The most useless spiritual root at the beginning, I just want to play badly

A hint of threat flashed in her eyes, as if she was ready to strike back at any moment. However, Lin Changan remained unmoved. His aura was as steady as a rock. He said coldly, "Do you think I'm afraid of you?"

The corner of the red-dressed woman's mouth twitched, as if she was suppressed by Lin Changan's demeanor, but she couldn't help but sneer again: "Do you think you can defeat me by yourself? You are wrong."

Lin Changan's eyes darkened. He knew that there must be a more complicated force behind her plotting secretly.

The woman in red's breathing became rapid, her eyes hazy from the elixir's effects. Her strength gradually returned, but Lin Chang'an forcibly restrained her movements. After a moment, a flicker of despair crossed her eyes. Finally, she lowered her head and said coldly, "Do you...really want to know my past?"

Lin Changan frowned slightly. Although he could guess something, he still did not let his guard down: "If you want to live, you'd better tell the truth."

The woman in red was silent for a moment, seemingly struggling with her inner thoughts. Finally, she recounted her painful past, word for word: "I was originally just an orphan with no one to rely on, named Gu Er. Back then, life wasn't cruel to me. Until one day, I met a kind-hearted villager who adopted me and gave me a home. That's when I realized there are warm places in the world."

Her voice deepened, as if the memory of that tender time still stirred within her. She paused, took a deep breath, and continued, "But soon after I grew up, a few people broke into our village. They claimed to be noble people and said they could give me a good life. Upon hearing this, my adoptive parents became unusually friendly to them, almost unguarded."

Anger gradually emerged on her face. "However, who knew those people weren't good people at all. Even my adoptive parents' good intentions didn't earn me any kindness. They abused me, bullied me, and even brutally murdered my adoptive parents one night."

Lin Chang'an's brow furrowed, his gaze cold. Bing Hongbin and Uncle Qiu remained silent. Only then did they truly understand why the woman was so violent and hateful. The woman in red's voice grew hoarse and colder. "They captured me, forced me to endure endless torture, and eventually even sold me to someone else."

Bing Hongbin was shocked when he heard this: "This is too..." He didn't dare to continue, and it was obvious that he was in a very complicated mood.

The woman in red smiled slightly, yet with a hint of coldness in her voice, her voice as sharp as a knife. "I once thought I would live in that darkness forever, until one day, I stumbled upon a secret book in a shabby corner. The spells in the book gave me some strength, and I finally began to resist."

Her eyes gradually grew fiercer, as if recalling past struggles and pain. "But even after gaining strength, I was still too weak. Back then, I couldn't stand up to those people. Until one day, I finally encountered those men. I wanted revenge, but I found myself no match for them. They teamed up to beat me nearly to death, and finally burned my face alive."

Uncle Qiu was shocked when he heard this and murmured, "Burned her face... No wonder she..."

A hint of madness flashed in the red-dressed woman's eyes. "Yes, my appearance was burned into this state. I became a monster, an ugly ghost. But I didn't die. That night, I swore that no matter the cost, I would get revenge! Those men must pay for what they did to me!"

Her eyes were bloodshot, and the corners of her eyes trembled slightly, as if she was recalling those angry days: "After a few years of depression, I finally found those who had hurt me. I killed them with my own hands, but even so, I still couldn't restore my appearance. I knew that my appearance was ruined forever. So, I began to hate men and began to seek revenge on every man."

Bing Hongbin and Uncle Qiu stared at her in amazement, seemingly shaken by her story. Uncle Qiu whispered, "There really is no absolute good or evil in this world; there are only forced choices."

The woman in red sneered and continued, "Do you understand? This is my past, my pain. I thought revenge would make me happy, but only now do I realize that the real cause of my pain wasn't those people, but myself."

Lin Changan was silent for a moment, looking at her with complicated eyes. He did not respond directly, but whispered: "Then where is your enemy?"

The red-dressed woman's eyes turned cold, and her lips curled up slightly, as if she wanted to stir up a bigger storm: "Do you think it's so easy for me to say it? Haha, if you didn't force me to say it, I wouldn't tell you."

Her smile was filled with disdain, as if she no longer expected to be understood or forgiven. Lin Changan took a deep breath, glanced at her, and finally said, "Okay, if you don't want to talk about it, then forget it. Since you have such hatred, you are doomed to be unable to escape."

The woman in red sneered: "Do you think you can change me? I am no longer that ignorant girl."

Lin Changan's eyes were cold and ruthless: "You are wrong. You can't escape just because you want to. Everyone's destiny is in their own hands. You choose hatred, and in the end, there will only be deeper pain."

Lin Chang'an's eyes glared, and he slowly lowered his head to look at the woman in red. Her expression was no longer as furious and frantic as before, replaced by a deep despair. She lowered her eyelids and whispered, "You're right. I chose hatred, but I can no longer escape it. Perhaps, I no longer even have the courage to live."

She stood up and suddenly looked up, a flicker of determination in her eyes, as if she had made some resolution. She took a deep breath, suddenly turned, and walked towards the distant cliff, her steps firm and uncomplaining. Uncle Qiu and Bing Hongbin hadn't yet reacted when they saw her figure retreating like a meteor, until she stepped over the edge of the cliff.

"She..." Bing Hongbin couldn't help but speak out, his face full of disbelief.

Uncle Qiu looked solemn, his brows furrowed, and he felt a wave of sadness in his heart, but he was powerless to stop her: "She has come to that point, I'm afraid there is no turning back."

Lin Chang'an's eyes were slightly cold as he quietly watched the figure of the woman in red disappear from the cliff. He did not show much hesitation in his heart. But at that moment, he suddenly realized that what the woman in red had chosen was no longer a simple death, but a complete abandonment of all her pain and hatred.

"Her choice is a foregone conclusion." Lin Changan whispered, as if talking to himself.

However, at this moment, an unnatural fluctuation suddenly appeared, making the surrounding air become heavy. Lin Chang'an's eyebrows raised slightly, and suddenly his eyes flashed. He turned and looked towards the place where the woman in red jumped off the cliff. Suddenly, he found that the cliff, which was supposed to be empty, began to fluctuate.