Chapter 1 — When the Green Tea Meets a Dark Lotus

On the day of the grand wedding, the scarlet decorations stretched for ten miles, victory banners fluttered in the wind, and firecrackers roared incessantly. Yet, standing atop the high perimeter wall against the bitter gale was a barefoot young maiden. In her hands, she held a bleached, bone-white flute, piping out a soul-shattering, baleful melody. Like a descending spirit bird, she hurled herself straight down toward the bridal hall. Amidst a flurry of scattered flower petals, she blew forth a surging, blood-red wave of poisonous mist directly toward me.

Shen, with your peerless countenance that could topple kingdoms and cities, if you were to turn into a heap of withered bones and rotting flesh, I wonder if any of the wedding guests would dare spare you even a single glance?

In my past life, the moment that crimson vapor brushed against my skin, a freezing numbness settled in, instantly followed by an excruciating pain as if a myriad of ants were gnawing at my flesh. In less than the span of an incense stick, my face was covered in a web of crimson threads, and foul-smelling pus mixed with dark blood streamed down profusely. As for the man I had revered like a living god, Xie Heng, the look of stunned adoration in his eyes transformed in an instant into utter revulsion. He discarded me like worthless trash into a damp, desolate courtyard, leaving my festering wounds to breed maggots. For the sake of the Xie family, I had emptied out my entire dowry and bowed my head in servitude to my parents-in-law, only to discover later that the barefoot maiden, Liu Yiyi, was being kept by him in a lavish, secluded chamber, sharing intimate nights of endless passion with him. So this was the truth—my disfigurement was merely designed to shatter my self-esteem, to make me loath my own reflection, and to willingly transform me into a devoted, tireless puppet who earned wealth for the Xie clan. When I finally risked everything to demand justice, Xie Heng personally sealed the doors shut and set the room ablaze with a single torch.

Looking like a demonic ghost in this state, your very existence is terrifying; it would be far better for you to perish cleanly, at least preserving whatever shred of virtue you have left!

The raging inferno climbed into the sky, my skin and flesh reduced to cinders, the agony carved deep into my bones. I refused to accept this! I harbored endless resentment! When I opened my eyes once more, the deafening sound of wedding horns filled the air, and crimson silks billowed before my vision. That lethal, bone-white flute melody once again tore through the joyous festive music, and the petite silhouette of Liu Yiyi leaped down from the courtyard wall just as she had before. Her cheeks puffed out as she released a toxic crimson vapor that flicked its tongue like a venomous serpent, lunging straight toward me. In that split second, my gaze turned glacial. I spun around and firmly seized Xie Heng by my side—the very man who was preparing to feign terror—and used every ounce of my strength to yank him directly in front of me as a shield!

Husband, be careful! There are assassins!

My cry was piercingly shrill, yet sounded utterly sincere.

Aaaah—!

The agonizing scream instantly drowned out the music of the wedding celebration. This time, that torrent of toxic mist struck Xie Heng squarely in the face. The person rolling on the ground, clutching his face in unbearable torment, was none other than Xie Heng.

The sudden turn of events left the entire banquet hall frozen in dead silence. Liu Yiyi’s landing posture grew rigid, and she watched in blank, panic-stricken horror as Xie Heng writhed on the floor. I knew then with absolute certainty that I had truly been reborn. Gazing at the black blood seeping through Xie Heng’s fingers, along with the web of crimson threads spreading from his face down to his neck at a rate visible to the naked eye, a fierce sense of vindication grew within my heart like untamed wild grass. In my previous life, while I suffered a pain worse than death, Xie Heng had held Liu Yiyi in his arms, gently soothing her supposed fright. In this life, I wanted to see whether he would still maintain such deep affection now that the flesh-ripping agony had fallen upon him. Xie Heng’s traditionally refined and handsome face was now swollen like a pig’s head, with red welts writhing beneath his skin like living creatures. Seeing the catastrophe she had caused, Liu Yiyi turned deathly pale, instinctively retreating a few steps before pivoting around to flee using her lightness skills. Although Xie Heng’s mind was clouded by agony, he caught sight of that familiar figure attempting to escape. In utter desperation, he stretched out his hand toward empty air in Liu Yiyi’s direction:

Yiyi… do not leave… save me… it hurts so much…!

That single cry of Yiyi was steeped in profound attachment, yet it also completely tore away the hypocritical facade the Xie family had maintained for so long. The guests exchanged glances in disbelief, and murmurs began to swell like a rising tide. Maintaining a completely expressionless face, I raised my hand and fiercely ripped off the heavy phoenix coronet adorned with nine golden birds resting upon my head, hurling it ruthlessly onto the ground before Xie Heng.

With a crisp crash, the precious jade shattered into golden fragments, scattering everywhere.

Xie Heng, you truly do share an intimate acquaintance with that monstrous woman!

My voice was as cold as frost, echoing sharply throughout the bridal hall.

On the day of our marriage, a concubine brazenly launches a murderous attack, yet you call out her name with such intimate affection. Such a prestigious household as the Xie family is far too high for someone of my status to scale!

At that moment, the mother of Xie, Madam Qin, finally snapped back to her senses. Upon seeing her son half-man and half-demon, she let out a harrowing shriek and lunged forward to embrace him. Xie Wan grew so terrified she trembled violently, pointing a shaking finger at me while desperately trying to put on a ferocious front.

Shen Qingzhu! You vicious woman! It was clearly targeted at you; why on earth did you drag my older brother into suffering this disaster?!

I cast a frigid glance at her, my eyes as sharp as daggers.

Your words as a younger sister are utterly ridiculous. I am merely a fragile maiden, and when faced with mortal danger and sheer terror, my instinctive reaction was to grasp at the only available support. Yet your brother is a strapping man of seven feet, who usually boasts endlessly of his formidable martial arts prowess—how is it that he cannot even protect a delicate woman?

Furthermore— I pointed directly at Liu Yiyi, who was attempting to slip away— that poison is known as the Crimson Fate Tribulation. Whoever falls victim to it will have their appearance utterly ruined and their flesh rot away inch by inch. If there were not a deep, irreconcilable grudge, who would inflict such a merciless blow? Now retribution has struck without fail, landing squarely upon Xie Heng’s face; it must be that the heavens themselves found him sickening and wished to make him taste the bitter fruit of his own evil deeds!

As Xie Heng convulsed all over from the excruciating pain, hearing the words ruined appearance caused his entire body to shudder violently. He shot a glare filled with venomous hatred toward me:

Shen Qingzhu… you did this on purpose… you planned this!

Standing aloft, I looked down upon him from above, the corners of my lips curling into a mocking smile. Indeed, I did it on purpose. But my intention was precisely to leave you without a single word of defense, to strip away every shred of your dignity in front of this gathered crowd, and to ruin your reputation utterly!