When the last wisp of baleful qi was absorbed, Xie Zhaolin staggered to her feet. Blood seeped endlessly from the cracks in her skin, pooling into small puddles on the stone floor. Yet her eyes—those eyes blazing with madness and delight—shone brighter than ever.
She'd won her gamble.
The deadly bet where she staked her life hadn't just pushed her to the ninth layer of Qi Refining, it even took her one level higher than she expected. The surging new power began mending her torn meridians, smoothing over every fissure left by the pill's violent backlash.
"Heh…"
Xie Zhaolin let out a low chuckle and flicked her bloodstained fingers. The shattered corpse of the black-robed man, along with his scattered treasures, vanished into her storage ring. Her divine sense swept across the Chu residence. She could clearly "see" the maids and servants who'd been corroded by the blood curse, lying collapsed in every corner. Even though the curse had been broken, their life force was nearly extinguished.
She stood still for a moment. Then her finger flicked lightly. Dozens of streaks of black qi shot out like arrows, piercing each servant's forehead with perfect precision. Rather than let them suffer, she gave them a swift release.
"It's time to settle the score…"
Her gaze shifted toward the study. Three living auras hid inside the secret chamber—Chu Huaizhou, Chu Father, and Chu Mother, the culprits behind it all. She pulled a healing pill from her ring and swallowed it. The medicinal power spread, easing the sharp pain in her meridians.
Wiping away the blood from her orifices, she strode toward the study.
…
Inside the secret chamber.
"Father, what's happening out there?" Chu Huaizhou's face was pale. "Why did the adult's blood curse suddenly spiral out of control?"
Chu Father's expression was grim, his fingers drumming rapidly on the desk. "Something's wrong… something's very wrong…"
"What's so wrong about it?" Chu Mother cut him off impatiently. "It's just the servants screaming. Being able to sacrifice themselves for the Master's cultivation is their blessing!"
"Shut up!" Chu Father roared. "What do you know? The Master said the blood curse only loses control under extreme circumstances!"
Chu Huaizhou's throat bobbed nervously. "Could it be… something went wrong with Zhang Xiuxiu?"
"That worthless girl?" Chu Mother sneered. "What waves can she stir up? Once—"
Her words cut short.
Boom!
The heavy stone door of the chamber exploded into fragments.
Through the smoke and dust, a blood-soaked figure walked in slowly. Her robes were in tatters, her right wrist mangled beyond recognition, but her icy eyes froze the air itself.
"Zhang Xiuxiu?!" Chu Mother was startled, then flew into rage. "Who allowed you here?! Get out!"
Chu Father noticed the abnormality first. He yanked Chu Mother back, his face paling. "Wait… how could she be here…"
"Noisy."
Xie Zhaolin raised a finger. A streak of black light shot out.
Puchi!
Chu Mother's tirade died in her throat. She touched her neck in confusion as fine beads of blood seeped between her fingers. When she tried to speak again, blood spurted from her throat, spraying Chu Father's face.
"Husband…" She stumbled two steps forward before collapsing with a crash.
Chu Father froze, blood dripping down his face. Mechanically wiping it away, he stammered, voice trembling, "You… you dare…"
Xie Zhaolin suddenly smiled.
That smile made Chu Huaizhou feel like he'd fallen into an ice pit. This wasn't Zhang Xiuxiu. That expression could never belong to her.
"Not only do I dare kill her," Xie Zhaolin whispered softly, black qi curling around her fingertips, "I'll kill you, kill your son, kill every last one of the Chu clan."
Her head tilted slightly. The torn sleeve slipped, revealing the bloody wound on her wrist, bone gleaming through the shredded flesh.
"Now, it's time to settle our debt."
Chu Father's face turned ashen. He stumbled back, voice shaking as he tried to sound threatening. "Y-you can't kill us! The Master, he—"
"Dead."
Xie Zhaolin's soft reply cut him off. She gently rubbed her mangled wrist, blood dripping from her fingers.
"Dead in the most miserable way."
The words hit the two of them like a bucket of ice water.
"Should I bring you his head as proof?" Her lips curved in a cruel smile. "Or would you prefer to see his corpse with your own eyes?"
"Impossible!" Chu Father snapped his head up, yelling, "The adult was a Foundation Establishment cultivator! How could he possibly—"
But his words froze in his throat.
The girl before him radiated a suffocating baleful qi. The entire Chu residence was dead silent, yet the Master hadn't shown up.
She was telling the truth.
She'd really killed a Foundation Establishment cultivator!
Chu Father trembled violently, cold sweat soaking his robes. His teeth chattered as he forced words out. "Xiuxiu, listen to me—"
Crack!
Xie Zhaolin clamped onto his wrist, her fingers tightening viciously.
"Ahhh!"
The sound of bones shattering echoed with his scream, filling the chamber with agony.
"Now let's talk…" she said with a smile.
"…about Zhang Laosan."
Chu Father shuddered. Sweat mixed with blood as it dripped from his forehead. "Wh-what Zhang Laosan? Xiuxiu, you must be mistaken, you're the daughter-in-law I value most—"
"Mistaken?" Xie Zhaolin toyed with a strand of black qi at her fingertip, smiling faintly. "Then explain this mistake to me."
Chu Huaizhou suddenly collapsed to his knees with a loud thud, crying with snot and tears. "Xiuxiu, I really love you! It was all Mother… she forced me! She said you weren't good enough, she insisted on breaking us apart…"
Slap!
Xie Zhaolin's palm cracked across his face from a distance. His head snapped to the side, blood spilling from his mouth. He shut up instantly.
She grabbed Chu Father's hair, yanking his head back to force him to meet her gaze.
"I'll ask one last time."
Her eyes flashed coldly as her divine sense stabbed into both their minds.
"Ahhh!"
Both father and son shrieked. Blood streamed from their orifices as their souls tore apart bit by bit, the pain far worse than flesh could endure.
"Tell me. What happened with Zhang Laosan."
Chu Father broke first. A hoarse howl rasped out of his throat.
"It was… it was her! That venomous woman's idea!" His body convulsed, his eyes bloodshot. "She said… she said you weren't worthy of Huaizhou… so she had someone lure Zhang Laosan… made him…"
Xie Zhaolin's eyes glinted with disgust.
As she thought.
She'd suspected Zhang Laosan's sudden gambling addiction wasn't a coincidence. She hadn't expected the Chu clan's hand behind it.
Now, watching father and son scramble to dump the blame on a dead woman, bile rose in her throat. Maybe the scheme was Chu Mother's idea. But the ones who carried it out… were these two hypocritical beasts right in front of her.
"Heh…"
Her cold laugh sent chills through them. She loosened her grip.
Clang!
A sharp dagger fell to the stone floor, sparking as it struck.
Xie Zhaolin stepped back two paces, as if to watch a play.
"How about this."
Her voice was soft, like a lover's whisper, yet it chilled them to the bone.
"Whoever survives… gets to live."