Even Shi Chunqiu himself—Taixuan Wuji would still cut off the arm to save the body!
Chao Xiaotu was still glaring at Lingyun. “Lingyun, now that someone’s backing you, you’re getting cocky? Don’t you even know where this place is?”
She didn’t notice that the people present—the elders—were all looking at her with complicated expressions.
Lingyun was so angry that tears welled in her eyes, because she knew that Taixuan Wuji had Shi Chunqiu, had Aunt Ping…
Lingyun silently stepped back. She didn’t like causing trouble for others. Today, with the Young Sect Master present, being able to speak out about her grievance was already very good.
But the next second—
Aunt Ping shouted angrily:
“Enough!”
“Chao Xiaotu, you first coerced this young friend Lingyun; after the incident, you then exchanged your companion’s life for your own survival!”
“Heartless and unrighteous! A disgrace among cultivators!”
Chao Xiaotu abruptly lifted her head.
Lingyun was also in disbelief.
Aunt Ping said sternly, “According to the rules, you should receive fifty lashes and be imprisoned in Taixuan Wuji’s dungeon for a hundred years!”
As soon as she finished speaking, she ordered, “Men! Drag this unfilial and unrighteous person away!”
Chao Xiaotu’s face was filled with panic and confusion, clearly not understanding what had happened. She immediately began struggling—
Though cultivators lived long lives, being imprisoned for a hundred years was still an extremely severe punishment. Especially Taixuan Wuji’s whip—it could truly beat a person half crippled. Fifty lashes for Chao Xiaotu was like a bolt from the blue.
Not long ago, she had been rejoicing that Chao Jinsui was a living bodhisattva. But now she realized she had been terribly wrong.
She had never placed Lingyun in her eyes—not when she threw her to feed the spiders; not when she saw her again standing behind Chao Jinsui… Lingyun wasn’t anyone important, just a little girl with low cultivation. Of course she didn’t care whether Lingyun lived or died.
But she never imagined that the one to deal her a fatal blow today would be precisely someone she had never once regarded as worthy of notice.
“Grandfather! Aunt Ping!”
But someone immediately covered her mouth. She couldn’t even make a sound before being dragged outside!
Lingyun widened her eyes, turning to look at Chao Jinsui in shock and delight.
Chao Jinsui laughed at the sight of her round eyes and asked, “Are you satisfied?”
Lingyun almost burst out laughing!
She whispered in disbelief, “Young Sect Master, how did you do it?”
“This is Taixuan Wuji!”
Chao Jinsui laughed softly. “Timing, terrain, and people—none can be missing.”
—Grasp the right moment, and what cannot be done?
Now Taixuan Wuji had a heap of troubles to handle and dared not take a single wrong step.
—Even the matter she was about to raise next, today’s Taixuan Wuji would have no choice but to agree.
Chao Jinsui said, “Elder Ping, do you remember what I said in front of Taixuan’s gates the day before yesterday?”
Aunt Ping’s heart skipped a beat. “I remember. Since Taixuan Wuji truly wronged you, we will fulfill our promise.”
Chao Jinsui said unhurriedly, “I remember that Taixuan Wuji seems to have a Taixuan Yin-Yang Fish.”
As soon as her words fell, the elders present all sucked in a sharp breath.
—The way she said it made it sound as if she merely remembered Taixuan Wuji having a head of cabbage.
The thing Aunt Ping and the other elders regretted most now was issuing that bounty order. Otherwise, how had they provoked such a calamity to come knocking at their door?
That was Taixuan Wuji’s sect-protecting treasure! This was simply an outrageous demand!
Aunt Ping’s expression turned grim. “What an enormous appetite!”
Chao Jinsui replied calmly, “Issuing a red bounty order—Taixuan Wuji opened its mouth wanting my life. That was quite an appetite as well.”
“Taixuan Wuji’s reputation, compared with a single stone—which weighs more, which less? I ask the elders to weigh it for yourselves.”
✦ ─ ˗ˋ ୨୧ ˊ˗ ─ ✦
Walking out of Guangming Hall under the intensely hostile gazes of the crowd, Chao Jinsui suddenly had the illusion of experiencing what it felt like to be a great demon lord.
It was actually not bad.
No wonder that demon liked to show off his power.
—Because it really was impressive.
Thinking this, she calmly led Lingyun and Hongniang back.
