Zi Yao toiled for centuries, all so that Xinzi could benefit from her struggles. Of course, in her mind, it was the Bloodstone Patriarch that robbed her of all she'd been working for. Her hatred for the man behind that mask knew absolutely no limit, and bloodshot, her eyes peered into his. From within Zi Yao's soul, Yuemi too studied the Bloodstone Patriarch, wondering why he showed such interest in Zi Yao.
'What does he want? Her devotion and cunt?' A fair question. After all, if not for coital matters, why would a patriarch of the demonic path hold a gorgeous monstress captive in a cave? And it wasn't like the man didn't make his thirst for Zi Yao's body and soul clear. However, Yuemi could sense that the Bloodstone Patriarch wanted more than just that. That he aimed to worm his way into Zi Yao's soul and break it from the inside.
His next move would prove Yuemi right.
"Thank you for not only sharing your plans with me but also giving me an army of loyal abominations and the tools to benefit from your work. For now, I have to go handle your relatives in the nearby cave room. I will come back to harvest your cultivation and enslave your soul, but first, I have to show you something.
Xinzi raised his right hand, summoning a copper recording mirror that showcased the cynical verbal fight that Hanxing and Guang Fanghu were currently going through.
"Dong Wei, my sincere congratulations. Your wife tricked us both and brought her Evil Blood Tree project to near completion. Every single one of her abominations is at least at Golden Core level. And she has tens of thousands of them. Surely, you must feel blessed for having had the privilege of marrying such an outstanding slut."
"Congratulations? Blessed? I should be the one telling you that. All these years, I turned a blind eye to her evil, yet deep down I've always known that she is an unredeemable monster—willing to sacrifice love and kin all for the sake of power. I can't understand why it took me so long to wake up. Why until now I couldn't accept that that monster of a wife, would never treasure my heart.
Like master, like disciple. You should be proud. You raised...a marvelous disciple." Still rattled by what he saw, Guang Fanghu clapped back. Though the Yang Patriarch had always known about Zi Yao's project and even criticized it during the Dark Moon Cult invasion, he never actually saw the things she created, trying to avoid reality as much as possible.
Guang Fanghu was no righteous cultivator. For his sect, family and clan's benefit, he could commit many wrongdoings. However, unlike the likes of Hanxing and Zi Yao, Guang Fanghu had a clear bottom line. No amount of power and benefit could justify the things he'd seen, and the blood rivers they likely built on.
Disgusted and disappointed, in both Zi Yao and himself, the Yang Patriarch lowered his head—unable to comprehend why, in spite of all this, he couldn't stop loving her. He had to stop, if only to make sure that, should it ever come to that point...he could kill her for his daughter.
'She is an unredeemable monster—willing to sacrifice love and kin all for the sake of power.'
'That monster of a wife would never treasure my heart.'
'Like master, like disciple.' The scene replayed before Zi Yao, and the words repeated in her mind. Her eyes stretched to the limit, trembling as they turned red, and her body shook uncontrollably.
Pink Klesha Haze surged out of Xinzi's body, cramming Zi Yao's jail, and bamboozling her senses.
'Wait for me, Yao'er. This little gift will give your soul no end of entertainment. Hope you enjoy it, aware that when I return, I will have something else for you.' Xinzi would naturally not use the Klesha Avatar to harvest Zi Yao. Hell, he didn't even plan to harvest her at all. But he had to make her believe that he would, so that his final play could have the intended effect.
The haze blurred Zi Yao's eyes, seeped into her pores, and dragged her into a world of degrading torture and illusions.
'What a stroke of bad luck. It had be a Klesha Demon Noble!' Yuemi sighed in exasperation. The conflict between Evil and Divine prevented her from freely doping Zi Yao's body with Divine Power, and with the wound inflicted by Xinzi's Diabolic Shard, Zi Yao was entirely helpless to the illusions the Klesha Haze was putting her through.
Little by little, her mental fortitude would break down—damaging her Dao Heart, and leaving her at the mercy of the Bloodstone Patriarch.
On this one, Yuemi had to admit that, unless some miracle came into play, Zi Yao was doomed. That in itself was no big deal. But without the Yin Matriarch, how could Yuemi keep tabs on her Zhen'er? The Klesha Haze's impact on Zi Yao affected Yuemi as well, making her face her own lot of mental torture.
'Oh well, let's suffer.'
...
Meanwhile, in another cave room, the castrated Hanxing spewed his venom, his voice taking a shrill, high pitch tone as he barked at both Guang Fanghu and Zi Feng.
"Guang Fanghu, you feckless henpecked nuisance! If not because you couldn't control your wife, how could I suffer this humiliation? And to think that I spent all these years raising and protecting you in my brother's stead! If not for me, could you have occupied the sect master seat so steadily? And how did you repay me? DAMN YOU!"
"And you...you! Good for nothing slut! Slut one day, slut all day! Ziyun, the grave is the only place you deserve. Why did you refuse to stay put—to go away?! Why did you have to stick around and give me more trouble?! It's because of you! All because of you!"
In a rhythmic manner, Hanxing hurled profanities at both Guang Fanghu and Zi Feng, who lowered their heads, avoiding eye contact. For half an hour, this went on. At times, Hanxing would gasp for breath, then his veins would pulse on his forehead, his eyes redden, and he'd regain his energy, abusing nephew and guardian with all possible verbal slander.
"My name...isn't Ziyun." At last, Zi Feng had enough, clenched her fists, and rejected the Ziyun identity that Hanxing and the late elder's lingering emotions had forced upon her.
At that time, Xinzi swaggered in, carrying a plate with three warm teacups. Underneath his mask, a smile stretched his lips.
"I agree," Xinzi said, and stopped by Zi Feng's side, facing Hanxing with soul-crushing momentum.
