Abandoned. Abandoned.
The word echoed in Ling Gu’s mind. In the past, she would never have used such a term that placed others at the center. It had always been her abandoning others, never the other way around.
But now, she was at the lowest point of her life.
Her legs broken, her eyes blinded, unable to walk or even recognize the way. These were realities she refused to acknowledge, yet they lay starkly before her. In the past few days, with Jiang Miao’s care, these hardships had not been so apparent. But now, with Jiang Miao gone, her weakness and helplessness were laid bare.
Without Jiang Miao, even survival was a struggle.
She knew this, and she was certain Jiang Miao knew it too. Yet Jiang Miao had still left. This was proof enough that the other was a master deceiver, a liar who had played the part so well, even delivering grand speeches like, “No matter who wrongs you, I’ll make them pay.” Though she had said nothing in response, deep down, she had quietly placed Jiang Miao within the circle of those she could trust.
She had even begun to believe Jiang Miao was someone she could rely on.
Of course, she hadn’t fully realized this until now. Only when faced with the harsh reality did she understand, but it was already too late. Jiang Miao was gone, the only pillar of support had abandoned her.
To her, this was betrayal.
If Jiang Miao had never saved her, or if Jiang Miao had saved her without uttering those words, she wouldn’t have felt this way. It was precisely because hope had been given, only to be abruptly extinguished, that this betrayal felt so brutal. She had finally given up her desire to die, yet Jiang Miao had pushed her back onto the path of death. It was an act of extreme cruelty.
Kneeling before the threshold, the emptiness in her beautiful eyes slowly ignited into flames of hatred. The pain of being toyed with successfully made her forget that she had once sought death. On the contrary, she now wanted to live more than anyone else.
She would live, and she would seek revenge.
Hatred was a powerful motivator. Slowly, she crawled to the bedside, pulling herself up by gripping the cabinet. Her fingers brushed the edge of a plate, and only then did she realize Jiang Miao had left food for her.
A few days ago, she wouldn’t have given a second thought to such a gesture—it was simply what Jiang Miao owed her. An ordinary person might have been moved, wondering if there was some misunderstanding. But Ling Gu had never known kindness since childhood. Any act of goodwill was twisted in her mind, morphing into greater malice.
To her, this was Jiang Miao mocking her with charity.
Her anger flared even hotter. She raised her hand to strike, but her stomach chose that moment to growl.
In the past, her life had been irregular, with no habit of eating on time. These past few days under Jiang Miao’s meticulous care had spoiled her, giving her the delicate appetite of the privileged. If she missed breakfast, hunger would gnaw at her like a raging fire. The thought that this might be her last meal only fueled her fury and resentment.
She picked up the bowl, taking bite after bite as if swallowing her hatred. The humiliation of being mocked intertwined with the fleeting satisfaction of a filled stomach, creating a bitter, chaotic mix of emotions.
Halfway through the meal, she could bear it no longer. With a violent motion, she hurled the bowl to the ground, shattering it to pieces. Still unsatisfied, she swept cups, plates, and utensils off the table, sending them flying until there was nothing left to break.
Such forceful movements inevitably aggravated her injuries, and the sea of shattered porcelain now isolated her from the outside world.
Furious, she slammed a fist against the bed frame, only to realize that, aside from her rage, there was nothing she could do.
She sat rigidly on the bed, racking her brains for a solution, but what could she possibly do? She wanted to seek revenge on Jiang Miao, yet she didn’t even know the other’s name or appearance. Over these past days, she had treated the other as a mere tool, never bothering to ask, while the other’s silence only confirmed today’s betrayal.
This suffocating frustration was driving her mad.
The incessant, cheerful chirping of birds outside seemed to mock her helplessness. Unable to bear it any longer, she hurled a shard of porcelain in their direction, startling them into flight.
Then, she snatched the quilt over her head and lay still.
Meanwhile, Jiang Miao hurried along and finally reached the market just before noon.
She had originally thought she could make the round trip before midday, but the mountain path proved treacherous, taking twice as long as expected. Gazing at the scorching sun, she felt a pang of dread. Buying supplies was easy, but traveling under the blazing sun was unwise. Besides, she was exhausted and famished. It would be best to eat before heading back.
Yet doing so would mean Ling Gu would have to endure hunger a little longer.
She silently apologized to the other in her heart and found a noodle stall to eat at. Most market-goers came early in the morning, so few patrons lingered by noon. The place was sparsely populated. She chose a quiet corner, and soon her noodles arrived—a simple bowl of plain noodles with nothing but scallions. Ravenous, she wasn’t picky. She sprinkled some dried chili from a jar on the table to add flavor.
As she ate, two more customers entered.
Both were women, graceful in figure and carrying a faint, pleasant fragrance. Jiang Miao glanced at them from the corner of her eye and noticed they wore veils, obscuring their faces. In these turbulent times, this wasn’t unusual. She averted her gaze and continued eating her bland noodles, mentally planning to buy some wine, meat, scallions, and garlic on the way back. Since she intended to purchase a small cart, she wouldn’t have to worry about carrying too much.
After finishing the noodles, she asked for a bowl of hot noodle soup.
The soup was scalding, impossible to drink, so she waited.
