Ye Chuxue froze, stunned for a split second. Then everything clicked into place. The one who had instructed them to come to the auction house that day… had been her. Now the spirit stones were gone, and the pill had been stolen. This had been a trap from the start. Song Wanníng had played them like fools.
"It was you!" Her fury could no longer be contained. She raised a trembling hand and pointed straight at Song Wanníng.
"It was you, wasn't it? You set this up on purpose! That demonic cultivator was working with you, wasn't he? You never planned to save Master at all. You tricked us deliberately!
Song Wanníng, how can you be so despicable?"
Her voice rose to a near-scream, shaking with rage. And in that moment, Ye Chuxue suddenly realized how much their roles had reversed.
It used to be Song Wanníng who screamed like this.
It used to be her who always lost composure.
Now it was all upside down.
But even with that realization, Ye Chuxue couldn't control the storm in her chest. Every time she looked at Song Wanníng, something clogged in her heart, making it hard to breathe.
Before she could say more, Song Wanníng stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face.
It was swift, practiced—almost mechanical.
Ye Chuxue, still weakened from her injuries, flew back and would have fainted on the spot if the Sect Master hadn't caught her mid-fall.
"Song Zhēnjūn, how dare you hit her?" An Ze shouted, his voice cracking. "Is it because she spoke the truth? Exposed you for what you are?"
He trembled with rage. Watching Ye Chuxue get struck made his vision go red. He had always resented Song Wanníng. Now that resentment had sunk deep into his bones.
She thought her cultivation gave her the right to trample others. She saw lives as disposable. That she had once been his Master—what a disgrace.
Even the Sect Master's face turned dark with anger. He called out Song Wanníng for going too far. The two elders standing behind him—his most trusted allies—also took his side.
Everyone seemed to be condemning Song Wanníng.
Only Bai Yang stayed silent.
The shopkeeper's face twisted with frustration. These people had some nerve.
When they were the ones begging his Mistress for help, they hadn't acted like this. And now they wanted to burn the bridge behind them?
He held back his fury, face dark as ink. Thankfully, his Mistress was smart enough not to fall into their trap.
"How laughable," Song Wanníng said calmly. "Ye Chuxue hurled baseless accusations at me, slandered my name, and insulted a senior. Are you telling me she shouldn't be slapped for that?"
She glanced at her hand. At this point, slapping people had become almost a reflex. A habit, even.
That alone said enough about the kind of people she had to deal with.
As for An Ze… she didn't even bother anymore. He wasn't worth the effort.
A noisy clown. Harmless, but irritating. She really ought to find a way to deal with him.
And then there was the Sect Master…
Her lips curved slightly. So many people she disliked. They'd have to take turns. "I went easy on her. If this were the past, I would've killed her on the spot. Isn't that right, Sect Master?"
She raised an eyebrow and wiped her hand clean with obvious distaste.
"You—!" Ye Chuxue's face turned purple. She wanted to curse her again, but the Sect Master quickly stopped her.
He disliked Song Wanníng, but she wasn't wrong. Without proof, Ye Chuxue's words were out of line. He gave Ye Chuxue a warning glance, then turned to Song Wanníng.
"Nephew Ye was only acting out of concern for Junior Brother Gu's safety. Her emotions got the better of her. There's no need to take her too seriously, Junior Sister Song.
However, the matter of the demonic cultivator must still be addressed. So many people are watching. You cannot just brush this aside.
Also, Nephew Ye's storage ring was stolen, and the pill is gone. The auction house must give an explanation."
"Yes, Sect Master. My ring is missing," Ye Chuxue added quickly. The ring was what mattered most to her. Even if they didn't catch the demonic cultivator, she had to get it back.
Now that she had calmed down, she no longer screamed like before. Instead, her eyes turned red, and she looked at Song Wanníng with silent accusation. She had almost forgotten—playing the victim earned more sympathy.
And it worked. More and more people watching began to feel that Song Wanníng was the unreasonable one. That she was bullying someone weaker than her.
An Ze's heart ached seeing Ye Chuxue like that. He immediately stepped forward and shouted again:
"Song Zhēnjūn, hurry up and hand over the demonic cultivator from your auction house. No matter how much you stall, it's useless."
Before anyone could respond, a new voice cut in from the doorway.
"Tsk. To think the Song family's business would hide a demonic cultivator. Is the Song family secretly colluding with the demonic race?"
The voice was light and mocking, but laced with poisonous intent. Just hearing it made one's skin crawl.
Song Wanníng turned to look.
It was Ling Wushuang, an elder of the Ling family.
He was in the early stage of Nascent Soul, over three hundred years old, but looked like a handsome youth in his twenties, elegant and refined.
His smile was full of malice as he stared at Song Wanníng.
The Ling and Song families had been at odds for years. It wasn't a secret. They often clashed in business, and though it never escalated into full conflict, small squabbles happened all the time.
In her past life, when the Song clan was slaughtered, the Ling family had not been absent.
Murderous intent flashed through Song Wanníng's eyes.
That face… it brought back too many memories. Blood, fire, and that twisted, gleeful smile.
The shopkeeper noticed something was off and gave a light cough, snapping her back to the present.
She forced a smile.
"Ye Chuxue spouted nonsense. Now you, Ling Zhēnjūn, are also throwing around accusations? You want to put a big, ugly hat on the Song family's head too?
I know your Ling family lost a few business deals to us recently, but isn't this a little too petty?"
"Hmph. Words are cheap. Anyone can say whatever they want." Ling Wushuang's smile faded. He strode boldly into the hall.
"Truth and lies will become clear once Song Zhēnjūn hands over the culprit." Now that he was closer, his expression darkened further. That damned Song Wanníng… she had already reached late-stage Nascent Soul?
How long had it even been?
He had been stuck in the early stage for decades with no progress. Why did she get to advance so easily?
Jealousy burned inside him, and so his words naturally favored Ye Chuxue.
Now that she had so many people backing her, Ye Chuxue's confidence grew. A flicker of cruelty flashed in her eyes.
Song Wanníng had just admitted the auction house belonged to the Song family. She had dragged her own clan into the mess.
Still as stupid as ever.
Let's see how she talks her way out of this.
"Yes! Hand them over!"
"Turn over the demonic cultivator!"
"The Song family has to answer for this!"
The onlookers began to shout, some just hoping for drama, others driven by envy. Many wanted to see a powerful clan fall.
Seeing his Master cornered like this, Bai Yang finally couldn't stay silent.
On one side was the person he loved.
On the other, his Master.
He was caught in the middle.
But remembering her quiet care from before… he made his decision.
He stepped forward.