Wanyan Meier’s long, narrow eyes resembled those of a thousand-year-old fox spirit. Every frown and smile carried a seductive charm that was impossible to ignore. She waved her delicate jade-like hand, clearly delighted by her breakthrough.
“Today, this Imperial Consort is in a good mood. Everyone in Phoenix Cry Palace shall receive a reward of 1,000 silver taels!” She paused for a moment before continuing, “Also, make preparations. I will return to the Wanyan Family and celebrate with my father and the others!”
Clang!
The first half of her decree thrilled the palace maids and eunuchs, but the second half instantly froze their expressions.
Naturally, Wanyan Meier sensed something was wrong and immediately frowned, asking, “What is it? Do you all have something to say?”
“Your Highness Consort Meier… the Wanyan Family… is no more!” a close-serving eunuch braved the fear and spoke the truth.
After hearing this, Wanyan Meier’s expression darkened, and she remained silent. Without another word, she ordered the palanquin to be prepared and left the palace. Upon arriving at the former Wanyan estate, she found it had long since turned into a pile of ruins.
“Ahhh!!”
Only then did Wanyan Meier let out a heart-wrenching scream. The sky seemed to collapse around her, and her soft, boneless figure felt like it had plunged into a frozen abyss. Rage, hatred, and sorrow all surged across her face.
In the end, her eyes turned bloodshot as she roared, “The An Family! An Nanjing destroyed my Wanyan clan. If I don’t avenge this blood feud, I am not human!”
However, despite her fury, Wanyan Meier didn’t charge to the An Residence alone. She knew that her strength alone could not shake the An Family. She could only return to the palace and seek help from Emperor Chu Yuan.
But the Emperor, who once loved her dearly, refused to meet with her and merely sent a verbal decree: “An Nanjing has relinquished her command of a million troops and has been exiled to Beiliang. The matter of the Wanyan Family is concluded. No more disturbances are permitted.”
Wanyan Meier felt as if struck by lightning. She understood—the Wanyan Family had been discarded like pawns.
Unwilling to accept this, she knelt outside the Heaven’s Pole Hall, weeping like pear blossoms in the rain. Fragile, pitiful, she looked like a flower beaten by the wind and rain.
But even after kneeling for three days and three nights, Emperor Chu Yuan never summoned her. At last, filled with hatred, she returned to Phoenix Cry Palace.
“That old bastard!!” she screamed. “I, Wanyan Meier, have served you since I was fourteen, let you use me however you pleased. My father and the Wanyan Family did countless dirty deeds for you! And now you treat me and my clan as if we never existed. Damn you, you heartless monster!”
Enraged, Wanyan Meier smashed everything in sight upon her return to the palace. Any eunuch or maid who dared to displease her was dragged out and beaten to death.
Even so, her fury remained unresolved. In the end, killing intent surged within her heart.
“No! I must avenge my father, my brother, and the Wanyan Family!”
But she knew, without the help of Emperor Chu Yuan and the Great Chu imperial family, she stood no chance against the Empire-Defending Valkyrie An Nanjing.
“If I can’t kill An Nanjing, then I’ll kill An Beixue and destroy the An Family. I’ll repay blood with blood!”
Eventually, Wanyan Meier turned her vengeful gaze toward An Beixue and the An Residence. Her seductive fox-like eyes narrowed, and a sinister plan took shape. Find the original chapter at novelping.com.
“Someone come!”
As her trusted eunuch entered, she ordered, “Xiao Xuanzi, go to Bloodcloud Tower, the number one assassin organization in Great Chu. I want to hire a group of assassins to slaughter the An Family. Tell the Tower Master they may name any price!”
“Yes!” The eunuch left swiftly and returned just half a day later.
“Reporting to Consort Meier, Bloodcloud Tower has agreed, but they are asking for 500,000 gold taels!”
“What? 500,000?! That’s equivalent to half of Great Chu’s annual treasury revenue!”
The astronomical figure made Wanyan Meier feel dizzy.
Xiao Xuanzi explained, “The Tower Master said, exterminating the An Family alone would cost 200,000 taels. Dealing with the Empire-Defending Valkyrie’s retaliation requires another 200,000. Additionally, there’s a mysterious expert who has repeatedly protected the An Family—they estimate his strength is unfathomable, so they want another 100,000 taels to cover that risk.”
