If I were to wail or beg for mercy, Nie Qi might have found it more enjoyable. But enduring the torture with clenched teeth, just for a moment, made Nie Qi lose interest.
She lifted her foot, gaining a measure of respect for Yilu.
Her palm was nearly bloodless from being stepped on, yet aside from gritting her teeth and enduring, she did nothing else.
Nie Qi nodded, the madness in her blood-red eyes receding slightly. “I have to say, if you really become a witch, you might also be an anomaly.”
Yilu’s demeanor—she had seen it before in the previous Witch of Nightmare Words.
That wretch I used to call Little Crybaby looked fragile, but she was stubborn about not wanting to hurt anyone anymore.
Even with those who cursed her, if she wanted, she could slaughter them all.
In the face of absolute power, she could eliminate everyone who loathed her or whom she loathed.
But she chose to take a step back and hide deep in the mountains and forests.
The curse should have twisted her into a witch who slaughters the living, but in the end, she twisted the curse, making it unable to manifest as it should in her.
Every time Nie Qi saw her, she sneered on the surface but secretly thought that woman was somewhat impressive.
Now, she saw that same expression on Yilu’s face again.
“Forget it. Guessing here now is just empty talk. When the time comes, I might let you become a real witch—perhaps there will be unexpected changes.”
Without seeing the result, nothing is certain.
Yilu lifted her head with difficulty, glaring at Nie Qi. “If I really become a witch, the first thing I’ll do is kill you!”
“Oh?” An unexpected answer. Nie Qi snorted. “After experiencing the curse, you still so eagerly want to become a full witch—you’re truly the first.”
After experiencing the terror the curse brings, Yilu actively said she wanted to become a witch without a shred of fear. That was truly rare.
“But by then, you might not have that chance, because once we use you to find the legacy, even if you become a witch, you won’t live long.”
Becoming a witch would make Yilu’s life endless, just as some say: a witch is a monster.
But they are not impossible to kill.
Before Yilu could understand what the other meant, footsteps sounded in the darkness.
“At that time, we will definitely kill you immediately.”
A familiar voice reached her ears. Yilu was stunned and looked into the darkness.
By the faint light, Yilu gradually made out the figure approaching.
The surprise in her heart was no less than when she recognized Nie Qi. Following that, anger surged even more fiercely.
“Long time no see, Miss Yilu. Your current state really suits you—or rather, suits the entire Starting Bud Family.”
“Bei… Yao.” Yilu forced out the other’s name word by word, her anger beyond words.
“It’s me.” Bei Yao remained as arrogant as ever, looking down at Yilu lying on the ground with disdain.
She had seen this appearance of hers several times, but never been as pleased as now.
“Where do you think this place is? It’s a dungeon in my family’s mansion.”
She unashamedly revealed the exact location.
Since that incident last time, though she seemed not to say anything, she had kept it deep in her heart.
Being made such a fool by Yilu was a great humiliation for her.
During her recovery at home, she had been looking for ways to take revenge on Yilu.
And her hostility toward Yilu had long existed.
It didn’t stem from Yilu alone, but from the entire Starting Bud Family.
“Your family is merely one that rose through military merit. Who would have thought you carried the bloodline of that witch from long ago?”
Bei Yao was quite surprised when she learned this.
She had heard some legends about that witch.
No one expected that the witch who disappeared in legends had never left the kingdom, but settled down and gave birth to a bloodline.
If she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, no one would believe it.
And that family was the Starting Bud Family.
The enmity between the Starting Bud Family and the Tazhi Family—Bei Yao’s family—began when the Starting Bud Family rose to nobility through military merit.
The king granted territory to the Starting Bud Family, taking part of the lands originally under the Tazhi Family’s jurisdiction that had caused some problems.
The feud between the two families was sealed at that time.
Besides that, Yilu’s elder brother, while in the Knights, had repeatedly caused trouble for some of the Tazhi Family’s businesses.
Though those businesses were somewhat shady, people had tacitly avoided offending the Tazhi Family.
But Yilu’s brother completely disregarded the Tazhi Family’s face.
When they heard that Yilu’s brother had met with misfortune, the Tazhi Family was the most delighted.
Yet the grudges didn’t end there; instead, it was just the beginning.
“Miss Yilu, perhaps you don’t know—the kingdom has been searching for that witch for a long time, never expecting she was right under their noses,” Bei Yao said.
This was probably the most ironic outcome.
Yilu truly didn’t know about this. At least before, she had never heard of the witch bloodline.
The family records only said that the Starting Bud Family was a very small family long ago, living in a village far from the Royal Capital, unknown.
It wasn’t until her grandfather and father entered public service and joined the military, earning considerable merits, that they obtained the title of nobility.
Bei Yao looked at Yilu and continued, “If some people had discovered this earlier, it would have been a big problem. Those people would be desperate to find the bloodline of that witch.”
These were the faction Lulong mentioned—they had always respected that witch.
But she was different.
“Now that you’re in my hands, I will not only make you disappear, but also make the entire Starting Bud Family vanish completely.”
At this point, Bei Yao finally showed a fierce expression.
“That’s what I was about to say,” Nie Qi said, crossing her arms and leaning slightly to look at Yilu. “Imagine—if when you become a witch in the public’s view, under the curse’s drive, you slaughter those around you. What do you think those people will think?”
Perhaps Yilu might hold back, but by then it would be out of her control.
Even if she didn’t do it, Nie Qi would act to make it happen.
By then, even if that witch had been respected by some people, that illusion would shatter.
That’s what Bei Yao and Nie Qi both wanted to see.
Bei Yao wanted the entire Starting Bud Family to be wiped out because of this.
Nie Qi thought that it was disgusting enough for a witch to be respected by others—she wanted to destroy it all with her own hands.