Xie Jingci felt a heaviness in her heart.
Before this, Fu Chaosheng had been, to her, more like a character from a storybook—no matter how she looked at him, he seemed veiled in a thin mist, never quite clear. The reason she cared so much about his whereabouts, aside from her deep fascination with the story's plot, was mostly because she knew Fu Chaosheng wasn't in the outside world. The rumors spread by the common folk had stirred a rebellious curiosity in her, a desire to uncover the truth.
Yet now that her curiosity was satisfied, she felt as if something was stuck in her throat.
After fifty long years, Fu Chaosheng's body had stiffened like solid rock. Even with one side of the city wall shattered, he still stood amidst the swirling snow, his hands held high in the same posture.
Wen Miaorou gazed silently at his back for a long time, then finally, trembling, reached out a hand and gently touched the man's gaunt spine.
When she met Fu Chaosheng, she was only about ten years old. Before that, as an orphan, Wen Miaorou had long grown accustomed to swallowing her pride and compromising, merely drifting through life. As long as she could survive, everything was fine.
But after knowing Fu Chaosheng, for the first time ever, she wanted to live differently.
She wanted to reclaim her discarded self-respect, to try and fight back, and to become a hero like him—someone who could bring a smile to others' faces.
For a child from the slums, such thoughts were nothing short of a fantasy. Yet after hearing her out, Fu Chaosheng simply laughed heartily: "Of course that's good! Kid, you'll have to catch up to me quickly. I won't be waiting around for you, you know."
He would never know that this casually spoken sentence became the reason she fought with all her might for the rest of her life.
Fu Chaosheng was too far ahead. Wen Miaorou could only ever watch his back from a distance, never able to reach him.
She kept running forward, thinking she was getting closer to him step by step. But now, having reached the end, she realized what Fu Chaosheng had left her was still just an eternally silent shadow.
Wen Miaorou had imagined countless times how she should begin when she and Fu Chaosheng met again.
—Maybe she'd angrily scold him, berating him for all these years of silence.
But that approach was too fierce; it might scare him.
—Maybe she'd approach him softly and delicately, expressing all her years of concern.
But that approach was too affected; it might also scare him.
—Maybe she'd stride forward confidently, like old friends do, and give his shoulder a light pat: "Long time no see, Fu Chaosheng. I've become just as skilled as you now."
This approach...
Though it might sound a bit boastful, this approach seemed pretty good.
During those long fifty years, she had really, truly thought about it very, very seriously.
But now that they've finally met, why couldn't he just turn around and look at her, even for a single glance?
She had chased after him alone for so many years, had become just as capable as him. If only... he would just look back once.
Night quietly descended. Xie Jingci stood wordlessly, watching the woman before her cover her face and sob. The choked, tearful sounds were pressed very low, scattering brokenly in the bleak winter night, torn apart by the cold wind.
Fortunately, Wen Miaorou quickly regained her composure. With red-rimmed eyes, she wiped the tear stains from her face. When she spoke again, her voice was so hoarse it seemed to belong to someone else: "My apologies for letting you two see me like this."
Xie Jingci considered for a moment before carefully asking, "Fu Chaosheng... what should we do?"
She had originally intended to say "how to handle," but the phrase felt wrong on her tongue, so she changed it at the last moment to "what should we do."
"His corpse has already stiffened, and his entire body is saturated with spiritual power accumulated over many years. I'm afraid it will be very difficult to move him easily."
Wen Miaorou's gaze grew momentarily distant. "Perhaps... it's best to leave things as they are for now."
She was usually a talkative person, but at this moment, she didn't know what else to say.
The silence didn't last long. The one who spoke next was actually Pei Du, who had been quiet all along: "Since Senior knows the identity of the traitor, why not make it public?"
"I wish I could," Wen Miaorou said with a bitter smile. "The truth of what happened back then is shrouded in mystery. The only one who likely knows the whole story is Jiang Tu himself. He's far away in another place, heavily guarded. With my status, I have no way to get close to him. Only when he comes to Wucheng do I have a chance to get near him and try to find out about Fu Chaosheng's whereabouts."
If anything happened to Jin Wuzhen, Jiang Tu would surely suspect someone was seeking revenge. For anyone else to try and get close to him then would be nearly impossible.
