Yuan Di looked at Wang Sandong, who was pale and panting as he leaned against the carriage shaft, and offered comfort in the tone of someone who had seen it all.
“Everything is hard at first, and killing is no different. When I first killed someone, I was just like you—I nearly broke down. You just need more practice.”
Wang Sandong gave a miserable smile.
He really wanted to tell Yuan Di that a part of his current condition might be due to the emotional instability of his first kill, but a much larger, more significant reason was the feeling of total exhaustion that followed the use of Soul Snatching.
In the end, however, he said nothing.
‘Some things are better kept to oneself.’
Glancing at Wang Tong, who was lying on the ground looking at him with concern, Wang Sandong struggled to pull himself up.
He sat on the carriage shaft, leaning against the wooden frame.
After catching his breath, he finally spoke.
“He’s just a child, only 12 years old. Let him go.”
Yuan Di burst out laughing.
“Aren’t you afraid he’ll talk?”
Without waiting for Wang Sandong to respond or for Wang Tong to offer a guarantee, she immediately added, “Only dead people keep secrets.”
Wang Tong was struck speechless.
Wang Sandong remained silent.
He knew Yuan Di was right.
“If you want to achieve great things, you must be decisive in your killing,” Yuan Di said, her voice full of patient guidance.
Wang Sandong continued to stay silent.
Yuan Di spoke again.
“I have a ‘Demonic Pill’ here, refined specifically for you. After taking it, your body will become like that of a normal person, no longer so sickly. All you have to do is kill this servant with your own hands, and I will give it to you.”
Wang Sandong froze for a moment.
He looked up and saw the pitch-black pill in Yuan Di’s hand before turning his gaze toward Wang Tong.
Wang Tong looked at Wang Sandong with tearful eyes.
“Young Master.”
With a choked sob, he closed his eyes, looking like a man awaiting his execution.
He felt that his life belonged to the young master.
If the young master hadn’t picked him up from under a paulownia tree and brought him home 3 years ago, he would have starved to death long ago.
Therefore, if the young master wanted to take his life, it was only right.
Wang Sandong watched the motionless Wang Tong, his expression flickering through several emotions. After a long silence, he suddenly laughed and looked at Yuan Di.
“You are one of the Five Emperors, a legendary expert. To kill an ordinary person, do you really need to use Demonic Qi to snap their neck?”
“Is that not allowed?”
“It feels too low.”
Yuan Di quirked an eyebrow and looked down at her clothes.
“Too revealing?”
“I mean it’s low-class. Not imposing enough,” Wang Sandong clarified.
Yuan Di smiled.
“Who would I be showing off for? Do I want everyone to know there is a Demonic Cultivator in the Old Capital?”
Having said that, she knelt down and stuffed the Demonic Pill into Wang Tong’s mouth.
Wang Sandong was extremely surprised by the sight. Before he could speak, Yuan Di said, “Miss Zheng showed mercy after all. Otherwise, this servant would have certainly died from the impact of a Rank 3 Spiritual Cultivator’s spiritual power. Having taken this pill, his injuries should fully heal in 3 days.”
The tension on Wang Sandong’s face finally eased.
This so-called Demonic Pill was likely just a medicine used for healing.
Looking at her peerless beauty under the moonlight, he gave a weak smile.
“Even though you are a Demonic Cultivator, you don’t seem like a bad person.”
Yuan Di stood up and walked over.
“A bloodthirsty person isn’t necessarily bad. Conversely, a non-killer isn’t necessarily good.”
As she spoke, her body leaped lightly onto the carriage shaft before she ducked into the carriage.
“The corpse needs to be handled.”
Wang Sandong did not follow her inside.
His body was simply too weak; he didn’t want to move a single muscle.
Seeing Wang Tong get up without issue, the weight on his heart finally lifted.
However, he wasn’t entirely without worry.
If Wang Tong ever betrayed him…
‘Maybe I should be ruthless and make Wang Tong shut up for good.’
“The person I took an interest in is indeed extraordinary,” Yuan Di laughed from inside the carriage.
“Though your body is frail, you could easily slay a Rank 3 Spiritual Cultivator. It was truly unexpected. I underestimated you before.”
Wang Sandong didn’t reply immediately.
Instead, he couldn’t help but recall that brief, tense moment of the killing.
At that time, he could clearly feel the dark shadow was on the verge of collapse.
But at the critical moment, “himself”—in the form of Miss Zheng—suddenly stopped resisting…
It was because someone had ambushed “her.”
‘Is it possible that the person who ambushed “me” was actually Yuan Di?’
‘Is her intention in saying these things right now some kind of encouraging teaching method?’
“It seems you are very suited to the path of a Demonic Cultivator.”
