Volume 3, Chapter 136 – Cheng Hongling’s Malicious Intentions

Qi Huang was carried into the house by her main body like a timid bride, then unceremoniously dumped onto the bed, her face burning with humiliation.

Cheng Hongling placed her doppelgänger on the bed, flipped her over, and then crossed her arms, scrutinizing her with a gaze as intense as a child eyeing her favorite stuffed toy.

“Little Lin, what are you doing? Don’t bully her.”

Jiang Linian stood at the doorway, her voice laced with warning.

“Don’t worry, Mother! How could I bully her? I just want to… bond with her.”

Cheng Hongling walked over and firmly shut the door.

“Y-you… what are you planning?”

Qi Huang’s voice was muffled, her chest pressed uncomfortably against the bed. This new body, with its soft curves, wasn’t as easy to maneuver as her old one.

“So you really did ignore my warnings.”

A cold smirk curled on Cheng Hongling’s lips as she retrieved a whip from the cabinet.

“W-where did you even get a whip?!”

Qi Huang’s stomach dropped. She tried to struggle, but her limbs refused to obey.

“Oh, I prepared it just for you, my dear.”

Cheng Hongling twirled the whip lazily between her fingers.

“D-don’t hit me! I was wrong! Terribly wrong!”

Qi Huang’s instincts screamed danger, and she immediately began pleading.

“I don’t believe a word you say. All I see is a disobedient little brat.”

Ignoring her protests, Cheng Hongling flipped up Qi Huang’s skirt and yanked down her undergarments, exposing her pale skin.

Qi Huang’s face burned with shame. She tried to cover herself, but even lifting a finger was impossible.

With a sharp flick of her wrist, Cheng Hongling brought the whip down—

CRACK!

“AHH—!”

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“Mmph…!”

Two cries of pain rang out simultaneously—the first was Qi Huang’s shriek, the second was Cheng Hongling’s stifled whimper.

Qi Huang’s mind blanked, the pain momentarily forgotten as she stared in confusion at her main body.

Cheng Hongling was clutching her own rear, her cheeks tinged an inexplicable shade of pink.

‘Huh? You’re the one hitting me, so why are YOU blushing?!’

A giant question mark floated in Qi Huang’s mind.

“Ahem… just as I thought.”

Cheng Hongling coughed awkwardly before muttering to herself. She now understood why the Registry of Slaughter had affected Qi Huang—their Soul Resonance had grown stronger.

The principle was simple: even if Qi Huang hadn’t seen the Registry, Cheng Hongling had, and the shared perception transmitted the killing intent.

The same aura affected them differently—Qi Huang, being weaker, had been overwhelmed.

This also meant that from now on, Cheng Hongling could render Qi Huang “soft, delicate, and easy to bully” whenever she pleased.

“What?”

Qi Huang frowned, only now registering the stinging pain radiating from her backside. Tears welled up in her eyes.

“Nothing~”

Cheng Hongling calmly put the whip away.

“I get it! It’s Soul Resonance! If you hit me, you feel it too!”

Qi Huang’s eyes lit up with sudden realization.

“And? Do you think that means I won’t dare punish you?”

Cheng Hongling’s expression darkened.

“N-not dare—just that you shouldn’t! You’re the noble, kind-hearted Fairy Hongling! What would people think if they saw you acting so brutish? Your flawless image would be ruined!”

Qi Huang hastily backtracked.

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“Flattery won’t save you. And since when was I kind-hearted?”

Cheng Hongling arched a brow.

“How could someone as strong as you ever suffer?”

Qi Huang forced a laugh, trying to butter her up.

“But you will.”

A wicked grin spread across Cheng Hongling’s lips. “Even with Soul Resonance, my pain is nothing compared to yours. To ensure you behave, I’m willing to endure it.”

With that, she raised the whip again—

CRACK!

“WAAAH—!”

Qi Huang trembled violently, tears streaming down her face. Too embarrassed to let Cheng Hongling see her cry, she buried her face into the sheets.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

A dozen lashes later, Qi Huang’s rear was a patchwork of red and purple. Cheng Hongling finally stopped, though her own face was flushed, her breathing slightly uneven.

