Chapter 23: I Am the Real Exploiter

The last spirit vein transplant caused Lin Qiyou tremendous trouble.

Her body was so weak that she couldn’t even stay conscious for more than an hour, let alone get out of bed.

But this temporary frailty couldn’t imprison her ambitions.

Even while unconscious and immersed in dreams, she had already begun working toward her wish, murmuring:

“I will definitely help you be free…”

It wasn’t until the twelfth day that Lin Qiyou finally got out of bed, miraculously fully recovered, even though just yesterday she was still frequently losing consciousness.

According to the doctors, the spirit vein had fully integrated with her body, completing the final connection.

And this was something Lin Qiyou could fully feel from the voracious appetite that could easily devour over ten bowls of rice, and the energy that made her rush outside immediately after eating.

She now felt she wasn’t alone—that someone else might still be living inside her body.

She ran through the sect like a wild horse breaking free from its reins.

Reaching the back mountain, she summoned her long sword and slashed at the surroundings, fully unleashing her sword energy with all her might despite knowing she would be punished later.

Before long, panting heavily, she saw the ravaged back mountain and the sect’s administrators arriving at the scene.

She didn’t stop and shouted loudly like a noble heir, “My father is so-and-so!” as she continued running.

She desperately wanted to share the good news with Qingmu.

No, perhaps it wasn’t sharing but boasting.

She wanted to show off how powerful she was now, how much stronger she had become since she last defeated Qingmu.

She wanted to flaunt that she was a one-in-a-million genius, and that Qingmu was destined to look up to her.

But it wasn’t really boasting.

She had something even more important to do.

Arriving at Qingmu’s courtyard, she shouted at the house:

“Qingmu! My spirit vein is healed! Don’t you want to talk to me now?”

No response.

“Qingmu! I’m even stronger now, stronger than before!”

Still no response.

A gust of wind swept through the empty courtyard, and as Lin Qiyou pushed her dark hair away, her heart was stirred restlessly by the wind.

Still like this.

Still unwilling to speak?

Lin Qiyou knew Qingmu was home.

The two doctors had said Qingmu secretly came to see her while she was unconscious.

And she herself had felt it—that in the half-dream, half-awake state, she seemed to have seen Qingmu…

So, the lack of response now meant Qingmu still didn’t want to talk.

She had really been foolish—putting in so much effort only to be met with coldness.

Hmph, can’t get angry, can’t get angry!

“Qingmu! Are you trying to challenge me to a duel? Fine, fine!”

Lin Qiyou took two steps back and clapped her hands hard, announcing: “Since you’re like this, then I’ll make a bet with you. If I—if I can fulfill my promise, then you have to kneel and apologize to me. Scold me, beat me, whatever you want. How about that?”

Still no response.

“If you don’t say anything, I’ll take that as agreement.”

Lin Qiyou crossed her arms.

After waiting a few seconds and receiving Qingmu’s silent “consent,” she swung her sleeves and left.

Thinking to herself, Qingmu really doesn’t know what’s good for him.

After Lin Qiyou left, several pairs of watching eyes quietly withdrew.

A little later, Lin Qiyou left the sect, leaving the mess she’d made in the back mountain to her master and saying she would seek help from her father.

Riding a flying spirit beast, Lin Qiyou returned to the Lin family estate the next morning.

Passing through the grand gates and the palace-like courtyard, she asked a servant and headed toward her father’s courtyard.

In the corridor, before reaching the backyard, she heard children talking.

Arriving there, she saw two children about fourteen or fifteen years old—both bearing a striking resemblance to Qingmu.

“What… is this?”

Lin Qiyou was taken aback, understanding who these children were, but the more she understood, the less she understood.

A boy and a girl—they bowed immediately and greeted her respectfully as “Young Miss.”

“Recovered already?”

From a corner of the backyard, the Lin family head appeared with his hands behind his back.

The two children bowed to him upon hearing his voice.

“I know you’ve been investigating these two recently. Yes, they are indeed Qingmu’s younger brother and sister.”

The Lin family head waved at the children, who obediently left.

He then looked at Lin Qiyou, who didn’t know how to respond, and continued:

“You’re wondering why I kept these things from you, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

Lin Qiyou nodded.

“Actually, I made a deal with him a long time ago.

I raised him and his siblings, and in return, he works for me… as a death soldier.

Do you know why death soldiers are called that?”

“Deal? That doesn’t seem right!”

Lin Qiyou shook her head and asked back: “Isn’t it coercion? Using these two children as leverage?”

“Hmm… how many lies do you think I’ve told you?”

“Everything about Qingmu was a lie!”

“No.”

The family head shook his head and pointed at Lin Qiyou.

“It’s your feelings for Qingmu and his feelings for you.

I don’t know if you can feel it now, but isn’t Qingmu a little less important to you than before… before the spirit vein transplant?”

“I don’t understand what you mean. What does the spirit vein transplant have to do with Qingmu?”

Hearing her father’s words, Lin Qiyou suddenly recalled the memories from Qingmu’s perspective she had seen during the last spirit vein transplant.

Why was that?

“Ah… still don’t get it?”

The Lin family head looked indulgent and gave Lin Qiyou a warning:

“Qiyou, you need to understand, not all people are equal in this world.

Some are destined to be on high thrones—like me, like you, like your unborn little sister.

Others are destined to crawl on the ground—like the Lin family servants… like Qingmu.”

The more he spoke, the more uneasy Lin Qiyou felt.

She furrowed her brows, only wanting to hear the main point.

She could tell these words were just the prelude to something.

What was it that he wanted to say?

“Qiyou.”

While she was thinking, the Lin family head had already come before her and patted her shoulder.

“Actually, all the spirit veins inside your body are Qingmu’s.”

“Eh?”

Lin Qiyou was stunned.

Confusion showed clearly on her face; her pupils trembled, her eyelids flickered as she looked toward her smiling father.

“Father, what did you say?”

“I said… making Qingmu a death soldier, letting him apprentice alongside you, so you could live together, was all to help your body better accept his spirit vein.

Raising him was to have him provide you with spirit vein minerals and talent.”

“Haha, hahaha.”

Lin Qiyou burst into laughter and tears at the same time, almost crying from laughing.

She slapped her father’s hand hard and said loudly:

“What are you talking about! You’re killing me with laughter! Qingmu would laugh too, right?”

Lin family head: “…”

“Is this a joke, right?”

A cold sensation swept over her entire body again.

Lin Qiyou’s goosebumps rose all over.

“You mean… my power… my spirit vein… the one I’ve been bragging about in front of Qingmu, promising to free him… is actually Qingmu’s?

I’m the real exploiter?”