CHAPTER 669: CHAPTER 551: FINAL FATE

Zhongli Yuan, who had died years ago, suddenly appeared in front of her, claiming to demand her life.

To say she wasn’t afraid would be a lie.

Xiao Rong’er turned pale.

Her hand trembled as she gripped the treasure sword, her eyes reflecting deep fear.

"No... it wasn’t me who killed you... but you deserved it... you all deserved it! Your daughter deserved it even more! Her Life Chart was meant for my daughter... only by killing you could my daughter become the Phoenix Girl!"

She seemed to suppress the fear in her heart with anger, laughing as she ran towards Zhongli Yuan.

Zhongli Yuan asked confusedly, "Your daughter? Are you talking about the one you harmed to death?"

Xiao Rong’er was struck as if by a blow, vehemently denying, "I didn’t... it wasn’t me! I didn’t harm Ziyu!"

Zhongli Yuan looked around, placing her forefinger on her lips with a soft shush: "Listen, she’s begging you for mercy, saying she’s so scared, ’Mother, don’t kill me... I’m Ziyu... Mother... Mother... Ziyu hurts so much...’

Xiao Rong’er covered her ears, "Stop it... stop it! Just stop it!"

"From childhood, Ziyu was never as favored as Sister... Mother only loved Sister..."

Xiao Rong’er’s tears burst forth: "It’s not... it wasn’t like that... you and your sister were both in Mother’s heart... Mother didn’t mean it..."

"Mother, it’s so cold down here, won’t you come keep Ziyu company?"

"Keep Ziyu company..."

Xiao Rong’er walked in a daze to the edge of the lotus pond.

As she was about to step into the pond, another voice suddenly called out behind her, "Mother! Do you only care about Sister and not Liuying? Liuying is having a terrible time at Jin Prince Mansion—"

"Liuying!" She turned around, desperately searching for her older daughter.

"Mother—come and keep Ziyu company—"

"Mother! Hurry to Jin Prince Mansion to rescue Liuying—"

"Mother! Why do you always favor Sister? You never listen to me... never believe me... you caused my death..."

"Mother, you’ve already killed Sister, do you want to kill me too? Do you really not care about my life or death?"

The voices of her two daughters echoed continuously in her ears.

Her mind seemed to be split open by an axe, making her unable to stand upright from the pain.

In her confusion, she glimpsed Zhongli Yuan’s eyes filled with sarcasm.

"It’s all because of you... all because of you... I’ll kill you—"

Without hesitation, she thrust her sword forward!

Scalding blood splattered across her face.

Startled, she snapped back to reality, staring incredulously at the person before her.

Where was Zhongli Yuan?

It was clearly Elder Qiu of Thousand Mechanism Pavilion.

Elder Qiu had watched the Gongsun sisters grow up, loving them dearly, almost killing Tan’er over a dispute with Gongsun Ziyu.

He was Xiao Rong’er’s powerful ally.

But now, Xiao Rong’er severed this ally with her own hands.

"Ah..."

Xiao Rong’er stood there in disbelief.

"Madam..."

Elder Qiu lay in a pool of blood, in agony.

"Elder Qiu was Liuying’s most loving elder, you destroyed your daughter’s support with your own hands..."

"Zhongli Yuan!"

Xiao Rong’er heard that deadly voice again, searching with blood-red eyes, "No... you’re already dead... I must be dreaming... yes, definitely dreaming... I didn’t kill Elder Qiu... I didn’t..."

She turned to leave.

But her foot slipped, she fell backwards, her head hitting the hidden weapon that had rolled from Elder Qiu’s body.

Agonizing pain struck, draining her of all strength.

Suddenly, a shadow enveloped her.

She widened her eyes, staring incredulously at the face above her.

Meng Qianqian smiled brightly, "Don’t worry, I won’t kill you."