Qi Huang didn’t want to cry, but this body betrayed her, leaving her sobbing like a scolded child. She consoled herself internally: ‘I’m not crying! It’s just this useless body!’

“Remember this: from now on, you’ll cultivate for five hours a day. If I find out you slacked off even once, your backside will relive today’s lesson.”

Cheng Hongling put the whip away, satisfied.

“Y-yes…”

Qi Huang sniffled. ‘Better to play along for now.’

“Then why are you still lying there? Asking for more?”

Qi Huang scrambled up, wincing as pain shot through her legs. Her pitiful expression could melt even the coldest heart.

Outside the room, Jiang Linian was still waiting. One look at Qi Huang’s face told her everything.

After scolding her eldest daughter, she gently led Qi Huang upstairs to apply medicine.

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“If you don’t want to be punished, obey her from now on. As your mother, I’m just a mortal—I can’t protect you from her.”

Jiang Linian’s heart ached at the sight of the bruises.

“Mhm…”

Qi Huang nodded meekly. ‘Five hours of cultivation a day? Fine. I’ll just train at night and farm during the day.’

Later, Cheng Hongling returned with their share of Blue Scale Stones, so much that she needed help from her senior sisters to carry them.

“With this much, Little Junior Sister can forge a 100% pure Blue Scale Sword! Let’s see anyone mock her at the next Evergreen Conference!”

Ruan Lingyu grinned triumphantly, as if the achievement were her own.

“Indeed. A sword like that would be unmatched in the entire Western Radiance Dynasty. Her Blue Scale Sword will finally live up to its name.”

Though Yun Fei spoke calmly, her eyes gleamed with envy.

“She deserves it. Think of how much effort she put into gathering these stones!”

Shen Yuan chimed in.

The senior sisters marveled at the 600 pounds of Blue Scale Stones piled in the hall.

“This was a group effort, not just my achievement.”

Qi Huang corrected them humbly.

Their gazes instantly softened, admiration dripping from their eyes.

“I’ll keep half. The rest is yours to divide.”

Cheng Hongling cut in bluntly—she preferred actions over words.

“R-really?! Thank you, Junior Sister!”

“I never thought I’d own a Blue Scale Sword in my lifetime!”

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“I’ll pass mine down as a family heirloom!”

The senior sisters were moved to tears—Miao Xiang outright bawled like a child.

Qi Huang watched them, her emotions mixed. Happiness, yes, but also melancholy. ‘This is the tragedy of small sect disciples—even a handful of rare stones feels like a fortune.’

Cheng Hongling split the stones—half for herself and Qi Huang, the rest divided among the five senior sisters (about 60 pounds each). Even after impurities were removed, that was enough for a high-quality sword.

Once the sisters left, Cheng Hongling turned to Qi Huang.

“300 pounds remain. We’ll take 100 each, and give 100 to Master. Any objections?”

“None at all!”

Qi Huang agreed immediately. She’d already suggested this—having grown up poor, she was easily content. A hundred pounds was more than enough for a top-tier sword.

After delivering Xu Mei’s share, they headed to the blacksmith. Qi Huang carefully sketched her ideal sword design, while Cheng Hongling opted to reforge her existing Blue Scale Sword—a gift from her master, too sentimental to discard.

Back home, Qi Huang sold the two swords looted from the Heyi Sect elders—their attributes didn’t suit her anyway.

Days passed peacefully. Under Qi Huang’s meticulous care, the ghost tomatoes finally sprouted, filling her with exhilaration.

“You’re awfully invested in those things.”

Cheng Hongling remarked casually.

Qi Huang smiled without answering. ‘Of course I am. They’re my ticket to power.’

“Good. I was worried you wouldn’t take them seriously.”

Cheng Hongling’s lips curled into a strange, knowing smirk.

“…What do you mean by that?”

A chill ran down Qi Huang’s spine.