The man shook his head, lips tightly sealed.
Mu Xi glanced back at Ye Lan, who was watching everything with great interest.
Mu Xi reached out and pinched the man’s chin, forcing his mouth open.
“Resisting will only make your death more painful.” She whispered in the man’s ear, at the same time bringing the Crystal Vial to his lips.
A drop of clear liquid slid down the man’s throat.
He coughed violently, his eyes filled with despair and accusation.
“Well done.” Ye Lan walked over, wrapping her arms around Mu Xi from behind.
“It seems my little pet is more talented than I thought.”
Mu Xi turned to face Ye Lan, returning the vial to her.
“Thank you for your praise, Master.” Mu Xi smiled, though at the same time she was already plotting how to claim this poison for herself without arousing Ye Lan’s suspicion.
The man behind them let out a pained groan, the sound making Mu Xi’s heart ache.
She told herself this was a necessary sacrifice—for her ultimate revenge, to end everything.
Ye Lan kissed Mu Xi on the forehead and said, “You did very well today. You deserve a reward.”
Mu Xi nodded, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
In the days that followed, Mu Xi accompanied Ye Lan to the depths of the Dungeon every day.
The faint light from the oil lamps swayed on the stone walls, stretching and twisting their shadows.
Mu Xi gripped the exquisite Crystal Vial tightly in her hand, the colorless liquid inside shimmering with an eerie blue glow in the dimness.
“Which one will you pick today?” Ye Lan leaned against the damp stone wall, her phoenix eyes flashing with anticipation and cruelty.
Her slender fingers gently stroked Mu Xi’s silver hair, “Does my little pet have her own ideas now?”
Mu Xi bit her lip, her gaze sweeping over each cell.
She deliberately ignored the prisoners’ hopeless stares, pretending not to hear their ragged breaths and faint moans.
These prisoners were originally Ye Lan’s “materials,” used for various experiments and purposes, but once killed by the Tears of Oblivion, they became worthless.
Yet Ye Lan was willing to waste these resources for her.
As long as Mu Xi liked, she could kill whomever she wished.
“That one.” Mu Xi pointed to a cell in the corner, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.
Ye Lan smiled in satisfaction and signaled the guards to open the cell.
“That’s my good girl.” She whispered in Mu Xi’s ear, her warm breath sending a slight shiver down Mu Xi’s spine.
The prisoner was dragged out and tossed to the ground like a rag doll.
Mu Xi stepped forward, looking down at the curled-up figure from above.
Her hand no longer trembled; her movements even carried a certain elegance, as if she were not taking a life but conducting some sacred ritual.
A drop of colorless liquid slid down the prisoner’s throat.
Watching the person’s face contort in pain, Mu Xi felt a strange thrill rise within her, only to be quickly replaced by deep self-loathing.
Because she’d learned from Ye Lan that all those brought into the Dungeon were heinous criminals, not a single one innocent.
Killing them required no guilt.
Ye Lan wrapped her arm around Mu Xi’s slender waist, watching everything with satisfaction.
This was exactly what she wanted—to slowly erase Mu Xi’s purity, to drag her down into the abyss bit by bit.
The Mu Xi who once stood proud above the clouds made Ye Lan love and hate her in equal measure; now, being able to drag her into the same filthy hell, this sense of achievement intoxicated her more than any power or wealth.
“It seems my little pet is getting better and better at this.” Ye Lan kissed the top of Mu Xi’s head and said, “Your expression now is even more beautiful than when you sing.”
Mu Xi forced herself to suppress her inner turmoil, nestling in Ye Lan’s arms.
She silently recorded today’s victim in her mind—the seventh.
For revenge, for survival, she had no choice but to continue this fallen performance.
What scared her most was that she was starting to lose track—was it Ye Lan urging her down this path, or had she begun to enjoy this dark power herself?
Humans, truly, were creatures easily swayed by their environment.
The carefully planned revenge was progressing slowly, and Mu Xi was cautiously cultivating Ye Lan’s trust and dependence.
But changes always came at the least expected moments.
That night, Mu Xi was jolted awake by hurried footsteps.
She quietly got up and peeked through the door crack, seeing Ye Lan answering a call.
Her usual lazy expression darkened instantly, and she hurled a crystal cup to the floor.
“Useless fools!” Ye Lan cursed, hastily gathering her things.
The hem of her black trench coat flared as she moved, and she didn’t even have time to say goodbye to Mu Xi, only leaving behind a cold command: “Stay here. Don’t let me come back and find you gone.”
For several days, Mu Xi saw no sign of Ye Lan.
The atmosphere in the Manor grew heavier, servants hurried about, and the bodyguards whispered among themselves.
Mu Xi keenly sensed this abnormality and began cautiously probing for information.
“Something happened in Wu City.”
One evening, as Mu Xi pretended to stroll in the garden, she overheard two female bodyguards whispering, “Someone killed the acting City Lord while Miss Ye Lan was away and even incited half the people to rebel.”
“Shh, keep your voice down. I heard there were heavy casualties over there, even Miss Ye Lan’s right-hand men were…”
The other bodyguard suddenly stopped talking, noticing Mu Xi’s gaze, and immediately glared back warily.
Mu Xi quickly pretended to admire the flowers, though her heart was pounding wildly.
Wu City was Ye Lan’s most important stronghold.
If something serious had really happened there… perhaps this was her chance to stir things up?
As days passed, the Manor’s atmosphere became even more tense.
Dozens of bodyguards were dispatched for reinforcement, leaving the remaining staff visibly stretched thin, their faces marked by fatigue and vigilance.
Mu Xi carefully weighed her options, but worry gnawed at her.
If Ye Lan’s power was greatly diminished, she might be able to escape; but if Ye Lan was completely defeated, how would the new rulers deal with her, this “pet”?
A week later, news came that full-scale chaos had broken out in Wu City, and several key strongholds had been lost.
The Manor’s steward looked grimmer by the day, constantly glued to his communication devices.
A whole month passed, and there was still no word from Ye Lan.
Everyone in the Manor felt insecure; even the most loyal underlings began secretly packing their belongings.
Mu Xi realized that this once luxurious cage of nightmares was now teetering on the edge of collapse in an unexpected way.
As tension within the Manor mounted, Little An was hurriedly brought back to Mu Xi’s side.
The training program was abruptly halted, and Ye Lan’s steward decided to have her resume her role as Mu Xi’s personal guard.
On Little An’s first day back, Mu Xi noticed the unease and wariness flickering in her eyes—a blend of disappointment from interrupted training and concern over the current situation.
“Little Master, things outside aren’t looking good.” Little An said quietly, her rough little hand unconsciously tightening and relaxing.
“It’s best if you don’t leave the Manor.”
Mu Xi nodded, her long silver hair shimmering softly in the sunlight.
She’d already sensed danger from the countless hints around her.
To protect herself, she decided to rein in her activities and stop exploring as she had before.
During this period, she remained almost entirely inside the Manor, doing her best to avoid the nervous gazes of the bodyguards and servants.
That afternoon, Mu Xi went alone to the fifth floor’s singing practice room.
Pushing open the heavy soundproof door, she found Ling Yue waiting by the Steinway Piano.
The woman in a qipao stood by the piano, her long black hair coiled into an elegant bun, a hint of unusual anxiety between her brows.
“Teacher.” Mu Xi called softly, walking over to Ling Yue.
Ling Yue turned, her limpid autumn-water eyes fixed on Mu Xi, her tone much more hurried than usual, “You’ve seen the situation in the Manor—chaos everywhere, everyone anxious.”
She looked around to make sure no one else was present, then lowered her voice further, “This is the perfect chance for me to take you out.”