Volume 3, Chapter 186 – The Opportunity to Gain Trust

Born into the Chi family and raised as its eldest young lady, Chi Xiyan had known what she wanted since she became aware of herself.

For this, she could exhaust everything, using everyone and everything around her.

Love? Chi Xiyan didn’t need such ethereal things. She never had.

At this moment, she focused slightly and looked again at the young girl before her.

The black-haired girl stared blankly while holding the gradually cooling corpse in her arms, her pair of reddened eyes brimming with confusion and grief.

This girl looked as pitiful as a porcelain doll covered in cracks, ready to shatter at any moment.

Chi Xiyan slowly walked to the girl’s side. She looked at her and let out a soft sigh.

“I’ve always felt that you and I are very similar,” Chi Xiyan said. “I’m also an orphan who lost my parents at a young age.”

The black-haired girl raised her head and looked at Chi Xiyan, confused.

Chi Xiyan lowered her eyes and continued, “However, you’re much more fortunate than me. You had a mother who loved you, one who was even willing to sacrifice her own life to save you.”

“Fortunate…?” The black-haired girl’s eyes streamed with tears, her voice trembling. “How can this be called fortunate?”

“My mother, she’s dead…” The girl sobbed and let out a low roar. “Dead… when you’re dead, there’s nothing left, nothing at all.”

“I’m sorry,” Chi Xiyan said in a low voice. “It was I who dragged you into this storm, causing you to become like this. It was my negligence that led to this result.”

“Sister Chi…” The girl bit her lip slightly. “Is this the grudges and turmoil of wealthy families that you mentioned before?”

The girl clenched her fists, her muscles tensing.

“But I don’t understand, I truly don’t understand why…”

“My mother and I never offended anyone…”

“Why must we experience such terrible things…”

“I’m sorry,” Chi Xiyan apologized again.

“Sister Chi, why are you apologizing?” The pale-faced girl shook her head. “You already told me that being with you would involve various dangers.”

“This was my choice. I can’t blame you.”

“It’s just… Sister Chi, can you tell me why this is happening?”

The grief-stricken girl looked at Chi Xiyan, her eyes red and swollen.

At this moment, Chi Xiyan saw resentment and hatred in those eyes.

This girl was trembling with anger.

“I want to know, just who is so eager to kill me?”

“I want to know who harmed my mother!”

Faced with the girl’s repeated questioning, Chi Xiyan fell silent once again.

Her eyes darkened, her expression becoming somewhat heavy.

“Sister Chi!” Seeing this, the girl’s eyes filled with hatred as she said through gritted teeth, “You said you wanted me to help you, so you should also tell me just who the enemy I’m facing is.”

Rеаԁ оn ΚаtReаԁіnɡСаfе

Chi Xiyan’s eyes showed some hesitation before she finally let out a long sigh.

“I don’t know,” Chi Xiyan said. “I only know that the person is related to the Chi family. They might be the Chi family’s enemy, or they might be someone from the Chi family itself!”

“The Chi family?” The red-eyed girl’s face showed confusion. “Is it Sister Chi’s Chi family?”

“This matter has a long story. Zhizhi, do you want to hear this tale?” Chi Xiyan said. “A story that began over a decade ago, concerning both our backgrounds.”

“This matter is related to our backgrounds?” A flash of astonishment crossed the girl’s face. “Sister Chi, please tell me. I want to know the truth.”

Chi Xiyan paused for a moment, then turned her gaze to Lin Xiu beside her.

Lin Xiu immediately understood. He said, “Miss, that assassin earlier saw through our formation. The original formation can’t be used anymore. I’ll go bring people to reset the formation now.”

After Lin Xiu finished speaking, he turned and left without hesitation.

Chi Xiyan watched Lin Xiu depart. She raised her hand and sent out a soundproofing talisman, completely isolating this small space to prevent what she was about to say from being overheard by others.

“Zhizhi, what I’m about to tell you absolutely cannot be known to outsiders.” Chi Xiyan’s face was filled with solemnity.

Lu Zhuxin’s expression became more restrained.

Seeing Chi Xiyan’s appearance, she knew that Chi Xiyan had decided to reveal the truth about their backgrounds.

This was a good thing.

This meant Chi Xiyan was beginning to accept Yu Lizhi and was willing to entrust her with some of her trust, rather than treating Yu Lizhi purely as a tool.

Everything was developing in a favorable direction.

With this thought, Lu Zhuxin said, “Sister Chi, please speak. Zhizhi understands.”

