As Qianlin looked at the second letter, the truth hidden by the grandmother she had always looked up to slowly began to unfold. For the first time, her grandmother's words reflected vulnerability and guilt. She took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly, then picked up the second letter and began to read.
"The second letter continues from the very moment the first left off..."
I was going toward my mother's room to see what she was going to say to my sister. I tried to peek through the door and saw my mother talking to my sister.
She said, "Yeyun, I want you to protect your sister and let every credit of the war go to Ruyan."
Yeyun simply lifted her head and replied, "Okay."
My mother's face twisted in fury. "Don't think I don't know you want to be the successor of the Sima Clan and what you're plotting with the elders!"
Yeyun replied firmly, "We're not plotting anything."
My mother snapped, "You're just like your mother—a snake—but I won't fall for it."
Yeyun's eyes filled with fury. "Don't slander my mother!" she said, standing up to her for the first time.
"You dare raise your voice against me?" My mother released her Qi in a violent burst. Yeyun stood her ground and released her own, evenly matched.
The air between them trembled with the weight of their auras until my mother retracted her Qi with a cold smirk. "I know you're strong enough to compete with me, so I need to take measures."
She threw a small ring toward her.
Yeyun caught it and her expression changed immediately—eyes wide, breath quickening, her face pale with fear. I could see the horror in her eyes.
"I've already kidnapped your husband. If you don't obey me, I'll cut him into a thousand pieces," my mother said coldly.
Yeyun's killing intent exploded in that moment, her aura sharp enough to slice through the stone walls. Even my mother flinched—but Yeyun quickly restrained herself. She picked up the ring with trembling fingers.
"I'll do as you say... just don't hurt him."
"Don't worry. Your husband is safe, as long as you act exactly as I wish," my mother chuckled.
Suddenly, I heard a soft sound near the door. I turned to see a child stumble—my eyes widened.
It was Jinhai. Yeyun's daughter.
She had heard everything.
She covered her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks, and ran away. I reached for her, but my mother's voice thundered behind the door: "Who's outside?"
Panicked, I entered. Yeyun silently left the room, her face expressionless.
"You came at the right time," my mother said. "I've made all the preparations for war. Now go and make the Sima Clan proud." She took a heavy swig from a bottle of liquor.
"This is wrong, Mother. Yeyun isn't our enemy," I said.
She stopped drinking. Her gaze became sharp and heavy.
"What did you just say to me?" she asked coldly, then unleashed her Qi, pressing it violently upon me.
I stood still. "I will not do as you please."
In the blink of an eye, she appeared in front of me, grabbed my neck, and slammed me against the wall.
"You dare oppose me? You're trash! Waste! If it weren't for my blood running through your veins, I'd cut you to pieces and feed you to pigs!"
I gasped, struggling, my vision blurring.
Then she let go. I fell to the floor, coughing, trying to breathe.
She sat back down, expression void of warmth.
"You will do as I say… or I will show you hell."
In that moment, all my will shattered.
The next day, Yeyun and I, with Sima Clan warriors, left for the war zone.
She gave me only a hollow look.
We reached the battlefield—gruesome, blood-drenched, soaked in rot. The scent of iron clung to the air, corpses buried beneath the mud.
Yeyun protected me from every enemy while I accepted all the glory for the kills.
One day, I sent her on a mission. While she was gone, our camp was attacked. An unrestrained master led the assault.
"Call Yeyun!" I shouted.
A messenger came, whispering: "Elders have rebelled against the Matriarch and helped Yeyun's husband escape."
I was shocked. "What about Yeyun?"
"Maybe… she's already left the frontline."
The unrestrained master appeared. I fought, but was defeated easily. He raised his blade to kill me.
Suddenly, Yeyun appeared.
She fought the unrestrained master with everything she had. The sky darkened from the clash of their auras. Swords shattered. Wind roared.
She won—but she was gravely wounded.
She collapsed.
I crawled toward her, voice trembling. "Why did you return?"
She smiled faintly. "How could I leave my sister alone?"
Then… she took her last breath.
I screamed and held her tightly, tears pouring down as I cried: "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
More enemies came, but a mysterious master arrived and defeated the entire enemy force.
I returned to the clan with Yeyun's body. The elders bowed their heads in shame.
Her husband stood still—silent. Then, without a word, he collapsed over her body… dead. His will to live had vanished with her.
I turned and saw Jinhai, her daughter, crying. She stared at me, eyes full of pain and hatred.
"You destroyed my family. You're the reason my mother died!"
She ran away, and I couldn't say anything. I knew… she was right.
Yeyun was the rightful successor.
If only I had supported her.
If only I had treated her like a real sister…
Maybe none of this would've happened.
I was appointed as full successor of the Sima Clan.
But then… I lost my son. My daughter lost half her martial talent.
These are the sins I must carry. For what our family did to Yeyun.
If the Sima Clan is destroyed—let it be known.
It was always my fault.
As the letter ended, Qianlin's hands quivered. Tears streamed down her cheeks. The dark past of her clan unfolded before her—and the heavy burden of truth weighed upon her soul.