While she spoke, Yuan Di emerged from the carriage carrying Miss Zheng’s body.
Miss Zheng’s head was facing Wang Sandong’s direction.
Wang Sandong saw that her eyes and mouth were now closed.
She looked as peaceful as if she were sleeping.
“Remember, you met Miss Zheng. After she broke off the engagement with you, she left. As for where she went specifically, you do not know,” Yuan Di instructed.
Once finished, she carried the corpse away.
Wang Sandong watched Yuan Di’s back and Miss Zheng’s hanging face.
That face suddenly seemed to turn toward Wang Sandong.
Wang Sandong’s scalp instantly went numb with terror.
Only after Yuan Di had gone far and disappeared into the night did Wang Tong dare to scramble up.
Clutching his chest with one hand, he asked with an urgent, choked voice, “Young Master, are you alright?”
Wang Sandong exhaled, looking at Wang Tong and remembering how the boy had desperately tried to buy him time.
A servant this loyal probably wouldn’t betray him, right?
‘Probably.’
‘I hope.’
With a slight smile, Wang Sandong said, “I’m fine. Let’s go home.”
Wang Tong gave a word of affirmation and helped Wang Sandong back into the carriage to sit.
The carriage slowly moved onto the road.
Through the curtain, Wang Tong whispered, “Don’t worry, Young Master. I won’t say a word.”
Wang Sandong couldn’t bear to kill Wang Tong, and he truly believed the boy wouldn’t talk.
However…
‘Don’t worry?’
‘That won’t be easy.’
That night, Wang Sandong had a dream.
He dreamt that Wang Tong had betrayed him after all.
As a result, the entire Wang Family, including his cousin Wang Yunteng and his eldest brother Wang Jinghong, all surrounded him with sharp blades.
They were furious, shouting that they would execute their own kin for the sake of justice and to eliminate a demon.
He also dreamt that he had become Miss Zheng.
“Her” eyes stared intently at “Wang Sandong” as she questioned him in a deep voice, “You are a Demonic Cultivator?”
She saw that “Wang Sandong’s” face was flushed with a sickly red, clearly a sign of nervous guilt.
‘How ridiculous!’
‘A descendant of the prestigious Nine Surnamed Kings has actually stepped onto the path of evil! It is an insult to the glorious names of his ancestors!’
‘It’s also quite pathetic!’
‘How can a real man resort to any means necessary just for the sake of survival?! Even if one cannot sacrifice their life to fulfill their virtue, how can one seek life by destroying it?’
‘We children of the Zheng Clan must eliminate demons, defend the way, protect the laws, and bring peace to the people!’
However, in the end, “she” was ambushed and actually died at the hands of “Wang Sandong.”
Looking at the spine-chilling dark shadow before her and its cold, inhuman face, “she” opened her mouth, wanting to give “Wang Sandong” one last piece of advice: “A single thought of turning back, and all realms are at peace!”
Unfortunately, “she” never got the chance to say it.
In a daze, Wang Sandong woke up.
His face was wet; it turned out to be tears.
‘Sigh…’
Wang Sandong sighed, then suddenly grew alert as he saw a silhouette standing by the bed.
“Holy shit!”
He bolted upright, a curse he hadn’t used in many years escaping his lips.
At the same time, his heart rate spiked, and his face became even paler.
Once the words were out, he quickly recognized the figure’s appearance.
“Yuan… Yuan Yuan? Are you… trying to scare me to death?”
Because his body was too weak, Wang Sandong slumped back down.
Yuan Di gave a slight smile and said, “What? Did I scare you into crying?”
Wang Sandong’s face instantly turned bright red.
He quickly raised a hand to wipe his tears and bullshitted, “No, I just had a dream. I dreamt that you died and I was a bit sad.”
Yuan Di let out a snickering laugh.
She gestured behind her, and a brocade stool actually flew over, landing right under her.
She sat down casually and crossed her legs before speaking.
“Just now, Wang Tong secretly left Anzhi Courtyard.”
Upon hearing this, Wang Sandong felt a surge of both anger and regret.
‘That bastard!’
Yuan Di tilted her head slightly, looking at the still-reclining Wang Sandong.
“You don’t seem to be afraid.”
“Based on your attitude, you must have stopped him in time,” Wang Sandong said, though he couldn’t be certain.
“Or you’ve already killed him.”
“Heh, clever,” Yuan Di laughed.
“Your servant is yours to deal with.”
Wang Sandong remained silent.
Yuan Di spoke again.
“How did it feel to kill for the first time?”
Wang Sandong thought about it seriously, sighed, and remained silent.
“Did it feel satisfying?”
Yuan Di asked.
“Of course not,” Wang Sandong replied.