Chi Xiyan continued, “Actually, you should be able to guess that I’m not the true eldest young lady of the Chi family, nor am I the biological daughter of Chi family head Chi Jingwen.”

“My mother was called Chi Jingyun. Seventeen years ago, she was the second young lady of the Beihe Commandery Chi family main branch. She was also the younger sister of the current Chi family head, Chi Jingwen.”

“Over a decade ago, my mother displayed exceptional talent before my grandfather and gained his deep trust. At a young age, she became the second-in-command of the Chi family’s Lingbao Commerce Association.”

“Under her leadership, the Chi family’s Lingbao Commerce Association achieved unprecedented development. It was her efforts that allowed the Lingbao Commerce Association to stand out among all the commerce associations, becoming the wealthiest association in not just Beihe Commandery but the entire human empire. Everyone thought that with her talent, she would inevitably become the Chi family’s next leader.”

“But the good times didn’t last long. Sixteen years ago, a red lotus karmic fire… destroyed it all.”

When she said this, Chi Xiyan’s words paused slightly.

She saw the girl’s surprised expression.

Anyone who heard that the Chi family’s eldest young lady was not the bloodline of the current Chi family head would feel extremely surprised.

“That karmic fire not only took away my mother and my grandfather, but Uncle Jingwen’s wife and legitimate daughter also disappeared in that fire…”

“Afterward, the Chi family lost its family head and second young lady, placing it in a precarious situation. As the Chi family’s young master, Uncle Jingwen shouldered the responsibility of Chi family head through the storm, turned the tide, and adopted me as his daughter…”

Chi Xiyan, from an observer’s perspective, slowly recounted this little-known history of the Chi family.

Many people actually knew about the accident at the Chi family’s ancestral home.

However, the fact that Chi Xiyan was not the true Chi family’s eldest young lady was something almost no one outside knew.

Rеаd оn KαtRеadіոgСafе

Only the upper echelons of the Chi family could know this.

“Even now, I still don’t understand what happened to the Chi family seventeen years ago… why my mother and my aunt died in that karmic fire…”

Lu Zhuxin quietly listened as Chi Xiyan finished the story.

Her mouth opened slightly, her expression shocked.

She raised her hand and slowly pointed at herself.

“So… Sister Chi, you mean that I’m that long-lost Chi family legitimate daughter?”

The astonished girl shook her head repeatedly.

“This, this, this… how is this possible?”

Chi Xiyan said, “I learned of this from Nanny Qin. She’s my wet nurse.”

“That day at the pawnshop, she saw the hairpin on your forehead and recognized your identity.”

“Later, when I hurried to find you, this was the reason.”

“Zhizhi, once your identity is exposed, your situation will inevitably become extremely dangerous.”

“So you need someone who can help and protect you.”

“And I… also need your help.”

Chi Xiyan looked at Lu Zhuxin, her eyes full of sincere entreaty.

But the girl before her seemed hasn’t yet recovered from the shock.

Lu Zhuxin stared blankly at Chi Xiyan.

Only after a long while did she let out a choked laugh.

“So that’s why…”

“Hehe…”

“So that’s why…”

The girl repeated it once more, laughing miserably, her voice carrying deep sorrow.

“It’s because of this reason… that my mother died an untimely death…”

“So the one who caused my mother’s death wasn’t someone else, but me!”

“No, it’s not like that,” Chi Xiyan stepped forward and grasped Lu Zhuxin’s hand. “Zhizhi, you can’t say that. You’ve never done anything wrong.”

“You and I are the same. We’re both victims.”

“We have the same enemy!”

Chi Xiyan tightly held Lu Zhuxin’s hand in her palm.

“Zhizhi, what you should truly hate… are those hiding in the shadows, doing all manner of evil, utterly wicked villains!”

Reαԁ oո ΚаtRеαⅾіոgCαfе

“They killed both our mothers, and now they want to kill you!”

“Zhizhi, join forces with me.”

“Let’s investigate the truth of what happened back then together, expose the mastermind, and avenge our mothers!”

Lu Zhuxin’s gaze shifted slightly downward, sweeping over Chi Xiyan’s hand.

This Heaven-Mandated Female Lead, who had a cleanliness obsession, was probably holding her hand of her own initiative for the first time, wasn’t she?

Hehe.

Lu Zhuxin laughed lightly in her heart. She pursed her lips. “Sister Chi… is that assassin who wanted to kill me really sent by the person who killed our mothers back then?”

Chi Xiyan hesitated for a moment before continuing, “The disappearance of the Chi family’s legitimate bloodline is only known to the Chi family… and that mastermind.”

