Chapter 82: Divine Retribution

"Ruan Qin, Mother is right — you're an ungrateful wolf cub! Mother is dying, and you won't even go home, won't even go back to see Mother off on her final journey!" He looked at the villagers gathered around and shouted loudly: "This heartless one — Mother is nearly dead, and she won't even go back to take one look at her!"

"Aiya, they've already severed ties — plainly speaking, they're no longer family. Why is the Ruan Family still clinging to them?"

"Exactly. Most likely they saw that the Chi Family is prosperous now, with silver and a grand house, and regretted severing ties."

"That old shrew Zhao Huilan has a tough life — how could she possibly be dying?"

Ruan Dong glared fiercely at the people around him, his chest heaving up and down from anger. His eyes darted around, and he simply threw himself on the ground, clutching his chest and shouting nonstop: "They're hitting people, they're hitting people! These black-hearted Chi Family people are going to beat me to death!"

Seeing this, Ruan Qin said angrily: "What are you doing?"

"Anyway, I got hurt at your Chi Family's place. If you don't give me an explanation, I won't leave today. Even if the magistrate comes, I can argue my case! Your Chi Family struck first — ow, it hurts to death, I can't even stand up."

"It's over. The Chi Family has really provoked this rogue and scoundrel now — even if they don't want to pay silver, they'll have no choice."

"Next time they run into him, just chase him off. How could hitting someone be all right? If they really injure him badly and it goes to the authorities, they'll still get flogged."

Hearing everyone say this, the smug look on Ruan Dong's face grew even stronger: "Fifty taels of silver — not one tael less!"

"Fifty taels?" Chi Nan Yi gave a cold laugh. "Even selling you wouldn't be worth fifty taels." The corners of her lips curved slightly as she stepped forward and lowered her voice: "How about this — I beat you to death, and however much silver I'd owe in compensation, I'll pay it to your mother and your younger brother. How does that sound?"

"You-you-you-you… what did you say?" Looking at the ruthless glint in her eyes, Ruan Dong couldn't help but shiver.

The people around hadn't heard what Chi Nan Yi said, but they saw the look of terror on Ruan Dong's face clearly enough.

Chi Nan Yi glanced at the trees in the distance, then stood straight: "You just said I hit you. Do you have evidence? Did anyone see it?"

When she struck, the villagers hadn't yet come over — Chi Nan Yi could confirm she hadn't been discovered.

"The injuries on my body are from you hitting me!"

"Is that so?" Chi Nan Yi said with a smile. "Then do you dare to swear an oath?"

"Swear it, then I'll swear it!"

"Say: if you are lying, you will suffer divine retribution."

Ruan Dong raised his fingers without hesitation: "I, Ruan Dong, swear to Heaven — if I lie, I will suffer divine retribution."

The words had barely fallen when several stones flew through the air out of nowhere, striking Ruan Dong's body heavily.

"Ow, ow! Who? Who's hitting me?" Ruan Dong waved his hands wildly, but those stones seemed to have eyes, hitting him one after another.

"Divine retribution! Divine retribution!" a villager said loudly. "Isn't this divine retribution?"

"Yes, yes, it must be divine retribution! Sure enough, when you do too many bad things, you really will suffer retribution!"

Beaten black and blue, Ruan Dong scrambled to his feet from the ground.

He looked around in terror.

What the hell! These stones were as if they'd fallen from the sky.

Could it be… could there really be divine retribution?

"Heaven watches what people do — it's not that retribution won't come, just that the time hasn't arrived yet." Chi Nan Yi said with a cold laugh: "Now your retribution has come."

He clearly hadn't lied — how could this happen? The injuries on his body were clearly inflicted by Chi Nan Yi, so why was Heaven punishing him instead?

Ruan Dong's face was full of unwillingness, yet he couldn't refute it.

Chi Nan Yi said with a smile: "Still not going to tell the truth? How is your mother doing, exactly?"

Ruan Dong shrank his neck back and said guiltily: "My mother… my mother, she's fine."

As the words fell, the stones actually stopped.

It was simply like a miracle.

"Ow, I said so — Zhao Huilan's life is tough as nails! The Ruan Family's words can't be trusted at all!"

"Good thing the Chi Family girl is sharp, otherwise they really would've been swindled by him."

"And he claimed he was being beaten to death! Look at him, bouncing around full of life!"

Just then, one of the villagers shouted: "The Chi Family has treated us well — we can't just stand by and watch them get bullied!"

With that one sentence, the way the people of Yuping Village looked at Ruan Dong became extremely hostile.

"What… what are you going to do?"

"Grab your tools!"

The villagers who had been working to build their house picked up whatever was handy and charged toward Ruan Dong.

Ruan Dong got a fright and bolted out of the village as fast as he could.

Watching Ruan Dong's wretched state, a trace of coldness flashed through Chi Nan Yi's eyes.

She had thought earlier that after all, they were her sister-in-law's family, so she'd held back — but since they refused to behave themselves and insisted on causing trouble, they truly needed to be taught a proper lesson.

By the time Ruan Dong ran home, the sky was already growing dark. Zhao Huilan stood at the gate and, seeing his figure, hurried to meet him: "Where's that little wretch Ruan Qin? Weren't you supposed to drag her back this time?"

The light was dim, so Zhao Huilan didn't see the bruises on Ruan Dong's face.

"Say something!" Zhao Huilan grabbed Ruan Dong by the wrist, and Ruan Dong cried out in pain.

Zhao Huilan looked carefully and only then noticed something was wrong.

"Eldest son, where did those injuries on your body come from?" Zhao Huilan's eyes widened and she said angrily: "Did the Chi Family people beat you?"

At the mention of this, Ruan Dong let out a shriek, fell to his knees, and kept rubbing his hands together: "I was wrong, I was wrong! I don't dare anymore, I'll never dare again! Lord of Heaven, have mercy, let me go! I was wrong, I was wrong!"

Watching him act as though he'd lost his mind, Zhao Huilan said in panic: "Eldest son, what's wrong with you? Don't scare your mother! Eldest son!"

Ruan Dong seemed unable to hear Zhao Huilan's words — he just kept kowtowing and bowing with his hands clasped, looking for all the world like he'd gone mad.

Ruan Jing heard the commotion and came out, also getting a fright.

"Mother, what's wrong with eldest brother?"

"He's gone mad — your eldest brother has gone mad. He must have picked up some unclean thing. I'll go find the village shaman later to exorcise him. Your eldest brother will surely get better."

At this moment, Yun Shan, standing not far away, gave a cold laugh. Find a shaman? Hmph — even finding an immortal would be useless.

The master had given orders: anyone who schemed against the Chi Family would be killed without exception. Sparing his life today was already showing mercy.

Yun Shan had barely left when Chi Nan Yi stepped out from her spatial realm.

No wonder he's one of Prince Li's men—his strikes are fast, accurate, and ruthless. Along the way, the stones hitting Ruan Dong's body aren't a thousand but eight hundred, each secretly laced with inner force; they strike with pain and viciousness—no wonder he hasn't collapsed yet.

Just beating up Ruan Dong isn't enough? This time, the Ruan family—none of you think about escaping.