The carriage moved slowly along the bluestone-paved street.
Because Wang Sandong was in poor health, the carriage would be too bumpy if it went any faster.
Furthermore, with the Celebration Grand Ceremony approaching, the Old Capital was packed with people, and the main streets were almost completely congested.
Even if they wanted to move faster, it was impossible.
Wang Sandong was used to this leisurely pace and enjoyed the slight swaying of the carriage.
She leaned against the soft cushions with her eyes closed, thinking about her “clash” with Zheng Xiao.
After a moment, her elegant brows furrowed slightly.
She had noticed a problem.
Including today, this was the second time she had mentioned Old Steward Chen Youde’s “dirty deeds” to Zheng Xiao.
Compared to her righteous indignation the first time, her reaction today seemed a bit too flat.
‘Could Zheng Xiao have found out that Chen Youde is Ghost Axe? Or does she think I’m intentionally throwing mud?’
Either way, it was not surprising.
Zheng Xiao was, after all, one of the Nine Surnamed Kings. Being well-informed or sharp-witted was only to be expected.
Besides, there was no need to worry about it anymore.
Zheng Xiao had already promised to help her kill Chen Youde.
Whether the woman believed her nonsense, thought Ghost Axe deserved to die, or had weighed the pros and cons and decided to lower her standards of integrity—the mental process was not important compared to the result.
‘Sigh.’
‘A mere Third Rank, playing a Nine Surnamed King in the palm of my hand…’
‘This sense of accomplishment is simply…’
Well.
‘The phrase “playing in the palm of my hand” is a bit of an exaggeration.’
‘But to clash with a Nine Surnamed King without losing—and even winning—I can’t help but feel proud just thinking about it!’
Recalling the faint look of disdain and contempt in Zheng Xiao’s eyes when she “praised” Wang Sandong for being “calculating,” a flush of shame rose to Wang Sandong’s face.
Throwing mud, moral kidnapping, and using the lives of Zheng Xiao’s relatives or even the future of the Zheng Clan as a threat…
“Wang Tong.”
“Young Master, please speak.”
“Do you think… I’m being a bit despicable and shameless?”
“Huh? That… not at all,” Wang Tong said from the bottom of his heart.
“Young Master is pure by nature, beautiful, and kind-hearted. You are the greatest person in the world.”
“Well praised. You shall be rewarded,” Wang Sandong said with a laugh.
The master and servant chatted idly.
Wang Sandong lifted the window curtain and leaned against the frame to watch the bustling scene outside.
Because of the Celebration Grand Ceremony, this ancient and solemn city had gained a bit more of the flavor of the mortal world.
Looking out, she saw the long street crowded with carriages and horses.
Listening closely, she could hear the clamor of voices filling the air.
Shops lined both sides of the street, their banners fluttering in the wind.
Peddlers and porters moved in a continuous stream; men and women in fine clothes laughed and chatted.
The sound of flutes and strings was constant, and various performances and acrobatics were staged along the road.
Fragrant breezes wafted through the air, and the smoke from cooking fires curled upward, creating a scene of peace and prosperity.
Yet, at a street corner, a man with disheveled hair and a grimy face knelt at the feet of the passersby with his head bowed.
A chipped porcelain bowl sat before him, containing a few copper coins and half a cold steamed bun—an inclusion of filth within this flourishing age.
Wang Sandong fished a silver ingot out of her robe and tossed it over.
It landed precisely inside the broken porcelain bowl.
Perhaps the bowl was of poor quality, or the silver ingot was too heavy, for the bowl actually smashed into two halves.
The beggar trembled in fear.
Looking at the silver ingot, his face first showed shock, and then he looked up, catching sight of the passing carriage.
In the carriage window was a face of peerless, breathtaking beauty.
A sharp whistle rang out.
It not only disturbed the shocked beggar but also caught Wang Sandong’s attention.
“Hey, Young Lady!”
In the second-floor window of a nearby teahouse, a young noble shouted toward Wang Sandong.
“Why don’t you come up for a cup of tea?”