“Zhizhi, you just arrived in Beihe Commandery and have never provoked anyone.”

“Other than that mastermind from back then, I can’t think of who else would have the motive to pay such a high price to hire an assassin with Fifth Realm cultivation or higher just to kill an ordinary person like you who has no cultivation.”

Lu Zhuxin listened to Chi Xiyan’s completely serious nonsense.

She let out a light laugh in her heart.

Chi Xiyan, oh Chi Xiyan~, you’re truly a bad woman.

To actually deceive such an innocent and simple young girl like this.

If Lu Zhuxin hadn’t already guessed that the person who dispatched the assassin was Qin Qingfen, she would have truly been fooled by this girl.

Chi Xiyan’s true purpose was fundamentally not about seeking the truth or avenging blood relatives.

When Chi Xiyan’s mother died, Chi Xiyan was still just a baby.

She had no memory of her mother at all, so how could she possibly have the motivation for revenge?

Her goal had always been only one: to control the Chi family and bring the entire Lingbao Commerce Association under her grasp.

In this way, Yu Lizhi, as the Chi family’s legitimate bloodline, would inevitably become a stumbling block for her.

Not only did Chi Xiyan conceal her true purpose from Yu Lizhi and portray herself as a filial daughter seeking to avenge her mother, but she also concealed Qin Qingfen’s involvement. At the same time, she directed all of Yu Lizhi’s hatred toward that mastermind.

Chi Xiyan, what excellent scheming.

Too bad the person she encountered was Lu Zhuxin.

Knowing the settings and background, Lu Zhuxin couldn’t possibly be fooled by Chi Xiyan’s little tricks.

Moreover, this Yu Lizhi identity as the Chi family’s young lady was false to begin with.

However, the current situation was entirely within Lu Zhuxin’s expectations.

The current situation was precisely what Lu Zhuxin wanted—an opportunity to reasonably approach Chi Xiyan and gain her trust.

“Sister Chi…” Lu Zhuxin raised her hand to wipe the tears from her face. “I don’t want anything to do with the Chi family.”

“But I will help you. I want to make those murderers who killed my mother pay the price!”

Rеαⅾ оո ΚаtReadіոɡCafe

“Thank you, Zhizhi,” Chi Xiyan said. “With your help, my plan can advance further!”

“Sister Chi… what should we do next?” The black-haired girl’s gaze was no longer as confused and sorrowful as before. Instead, it was gradually becoming gloomy, concealing anger and hatred.

Chi Xiyan noticed the change in this girl.

After experiencing the trauma of her mother’s tragic death, this girl’s temperament seemed to have evolved.

She was gradually shedding her former innocence and purity.

For Chi Xiyan, this change was a good thing.

She needed an assistant who could actually help, not a burden who would only cry and drag her down.

“Zhizhi, don’t be anxious,” Chi Xiyan said.

“I’ll arrange everything that follows as quickly as possible and try to bring you back to the Chi family as soon as I can.”

“As for now…” Chi Xiyan looked at the old woman in Lu Zhuxin’s arms. She sighed, her face showing a trace of compassion. “First, give your mother a proper burial.”

Lu Zhuxin tightened her hold on the corpse in her arms, lowering her eyes slightly and nodding at Chi Xiyan.

“Alright… I’ll do as you say, Sister Chi.”

Chi Xiyan was very satisfied with Lu Zhuxin’s response.

The current girl was unexpectedly obedient and mature.

Suffering a sudden calamity or being struck by the death of a loved one could indeed cause a person’s temperament to change drastically.

…

On another front,

After the assassination mission failed, assassin Ye Xiaoqing was cursing as she rushed toward Sin Moon Tower’s base.

“Tch… this is exactly why I hate these wealthy young ladies the most. They have no real skills, but they carry a pile of life-saving talismans and treasures. So troublesome!”

“A Sixth-Order lightning talisman! That Chi family girl is truly willing to spend!”

“Such a master-crafted immortal talisman is worth three of my mission commissions!”

“The assassination target for this mission was clearly just an ordinary person with no cultivation. How could it be so troublesome!”

“Ugh! The mission failed. When I see the tower master, I’m going to get another scolding!”

Ye Xiaoqing first cursed and complained, then sighed in lament.

Not far behind her.

A fire-red fox with seven tails was concealing its form with demonic power, following her at a measured distance.

A fox demon with seven tails was roughly equivalent to a Sixth Realm human cultivator.

This fox’s aura was vast and deep, clearly already at the peak of the Sixth Realm.

Those charming fox eyes reflected Ye Xiaoqing’s retreating figure.