Though this explanation sounded straightforward, Xie Jingci couldn't help but ask, "You want to kill him?"
Her question drew a soft, derisive snort from the female cultivator in red.
Wen Miaorou shook her head. "Me? There's a world of difference between our cultivation levels. How could I possibly entertain such a thought? Don't forget my original trade. When it comes to extracting information, I have plenty of methods."
As she finished speaking, a flicker passed through her eyes, as if hinting at something. "If anyone in all of Wucheng could try to kill him, it would probably only be Zhou Shen. It's just a pity about Master Zhou—"
What followed was a meaningful pause.
Xie Jingci could guess the unspoken words.
It's just a pity that Zhou Shen has lost all his fighting spirit. Even after recovering from his serious injuries, he rarely picks up the treasured sword he once loved so dearly.
As for the insults hurled at Fu Chaoshengin daily life, he never once steps forward to defend his former friend, remaining silent from start to finish.
Compared to the passionate, heroic swordsman from the stories, he's practically a completely different person.
"To be honest with you, seeing his attitude, for a very long time, I thought Zhou Shen was the traitor who betrayed everyone."
Wen Miaorou's voice still carried traces of her earlier tears, but her tone was one of low, scornful laughter. "Later, I realized he's just a coward, tucking his tail between his legs to get by."
Xie Jingci offered no comment.
"After today's events, Miss Xie must be tired," Wen Miaorou said, her hoarse murmur carried by the sharp night wind. "It's late now. I will handle matters concerning Fu Chaosheng... Please, you two should return to the inn and rest."
Xie Jingci walked down the street, her heart full of gloom.
The winter wind left her feeling somewhat dazed and listless, unable to muster any energy. After turning things over in her mind for a while, she finally spoke softly: "The Ghost Gate will open soon."
Pei Du responded gently, "After the Ghost Gate opens, does Miss Xie plan to leave this place?"
Staying in the Ghost Domain held no benefit for them. Logically speaking, they should indeed leave as soon as possible.
But she wasn't willing.
In Wucheng, no one could defeat Jiang Tu. As long as Jiang Tu remained in power even for a single day, Jin Wuzhen would continue to revel in his smug satisfaction. Even if the common people learned the truth...
The traitor from back then now had a solid, reliable backer. Would they dare to move against him?
Xie Jingci didn't know.
She was well aware of her damaged cultivation base. Therefore, before coming to the Ghost Domain to find Pei Du, she had brought along many precious elixirs and medicines. After these past few days of careful recuperation, she had finally reached the first level of the Golden Core stage.
Although sword and blade cultivators were best at defeating opponents above their level, Xie Jingci had a clear sense of her own abilities. With her current strength, if she were to face Jiang Tu in his current peak condition, she would be utterly annihilated.
However—
Amidst her tangled, chaotic thoughts, a single idea suddenly flashed.
Though she was no match for Jiang Tu, it's always wise to pick on the weaker ones. In Wucheng, aside from that supreme tyrant, wasn't there another—
"Well, if it isn't the little lady from this afternoon?"
A familiar male voice broke her train of thought. Xie Jingci recognized the speaker and inexplicably felt a wave of relief. She looked up in response.
The young master of the Jin estate must have just finished a drinking bout, his face flushed red with alcohol, his gaze toward her dazed and muddled.
Behind him followed several young men who looked like guards.
"The more I think about it, the more something feels off... You deliberately stepped on me, didn't you?"
Jin Xiao's words were slurred, likely still suffering from her earlier treatment. Resentment oozed from every syllable: "Talking to you was an honor. Do you know how many women in Luancheng dream of entering my Jin family? You wretch... Let's see how long you can keep up that arrogance without those ruffians backing you!"
With that, he made a gesture, and the guards behind him surged forward.
Xie Jingci didn't retreat; she even felt like laughing.
She had just recalled this Jin estate, and now the young master had delivered himself right to her doorstep. What was this if not fate?
"Pei Du."
Xie Jingci yawned, lazily drawing her dark longsword and sending a telepathic message: "Mo Xiaoyang and the others said that both the Jin father and son are useless wastes when it comes to cultivation, right?"
Actually, their original phrasing had been much more tactful. Her words were rather harsh.
Pei Du: "Mm."
She paused, then added: "Sister Wen said that the Ghost Gate will open precisely at midnight tonight—how long until then?"
