Chapter 1003

From the perspective of Tang Yaocao's parents, Tang Yaocao herself was merely a tool they created for cultivating spiritual herbs; naturally they wanted to make full use of her.

But they overlooked one point: Tang Yaocao is a person!

She has thoughts, she has feelings, she has experienced familial affection, she longs to be loved.

The more cruelly she was abused, the deeper Tang Yaocao's resentment grew, and the more terrifying her backlash became.

"But also thanks to that sorcerer; if he hadn't proposed that method to capture my soul, my soul would still need some time to break free from the Soul-locking Nail's seal. The sorcerer's mistake was not realizing that I, constantly trapped by the Soul-locking Nail, could cultivate and have already reached the Ghost King realm."

"His series of actions successfully opened a gap in the Soul-locking Nail, giving me an opportunity. That night, my soul attached to the painting; while they fell into dreams, I summoned a hundred ghosts to surround the gate, and in one night, not a single living creature remained in the entire manor, not even a dog."

"Including the sorcerer who was staying in the manor!"

Saying this, Tang Yaocao's tone still brimmed with the joy of revenge.

Xiao Jiu asked, "But you also received the corresponding punishment, right?"

With such a huge killing karma, it's impossible to pass through peacefully.

Tang Yaocao was surprised by Xiao Jiu's perceptiveness; she paused for a while before saying, "Yes, I underwent the Heavenly Tribulation."

She then stubbornly said, "But those few bolts of heavenly thunder were absolutely not a punishment for my revenge; rather, I instantly devoured dozens of souls, my ghost cultivation surged forward, reaching a certain height and thus undergoing the tribulation I was due to face."

Only a ghost would believe her explanation.

Xiao Jiu didn't directly expose her, but asked, "After the tribulation, then what?"

The surrounding ghost qi instantly became much denser.

Xiao Jiu lifted her head and stared straight at the black shadow, feeling its anger.

"Not hard to guess." Xiao Jiu muttered to herself, "Even if you succeeded in the tribulation back then, you must have been seriously injured; otherwise, none of the later events would have happened."

"In my view, although you were a Ghost King then, your form and spirit were unstable; the heavenly thunder split your soul, part sealed by the Buddhist shrine ancient painting, another part recalled and sealed by the Soul-locking Nail. You took revenge, but you lost even more."

"Later, rumors about the Buddhist shrine and ancient painting spread more and more; the soul of yours sealed within them wandered with the shrine and painting until the Seven Halls Yama took notice of you, right?"

By this point, Xiao Jiu had basically figured out Tang Yaocao's entire life, as well as how she met and made a deal with the Seven Halls Yama.

But the details are known only to the Seven Halls Yama and Tang Yaocao themselves.

The black shadow suddenly lunged forward, aiming at Xiao Jiu's neck, and snarled, "Your nonsense is too much!"

Xiao Jiu dodged calmly, slapped a palm toward the black shadow, and Nirvana flames shot out accordingly… then she extinguished them all with a backhand.

Once the recounting of suffering is over, if one still wants to keep probing deeper, it shows a lack of boundaries.

That is practically trampling on the other's sore spot.

So Xiao Jiu anticipated that Tang Yaocao would attack her and promptly launched a counterattack.

Between them there was basically no distance, facing each other closely; the black shadow, formed of ghost qi and resentful qi, ignited at the slightest touch of Nirvana flame.

Xiao Jiu originally had full confidence.

But at the moment she shot out the Nirvana flame, she suddenly realized something… Since the Seven Halls Yama and Tang Yaocao made a deal back then, and it was when Tang Yaocao's soul was separately sealed in different places, their deal must certainly have included a clause to help Tang Yaocao re-merge her soul.

Therefore, the information Hui Moqiong uncovered was that the person who ultimately took away the Buddhist shrine and ancient painting was the Seven Halls Yama.

What method did the Seven Halls Yama use to re-merge Tang Yaocao's separated soul?

And why was Tang Yaocao so certain she would ultimately obtain the Seven Halls Yama's inner elixir?

Without a doubt, Tang Yaocao must be holding the Seven Halls Yama's life gate in her hand!

This is the condition of their deal.

At this moment, Xiao Jiu's use of Nirvana flame to scorch the black shadow, to scorch every second of Tang Yaocao, could very well be consuming the Seven Halls Yama's life!

"Burn it!"

"Why aren't you burning it?"

"Aren't you all that capable? Destroy me!"

Tang Yaocao completely changed from her previous pitiful and hateful reminiscences, becoming extremely arrogant.

"You think I have my present fortune just by luck?"

"No! It's because I have brains!"

The black shadow re-merged.

The counterpart I'm dealing with is none other than the renowned Seven Halls Yama among the Ten Halls of the Nether Realm; his background is incredibly solid, needless for me to say—dealing with someone like him, a single misstep and my soul won't survive the night; if I hadn't kept extra caution, I would have been wiped out countless times already.

Indeed, that's the case.

Since that's the case, Xiao Jiu immediately changed tactics, speaking in a coaxing tone: "Your situation now isn't actually that good; although there's a contract beforehand, the status of the Seven Halls Yama is still there—I'm afraid that when the time comes you might be able to swallow his inner elixir but not digest it, instead bringing trouble upon yourself."

After all, he is the Seven Halls Yama!

His status remains as it is.

Even though he has already arranged everything, wanting to relinquish his position and let Dong Dan take over his post.

But Dong Dan has no intention of actually taking over this post.

At least for now, Dong Zhengqin remains the Seven Halls Yama of the Nether Realm.

If his inner elixir is just swallowed like that by Tang Yaocao, won't the Nether Realm side just stand by and watch?

Even if there is a contract between them, I'm afraid it won't work.

Xiao Jiu's words clearly hit Tang Yaocao's sore spot.

After being stunned for a moment, Tang Yaocao pretended to be indifferent and said, "That's my business; no need for you to worry."

"Tang Yaocao, put down the butcher's knife, turning back is shore." Xiao Jiu said solemnly, "My sister Yu Nian, you should have heard this name? She is not only the revered City God Grandmother in the Chenghuang Temple, but also the Ferry on the Wangchuan River; as long as you agree to terminate the contract with the Seven Halls Yama, I can guarantee to help persuade Yu Nian to personally Ferry you across the Wangchuan River for rebirth."

This is Tang Yaocao's best way out at present.

Unfortunately, Tang Yaocao doesn't think so: "Rebirth? Hah... hahahaha..."

Tang Yaocao laughed as if she had heard the greatest joke, her dark shadow trembling.

"You mean, you want to help me be reborn into this sin-filled world? Do you think this is a great favor to me? How ridiculous!"

"What makes you think this damned world is worth me living through again?!"

I was careless.

The negotiation unexpectedly fell apart just like that.

Xiao Jiu felt a bit regretful.

Yeah, not everyone looks forward to reincarnation and returning to the human world.

For Tang Yaocao, in this life she has already witnessed the utmost evil of the human world; she has been hurt too deeply, too deeply.

Reincarnation, for her, is not a blessing, but a lingering torment…