A beautiful woman in a flowing white dress stood quietly at the academy gates.
Her skin was as white as snow, and her long hair fluttered gently in the breeze, giving her an icy, elegant beauty.
She had clearly spent a great deal of time dressing herself before coming.
Yet despite the careful preparation, her breathtakingly cold face was filled with exhaustion and haggardness. The pride and aloofness she once carried had completely disappeared.
Bloodshot eyes and unconcealed worry remained.
From time to time, her gaze drifted toward the academy entrance, as though she were waiting for someone.
Every slight movement at the gate would make her instinctively look over.
But each time she realized it wasn't the person she had been waiting for, disappointment would wash over her face.
Over the past three days, Leng Ruobing had been under unimaginable pressure, teetering on the verge of a complete breakdown.
In only three short days, the Leng Family—the once-coveted piece of fat meat—had become prey for countless wolves and tigers, who tore it apart piece by piece.
Not only had the family been forced to surrender everything they had previously gained, but every single business under the Leng Family's control had been swallowed up by rival factions.
The experts the Leng Family had painstakingly cultivated over the years were repeatedly attacked by a mysterious ferocious beast.
Some were beaten until they were half dead.
Others had their cultivation completely crippled.
Meanwhile, numerous members of the Leng Family were reported for corruption, bribery, and countless illegal activities before being taken away by the Imperial Tribunal for investigation.
Several family members, unable to withstand the mounting pressure, attempted to flee Yanjing and seek refuge overseas.
Yet shortly after leaving the city...
They mysteriously disappeared without a trace.
...
Now, the only thing the Leng Family still possessed in Yanjing was their ancestral residence.
Every member of the family hid inside it day after day, living in constant fear.
None of them even dared step outside.
They had been completely terrified.
Those same relatives who had once mocked, ridiculed, and humiliated Leng Ruobing were now desperately begging her.
They pinned all their hopes on her reconciling with Chen Beiyuan and persuading him to forgive the Leng Family.
Even Leng Aofeng, the Patriarch, who had briefly regained consciousness, no longer possessed his former vigor.
He had become like a man who had aged decades overnight.
His only request was for her to earn Chen Beiyuan's forgiveness and help the family survive this catastrophe.
Everyone in the Leng Family understood one thing perfectly well.
As long as Chen Beiyuan said a single word...
Every crisis facing the Leng Family would disappear instantly.
Leng Ruobing understood that as well.
Yet when she finally lowered her pride and went to find Chen Beiyuan...
She couldn't even get through the gates of the Chen Family estate.
Over the past three days, the only people qualified to enter the Chen residence carrying gifts were the Empire's greatest aristocratic families and most powerful organizations.
Even the Imperial Family had personally sent representatives to pay a visit.
As for the Leng Family?
As for Leng Ruobing?
The daughter of a newly risen family?
Sorry.
She simply wasn't qualified.
Ignoring the strange, mocking, disdainful, and amused gazes of the endless stream of distinguished guests, Leng Ruobing had stood outside the Chen Family gates for an entire day and night.
She had only hoped that Chen Beiyuan would come out and see her.
Unfortunately...
She had greatly overestimated her own importance.
From beginning to end...
She never even caught a glimpse of him.
When she finally returned to the Leng Family, utterly dejected...
Another piece of devastating news awaited her.
Her mother—
Who had remained unconscious all this time—
Had suddenly vanished.
That news became the final straw that crushed her.
It completely shattered the pride of this Child of Destiny.
...
"The third day..."
"He'll come..."
"He'll definitely come..."
Leng Ruobing lowered her eyes.
Both hands tightly gripped the hem of her white dress.
Her delicate body trembled slightly.
Her face was deathly pale, devoid of even the slightest trace of color.
Not far away, Lin Xiao watched her fragile figure.
She looked so delicate that a single gust of wind seemed capable of carrying her away.
His heart twisted painfully.
He knew exactly what had happened to the Leng Family over the past few days.
But there was absolutely nothing he could do.
At this very moment...
He could barely protect himself.
Originally, after being ordered by Donghua Academy to suspend his studies, he should have left campus immediately.
Instead, Lin Xiao was terrified that the moment he stepped outside the academy gates, members of the Donghua Chen Family would be waiting for him.
So he shamelessly remained on campus, claiming he needed to stay behind to take care of his severely injured godfather.
Considering Elder Qiong's special relationship with the academy's principal, the academy leadership reluctantly allowed him to stay.
Over these three days...
