Chapter 56

Chapter 56: Hurt the Body, Torture the Heart

Yun Jin Yue’s face stayed dark, but the murderous intent in her eyes spilled unchecked.

She waited—waiting for news from the chase.

Only a few minutes passed before the Golden Core Stage cultivator returned.

He said nothing. He only shook his head.

The Thousand-Mile Teleportation Talisman’s destination was random and couldn’t be fixed. It could throw someone far enough that even tracking became difficult.

Yun Jin Yue’s last hope collapsed.

Her gaze turned ice-deep, the killing intent surging as it locked onto Bai Yang.

The Heaven-Origin Heart-Nourishing Pill wasn’t something you could simply come by. They’d finally found it—only for someone to cut in.

At first, she had only wanted to teach them a lesson, to force them to sell the pill willingly. That way, even if the Heaven-Questioning Sect got angry later, Yun Xiang City could claim they hadn’t crossed a line.

Who would’ve thought Ye Chu Xue still had such a treasure?

Regret churned in Yun Jin Yue’s chest, twisting into rage—and she poured every drop of it onto Bai Yang.

If her father didn’t wake up, Yun Xiang City would fall into someone else’s hands.

Since it was a dead end either way, she might as well vent her hatred first.

“Beat him to death!”

At her order, Yun Xiang City’s people surged forward and attacked without restraint. The Golden Core Stage cultivator stopped holding back as well. Each fierce blow landed heavy, ruthless, crushing.

Bai Yang fought back with everything he had, but it was like trying to hold back a flood with bare hands.

Bright blood sprayed across the ground.

He dropped to one knee, then both. His body was carved with countless wounds, breath thinning until it was barely there.

Not far away, Song Wan Ning lounged in comfort atop the high tree canopy. She ate spirit fruit as she watched Bai Yang being brutally beaten, as if she were enjoying a street performance.

Seeing Bai Yang take hit after hit made her feel strangely at ease.

The harder he was beaten, the better she felt.

“Sister,” Little Golden Sword swayed in her mind sea, delighted, “this move is brilliant. You used someone else’s hand to weaken their fortune bit by bit, then you’ll reap the spoils. Their protagonist glow will be affected soon!”

It hummed with glee. “That Bai Yang betrayed you for a woman. The more miserable his death, the better!”

People weren’t all black and white. There were always gray places in between.

But closeness, distance, and gratitude should stay clear in one’s heart.

Bai Yang was an ungrateful wretch. He wasn’t worth Sister’s effort.

Song Wan Ning only smiled. She lifted the wine at her side and took a light sip.

In the distance, Bai Yang’s blood splattered three meters.

For a fleeting moment, she even thought it would be better with a plate of side dishes.

“Sister, do you think Bai Yang will get beaten to death?” Little Golden Sword asked, eyes bright with malice.

Song Wan Ning’s lips curved faintly. “Of course not. If you really push him to the edge, Bai Yang will fight like a man with nothing to lose.”

She looked down, calm and certain. “Besides, Heavenly Dao won’t just watch him die.”

“But he already looks half-dead.”

A flash of disappointment crossed Little Golden Sword’s gaze. It wanted him finished now.

Song Wan Ning rose at last, unhurried, smoothing her sleeves as if she were about to leave a banquet.

“Sister, where are you going?” Little Golden Sword asked, startled.

“I’m going to save my good little disciple.”

Song Wan Ning smiled gently, but the smile never reached her eyes.

“What? You’re still going to save him? Why?”

Little Golden Sword couldn’t understand. Sister wanted Bai Yang dead more than anyone. Why save him?

Song Wan Ning’s expression didn’t change. She glanced toward the battered figure sprawled on the ground.

“Since he’s destined not to die,” she said softly, “I might as well put him to use.”

In her previous life, everything she had suffered would be returned to them—one by one.

She wanted Bai Yang to be unable to read her, to flail between her warmth and her coldness, to struggle again and again until he broke.

Hurt the body, and torture the heart—that was the deepest torment.

Just like her in her previous life: endlessly doubting, endlessly denying herself beneath Gu Qing Yuan’s excuses, yet still clinging to hope.

Until despair finally drove her to death.

—

With a heavy crash, Bai Yang hit the ground again. His breath was a thin thread, trembling on the edge.

Yun Jin Yue’s rage only swelled. She drew her long sword and slashed at Bai Yang.

If that blade landed true, he would die in a spray of blood.

Bai Yang’s heart sank. He pulled out his final life-saving charm.

It was a talisman treasure with immense power. It had been used before, but it still had one activation left.

It was his last trump card.

No matter how precious a treasure was, it couldn’t compare to his life.

With Junior Sister Ye and reinforcements nowhere in sight, he could only hope to seize this chance to escape—and not fall into the hands of other villains.

Bai Yang closed his eyes, ready to activate it.

A figure descended from the sky and landed before him.

It arrived like a god.

Just like in the past—always shielding him with their body.

All his fear washed away in an instant.

“Master…”

Bai Yang’s eyes turned red. Warmth spilled out before he could stop it.

He lay on the ground, staring up at her with a childlike dependence he didn’t even realize he still carried.

He had thought Master no longer wanted him…

So Master still loved him…

Bai Yang passed out in peace.

Song Wan Ning looked back once, her gaze cold. Then she lifted her eyes to Yun Jin Yue and her people. Her presence pressed down like a mountain.

Everyone from Yun Xiang City was crushed by her spiritual pressure until they couldn’t straighten. Terror bloomed across their faces. Bodies trembled uncontrollably.

Yun Jin Yue hadn’t expected Song Wan Ning to appear so suddenly.

It was over.

This time, even if she didn’t die, she would be ruined.

She braced herself for death—only for the crushing pressure to loosen.

Yun Jin Yue looked up in disbelief and finally saw the famed alchemy grandmaster.

“True Lord Song, please hear me out—” she blurted. “I wanted to buy the Heaven-Origin Heart-Nourishing Pill from them. My father is severely injured and unconscious, and the situation is urgent. I had no choice but to resort to this—”

“Well done.”

Song Wan Ning’s lips curved slightly. With a lazy wave, she cut off the explanation.

Yun Jin Yue froze, not understanding.

Song Wan Ning didn’t clarify. She simply took out a jade bottle and tossed it over.

“There’s a Heaven-Origin Heart-Nourishing Pill inside,” she said coolly. “Send my greetings to City Lord Yun.”

In her previous life, she had believed Gu Qing Yuan’s words and always held herself above others, offending countless people who sought pills.

Looking back now, she had been foolish beyond measure.

She should have used her advantage and turned more people into allies—so when the family war came, she wouldn’t be standing alone.

“What…?”

Yun Jin Yue stood dazed for a long moment, then snapped the bottle open on instinct.

A Heaven-Origin Heart-Nourishing Pill lay within—high-grade.

Her breath hitched.

She came back to herself at last, tears stinging her eyes as she thanked Song Wan Ning profusely. Then, with both hands, she offered a storage pouch stuffed full of payment.

“Thank you, True Lord Song, for not holding this against us. Not only did you not blame us, you even saved Yun Xiang City from disaster!” Yun Jin Yue’s voice shook. “We’ll remember this kindness. Another day, my father will personally come to your door to thank you!”

She had thought she’d reached the end of the road—only to find a new path at the darkest moment.

Father was finally saved.