Lingyun chattered nonstop with Hongniang, looking at the Young Sect Master ahead with undisguised admiration. Hongniang listened to endless praise about how amazing her Young Sect Master was, utterly helpless.
However, when the group reached the main gate, Chao Xiaotu still hadn’t left.
She looked extremely disheveled. Clinging tightly to a pillar, she refused to let go. After all, she was a Golden Core cultivator—those beside her couldn’t drag her away for the time being.
Chao Xiaotu wasn’t stupid. After crying at the gate for a long while, her face covered in tears, she actually calmed down. Gradually regaining her senses, she realized Shi Chunqiu was truly powerless, and Taixuan Wuji was not joking around. At once, she understood that she could rely on no one.
“Chao Jinsui! I want to talk to you alone!”
The sword cultivator didn’t even turn her head.
“I know your secret!”
Chao Jinsui’s steps paused.
—She knew that Chao Xiaotu, like herself, knew the future. She had long guessed that Chao Xiaotu knew many things—but how many, exactly?
She had Lingyun and Hongniang leave first and dismissed the others as well.
Then she walked up to stand before Chao Xiaotu.
Chao Xiaotu’s current appearance was more wretched than ever before. Her hair was disheveled, her eyes red on her delicate face. As if afraid Chao Jinsui would turn and leave at once, she spoke hurriedly, “Chao Jinsui! I know Yan Xueyi is the future Demon God. Once he returns to his rightful place, the cultivation world will face a world-ending catastrophe.”
Chao Jinsui said, “And what does that have to do with me?”
Xiao Yanjing on her wrist sensed something immediately, poking its head out, looking like a crafty little snake ready to run off and tattle.
Chao Jinsui stuffed Xiao Yanjing into her sleeve and flicked the cuff.
“Doesn’t even know what heaven and earth are anymore!”
Chao Jinsui: …..
Xiao Yanjing: ??
Chao Xiaotu said, “You think I don’t know? If not for you, why would he have killed Su Liuyun? Why would he have destroyed Kunlun?!”
Chao Xiaotu continued, “If I want to, I can expose this at any time. Once word of you and the Demon Sovereign gets out…”
Chao Jinsui remained calm. “Do you have evidence?”
Chao Xiaotu’s anger-fogged mind finally cleared. She frantically rummaged through all the memories in her head, but perhaps knowing this was her last chance, she suddenly said, “I’ve seen it! Chao Jinsui, you saved him when you were little—I saw it in Kunlun’s Water Mirror!”
When Chao Jinsui was very young, she had indeed saved Yan Xueyi.
That had been their true first meeting.
Inside the Memory Pearl was a ragged, wounded young little demon lord, only eight or nine years old.
More striking still, he was locked inside a huge iron cage, stained with blood.
But that distant memory was quickly pulled back by Chao Xiaotu’s voice.
“You think that if they knew your relationship with that demon, knew you colluded with the Demon Realm, anyone would still believe your words?”
“As long as I tell Father about the Water Mirror… then the whole world will see. The lofty Demon Sovereign of today was once nothing more than a slave locked in a cage, waiting to be bought—the most lowly of all! What do you think the world will think of him then? And what will they think of you, who had long colluded with the Demon Realm?”
Seeing her silent, Chao Xiaotu believed she had seized her weakness and felt overjoyed, intending to use this as leverage.
But she had no idea that the words “what the whole world will think of him” had completely enraged the sword cultivator who had been quiet until now.
She lifted her eyes to look at Chao Xiaotu, her gaze becoming extremely frightening.
Xiao Yanjing also revealed a fierce glare. Within its eyes, the powerful pressure of the demon race was about to press down upon Chao Xiaotu opposite them!
Chao Jinsui closed her eyes.
Even today, now—though she and that demon had already shaken hands in reconciliation, forming an unspoken understanding—she would never attempt to touch the Demon Sovereign’s reverse scale, to touch the wounds of his past. How was that any different from provoking a giant lion?!
And Chao Xiaotu actually wanted to expose his most humiliating side to the entire world! Had she gone mad?
“You think Yan Xueyi is what? A paper tiger?”
She was almost laughing from anger at Chao Xiaotu’s stupidity.
“You know he is the reincarnation of the Demon God. If you do this, have you never thought about the consequences?”
Chao Xiaotu sneered.
“I don’t care. I only know that if I don’t find a way, I’ll be doomed beyond redemption.”
