Chapter 272

The tightly packed clouds resembled ever-changing ghostly faces, and the strong winds howled like the sound of a ravenous beast devouring its prey.

It was indeed perfect weather.

Zhou Yimei didn’t make any special preparations.

She simply tidied her slightly disheveled hair, quickly washed her face, and without a second glance, walked out the door.

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As Gu Zhaozhao was packing for her trip to Luan City, she suddenly heard footsteps outside the door.

Thinking it was the maidservant, she kept her head down and continued packing. “What’s the matter?”

Just endure today.

Once today passes and she departs for Luan City with Xie Yu, finally leaving this treacherous place of Chongling behind, Gu Zhaozhao would rise above.

She would become a phoenix.

The wife of the Demon Lord.

Just thinking about these four words made the corners of her mouth curl up uncontrollably.

Truthfully, from the beginning, she never imagined Xie Yu would amount to much.

She only took credit for helping him because he had a pretty face.

Even when he was bruised and emaciated, the boy’s features could make her heart race in an instant.

But Xie Yu had been hopelessly in love with the untouchable Miss Zhou and had never shown the slightest interest in her.

The jealousy that consumed her chest had likely started from that moment.

Zhou Yimei had everything that women desired: stunning beauty, exceptional talent, an impeccable family background, and a multitude of men who were utterly devoted to her.

Gu Zhaozhao was unwilling to accept this.

Even if Xie Yu didn’t love her, she had plenty of ways to make him fall for her.

So she began weaving lies, day after day.

Zhou Yimei felt sorry for Xie Yu, but because of the Zhou family’s watchful eyes, she could only send her maid to deliver medicine and treats to the young slave.

Gu Zhaozhao, taking the basket, would secretly meet him and blush as she told the wary boy, “Don’t be afraid. I specially prepared this ointment for you… Does your wound still hurt?”

Day after day, again and again.

Xie Yu’s gaze towards her grew softer, and sometimes he would mutter to her, wondering why Miss Zhou was always so distant and never came to see him.

Later, when Xie Yu proposed eloping with Zhou Yimei, Gu Zhaozhao wasted no time reporting it.

Miss Zhou was imprisoned, and Xie Yu was beaten within an inch of his life.

She then approached the boy, squeezing out a tear.

“You’re so foolish. How could someone like Miss Zhou ever willingly leave with you? Just this morning, she mocked your incompetence and ignorance… She told everything to the master, and she won’t be coming tonight.”

Xie Yu’s eyes were blood-red, staring at her without blinking.

Gu Zhaozhao continued, “You should leave. If you still remember me someday, come back to Chongling to see me.”

In that instant, the coldness in the boy’s eyes crumbled, replaced by a faint mist of tears.

She knew she had won.

Who could have predicted that Xie Yu would one day become the Demon Lord?

Watching as the once-proud Zhou Yimei plummeted from her pedestal while she herself climbed to the top, standing beside the Demon Lord, the years of jealousy finally evaporated, and Gu Zhaozhao felt an unparalleled joy.

There was only one problem.

Xie Yu seemed to still harbor feelings for Zhou Yimei.

No matter how much he claimed to despise her, his eyes couldn’t lie.

Once they reached Luan City, she could bid farewell to Miss Zhou forever.

Gu Zhaozhao was elated, about to continue packing her things, when she suddenly felt something was wrong.

The person who had just entered the room hadn’t spoken a word and was quietly standing at the door, as if watching her.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly looked up.

What met her eyes was a face she knew all too well.

Zhou Yimei.

Gu Zhaozhao felt a growing sense of dread and instinctively shrank back.

She had lost the courage to speak, stuttering for a while before finally screaming in a broken voice, “What… what do you want?”

She hadn’t forgotten that Zhou Yimei had once been an exceptionally skilled sword cultivator.

But under her encouragement, that sword-wielding right hand had been broken by Xie Yu.

“Don’t you dare try anything! If you hurt me, Xie Yu will never forgive you—where are the guards? Where are the maids? Where have they gone?!”

Zhou Yimei ignored her shouting.

In a flash of white light, a sharp longsword appeared in her hand.

Meng Jue commented softly, “A sword formed from energy—this lady’s cultivation is quite high.”

Looking outside, though it wasn’t yet evening, the sky had already darkened completely.

The clouds gathered into a massive vortex, hanging ominously low as if to swallow all light, leaving only a stifling and monotonous darkness.

And because of this, when the brilliant white sword energy surged like a cascading snow waterfall, illuminating the side of the woman’s face, the murderous intent it outlined seemed as cold and breathtaking as ever.

This woman was insane.

And she was… wielding the sword with her left hand.

Gu Zhaozhao trembled in terror, while Zhou Yimei remained expressionless, looking at her as if she were not a living being but a disgusting piece of trash.

The sword energy hummed. The white-robed sword cultivator stepped forward.

Gu Zhaozhao wanted to plead for mercy, but before she could react, the sword energy slammed into her abdomen, sending a wave of excruciating pain through her body as she coughed up blood.

Zhou Yimei, too lazy to speak further, said in a chilling tone, “Be quiet.”

She didn’t want to hear this woman’s voice.

Gu Zhaozhao, now in tears, wanted to apologize but didn’t dare, trembling uncontrollably as she wept.

The crazed woman with the sword grabbed her by the collar, dragging Gu Zhaozhao outside without any explanation.

How could she dare resist?

She could only follow Zhou Yimei step by step.

The servants and maids in the residence all lay unconscious, making Gu Zhaozhao’s heart pound with terror.

She began to calculate how soon Xie Yu would discover this horrible scene.

Only he could stop this madwoman—

Wait.

Her eyes widened in horror.

The direction Zhou Yimei was dragging her wasn’t anywhere else—it was toward Xie Yu’s bedroom.

She had a vague sense of what was about to happen next.

“No… please, don’t! It was my fault…!”

Instinctively, she tried to beg for mercy, but when she caught a glimpse of the cold expression on Zhou Yimei’s face, she bit down hard and rasped, “Do you really think he’ll believe your lies? Once Xie Yu sees me hurt, he’ll kill you on the spot!”

A smile finally appeared on Zhou Yimei’s otherwise emotionless face.

It was full of mockery, disdain, and doubt, as cold as a blade, as if asking her word by word, “Are you sure?”

Gu Zhaozhao wasn’t sure.

She knew Xie Yu had a special feeling toward Zhou Yimei, a twisted mix of love and hate, the kind that drove people mad.

Then came the sound of the door crashing open.

While she was still reeling from Zhou Yimei’s chilling gaze, the other woman had already kicked down Xie Yu’s door.

Just as she expected, the man inside paused for a moment, not making a move right away.