She took out the Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles, "Letting you die painlessly would be too easy. For what you did to my mother, I must repay double. Rest assured, I won’t kill Gongsun Liuying immediately either; you must watch helplessly as your own daughter suffers without being able to help, only then is it fair."

Xiao Rong’er twisted her nose and bared her teeth: "Err... Err... Err..."

Meng Qianqian said, "You ask who I am?"

Meng Qianqian crouched down, leaning close to her ear, "I am Shang Jiu."

Xiao Rong’er widened her eyes in terror.

-

Following his elder brother’s orders, Gongsun Yu immediately went to the dungeon with the intention of cutting off one of Lady Yan’s fingers to threaten Meng Qianqian into a swap.

But upon entering the dungeon, he found Lady Yan’s figure already gone.

Not only that, all the other punished disciples had also been released.

The dungeon was a mess, with unconscious disciples scattered everywhere.

He murmured in shock, "What happened, did someone invade the dungeon?"

"Second Master!"

At this moment, a disciple patrolling at night entered the dungeon in a panic.

He was amazed by the scene but had no time to dwell on it, swallowing hard to report, "Something major happened! Madam wounded many disciples... Elder Qiu went to stop her and was... killed by Madam!"

Gongsun Yu turned pale with shock, "What?"

Thousand Mechanism Pavilion was in chaos.

Meng Qianqian sneaked Lady Yan out of the mansion quietly under Shangguan Ling’s arrangement.

Save Shang Wuyou in the first half of the night, save Lady Yan in the second.

The couple took turns, yet he alone did all the heavy lifting.

Shangguan Ling thought it fortunate to stay behind, or else, who would clean up this mess?

"Young Madam, should I prepare a carriage for you?"

"A carriage is too conspicuous, it’s better I walk on my own."

Shangguan Ling opened his mouth, "Well, that works too."

Hunting Eagle led the way ahead.

Its sharp eyes easily spotted Thousand Mechanism Pavilion experts pursuing them.

Lady Yan lay on Meng Qianqian’s back.

Fed with Soft Bone Powder, she scarcely had any strength: "Why save me? If it’s revenge you seek, compassion is unnecessary."

"Stop flattering yourself."

Meng Qianqian followed Hunting Eagle’s lead, turning left into an alley, shaking off the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion experts.

"Bringing you out is because I have questions for you."

Lady Yan didn’t seem surprised by this answer: "What exactly have you done to Thousand Mechanism Pavilion? Even the elders are involved..."

Knowing Thousand Mechanism Pavilion well enough, could this girl have desecrated the Gongsun Family’s ancestral grave?

"Nothing much."

All those actions were Xiao Rong’er’s doing, what did they have to do with Yan Xiaojiu?

Lady Yan looked up, glancing at Hunting Eagle flitting through the night: "That eagle looks plump."

Hunting Eagle’s bird body shook, nearly falling from the air!

Meng Qianqian murmured, "Indeed, it’s close to becoming a fat bird."

Hunting Eagle: "...!!"

Meng Qianqian said, "Let me ask you."

Lady Yan weakly replied, "Can’t you wait until we’re safe?"

Meng Qianqian candidly stated, "With so many people, if we can’t fight our way out, I’ll leave you behind."

Lady Yan: "..."

Meng Qianqian asked, "Who is the man imprisoned under the Array?"

Lady Yan asked puzzledly, "What man? Are there people imprisoned in that yard?"

"Damn it."

Meng Qianqian closed her eyes, muttering, "I’ll just have to get him out."

Meng Qianqian blacked out her face, bringing the person into the Crown Prince Mansion, heading straight to Zi Wu’s courtyard.

The door was suddenly pushed open, waking Zi Wu in surprise, who hurriedly grabbed a quilt to cover himself, "Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing in the middle of the night?"

As a young lady, don’t break into people’s rooms late at night!

"Oh, wrong room."

Meng Qianqian quietly retreated and went next door.

She set down Lady Yan, drew back the curtains, pointing at the sleeping man on the bed, "Do you recognize him?"