The mysterious, dark-skinned youth had accumulated a lot of grime. As the water from the pool washed over him, streaks of black quickly spread into the clear pool.

"Sister, sister, I'm thirsty too. I want some water."

Suddenly, a small, childish voice came from a basket nearby. Hearing it, the “youth” hurriedly climbed out of the water, cupped some clean water in his hands, and lifted the rag covering the basket.

Inside was a little girl, looking like a doll sculpted from pink jade, about two or three years old, with pigtails, and large, innocent eyes as clear as black pearls. Her chubby cheeks and drowsy expression were utterly adorable.

Seeing this clever, endearing little girl, Ding Sheng was instantly reminded of his younger sister, Ding Ke’er.

The little girl cheered and leaned over to drink a few sips, licking her lips with her tiny pink tongue and letting out a contented sigh.

Turning her head, she noticed the fierce-looking warriors nearby, let out a startled yelp, and shyly shrank back into the basket as though it could protect her from all the dangers in the world.

It was then that Ding Sheng noticed, with some surprise, that the grime-covered "youth" was actually a girl. The water had washed away the dirt on her arms and legs, revealing skin as white as jade, almost blindingly bright.

"No wonder she has such captivating eyes," Ding Sheng murmured with a sigh. "Just a glance is unforgettable; her eyes alone surpass even the beauty of Li Yilin, the girl in the white dress. There sure are many unusual people here today."

At that moment, a sharp, shrill scream pierced the air.

"Eek! Why did the water suddenly get so dirty?"

Ding Sheng turned to see Li Yilin, the proud girl in white, jump out of the water with a look of disgust and anger, as if she’d encountered a snake or scorpion.

Following the trail of dirty water, she saw the grimy girl and pointed at her, shouting, "You little wretch! Who gave you permission to wash your hands here? How dare you dirty the water while I’m trying to enjoy myself? Was this on purpose?"

The mysterious girl froze, lowering her head in hurt silence. She didn’t argue, simply walking barefoot out of the water without a word.

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As the water washed away the grime, her pristine, flawless skin and the cuts from the stones and branches along her journey were exposed, with fresh blood seeping out. The stark contrast of the white skin and red blood left a vivid impression, evoking a surge of pity.

"Hmph! You think just walking out is enough? Can’t even apologize? Are you mute, you insolent little wretch?" Li Yilin snapped, her tone severe. "Autumn Frost, give her a good whipping—a hundred lashes to teach her a lesson."

Seeing that the mysterious girl's skin was as fair as her own filled Li Yilin with an inexplicable jealousy, and she barked the order furiously. The maidservant Autumn Frost raised her whip without hesitation and lashed down hard.

Smack!

The whip-wielding servant, Autumn Frost, was trained in martial arts. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the whip cracking down on the girl’s back, causing rags to fly and fresh blood to ooze out.

The mysterious girl, seemingly untrained in combat, didn’t even have time to react and stumbled to the ground.

Smack! Smack!

The maidservant continued to lash her with the whip, relishing it. Despite appearing only around sixteen or seventeen herself, her face bore a gleeful malice as the whip cut viciously across the girl's skin, leaving deep red marks.

Yet through it all, the girl remained silent, never crying out in pain, as if she really were mute.

“Stop hitting my sister, please!” The little girl with the pigtails finally crawled out of the basket, crying and wailing, but bravely trying to shield her sister with her tiny body.

Autumn Frost sneered with a cruel expression and, without pausing, raised her whip toward the little girl.

If the whip landed, the poor child would likely be seriously hurt.

Ding Sheng couldn’t bear it any longer and shook his head. Using the Sublime Step, he moved like a wisp of smoke, appearing instantly beside the little girl. With a flick of his wrist, he caught the tip of the whip in midair and sent a wave of force through it, forcing Autumn Frost back several steps.

"Attacking even a little child—that’s beyond despicable!" Ding Sheng frowned.

The unexpected intervention attracted quite a few curious onlookers. Autumn Frost stared, taken aback, and then sized up Ding Sheng with disdain. Seeing his coarse clothes, she sneered and hissed, "Hah, and who do you think you are, you beggar? Daring to interfere with Miss Yilin’s affairs? Today, I’ll teach you a lesson, too!"

She threw down the whip, drew a slender willow-blade sword from her waist, and lunged at him. Her blade flashed, aiming directly for Ding Sheng’s vital spots as if to kill him.

Ding Sheng, enraged, drew his rusted sword from his back and flicked it with ease. A faint red gleam flashed as the swords met with a sharp ring.

Ding!

The blade flew out of Autumn Frost’s hands, and she felt a jolt in her stomach as she was sent tumbling backward ten meters, landing heavily on the ground. She lay there, struggling to get up.

Ding Sheng had already sheathed his rusty sword, having shown mercy by only striking with the flat of the blade to avoid injuring her.

In the background, the mysterious girl held the little one close, her fierce, beautiful eyes softening as they watched Ding Sheng's back.

"Impressive swordsmanship!" exclaimed a robust young man named Xiao Chengxuan, applauding enthusiastically.

In that moment, everyone saw that the seemingly ordinary young man was anything but, and his skill in swordsmanship was indeed profound.