Pei Du: "One hour."
Then there was nothing to hesitate about.
Xie Jingci unsheathed her blade.
Since everyone in Wucheng feared Jiang Tu's might and dared not touch the Jin estate, she didn't mind being the one to play the villain.
What others didn't dare to do, she would do. Whom others didn't dare to touch, she would touch.
Unlike the citizens of Wucheng, she and Pei Du had the vast and mighty cultivation world to rely on. Once the Ghost Gate opened, no matter how much trouble they stirred up, as long as they quickly left the Ghost Domain, there would be no consequences.
Even Jiang Tu, who could freely enter and leave the Ghost Domain, couldn't run amok in the cultivation world. Cause a stir and then vanish—that was the plan. Even if the Jin family wanted to complain, they'd have nowhere to turn.
"How many people want to join the Jin family, I naturally don't know."
The longsword sliced through the sharp night wind, its blade reflecting glimmers of white from the drifting snowflakes. Xie Jingci raised her brows slightly, a smile curling at the corner of her mouth: "But after tonight, I'm afraid not a single soul will want to anymore."
The hum of the sharp blade was like a dragon's roar, shattering the silent night in an instant. The attendants rushed forward, and Pei Du also drew his sword.
She had anticipated it—this was a completely one-sided rout.
The first time she passed by the Tianyan Dao Martial Hall, Xie Jingci had witnessed Mo Xiaoyang's duel with another. Back then, a bystander had commented that both were among Wucheng's top fighters.
In other words, aside from a few famous Nascent Soul grandmasters, almost everyone in this remote little city was inferior to Mo Xiaoyang at the Golden Core stage.
Coincidentally, her own cultivation was also at the Golden Core stage, though she had just entered it.
Movement techniques and sword arts from various major sects, unpredictable and ever-changing, were wielded by Xie Jingci at will.
Most of the guards were at the Foundation Establishment stage, at best just touching the threshold of Golden Core. They had never experienced such a vicious beating from society. They fell one after another, and in no time, the longsword was at Jin Xiao's throat.
"You... what do you think you're doing!"
A lock of black hair at his forehead was sheared off by the sword's gleam. Jin Xiao's drunkenness instantly faded by more than half.
He was a genuine good-for-nothing, completely unable to gauge Xie Jingci's cultivation level. Previously, seeing her outstanding looks, he had thought she was some delicate young lady. He never expected to have provoked a harbinger of disaster.
In Wucheng, someone actually dared point a sword at him?
He would tell his father everything, make this wretched couple die horribly!
"I warn you, d-don't you dare act recklessly!"
Trembling from the dense murderous aura, he stammered: "My father is a favorite in front of Jiang Tu! If you dare beat me, you'll absolutely regret it!"
Xie Jingci: "Oh."
She paused for a moment, her very voice tinged with coldness: "I'm not just going to beat you—"
That killing intent didn't fade; instead, it grew stronger and stronger, like madly growing vines, entangling him until he couldn't move. Jin Xiao had never faced such a threat before and instinctively shook uncontrollably.
Under the moonlight, that female madwoman's face was startlingly beautiful, her willow-leaf eyes churning with dark currents, finally settling on a mocking sneer: "I'm going to beat your father too."
Tonight was destined to be anything but peaceful.
Even late into the night, many people had yet to fall asleep, waiting for the Ghost Gate to open, to witness the spectacle that occurs only once every fifty years.
And so, when the screams rang out from the Jin estate, it drew quite a number of commoners to come and watch.
Until he was dragged out of bed and given a severe beating, Jin Wuzhen was completely bewildered.
While others might kill in their dreams, he was nearly killed in his. When he opened his eyes to excruciating pain all over, he saw two completely unfamiliar faces.
The young woman was radiantly beautiful, but her voice was icy cold. First sentence: "Your attendants have all run away."
Before he could recover from the shock, she spoke a second sentence: "Using the body of a teenager, yet pretending to be a decrepit old man for so long must be quite exhausting, right?"
Jin Wuzhen's pupils contracted sharply, and he jerked his head up.
How did this person know his secret?
That... absolutely must-not-see-the-light secret.
The first time she saw this Master Jin, Xie Jingci looked at him as if staring at a drowned, mangy dog.
