Awake, yet for the first time in three years, she felt a rare sense of peace beside Xi Fuhong.
Crash!—
The vase shattered on the floor.
Two maids rushed forward to clean up the broken porcelain.
One of the girls kept glancing nervously toward the wall.
There, Xue Baihua was trembling all over, clawing at her hair like a madwoman, her face twisted in agony as if she were being tortured.
The vase had been knocked over during her fit.
No one knew what had happened to the Divine Doctor, but she had been like this since morning—completely deranged.
“Do you pity her?”
Lu Xiangyin sat at the head seat, her beautiful eyes half-lidded, holding a cup of fragrant tea.
The maid flinched at the question and quickly looked away, but in her panic, she cut her hand on a shard of porcelain.
“The Divine Doctor was disobedient, so I gave her a little punishment,” Lu Xiangyin said with a smile, setting down her teacup.
The atmosphere in the hall was suffocating.
The maids couldn’t escape Lu Xiangyin’s gaze and squirmed like ants under a magnifying glass.
Fortunately, someone arrived just then.
A young servant announced the arrival of the village chief, and the ornate doors swung open.
The maids took the chance to retreat.
Lu Wen strode in, carrying a bloodstained sack, looking every bit the imposing warrior.
It was hard to believe that just yesterday he had been an unknown lackey.
Now, he exuded the aura of a seasoned general.
Upon seeing Lu Xiangyin, he quickly opened the sack and respectfully presented the head of a Li Family member.
“Sect Leader, here is the head,” Lu Wen said with a faint, proud smile.
Lu Xiangyin yawned lazily.
Seeing the dead man’s eyes still wide open in death, she waved her hand dismissively.
“Alright, toss it to the dogs.”
Li Ruwen, a wealthy man from Ting City, had only one beloved daughter, who married the head of the Ye Luan Sect two years ago.
He had been a businessman all his life, but because his son-in-law was a Jianghu man, he was inexplicably hunted down.
If he had known it would end like this, he probably would’ve regretted agreeing to the marriage.
But the Demonic Sect’s leader was unpredictable and ruthless.
Even if his dog had once wandered near the Martial Arts Alliance Leader’s residence, the entire household would still be slaughtered.
Lu Wen handed the head to a servant but didn’t leave right away.
Lu Xiangyin leaned forward, raising an eyebrow at the man kneeling before her.
“What is it?”
Seeing that she hadn’t dismissed him, Lu Wen quickly clasped his hands and said, “On my way here, I heard there’s a Bi Xuan Palace disciple nearby.
I wanted to ask if we should capture her and bring her to the Demonic Sect?”
The young man, newly drunk on power, was eager to prove himself and show off his ambition.
He spoke with confidence, clearly pleased with his own idea.
But Lu Xiangyin’s lips curled slightly, intrigued.
…Bi Xuan Palace?
She had heard of them, and three years ago, she had even met one of their disciples.
“What’s your plan?” Lu Xiangyin asked with a smile, shifting her posture and locking her gaze on the man.
Lu Wen tensed under her stare but forced himself to stay calm.
He swallowed and said, “Bi Xuan Palace is known in the Jianghu for their soul-guiding and corpse-controlling techniques.
Any disciple from there must have strong cultivation.
Plus, their status is neither black nor white.
If we get them to help the Demonic Sect capture people, it would surely benefit you, Sect Leader.”
“Hahahaha!!”
Lu Xiangyin suddenly burst into laughter, her childish voice laced with a chilling undertone.
Lu Wen flinched at the sound, his shoulders shrinking.
Even if he thought it was a good idea, the Sect Leader’s mind was unfathomable.
One wrong word could cost him his head!
Suddenly, Lu Xiangyin leaned forward, closing the distance between them.
Her slender fingers clamped down on his jaw, her half-lidded eyes gleaming.
“How interesting,” she whispered, her breath warm as her fingers traced the stubble on his chin.
“Since it’s the Langya Village Chief’s suggestion, then the Sect Leader must follow through.
I want… that Bi Xuan Palace disciple.
Remember, her name is Xiao Qiyu.”
With a forceful shove, Lu Wen fell back onto the floor.
