Chapter 113: Internal Collapse
This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation.
With Boss Wu stepping in to smooth things over, the tension between Long Three and Lady Hua was temporarily set aside. The seven of them found themselves united by a common goal: eliminating Yu Zhao. This fragile alliance, however, was fraught with mistrust and personal ambitions, each person harboring their own secret agenda.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Ji Han Zhou, who had been pushed to the sidelines, felt a small sense of importance.
“We six will join forces to deal with Yu Zhao. Long Three, your task will be to capture Ji Han Zhou,” Long One suggested, his voice laced with cold determination.
Lady Hua scoffed, rolling her eyes in disdain. “That little girl is mine to deal with. You focus on the other one,” she retorted, her tone sharp.
“Lady Hua, Yu Zhao isn’t as simple as you think,” Boss Wu cautioned, his voice carrying an edge of concern.
Lady Hua let out a derisive snort. “I’m curious to see just how ‘complicated’ she really is.”
Among the seven of them, Lady Hua was the strongest, and when she made up her mind, the others had little room to argue. They reluctantly agreed to split into two groups: Lady Hua would confront Yu Zhao, while the others would go after Ji Han Zhou. Their plan was simple—use Ji Han Zhou as bait to lure Yu Zhao. If she didn’t take the bait, they would kill him and attack her together. No matter how skilled Yu Zhao was, they were confident she wouldn’t survive.
As they openly discussed their plans, neither Yu Zhao nor Ji Han Zhou missed a word.
Ji Han Zhou clenched his fists, a mix of shame and anger surging through him. Back at the Heavenly Sword Sect, he had been a promising genius, admired by countless fellow disciples. But now, he was nothing more than a burden, a mere tool to threaten his Senior Sister, Yu Zhao.
Power, he needed more power. Only the strong command true respect. Just like Senior Sister Yu Zhao—everyone was strategizing on how to bring her down, while he was barely acknowledged.
Yu Zhao’s expression remained calm, but inside, she was quietly bracing herself. Her illusions had always been her greatest strength, relying on her transcendent state of mind and powerful soul. Having lived two lives, her soul was several times stronger than that of cultivators at her level. Once someone fell into her illusions, it was nearly impossible to break free.
But this time, she wasn’t facing just one enemy—she had seven. The soul power required to cast an illusion on all of them would be enormous. She wasn’t confident she could trap all seven at once, so she wasn’t planning to take them head-on.
Instead, she would use a familiar tactic: turning them against each other.
With a quick series of hand seals, she unleashed an invisible seal into the air. Then, with a swift motion, she directed it toward Lady Hua.
Lady Hua felt a subtle disturbance and quickly scanned the area, but everything seemed normal. Yet, in the next moment, the seal silently merged into her body.
A slight shudder passed through Lady Hua, and her vision blurred momentarily. When she blinked, her lips, usually vibrant and lively, began to tremble.
“My love~” Her voice was filled with longing and bitterness, a lament so sorrowful that it could break anyone’s heart.
Zhao Xian, standing nearby, was bewildered. “My love? Who is she talking about?”
Wang Zhen, Zhao Xian’s wife, immediately sensed something was wrong in Lady Hua’s gaze. She stepped forward, blocking Lady Hua’s view of her husband, and shot Zhao Xian a warning look. Zhao Xian, still confused, looked to his wife for guidance.
“My love, who is she? You haven’t come to see me in so long, and now I see you’ve been charmed by another woman,” Lady Hua continued, her expression turning forlorn as she stared at Zhao Xian like he was a heartless betrayer.
“Lady Hua, watch your words!” Zhao Xian protested.
“Zhao Xian is my husband!” Wang Zhen added, her voice sharp with indignation.
“You’ve married someone else? Gu Yuanchen, how could you do this to me?” Lady Hua’s face twisted with anger, a trace of madness in her eyes.
Gu Yuanchen?
Boss Wu and the three Long brothers, who had been watching the scene unfold with mild amusement, suddenly realized something was wrong.
