Gu Qinglin's cheek swelled immediately, flushed with a painful redness.
"Ah! You jinx, how dare you strike my precious Qinglin!"
Han Jiao, abandoning all decorum, appeared like a madwoman, her glare at Gu Qingli brimming with murderous venom.
Yet Gu Qingli summoned her power once more and delivered another harsh slap upon Gu Qinglin.
"This is for Brother Qingche. I care little what schemes you weave against me; after all, you cannot harm me. But you must never, under any circumstances, use Brother Qingche as your pawn."
Seeing Gu Qinglin collapsed in utter disgrace upon the floor, Han Jiao, despite her elegant attire, was gripped by palpable panic.
Gu Qingli regarded them with utter disdain—such is the fickle course of fate: thirty years on one bank of the river, thirty years on the other. When they once humiliated my family of three, who would have foreseen this day?
Having struck Gu Qinglin twice, Gu Qingli sank slowly into her seat, leaving the resolution to the patriarch's judgment.
"Patriarch, you have witnessed it yourself: Gu Qingli is a treacherous ingrate, daring to strike our precious Qinglin. How can such a venomous woman remain within the Gu family?"
Though Gu Yifeng suppressed Gu Qingli and Gu Ming with the formidable aura of a High Martial King, he made no move against Han Jiao.
After all, she was but an ordinary woman, unworthy of his imposing presence.
Gu Qingli almost laughed aloud—Han Jiao was truly a comedy, still oblivious to the fact she was like a drowned clay idol, powerless to save even herself, yet still scheming against her.
"Silence!"
Veins bulging on his forehead, Gu Yifeng glared fiercely at Han Jiao.
"It is precisely because of ignorant mothers like you that such traitorous daughters are born! No matter how gifted she may be, we Gu cannot afford to keep her; else the entire family will be undone by her hand!"
Gu Yifeng's stern decree left mother and daughter utterly dumbfounded.
"Patriarch! How can you bear to do this?"
Han Jiao stammered in disbelief.
"Grandfather! I was wrong! Please forgive me this once! I shall never repeat my mistakes. I will train diligently and no longer compete with Qingli, nor harbor envy against her."
At last, fear truly took hold of Gu Qinglin.
She met the gaze of the patriarch who once held high hopes for her—now cold and void of any affection or expectation.
The elders wore equally impassive expressions.
Her heart began to tremble.
Seeing the silence linger, Gu Qinglin knelt and crawled to the feet of Gu Qingli and Gu Qingche.
"Qingli, please forgive me—we are sisters after all. I swear I will never harm you again. As a Spirit Illusionist, I shall surely be of help to you!"
"Brother Qingche, please speak on my behalf! Help me!"
Her cries were pitiful but evoked no sympathy.
She had never reflected when causing harm; now, in tears, what use was remorse? Had she succeeded, the Gu family would have been led down an irrevocable path.
"Gu Qinglin, remember this: not every mistake is granted a second chance. Today, Qingche and I remain unharmed—but what if we had perished? Who would then accept your apologies? Or if our powers and roots had been shattered, what good would your 'sorry' do?"
Gu Qingli's calm eyes fixed upon Gu Qinglin rendered her utterly speechless.
"Moreover, if you possess the courage, come at me yourself!"