid eyes on its true form.
Although Bai Wei became aware of it, he was unfortunately constrained by circumstances and could only halfway break the seal.
Kichyō took hold of the newly crafted blade, which bore a significantly different appearance, and eagerly asked, "What is the name of this sword?"
"It is called the Nine-Syllable Blade, capable of vanquishing malevolent spirits."
…
Noon, quarter past twelve.
Inside the hollows often used as hiding places for children's play equipment, there sat a female high school student.
She concealed herself within the shadows, unnoticed by anyone, in a corner behind the thicket.
The female high school student retrieved a bottle from her portable backpack, filled with a crimson liquid. Unscrewing the cap, she tilted her head back and drank the crimson elixir without even wiping her lips. Immediately, with utmost care, she retrieved a book, opening it to a page adorned with intricate incantations. She proceeded to chant the words inscribed upon it, one by one.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of footsteps gradually approaching from a distance. The footsteps were rapid, urgent, and swiftly closing in.
She halted her chanting and emerged from the corner. In that fleeting moment of departure, something flashed past the spot where she had hidden. Plastic and wooden toys sprung open on either side, resembling an orange sliced open by a sword. As she tumbled onto the sandy ground, her left hand was lacerated and small beads of blood seeped from the wound.
"I knew it, you must be hiding here."
A pristine and flawless white wedding gown swayed in the wind as she clenched a sword, its blade shimmering with a white light that dripped with blood, matching her every step.
The female high school student lifted her head, her complexion turning pale, "Who are you?"
"This is not important. What matters is, I know who you are," said Kichyō, raising her gaze. "I know everything about you."
"What are you saying? Help! There's a mad person here with a sword!" The female high school student stepped back, appearing as innocent and harmless as her outward appearance.
"Nishino Junko, nobody has ever come back from there. It's a place you chose yourself," the girl called out her name.
The female high school student's face sank, "Who on earth are you?"
Kichyō stated self-deprecatingly, "I am a lost soul, tragically ignorant of the sins I carry on your behalf… And I have come here solely for the purpose of seeking revenge against you, with no regard for the trivial matters unrelated to my personal grievances!"
"It doesn't matter if you don't understand," she smiled brightly. "All you need to know is that I will kill you."
"With my own hands…"
"I will kill you!"
