Chapter 33: True Form

The Holy Maiden suddenly realized she had made a mistake.

Xu Yuan could not be invulnerable all over his body—during the battle by the Plum Blossom Pool yesterday, he had not displayed such an ability at all.

The Holy Maiden secretly hated herself for missing a "good opportunity."

The instant the maid died, the Holy Maiden's rage shot from her heels straight to the crown of her head; her whole body tensed, and without hesitation, she lunged at Xu Yuan.

A small knife in her right hand, a hammer in her left!

Xu Yuan sneered and flicked his wrist, tossing out a small bamboo cage.

"You are also an Artificer Cultivator; test your quality and see if you can dismantle this Artificer creation!"

Though Xu Yuan spoke thus, he knew very well in his heart that the Holy Maiden lacked the skill to dismantle the Stepmother's bamboo cage.

Instantly, the Holy Maiden felt a surge of competitiveness; the small knife and hammer in her hands happened to be her "Artificer Tools," the so-called Artificer Tools being the implements an Artificer uses to craft other creations.

Under normal circumstances, Artificer Tools are exceptionally precious; to ensure "precision," they are not brought out for combat.

But the Holy Maiden had nothing else left.

With the two Artificer Tools in hand, the Holy Maiden's confidence soared; she immediately charged headlong at the bamboo cage.

The bamboo cage expanded rapidly; the Holy Maiden's hands fluttered, drawing trails of afterimages in their speed, and she began dismantling the cage.

Her Artificer talent was truly high; after contending with the cage for a long while, the cage had only enveloped her upper body.

Moreover, it had not yet contracted to lock her in.

But on the Holy Maiden's forehead, beads of cold sweat rolled down one by one.

She had struggled to dismantle it for so long, yet had caused no damage to the bamboo cage whatsoever.

The Holy Maiden knew she lacked the skill; a gust of wind from Shanfeng blew, the cold sweat steamed away, and she instantly calmed down:

"Why did I foolishly go to dismantle some Artificer creation?"

"How utterly stupid!"

"Just as stupid as when I inexplicably retreated in fright after he grabbed the crossbow bolt!"

The Holy Maiden sensed something was wrong; I had clearly set up a "stall," and within the stall's range, all rules were dictated by me; I was virtually invincible. Why did I rush out to dismantle some Artificer creation?

In the unseen, some force had been influencing her to make various wrong choices.

The Holy Maiden came to her senses and wanted to return to her own "stall," but the moment she moved her foot, she stepped into a trap.

A real trap.

Xu Yuan had tied a noose under her feet at some point; the Holy Maiden stepped right into it—when choosing whether to step with her left foot or her right, she made another wrong choice!

Xu Yuan yanked swiftly, binding one of the Holy Maiden's feet.

The Holy Maiden stood firm, refusing to be dragged away; the rope tightened more and more. Xu Yuan could not pull her, and she could not return to the stall.

As both sides remained locked in this stalemate, a short sword circled and danced endlessly around the Holy Maiden; the Holy Maiden had to divert part of her attention to guard against Xu Yuan suddenly striking her with a sword.

After holding out for half an incense stick's time, the Holy Maiden's defenses collapsed both above and below.

The bamboo cage descended over her head; Xu Yuan pulled the rope, dragging her far away from the stall.

Bamboo slivers pierced into her body; her hands were locked by the slivers, and the small knife and hammer could no longer be wielded.

Xu Yuan, unable to wait, used his gloved hand to seize the small knife and wrested it from the Holy Maiden's grasp.

Xu Yuan had never possessed a suitable weapon; this small knife looked exactly like a treasure of mine that had been lost outside.

Blood gushed from the various wounds on the Holy Maiden's body; her face turned deathly pale, making her appear weak and helpless, pitiful to behold.

She looked at Xu Yuan pitifully, her large eyes glistening and wet, like a little deer that had accidentally fallen into a trap.

"Please, please, do not kill me, okay?"

"You have rope; you can tie me up. I will not resist again."

"You can do whatever you want."

"I will be very obedient, very cooperative with you."

The only technique she could still employ was the "All-Enchanting Method."

She had purchased this at an exorbitant price from another Law Cultivator who specialized in the All-Enchanting Method, using her "Merchant Arts."

Law Cultivators generally cultivate only one method, but Merchant Cultivators can cultivate multiple methods by means of "purchase."

However, after that Law Cultivator sold the "All-Enchanting Method," he became an ordinary person, was hunted down by numerous enemies, and his entire family was exterminated.

Xu Yuan disdainfully made a "tsk" sound and said, "Seeking you is no better than seeking the Widow Yang at the south street corner."

The Holy Maiden's blood and qi churned, and rage burned in her heart; this lowly fellow actually dared to say she was inferior to a half-open-door woman!

An unparalleled humiliation!

Only I may look down on you; how dare you scorn me!

But now she could not lose her temper; not only could she not lose her temper, she had to curry favor with him. As long as she could survive, she would soon devour this fellow, skin and bone!

Within the All-Enchanting Method lies the "Bone-Eroding, Gold-Dissolving Great Joy Technique."

"Little brother..." The Holy Maiden's voice was coquettish and innocent; her waist twisted, and her shoulder garments brushed against the bamboo strips and fell away. In her eyes, it seemed water was about to drip out: "Whatever tricks Widow Yang knows, I can learn them all for you..."

The short sword in Xu Yuan's hand had already pierced her neck.

The words the Holy Maiden had not yet finished speaking were all stuck in her throat.

Blood poured directly into her windpipe; she convulsed painfully a few times, but could only emit a series of "uh-uh" sounds unwillingly, then glared with wide eyes, her body stiffened, and she died.

The instant she drew her last breath, some force withdrew, and her beautiful, enchanting body swelled up like a puff of air.

Her waist, once slender enough to be held in one hand, became as thick as a water vat.

Her slender, long legs, like chopsticks, turned into two round, elephant legs.

Her fingers were as thick as carrots; her feet were comparable to pig trotters.

Her hair was withered and yellow; her nose was flat; her face was a large plate; her thick lips were everted; her face was covered in liver spots...

Fat, stupid, and ugly!

All the beauty was an effect of the City-Toppling Art.

Her gluttony and lack of restraint were her true nature—she had deceived outsiders and even the Holy Aunt herself.

……

In Qihetai Town, at the Liu Family Village Liquor Distillery, Ah Guang had returned yesterday afternoon and immediately noticed something was wrong with his master, Liu Laoguan, and his wife.

From yesterday to today, his master had been relentlessly teaching him the secret recipe for brewing distilled liquor, as if desperate to cram a lifetime of experience into his mind all at once.

His mistress said nothing, but last night she made him white rice without any bran, then sewed him a whole new set of clothes through the night. This morning, she forced him to try them on, then steamed him rice cakes for breakfast.

Lunch was even more luxurious—it was meat braised in lees!

Not long after finishing lunch, his master handed him the final secret, then sighed deeply: "Thank heavens we made it in time…"

After saying those words, Liu Laoguan suddenly spurted two streams of blood from his eyes; his eyeballs exploded seven feet away, and he screamed in agony before fainting.

Ah Guang was terrified: "Master!"

Immediately inside the inner room came the sound of something falling; Ah Guang rushed in and saw his mistress, too—both her eyes were now only two bloody hollows, just like her husband's!

Ah Guang, terrified and bewildered, stammered: "W-What on earth is going on?"

(End of Chapter)