Honour

"Yoooo!" I yelled out and scared the life out of my 'kind brother' and 'good parents' momentarily.

But they quickly regained their bearings...

Of course, my mother lacked the 'Cold Heart' Combat Gift. That's why she was the first to say:

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU EVEN WEARING?!"

Her eyes were filled with distress and anger towards me. Veins popped all over her face.

Her eyes were even turning red at the sight of me.

Not that her overbearing presence moved me. I strode into the dining hall with casual steps.

"Mother, you shouldn't shout so loudly~ What would I do if your health deteriorated?" There was a smug look on my face while I was walking towards her. She seemed ready to attack me.

"Calm down..." But women weren't meant to be so assertive in this empire, so my father stopped her.

His unfaltering expression made me admire him.

Even parents of Earth would be outraged if their daughter came out looking like this, much less in this world. From what I could tell, there was a lot of elements in this society almost like Ancient China.

The clear sexism was particularly 'ancient' to me.

My older brother, Wang Yun, was the first to clash with me properly. His words were quite scathing:

"Have you gone insane?" He looked at me with killing intent, which I brushed off pretty easily.

This was despite there being Sword Qi being mixed into his presence. He was ready to attack me...

...but I knew he wouldn't dare to go through with it.

"What makes you think that?"

"Why are your eyes black?"

"Who knows? Maybe someone punched me? It happens a lot when servants don't respect you."

"Would they if you dress like a whore?"

"Yunyun~ Brother~ Don't be so mean~" I acted like my heart was hurt, which further threw him off.

He had such a vivid vocabulary. Did he had 'bad friends' as well? Mine weren't any good as well.

My father was having a hard time right now...

It must be because emotions that could sway their innate Combat Gift wasn't common these days.

Not even my Master's proposal to take me to a mysterious Ice Palace threw them off like this.

It must have been the stark contrast in my attitude.

While before I was modest, diligent, quite, and listened to whatever they said. Now look at me.

My personality was completely different...

"Y-you slut! Who are you planning to seduce in that outfit?! Or is this because you're leaving now? Are you finally showing your true colours?!!!" My once cool-as-a-cucumber brother actually stuttered.

He actually stuttered at me~!

Oh, I could feel the Wang Bingfei aspects of me having a riot right now. This was so amazing!

Was this the same brother who coldly ignored me for years? The one who constantly undermined my hard work? I could feel my own frustration towards him after gaining the memories of his little sister.

He truly deserved a good talking to.

"You have a lot to say about my skimpy outfit, don't you?" I spoke while picking my ear with a pinkie.

"So you admit that it's vulgar! Don't you have anything to say to us?" He roared at me.

It looked like his 'Cold Heart' barely kept his cool.

"I do..." I pretended to lower my head in regret towards my actions. This made them calm down.

My mother finally sat down. My father exchanged a gaze with that brother of mine, but who cared?

"Then apologise." His grip on his sword finally loosened. That was... until he heard my reply:

"You're welcome." Everyone's eyes widened at my response. I continue as they were gaping at me:

"You've finally met the sexiest girl you'll ever see in life. Thank me for blessing your eyes with my looks." The moment these words left my mouth, my mother fell unconscious. Her eyes had rolled back.

Seems like the shock was too much.

If we were to consider this a battle, then I'd already dropped their HP using my 'natural' mental attacks.

There was no way to counter my existence...

Should I call this a unique finisher? Even my older brother held his heart while breathing heavily.

My father's position didn't seem any different.

"Anyway... I'm hungry." I spoke before making my way to the table and picking up a plate for myself.

Roasted chicken, vegetables, sauces, desert, etc...

Hmmm, they had quite the variety even compared to high-class restaurants at home. It was almost like they took inspiration from western dishes despite everything else here being so eastern.

I threw as much as I could on my plate and left before they could regain their composure.

"W-wait!" Tch, but it looked like my father still had enough sanity to try and stop me from leaving.

"What's wrong, daddy dearest~?"

"Y-you can't go out looking like that."

"Why? If it's because I might get attacked because of how daring I look, I'm strong enough to fight back." These words made his face twist, but he was able to calm himself down enough to reply:

"You'll ruin our family's honour!" These words were the worst he could use to change my decision.

Mostly because I sincerely hated the word 'honour'.

"Let me give a guess. The honour of the Main Family is tied to Tearlake City and its residents. If I was to act out and ruin their image, they'll hold it against me. Some might even pick a fight."

"..." He didn't think I'd be so aware of his reasons and logic. It confused him about my nature.

But it's not like someone who neglected me my entire life would notice my change in personality.

In fact, his reasoning was the same as my past life's mum. She spoke exactly like he did all the time. Always speaking about what 'other people' will say and how we should keep our honour.

But 'honour' was a backward notion I hated...

It was a word that made people proud of excessive violence. Making them celebrate the sudden death of a 'stain' on their honour. They acted as if there was nothing that mattered other than their pride.

"Why...?" My father asked me calmly. It looked like he finally wanted to listen to what I had to say.

"Because if people can't look past my outfit, then I'd rather they talk and talk all they want."

"...You'll have a hard time if you live like this."

"Does it look like I actually care?"

"You don't fully understand. Even the people you care for will get hurt if you dishonour your family."

"Because those connected to our family and this city will hurt them? They'll bully whoever I love?"

"..." It wasn't exactly right, but his silence was enough for me understand my words hit close.

And he had a good point in retrospect...

