The crowd’s wariness and vigilance, and the disapproval and contempt in their eyes, stabbed at the head of the Rong Family like needles.

Gong Tinglan’s violet bone flute spun through the air, his pure Dao essence dissolving the surging malevolent energy pressing toward them. He spoke with calm detachment: “Is the head of the Rong Family resentful of our pressure, and intending to go on a killing rampage here?”

The head of the Rong Family’s breath caught, his gaze turning to ice: “Gong Tinglan — it is this demonic woman who has humiliated me time and again. What exactly are you all after? I have already, at your urging, sacrificed righteousness over kinship and cleansed my own household. Is that still not enough? Are you all so intent on disrespecting me and my lineage, to side with this demonic woman and make enemies of the entire Daoist tradition?”

“The head of the Rong Family’s nobility is admirable — this junior is truly impressed. The reason I called out was simply to ask a question. Who would have expected you to strike without a word — and when I struck back, was that wrong? Where in the world is there a fool who stands still and takes a beating without retaliating?” Lang Jiuchuan said. “You need not take things out of context either. Everything that happened today arose because of the Rong Huanxuan you hold in your arms — it is she whose heart of the Dao was corrupted, who consorted with demonic forces. We of the righteous path eradicate evil to protect the Dao — what wrong have we committed? You resent me for forcing you to sacrifice righteousness over kinship — I accept that. I am young and lack sense, brash and reckless in youth. But I should think the head of the Rong Family, who prides himself on the glorious righteous path, broad-minded and magnanimous, would not lower himself to hold grudges against me?”

Lang Jiuchuan looked at the surging murderous intent in his eyes and said calmly: “And even if the head of the Rong Family does intend to hold a grudge — the principle is that calamity should not extend to innocent family members. Surely the head of the Rong Family would not, out of festering resentment, act against my family in underhanded ways? If so, then I can only act against your precious daughter in return.”

Dead silence fell over the bedchamber.

She was truly, utterly audacious.

Without waiting for the head of the Rong Family to respond, Lang Jiuchuan gave the Black Impermanence a long, respectful bow from across the distance and said: “Everything that has happened today — what the Black Impermanence has witnessed is the truth. I ask you to bear witness on our behalf: everything done here was for the sake of all living beings in the world. If someone were to retaliate against the innocent because of this — the underworld also keeps a record of such things, does it not?”

The chains around the Black Impermanence’s wrists rattled. His indistinct features were cold to the extreme, and his voice carried the chill of ten-thousand-year-old ice as it drifted through the hall: “All merits and offenses are recorded in the Book of Merits and Offenses. The reckoning of cause and effect — when one arrives in the underworld, it shall all be settled together. Those who wantonly commit murderous karma — the eighteen levels of hell await them, ready at any time.”

The head of the Rong Family shuddered. He stared at the Black Impermanence in shock, then back at Lang Jiuchuan.

Was the Black Impermanence issuing a warning — was he standing as a backer and endorser for Lang Jiuchuan?

The head of the Rong Family forcibly swallowed the mouthful of stagnant blood rising in his throat and said coldly: “Do not judge a gentleman by a petty person’s standards. The Rong Family’s centuries of clean reputation — how dare you humiliate it so!”

“Then that settles it!” Lang Jiuchuan smiled, and the smile was entirely sincere. “Were this junior to force the head of the Rong Family into a blood oath before all these cultivators and the Black Impermanence, that would make me seem overbearing and grasping for more than my due.”

The crowd lowered their eyes. So she did have some self-awareness after all.

Lang Jiuchuan cast another glance toward Rong Huanxuan and revealed a smile brimming with malice: “The head of the Rong Family should also be at ease — we are not the gossiping sort who speaks of everything we see. We have no interest in prying into the hidden history of the Rong Family. Everyone here is the same, yes?”

No one said anything. Whether they would speak of it or not was not yet settled — but you, you were dancing on the edge of death itself. Look at the head of the Rong Family’s eyes — the raging flames therein were almost turning into fireballs flying out to burn her alive.

The head of the Rong Family’s eyes were frigid with permafrost, yet he did not argue. This woman provoked him again and again with nothing but the aim of making him lose control — to engage with it would be to fall into her trap. And that thread of blood karmic connection — all those present had seen it with their own eyes. Arguing was meaningless. Better to go back and work on remediation — he could easily say that Huanxuan was his illegitimate daughter, merely registered under the Fourth’s household. Those outsiders would not dare say anything about it.

