Conditions, No More Southern Lyn Su Clan

Seeing Serena Feng put on an innocent face as if she knew nothing, the Summers family of Southlyn shot her a vicious glare.

Since Serena was playing dumb, the Summers family had no choice but to tear off their polite mask. Third Master Summers gritted his teeth and said, "Miss Feng, let's not speak in riddles. Everyone knows what kind of trap you've set for the Summers family. We gave you face, hoping you'd admit it yourself. But here you are, feigning ignorance. If that's how you want it, don’t blame us for being rude."

"Have the Summers family of Southlyn ever been polite to me?" Serena replied with a laugh.

With the Summers family pushing things this far, there was no point in pretending anymore. "Third Master Summers, right? If your clan can't handle losing, you should've said so from the start. I couldn't care less about the outcome of this pointless contest. So tell me—what else do you plan to do to me?"

"You shameless woman." The Summers family was so furious at Serena that they trembled all over, yet didn’t dare curse in front of the gathered scholars.

Serena shook her head. "Winning against the Summers family makes me shameless, but when you switch contestants mid-match—two ladies taking turns in one contest—that’s supposed to be honorable?"

The Summers family flushed red but stubbornly insisted, "We only switched contestants because you agreed to it."

Serena gave a soft laugh. "Third Master Summers, if you wanted to switch contestants and I refused, you'd accuse me of bullying you. Enough—our contest is over, the result is settled. Win or lose, you’ve lost now. What’s the point of making a scene?"

"Lost? Who says the Summers family of Southlyn lost? Serena Feng, you set up an unsolvable fake endgame puzzle to trap us and still have the nerve to say we lost. Even if we did, it was only because of your despicable tricks." The Summers family finally dropped all pretense, their faces twisted with rage.

What could they do? The Summers family simply couldn’t accept defeat.

"Despicable tricks? What exactly did I do that was so despicable? Was it sending assassins after Su Wan during the medical contest, or setting the bridge on fire during the Riding and Archery Duel when Su Rou was behind, so no one could win?" Serena was indeed shameless, casually listing two incidents from the contests and throwing all the dirt back on the Summers family.

"Serena Feng, don’t you dare slander us! The Summers family did nothing of the sort." Their faces flushed, necks bulged—they truly hadn’t done those things.

"I never said you did. I’m just saying I didn’t do any of that. Third Master Summers, if you claim I used dirty tricks, then tell me—what exactly did I do to beat your family?" Serena looked completely calm, unfazed by the tension or the Summers family’s accusations.

"You set up a fake endgame puzzle to humiliate the Summers family." They clung to this accusation, refusing to let go.

"A fake puzzle? You mean that endgame?" Serena pointed at the chessboard nearby, smiling.

She’d noticed as soon as she entered—the puzzle was the same one she’d laid out for Su Wan. The Summers family was making it so obvious, she almost felt embarrassed to keep pretending.

"That’s right." The Summers family puffed out their chests, trying to prove they were in the right.

Serena glanced at them, hiding her mockery. "Do you have any proof it’s a fake? Just because you couldn’t solve it?"

"Serena Feng, not just the Summers family—no chess master in the Nine Provinces Realm could break this puzzle. If it’s not fake, what is it?" Of course, they wouldn’t tell Serena that their confidence came from her own ‘admission’ that the puzzle was unsolvable.

"Third Master Summers, if I recall correctly, this puzzle was set for the contest between me and your family. What do chess masters from the Nine Provinces Realm have to do with it?" Serena’s sharp question left them speechless again.

To be honest, they were in the wrong here, but Serena wasn’t entirely blameless either.

The atmosphere grew awkward. A middle-aged man stepped forward and gently advised, "Miss Feng, the Summers family has already conceded this match. Now, we simply want to know—how can this endgame puzzle be solved?"

"What does that have to do with me? My contest with the Summers family didn’t include solving the puzzle." Serena replied with haughty indifference.

Most people present could understand her attitude. Talented people were often like this—a bit of pride was expected.

"That may be true, but now the Summers family is accusing you of setting a fake puzzle, Miss Feng. You should clear things up, and the best way is to solve it yourself." The middle-aged man’s words won widespread support—everyone agreed Serena ought to break the puzzle.

Nearly everyone sided against her, but the influential scholars from Jixia Academy remained silent, calmly watching how things unfolded.

Serena pressed her lips together in silence. No matter how the crowd tried to persuade or pressure her, she refused to respond—her pride infuriating everyone.

"Serena Feng, did you really set up a fake puzzle to deceive us?" Suddenly, a respected elder challenged her.

It was fine to be proud of one’s talent, but too much arrogance bred resentment.

"No, I did not set a fake puzzle." Serena replied stubbornly.

"If it’s not a fake, then why won’t you solve it?"

"Why should I solve it? It’s not my problem." Serena’s words showed zero respect for the other side. The Summers family saw this and felt secretly pleased, more convinced than ever that there was something wrong with her puzzle.

"Just as I thought—a wild child with a mother but no father. To win, you’d stoop to such low tricks. Serena Feng, the Summers family of Southlyn looks down on you." Third Master Summers, convinced of his own righteousness, loudly condemned her.

Serena’s expression changed. "Third Master Summers, what did you just say?"

"Didn’t you hear me? Serena Feng, I know you want revenge for your father’s death in Southlyn, but don’t forget—even if you must take revenge, do it honorably. All this scheming and pettiness—how could you face your parents?" Third Master Summers played the elder, acting as if he was disappointed in her.

Bastard!

Serena’s eyes blazed with murderous fire. She stared at Third Master Summers without blinking.

Anyone who knew Serena understood that her father and mother were her reverse scale—the one thing that must never be touched. Third Master Summers, clueless, had just walked right into disaster. Ninth Royal Uncle knew the rest should be left to Serena; she would never let the Summers family off easy.

"Summers family of Southlyn, I’ll remember you." Serena pronounced each word with icy clarity.

"Remember us? What, you think we’re afraid of you? Serena Feng, we just don’t stoop to your level. As long as you kneel and apologize today, we’ll let this go."

Third Master Summers thought he was being magnanimous, but Serena only sneered. "You won’t stoop to my level, but I’m not done with you. You couldn’t solve the puzzle, so you called it a fake. But what if I break it?"

Serena unclenched her fists, her face relaxing. After spending so much time with Ninth Royal Uncle, she’d gotten much better at handling her emotions.

"Hahaha... If you can solve it, I’ll kneel to you." Third Master Summers showed no fear—he’d seen plenty of people like Serena before. No matter how fierce her glare, he believed she would still lose to the Summers family's power.

"Kneel? I have no use for that, Third Master Summers. If I solve the puzzle, I want your Summers family of Southlyn to take down the Summers Manor plaque and never again call yourselves the Summers family. From this day forward, there will be no more Summers family of Southlyn in this world."