Li Meng looked at Li Tao's unconscious body. Though he wasn't dead, he was in a state that was worse than death.
He gestured to some disciples and servants.
They rushed to pick Li Tao up and left.
Li Meng glared at Su Daoxuan.
Su Daoxuan smiled.
"Brother Li, I'm not a beauty, why do you keep staring?"
Shen Mo stood up.
"I hope that the two families can think of the bigger picture and reconcile. After all, too much blood has been spilt."
Su Daoxuan smiled without answering while Li Meng simply huffed out.
"Hmph!"
Li Meng left the scene.
"Then...I'll also leave."
Wang Lie breathed out a sigh of relief.
Thankfully nothing happened. I even got a free Phoenix Pill! Yan'er will finally praise me for once!
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Back at the Li family, Li Tao rested on his bed.
His eyes were dull of any light. His lips and face were pale.
Now, he was nothing more than a mortal.
He couldn't even move his body the way he want. It was frustrating.
Will I be like this for the rest of my life?
He was unwilling. If that really was the case, he would rather die now.
Hurried footsteps rushed in from outside.
"Husband! Husband!"
A sweet voice echoed in his ears.
Ling Yu sat by his bedside with tears in her eyes.
"Ling Yu..."
Even like this...you're still willing to be with me?
Li Tao's heart was filled with a small hint of warmth.
He wanted to hold her and say that it was alright, but he couldn't even move.
Ling Yu's tears fell as she covered her face.
"Sniff…sniff…ha…ha… hahahaha!"
The sound that started as trembling sobs, quickly twisted into laughter.
It carried through the empty room like a dark melody. Her shadow seemed to have grown larger as she stood with a smile.
Li Tao's eyes widened.
"L-ling Yu!?"
"I waited…I waited for this moment!" the voice cracked with fury and delight, echoing across the room. "All those years…all the suffering…it was never wasted!"
"W-what are you talking about?"
"Did you really think that I loved you?"
She laughed mockingly as she lightly brushed his neck with the back of her hand.
"Look at you," she chuckled at the sight, "You can't even move in response. Even if I do this–"
She held her hands on his throat.
"You can't even do anything."
Her hands tightened lightly. Then tighter and tighter by the second.
"W-why?"
Li Tao managed to speak against the pressure from his throat.
"Why?"
She let go and calmly spoke.
"My husband…"
Her voice cracked, then steadied, sharp as a blade.
"He was a devoted cultivator, a man who never hurt others. 100 years ago, he and I were rogue cultivators who merely passed by a demonic cultivators den. Before we could even explain things to you, you killed him instantly without hesitation!"
"Y-you-!"
His eyes began to tear up.
The one that he thought he had loved all these years...
"We were innocent! But you—Li Tao—you declared him a traitor, said he was killing mortals and draining them of their essence. You didn't even bother to investigate."
"I-Impossible! The killing's stopped!"
She scoffed, "Of course they did. That demonic cultivator learned about what you did and ran away!"
Ling Yu smiled as she looked him up and down.
"Thankfully, heaven gave me this chance."
She leaned in, "Let me tell you a secret."
Her voice was sweet and playful, but was like a slithering snake.
"I...told Su Ru you were going to kill Su Ye."
His eyes widened, "W-what are you talking about!?"
"Right when you were about to finish off Su Ye, I hinted at her that you were going to take action. Even she didn't think that you were going to finish him off in one strike."
She smiled, "Once the Li family fight against the Su family, at the very least both the families would be destroyed!" Her eyes widened ecstatically, "But the result I got was even better than I expected, hahaha!"
"Ling Yu!"
She closed her eyes.
"Don't worry. I'll take care of you for your entire life. Even if..." She smiled, "You're bedridden for your entire life."
She took out a pill from her storage ring.
"Su Ye said something that I can still hear," She shoved the pill in his mouth, "What goes around, comes around."
"MHMM!"
Li Tao wanted to struggle, but it was of no use.
She covered his mouth with one hand and emotionlessly looked down on him.
"A-Shu." She gestured towards the door.
A-Shu walked in with a venomous glare. He glanced at Li Tao before disregarding his presence entirely.
His eyes softened as he looked at Ling Yu. He quickly got close to her and knelt down.
"Yu-er. You've finally suceeded!"
Li Tao's eyes widened and glared at the two of them.
But he couldn't even make a sound.
W-what pill did she make me eat!?
"Thank you for being by my side A-shu."
Ling Yu patted him on the top of his head.
A-Shu shook his head.
"I will always be by your side Yu-er. Even if...that means being used."
"..."
She felt a tinge of guilt.
Back then, her husband and A-Shu were friends who traveled the world together.
But because of her, they both went their separate ways.
And now?
She was using his feelings for her own use.
As if A-Shu knew what she was thinking, he stood up and held her closer.
"It's fine Yu-er. I'm happy that you want to rely on me."
Li Tao eyes were bloodshot as he looked on this scene from the bed.
These damn adulterers! I'll kill you! I'll kill all of you!
Ling Yu could feel his killing intent.
She smiled towards him.
"Then A-Shu...Can I use you once more?"
"Of course you can. What do you want me to do?"
His voice was gentle and innocent.
Ling Yu held his hand as she led him to sit on the bedside.
"Yu-er?"
But she didn't answer him.
Ling Yu only began to slowly undress. She gently gestured for him to get closer.
A-Shu gulped a mouthful of saliva before leaning forward like a hungry wolf starved for decades.
Li Tao looked in horror as they did the deed right beside him.
You bastards! You bastards!!!
Ling Yu laid down as her eyes locked onto Li Tao's gaze. She didn't take her eyes off of Li Tao's suffering as if she didn't want to miss it. Her smile widened.