This time, it was indeed her.
The one from the bridge encounter last time must have been her sister, who only looked strikingly similar.
"Mm," the woman said.
"Are you here to visit me?" Zhu Minglang asked.
Hey, I'm not in prison, so why say "visit"?
"I'm here to kill you," the woman said nonchalantly.
Zhu Minglang, with an embarrassed expression, asked, "Then why didn't you do it earlier?"
"These past few days I've come to realize that letting you live is like a poison thorn, unexpectedly stabbing me whenever I feel the slightest bit of joy, more painful and tormenting each time. It's better to just end it," she said, approaching with light steps, her heels tapping rhythmically on the wooden floor.
As she came closer, Zhu Minglang could see her face more clearly.
It was indeed Li Yunzi, her innate haughtiness hidden beneath her cool and stunning demeanor.
"I can understand, these past few days everyone in Ancestral Dragon City has been discussing this matter, tearing open your wounds with dirty, disgusting words, while I can hide here comfortably, tend to my dragons, read books. It seems like a twist of fate from the heavens that both of us have to endure, yet you are the one bearing it all alone," Zhu Minglang said, nodding seriously.
"You don't resent me?" she asked.
"I do resent, I just can't beat you," Zhu Minglang replied.
"Do you have any last words?" she followed up.
"I thought you were different from other women, that you wouldn't take your anger out on others even after such humiliation. In my eyes, you were quite unique… Never mind, no matter what, thank you for sending me the academy's letter, allowing me to spend a good time at the academy," Zhu Minglang said.
"Oh?" she suddenly raised her eyebrow slightly, a delicate rosy lip curling into a light arc. "She even sent you an enrollment letter?"
"She??" Zhu Minglang looked puzzled.
"Li Yunzi," the woman said.
Zhu Minglang looked at her, and suddenly remembered what Li Yunzi had told him in the dungeon, that she was sick.
Seeing her now, she really did seem out of her mind.
"Are you all right??" Zhu Minglang asked.
"It turns out that you are the little beggar who caused a huge uproar, brutally dethroning Li Yunzi from her position as female monarch, hehe, Li Yunzi still spared your life, even allowing you to go to the Dragon Taming Academy…" the woman continued with a mocking tone.
Zhu Minglang observed Li Yunzi, whose personality and mood had greatly changed, and for a moment he was stunned.
"You're not Li Yunzi?? You are Nan Lingsha!" Zhu Minglang suddenly remembered the woman from the bridge.
"I am Li Yunzi's sister."
"You are twins?" Zhu Minglang exclaimed, shocked.
Twins!!
My god, how did I not think of that.
Li Yunzi and Nan Lingsha are twins!
But how could I have guessed??
Who would think there'd be two of such peerless beauties!
"She takes our father's surname; I take our mother's. She's with the Li Family, I'm with the Nan Family," the woman claiming the surname Nan said coolly.
"This… this… this…" Zhu Minglang stammered.
It's too chaotic, way too chaotic!
Li Yunzi does have a sister named Nan Lingsha!
But no one told me they were twins!
No wonder the Lord of the Li Family said back then, "Li Yunzi is Li Yunzi, Nan Lingsha is Nan Lingsha." They look identical, Li Yunzi's reputation has been damaged, which will inevitably affect her sister who looks just like her…
What kind of mess have I created?
"Thanks to you, I now have to wear a veil when I go out, and if not for the fact that there aren't many who know we are twins, I would have already been dragged through the mud!" the woman's words now clearly conveyed some anger.
She had been probing me just now.
She wasn't sure at first if I was really the culprit!
It's true that Li Yunzi seemed a bit different today.
Zhu Minglang looked at the woman who looked just like Valkyrie Li Yunzi, feeling a mix of happiness and anxiety.
What pleased him was that Li Yunzi was still the unique Li Yunzi; she didn't want to kill him.
What worried him was, what to do about this little sister-in-law—he had let something slip!
"Ahem, Miss Lingsha, not everything is as you think. Why don't you ask your sister for more details? She can vouch for me, for what kind of person Zhu Minglang is," Zhu Minglang said.
"Do you think sisterhood between us is about deep affection and harmony? Perhaps she believes that her current tragedy is all my doing," said the woman with a cold snort.
"This..." Zhu Minglang scratched his head, "what do you suggest we do?"
The woman circled Zhu Minglang slowly, scrutinizing him with supreme arrogance.
Zhu Minglang felt it was better to keep silent, for fear of saying too much.
Li Yunzi should have given herself a reminder.
"You look presentable, so why are you slandered so badly? Called lowly, filthy, a beggar covered in sores?" the woman interrogated.
