101 - Little Peasant Wife

Liu Er, who was nestled in Shen Lüman's embrace, glanced up at her and said, "Sister Qiao'er, thank you for your hard work." Shen Lüman rolled her eyes, still not having had the chance to tell Liu Er that the reason she and the Wu siblings were captured was all because of Zhang Qiao'er. There just hadn't been time, but once they were back home, she was determined to tug on Liu Er's ear and give her a stern warning. Zhang Qiao'er was taken aback by Liu Er's words, a complex expression crossing her face. Having lived within the Liu residence for over a month, no one had ever asked about how she was faring. The Liu residence was like a devourer of souls, where over time, both servants and maids, and even the esteemed ladies and young women of the house, became accustomed to its perverse conduct. Once back in the village, her mother would only persistently remind her to be grateful to Lady Liu for her immense kindness, and to choose a good husband with discerning eyes for the future. Previously, she might have been persuaded, but after witnessing the power and mysterious capabilities that authority commanded, she was no longer content to simply marry a good man and settle down. She wanted to climb higher, see further, and trample everyone in the Liu residence beneath her feet. As for those adults who had once taken liberties with her body, she wished to chop off their arms, make them personally cook and eat them with a smile on their faces. Moreover, she wanted those people's families to suffer endlessly, and their children to become meatballs that they would taste, savoring the flavor of their own progeny. Her heart brimmed with resentment and discontent, which were no less than anyone else's. The difference was her ability to endure what others could not, so that she might live longer in the future. She vowed to rise above all others! Even though she had already resolved not to back down in the face of any future adversity, Liu Er's simple words caused her mental defenses to collapse in an instant. Why should this foolish stutterer, who orchestrated her capture with her schemes, ....? Zhang Qiao'er bit down hard on her lip, lowering her head. Seeing this, Liu Er thought something was wrong and was about to ask, but Shen Lüman coldly interjected, "Shut up." Liu Er pouted, not daring to say anything further. The group successfully crossed through three empty courtyards, lucky enough not to encounter a single servant on their path. Just as they were about to pass through another garden and reach the vicinity of the back door, Shen Lüman suddenly sensed a powerful aura rushing in their direction. Alarmed, she quickly held Liu Er tight, grabbing the nearest Wu Mengqiu while Wu Mengqiu pulled Chun Ge'er along, and they all hid behind a tree. Virtually in the same instant, the immense presence arrived above them. Shen Lüman caught a hasty glimpse of a woman in a white Taoist robe, but the dim lighting obscured her face. The woman leaped over their heads, vanishing in the blink of an eye, her aura dissipating with her. Shen Lüman felt a knot of apprehension; such a terrifying aura in the Liu residence couldn't have gone unnoticed by the Grandmaster. He must already be on his way. Knowing the urgency, Shen Lüman hid Liu Er and the Wu siblings behind the tree and hurried to drag along Zhang Qiao'er, who seemed to be in a daze, when suddenly another mysterious aura was nearly upon them. With no alternative, she could only retreat behind the tree, tightly shielding the three children in her embrace. In a flash, the new presence landed—that of a woman over fifty. Her facial features faintly suggested she was indeed the Grandmaster. This time, however, she appeared somewhat younger than when Shen Lüman last saw her, though not young enough to resemble a teenager. Even so, upon landing, she warily surveyed the area, failing to spot the powerful aura she had sensed earlier. Annoyed and anxious, she considered the aura's strength, indicative of a formidable practitioner, certainly above the Golden Core stage. Such a person appearing outside her courtyard, deliberately making themselves known, only to vanish into thin air as soon as she perceived them—who could it possibly be, and what was their intent? The Grandmaster had no answers, and a chill of fear crept over her as she scanned the area, finding no one suspicious. All she saw was a young child, a perfectly ordinary mortal whom she dismissed entirely. Zhang Qiao'er trembled uncontrollably; the pressure from such a high-level cultivator was unbearable even for lower-tier practitioners, let alone a mere mortal like herself. Were her stiff body able to move, she would have collapsed on the ground already. Her heart seethed with anger and resentment. She had seen Shen Lüman protect the Wu siblings—had she protected only Liu Er, she might not have thought much of it. After all, Liu Er was her child and a good person to boot. But what about those simple-minded Wu siblings, mere foolish kids? Why was Shen Lüman shielding them instead of her? Jealousy and indignation smoldered within her as she watched the Grandmaster approach. Fearfully trembling all over, she blurted out, "Grandmaster, I have an urgent issue to report!" The Grandmaster acknowledged her with a nonchalant "Oh," not placing much importance on her words. Emboldened by the response, Zhang Qiao'er pointed towards Shen Lüman's hiding spot. "In the dead of night, I saw a shadowy figure pass by my room. Out of curiosity, I followed it to this spot." "That thief, sensing your presence, must have hidden here—right