The candlelight flickered inside the dark ancestral hall.
The maid, Hexiang, came in from outside carrying a bowl of porridge.
“Miss, you’ve been kneeling all day. If Madam knows of this from beyond the grave, it will break her heart.”
Shen Manyi knelt on the prayer mat in silence, making no move to accept the porridge.
Today was the third anniversary of her mother’s death.
No one in the entire Shen Family remembered it except her.
Even her father, Shen Hong, the Family Head of the Shen Family in Cangwu—
at this moment, who knew where he was enjoying himself with the outsider he had just brought home, Liu Ruyue?
As she sat lost in thought, deliberately lowered voices drifted in from outside the ancestral hall.
“Manyi is simply too stubborn.”
“I know she’s upset, but this marriage arrangement with the Qingyun Sect is of great importance. The phoenix bloodline is incredibly precious. How could we treat it as a joke?”
Shen Manyi’s long, thick eyelashes trembled almost imperceptibly.
That was Liu Ruyue’s voice.
This marriage arrangement was something her mother had exchanged her life to secure.
The other party was a direct descendant of the Grand Elder of the Qingyun Sect, and was said to possess a rare phoenix bloodline.
Shen Hong’s voice rang out, laced with impatience.
“How could I not know that? But you’ve seen it yourself. Manyi is too wild-tempered. She won’t do once she marries into that family!”
“But it would be different if Yuqing married into it.”
“Yuqing is gentle, sensible, and talented. Once the marriage is finalized, our Shen Family’s position in the Qingyun Sect will be secure!”
Shen Yuqing—Liu Ruyue’s biological daughter!
That daughter born to an outsider!
Those two had truly devised a fine scheme.
Liu Ruyue gave a soft laugh, quickly suppressing it and replacing it with an affected sigh of helplessness.
“But the token is in Manyi’s hands. It was a keepsake her older sister left to her. I’m afraid she won’t take it out.”
“A few days ago, Yuqing and I were merely curious and wanted to borrow it for a look, but Manyi refused. She wouldn’t let anyone touch it.”
“Hmph. It’s not up to her!” Shen Hong snorted coldly before revealing his plan.
“I’ve already contacted the Ancestor of the Hehuan Sect up north.”
“He’s looking for a cauldron with excellent natural aptitude. Manyi has a wood-element spiritual root, exactly what he needs.”
“He promised to give us three spirit stone mines.”
“Once we have those mines, the family’s strength will rise another level.”
“You’re so wise, my lord.”
Liu Ruyue’s voice was full of barely suppressed laughter.
“That way, Yuqing gets a fine marriage, while Manyi can be said to have made one final contribution to the family. Everyone wins.”
Those words left Shen Manyi’s entire body cold.
All color drained from her face. She bit her lips until they bled, filling her mouth with the metallic sweetness of blood.
So there was something even more despairing than despair itself…
Hexiang trembled from head to toe. Only after confirming that there was no longer any movement outside the door did she speak anxiously.
“Miss, did you hear that? The Family Head doesn’t care about blood ties in the slightest.
“Let’s run! Otherwise, you really will be sent to that old monster to become his cauldron.”
Shen Manyi slowly raised her head. Her almond-shaped eyes still glimmered with tears, but they had lost all their light, leaving behind only a dead, empty silence.
“Run? The world is so vast, but where could we possibly go?”
Her good father had already contacted that old monster…
Rather than running everywhere only to be caught and dragged back in the end, she might as well… take one gamble.
If I can’t have peace, then neither will you!
Back in her room, Shen Manyi brought out all the valuable jewelry she owned and shoved it into Hexiang’s hands.
“Miss, are we leaving right now?”
Shen Manyi lowered her head and looked at the little maid who had grown up by her side.
“You should leave.”
“Take these things, crawl out through the dog hole in the rear courtyard, and go to a town in the mortal world. Conceal your identity and find a decent family to marry into.”
Hexiang dropped to her knees with a thump, her voice choked with tears.
“This servant isn’t leaving! This servant wants to stay by Miss’s side and serve you for the rest of our lives!”
“If you stay here, you’ll only be dragged down and die with me. Take this money and get out of here. Don’t ever return to Cangwu City.”
Shen Manyi hardened her heart and pushed her out.
After locking the doors and windows, she took a white jade tablet from inside her undergarment.
It was a keepsake her mother had left her. It felt warm to the touch, and ancient patterns she could not understand were carved across its surface.
A tear filled with unwillingness and hatred finally rolled from the corner of her eye and fell onto the jade tablet.
She had once believed that tears were the most useless thing in the world.
Yet the instant that tear, mixed with the blood at the corner of her mouth, seeped into the jade tablet—
the tablet radiated a gentle white light and sucked her entire body inside.
When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a place shrouded in mist.
Beneath her feet was a smooth white jade floor.
Not far away, a spirit spring bubbled forth, overflowing with dense spiritual energy.
Beside the spring grew an immortal tree whose name she did not know.
Beneath the immortal tree, a palm-sized white cat was lazily yawning.
It lifted its eyelids, its golden eyes filled with disdain.
“Tsk. This divine beast slept for a thousand years, only to wake up and find a little girl who does nothing but cry?”
“And you’re so weak, too… Anyone can tell you’ve been bullied terribly!”
Shen Manyi froze. She stared blankly at the white cat and asked, “Where is this?”
The white cat rose elegantly and shook its snow-white fur.
“Welcome to this divine beast’s spatial realm!”
It walked to Shen Manyi’s feet and circled her once, sniffing lightly.
“Oh? Your bloodline… is rather interesting.”
Shen Manyi crouched down and tentatively reached out a hand.
The white cat did not dodge. Instead, it took the initiative to rub its fluffy head against her fingertips, its tone still unbearably arrogant.
“All right, stop crying! You awakened this divine beast with your vital blood.”
“From this day onward, this divine beast shall be your contracted beast.”
“Remember this divine beast’s name—Tangyuan.”
“Tangyuan?”
“What? Do you have a problem with that?” The white cat bared its tiny, sharp teeth.
“I am an ancient divine beast, the White Tiger. Allowing you to call me Tangyuan is already doing you a favor!”
Seeing the cat’s expression, the corners of Shen Manyi’s lips unexpectedly lifted into the faintest smile.
She looked around the spatial realm, her gaze settling on the spirit spring brimming with spiritual energy. A bold idea began to form in her heart.
Shen Hong, Liu Ruyue, Shen Yuqing.
Don’t you want resources? Don’t you want to use me as a stepping stone to elevate the Shen Family?
Then I’ll make sure you lose everything.
She turned to Tangyuan. Her eyes, which had been utterly lifeless, finally held a glimmer of light.
“Tangyuan, can this spatial realm hold things?”
Tangyuan swished its tail. A trace of appreciation appeared in its golden pupils.
“It can do far more than hold things.”
Its voice carried a hint of temptation.
“As long as you have enough spiritual power, you could even empty out the entire Shen Family.”
“Good.”
Shen Manyi slowly rose to her feet and clenched her fists.
Since you show me no mercy, don’t blame me for showing you none either.