Chapter 111: The Daughter Repays Her Mother's Debt

"Big Brother, you—no, look at them! Do they still hold me in any regard as their elder?" The Third Uncle was forced to stop by that voice. He turned to look at the old man who had remained silent until now, speaking with palpable displeasure.

Yin Yao caught her breath and raised an eyebrow, looking at the man who must be the Eldest Uncle. She had noticed earlier that among the six, he alone had not been provoked by her actions, watching everything in silence. Yet, just as the Third Uncle was about to strike in earnest, he had suddenly intervened. What was the meaning of this? Was he afraid the Third Uncle would kill her?

"Enough! Stop this commotion. You are all old enough to know better! Bai Ling, I think you had better get to the point. Why exactly did you bring us six brothers out here today?" The Eldest Uncle stroked his teacup and spoke leisurely.

This Eldest Uncle clearly commanded great prestige among the brothers; otherwise, the Third Uncle, despite his fury and resentment, would not have stopped so readily. Though he appeared gentle and harmless, this Eldest Uncle was undoubtedly a formidable figure.

Bai Ling nodded quickly, following the Eldest Uncle's lead. "Yes, Eldest Uncle!" After speaking, she signaled with her eyes for Yin Yao and the others to stand aside and not cause any more trouble.

The Third Uncle returned to his seat and gulped down a mouthful of tea, as if trying to suppress the rage in his heart. He turned his head away, refusing to look at Yin Yao and the others, grumbling to himself incessantly.

"Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, Fourth Uncle, Fifth Uncle, and Sixth Uncle, I have invited you all here today because I have something important to share. I believe you have all heard of this girl, and my purpose today is to introduce her to you." Bai Ling spoke respectfully to the six elders, her right hand gesturing toward Yin Yao, who was no longer supported by Ji Xuanyu.

"Bai Yao?" The Eldest Uncle looked at the person Bai Ling had indicated and asked. Although he had long guessed that she was the girl Bai Ling specifically wanted to introduce to the clan, he wanted her to speak for herself.

Yin Yao secretly signaled Ji Xuanyu to stay out of what was about to happen, as she had her own plans. Noticing the old man's gaze, Yin Yao feigned still struggling for breath, coughed once, and then spoke: "I am not sure if you wish to know my true name, or merely the name I used to survive temporarily within the White Fox Clan?"

"Oh? You have another name? Let us hear it." The old man seemed interested, but judging by the wisdom in his eyes, he had likely already guessed that her real name was not Bai Yao.

The other five elders, hearing this frank admission, could not help but feel curious, exchanging glances with one another. The Third Uncle, still fuming, let out a cold snort. "A name for temporary survival? Hmph, unless your surname is Yin?!"

Indeed, in the White Fox Clan, one could not survive if their surname was Yin. Once, the clan's greatest genius had been bestowed the surname "Yin," but her own selfish choices had led to the schism of the Spirit Fox Clan—a sight no tribesman wished to see. Because of this, the clan could not tolerate anyone named Yin. Furthermore, the surname "Yin" was not something one could possess casually.

The Third Uncle's seemingly unintentional remark made the Eldest Uncle, who had been speculating about Bai Yao's name, light up with realization.

This time, Yin Yao did not retort to the Third Uncle. Instead, she said with a smile, "Third Uncle is truly as wise as a god!"

"What?!" The Third Uncle stood up abruptly from his chair, his eyes filled with disbelief and shock.

The teacup in the Eldest Uncle's hand shattered in that instant. The sound of the breaking china was piercing in the quiet room. The other four uncles all wore expressions of sheer disbelief.

The development of the situation had completely deviated from Bai Ling's initial plan. Looking at Yin Yao, Bai Ling did not know what to do. This child seemed to have her own methods, but they appeared so incredibly reckless!

"Heh, child, do you realize that this is not a surname anyone can just possess?" The Eldest Uncle recovered, his tone still seemingly light, but as he finished, one could sense a profound gravity in his voice.

Yin Yao took a small step forward, looking at her mother's Eldest Uncle—her own grandfather—and said, word by word: "Just like the Silver Fox of the past, my mother, you mean?"

The Eldest Uncle slammed his hand onto the table and stood up. "Who gave you permission to speak that name in front of me!"

The other five uncles clenched their fists, veins bulging. They stood with stern faces, as if struggling to contain something. The Third Uncle could no longer hold back; he had already been provoked, and now, he could not restrain himself any longer.

He struck out with his right hand. No one had expected the Third Uncle to attack so suddenly. A powerful surge of spiritual energy rushed toward Yin Yao. Feeling the force, Yin Yao tried to dodge, but no matter how fast she was, she could not completely evade the Third Uncle's strike.

Seeing that the Third Uncle was truly enraged, Bai Ling quickly joined her hands, releasing a surge of her own spiritual energy, hoping to intercept his attack before it struck Yin Yao.

Seeing two waves of spiritual energy flying toward her, Yin Yao's heart stirred. She shifted her feet and stepped directly into the path where the two forces were about to collide.

*Bang!*

When the Eldest Uncle saw Yin Yao move, he thought she was trying to dodge, but when he saw her stepping directly into the path of death, he wanted to intervene! After all, she was a Yin! She was the daughter of the Silver Fox!

But it was too late.

Yin Yao's body was thrown backward. She retreated several steps before coming to a stop. Clutching her stomach, she bent over. A trickle of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth, then more. Seeing Yin Yao's state, Ji Xuanyu desperately wanted to rush forward, but Yin Yao had already ordered him not to get involved.

Bai Yun wanted to rush up, Bai Yong was stamping his feet in frustration, Bai Ziye looked at Bai Ling, and Bai Ling's eyes were filled with heartache. Seeing them move to approach, Yin Yao reached out her right hand to wipe the blood from her lips and shook her head at them. "Don't come over. Bai Ziye, hold onto Yun'er!"

