Chapter 218

The light formed a continuous line, and upon closer inspection, it extended forward, becoming a long thread binding Luo Yuanming’s legs.

Behind this ghostly glow emerged a woman, walking slowly.

This was the woman he had imprisoned here, destined to become a sacrificial offering.

Then came a second woman, and a third.

The threads transitioned from blood-red to pale blue, growing brighter in the darkness, resembling countless sparks ready to ignite a wildfire.

“You, you all—” Luo Yuanming was struck speechless, trembling uncontrollably.

“Are you confused?” Luan Niang asked calmly, her voice cold.

“Did you think I sought the location of your soul-refining ground merely to absorb spiritual energy?”

She suddenly laughed.

“Song Xianning taught me spell.”

Song Xianning.

Luo Yuanming never expected to hear that name from her lips. His already pale face turned even more ghastly.

Most people possess spiritual roots, but it all depends on the amount of spiritual energy and natural talent.

A year ago, she started her plan, studying formations, spells, and later, after marrying into the city lord’s household, she taught the girls there how to use their spiritual energy to create a flawless spirit-locking formation.

Just like when Song Xianning taught her by the Longyin River.

Though their spiritual energy was far inferior to Luo Yuanming’s, now that he was gravely injured and nearly defenseless, dozens of insignificant ants could still take him down.

Song Xianning was right.

They could be stronger, smarter, and more strategic than him, and eventually, they would overcome him and kill him with their own hands.

In this world, women’s lives were as fleeting as duckweed, yet there were many who refused to compromise.

A mother, suffering from severe illness, traveled a long distance under the scorching sun, beating the drum to seek justice for her missing daughter.

A destitute old woman did her utmost to adopt orphans from the market and, even in her frail and forgetful state, still painted crude pictures for them.

And these girls, who were about to be used for soul-refining.

One by one, the girls emerged from the darkness, each with a pale blue thread extending from their fingertips, binding Luo Yuanming more tightly.

The dark light illuminated their pale, thin faces, and their broken skin oozed blood, transforming from crimson to ghostly threads.

Luo Yuanming finally broke down, trembling and shouting, “Luan Niang, save me!”

The woman in red beside him glanced at him with mocking disdain and smiled. “Did you never wonder? Oh, you never asked—my real name isn’t ‘Luan Niang’.”

She hated that name.

That night, after stepping off the flower boat, she heard a familiar voice from behind: “What is your name?”

—Song Xianning stood on the edge of the boat, smiling under the starry sky, and asked, “Your real name isn’t ‘Luan Niang,’ right?”

No one had ever asked that question before.

“I—” She had been stunned, looking at the girl’s face, which grew distant and merged into the night as the boat drifted away.

She clumsily moved her lips, recalling the three characters that existed only in her memory after so many years.

“Meng Tingzhou—” The young courtesan, heavily made-up, shouted into the night wind for the first time, “My name is Meng Tingzhou!”

Song Xianning, standing against the backdrop of the stars and lanterns, her hair flowing in the river wind, smiled as she heard her voice: “I’ll remember that!”

She had almost forgotten her own name, becoming one among the countless indistinguishable faces.

She was vulgar, ignorant, and selfish, utterly unremarkable.

But after meeting Song Xianning, she became different from everyone else.

Or rather, she became the most special person in someone’s eyes.

That was enough.

She was neither Luan Niang nor an anonymous courtesan who sells her smile.

Her name was Meng Tingzhou.

“You’re killing me!” Luo Yuanming’s eyes were bloodshot, and he shouted hysterically, “You have no evidence, you crazy women!”

“It’s not like we don’t have evidence.”

Ning Ning coughed lightly, pulling a small object from her pocket and pressing it. A blurry image was projected into the air.

In the image, a well-dressed man smiled arrogantly, enunciating each word clearly: “I am the city lord of Luan City, with countless achievements over the years. Using them to advance my cultivation, it’s a bargain.”

“A bargain.”

“Hey.”

“When I went to Nuanyu Pavilion, those girls gave me this spirit vision orb, hoping I’d rescue their friends.”

Ning Ning said, turning her head to call out to the crowd, “Wei Lingyuan, thank you!”

A girl cheerfully responded, “You’re welcome!”

“You can’t treat me like this!”

Seeing the ropes tighten and dig into his flesh, Luo Yuanming’s voice trembled with sobs, “I love you! I gave you everything, including all the secrets of this cave—how can you be so heartless? Do you have no feelings for me at all?”

“You must be joking.”

Meng Tingzhou chuckled, looking at him with disgust.

“How could anyone love a livestock?”