“Lady Hua, you’ve got the wrong person. He’s not Gu Yuanchen,” Boss Wu said, his frown deepening.
“Shut up! I’m talking to my husband! How dare you interrupt!” Lady Hua snapped. With a wave of her sleeve, a flash of spiritual light burst forth.
Bang!
Boss Wu barely managed to raise his giant axe in time to block the attack, but the force of it still sent him stumbling backward, his pupils contracting in shock. Lady Hua wasn’t joking around—she had really lost it!
Zhao Xian and Wang Zhen were equally alarmed. They knew Lady Hua by reputation. She was known not just for her stunning beauty, but also for her ruthless methods and unmatched power. They wouldn’t stand a chance against her in a direct fight.
“Lady Hua, I’m not Gu Yuanchen, I’m Zhao Xian!” Zhao Xian pleaded.
Wang Zhen added quickly, “Lady Hua, you’ve got the wrong person! He’s my husband!”
“Gu Yuanchen, you’re still trying to deceive me! The one thing I, Hua Ziyan, hate most in this life is being lied to! If you don’t want to be my husband, then you can die!” Lady Hua let out a bitter laugh, her voice trembling with emotion.
She quickly formed a hand seal and shouted, “Hundred Flowers—!”
In an instant, countless flower petals materialized in the air, swirling around her like a storm.
Lady Hua spat out a surge of spiritual energy, her voice ringing with cold determination. “Kill!!!”
The petals transformed into thousands of tiny pink swords, all aimed at Zhao Xian. The intense killing intent in the air made the scene incredibly terrifying.
Wang Zhen, though not directly in the path of the attack, could have dodged and avoided harm. But instead, she summoned her life-bound weapon, a zither, and began to pluck the strings rapidly, sending out waves of sound to intercept the petals.
Zhao Xian also pulled out a jade brush from his sleeve, quickly sketching a character in the air. As he finished the last stroke, he slapped his chest with his palm, coughing up blood.
“Bleh!”
The character absorbed the blood and began to expand rapidly, forming a protective barrier.
The petal-swords collided with the sound waves and the blood character, causing explosive clashes that reverberated through the air. The battle raged on for what felt like an eternity, but in reality, it was only a short while. When the petals finally dissipated, Zhao Xian and Wang Zhen were both pale, visibly exhausted.
“Boss Wu! Long brothers! Help us!” Zhao Xian shouted desperately.
Lady Hua’s reputation was well-deserved—they wouldn’t last much longer on their own.
Boss Wu and the Long brothers hesitated. They didn’t have a deep connection with Zhao Xian and Wang Zhen, and they were rivals in a way. There was no reason to risk themselves by siding with them against Lady Hua.
“Lady Hua has gone mad! Do you really think she’ll spare you after this? Stop dreaming!” Wang Zhen’s words struck a chord with Long One. Lady Hua had been fine before, but now she was suddenly treating Zhao Xian like her long-lost lover. Someone was clearly messing with her mind.
This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation.
Long One’s eyes suddenly locked onto Yu Zhao in the distance, his gaze filled with murderous intent.
“It’s you!” he spat out, his voice trembling with rage.
Yu Zhao smiled calmly but didn’t respond.
Long One’s fear of Yu Zhao skyrocketed. This woman couldn’t be allowed to live!
“Boss Wu, you go help Zhao Xian and Wang Zhen! Brothers, come with me! We must kill her at all costs!” Long One’s voice was sharp and decisive, leaving no room for doubt.
The three brothers transformed into streaks of light, speeding toward Yu Zhao, their intent clear.
Boss Wu hesitated for a moment before deciding to follow Long One’s orders and help Zhao Xian and Wang Zhen. But he had his own reasons. Among the seven of them, he was the weakest. If Zhao Xian and Wang Zhen were taken down, he’d likely be next. It was better to team up and take down the strongest first—it might increase his chances of survival.