From appearance, this was indeed a hunched old man in his sixties or seventies. Hair and beard completely white, body bloated, face covered in wrinkles, bearing no resemblance to his younger self.
Breaking into the Jin estate wasn't difficult.
With her strength, though no match for the absolutely overpowering Jiang Tu, dealing with other nameless small fries in Wucheng was as easy as cutting vegetables.
Moreover, the Jin family had committed countless evils over the years; their support had long since scattered. After Xie Jingci roughly explained the truth of what happened back then, whether maids, servants, or guards, all willingly made way.
Once he admitted it, and if it was recorded by a secret treasure like a Memory Stone and made public, he wouldn't just be ruined in reputation; he would become the enemy of the entire Luancheng and be retaliated against to death.
Jin Wuzhen wasn't stupid. He naturally understood that he couldn't admit it outright at such a time. The best approach was to play dumb.
"Wh-what are you talking about? What teenager's body?"
He put on a pitiful act, trembling all over, even coughing lightly a few times at the end, skillfully patting his back.
So what if this woman knew? As long as he didn't admit it, she had no way to prove anything.
Thinking of his current body, Jin Wuzhen hadn't expected Jiang Tu to be so ruthless.
Back then, he came from humble origins, having suffered enough from poverty. Fu Chaosheng, seeing him wandering alone and destitute, took pity and took him in.
He was a swordsman who always wore a smile, as if he had never tasted the bitterness of the world. Once, after drinking, he said with a laugh that he would surely defeat Jiang Tu and free everyone from their shackles, allowing them to travel freely between the realms of humans and demons.
He knew Jiang Tu was detestable.
A tyrant who killed indiscriminately, levied exorbitant taxes, and exploited countless people into destitution and despair. But...
Compared to a tyrant, to him, poverty was the most loathsome thing.
What would it matter if they went to the outside world? What would it matter if they had a better city lord? If he wanted to escape poverty, wouldn't he still have to rely on his own efforts?
So, he chose another, better method.
A method that could allow him... to rise to the top in a single step.
Back then, Jiang Tu's side was far less guarded than it is now. He told the man all of Fu Chaosheng's plans. Upon hearing it, the man laughed heartily and soon set up a deadly trap.
He originally wanted to take the money and live a life of luxury elsewhere.
But Jiang Tu's mind was far beyond his imagination. The violent and unrestrained demonic cultivator looked at him with anticipation, his eyes filled with a blazing, feverish madness: "I want you to assume a new identity, to become the top authority in Wucity... Just imagine, those people desperately wanting to rebel, yet forced to live under the rule of a traitor. How amusing!"
This was a complete madman.
Jiang Tu first transferred some of his cultivation to him, allowing him to soon stop aging. Then, using disguise arts, he transformed the teenage boy into the appearance of an old man, made him consume food frantically to gain weight and alter his physique, and even used poison to damage his vocal cords to make his voice sound authentic.
From then on, he abandoned his former name and changed it to "Jin Wuzhen."
The disguise art used on him was profound and mysterious, difficult to remove and impervious to external damage. Decades passed without anyone ever suspecting.
What could this little girl possibly see through?
Xie Jingci didn't waste words with him. With a lift of her right hand, she grabbed Jin Wuzhen by the collar and walked out of the bedroom.
In the courtyard outside the bedroom, quite a crowd had already gathered. There were men and women working at the Jin residence, as well as commoners who had heard the news. Seeing the two emerge, they all turned their gazes towards them.
"Save me, save me!"
Jin Wuzhen flailed his arms, his face bruised and swollen from the impact of Xie Jingci's spiritual power, his tone pitiful and tearful: "This woman speaks nothing but madness. You won't believe her, will you? City Lord Jiang is still in the Lunar Pavilion. If he learns of tonight's events, he will surely be furious!"
As he spoke, noisy voices rose again outside the courtyard. Jin Wuzhen looked towards the sound and cried out even more desperately: "The Supervision Bureau! Save me, quickly save me!"
The Supervision Bureau was equivalent to the law enforcement agency in Wucity. Hearing that someone had broken into the Jin residence, they had quickly set out and arrived at the scene.
The leader was a Golden Core stage cultivator. Xie Jingci didn't want to clash with them head-on. Seeing this, she wasn't displeased but instead raised the corner of her lips slightly.
