Wen Chou'er looked coldly at Ai Xi.
“How could I, a mere servant, fathom the Hall Master’s thoughts! However, isn’t it only right that the Hall Master blames you for messing things up?”
Ai Xi remained silent, following Wen Chou'er towards the distant Nili Hall.
The Three-Headed Dog trotted along behind, all three of its dog faces showing reluctance.
As the figures walked, the blue light clusters floating on both sides transformed into human figures prostrating themselves on the ground, trembling slightly, perhaps out of fear.
When they reached the entrance of the Nili Hall, Wen Chou'er turned to look at the Three-Headed Dog following behind him. “You three beasts wait outside the Nili Hall! Only enter to pay your respects when the Hall Master summons you!”
The Three-Headed Dog forced a human-like smile.
“We will obey Grand Steward Wen!”
After watching Wen Chou'er and Ai Xi enter, the Three-Headed Dog grumbled, “What’s a mere errand boy acting like he’s superior for!”
The light inside the Nili Hall was similar to that outside.
It remained dim.
There were also many braziers in the Nili Hall, burning pale blue ghost flames, and the cool-toned light enveloped the entire Nili Hall, creating a chilling and eerie atmosphere.
A figure sat on the main seat of the Nili Hall.
Upon entering, only a side profile of the person could be seen.
At first glance, it appeared to be an Old Woman.
Her head of gray hair was coiled at the back of her head.
She wore a red dress, and beautiful earrings adorned her ears.
Only a side profile was visible, but through it, one could see that her face was covered in wrinkles.
Perhaps it was an illusion, but even from the side, she appeared to be a frail Old Lady, yet as she sat there, she exuded an indescribable, yet seemingly innate, charm.
Upon seeing the Old Lady, Ai Xi’s eyes filled with unprecedented fear. She bowed respectfully and said, “Greetings to Grandmother!”
The Old Lady did not speak, but slowly turned her head to look at Ai Xi. Her face was covered in wrinkles and many age spots, and the dim light of the Nili Hall made her look exceptionally terrifying.
Ai Xi’s delicate body couldn’t help but tremble.
She dared not meet her gaze.
She quickly lowered her head.
The Old Lady merely glanced at her without speaking, then stretched out her old, wrinkled hand and grabbed a large bowl from the table.
The large bowl was filled with a crimson liquid.
Upon closer inspection, it was a large bowl full of fresh blood.
The Old Lady raised the large bowl and slowly drank the blood within it.
As she drank the blood, her head of gray hair visibly began to turn black.
And the wrinkles on her face also began to smooth out, and her skin gradually became firm and supple from its previously loose state.
By the time all the fresh blood in the bowl was consumed, the previously white-haired, terrifyingly grim Old Lady had transformed into an ice-cold, peerless beauty, exuding an unparalleled, domineering aura.
The hand that had been so old just moments ago now became a pair of slender, tender white, jade-like hands. The hand holding the blood bowl slowly placed the bowl on the table.
The woman slowly turned her head to look at Ai Xi.
“The mission failed?”
Ai Xi was so frightened that she immediately knelt on the ground. “Grandmother, I tried my best. Everything was going according to plan, but I didn’t expect Hua Cheng from the Ninth Division to suddenly return and ambush us, which is why the mission failed!”
The woman slowly rose, her crimson gown trailing as her tender white, prison-like feet slowly descended the steps.
As the distance between them closed, Ai Xi’s body began to tremble slightly again.
The woman bent down, reached out, and pinched Ai Xi’s chin, lifting it. “Victory and defeat are all that matter. Failure is failure; do not make any excuses for your mistakes!”
Ai Xi bit her lip. “I know I was wrong, Grandmother! Please punish me!”
The woman smiled coldly and slowly released her hand from Ai Xi’s chin. “Take off your clothes!”
Ai Xi’s body trembled again, seemingly anticipating what was about to happen.
But she still dared not disobey the woman, gritting her teeth and taking off her clothes, revealing an alluring, fragrant body.
The woman took out a barbed whip from her spatial ring and, without a word, lashed it down onto Ai Xi’s tender back.
Crack!
The whip cut through the air with a sharp, piercing sonic boom, then landed squarely on Ai Xi’s back, instantly tearing the skin on her once tender, smooth back.
The woman was expressionless, lashing out several more times.
Ai Xi lay on the ground, whimpering.
“Chou'er!” the woman called out.
Wen Chou'er, who had been standing by with his hands clasped, immediately nodded and bowed as he approached. “Hall Master, what are your orders?”
The woman threw the whip in her hand to Wen Chou'er. “You continue to whip her for me!”
Wen Chou'er took the whip with both hands and lashed it fiercely, causing Ai Xi to whimper in pain.
The woman returned to her seat. She took out a pure white chrysanthemum from somewhere, rubbing it between her fingers, making it spin.
After an unknown amount of time, Ai Xi lay on the ground, her blood and sweat forming a human-shaped imprint on the floor. Only then did the woman call a halt.
Wen Chou'er immediately returned the whip to the woman with both hands.
The woman, still twirling the chrysanthemum in her hand, turned her head and glanced at Ai Xi. “You said Hua Cheng returned to ambush us?”
Ai Xi, still lying on the ground, struggled to kneel up at these words, gritting her teeth and nodding. “Yes!”
“Then why are you so disheveled? Was it also Hua Cheng who beat you?”
Ai Xi was silent for a moment before saying, “No, the one I fought against was that new student from the Ninth Division named Fang Xin!”
“Fang Xin? That name sounds familiar!” the woman muttered the name.
Wen Chou'er immediately replied like a young eunuch, “Hall Master, he is the strongest new student among the Ninth Division’s latest batch of recruits! According to information gathered from various sources, it is said that he is also the grandson of Fang Qingdi, the head of the Four Great Divine Generals of yesteryear!”
“So it’s him. In that case, our Nili Hall’s most outstanding young talent was defeated by the Ninth Division’s best young talent, is that right?”
Wen Chou'er remained silent, merely giving Ai Xi a cold look.
Ai Xi immediately said, “Grandmother! Please rest assured! I will definitely find a way to kill him!”
Unexpectedly, the woman picked up the bowl she had just been holding and, with a casual scoop, without a clear movement, a bowl of water appeared out of nowhere.
The woman placed the bowl on the table and muttered, “However, it’s not surprising to lose to him. After all, he’s Fang Qingdi’s grandson. But this grudge cannot be settled like this. Back then, I offered myself to him, but Fang Qingdi rejected me, saying I was dirty. Such a humiliation still makes me very angry even after many years. Since I can’t find the old one now, I’ll start with the young one! Just to vent some of the anger from back then!”
As she spoke, the woman snorted coldly and raised her hand.