Not only had the Destiny Heroine, Leng Ruobing, been tormented beyond endurance...
Even Lin Xiao, the Child of Destiny, had suffered miserably.
"Chen Beiyuan..."
"You deserve to die!"
Lin Xiao roared inwardly.
Yet all he could do was rage helplessly.
At present...
He had no means whatsoever of dealing with Chen Beiyuan.
Instead...
He himself was being completely controlled by him.
Just then—
Leng Ruobing suddenly noticed movement ahead.
She looked up.
A luxurious black car had stopped before the academy.
A noble and elegant young man stepped out.
The moment she saw that familiar yet somehow unfamiliar figure...
Joy instantly filled her heart.
For reasons she couldn't explain...
The anxiety that had tormented her for days disappeared without a trace.
"Beiyuan..."
Unable to hide her happiness, Leng Ruobing softly called his name.
The next second—
She froze.
The smile on her face stiffened.
A gentle breeze lifted her raven-black hair.
Chen Beiyuan didn't even pause.
He didn't spare her a single glance.
He simply walked straight past her.
Like two strangers from completely different worlds.
As Chen Beiyuan stepped through the academy gates...
He suddenly felt someone tugging on the corner of his clothes.
His brows furrowed as he stopped.
"Let go."
"I won't."
Still clutching his sleeve, Leng Ruobing's eyes brimmed with tears.
She stared stubbornly at the heartless man before her.
Her voice trembled.
"Chen Beiyuan..."
"I'll apologize for everything."
"I know I was wrong."
"I'm willing to pay any price for what I've done."
"Please..."
"Please spare the Leng Family..."
"Please—"
"Leng Ruobing."
Chen Beiyuan interrupted her coldly.
"Do you really think the Leng Family ended up like this because of me?"
She remained silent.
Yet her pleading eyes revealed exactly what she believed.
If Chen Beiyuan hadn't ordered it...
How could the Leng Family have fallen to such a miserable state?
Seeing her expression...
A mocking smile slowly appeared on Chen Beiyuan's face.
"You really are naïve."
"I'll tell you this plainly."
"From beginning to end, I never instructed anyone to target the Leng Family."
"Everything that's happened to your family..."
"...is simply the consequence of your own actions."
"Do you even know how many things the Leng Family has done over the years while hiding behind the Chen Family's name?"
"Forced acquisitions."
"Driving innocent people to death."
"Illegally seizing land."
"Suppressing competitors."
"Bullying others with your influence."
"A mere second-rate family at the bottom of the ladder latched onto the Chen Family and suddenly believed it could act however it pleased?"
"For years, countless prestigious families tolerated your provocations solely out of respect for the Chen Family."
"But instead of showing restraint..."
"The Leng Family only became more arrogant."
"Do you know that a few years ago, your family actually proclaimed itself the strongest family beneath the top aristocratic clans?"
"A second-rate family whose strongest expert was only a Sixth-Rank Battle King—not even possessing a Seventh-Rank Battle Emperor—actually dared say something so outrageous."
"Who gave you that confidence?"
"Do you have any idea how many powerful families across Yanjing you offended with those words alone?"
"When heaven grows arrogant, storms will come."
"When people grow arrogant, disaster follows."
"The Leng Family's downfall today..."
"...is nothing more than the harvest of seeds you yourselves planted."
Having said that, Chen Beiyuan paid no further attention to the dumbfounded Leng Ruobing.
With a flick of his arm, he pulled his clothes free and continued walking without looking back.
Caught off balance, Leng Ruobing stumbled and fell heavily onto the ground.
Her snow-white knees scraped painfully against the pavement.
Her palms turned red from the impact.
Her hair became completely disheveled.
She looked utterly miserable.
Like someone whose soul had left her body, she muttered blankly,
"Our own doing..."
"Our own doing..."
She had always believed Chen Beiyuan was secretly taking revenge on her.
But in the end...
Everything happening to the Leng Family...
Was simply retribution for the countless wrongs they had committed over the years.
It truly was...
Their own doing.
Already standing at the edge of the abyss...
She now felt as though reality itself had given her one final merciless shove.
And she fell straight into the darkness.
Chen Beiyuan paid no attention to the devastated woman behind him.
He strode calmly toward the academy.
At that very moment...
Lin Xiao, still consumed by helpless fury, happened to be standing directly in his path.
Chen Beiyuan had no intention of tolerating him.
He walked over—
And slapped him across the face.
"A good dog doesn't block the way!"
Smack!