For a major event like an identity reveal, naturally, there needed to be a large audience for it to be truly earth-shattering.
"I came here tonight to confirm one thing,"
she said unhurriedly, feeling particularly confident with Pei Du guarding her side. "Whether this Master Jin Wuzhen is indeed the traitor who, fifty years ago, leaked all the information to Jiang Tu."
This was undoubtedly astonishing, explosive news. The crowd erupted in an uproar, and even the Supervision Bureau halted their steps.
Only Jin Wuzhen was shouting: "She's spouting nonsense! When Fu Chaosheng disappeared, I hadn't even come to Wucity!"
Ignoring him, Xie Jingci continued leisurely, "You all might find it puzzling. Given Master Jin's physique, he couldn't possibly be connected to anyone from that time—but what if this body isn't that of an old man, but rather a young child?"
Jin Wuzhen gnashed his teeth: "What proof do you have! If you say I'm disguised, come on then, tear off this beard and wrinkles!"
Since he dared to say this, he must have absolute confidence.
Xie Jingci knew this method wouldn't work. Without another word, she bent down and grabbed his sleeve.
Jin Wuzhen seemed to think of something, his whole body freezing.
"I heard that fifty years ago, Fu Chaosheng saved a homeless boy. A fire broke out in the forest, trapping the boy. When everyone was at a loss, only Fu Chaosheng charged into the sea of flames and brought him out."
The sleeve was pulled back. In the sudden silence that fell, someone gasped sharply.
On that arm, resembling old tree bark, was a sprawling brown scar from an old burn covering most of the skin.
And Xie Jingci remained unhurried: "Fu Chaosheng used his own body to block the evil flames, his back covered in burns. The boy, under his protection, only had his arm burned in one area—Ah, Master Jin, why do you have a scar on your arm too? One so severe surely couldn't be from scalding hot water, could it?"
Jin Wuzhen was so angry his beard seemed to bristle, enduring the intense pain throughout his body: "I was burned by firewood as a child, is that not allowed!"
He desperately tried to justify himself, but from the gazes of the surrounding crowd, he could already see suspicion falling upon him.
After all, the scar was too large and too much of a coincidence. It was just a pity that no matter how much they suspected, there wasn't a single decisive piece of evidence.
"Think about it, everyone. What virtue or ability does this man possess to become the top authority in Wucity?"
Xie Jingci said slowly, "It's precisely because he helped Jiang Tu, because he betrayed Fu Chaosheng—"
Before she could finish, a familiar voice suddenly rang in her ears: "Xie Jingci?!"
Xie Jingci looked up and saw it was Fu Nanxing.
He must have also heard the news and specifically come to the Jin residence. Seeing the scene, he frowned abruptly: "What are you doing? Jiang Tu is in the city. If you anger him, do you not value your life?"
As soon as these words were spoken, people's faces showed fear.
"Young lady, perhaps you should stop?"
Someone kindly advised, "Did Wen Miaorou tell you something? Since Fu Chaosheng left, she hasn't been quite right, occasionally speaking a word or two of nonsense. You mustn't take it seriously."
Another person nearby chimed in agreement: "Exactly! She's obsessed with Fu Chaosheng. With Wen Miaorou's abilities, she might have known long ago that Jin Wuzhen had a scar on his arm and deliberately fabricated a lie to deceive you?"
"That's right, that's right!"
Jin Wuzhen couldn't help but grin, nodding repeatedly: "Fu Chaosheng's whereabouts are unknown; he must have gone somewhere else to enjoy himself freely. Instead of looking for him, you suspect me—this is called turning black into white!"
Hearing Fu Chaosheng's name, a shadow passed through Fu Nanxing's eyes.
Jiang Tu was busy with the banquet and definitely wouldn't spare time to intervene in the short term. Moreover, public sentiment was already shifting. Everyone was waiting for the truth; there was no time for anyone to send him a warning.
Xie Jingci's gaze shifted slightly, sweeping over the dense crowd present and Fu Nanxing, who was pressing his lips tightly together.
The number of people was sufficient, and all the important characters had finally arrived.
"You all want to see evidence?"
Her tone was somber, piercing through the chilly, biting cold wind: "Then follow me."
In the deep night of the outskirts, even the air seemed coated with a thin layer of ice.