"Actually, I'm rather handsome and smart, right?" Zhu Minglang said.
The woman gave him a glance, never having seen such a shameless person before.
"Spill it, what really happened? You better tell the truth. If I'm not satisfied with your explanation, these words will be your last!" Her beautiful eyes glared fiercely, looking both beautiful and menacing.
"Alright, after all, you are a victim too."
"Silence! I have nothing to do with you!" the woman snapped, her cheeks flushing with anger.
"..." Zhu Minglang decided it was best to focus inward, letting his mind wander the world.
"Speak!"
"Wasn't it you who told me to keep silent?"
"Now! Explain! The! Facts! To! Me!" With teeth fiercely clenched, the woman finally suppressed her anger and enunciated each word.
Zhu Minglang gathered his thoughts, feeling it was best to tell the truth to this young aunt of his who had been wronged.
"Here's the thing. I used to live to the south of Sang Town, having both mulberry trees and fields, a life both leisurely and peaceful. But the Wutu bandits, so unreasonable and violent, they robbed me of all my money. This misfortune led me to begging on the streets, and ironically, it's the poisonous porridge that's the root of all evil..."
"Why does it feel like you're a storyteller from the streets?"
"Miss, every word I say is true," Zhu Minglang assured.
The woman considered Zhu Minglang's words, casting glances at him from time to time.
Zhu Minglang maintained a sincere smile, inwardly stirred as he observed her: she looked so much like her...cough cough, this was her sister, not Li Yunzi.
There are odd tales about twins having a telepathic connection, and who knows... Stop!
Zhu Minglang, how could you stoop so low!
"Hmph, even so, you are merely a commoner, and the stories about you are revolting," the woman thought, hating the idea of slaying the man before her for the unwarranted insults she suffered for no reason.
But would killing Zhu Minglang really solve anything?
She glanced at Zhu Minglang's current appearance, pondering his newfound status.
Suddenly, she realized something as her eyes, even more dazzling in the sunlight, stared at Zhu Minglang's face and she murmured, "I understand now. This is why Li Yunzi has spared your life."
Zhu Minglang was puzzled.
"If you had died, it would have been as the lowest and vilest individual, and the one who tarnished her title as Female Monarch would forever be a beggar and vagabond. If you live, you will gradually shed that lowly identity, and even becoming a lowly Dragon Shepherd is far better than a filthy beggar. This must be why she sent you the academy's letter. Li Yunzi, oh Li Yunzi, is this your way of healing?" Her gaze was sharp and icy, her tone was no longer as gentle as before.
Zhu Minglang opened his mouth.
In fact, Zhu Minglang hadn't thought of it on that level.
"Perhaps she is just rational and kind-hearted, or perhaps..." Zhu Minglang suggested.
"Kind-hearted? She has killed enough to fill Li Chuan Lake!" the woman said disdainfully.
Li Yunzi bore the title of Valkyrie and was the iron-blooded Female Monarch of Ancestral Dragon City. Her bloody deeds had already spread far and wide across all the lands and city-states.
Zhu Minglang only smiled without responding, but it was clear that the relationship between the twin sisters wasn't as harmonious as one might assume.
"Thud! Thud! Thud!" Footsteps sounded from not far away, belonging to several energetic young men discussing something about the eastern fortress.
"That Luo Xiao, achieving a thousand kills, is just too mighty. Why haven't we heard of such a character before? He slaughtered those Wutu savages so fearlessly. How sacred is the territory of our Ancestral Dragon City-State, and who are they to trample upon it?" one of the youths exclaimed boldly.
"It's quicker to establish a martial reputation during war, isn't it? Now probably a lot of people within the Ancestral Dragon City-State have heard of the name Luo Xiao, the thousand-killer."
"Lingxiao City-State to the west is getting restless again; I can't wait for my Scythe Beast to evolve into a Scythe Dragon!"
"Luo Xiao's fierce reputation has spread through Wutu already. Eternal City was his bloodbath, and now those Wutu mobs are petrified at the mention of him!"
"Speaking of Eternal City, heh heh, do you guys know about that affair..." murmured a slightly sleazy voice.
"Who doesn't know about it?"
"I've got the latest version right here. They say the Female Monarch was lecherous by nature and had even ordered strong young men to serve her in her tent during the war in the west against Lingxiao City..." continued the sleazy voice.
A few youthful men, seemingly elegant and neat, had forgotten their original purpose for coming to the Book Pavilion and gathered together to whisper among themselves, occasionally erupting in lewd laughter.
The woman and Zhu Minglang were just behind the bookshelf.
As the group approached, she quickly donned her veil, but one could see in her eyes, the emergence of a chilling murderous intent!