“That’s because, in the depths of your heart, you feel she didn’t deserve to die.”
Yuan Di maintained her smile.
“Because you felt you could have subdued her and then fled the Old Capital. It wasn’t as if you had no choice but to kill her.”
Wang Sandong frowned.
Yuan Di continued, “Because you feel that your nature is kind and that you shouldn’t kill people.”
Wang Sandong looked at Yuan Di.
In the darkness, Yuan Di’s eyes were deep and enchanting.
On her peerless face, there was a trace of a cool and wise smile.
“The distinction between right and wrong exists in a single thought; the difference between good and evil is judged by the human heart!”
Wang Sandong pursed his lips, suddenly feeling a bit annoyed.
He looked at Yuan Di with furrowed brows and said impatiently, “It’s the middle of the night and you’re not sleeping. Do you want me to get you a ruler and hang up a blackboard so you can give me a proper lesson?”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Hmph!”
Wang Sandong caught a glimpse of Yuan Di’s mocking expression and felt inexplicably angry.
He actually spoke up to tease her.
“Are you tired? Want to make do with staying here? My bed is big and comfortable.”
As he spoke, he shifted inward and lifted a corner of the blanket.
“Come, the bed is already warmed up.”
Yuan Di’s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at Wang Sandong’s expression as if she were looking at someone with a death wish.
Wang Sandong was intimidated by her gaze. He dropped the corner of the blanket and acted as if nothing had happened.
“We’ll talk about things tomorrow. I’m tired.”
After saying that, he closed his eyes, rolled over, and turned his back to Yuan Di.
In his mind, he kept replaying Yuan Di’s words.
For some reason, those seemingly ordinary sentences kept lingering in his mind.
Sometimes they seemed as far away as the horizon, and sometimes they seemed as close as his ear.
At some point, Wang Sandong’s hand clenched the blanket tightly, his jaw locked, and cold sweat poured down.
‘Miss Zheng might not have deserved to die.’
‘But…’
‘Wang Tong really deserves it!’
‘I took pity on his youth and didn’t kill him, yet he actually wanted to betray me!’
‘He should be killed!’
‘He should be killed!’
‘He should be killed!’
On Wang Sandong’s body, a dark shadow suddenly emerged.
The shadow trembled, appearing as if it wanted to break free from Wang Sandong’s body.
“Don’t you want to live?”
Yuan Di’s voice suddenly rang out, sounding as if she were whispering right against his ear.
“Actually, ‘Huitian’ cannot make you live. Only ‘Soul Snatching’ can! ‘Snatch the souls of others to extend one’s own lifespan’! If you don’t kill, you will die!”
Finally, the dark shadow left Wang Sandong’s body.
It looked at Yuan Di with a cold expression.
Yuan Di smiled and reached out toward the bedroom door.
The door flew open, and Wang Tong was pulled inside as if by an invisible force, eventually coming to a stop on the floor by Yuan Di’s feet.
“Aren’t you a loyal servant?”
Yuan Di said, looking at the terrified Wang Tong.
“It’s time to offer your life for your master.”
With a wave of her hand, Wang Tong’s body flew up and was delivered in front of the dark shadow.
Wang Tong tried to struggle, but his limbs simply wouldn’t obey him.
He looked at the dark shadow through his tears, then at Wang Sandong, who was lying on his side facing the wall.
His lips trembled as he whispered, “Young Master, I didn’t try to betray you!”
Even in this life-or-death moment, these were the only clumsy words of defense this child could come up with.
Seeing no reaction from Wang Sandong, he looked at the dark shadow in a panic.
The dark shadow’s eyes were hollow and cold, enough to make anyone’s skin crawl.
“Do it,” Yuan Di laughed.
“What are you hesitating for?”
The dark shadow continued to look coldly at Wang Tong.
Suddenly, without any warning, it reached out toward Yuan Di.
Its expressionless face instantly contorted into a ghoulish, ruthless snarl.
Yuan Di’s pupils contracted, and she let out a sharp breath through her nose.
“Hmph!”
She immediately waved her hand.
From her fingertips, a bolt of black Demonic Qi, like a sharp sword, sliced the dark shadow in half right through the chest.
It was as easy as cutting through a melon.
The shadow split and dissipated with a *poof*.
The scattered Demonic Qi returned to Wang Sandong’s body.
Wang Sandong took a sudden, sharp breath, like a drowning man.
Then, he let out a muffled, miserable groan.
His hands clutched his chest, and his body trembled, curled up and twisting.
The “strike” Yuan Di had just made felt as if it had landed directly on Wang Sandong’s body.
He hugged his shoulders tightly, as if afraid his upper half might “fall off.”