Xie Jingci led the crowd step by step forward, while Pei Du dragged Jin Wuzhen along by the collar for her, hauling Master Jin all the way to this place.
"Miss Xie, what exactly do you want to show us? We've been walking for so long; when will we reach the end?"
Someone panted out, "Besides, what does this desolate wilderness have to do with Jin Wuzhen's true identity?"
Pei Du's voice was low and firm. "Quiet."
Tonight's snow seemed heavier than the past few days.
The snowflakes, veiled in moonlight, cast a faint, ghostly white glow over the place, which, though far from the city's lights, was illuminated by this silvery luminescence.
Xie Jingci saw the towering city wall and stopped in her tracks, falling silent.
The people behind her, whose vision was far inferior to hers, could only see a mass of dark twilight. Someone pulled a fire starter from their robe and lit it.
The orange flame spread like flowing water, slowly spilling into the night.
The men and women who had been whispering among themselves all fell speechless in that instant.
In an inconspicuous corner of the city wall, there was a massive, violently breached hole.
And within that breach, the figure with its back to everyone was unmistakably—
Fu Nanxing stood frozen, mouth half-open, letting the cold wind rush into his throat, unable to utter a single word.
"Fu…"
The woman at the front took a step back, covering her mouth in disbelief, her voice trembling uncontrollably. "Fu Chaosheng...?"
No one responded to her words.
Before this, no one had truly believed Xie Jingci's story. They had come with doubt and anger, but upon witnessing the scene before their own eyes, their eyes instantly reddened.
It was Fu Chaosheng, the man they had hated for a full fifty years.
In everyone's understanding, he should have betrayed Wucheng and left alone to enjoy a carefree life outside. Yet Fu Chaosheng... why would he die in a place like this?
And how... could he die in a place like this?
"For fifty years, the 'traitor' you all believed in has actually been right here all along."
Xie Jingci stood with her eyes lowered, then finally looked at the motionless Jin Wuzhen, a hint of sarcasm coloring her trailing words. "Well then, does this count as evidence?"
Jin Wuzhen's face was drained of color.
He had thought this inexplicably appearing girl's only usable trump card was the hideous, indelible burn scar on his arm. That wasn't solid evidence. As long as Fu Chaosheng remained unfound, Jin Wuzhen could pin all the blame on him.
Only he knew that a dead man couldn't speak, much less refute anything.
But how could she possibly have found Fu Chaosheng's remains? Jiang Tu had sworn to him that the place was absolutely hidden, impossible for anyone to guess—
How could this be?!
"Jiang Tu used underhanded methods in the duel, forcibly breaching the city wall and letting demonic energy flood in."
Xie Jingci's voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears with crystal clarity. "With Fu Chaosheng's cultivation level, he naturally wouldn't have feared the demonic energy. Yet he gave up resistance and used his own body as a wall, channeling his spiritual power to mend the barrier—surely you understand who he did it for, don't you?"
After a moment of heavy silence, the woman holding the fire starter finally couldn't hold back. Her legs gave way as she knelt on the ground, covering her face and weeping bitterly.
The answer to that question was so obvious, clear to everyone present.
Fu Chaosheng could have escaped unscathed from the demonic energy's assault, but the frail commoners in the city could not. Exposure to such concentrated energy would be like ingesting a lethal poison.
It was Fu Chaosheng who had saved their lives at the cost of his own.
Yet, how ironic that for such a long time, they had believed the slander, viewing their lifesaver as a heinous villain, subjecting him to every possible insult and curse.
...What had they done?
"No... it's not my fault!"
Jin Wuzhen, beaten bloody by Xie Jingci and seeing the situation was hopeless, trembled violently, his voice shaking as he tried to secure a way out. "It's all Jiang Tu's fault... he forced me! I didn't want this either!"
Xie Jingci released a surge of spiritual power, striking him heavily in the chest.
She didn't want to hear this wretch's grating, unpleasant voice.
"Not your fault?"
The young man who had earlier claimed Wen Miaorou was "bewitched" had veins bulging on his forehead. He punched Jin Wuzhen in the face, glaring with reddened eyes, his voice hoarse with rage. "Fu Chaosheng saved you from the inferno, and this is how you repay him?!"
"If you dare touch me, City Lord Jiang won't let you off!"
