Chapter 283: Butterfly Origins, Is She the Old Duke's Biological Daughter?

Zhui Yu couldn't help but glance at Li Qingluo several more times.

Her sharpness and perspective were indeed different from those of ordinary women.

Zhui Yu merely replied: "If my elder sister weren't the sect leader, I certainly wouldn't be alive today; I would have long been purged from the sect and strangled."

"Alright, speaking of this Silk-Drawing Poison."

"This poison is called Silk-Drawing not only because it is refined from over a thousand venomous insects, but also because all those poisoned develop a blue line on their arms."

"The most vicious aspect of this poison is that youths cannot live past the age of thirty."

"For those in their prime, counting from the day of poisoning, they have at most seven years left to live."

"Moreover, this poison affects only men in the world, and anyone poisoned will never be able to produce offspring."

Zhui Yu's words fell, and the room fell silent.

After a moment, Zhui Yu whispered: "If it's... a man who has just turned twenty-nine... does he really have only one year left to live?"

Pei Sanlang: "Years ago, there was a seventh uncle who stayed at our manor; he lived only half a year. He had just passed his thirtieth birthday by a few days when he suddenly collapsed dead at home, with no cause found."

"Furthermore, these past years... our manor has indeed not produced a single descendant."

"So vicious!?"

"It not only affects lifespan, but also reaches the extreme of cruelty regarding offspring."

"Putting it that way, the Pei clan is practically doomed to extinction."

Li Qingluo couldn't help but look toward Pei Sanlang.

Only to see Zhui Yu stride over, grab his arm, roll up his sleeve, and examine it.

His left arm indeed bore a long blue line, extending out of sight.

Old Lady Pei could not accept this result: "Could it be that this poison has no antidote? The Pei clan can only accept this unjust fate, letting others scheme and harm us?"

Li Qingluo: "There must be one. Otherwise, they wouldn't meekly obey Zhui Yu's sister's words, would they?"

Zhui Yu looked at Li Qingluo again.

"You are very clever."

Li Qingluo: "It's not that I'm clever; rather, your words contain too many loopholes."

"The Silk-Drawing poison is likely genuine."

"But you avoid mentioning why your elder sister did this, and how you are dealing with it."

"Moreover, your great-uncle, clinging to life to this day, will surely seek a way to save the Pei clan from annihilation."

"It's up to you whether you speak or stay silent."

The old duke's somewhat cloudy eyes finally settled on Li Qingluo.

He asked: "Are you Xiuzhen's granddaughter?"

Li Qingluo, after receiving Old Lady Pei's permission, stepped forward and paid respects: "Luo'er greets the great-uncle."

The old duke nodded repeatedly: "She's a good child, and she looks fine. Has she been betrothed?"

Old Lady Pei hadn't spoken yet when the perpetually silent Prince Su suddenly opened his mouth.

"How many more young women does the Pei family intend to harm?"

His words carried a double meaning, making one unable not to ponder further.

Old Lady Pei and the old duke both looked toward Prince Su.

The old duke stared for a moment, glanced at Li Qingluo, then at Pei Sanlang, and immediately shook his head with a mournful, regretful expression.

"Ah... it's Sanlang who lacks this fate."

Old Lady Pei then pretended not to understand, hurriedly asking the old duke: "Brother, now that it's come to this, aren't you going to speak clearly?"

"The Pei family is now steeped in sin; only by turning back in time can we be forgiven!"

"Perhaps Prince Su would still consider the Pei clan's ancestors' hard work and merits, as well as your unavoidable difficulties; perhaps there is still room for reversal, and he could leave an opening for the entire Pei household to have a chance at survival!"

"Brother!!"

The old duke said nothing.

Zhui Yu glanced at him, seeing he refused to speak further, and naturally followed his lead.

The two seemed to intend to bury the remaining secrets together in the earth, never to be known by the world.

Li Qingluo suddenly asked: "In Jinling City, besides the great-uncle, is there also another mad-blood illness?"

"Would the death of the blood-gu worm affect her?"

Zhui Yu looked up at the sound: "What are you saying? This, this how could it be possible!?"

Li Qingluo: "Don't you know that the Pei family's dungeon still holds such a person? Moreover, she is a terrifying figure—hair fallen off, body covered in sores, teeth fallen out."

Zhui Yu lunged forward, grabbing Li Qingluo: "Where is she? How is she now? Is she still alive!? Is she——"

Before Li Qingluo could say anything, Old Lady Pei stepped forward, seized Zhui Yu's arm, and flung her aside!

"Outrageous! What do you intend to do?"

Zhui Yu fell flat on her buttocks onto the ground.

She lifted her head, eyes glistening with tears, looking toward Pei Sanlang.

"Sanlang! Is what she said really true!?"

"Didn't you say Gu Li was dead before? Now, is the mad-blood woman she mentioned actually Gu Li?"

"Are you deceiving me?"

Pei Sanlang: "The one who came up with this idea is your elder sister; I merely followed orders."

"Wasn't it you who told me to listen to her in everything, without needing to report every matter to you?"

Pei Sanlang's voice carried a cold hatred; it seemed that at this moment, his deadened heart finally found a hint of satisfaction.

Upon hearing the name "Gu Li," Li Qingluo already had some suspicions in her heart.

"So, her original name was Gu Li? Who exactly is she?"