This feeling was familiar—it was just like when “he” had killed Miss Zheng.
Beyond the physical pain, the sensation of death pushed Wang Sandong’s mind to the brink of collapse.
“As expected.”
Yuan Di actually smiled.
“You really are suited for demonic cultivation.”
After saying that, she stood up, casually struck Wang Tong with a wisp of Demonic Qi, and walked straight out the door.
Wang Tong’s body shivered, and his stiff limbs regained their freedom.
He quickly got up and rushed to the bedside.
Looking at the agonizingly trembling Wang Sandong, he wanted to touch him but didn’t dare, not knowing what to do.
“Young Master! Young Master!”
He could only keep crying out in a low voice.
He didn’t dare be loud for fear of alerting others.
Wang Sandong was shaking as if he were naked in the middle of winter.
He gritted his teeth, filled with both pain and anger.
Just now, he didn’t know what method Yuan Di had used, but it was as if he had been bewitched by her.
He had used Soul Snatching on his own, nearly killing Wang Tong.
That damn demon!
She was beautiful but never did anything good!
Her words were pleasant, but…
‘That’s it.’
‘She must have used her words to ambush me!’
‘Was it some kind of sound-based technique?’
‘Or some other invisible method?’
‘The same kind of method she used to ambush Miss Zheng?’
‘She’s truly insane!’
‘Why go through all this trouble in the middle of the night?’
‘Also, what did she mean by saying I was “suited for demonic cultivation”? Was it a sincere “compliment”? Or did she have ill intentions?’
‘And that sentence: “Snatch the souls of others to extend one’s own lifespan.”‘
‘Was it the truth?’
‘Or just a threat?’
‘That beautiful little woman!’
‘Her heart is too deep.’
‘If I ever get the chance, I’ll have to kill her and then take her memories to see just how many insidious and despicable schemes are packed inside that little head of hers!’
He let his mind wander while enduring the pain.
After a good while, the agonizing sensation of being “cut open” finally became less intense.
Wang Sandong let out a long breath, lay flat, and weakly comforted Wang Tong.
“Alright, it’s fine now.”
Wang Tong wept with joy.
“Young Master, I really, really didn’t betray you.”
It was the same sentence as before, but it was as if adding another “really” made it more true.
“Yes, I believe you.”
Compared to a demon full of schemes and malice, Wang Sandong felt he should trust the loyal servant who had been with him for three years.
They were just three simple words, “I believe you,” but hearing them made Wang Tong’s tears flow even more fiercely.
His lips moved as if he had many things to say, but the words wouldn’t come out.
“I understand.”
Wang Sandong grasped Wang Tong’s feelings.
He forced a smile and said weakly, “You may leave.”
Wang Sandong felt very tired and needed to rest.
In his physical state, using Soul Snatching twice in a row was truly more than he could handle.
Before falling asleep, he still felt uneasy.
Remembering Miss Zheng’s death, Wang Sandong instructed Wang Tong again.
“If anyone comes looking, wake me up.”
Events unfolded exactly as Wang Sandong had expected.
Early the next morning, before Mr. Yi could come to check Wang Sandong’s pulse, Hongxiu arrived.
Looking at the drowsy, sickly Wang Sandong who hadn’t fully woken up, a look of pity appeared on Hongxiu’s face.
“Third Young Master, I’ve disturbed your peaceful sleep.”
Wang Sandong let out a yawn and said impatiently, “Spit it out.”
Hongxiu quickly said, “It’s nothing major. I could have just asked Wang Tong, but he insisted on waking you up.”
“His brain has never been very sharp,” Wang Sandong said lazily.
“Hurry up and tell me what’s going on.”
“Hehehe, people from the Zheng Clan are here. They’re asking if you’ve seen Miss Zheng.”
“Oh, Miss Zheng. Yes, I saw her. Last night on my way back from Fengyue Tower, I ran into her on the road. She brought me some money and said she wanted to break off the engagement.”
Wang Sandong let out another yawn.
“I thought it was some big deal. Is she so impatient that she’s already waiting for the annulment papers? Tell them to wait. We’ll talk after I’ve had my sleep.”
Having said that, he waved his hand.
“I’m going back to catch up on my sleep. Don’t bother me unless it’s important.”
He turned and went back into the room to continue sleeping.
He went back inside, lay down, and closed his eyes to rest.
A moment later, he suddenly jolted awake.
Glancing at the residue of black Demonic Qi between his fingers, Wang Sandong’s scalp instantly went numb.
‘I’m screwed! I’m screwed!’
‘With all the chaos last night, I actually forgot about the Demonic Qi residue under my fingernails!’
‘Did Hongxiu see it when I waved my hand just now?!’
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.