The punch made him see stars. Seeing the furious crowd step closer, Jin Wuzhen realized he had nowhere to run. In desperation, he resorted to a last-ditch outburst, shouting hoarsely, "Mob! You're nothing but a mob! Let me go, and I might put in a good word for you—and you, the one with the blade, you're from the outside world, right? Don't forget, City Lord Jiang can enter and leave the Ghost Domain at will. Even if the Ghost Gate opens, you won't escape!"
As soon as he finished speaking, someone fiercely kicked him again. "Let you go? What do you take us for? You're Jiang Tu's dog, we're not!"
The people of Wucheng weren't incapable of distinguishing right from wrong. They had been blinded by lies before, confusing black and white. Now, with the truth revealed, old and new grievances erupted together. Without a doubt, they would all be repaid to Jin Wuzhen.
His face was bruised and swollen, with a nosebleed, making him look like a ridiculous clown.
Xie Jingci, however, showed no anger. Compared to him, her tone was as gentle as a snowflake. "It seems you still haven't grasped a few things."
His face was truly nauseating. As she spoke, she averted her gaze, trying not to let the visual assault affect her mood.
"First, to Jiang Tu, you're just a dispensable tool. As the saying goes, the law doesn't punish the masses. Would he really slaughter the entire city's populace over someone like you? Do you really think you're some country-wrecking, people-ruining seductive concubine? Stop dreaming, old man."
Her eyes were full of disdain, her lips curling into a malicious smirk. "Jiang Tu has his pride too. If he finds out this disgusting affair from fifty years ago is exposed, and wants to win back public favor, what's the best method?"
Jin Wuzhen shuddered all over, unable to hide his look of terror.
"The best method, naturally, is to push you, the traitor, out as a scapegoat to absorb all the public fury."
Xie Jingci let out a nearly inaudible, light laugh. "Jiang Tu would be thrilled to see you dead. Can't you see that?"
"No... it's not, it's not like that, it won't be!"
He wasn't a fool. Having occupied a high position for so many years, he naturally understood many unspoken rules of human affairs.
Though he didn't want to admit it, Jin Wuzhen knew this girl's words were absolutely true. Whether he fell into the hands of the people or Jiang Tu's, only death awaited him.
Why had things come to this?
It shouldn't... it shouldn't be like this. He had sacrificed his dignity, betrayed his only friend, and painstakingly maintained this facade for so many years—
Why was this the outcome?
"Second, you said Jiang Tu would leave the Ghost Domain to hunt me down in the outside world?"
Xie Jingci tilted her head. "What's Jiang Tu's cultivation level? Fifth, sixth, or seventh stage of Nascent Soul? My parents, uncles, aunts, and several older brothers and sisters are all at the Soul Transformation stage—what's he going to fight with, his head?"
Jin Wuzhen looked at her as if struck by lightning, dumbfounded.
"The cultivation world is much larger than the Ghost Domain, and it just so happens that our kind of heartless, black-hearted families love to stick together."
She was still smiling. "If he dares to come, I can give him a proper taste of what 'the mighty dragon crushes the foreign snake' feels like."
This person was truly arrogant, ruthless, and utterly shameless.
Jin Wuzhen nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood, a coppery, bloody sweetness rising in his throat. In his momentary daze, he suddenly saw Xie Jingci's smile fade as she spoke offhandedly, "Actually, I have one more question."
The surrounding townsfolk fell silent. After a brief pause, Jin Wuzhen heard her voice: "When you betrayed Fu Chaosheng, did you truly not feel a shred of guilt? Do you remember how he was once grievously injured saving you from that mountain fire?"
He froze in stunned realization.
"I've read some recorded accounts of your past. Orphaned from a young age, wandering the streets until you met Fu Chaosheng. He not only gave you work to survive but also offered you a place in his home to shelter from the winter cold—he was probably the first friend who treated you as a 'person,' wasn't he? What exactly were you thinking when you betrayed him?"
For the first time in all these years, someone was asking him this question.
What was he thinking back then?
He wanted a good life. He wanted to escape suffering and taste the pleasure of being on top.
But this life of trembling in disguise as an old man, haunted by nightmares every day, living in fear of exposure... was it truly pleasurable?
"I just think it's a pity. If you had stayed with Fu Chaosheng back then, you might have become one of the heroes who overthrew Jiang Tu, living the good life you desired. Yet you chose a different path."