behind this tree." At these words, the Grandmaster's gaze swept towards the indicated tree, a dangerous aura rapidly closing in on Shen Lüman. Realizing the impending threat, Shen Lüman gritted her teeth. Knowing Zhang Qiao'er was inherently deceitful, she hadn't expected her to betray her presence so shamelessly to the Grandmaster. Instantly, Shen Lüman leapt out from behind the tree; had she delayed even a fraction longer, the Grandmaster's subsequent move would ensure none of them survived. Seeing her emerge, the Grandmaster narrowed his eyes menacingly, "A third-layer Qi Refinement cultivator—what is your relation to the powerful practitioner from earlier? Why have you come to the Liu residence?" Chapter 61: Death Shen Lüman was shocked when the Grandmaster discerned her cultivation level. She was a half-demon, and her greatest skill as a human was concealing her true power. Previously, whether at Liang Shengrong's home or within the bandits' lair, she had managed to keep her identity hidden. But this time, with just a glance from the Grandmaster, her cultivation was laid bare. This could either be due to the Grandmaster's increased cultivation or because, for some unknown reason, her aura had leaked. Not knowing the exact cause, Shen Lüman realized that now was not the time to dwell on it. Twisting her gaze respectfully, she replied, "To answer you, Senior, I followed my Master to the Mortal Realm to visit family, only to find that my relatives had been kidnapped by servants of the Liu residence. In my anxiety, I daringly entered the Liu residence to rescue them." "I mean no offense, nor do I wish to provoke you, Senior. I hope you can understand and permit me to take my family and leave the Liu residence—never to set foot here again." As she spoke, she shot an unnoticed glare at Zhang Qiao'er. She had anticipated that Zhang Qiao'er, a troublemaker, would expose her ruse, but instead, she just parted her lips, displaying an expression of understanding. Regret washed over Zhang Qiao'er. After her impulsive betrayal of Shen Lüman, she was already eager to retract her words. She did not truly want to harm Shen Lüman and Liu Er; her actions stemmed from a place of envy and spite, angry that Shen Lüman hadn't protected her but instead shielded the Wu siblings she deemed unworthy. Her feelings of injustice and fear had driven her to such desperate measures. But when the Grandmaster's eyes swept over her, she regained clarity, her back breaking out in a cold sweat. Beyond concern for her own mother and family, who were now essentially under Shen Lüman's control, even if she managed to harm Shen Lüman, there remained the matter of her companion, the immortal lover Jing Aoxue, waiting outside the Liu residence. If Jing Aoxue learned of her unintentional transgression today, her mother and family would undoubtedly be met with her lethal wrath. That was one consideration. On the other hand, she didn't want Liu Er to despise her, because Liu Er was... different. Sweaty-palmed and dazed, Zhang Qiao'er suddenly latched onto Shen Lüman's explanation as a potential solution. She could feel the scrutiny of the Grandmaster passing between her and Shen Lüman. The Grandmaster, known to be an immortal—a fact she had long been aware of—had once been the object of her fantasies to become one of his shadow guards, learning the arts of immortality. But in reality, her feelings toward the Grandmaster were complex—respect mingled with fear. His cruel methods surpassed even Liu Steward's. Under the Grandmaster’s penetrating gaze, she dared not move—due in part to the imposing pressure of an immortal and in part to her own fear. The Grandmaster snorted coldly, questioning her, "Is what she said true?" Recognizing this as a chance to rectify her mistake, Zhang Qiao'er eagerly replied, "To answer you, Grandmaster, I am unaware, having followed out of mere curiosity. I do not know her." She hesitated before continuing, "As to whether her words are true, I believe they must be. I did see her with several children. If she intended harm to you, she wouldn’t have brought such burdens to slow her down." She spoke clearly and with a tone of admiration, "Besides, with your unmatched strength and might, you can move mountains and fill seas—how could a mere thief pose a threat to you?" Subtly flattering the Grandmaster, she improved his mood somewhat. Yet, being a cautious person, the Grandmaster maintained his vigilance, questioning Shen Lüman, "Where is your Master now? Why reveal themselves earlier?" This puzzled her as much as it puzzled Shen Lüman, who didn't know the white-robed cultivator and couldn't fathom Zhang Qiao'er's sudden change of tone. Mind still racing, Shen Lüman thought quickly, "Truthfully, Senior, it was my mistake. My worry for my family caused me to act without informing my Master before entering the Liu residence." "My Master likely acted out of concern for my safety, noticing your formidable power, fearing you might mean harm to me, thus deciding to reveal themselves to draw you away from the Liu residence, aiding my escape... Alas." Anger bubbled within her. If not for the sudden appearance of the white-robed cultivator, she could have stealthily rescued the children without anyone knowing. And she certainly wouldn't have been caught in Zhang Qiao'er’s multi-faced betrayal. Today's events solidified the distrust and animosity she harbored toward Zhang Qiao'er. Initially, she thought Zhang Qiao'er to be merely a spiteful child, coerced by Liu Steward. Yet during their brief times together, Zhang Qiao'er had seemed genuinely helpful.