Gu Chengxue blinked, unable to understand why Ling Huan’s first reaction upon seeing her wasn’t fear, but anger.
Weren’t these young masters from wealthy families supposed to value their own lives more than anyone else?
Shouldn’t he be struggling desperately, threatening her with words like, “Y-You can’t kill me! I-I’m your client! I’m so-and-so! There’s someone powerful behind me!” or the like?
Why was it anger instead?
As for these poor children, what value did their lives have?
Weren’t they just expendable?
Weren’t they just cannon fodder?
Weren’t they people who could be sacrificed at any moment?
Why?
All the people she had ever encountered were like this.
Gu Chengxue, who only intended to throw Aoki City into chaos, suddenly became interested in Ling Huan.
Without any hesitation, she unleashed the full power of her eighth level Qi Refining cultivation, her terrifying aura erupting in an instant.
Ling Huan instantly felt the air around him sucked away.
He couldn’t catch his breath, as if a pair of invisible hands were strangling his throat.
His body trembled involuntarily.
So this was the killing intent described in cultivation novels?
Ling Huan used to think it sounded cool and dazzling, but now, actually experiencing it himself, he felt a fear that seeped deep into his soul.
He realized immediately: the person before him was not someone he could possibly resist.
Just as he was about to turn and run, Yan Qing’s face suddenly appeared in his mind, beaming with a bright smile, calling him “Boss,” excitedly asking where he would take him today, and what they would play.
But Yan Qing would never have expected that today he would…
Anger instantly pressed down his fear.
Even though he was only at the second level of Qi Refining and didn’t even know how to use spiritual energy.
Just as he was wondering what to do, a figure suddenly dropped from the sky.
That familiar silhouette—it was actually the bodyguard from his family!
He didn’t know the man’s full name, but everyone called him “Jiu Ge.”
Jiu Ge—everyone said he was a coward.
He was clearly tall, clearly a bodyguard, yet was especially afraid of thunderstorms.
He was always afraid of this and that: afraid of getting hurt, afraid of being tired, afraid of offending people, afraid of not getting paid.
He was tall, but always hunched over, as if he was afraid that this big giant of his would break through a dwarf’s house if he stood up straight.
Ling Huan often interacted with him, boasting and chatting with Jiu Ge.
He drank wine, Ling Huan drank tea.
Ling Huan would even pretend to be drunk with him, the two of them making a scene as if they were drunk, singing at the top of their lungs late at night, dancing wildly, or going around acting as emotional advisors—even though neither of them had ever been in a proper relationship.
The two had a great time together.
Jiu Ge acted timidly towards everyone, anyone could bully him.
His temper was just too good—no matter what was said or done to him, he always smiled, as if he didn’t have a temper at all.
If he had any flaw, it was his cowardice.
Ling Huan had once asked him: if he fell into water, and there was someone on the shore who wanted to kill him, what would Jiu Ge do?
Jiu Ge answered bluntly, “Young master, you’ll have to fend for yourself. I’m going to get help first.”
And that was right after Ling Huan had just given him a piece of broken silver.
Had just rescued him from being beaten up by a group.
A bodyguard, yet beaten black and blue by ordinary people.
Ling Huan wasn’t annoyed; after all, everyone has the right to value their own life.
He just thought Jiu Ge was sincere and interesting.
No one knew who hired Jiu Ge, and despite his cowardice and lack of strength, his wages were low, and he was amusing—Ling Huan didn’t mind at all.
That’s how Ling Huan always felt—until the moment Jiu Ge, without hesitation, charged straight at Gu Chengxue.
Gu Chengxue didn’t dodge or evade.
She simply leaned back slightly, and the descending Jiu Ge brushed past her chest.
Instead, Gu Chengxue suddenly thrust her knee upward, slamming it hard into Jiu Ge’s soft abdomen.
“Pfft—” With a muffled groan, Jiu Ge was sent flying like a kite with its string cut.
But Jiu Ge was clearly not some ordinary character.
He twisted and adjusted himself midair, landing steadily on the ground.
With almost no hesitation, he grabbed Ling Huan’s arm and hurled him backward, shouting, “Young master, run! She’s dangerous!”
Ling Huan was stunned, clearly not understanding why Jiu Ge had suddenly appeared.
At the same time, as he was sent flying, he saw spiritual energy erupting from Jiu Ge.