Every word Xie Jingci spoke pierced his heart. Jin Wuzhen gritted his teeth, listening as she concluded: "And now, after tonight, you'll surely be left with nothing. Wealth, status, reputation, those unreliable fair-weather friends—what was the point? Are you satisfied with this outcome?"
To kill a man, then destroy his spirit.
Jin Wuzhen could bear it no longer and vomited a great mouthful of dark, clotted blood.
Betraying Fu Chaosheng to side with Jiang Tu had been a monumental gamble.
All these years, he had lived on tenterhooks, as if walking a tightrope. Now, Xie Jingci had laid bare every secret, ruthlessly mocking him: See, from the very beginning, you chose the wrong path. You've lost utterly.
He had never regretted anything as much as he did at this moment, but the deed was done, with no chance for redemption or correction.
Jin Wuzhen knew he was finished.
With the truth exposed, the townsfolk of Wucheng would handle the rest.
Xie Jingci took a step back, a somewhat wicked thought crossing her mind: How pitiful. Who knows what horrific retribution awaits Jin Wuzhen? And given his cowardly nature, he certainly wouldn't choose to end his own life.
"Strange, why are so many people gathered here?"
An unfamiliar child's voice rang out. She looked down to see five children bundled up like thick little snowballs.
If she remembered correctly, they were the orphans Wen Miaorou had taken in.
Xie Jingci asked curiously, "What are you all doing here?"
"Sister Miaorou sent us," the girl at the front said in a clear voice. "She told us to lead the townspeople here after daybreak. She also gave us a letter and told us to read its contents to them."
...A letter?
Back when Wen Miaorou pulled her out of the martial arts hall, she had looked hurried, saying she had urgent business to attend to.
If it were just about tricking Jiang Tu into talking, she wouldn't have worn such a frantic, murderous expression. The reason she had to leave in such a hurry could only be for one thing—
A bad feeling stirred in Xie Jingci's heart. "Where is she?"
"After giving us instructions, Sister Miaorou rushed out. It seemed like she was heading towards the Moon-Viewing Pavilion," the child answered obediently.
And at that very moment, two sudden, thunderous booms erupted in the distance.
The echoes spread like a tide, instantly filling every corner of Wucheng, like the lingering vibrations of a plucked string.
Xie Jingci didn't know what was happening, but she heard someone cry out urgently, "The Ghost Gate... the Ghost Gate has opened!"
Midnight, the hour when the Ghost Gate swings wide. Cultivators from the outside world would soon flood in. Having stirred up trouble here, Xie Jingci's wisest course of action now was to escape the Ghost Domain as quickly as possible.
She exchanged a glance with Pei Du, then shifted her gaze upward towards the source of the other tremendous noise.
At the mountain peak, the moon shone brilliantly.
The towering pavilion was overflowing with a dense, chilling sword aura that shredded all the window paper. The swirling snowflakes outside were thrown into chaos, like uncontrolled scraps of paper, gathering into pure white whirlwinds.
A fierce battle was raging there.
A woman holding a firestarter bit her lip, her face pale with fear. "That couldn't be... Wen Miaorou, could it?"
A child stammered in reply, "B-but Sister Miaorou just left. It couldn't be that fast, could it?"
"Fellow Cultivator Wen is a body cultivator. She couldn't unleash such intense sword energy," Pei Du paused slightly, frowning. "In all of Wucheng, the only one capable of this is..."
Xie Jingci didn't need to hear him finish to guess the name.
Wen Miaorou had claimed earlier that she only wanted to trick information out of Jiang Tu and didn't dare confront him directly. That was undoubtedly a lie.
Even without finding Fu Chaosheng's remains, her sole purpose tonight was to stake her life in a fight to the death against Jiang Tu.
But she would never have imagined that someone had beaten her to it.
That Zhou Shen, who had remained silent and withdrawn for fifty years, whom she had somewhat looked down upon, had gone alone, sword in hand, to the Moon-Viewing Pavilion.
The clash of three Nascent Soul stage experts was bound to create a cataclysmic storm. As for them—
Xie Jingci suddenly turned her head, giving Pei Du a slight, playful raise of her eyebrow, a hint of laughter in her trailing tone. "Feel like going to take a look?"
