Xie Haozhi in the bedroom seemed trapped in a nightmare.
No matter how loudly Qing Nan and Qing Bei called him, he wouldn’t wake up.
After examining his condition, Li Qiao pulled out a talisman from her pocket, held it between her fingers, and—poof—it burst into flames.
With a flick of her hand, the burning talisman flew toward the window. A mass of black smoke exploded into view, startling the Qing brothers, their eyes widening in terror.
Without hesitation, Li Qiao took out two more talismans from her pocket and stuck one on Xie Haozhi’s headboard and the other on his forehead.
The black smoke seized the chance to escape.
Li Qiao chased after it, with Qing Nan close behind.
The black smoke darted into a bedroom. Frowning, Li Qiao followed, while Qing Nan, suspecting something, kicked the door open. Inside, Aunt Wang stood frozen in shock.
“Young Master Qing, what are you doing?”
He hadn’t expected it to be Aunt Wang’s room. Had they made a mistake? Qing Nan glanced uncertainly at Li Qiao.
But he had seen the black smoke flee here with his own eyes. Since the master hadn’t said otherwise, they must be in the right place.
When Qing Nan explained their purpose, Aunt Wang looked stunned.
“There’s nothing wrong here. I’ve never felt any discomfort. The black smoke must have escaped elsewhere. You should search another room.”
Li Qiao leisurely scanned the room before smiling faintly. “Aunt Wang, you’re hiding something.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’ll understand soon.”
The moment Li Qiao spoke, she slammed her fist into the wall. With a boom, the wall collapsed, revealing what lay behind it.
Qing Nan’s entire body broke out in goosebumps. Trembling, he pointed at the exposed objects, his voice shaking. “Th-These are the memorial tablets of Xie Haozhi’s parents! Aunt Wang… who are you?”
With her secret exposed, Aunt Wang’s kindly demeanor vanished.
Her face twisted with hatred. “Now that you know, none of you will leave here alive.”
“Arrogant.”
Li Qiao scoffed and flicked out a talisman, blasting the altar to pieces.
Aunt Wang’s eyes bulged with fury. Letting out a shrill scream, she lunged at them in a suicidal attack.
She tore open a jar, releasing a swarm of malevolent spirits.
Fortunately, they hadn’t yet turned into vengeful ghosts. Qing Nan cowered in terror as one of the spirits lunged at him.
“Master, save me!”
Oh god, oh god, I’m so scared! Ghosts! They’re all ghosts!
Aunt Wang cackled wildly. She had offered herself as a sacrifice to the evil spirits—now neither human nor ghost, rejected by heaven and earth.
You’re digging your own grave.
Li Qiao flung out multiple talismans, forming hand seals as she chanted under her breath.
“Thunder roars, lightning strikes, five thunders rage, evil shatters, barriers break—DESTROY!”
“AHHH!”
Aunt Wang let out a bloodcurdling scream.
All that remained on the ground was a charred, unrecognizable lump. Qing Nan, trembling, hid behind Li Qiao.
At the doorway, Qing Bei supported a weak Xie Haozhi, their teeth chattering in fear. They had witnessed everything—horrifying, especially the gruesome fate of Aunt Wang.
“Why?” Xie Haozhi glared at her, his voice hoarse with fury. “Why did you do this to me?”
“N-No… Xiao Hao, I would never hurt you. I’ve always helped you. Don’t hate me…” The woman’s voice was raspy, but Xie Haozhi refused to listen.
“Liar! You’re the reason Haozhi is like this! You vile woman! Uncle and Aunt Xie treated you so well, and you repaid them by harming their son? You’re heartless!” Qing Bei shouted.
But Aunt Wang only grew more hysterical.
“They deserved it! Xie Lin and Li Yue deserved to die! They stole my son! Killing them was the right thing to do!”
The three young men froze.
A horrifying realization dawned on them.
Xie Haozhi clenched his fists. “My parents… you killed them?”
“Xiao Hao, they had to die.”
“They were my parents. You’re a monster.” Xie Haozhi never imagined this was the truth.
Aunt Wang’s voice cracked with emotion. “No… they weren’t.”
Li Qiao, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke from her seat. “Xie Haozhi, she truly never meant to harm you… because she’s your birth mother.”
Boom.
Xie Haozhi staggered, his world collapsing.
How… how could that be?
“You wanted your son back, so you murdered the Xie couple. The person helping you promised that in exchange for a small sacrifice, he’d grant your wish—including trapping their souls for you to torment.”
Li Qiao’s voice was icy. “Isn’t that right?”
Aunt Wang’s face paled. “Y-You… who are you?”
These were secrets only she and that man knew. How did this girl figure it out?
Now, Aunt Wang feared Li Qiao more than anything.
“Who I am doesn’t matter. What matters is—you were tricked. That man stole Xie Haozhi’s lifespan. Soon, he’ll die.”
Li Qiao’s gaze sharpened. “Tell me. Who was behind this?”
“No… no! He said he’d only take a little! Xiao Hao would just be weak for a while, then recover! You’re lying!” Aunt Wang refused to believe she’d been deceived.
Xie Haozhi was her son!
Li Qiao strode forward and stomped on Aunt Wang’s charred body, studying her closely. Suddenly, she understood.
“No wonder he could drain Xie Haozhi’s life so quickly. You bound your soul to his through a forbidden ritual.”
“M-Master, what does that mean?” Qing Nan’s stomach churned. This couldn’t be good. If Aunt Wang died, would Xie Haozhi die too?
A shared soul bond? That’s terrifying!
“The bond made you a conduit. In just a month, Xie Haozhi deteriorated this fast because two channels were siphoning his life.”
Li Qiao glared at Aunt Wang. “And you fell for it. Idiot.”
Aunt Wang kept denying it, but Xie Haozhi’s sickly pallor was undeniable. Her protests died in her throat.
Regret flooded her.
She had never wanted to hurt her own son.
She’d been fooled!
That damned sorcerer had lied to her!
“Xiao Hao… I’m sorry… Mommy never should have lost you…”
Tears of remorse streamed down Aunt Wang’s face.
Her gaze lingered on Xie Haozhi, full of sorrow.
Thirty years ago…
She had just given birth to Xie Haozhi when, one night, two men in black broke into her home and stole him.
For decades, she searched tirelessly—until she met a Taoist practitioner.
That was how she found her son.
The ones who’d taken him?
The childless Xie couple.
The truth crashed over Xie Haozhi like a tidal wave.
His “parents” weren’t his real parents—they were kidnappers.
The woman he thought was his mother was a monster.
And the maid… was his real mother.
With her last breath, Aunt Wang whispered, “Master… beware of that man… he’s…”
Her hand fell limp.
Li Qiao’s frown deepened.
What is that sorcerer really after?
Once the situation was resolved, Li Qiao stepped outside—and froze.
Standing beyond the villa gates was He Jingnian.
Why is he here?
