Chapter 497: She is considered your biological sister!

This Zen courtyard is hidden behind the magnificent palace ahead, with excellent privacy.

Patrol personnel occasionally pass by.

If it weren't for Gu Yan, I could never have entered the Zen courtyard so smoothly and gotten this close to the Zen room.

There is a small hole in the back window of the Zen room; I don't know if it was accidentally broken or if Gu Yan had tampered with it beforehand.

Through that small hole, I looked toward the direction the sound came from and faintly saw Feng Xianqiu kneeling upright, his side profile.

He had just been slapped, his face turned to the side, yet he stubbornly lifted his eyes to stare at the man standing before him.

And that man was none other than Ti Luan!

I furrowed my brows, instinctively feeling something was off.

The voice I had just heard was clearly not Ti Luan's.

Ti Luan had been flayed, now like a stray dog; how could he possibly appear here, and with such dignity?

Who is this person?

That voice just now…

"I have not defied you," Feng Xianqiu's voice interrupted my thoughts, "The Phoenix Totem acknowledges only the true Phoenix Lord, and the Feng Clan has only one true Phoenix Lord; no matter who she is, she must be firmly kept under our control. I merely did what I was supposed to do; I feel no wrongdoing."

"Qiu'er, my son, you are being foolish!" the man said earnestly, "Your veins carry my blood; how is she not? In this sense, she is your biological sister! How could you…"

"Why not?!" Feng Xianqiu showed no weakness, "I want the Phoenix Lord, not a woman! Even if she were a man, I would still marry him into my family! Don't forget, the yin marriage contract between me and the Phoenix Lord bears your seal! This was something you decided from the start, right?"

At this moment, I felt the whole world had gone mad like Feng Xianqiu.

What did I just hear?

Whose blood flows in my body?

Am I considered Feng Xianqiu's sibling?

What nonsense is this!

Yet Feng Xianqiu's words clearly pleased the man.

The man gently stroked Feng Xianqiu's head, his tone softening: "Qiu'er, among all my children, you are the most like me and the most capable; I will fulfill everything I promised you, once things are accomplished."

But remember, we have waited many, many years for this pure-blooded child, and now success is in sight; even if you truly like that girl, you must not taint this bloodline. In the future… if she survives, you may do as you wish with her, and I will not interfere.

I couldn't hear the rest.

Gu Yan, fearing I could not control my emotions, forcibly pulled me away secretly.

All the way back to my room, she helped me change into a set of ordinary clothes.

My whole body felt icy cold, my stomach churned wave after wave, nauseous, I wanted to vomit!

Those two people just now made me utterly nauseous!

"Xiao Jiu, this has only just begun; if you let a few words knock you down like this, I advise you not to keep thinking about wading into this muddy water—I will find a way to send you away."

Gu Yan's tone was grim and stern.

I lifted my head and stared at her blankly.

I remember.

I remember this stark contrast of hers.

She has managed the Wufu Town teahouse for many years; in the townspeople's eyes, she loves to laugh, is sensual, handles everything with ease, and is versatile and perceptive.

But on the day she confessed to me about the Gu Die incident, she was just like today, her whole body exuding a calm yet restrained lethal aura.

She is born to accomplish great things.

Just one sentence from her steadied my nearly breaking emotions.

I forced myself to take several deep breaths, and my complexion returned to normal.

"Madam, give me some time to think carefully; that person just now was definitely not Ti Luan—I must have seen him somewhere before."

"Xiao Jiu, within the Feng Clan, I am not the teahouse madam of Wufu Town, nor Gu Yan." Gu Yan said solemnly, "My name is Wu Ling; I am a descendant of the sisters who shared the same mother as the Feng Clan's Great Witch and drifted to Xiangxi. Do not doubt my ability—Feng Xianqiu has already verified it."

I looked at her in astonishment and asked seriously, "Are you really that?"

Gu Yan paused, then realized and answered firmly, "I am!"

"Xiao Jiu, perhaps you will find it hard to believe, but my return to Xiangxi has truly been beneficial; I have not only cultivated my own natal worm, but also learned some witchcraft, which is inherited from the Great Witch lineage.

The Great Witch once gave my ancestors a letter, passed down to this day and finally into my hands; the letter repeatedly begged my ancestors that, should the Phoenix Fox Slave ever face trouble one day, they should lend us strong aid."

Gu Yan, no, now she should be called Wu Ling.

Wu Ling took my hand, choking up, "Xiao Jiu, the Great Witch is using this way to atone to you."

My eye sockets instantly reddened.

Actually, I don't hate the Great Witch as much as everyone imagines.

After all, she was merely used.

At the moment she realized her grave mistake, she also atoned with her own actions.

Moreover, during the Phoenix Fox Slave's growth, the Great Witch gave her plenty of love.

If blame must be assigned, it can only be placed on those troublemakers stirring up the winds and clouds!

Before I could speak, Wu Ling gave another shocking piece of news: "I was able to infiltrate the Feng Clan under the name Wu Ling thanks to Tang Xun's help."

Wu Ling is actually an aunt who planted her here?

"She doesn't know my exact identity, but she knows my relationship with you back in Wufu Town." Wu Ling said, "I have been lurking here for a while; the reason Feng Xianqiu suddenly entrusted me with important tasks, aside from my connection to the Great Witch lineage, is that he values my wormcraft—since ancient times, witchcraft and wormcraft are one family; he cannot surpass his superior in witchcraft, so he can only approach through wormcraft."

That's how it is.

"I discovered about a week ago that Feng Xianqiu had hidden a person in the Zen room; fortunately, a week was enough for me to figure out the routes, hiding spots, and the patrol shift intervals there, and I also used a few worms, allowing us to get close for a short while. Feng Xianqiu should be returning soon, Xiao Jiu—even if you despise him, you must absolutely not give yourself away, understand? Feng Xianqiu has ambition; he might be a breakthrough point."

……

Feng Xianqiu ultimately did not come to my room, but sent someone to take Wu Ling away.

I think he, too, is full of pent-up anger with nowhere to vent, and needs Wu Ling to help him devise plans.

I leaned against the head of the bed, utterly unable to fall asleep in this situation.

I kept replaying what Wu Ling had said to me, and in my mind I reenacted the scene we had seen in the meditation room.

Suddenly I realized, I had heard that person's voice somewhere before.

Isn't that the voice of Hēimǎng?!

So… is he Hēimǎng?

Yes, Hēimǎng shed its skin and then took on Ti Luan's skin; that makes sense.

But why did he also say he is Feng Xianqiu's father?

Feng Xianqiu said, that person back then stamped his seal on the netherworld marriage document.

The two seals on the netherworld marriage document were Feng Xianqiu's and Feng Xingzhou's.

Could Hēimǎng be called Feng Xingzhou?

No, more precisely, Feng Xingzhou was one of the names Hēimǎng had used.

He said, among his many children… and I and Feng Xianqiu are both his children.

Feng Xingzhou, should be the name he used when he was my father…