Zayina's face turned deathly pale, her expression agitated and tearful as she said: "She is my and Pei Lang's daughter…"

"I am a shamaness; having sampled all kinds of poisonous herbs and drugs in my youth, I have long been unsuitable for bearing children."

"Back when I was with Pei Lang, I never even had the thought of wanting my own child."

"But… but after Pei Lang was afflicted with the gu poison, I would have a chance to become a mother…"

"At that time, I thought perhaps this was an opportunity. If this child were born and I used her blood to concoct medicine, could it possibly completely dispel Pei Lang's gu poison without harming his life?"

"I originally had no expectations for her, so I never imagined that during the ten months of carrying her, I would gradually develop a hint of affection for her…"

"After giving birth to Gu Li, things were initially normal. But as she grew up, every time she saw Pei Lang she would burst into tears or become uncontrollably anxious and agitated; later, it wasn't just Pei Lang—whenever any male appeared, her emotions would completely spiral out of control."

"Once she even bit through Pei Lang's finger, grabbed the bleeding spot, and began to suck."

"Only then did I and Pei Lang realize that Gu Li might be affected by the gu poison; she was born with a mad-blood affliction."

"But the difference is, Gu Li does not constantly have flare‑ups; she simply cannot tolerate the presence of the opposite sex."

"To keep her from harming others, to keep her hidden from the world, and also so that when Pei Lang fell ill he would not hurt her, I placed her in… that dungeon."

"She has been locked up since she was one year old in a place where she never sees daylight, year after year… truly pitiful!"

"At first I visited her every day, then only once a month… later, I couldn't bear to see her weeping and begging me to take her out to look at the outside world… I… I thus visited her even less."

"She is a pitiful child; indeed, I and Pei Lang have failed her… wuu wuu wuu…"

Zayina covered her face and burst into silent sobs.

Pei Lao Furen looked at Li Qingluo in astonishment.

She obviously already knew in her heart who this Gu Li was.

Li Qingluo nodded at her grandmother.

Indeed, the facts were exactly as I had thought: Hudie is Gu Li, the daughter of the Old Marquis and Zayina, and my grandmother's niece.

Zayina did not know about the exchange of expressions between the two of them, and continued weeping as she said: "Five years ago, when my elder sister found me, she told me she had gone to the dungeon to see Gu Li."

Because at that time I had already been affected by Pei Lang, often having difficulty moving. So my elder sister said… said that Gu Li had been locked up and gone mad, and had suffered a serious illness and died; I was powerless, and even unable to go see her in person!

I asked San Lang, and he did not deny it, so I believed it!

So it turns out Gu Li didn't die. She really isn't dead?

But… but how could she become what Luoluo described—teeth fallen out, hair gone, horrifying appearance, covered in sores?!

San Lang, what on earth is going on?!

Zayina seemed unable to bear it, stumbling to her feet and rushing toward Pei San Lang to demand an explanation.

Seeing this, the Old Marquis broke out in sweat and shouted: "Zayina! Come back—"

Only then did Zayina halt her steps.

She turned her head, looked resentfully at the Old Marquis, and said: "Pei Lang, are you still going to protect San Lang? That is also your own flesh and blood, your daughter!!"

Shouldn't I get to the bottom of this?

The Old Marquis coughed heavily a few times: "I know, don't rush… come back!"

Zayina stood where she was, unmoving.

She simply stared blankly, tears streaming down.

These past few years she has almost always been lying down, unable to move.

Yet her mind has remained perfectly clear at all times.

She recalled her life, and what she thought of most was still Gu Li.

That is her only flesh and blood in this world…

What has she done to her?

Even during the years she grew up, she never properly held her, never loved her.

Just because she was born with that strange illness, she has always despised her own daughter in her heart!

But that illness, after all, is also because of her and Pei Lang—she is suffering this fate from birth because of them!

They, as shamans, ought not to have feelings.

If they do have feelings, they will continually erode the conscience they have painstakingly cultivated…

Only when a person is utterly wicked will they not give rise to feelings that harm themselves.

Zayina shook her head: "Pei Lang, if Gu Li is not dead, then I will no longer obey you."

Pei Lao Guogong flared up in anger: "What do you intend to do?!"

But Zayina first asked Pei San Lang: "I'm asking you again—will you speak or not?! What have you done to Gu Li?!"

She lifted her foot and walked outward.

Seeing this, the Old Marquis immediately shouted: "Zayina—!"

San Lang, aren't you going to tell her the truth?!

San Lang!

In his fury, the Old Marquis broke into another fit of violent coughing, even turning his head and spitting out a mouthful of black blood.

He had been overcome by anger and anxiety…

But Zayina seemed not to have heard his movements at all, her gaze cold as she continued walking toward Pei San Lang.

Behind him, the Old Marquis was again being frantically treated by Luo Shenyi and Doctor Du.

Pei San Lang, seeing that killing intent had already stirred in her eyes, then gave a "haha" laugh.

What you should hate is not me.

It is your elder sister who said, your daughter is an innate poisonous body, the finest medicinal ingredient in the world, and also the ultimate mother gu.

So she personally used your daughter's teeth, hair, even flesh, to concoct many strange pills and even gu poison techniques.

"She also said, 'Your daughter is a freak, so there's no need to treat her as a person; just lock her up casually among those piles of corpses, give her a meal every few days, and let her live or die as she may.'"

Zayinna, hearing this, had already gone mad.

She, like a madwoman, totally collapsed, raised her hand and struck Pei Sanlang.

"She is my own older sister, why would she treat me like this, why—"