“As long as you’re willing to get me out…”
Chao Jinsui said coldly, “And then be threatened by you for the rest of my life, is that it?”
She took the Memory Pearl and turned to leave—
She felt that in the very next second she might not be able to resist drawing her sword and piercing Chao Xiaotu straight through!
She had to think of a way. She couldn’t let Chao Xiaotu go mad like this!
She wasn’t sure that if Chao Xiaotu really did this and truly enraged that demon, she would be able to hold him back.
The demon race was just that—chaotic and disorderly. Angering them was a terrifying thing. Once demonic qi went out of control, in a place with so many people!
And in Taixuan City, so many of the Demon Sovereign’s generals were still outside, watching like tigers stalking prey!
And she had to admit—
She didn’t want that.
She didn’t want that demon’s most unbearable side to be laid bare, bloodily exposed like this!
She didn’t want that proud little demon to have his most miserable past seen by others.
She was protective of her own.
But Chao Jinsui knew that as long as Chao Xiaotu remained Shi Chunqiu’s granddaughter, Taixuan Wuji would ultimately spare her life! Today, she absolutely could not kill Chao Xiaotu in full view of everyone. Sooner or later, she would go mad and do this!
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, her mind racing.
One hand still firmly pressed down on Xiao Yanjing.
But then she heard Chao Xiaotu sneer behind her, drawing everyone’s attention. “Chao Jinsui, that little secret of yours…”
At once, everyone looked over.
Aunt Ping narrowed her eyes. Shi Chunqiu looked puzzled.
Yet the very next moment Chao Xiaotu spoke, Chao Jinsui made her move.
Chao Xiaotu suddenly felt a chill at her throat, her mouth dry.
She widened her eyes in terror, suddenly discovering she could not utter a single word.
Chao Jinsui paused her steps.
“As it happens, I also know one of your little secrets.”
“For example, why after turning fifteen, you never returned to Taixuan Wuji;”
“For example, why you could watch Shi Chunqiu kneel without any reaction;”
“For example, though you grew up in Taixuan Wuji, you treat Taixuan Wuji’s rules as though they were nothing.”
With each sentence spoken, Chao Xiaotu’s eyes widened further.
How could Chao Jinsui possibly know the secret she feared most, the one she least wanted anyone to discover?!
At that moment, an overwhelming terror struck her instantly.
Her whole body trembled, and she nearly fainted.
Shi Chunqiu and Aunt Ping both stopped where they were, turning in unison to look at Chao Xiaotu!
“Because you are not Chao Xiaotu at all. The year Chao Xiaotu turned fifteen, she was replaced—wasn’t she?”
If Shi Chunqiu, who doted on his granddaughter to the bone and could even kneel for her, learned that his real granddaughter had been possessed—how would he treat this Chao Xiaotu?
Sure enough, suspicion had already appeared on Shi Chunqiu’s face, and he stopped walking toward his granddaughter. The old fox had clearly begun to suspect something immediately. After all, Chao Xiaotu was not particularly clever and had revealed flaws more than once.
Chao Xiaotu trembled violently in fright.
But Chao Jinsui did not stop.
Her voice was very soft, so soft that no one could detect the towering fury within it:
“So you didn’t dare stay in Taixuan Wuji, because people familiar with Chao Xiaotu knew her personality—you would have been exposed. So you ran off to Kunlun Sword Sect, because there was no one there who knew you, wasn’t that right?”
“You dare come back now because decades have passed. Your personality changing drastically can be explained away, can’t it?”
“But you have no feelings at all for your grandfather. You don’t care that he suffers humiliation for you, and you don’t care about Taixuan Wuji either, do you?”
Three questions—and Chao Xiaotu was already too terrified to move, her face deathly pale, her whole body trembling.
In this lifetime, she had provoked Chao Jinsui countless times, yet Chao Jinsui never revealed this matter;
She had tried again and again to kill Chao Jinsui, yet Chao Jinsui never revealed this matter;
—Until she tried to tear open someone’s deepest wound and display it for the world’s amusement.
The sword cultivator opposite her smiled faintly. Her delicate and cold features came alive, but in Chao Xiaotu’s eyes, she was no less than a demon.
“Do you dare swear a Heavenly Oath?”
“Swear that you are not someone who seized another’s body, that you are my real younger sister, Chao Xiaotu.”
