Far from the water ravine on the shore, Miss Yang’s maid Hong Su was hugging Wang Shao’s leg, weeping mournfully: “Young City Lord, please save our miss! She’s your fiancée!”

Wang Shao impatiently kicked her hands away, his tone cold and cruel: “Zanxing has already been dragged underwater by that demon beast—she couldn’t possibly still be alive. That demon beast is equivalent to a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. Do you want all of us to go to our deaths?”

The maid was about to cry and plead again when Wang Shao had already walked away, saying as he went: “Zanxing is dead, and this young master is also very sad. Rest assured, when I enter the Taiyan Sect, I’ll report to Father and have someone send the Yang family generous funeral gifts.”

These words were utterly heartless, and Hong Su cried until she nearly fainted.

Wang Shao walked to the other side, where Liu Yunxin and Mu Cengxiao were bound hand and foot, thrown under a tree.

“Miss Liu, you caused the death of my fiancée. Tell me, how should you compensate me?” Wang Shao looked down condescendingly at Liu Yunxin.

Liu Yunxin had been frightened and had just been soaked with water. Her clothes were still damp and outlined her graceful, slender figure even more clearly, fragile as a pure lotus, especially pitiful.

“Nonsense!” Mu Cengxiao roared angrily: “It was Yang Zanxing who deliberately pushed Yunxin into the water and accidentally fell in herself—she brought it on herself! Stop slandering people!”

“Accidentally?” Wang Shao acted as if he’d heard something amusing: “Who saw it? Did you see it?” He asked a follower beside him, who shook his head repeatedly, then asked another servant: “Did you see it?”

The servant shook his head like a rattling drum.

“There you have it.” Wang Shao put his hands in his sleeves, smiling as he looked at Liu Yunxin: “Originally, this matter should be a life for a life, but this young master is kindhearted and has always cherished beautiful women, so…” He reached out to touch Liu Yunxin’s face, but she turned her head to avoid him. He could only regretfully withdraw his hand and say: “If you follow me, that would compensate this young master for one woman, and I’ll naturally find a way to help you settle this matter.”

“Wishful thinking!” Mu Cengxiao replied through gritted teeth.

“I say, surnamed Mu, I’m talking to your sister—why are you butting in?” Wang Shao stared at Mu Cengxiao with an unfriendly expression. He had been lusting after Liu Yunxin’s body for a long time—if not for Mu Cengxiao’s interference… Liu Yunxin would have long since become his woman. In front of Liu Yunxin, it wasn’t convenient to kill, but wait until tonight… Wang Shao’s lips curved up. In this world, there would be no more Mu Cengxiao.

Mu Cengxiao went to the water ravine at night to investigate and was killed by the demon beast—there was no more perfect or reasonable excuse than this.

He hummed a little tune in good spirits as he walked away. Under the tree, Liu Yunxin asked the youth beside her: “Big Brother Mu, what should we do… I don’t want to marry Young Master Wang.”

“Don’t worry, big brother won’t let you marry such a person.” Mu Cengxiao said in a low voice: “Tonight I’ll take you away.”

“Big Brother Mu…” Liu Yunxin hesitated.

“What is it?”

“Miss Yang did fall trying to save me.” Liu Yunxin said. At that moment, she was about to be struck by the demon beast when Miss Yang pushed her away.

“Don’t speak up for her,” Mu Cengxiao frowned. “I saw clearly from a distance that she pushed you from behind. That woman is arrogant and tyrannical, frequently punishing servants, and has repeatedly tried to ruin your appearance. How could she be so kindhearted? This is retribution—don’t worry about it!”

Liu Yunxin sighed and looked toward the little maid crying her heart out in the distance, thinking: Miss Yang… is she dead?

…

Yang Zanxing certainly wasn’t dead.

Not only was she not dead, but her current condition was simply excellent.

How to describe it? It was like working overtime for a week straight, then welcoming a legal holiday. She had slept a full ten hours at home and finished reading an entire leveling-up power fantasy novel—that kind of refreshed feeling.

Every part of her body felt as if it had been soaked in hot springs, both comfortable and energetic. She felt neither hungry nor thirsty, nor tired. Her entire being was renewed, completely different from before.

When she opened her eyes, she didn’t know if it was Zanxing’s imagination, but even her vision seemed to have improved. She could see even the texture of the stone cracks on the high cave walls. When she stood up, both her legs were much stronger than before.

She didn’t know how long she had slept, but waking up feeling so different, Zanxing wondered if this was what successful cultivation felt like.

She parted the stone crack again and, as expected, saw that pixelated mass swimming around.

She didn’t know what stage she was at now, or whether she could fight this demon beast… Zanxing was calculating in her mind when her heart suddenly began to heat up. The Xiaoyuan Pearl in her body seemed to have formed some kind of connection with her. She could feel the pearl’s movement, as if attracted by the demon beast “Yu,” restlessly stirring.

Was this… encouraging her to go up and make a big score?

Zanxing was somewhat hesitant.

She couldn’t remember how the male protagonist defeated this demon beast in the original story, nor the techniques and methods. Moreover, she didn’t have those things now. However, the Xiaoyuan Pearl was the protagonist’s golden finger. As long as she had the Xiaoyuan Pearl, even if the protagonist was beaten to near-death, they could be rescued and counterattack. The Xiaoyuan Pearl was hinting for her to charge forward, so there should be no major problems, right?

She had to believe in the power of the golden finger, believe that the protagonist wouldn’t die. Since this pearl wanted to cause trouble, it at least indicated one thing—the plot line was correct.

Zanxing gathered her courage and slipped out through the stone crack.

One end of the stone crack was the sand cave, the other end was the water curtain, yet moving from one end to the other, it didn’t feel like anything had changed. Mysteriously, this water curtain seemed to naturally contain a layer of barrier that separated the water. Rather than water flow, it was more like air.

The demon beast “Yu” was just a vague pixelated mass without eyes or a nose, yet it was extremely sensitive. The moment Zanxing emerged, it pounced toward her.

The demon beast that hid in the water to secretly harm people became bold when someone fell into the water.

Zanxing had a moment of panic, but she quickly discovered she could move freely in the water flow without any resistance. When she kicked upward, it was as if stepping on a springboard, jumping very high. Her fists also seemed full of power, and when she swung them, there seemed to be invisible airflow. Zanxing had the illusion that if this punch landed, it might smash the demon beast before her to pieces.

Was this the power of the Xiaoyuan Pearl?

In the clear, transparent water curtain, the massive creature lunged toward her. At first glance, it was quite beautiful. If one could ignore that nauseating fishy water smell, perhaps there was also the bloody scent of humans mixed in.

Zanxing felt no fear and swung her fist forward.

In an instant, the cluster of black dots scattered in all directions, and from the front of this demon beast, a stream of black liquid suddenly sprayed out. Zanxing couldn’t dodge in time and took a face full of it.

A burning, stinging sensation spread across her face.