Thinking this through, the head of the Rong Family’s breath gradually steadied — only the bone-deep hatred in his eyes remained undiminished. His gaze fixed on Lang Jiuchuan, and he sent a transmitted whisper: “Demonic woman — today’s humiliation, every last bit of it, I will repay a hundredfold. Mark those words.”

He would use her blood as a sacrifice to repay every humiliation of today — would render her spirit-soul into oil for a lamp to burn before the Rong ancestral shrine. He would, one day — he most certainly would.

He gathered Rong Huanxuan in his arms and turned to leave.

Lang Jiuchuan’s transmitted whisper followed him: “Everything today arose from the choices the head of the Rong Family made — was it worth it, for this illegitimate daughter? Had you not driven me to extinction, left me no room to exist, there would be no today. You were the ones who first struck, who first sowed the cause. And so — to kill in return, to sacrifice souls in vengeance, this enmity and hatred, witnessed by heaven and earth, attested by the nine abyssal depths — it will end only with death.”

The head of the Rong Family spun around, his expression shaken. He stared at her in alarm and then in horror — but what he met was that look in her eyes that said: all of this began for reasons we both know well, and you and I are both clear on what they are.

Those dark eyes of hers — like thunder crashing down — slammed into his chest with a force that nearly made him lose his hold on Rong Huanxuan.

His expression darkened to something sunken and oppressive as he stepped into the shadow road.

Lang Jiuchuan drew a deep breath. The dagger had emerged from behind the map. From this point forward — nothing but endless killing intent.

The Black Impermanence let out a low sound of disdain, dragging the befuddled soul of Prince Jing along, and whispered into Lang Jiuchuan’s ear in a tone of biting chill: “You used the most extreme means to tear this open. From here, it is a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood — there is no going back. Take care of yourself.”

“No need to see me out.” Dressed all in black and putting on such airs of profound depth.

The Black Impermanence held his words in for a moment, then pulled the chains taut and dragged Prince Jing into the ghost gate, vanishing without a trace.

Lang Jiuchuan stood where she was, looking in the direction where the head of the Rong Family had disappeared. Her eyes held not a shred of fear — only a blaze of burning fire. She gave a short, quiet laugh: “I — will be waiting.”

Implacable enmity, without end. She was not afraid.

The bedchamber gradually returned to quiet, leaving only the lingering density of blood-stained air and the not-yet-dispersed chill of the underworld.

“This old Daoist will personally report these events to the Sage Emperor.” Kong Xu Zi spoke suddenly.

Zhishang let out a sigh: “I will go with you.”

The elders of the imperial clan took their leave of Gong Tinglan, instructing people to carefully carry Tantai Cong away.

Gong Tinglan walked to Lang Jiuchuan’s side and asked: “The first living soul that Rong Huanxuan blood-sacrificed — was it the true Lang Jiuchuan who originally inhabited this body?”

The soul’s features had been somewhat difficult to make out clearly — but he had caught a glimpse of something, and then looking at Lang Jiuchuan’s overwhelming hatred for the Rong Family’s people, he made this bold conjecture.

Lang Jiuchuan looked at him sharply.

Gong Tinglan said: “You need not worry — today I have also torn ties with the Rong Family. I will not stand on their side. Especially since the head of the Rong Family and Rong Huanxuan turned out to be…”

The two exchanged a glance. Neither said it aloud — but their eyes were full of nothing but revulsion.

Lang Jiuchuan said: “Do you know where Rong Huanxuan got the Dao root fragment she used to mend her own, and where the blood in that blood formation came from?”

Gong Tinglan was taken aback. A certain possibility came to mind, and his scalp tightened.

But Lang Jiuchuan smiled: “Of course — from this body.”

“How could that be — the Dao roots fit together so perfectly!”

“If it’s possible for Rong Huanxuan to be the head of the Rong Family’s daughter, then for this body of mine to have some connection to the Rong Family — that is hardly impossible either.” Lang Jiuchuan looked at him steadily: “The Rong Family must harbor resentment toward you and the Gong Family now. Who would tolerate someone sleeping so close beside them — why not join forces?”

Gong Tinglan’s brow furrowed deeply: “What do you intend? Today you challenged the head of the Rong Family’s limits again and again — knowing his nature, he will strike back.”

“The Fourth Master of the Rong Family.” Lang Jiuchuan said. “I need to see him. The Rong Family is not an easy place to force my way into — find a way to have him come seek me out.”

The head of the Rong Family would not let her go — and as it happened, she would not let him go either. What it came down to was a contest of true strength. But she would not underestimate the depth of the Rong Family’s foundations — she had to find someone within who could make the Rong Family’s own foundations crumble from the inside.

The Fourth Master of the Rong Family — he was that person, if what she had deduced was correct.