Hearing Yin Yao's command, everyone stopped, watching her with deep anxiety, fearing she would not be able to endure it. Bai Yun watched Yin Yao bent over, clutching her stomach and wiping away the blood, her heart filled with worry; she began to cry just by looking at her.

The most shocked of all was the Third Uncle. He had only been moved by the mention of the Silver Fox and had wanted to vent his emotions. Though it was impulsive, he had known someone would save the girl. And indeed, Bai Ling had intervened. But he had not expected this girl to throw herself into the path of the blow. Was she tired of living?

"Why didn't you dodge?!?" the Third Uncle roared at the girl who could no longer stand straight.

The other elders watched the scene in silence. The Eldest Uncle's hand remained frozen in mid-air; looking at the girl before him, he seemed to see the Silver Fox of the past...

Yin Yao moved slightly, finding her footing while clutching her stomach. Once steady, she slowly straightened up, looked at the Third Uncle, and smiled with relief. "Is that enough to vent your anger?"

"You, you!" The Third Uncle looked at her, at a loss for words. He flicked his sleeves and turned away, refusing to look at her wretched state.

"Why did you do that?" the Eldest Uncle asked, his voice tinged with helplessness.

"My mother owed all of you the respect of calling you uncles, and as her daughter, I should call you grandfather. What I did was merely to let Third Grandfather vent his frustration. I know my mother wronged you all, and she wronged the people of the Spirit Fox Clan!" Yin Yao looked at the six elders, speaking slowly, and bowed deeply.

She spoke with great deliberation, partly because the situation demanded it, and partly because she was injured and could not speak quickly without aggravating her abdominal wound.

Yin Yao did not say "White Fox Clan," but "Spirit Fox Clan"—that once-great tribe. She knew her mother was the primary cause of the schism.

Hearing her words, the elders were caught in a moment of hesitation, wanting to speak but holding back, their eyes flickering with complex emotions as they looked at her, only to turn away again, unable to bear the sight of her.

Seeing their reaction, Yin Yao smiled. "For all the wrongs my mother committed against you, I will repay them bit by bit. I am sorry; back then, my mother did not know the Spirit Fox Clan was fracturing. She only knew that the elders opposed her marriage to my father, and as she was already pregnant with me, she only wanted to find a place to live a simple, quiet life with him. She never intended for such a catastrophe to occur!"

When the elders heard that the Silver Fox had been pregnant and unaware of the internal strife, a flicker of something passed through their eyes.

"Yin Yao has appeared in the Void Continent this time because my father told me all of this. I came here, firstly, to make amends for my mother's mistakes to the clan, and secondly, to search for my parents!" Yin Yao said sincerely, indifferent to how others might view her intentions.

"Are you saying your father told you all of this?" one elder walked out slowly and asked, looking at Yin Yao.

Yin Yao did not know his rank among the six, so she nodded with a faint smile. "Yes! Father told me everything about the Void Continent. Mother was always very reserved and never mentioned it to me, though she would often sit alone in a daze. It was only recently that I fully understood the Void Continent!"

"Hmm." The elder looked at her, nodded, and returned to his seat.

"Your name is Yin Yao, correct?" the Eldest Uncle's gentle voice sounded.

Yin Yao nodded, but suddenly she coughed, and a mouthful of blood came out. Her face grew a shade paler.

Seeing her state, the Third Uncle, who had struck the blow, could not watch any longer. He took a pill from his robes and walked quickly to her. "Eat this."

He shoved the pill into her hand, turned his head away to avoid looking at her, and hurried back to his seat. Yin Yao looked at the white pill in her palm and smiled, calling out softly to her slightly awkward Third Grandfather, "Thank you, Third Grandfather."

As she spoke, the Third Uncle turned his head just in time to see her swallow the pill without a second thought. When she saw him turn, she gave him a grateful smile.

The Third Uncle turned back and snorted dismissively, acting exactly like a petulant old child.

Yin Yao chuckled softly.

The Eldest Uncle watched this with a feeling of warmth. The Third was indeed just a stubborn, difficult old child, and the way Yin Yao carried herself made him want to cherish her as well. She was his granddaughter, too!

"Yin Yao, you say you returned here to atone for the wrongs committed by your mother and father. But what do you have to offer for atonement? Based on your current strength?" The Eldest Uncle suppressed the affection rising in his heart and stated the cruel truth.

"Please rest assured, Grandfather. Since Yin Yao has dared to make this claim, I will take responsibility for it!" Seeing the old man's softened attitude, she began calling him Grandfather.

"I heard that when you leveled up, you summoned the phantom image of the White Fox?"

"Yes!"

"You say you want to find your parents? Do you even know the environment they are currently in?" The Eldest Uncle was satisfied with her answer—she offered no empty, hollow guarantees, but had accepted this as her responsibility. He could not help but ask more questions, wanting to understand this girl more deeply.

"I know my strength is currently insufficient! My father warned me of this when I came here. I understand it myself, and I will not engage in futile actions. Yes, my strength is not enough now, but I guarantee that I will rescue my mother and father within one year!" This was the first time Yin Yao had set a deadline for herself.

"One year? Do not think it is that simple!" Although the Eldest Uncle had grown fond of her, he could not help but sound mocking, as he knew the difficulty of the task.

Hearing his doubt, Yin Yao only smiled faintly. "This is the deadline I have set for myself."

The Eldest Uncle stopped pressing the issue. He looked at Yin Yao and asked his final question: "Why was the first thing you did upon returning to the Void Continent to seek atonement?"

"A mother's debts are repaid by her daughter! This is what my mother owes the clan!"