Volume One, Chapter 16: The Sorcerer

Ten days ago, she had fallen into a coma because of that curse. The Yun family’s alchemist had said that only a blood transfusion could save her. Yet now, without having received one, she appeared as if nothing had happened, which left everyone deeply perplexed.

Yun Zhaojun looked at the crowd with eyes full of complexity and sighed softly, taking Zhaoyan’s hand. “It was my second sister who helped me detoxify last night and also broke the binding on my body. That’s why I woke up.”

It was only last night that she discovered everything had been orchestrated by the national master Ji Heng. Though her body was cursed with the bloodthirst curse, it shouldn’t have caused her to fall into an unending slumber. It was the national master who had placed a binding inside her, which trapped her in that deep sleep.

That binding also fully triggered the bloodthirst curse.

But from Zhaoyan, she also learned that a protective binding had been placed on her heart—one that had been set eighteen years ago.

It was clear from the start that he had schemed against the two sisters.

A sharp pain gripped Yun Zhaojun’s heart—not only for her sister, who had suffered so much on her behalf and nearly lost her life, but also for the man she had trusted so deeply, only to realize she had been nothing more than a pawn in his game.

The crowd exchanged incredulous glances upon hearing Yun Zhaojun’s words. That Zhaoyan could break the bloodthirst curse without a blood transfusion stunned them all. Yun Wuhen’s breath caught; so she had known all along. She had known!

Madam Yun staggered a few steps, barely able to steady herself, whispering to herself, “How could there be a binding on Jun’er?”

“If the national master hadn’t placed that binding, why would you have been so eager to bring me back to the Yun family?” Zhaoyan’s voice was cold, her gaze toward Madam Yun utterly indifferent, as if looking at a stranger.

“So when did you find out about all this?” Yun Wuhen, more composed than Madam Yun, asked Zhaoyan.

“As I said earlier, I knew from the start that you all had ulterior motives. I just didn’t know what they were. Until I was confined in the Falling Moon Pavilion, guarded by two maids and eight Spirit Kings in hiding, while I, a powerless invalid, was left alone—don’t you think that’s an overreaction?”

“I tested Madam Yun several times. Whenever I mentioned my sister, she kept silent. I began to suspect that your intention in bringing me back had something to do with her.”

When Madam Yun heard Zhaoyan call her “Madam Yun” instead of “Mother,” a sharp pain tore at her heart. She knew she deserved all this retribution and could blame no one else.

“That day, Mo Chenlan came looking for you, but you didn’t believe him,” Yun Wuhen said, her voice trembling with shock. “Why did you hide the fact you could cultivate from us?”

Zhaoyan was taken aback. “Hide it from you? May I ask, did any of you ever ask me once?”

Yun Wuhen was speechless; indeed, they had never asked. They had blindly believed the national master’s words. If Zhaoyan could cultivate, the evil energy within her would have affected Jun’er’s phoenix fate. So, at birth, the national master sealed her spiritual bones, and they had assumed she was incapable of cultivation.

This brought Madam Yun back to the matter of the Heavenly Spirit Pill two days ago.

“When we gave you the Heavenly Spirit Pill that day, why did it have no effect on you?”

“Do you still believe that was the Heavenly Spirit Pill?” Zhaoyan looked at them as if they were fools.

Yun Wuhen and Yun Wuhen’s heart sank, sensing something amiss. It wasn’t the Heavenly Spirit Pill?

The national master had clearly said that once Zhaoyan took the Heavenly Spirit Pill, the seal on her spiritual bones would be broken, purifying the impurities in her body. It would also have been beneficial for Yun Zhaojun, who needed a blood transfusion.

“That was the Bloodthirst Pill. Even a Spiritual Emperor who takes it would become a powerless invalid within two days,” said Jia Lan, the head of the Jialan Institute, who had been nearby and now spoke in shock.

Hearing this, Yun Wuhen felt her heart drop. If she didn’t realize this now, she would be a fool.

The national master had known from the start that Zhaoyan could cultivate, which was why he disguised the Bloodthirst Pill as a Heavenly Spirit Pill and made her consume it.

But she couldn’t understand—if Zhaoyan was not a waste, and a blood transfusion was the only way to save Jun’er, why would the national master go to such lengths to destroy Zhaoyan’s cultivation?

Mo Chenlan’s words flashed through Yun Wuhen’s mind. Could it be that the Yun family truly possessed something the national master desired? What was that thing?

Yun Wuhen’s gaze settled on the two daughters. The entire matter revolved around Jun’er and Zhaoyan. Could that thing be on the two sisters?

“Zhaoyan, since you knew it was the Bloodthirst Pill, why did you choose to take it instead of telling us the truth?” Madam Yun’s heart was a tumult of sorrow and joy. She tried to reach out and grasp Zhaoyan, but Zhaoyan stepped back several paces, evading her touch. Madam Yun froze, a flicker of sadness flashing in her eyes.

“If I told you, would you believe me? If I hadn’t lured out this big fish, you would have forever labeled me the bringer of misfortune, and my life would never be safe,” Zhaoyan said coldly, glancing around at everyone present.

Her gaze finally settled on Yun Chu. Yun Chu’s body trembled, the fierce anger she once bore dissipated, and silently, she lowered her head.

The crowd’s eyes gradually cleared. So, the saintess was not harmed by evil energy but had been framed and exploited by the national master, which had caused her coma.

Yet they could not understand why the national master had plotted against a powerless girl abandoned in the countryside for eighteen years.

Of course, no one knew Zhaoyan could cultivate before the second young lady struck back.

Some still refused to believe that the revered national master could be so unscrupulous—among them was the Human Emperor himself.

“What about the strange phenomenon in the sky?” he asked.

“It was just a slight ruse. You actually believed it?” Zhaoyan curled her lips, her eyes full of scorn.

The veins bulged on the Human Emperor’s neck upon hearing this. He could not believe he had been deceived by a villain and even appointed him as national master in the palace.

Next to him, the crown prince, Beilinghe, regarded Zhaoyan with inquisitive, phoenix-like eyes. How had she hidden her ability to cultivate from everyone present?

The square erupted in chaos. Those who had once trusted the national master instantly turned against him. The entire affair was his design. He had deceived not only the Yun family but the entire Four Star Continent.

For a hundred years, countless twin children had been forced apart, and countless innocents had died under the weight of baseless accusations.

But they did not know that when an avalanche falls, no snowflake is innocent. If the national master was the butcher, then they were the ones handing him the knife.

Everyone looked up at the two figures still locked in battle in the sky, their eyes filled with rage.

“Why would the national master do this?” someone asked.

“What national master? He’s clearly a sorcerer. Sorcerers only deal in things hidden in darkness,” came the voices in agreement.

Those who had once revered the national master now wished they could kick him again and again.

“Fortunately, the people of Snow Domain City exposed him this time, or who knows how many more would have suffered.”

“Yes.”

At that moment, a wave of oppressive energy swept over the crowd again. Their eyes followed the two combatants as they rapidly descended toward the ground.

Everyone gasped, unable to imagine the immense impact their collision would cause.

“Get out of the way!”