He saw the energy, surging out of Jiu Ge, suddenly gathering in his fists and feet.
Jiu Ge shot forward like a released arrow, charging straight at Gu Chengxue.
All his usual timidity was gone; his movements were grand and forceful, full of power.
Yet even so, when he got close to Gu Chengxue, he didn’t gain the upper hand at all—it was as if all his actions were completely seen through.
In just a single exchange, Jiu Ge’s chest was instantly pierced through.
Ling Huan wanted to call out Jiu Ge’s name, but in the end, he didn’t even know what it was—he couldn’t call it out.
A crushing sense of helplessness clogged his throat.
He could only watch as this big friend of his died a miserable death before his very eyes.
Ling Huan wanted to rush back, but what was the point?
He would only waste Jiu Ge’s life, and the chance that had been bought at the cost of it.
Heavy grief engulfed Ling Huan, making him want to go back and fight that beast to the death.
But what could he do?
He had spiritual energy, but didn’t know how to use it!
Wait! Spiritual energy!
He still had innate spiritual energy—it could instantly bring him up to the ninth level of Qi Refining.
He immediately opened the system panel to claim his reward!
[Warning: Absorbing “Innate Spiritual Energy” requires three full hours. Continue?]
Damn you, stupid system?!
Just when he needed the system the most—
Ling Huan hadn’t even reacted yet, still in midair, when three emerald-green needles shot rapidly toward him.
Pfft!
Pfft!
Pfft!
Three sharp sounds pierced flesh.
Ling Huan, who had been flung through the air, suddenly plummeted to the ground.
The opportunity Jiu Ge bought with his life—was gone, just like that.
Gu Chengxue watched Ling Huan fall, satisfied.
Those three poisoned needles were refined from rare and deadly toxins, the method of making them extremely uncommon, the poison itself highly lethal.
Without the antidote within a day, one would die in agony; in the meantime, the poison would gnaw away at the meridians, making every moment a living hell.
Anyone struck by this poison would be unable to bear the pain.
Even late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators wouldn’t last long against these poisoned needles.
Gu Chengxue stepped slowly toward her easily captured prey, her mind swirling with thoughts.
Ling Huan, son of the Ling family, a disciple of a Nascent Soul master?
That Nascent Soul master likely had his eyes on the potential within Ling Huan’s body.
No, rather than calling it potential, it was more accurate to say he coveted this body.
Nascent Soul cultivators are undying—even if the flesh is destroyed, they can seize another body and be reborn.
After all, that’s just how the cultivation world works, isn’t it?
Talk about recognizing your potential, your bright future—ha! Just lies meant to deceive people!
All those privileges, all that favor and attention—they’re just there to lull you into lowering your guard, making it easier for them to seize your body when the time comes.
Gu Chengxue sneered.
The cultivation world treats these as lofty principles, but to Gu Chengxue, these people were nothing but cowardly maggots.
They monopolized all the cultivation resources, controlled everything, and had no intention of letting those below rise to their level.
What a joke—spiritual energy depletion, broken lineages?
Don’t make me laugh, these old geezers are just scared!
They climbed up by treading on corpses, drinking blood, gnawing bones—and now they’re just afraid they’ll be the next sacrifice.
They don’t dare to fight, so I’ll give them a reason to fight.
Sure, they say all schemes are pointless before absolute power—but what if I want mutual destruction?
I don’t care about gaining anything—I just want everyone to be ruined together.
Heh.
She was thrilled, unable to imagine how furious that Nascent Soul master would be if she killed this little young master.
At the same time, she felt sorry for Ling Huan—why did he have to catch the attention of a Nascent Soul?
But it was fun!
How much trouble would it cause if she went through with this?
Hahaha, she was truly looking forward to it!
She laughed wildly inside: if only she could set fire to Liuyun Pavilion as well, that would be perfect.
Maybe even drag in those behind her…
Her laughter grew crazier and more excited as her pace quickened.
She had already decided where to hang Ling Huan’s body.
Somewhere that everyone would see.
Heheheheh.
Tomorrow, the flames would spread.
As she pushed aside the underbrush, a fist—supposedly small and thin—suddenly filled her entire vision.
“Eh? Who…”
As she wondered, that enormous spiritual force crashed into her face with the fist.
Gu Chengxue heard only a sharp cracking sound, and then the shattering inside her skull.