Wang Sandong acted as if she hadn’t heard a thing, not responding or even bothering to give him a glance.
‘Beauty is an original sin.’
‘Too much beauty becomes a burden instead.’
It was normal to be teased by a few sightless fools every now and then, especially during festivals.
She had long since grown used to it.
As long as the other party didn’t persist, she didn’t care.
Those truly in power would not draw a blade just because a stray dog on the side of the road was drooling at them.
Besides, if a stray dog was drooling, it just meant that she—this piece of meat—smelled delicious.
“Young Master.”
Not only was Wang Sandong used to it, but Wang Tong was as well.
He merely gave the young noble a disdainful look, as if looking at a fly that didn’t know whether it was dead or alive.
He continued to drive the carriage slowly while chatting casually with Wang Sandong.
“I’ve heard that cultivation requires a balance of work and rest. Is that true? Or should one be more diligent?”
Since receiving the Noble Spirit Art, Wang Tong had been very dedicated to his cultivation.
“You’re asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?”
Wang Sandong replied lazily with a smile.
“If you don’t understand, read more books.”
“Uh… this humble one is illiterate.”
“Oh right, I forgot about that. I’ll find some time later to teach you how to read.”
“Young Master is so smart. You’ve never attended a single day of school, yet you can read.”
“Ha, I’m a genius.”
Seeing that many people were staring at her, Wang Sandong lowered the curtain.
As a member of the Wang Family, Wang Sandong was naturally not afraid of being harassed.
If she simply mentioned any grievance to her family, anyone who dared to tease her would meet a miserable end.
Even those self-righteous fops from the New Capital would be no exception.
But it was a hassle in the end.
Wang Sandong was too lazy to provoke trouble.
She couldn’t entirely blame those wandering playboys, either.
After all, her frail and delicate appearance gave off a feeling of being “easy to bully,” making people unable to resist wanting to do something—this was the conclusion Wang Sandong had reached herself when looking in the mirror.
She had once tried to look more fierce.
Cui Jinnian’s evaluation at the time was: “A puppy growling, a wolf cub baring its teeth, and a tiger cub roaring.”
‘That damn dog!’
He had actually mocked her three times in a row.
Thinking of this, Wang Sandong cursed Cui Jinnian in her heart.
***
The carriage finally arrived home.
After entering the manor and nearing Anzhi Courtyard, Wang Sandong “happened” to run into the new servant again.
It was strange.
Previously, she had felt a mysterious sense of affinity with this new servant.
Seeing him again today, however, that feeling was gone.
If it was gone, then so be it.
Wang Sandong didn’t care and walked straight past him.
The servant stood by the side of the road.
Once Wang Sandong passed, he looked up with suspicion.
Staring at her back, the servant was filled with confusion.
‘Why is there no reaction? The “seed” should have sprouted by now! Logically, she should be taking the initiative to ask me to work in her Anzhi Courtyard right about now!’
‘Could it be… that Yuan Di discovered the “seed” and cleared it for her?’
‘No!’
With that Cui Family youth last time, he had intentionally left traces so that Yuan Di would know he had arrived.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible for Yuan Di to notice.
After a moment of silence, the servant decided he would find another opportunity to “accidentally” bump into Wang Sandong.
If he “bumped” into her again, he would scatter more “seeds.”
He was determined to make Wang Sandong his puppet!
The opportunity came quickly.
As a servant who tended to flowers and plants, he had the chance to enter any place that had them.
Anzhi Courtyard had plenty of greenery.
That afternoon, the servant entered Anzhi Courtyard under the pretext of tending to the flowers.
It just so happened that Wang Sandong was soaking up the sun on a lounge chair nearby, even closing her eyes as she drifted off to sleep.
She looked very vulnerable.
It was a heaven-sent opportunity.
He didn’t necessarily have to “bump” into her; a simple “touch” was enough to perform Soul-Seizing.
Taking advantage of Wang Tong’s absence, the servant sneaked up behind Wang Sandong.
With Demonic Qi on his finger, he lightly tapped her shoulder.
