The lead cultivator turned his head toward his men, spotted the nervous one, and watched as the man suddenly dropped his sword. He strode forward and seized him by the shoulders.
"I told you to kill her. What are you doing?" he yelled, shoving the man's chest. "Kill her! Or I will kill you!"
His underling shook his head, stumbling backward.
"Let go of me!"
Yu Xiao commanding with a changing voice—the voice of a combative woman.
There it was.
The lead cultivator's eyes widened in sudden wonder. In a few swift steps, he cupped Yu Xiao's chin and lifted her face to see her clearly.
The moment sent a shock through everyone watching.
When he lifted her face, a mark on Yu Xiao's forehead caught his eye.
He stood stunned, speechless, his hand trembling slightly as he released her chin.
Born of dawn's first blaze, she devours the night,
In endless pyre she falls, yet claims victorious flight.
From ash she forged empires, her gaze a searing blade,
Eternal conqueror, in flame remade.
The poem was recited by the old man. Everyone's head turned toward him, while his gaze remained fixed on Yu Xiao, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.
"Young Lady, remember what I told you."
Some murmured, asking what the old man meant.
Others understood the poem but were uncertain about their interpretation.
The lead cultivator released Yu Xiao and strode toward the old man, his face contorting with rage. "You again, senex!" He shoved him down and kicked him hard in the ribs.
Yu Xiao heard the old man cry out, her exasperation raging silently within her. Her fists clenched, nails digging into her palms.
"BULLSHIT!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.
The lead cultivator, after hearing a vulgar word from Yu Xiao, stopped torturing the old man. His eyes widened, and he slowly walked towards her, each step deliberate and menacing.
He crouched lower, meeting her sharp gaze with a twisted smile.
Yu Xiao's forehead mark had begun to take shape, glowing faintly.
"So informal!" he sneered, his breath hot against her face.
His two underlings were controlling Yu Xiao's arms, their grip turning tighter until her skin turned white beneath their fingers.
She gave them a sharp gaze, her lips curling back as if she wanted to bite them right away. Her breathing quickened, chest heaving with barely contained fury.
"I could choose informality rather than being a murderer," she hissed through gritted teeth. "Go to hell!" she added, her voice dripping with contempt as she spat at his feet.
His face darkened as he stared at her, a vein pulsing at his temple.
In an instant, a vicious slap cracked across Yu Xiao's cheek. Her lips parted, the stinging pain radiating through her face. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.
"You've got the guts to say such insolent words to me. How dare you?" the lead cultivator snarled, grabbing her jaw roughly. "You've exhausted my patience!" He stood up, wiping his hand on his robes. "Kill her."
Yu Xiao pressed her eyes shut, enduring the searing pain racing through her nerves toward her head. Her body trembled, muscles tensing as something ancient stirred within her.
She heard the order, and the old man's voice echoed again in the place. They tortured him again. Each cry of pain hammered against her consciousness.
Although she was enduring an unusual pain in her body, she was gradually losing her mind unreasonably. In the end, she could only hear the voices around—distorted, echoing, as if underwater.
Hearing those loud voices felt like being swallowed by her indignation. Her patience system activated.
[90%]...
[75%]...
Inhale. Exhale. Her chest rose and fell in shallow, rapid breaths.
[60%]...
In her state, she was definitely becoming uncontrollable. Her eyes began to glaze over, pupils dilating.
Noticing her condition, the two underlings loosened their grip, exchanging nervous glances. They found Yu Xiao didn't move from her place—nothing but spacing out, staring at the ground with an unnerving stillness.
Soon, the lead cultivator approached her to check her out, tilting his head with curiosity.
[40%]...
Staring at his underlings, they were also confused, shrugging helplessly. He sneered, folding his arms across his chest.
"You really think your acting can save you?" he murmured, smiling evilly, and crouched lower. "Hey! Hey!" he said, poking Yu Xiao's head with his index finger.
[10%]...
[02%]...
"You brought this upon yourself," he added, placing his hand on Yu Xiao's shoulder. She remained unbothered, her body limp like a puppet with cut strings.
[0.0%]...
The atmosphere changed when Yu Xiao suddenly grabbed the lead cultivator's nape with lightning speed, her fingers digging into his flesh like iron claws.
