Could it be… the poison failed?
No! Impossible!
That bitter, sour taste was the hallmark of “Drunken Immortal Powder”!
She had administered the poison herself, measuring it precisely enough to make Ling Huan bedridden for three days and three nights.
At first, there would be no symptoms, but in the dead of night, Ling Huan would be wracked with muscle cramps and convulsions, vomiting and diarrhea both.
No one would be able to find the cause.
By poisoning through tea, she could test a few things.
First, whether Ling Huan was wary of her.
But the fact before her eyes was that Ling Huan was completely fine.
“…Unpalatable?”
Yin Luoling’s voice was dry and hoarse, almost squeezed from her throat.
Just… unpalatable?
Her thousand-year Dao Heart wavered violently in this instant.
Ling Huan looked at Yin Luoling’s pale little face and the almost-overflowing shock and frustration in her eyes, and felt a bitter taste spreading from his mouth to the depths of his heart.
He had thought that saying this would lessen the harm to Yin Luoling as much as possible.
But, harm, however small, was still harm.
“Ahem…”
Ling Huan cleared his throat, preparing to speak.
But that cold voice once again echoed in his mind.
[Warning!]
[If the Host apologizes or expresses goodwill at this moment, the system will immediately revoke the reward!]
“It is indeed a bit hard to drink. Maybe… the water wasn’t boiled properly? Or perhaps the tea leaves are old? Come to think of it, the tea leaves in the storeroom have been there for quite a while.You’re still young. Let the servants handle these things in the future.”
[Attention! If you don’t maintain your villain persona, the reward will soon be revoked!]
But Ling Huan didn’t even bat an eye.
To him, this sort of thing didn’t matter.
If it’s revoked, then so be it—reaching the peak in one step was never a good thing anyway.
Besides, he didn’t want his little sister to hate him.
“Boom—!”
A thunderous bang split the night sky without warning!
The dim heavens were instantly lit up by countless brilliant lights, flickering on and off.
Ling Huan jerked his head up, his gaze captured by the sudden spectacle.
Only now did he realize that outside Ling Mansion, it had long been a hubbub of voices, a riotous commotion filling the air.
It turned out tonight was the city’s festival.
The long streets were as bright as day, crowded with throngs of people, their excitement and noise piercing through the high walls of the Ling Mansion and spreading clearly within.
Ling Huan’s heart stirred—he had an idea.
“Since your tea skills aren’t up to par, I’ll take you somewhere to train! Let you see your own shortcomings!”
Without giving Yin Luoling a chance to react, Ling Huan grabbed her hand and, without another word, pulled her outside.
He paid no mind to the tray in his hand, nor to the teacup that fell to the ground and shattered.
Train?
Yin Luoling instantly grew wary.
In the past, Ling Huan often used the excuse of “for your own good” to torment her.
Should she break free?
No, Yin Luoling immediately dismissed the thought.
The tea brewing was just a test.
A test to see if Ling Huan was wary of her—did his different behavior mean he, like her, had been reborn?
If Ling Huan refused to drink, that idea held up.
But if he drank, then those thoughts were unfounded.
If Ling Huan had also been reborn and was guarding against her, how could he possibly know what methods she had?
She only learned medicine thirty-eight years after Ling Huan’s death.
Even taking ten thousand steps back, even if he was wary, her actions had been so sudden, how could he have guarded against it?
Yin Luoling was more and more confused…
Was this… really the Ling Huan she knew?
Or was this lifetime’s Ling Huan simply more cautious and careful?
She wasn’t sure, only deciding to keep enduring and scheming against Ling Huan in secret was the safest course.
Even though she didn’t know why her poison had no effect, there was more than one way to deal with Ling Huan.
Tonight, she might as well let Ling Huan drag her along and see what other malicious things he’d do!
She didn’t believe Ling Huan wouldn’t slip up!
Letting Ling Huan pull her along, his movements were still as gentle as they were that morning, without a trace of the brutality and cruelty of her previous life.
The market was alive with gongs and drums, the noise deafening.
Hawkers shouted back and forth, their calls endless.
Festive lanterns were hung high, their shadows swaying above the surging crowds.
Ling Huan gripped her hand tightly, the two of them like fish swimming upstream, struggling through the shoulder-to-shoulder throng.
The music, the enticing aroma of food, all mingled in the air; the whole street was soaked in an almost boiling joy and happiness.
Yin Luoling was dazed—this bustling excitement… though unfamiliar, was somehow familiar, too.
In her previous life, she’d entered the path of cultivation early, trained bitterly, and loneliness became the norm.
After killing Ling Huan and the Prince, her life fell into endless cycles of hunting and being hunted.
Until her death.
The most lively New Year’s Eve she’d ever had was sitting at a table with her insincere disciple, eating two plain steamed buns and discussing cultivation methods.
But this sense of familiarity now resurfaced.
Because, once, she’d gone to festivals with her parents, too.
Until her own willfulness destroyed it all.
Suddenly, she understood.
So this was Ling Huan’s way of humiliating her?
Forcing her to relive memories, making her painfully remember how she’d ruined her own family?
Her heart skipped a beat; Yin Luoling clenched her right fist, her fingertips digging into her palm until they turned white.
Staring at Ling Huan’s back, she wanted nothing more than to drive her fist straight through it, grab his heart, and crush it before he died!
But… that would be too easy on him.
Calm down… Yin Luoling.
Calm down…
Yin Luoling took deep breaths, trying to quell the flames burning in her chest.
Suddenly, Ling Huan stopped.
He stopped in the center of the market, where a giant locust tree had grown for a hundred years, its dense branches and leaves almost blotting out the sun.
The base of the tree formed a huge round platform people could stand on.
Ling Huan dragged her straight toward the platform.
Then climbed up.
What was this?
Was he going to humiliate her here?
But unexpectedly, Ling Huan drew a deep breath, gathered his qi, and shouted at the top of his lungs, “I am Ling Huan, young master of the Ling Mansion! The adorable young lady beside me is my sister, Yin Luoling!”
Tonight, at the festival, anything she fancies, she may take!
All expenses will be put on the Ling Mansion’s account!
No matter how high anyone bids, I will pay double!
And not just for tonight!
From now on, anything my sister Yin Luoling wants, let her have it!
“Bring the bill to Ling Mansion later!”
His words shocked the crowd!
The lively, noisy festival and marketplace fell a bit quieter at Ling Huan’s shout, but soon the commotion resumed, with heated discussions everywhere.
Some asked when the Ling family got a new daughter.
Others envied how pampered Yin Luoling was.
Voices rose and fell, all eyes turning to them.
Only Yin Luoling didn’t understand…
Where was the humiliation…?
Where was the torment…?
In her previous life, Ling Huan hated anyone saying she was his sister, flipping out at anyone who mentioned it.
But this life…
Why would he announce it so boldly?
She looked at Ling Huan, completely lost.
She couldn’t see through this ten-year-old child at all.
The experience she’d accumulated over a thousand years seemed to vanish before him.
How could she know that Ling Huan’s thinking was simple?
Girls all liked to buy things.
He had money, so by acting like a domineering young master, he could surely comfort his little sister Luoling’s heart, right?
His thinking was straightforward.
Who didn’t like being able to buy whatever they wanted?
No need to worry about money, no need to hesitate for lack of funds.
Ling Huan winked at Yin Luoling.
He felt that after this move, he’d definitely cheer up Yin Luoling!
Besides, he thought being this kind of big brother was really cool!
But in Yin Luoling’s eyes, there was only doubt…
What strange new torment was this beast scheming now?
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