This wasn't your regular empire. The people of literally any prefecture or outer city were nearly all full of Martial Artists. Getting on everyone's bad side was likely going to be a one-way ticket to hell.

Only someone who hated herself would do this.

"Understood." I got it hopes up, but ended our conversation with: "I'm still going though. Bye~"

I took a bite out of the food before it got cold while leaving him be. I'd lost interest in his reactions.

The guards and servants acted as I'd predicted.

"What's wrong with the Miss...?"

"Is she going to the Redlight District?" I stopped in my tracks and looked at the maid who spoke this.

Did they think my ears weren't working?

A clean slap resounded in the halls...

I struck the woman with so much strength, her body did an arc in the air before landing heavily.

Even her shoes fell off...

This example silenced anyone who dared gossip in my presence. They only watched me catwalk away.

Ice Steps ironically made me look amorous...

Usually, it would hold grace. However, I wasn't really stiffly abiding by the orthodox Step Method.

I let my feet do whatever they wanted to...

Everyone stared at me, but there was no fucks given on my side whatsoever. I just went outside.

The first thing I saw were some stone streets and a multitude of onlookers dropping jaws at my presence. The only thing that I found fortunate was some mentally stable servants did their jobs.

An entourage is servants followed me and tended to my every need. Even putting an umbrella over me. However, I could tell they were doing their best to make sure no saw me. Were they embarrassed?

"Miss, where do you want to go? We'll take you there." The servants showed me to a sedan chair.

It was a seat that'd be held up by two brawny men among my servants. They'd take me where I want.

With the 'added bonus' of keeping me hidden...

Seeing sweat tricking from their foreheads, I sighed and quietly decided to go along for the ride.

That way, I could have my breakfast in peace.

"Take me to the Mu Clan's territory. I want to properly complete my promise with my Master."

The servants thanked me and helped me on.

I was told yesterday that it would be best if I could sever any ties or karma I had before going with her.

That's why breaking my future marriage was necessary. So I went to where I was needed.

As the sedan chair was getting there, I finished my plate and used Azure Water to cleanse myself.

A part of me was amazed by the Combat Gifts.

It looked like the maturity of one's Qi Centre and the abilities a Martial Artist manifested were linked.

For me, my Qi Centre was already at 'Maturation' Stage. This made me a top quality Martial Artist.

It would normally take many years of efforts get there, but Wang Bingfei's efforts had paid off well.

Now, all that was left was mastering my Combat Gift and the technical skills of a genuine fighter.

The latter more so since despite a Martial Artist's abilities seeming infinite, they were actually fixed.

Their effects also costed Internal Qi to use...

Though this was dependant on the cultivated ability being used... Cost depended on the Gift.

The 'Cold Heart' Combat Gift, for example, only required a little bit of energy to work passively.

However, if the Gift was something like 'Dragon Transformation' instead, the cost to effect ratio would change drastically. Even someone with a fully mature Qi Centre like mine might be fatigued.

That's why I liked 'Frozen Heart'. It had the average passive consumption one would expect from a mental Combat Gift, but it was useful. Azure Water was good too, only... it had some limitations.

Mostly because amount of 'water' I could control was fixed regardless of my Qi Centre's maturity.

Before I reached my current level, it kept on threatening to dry out my Qi with every usage.

This kind of ability could lead people to life threatening circumstances. It was too 'greedy'...

That's why users of it from the Wang Clan weren't so heavily reliant on it. Otherwise, they'd dry up their Qi Centre and would be dead. Especially if they'd run out of energy in the midst of a fight.

Thinking this, I watched as we headed towards the residential district of the Mu Clan peacefully.

The servants told them who I was and allowed my sedan to get closer. Until I reached the residence.

A bustling crowd started gathering outside...

"What brings the Young Miss here early? Isn't the ceremony in a week from now?" Asked the old grandfather of the man I was planning to cut ties with. This ended up being simpler than expected.

Even through the tiny gap in the cloths covering the sedan, I saw that he had a benign demeanour.

But that didn't change my decision whatsoever.

"I'm breaking the arrangement for the promised marriage." People gossiped after I'd spoken.

"W-what?! There must be a mistake! How can an arranged marriage be broken so easily?! Please talk to Feng'er. You can't be rash about this!" The old man couldn't believe my words whatsoever.

It was at that point the 'future husband' that had been arranged for me walked out of the residence.

He didn't seem to be in great condition. His standing also seemed low from what I'd heard.

His arm was crippled too...?

Now that's a misfortune. He likely won't be able to rely on anything other than Combat Gifts in future.

He only needs a good 'Breath Circulation' technique... The rest would sort itself out:

Anyway, the youth called Yin Feng approached me.

"You can't break the promise." I knew exactly what he was talking about. It was about 'honour' again.

As someone with a different surname from the My Clan, anyone could figure out that he was an outsider. The only difference was that his father contributed a lot to their Clan before his death.

There was quite a mystery surrounding him...

However, his background wasn't the most important thing. It was that 'promise' in the past.

The one made by our parents over drinks...

"Do you actually NEED to marry me?" I asked. It was a question he didn't seem to have expected.

Once reaching this point, I heard the voice of the current Clan Leader who ruled over the Mu Clan:

"Is that Miss Bingfei? I wasn't expecting your arrival so soon." A man with a straight back approached.

There seemed to be family drama behind the scenes. I could tell from the tension in the air.

However, that didn't stop me from walking out.