Wanyan Meier pondered for a moment and finally gritted her teeth, “Fine! 500,000 taels it is. As long as the An Family is annihilated, it will be worth every coin!”
She then handed over her hidden savings and ordered Xiao Xuanzi to proceed.
After finalizing the deal with Bloodcloud Tower, Wanyan Meier still felt uneasy. “No, even though Bloodcloud Tower is powerful—said to be able to kill anyone below the Martial God Realm—it’s still better to have another layer of insurance!”
So she gave another order to her eunuch, “Xiao Xuanzi, go to the An Residence and deliver a fake imperial edict. Summon someone for me!”
“Who?”
“That useless husband of An Nanjing—Ning Chen!”
A flash of cunning gleamed in Wanyan Meier’s eyes.
Her backup plan was simple: poison everyone in the An Family first, then let the assassins from Bloodcloud Tower carry out the massacre. The poisoner was critical to this plan. After careful thought, she concluded Ning Chen was the most suitable candidate.
First, he was a useless martial cultivator and easy to control. Second, he held a special status in the An Residence—perfect for administering poison.
“Yes!” Xiao Xuanzi took the order and once again left the palace in secret.
Soon, he arrived at the An Residence. After knocking on the door and stepping inside, he arrogantly shouted, “I am a messenger from the palace, here to deliver an imperial edict. Where is Ning Chen of the An Family?”
“You’re looking for my brother-in-law?”
When An Beixue heard the commotion and arrived, she frowned slightly.
Last time, Ning Chen and her sister An Nanjing had entered the palace together. According to her sister, Ning Chen had clearly refused Emperor Chu Yuan’s invitation to serve him. They had parted ways on bad terms.
Why was the palace summoning Ning Chen again today? Were they still trying to win him over?
An Beixue didn’t understand, but she had no choice but to send someone to find Ning Chen.
An Beixue said, “Brother-in-law, there’s an imperial decree summoning you to the palace.”
“The palace? Emperor Chu Yuan?”
Ning Chen’s heart sank. Until he achieved invincibility through lying flat, the place he feared most was the Great Chu Imperial Palace.
After all, there were Martial God Realm experts within the palace. Against such beings, even if he fused with Shadow Ghost, he wasn’t confident in survival.
“You’re Ning Chen?” Xiao Xuanzi looked up and asked.
Though Ning Chen didn’t want to go, he had no choice but to answer, “I’m Ning Chen. What does the edict say?”
“The imperial decree summons you to the palace. As for the reason, I am not qualified to know. Now, come with me. Immediately.”
Xiao Xuanzi urged him. Ning Chen, unaware of the trap, had no choice but to comply.
An Beixue offered to accompany him, but was stopped.
“The decree only summons Ning Chen. You may not follow!”
“This…” An Beixue felt a deep unease and quietly warned him, “Brother-in-law, once you’re inside the palace… be careful.”
After all, Ning Chen was just a frail scholar. Entering the palace was like a sheep stepping into a tiger’s den—certainly dangerous.
“Don’t worry, Beixue. I’m just a weak scholar. Why would the Emperor make things difficult for me? Besides, there’s blood carp soup on the stove—drink it while it’s hot, don’t let it get cold.”
After leaving these words, Ning Chen departed under An Beixue’s worried gaze, boarded the carriage with Xiao Xuanzi, and entered the Great Chu Imperial Palace.
This was Ning Chen’s second time entering the palace. As he looked upon the rows of magnificent, golden-roofed palaces, his heart grew heavy.
The last time he came, it was with An Nanjing. No matter how cold or distant she was, she was still the Empire-Defending Valkyrie. She had given him a tremendous sense of security.
Unlike now—coming alone—he felt a distinct lack of confidence.
“But with Shadow Ghost by my side, and my current cultivation at the Martial Monarch Realm, even if I encounter someone like Wanyan Tianxiong at the Martial God Realm, I should still be able to escape in time.”
Thinking this, Ning Chen gradually calmed down.
After passing through the palace gates, he dismounted and followed Xiao Xuanzi on foot. But as they continued walking, something felt wrong. Ning Chen stopped and questioned, “Wait a minute. This isn’t the way to Heaven’s Pole Hall!”