The night was ink-dark, and the Chu residence had already fallen into deep sleep.
Xie Zhaolin sat cross-legged on the bed, fingers forming a seal as black qi circulated around her body. She was only a hair's breadth away from breaking through to the seventh layer of Qi Refining—
Shua!
The wind stopped.
Her eyes snapped open. Her divine sense spread instantly, catching a chilling aura creeping in from the Chu residence's main gate. It was so faint that without her sharp perception, she never would've noticed it.
"An evil cultivator?!"
Her pupils constricted. Her heart sank. It wasn't supposed to be today!
The black-robed man should've arrived in four days. Why was he here early?
She quickly suppressed her aura, letting the black qi flow inside her body to erase her presence. At the same time, a thin wisp of divine sense cautiously stretched toward the courtyard.
Moonlight spilled across the tiles as a figure in a black robe silently stepped into the Chu residence. His movements were light, his tall frame faintly visible beneath the robe. His face was hidden under the hood's shadow, but in the dark, a pair of cold eyes gleamed.
The instant her divine sense touched him, she pulled it back. She didn't dare probe further.
Mid-Foundation Establishment!
Her face paled slightly. At her current strength, peak sixth layer of Qi Refining, she had no chance of beating a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Worse, that icy aura reeked of sinister arts. His methods would definitely be cruel.
Her mind raced through the options—
Run?
Impossible!
A quick sweep with her divine sense revealed an invisible barrier blanketing the entire Chu residence. Any fluctuation of spiritual power would be detected. Forcing her way out would only alert him.
Fight?
Even worse!
Head-on, she'd be dead in an instant.
Hide?
But if he came early, he must've prepared everything. The Chu family was probably already being watched. Moving around recklessly would only expose her faster.
The only option was to conceal her aura and wait for the chance to strike!
Her fingers moved, condensing a misty layer of black qi that completely sealed her presence. She quietly slid to the corner of the bed, eyes locked on the window.
"Tap… tap… tap…"
Footsteps drew closer, steady and heavy, each step pressing against her heart.
Xie Zhaolin held her breath, black qi gathering at her fingertips, ready to unleash at any moment.
Suddenly, the footsteps stopped right outside the courtyard.
"Hm?"
The black-robed man seemed to sense something. His gaze swept toward her room, those icy eyes narrowing.
Her heartbeat raced, but her expression stayed calm. Had she been discovered?
She didn't dare move. Even her breathing was as light as a feather.
The black-robed man stood still, as if probing. Then he raised his hand. A wave of blood-red ripples spread out from him, sweeping across the courtyard.
Her heart clenched. She pulled her divine sense tight, wrapping herself completely in black qi. Even her heartbeat was forced into a sluggish crawl.
The wave washed over her, but it was like passing through emptiness, stirring no response. He frowned, suspicious, but didn't approach the room. Instead, he turned and headed toward the Chu family's main quarters.
Only then did her tense body ease slightly. Still, she didn't relax.
After a moment's thought, she decided to take the risk. Her fingertip tapped her brow. A thread of divine sense split off, drifting toward the black-robed man.
He slipped silently through the corridors until he reached Chu Huaizhou's courtyard. She followed from afar, careful not to get close. Only fragments of their conversation reached her ears—
"Milord, why did you come early?" Chu Huaizhou's voice was nervous.
"Plans have changed," the black-robed man's hoarse tone answered. "The Hehuan Sect already has eyes here. We must act ahead of schedule."
"And… Zhang Xiuxiu…"
"She won't escape." He laughed coldly. "I've already used the head-infusion on you, and with your marriage bond, her life is tied to yours. Her fate is my perfect offering."
Xie Zhaolin's chest tightened.
So that's it!
When he performed the head-infusion on Chu Huaizhou, he secretly bound a life contract. And because the engagement with Zhang Xiuxiu wasn't broken, that marriage tie became the deadliest chain. What a vicious scheme—using Chu Huaizhou as a medium while locking her down with the engagement. No wonder he came early. It wasn't just the Hehuan Sect, it was to strike before anything could change!
She instantly pulled back her divine sense. If he caught her spying, she'd be exposed. Her breathing slowed. Cold light flickered in her eyes.
What he wanted wasn't a "fiancée," it was that cursed marriage bond. But now, there was no retreat. The barrier sealed the Chu residence, and the black-robed man could strike her anytime.
That left only one choice.
"Strike first to gain the upper hand!"
Her gaze turned icy, black qi whirling at her fingertips. She might not match a Foundation Establishment cultivator head-on, but a surprise attack could still work!
From her storage ring, she pulled out a few items. A Condensing Essence Pill, to boost her spiritual circulation speed. A Frost Dagger, a low-grade artifact, but sharp enough to cut steel. She swallowed the pill. Power surged, her spiritual energy spinning faster. For a short time, her cultivation climbed to the seventh layer of Qi Refining.
"Still not enough…"
She clenched her jaw, took out a Spirit Burst Pill, and swallowed it. Her energy compressed violently, her cultivation briefly pushing near the eighth layer of Qi Refining.
That was her limit!
Any further and her meridians would rupture. Her fingers wove a seal, pouring black qi into the Frost Dagger. The blade hummed, carrying the weight of her strongest strike. It wasn't the power she once held in her Nascent Soul stage, but if she struck by surprise, it was enough to cripple a Foundation Establishment cultivator!
She inhaled deeply, eyes fixed on the courtyard outside.
The black-robed man wouldn't linger long in Chu Huaizhou's room. Once he came back, that would be her chance.
"Tap… tap… tap…"
Sure enough, the footsteps returned.
The black-robed man emerged, a red thread coiled around his fingers, glowing faintly with blood under the moonlight.
The marriage bond!
Her heart sank.
He'd already taken Chu Huaizhou's line. Now it was her turn. He walked toward her room, lips twisting in a cold smile.
"Zhang Xiuxiu… it's your turn."
She stilled, every wisp of black qi pulled tight, body melting into the shadows.
As he pushed open the door—
Boom!
A flash of white tore through the night. The moment he stepped inside, she detonated the Thunderfire Beads she'd hidden at the entrance! Her sneak attack might not kill him outright, but a mid-grade artifact's explosion would make even a Foundation Establishment cultivator suffer!
"Argh!"
The violent blast ripped through the courtyard. The black-robed man didn't even have time to react before he was hurled away like a ragdoll. His body crashed through three walls and smashed into the back garden's rockery, shattering it to rubble. The shockwave sent her staggering back, blood rising in her throat.
"Pft!"
She wiped the blood from her lips, eyes burning with killing intent. This was her moment!
Through the smoke, his shadow staggered up. His left arm was gone, half his body mangled. But before he could steady himself—
She was already there, moving like a ghost!
The Frost Dagger blazed with all her baleful qi, driving straight for his throat!