Just then, one of the women suddenly spoke, “Do you think that Ling woman is really dead?”
The other replied, “No doubt about it. Her meridians were shattered, and she jumped off a cliff. Even if she had heaven-defying abilities, there’s no way she could’ve survived.”
“It’s strange to think about. She and that lord were as close as sisters, yet they ended up killing each other. What a pity she was outmaneuvered and lost in the end.”
“Hah, either way, they’re both ruthless murderers. Whichever one dies is worth celebrating with firecrackers. As lowly pawns like us, living day by day, I just hope to witness more of these dog-eat-dog dramas before I die!”
“That’s true. She lorded over others for so many years—it’s time she tasted retribution. Given all the things she’s done, whipping her corpse wouldn’t be excessive. Too bad she sank into the river, polluting the waters.”
“Enough of this gloomy talk about the dead. Let’s eat quickly. We still have to travel soon.”
“Right, the mission comes first.”
After speaking, both women lifted their veils to eat. Jiang Miao stole a glance and saw that they were both quite beautiful, but their faces carried an inexplicable air of frivolity, which diluted their beauty and even made them appear somewhat vulgar. Such looks certainly didn’t belong to ordinary people. In this world, beauty was never overlooked—from the top-tier Hehuan Sect to the lowly brothels, anyone with a bit of charm would find a way to capitalize on it. As for those as beautiful as these two, ordinary people simply couldn’t come into contact with them.
Moreover, what they had just said matched Ling Gu’s characteristics perfectly.
Jiang Miao sipped the now-cold noodle soup, pondering whether she should do something.
It seemed that the organization these two served was closely connected to the culprit who had severely injured Ling Gu. She didn’t know whether Ling Gu was aware of the truth, but having more information would certainly do her no harm.
However, she had no cultivation. Should she try to follow them?
After a moment’s thought, she walked to the counter to settle the bill.
Just then, several more people walked in. They were noisy, addressing each other as brothers, and the leader was a burly man with a fierce, fleshy face. As soon as he entered, he spotted the two women sitting near the door. He dragged a bench over and sat down, grinning as he asked, “What are you two ladies eating?”
The two women didn’t respond. He added, “Why so quiet? Do you think I’m ugly?”
They still didn’t answer, and the one sitting on the outside even gave a disdainful smile.
If she hadn’t smiled, it might have been fine, but that smile made the man feel mocked, as if he had lost face in front of his brothers. Instantly furious, he flipped the table over. Caught off guard, the two women were splattered with soup and noodles all over their skirts. Unable to hold back any longer, they drew their swords and pressed them against the man’s neck.
Seeing weapons drawn, the other men, fueled by rage, surged forward and surrounded them. In an instant, chaos erupted—the women’s warnings to stay back, the men’s threats, and the shopkeeper’s attempts to mediate. No one noticed a hand, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, snatching away the two women’s Qiankun bags.
With the two Qiankun bags tucked away, Jiang Miao slipped out quietly from a corner. By the time she left, the troublemaker’s neck had already been cut, and he was wailing in pain. With blood spilled, the situation escalated further. Someone locked the door, declaring that no one could leave until the matter was resolved.
She ran all the way, putting a great distance behind her, before finding a small alley to open the Qiankun bags.
She wasn’t after wealth. The system had provided her with ample funds before she came. Her goal was to figure out exactly who Ling Gu had offended and whether the two women’s presence here was a coincidence. The more she knew, the more initiative she could take. After all, the place they lived wasn’t completely isolated from the world. If someone was truly looking for Ling Gu, she would have to take appropriate measures.
The contents of the two Qiankun bags were sparse. Aside from spirit stones and talismans, there was a token, along with a few miscellaneous items, most of which seemed to have no discernible purpose. Jiang Miao guessed they were likely magical artifacts, but she had no use for them at the moment. She packed everything into one bag, freeing up the other to carry the things she planned to buy later.
She mostly bought food items. Since wheelchairs weren’t available for sale, she purchased a flat cart instead—with some cutting and modification back home, turning it into a wheelchair wouldn’t be difficult. After gathering all she needed, she retraced her path. Passing by the noodle stall, she noticed a crowd gathered outside. Drawing closer for a look, she saw the shopkeeper being interrogated. Listening for a while, she learned that a local ruffian had just been killed there, and the murderer had fled.
With a murder committed in broad daylight, the authorities naturally wouldn’t let it slide.
Jiang Miao thought to herself that since those two had committed a crime, they surely wouldn’t dare return, and her theft would likely be forgotten.
Carrying a hint of relief, she began her journey back. The hardships along the way need not be detailed—by the time she returned to the bamboo hut, it was already dusk. The room was eerily quiet. Gently pushing the door open, she was met with a scene of utter disarray. Clearly, Ling Gu was furious and understandably so. She had left him starving for so long; anyone would be angry.
Hurriedly, she retrieved the prepared roast goose from her Qiankun bag and approached like offering a treasure to apologize. But as she neared the bed, an iron-hard hand shot out and clamped around her throat. The grip held no mercy. She saw stars, her hands flailing helplessly. She tried to beg for mercy, but not a sound escaped her lips.
The roast goose fell from her hands to the floor. Soon after, she lost consciousness.