In the mirror—was that still a person?

Was that still even a human face?

The shrieks of horror that had echoed through the Flower Queen Gathering suddenly all came rushing back into Ziqing’s ears, and she flinched back despite herself!

Even she herself was terrified!

This face—whether on the cheeks, the forehead, or the chin—was covered in patches of bulging flesh, her features nearly swallowed up entirely!

Every part of Ziqing’s body trembled. She felt as though something were lodged in her chest, neither rising nor falling, wanting desperately to erupt but unable to break free!

In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to smash the mirror before her to pieces!

No. That wasn’t her. That absolutely was not her.

Suddenly, she yanked hard at her shackled hands and snapped her fingers, unleashing a blade of wind—”Crack!”—instantly shattering the bronze mirror into pieces.

“Hahaha, well struck, very well struck! A woman’s looks were never meant to be admired in her own mirror—they’re meant to be seen by men! Han Ziqing, come along, I’ll take you to see someone.”

Yanzi was in excellent spirits, immediately walking toward Ziqing. A flash of malice crossed Ziqing’s eyes. Ignoring the fact that the shackles had already cut her wrists to bleeding, she forced her fingers to snap again and again, unleashing several sharp blades of wind. “I’ll kill you!”

But with her hands bound, her strength was insufficient. Yanzi easily dodged and came up beside her, seizing her hand roughly. “Kill me? You will never have that chance.”

“What exactly do you want?” Ziqing asked coldly.

“Nothing in particular—just going to take you to see someone first.” Yanzi laughed and yanked Ziqing up roughly, the shackles nearly cutting off her hands.

“I won’t see anyone!” Ziqing struggled violently. Yanzi, utterly unmoved by her resistance, grabbed her by the hair and forced her head up, saying coldly, “Won’t see anyone? Then tell me Lishang’s secret!”

Forced to raise her head, Ziqing was drenched in sweat, her long hair disheveled, her hideous face turned toward the sky—a sight that would have frightened even the heavens themselves. And with her teeth gritted in fury, she looked all the more ferocious and terrifying, like some ancient, hideous demon crone.

“Tell me Lishang’s secret, or I’ll let Xuanyuan Lige get a good, long look at that face of yours!” Yanzi said, raising an eyebrow. Even she found Han Ziqing’s face disgusting to look at, yet she took great delight in admiring her own handiwork.

To her surprise, at these words, Ziqing—who had been gritting her teeth—suddenly smiled. “If you take me to see Jun Beiyue, I might consider whether to tell you or not!”

At these words, Yanzi’s smug smile froze on her lips at once. For a moment, she couldn’t understand what Han Ziqing meant at all!

This woman had become so hideous, and she still wanted to see Jun Beiyue?

Shouldn’t she be terrified of seeing Jun Beiyue? Shouldn’t she be begging her not to let Jun Beiyue see her like this, not to let Jun Beiyue recognize her?

It was Yanzi who was supposed to use Jun Beiyue as leverage against her!

Yet somehow, Han Ziqing had beaten her to it, using him as leverage first!

Was she… not afraid?

“What did you say? Say that again!” Yanzi said coldly, releasing her grip.

Ziqing looked at her coldly, and on that face covered in bulging flesh, a smile bloomed all the same—a smile brimming with confidence, one that looked down on all things, the kind of smile that could hold its head high and look down even upon paradise while standing in the depths of hell itself. “I said, if you take me to see Jun Beiyue, I might just consider rewarding you with a bit of Lishang’s secret!”

“Slap!”

The moment the words left her mouth, Yanzi swung her hand and struck Ziqing viciously, sending her sprawling against the wall. Blood trickled down from the corner of Ziqing’s mouth.

And yet, even so, Ziqing kept smiling, looking Yanzi over with cold scrutiny, the corner of her lips curled in open disdain.

No matter what expression crossed this hideous face, it only made it more grotesque—and yet, at this very moment, Ziqing looked anything but ugly. Instead, she carried an untouchable dignity, the kind that made people want to look at her again, despite themselves.

“You want to see Jun Beiyue? Not a chance! He’ll never recognize you anyway!” Yanzi, as if gone mad, suddenly raised her whip and lashed it straight at Ziqing’s face!

Ziqing turned her head away to dodge, but Yanzi immediately had her seized and her head held still, forcing her to face her directly.

“Han Ziqing, let me tell you—only I am worthy of Jun Beiyue. You are not. You will never be!”

With a furious cry, Yanzi swung her whip. “Crack!” The tip of the whip tore a bloody gash across the side of Ziqing’s face.

And yet Ziqing kept laughing. “Hah, so this is why you hate me so much—you’ve fallen for my husband!”

At these words, Yanzi froze at once, her sore spot exposed, fury nearly boiling over. “Han Ziqing, say one more word and see if I don’t smash your mouth to pieces right now!”

“I don’t believe you!” Ziqing snorted coldly, showing not the slightest fear!

“You—!” Yanzi choked with rage and was about to strike again, when a low, eerie voice drifted out from the darkness nearby. “Yanzi, that’s enough. It’s time to get to business.”

Ziqing’s heart skipped a beat. That figure in the darkness must be the one who had kidnapped her—still refusing to show his face, his voice deliberately disguised. Why?

Could it be someone she knew?

“I’m handling it just fine!” Yanzi snapped furiously, clearly showing the man little respect.

“Smash her mouth to pieces, and who’s going to tell you Lishang’s secret?” the man said coldly.

Only then did Yanzi understand the meaning behind his words—as for Lishang’s secret, they still hadn’t determined whether Xuanyuan Lige knew more, or whether Han Ziqing knew more!

The only way was to arrange for the two of them to cross-check each other’s stories!

Yanzi flung her whip aside in fury and said coldly, “Han Ziqing, so you want to be stubborn, is that it? Fine, just you wait. Wait right here! Don’t come begging me later!”

With that, she turned and swept out. She had no intention of letting Xuanyuan Lige and Han Ziqing meet so easily!

Since she couldn’t threaten Han Ziqing for now, she could start with Xuanyuan Lige instead!

Once she was gone, everything fell quiet once more. Ziqing lay collapsed on the ground, the pain on her face keeping her exhausted mind sharp and awake.

See Jun Beiyue?

Even in a state like this, she still wanted to go see Jun Beiyue with such confidence?

She laughed—a self-mocking laugh. She didn’t dare see Jun Beiyue at all!

That feeling of standing before him, watching the terror on his face as he failed to recognize her—it was truly unbearable.

Her small hand gently touched the burning whip wound on her cheek, and it came away covered in blood at once. Ziqing gazed silently at the crimson blood on her hand, blinked, pressed her lips together, gritted her teeth, and after a long, long while, murmured to herself, her voice hoarse yet still carrying a smile, “Jun Beiyue, where are you? Hurry up and come claim me…”

In the darkness, a tall, slender figure who had been about to leave suddenly stopped at these words, his bright eyes turning back toward Ziqing with unexpected interest.

He seemed to want to hear more, but Ziqing had already fallen silent, tugging at her shackles, struggling to stanch the blood on her face. Yanzi’s strike had been vicious, the wound deep, and the bleeding still had not stopped.

The man hesitated for a moment, then actually stepped forward, dressed entirely in black with his face covered, nothing visible but a pair of clear, piercing eyes.

He crouched down beside Ziqing. Ziqing immediately tensed, on guard…