"No, it's you who brought this upon yourself!" she whispered, her voice now layered with an otherworldly resonance. In an instant, she summoned a deadly weapon—a blade that materialized from thin air, glowing with ethereal light—and stabbed the man before her with brutal precision.
After stabbing him, she let him see her face first, tilting her head so their eyes met.
Despite being on the brink of death, the man saw that the woman he had bullied now bore not just a golden sigil on her forehead, but also hidden amber eyes that burned with ancient power. His mouth opened in shock, blood bubbling at his lips.
Before Yu Xiao, he was nothing but a loser. Mercilessly, Yu Xiao pulled out her blade from the man's body with a sickening squelch. She stood up gracefully and kicked him away with disdain. He flew backward and lay on the ground, breathless, his eyes staring vacantly at the sky.
A loud laugh burst forth, echoing across the clearing.
The old man cheered, struggling to his knees despite his injuries.
"You strike back! It's you! It's really you!" His voice cracked with emotion, tears streaming down his weathered face.
She could hear him, but something was wrong. She couldn't control her body. It turned out her body was being controlled by someone—or something. Her movements were fluid yet alien, as if she were a passenger in her own flesh.
All the captives who were tied were finally loosened from their trap when Yu Xiao cast a spell to dissolve the ties, her hand moving in intricate patterns that left trails of golden light in the air.
Once they were free, the old man bowed with sincerity and thanked her for releasing them from suppression, pressing his forehead to the ground.
"Go!" she said in a cold tone to the old man, her voice devoid of warmth. He scrambled to his feet and left, glancing back once with a mixture of awe and fear.
Another voice rang out, sharp and filled with grief. The voice was full of anger and disbelief.
Finally, all the underlings of that murderer gathered around his cold, lifeless body, forming a protective circle. Some knelt, others stood frozen in shock.
"You killed our chief! You must die too!" One clenched his weapon so hard his knuckles turned white.
One of the underlings spoke up harshly, stepping forward with his sword raised, though his hands shook.
Yu Xiao, standing between them, seemed cold and undaunted. She tilted her head slowly, observing them with those glowing amber eyes, a faint smile playing at her bloodstained lips.
"So what? Your chief is a murderer. Killing him is what he deserves, am I right?" She paused, letting the blade in her hand drip blood onto the ground. "He is just a useless person; he didn't kill me on time, so I killed him." Her voice was calm, almost conversational, which made it all the more terrifying.
Other underlings leaned in closer, one pressing his mouth near his companion's ear.
"Senior, it is useless to argue with her. Our chief is dead; it's a waste of time. Kill this woman and bring her corpse to our Lord, together with the chief," he whispered carefully, his voice barely audible.
The plan had to be guarded, so it was made in silence.
Yu Xiao's lips curled sideways into a knowing smirk, her beautiful, mesmerizing amber eyes blinking slowly as she regarded them with amusement.
She spoke up confidently, her voice cutting through their hushed conspiracy.
"Killing me?" She tilted her head, the golden sigil on her forehead pulsing with light.
They were visibly shocked, their faces draining of color after she guessed their plans. One stumbled backward, nearly dropping his weapon.
"Questioning in silence—why don't you inquire with me directly?" She took a leisurely step forward, the blade in her hand still dripping crimson. "Even if you don't expose your plans, I can hear them all with absolute clarity." Her smile widened, revealing teeth stained with blood, as she tapped her temple with one finger. "Every thought. Every whisper. Every trembling breath of fear."
"This woman is a jinx!" The senior underling yelled, his voice cracking with panic. He thrust his arm forward, finger jabbing toward Yu Xiao. "Guards, set a formation array! Surround her! Don't let her escape!"
Yu Xiao's eyes flickered with amusement as she watched them scramble. Her posture remained relaxed, unbothered, as if their desperate attempt to cage her was nothing more than a child's game.
She raised the blade slowly to her face, examining it with detached fascination. With delicate fingers, she traced along the sharp edge, collecting the crimson blood. Then, with deliberate grace, she brought her bloodstained fingers to her lips, tasting it, her eyes never leaving theirs—a gesture both elegant and utterly domineering.
"No need." Her voice rang out, cold and absolute. She lowered the blade to her side, blood dripping onto the earth as she fixed them with a piercing stare. A dark, chilling laugh escaped her lips.
"Perhaps... you will all die today!"