Just moments ago, he thought he was a dead man, but now the Sect Leader had accepted his idea and even seemed pleased.
Lu Xiangyin gave him a look to leave, and he quickly withdrew.
Lu Xiangyin clasped her hands behind her back and strolled over to Xue Baihua.
The once-proud Divine Doctor now curled in the corner like a sick cat, her body limp, her face pale and haggard.
Lu Xiangyin looked down coldly, then suddenly yanked Xue Baihua’s hair, forcing her to look up.
“So disobedient, Divine Doctor.
You really don’t listen…” Lu Xiangyin smiled faintly, but her grip tightened.
“I told you, you were only allowed to stay in the valley for one hour.
Why didn’t you listen? You dared to stay the whole night? You wanted to be with Fu Hong that badly? Spent the whole night together—was it fun?”
Xue Baihua bit her lip stubbornly, blood slowly trickling from the corner of her mouth.
Seeing her silent protest, Lu Xiangyin’s smile deepened.
“Fine.
Since it’s your first offense, I won’t cut off your limbs.
But with the cold poison acting up, I doubt you’ll remember this lesson.
I’ll have to think of a better way to teach you…”
Drawing out her words like a tease, Lu Xiangyin returned to her jade throne, her long sleeves sweeping with regal flair.
“Guards, lock the Divine Doctor in her room.
For the next two days, no one is to let her out without my orders,” Lu Xiangyin said, then added with emphasis, “Especially don’t let her leave the valley.
Don’t be careless.”
Xue Baihua trembled at the words.
Not allowed to leave the valley?
A jolt of panic hit her.
She immediately crawled forward and knelt at Lu Xiangyin’s feet, clutching her robes in desperation.
Not seeing Ah Fu? That was worse than the cold poison.
She had stayed for Xi Fuhong—how could she be cut off from her now? Three years of regret, and now was her chance to atone.
Since Ah Fu had forgotten her, she should stay by her side even more!
Lu Xiangyin looked down and saw Xue Baihua shaking her head desperately.
The cold poison felt like a thousand needles piercing her body, yet she hadn’t made a sound.
But now, just the order of confinement made her act like she was dying.
How amusing.
Not seeing the one she missed was more painful than poison?
But hadn’t Xue Baihua lived just fine for the past three years after killing Xi Fuhong?
“This punishment seems to be working well,” Lu Xiangyin said, patting Xue Baihua’s head.
“Guards! Lock the Divine Doctor in her room.
Don’t forget my orders.”
As soon as she finished speaking, two burly men grabbed Xue Baihua from both sides.
No matter how she struggled, she couldn’t break free.
Xue Baihua gritted her teeth through the pain as she was dragged out of the hall.
On the jade throne, Lu Xiangyin closed her eyes, brushing her skirt thoughtfully.
After a while, a maid brought her hot tea, but Lu Xiangyin suddenly stood and brushed past her without a word, leaving the hall.
She walked slowly through the corridor.
Everyone she passed bowed deeply, but she didn’t spare them a glance.
Right now, she only wanted to see Xi Fuhong—the girl who could make Xue Baihua suffer so much.
It was nearly noon, and Wu Feng Valley was bathed in sunlight.
Lu Xiangyin passed through the dim corridor, squinting as the bright light outside stung her eyes.
In the distance, she glanced at a small house but didn’t see Xi Fuhong.
She walked down the stone steps toward the sound of water.
Before she saw the ripples, she heard a splash.
Up ahead, Xi Fuhong stood up from the pool, soaking wet, holding a wriggling fish in her hand.
“Xiangyin!”
Xi Fuhong beamed naturally when she saw her.
Lu Xiangyin nodded slightly in response.
Xi Fuhong walked to the shore, tossed the fish onto the grass, and climbed out of the water.
Under the blazing sun, her soaked clothes clung to her body, outlining her curves.
The fabric was nearly see-through, revealing glimpses of her spring-like beauty to Lu Xiangyin without the slightest attempt to hide.
“Xiangyin, you came at the perfect time.
I was just about to grill this fish,” Xi Fuhong said with a smile, not noticing anything unusual.