This time, the servant used double the amount of “seeds”—the Demonic Qi seeping into the back of Wang Sandong’s head was twice as thick as before, like a venomous little snake.
The effect was immediate.
Wang Sandong woke up with a yawn.
Turning her head, she saw the servant nearby trimming flower branches with a pair of shears.
That mysterious sense of affinity appeared once again.
“You… come here,” Wang Sandong called out.
The servant hurried over and said, “Third Young Master.”
Sizing the servant up, Wang Sandong asked, “What is your name?”
“This humble one is called Agui.”
‘Agui?’
Wang Sandong raised an eyebrow.
Names like “Ah X” were common in the south but rare in the north.
This fellow calling himself “Agui” spoke with a northern accent the moment he opened his mouth.
Whatever.
It wasn’t important.
Perhaps he was originally from the south and had lived in the north for a long time.
Wang Sandong didn’t suspect anything else and added, “You seem quite sharp. I’ll speak to the steward later and have you work here in Anzhi Courtyard. How does that sound?”
Agui replied, “I shall follow your arrangements, Third Young Master.”
“Alright then, you may leave for now.”
Wang Sandong stretched and stood up to head back to her bedroom.
When her spirits were high, it was the best time for cultivation.
Just as she reached her bedroom door, she suddenly stopped.
Frowning, she turned to look at Agui’s back as he busied himself in the flowerbed and changed her mind.
She was a Demonic Cultivator, and it wasn’t suitable to have an untrustworthy servant nearby.
Moreover, the flickering sense of affinity she felt from Agui made her feel a bit uneasy.
Thus, she called out, “Agui.”
“Yes, Third Young Master?”
Agui came running over in a hurry.
“Actually, I just remembered that I prefer peace and quiet, so I won’t have you come to Anzhi Courtyard after all.”
As a young master, there was no need for her to explain such things to a servant.
But since Agui was still there, she figured she might as well let him know.
Having finished her instructions, she went into her room to cultivate.
Agui stood frozen in place, a look of bewilderment on his face.
‘This… what’s going on?’
‘Soul-Seizing… actually had no effect?’
No, it had an effect.
But the duration was too short.
‘That shouldn’t be!’
‘Could it be… that Huitian can resist Soul-Seizing?’
‘Impossible!’
Even someone as powerful as Yuan Di would be wary of the Demon Sovereign’s Soul-Seizing.
Although he was not his master, the Demon Sovereign, Wang Sandong was certainly no Yuan Di.
‘Tsk… or perhaps…’
‘Because of the “No Spiritual Root”?’
Agui wondered if such a possibility existed as he turned back to the flowerbed, half-heartedly trimming branches.
He remembered a common saying: “A person without a home wanders; a body without a Spiritual Root scatters strength.”
The meaning was easy to understand: a person without a home would drift everywhere, and if a body lacked a Spiritual Root, its power would scatter and could never be condensed.
If power could not be condensed, one naturally could not cultivate.
Therefore, without a Spiritual Root, cultivation was impossible.
Huitian was very special, allowing Wang Sandong to cultivate.
However, Soul-Seizing was not special.
Thus, after the Soul-Seizing entered Wang Sandong’s body, it would scatter…
In fact, the scattered Demonic Qi might even be “claimed” by Wang Sandong.
Adding that to the Soul Snatching of Huitian…
He finally understood.
Agui laughed in spite of himself.
He had reached a conclusion regarding Wang Sandong: ‘If the power is insufficient to kill, it will surely be devoured.’
In other words, any power that couldn’t kill Wang Sandong would scatter because she lacked a Spiritual Root and would ultimately be swallowed by her using Huitian.
Fortunately, Wang Sandong had a weak body and couldn’t withstand much.
A little more power would be enough to take her small life.
But his goal wasn’t to kill her.
Since he couldn’t control her through Soul-Seizing, he could only have an “open and honest” talk with her.
Fortunately, she was just a green brat who had been raised in a secluded manor and pampered since childhood.
She was likely simple-minded and extremely easy to coax.