My low-key cultivation of immortality was discovered by the emperor in my diary.

"Good!" a strong man shouted, raising his arm in a loud voice.

The others were filled with excitement and responded enthusiastically, like rivers flowing into the sea, unstoppable.

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

May His Majesty enjoy lasting blessings and eternal peace!

"Long live! Long live! Long live!"

The layers upon layers of cheers, like rolling spring thunder, reverberated across the sky, as if they could truly shake the heavens, tear the firmament apart, and let light shine upon the world.

As the Prefect of the Capital felt this boiling enthusiasm, the imperial edict in his hand seemed to bear a thousand-pound burden, yet it was also like a gentle breeze that finally dispelled the long-standing gloom.

He slowly closed the imperial edict, his gaze gently sweeping over each smiling face, his eyes slightly moist.

The people of the world have suffered under the powerful and wealthy for far too long!

The Prefect of the Capital put down the imperial edict, took two wooden sticks from the divination tube, and threw them in front of the Chu couple.

The wooden stick bore a bright red character for "slay," as if it were soaked in fresh blood.

The time had come, and the executioners stepped forward with broadswords, grinning maliciously. Today they could kill a duke, a man he could boast about for the rest of his life.

Some officials suggested that this method of beheading was bloody and gruesome, showing no respect for dignity, and that it would be better to use a poisoned white silk ribbon to preserve dignity. At the very least, a specially made guillotine should be used to show that it was different, but the emperor rejected these suggestions.

A beheading is a beheading; why bother with all those fancy tricks?

A sinner is a sinner; don't expect any special treatment!

Forced to kneel before the blade, Chu Wenchen's face contorted, he begged desperately for mercy, "My lord! My lord, spare my life! I am the Duke of Zhenguo! You cannot kill me!"

Song pleaded repeatedly, but to no avail.

The crowd in the square was silent, glaring angrily, with only the cries of the Chu couple echoing in the air.

The Prefect of the Capital waved his hand lightly, signaling the executioners to carry out the decree.

The two axemen brought down their cleavers with all their might.

A flash of cold light, followed by a burst of blood, instantly stained the execution ground red. The air was thick with the stench of blood, a chilling sight!

Thus, the title of Duke of Zhenguo was completely lost.

The cheers of the masses are a celebration of justice and a condemnation of evil; the silence of the officials is a reflection on the past and an anxiety about the future.

The morning light pierced through the clouds, gently falling upon the world and illuminating this execution ground.

Not far away, Lü Yun, who had witnessed the whole thing, covered her mouth, her eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment, unsure how to describe her feelings at that moment.

What she once thought was disgust and hatred has now transformed into complex emotions.

It turns out that hatred and sorrow are so difficult to distinguish.

She used to think the Chu family was just despicable, but she never imagined they had done so many evil things. Their beheading was well-deserved.

But for some reason, even though the villains had been brought to justice, Lü Yun was not very happy.

After frowning and thinking for a moment, she realized that she was actually reluctant to leave the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion; she could never go back there.

Chu Lengyu reached out and gently hooked two weak souls from the two headless corpses. If she didn't do anything, they would dissipate in a moment.

The souls of the Chu couple were brought before her. They were both surprised and terrified that they were still conscious after death, and that they had fallen into Chu Lengyu's hands.

Green Bamboo asked in surprise, "Miss, what's wrong...?"

Chu Lengyu replied softly, "I just feel that it would be too easy for them to die like this."

She took out an oil lamp from her storage bag, compressed the two souls to the size of a grain of rice, and placed them at the wick.

Then, flames rose up, engulfing their souls, and the two let out weak but extremely miserable cries of pain.

Their souls are protected by her spiritual power, enough to survive in the flames, but under the scorching heat of the flames, their souls will never have peace, enduring endless torment and pain day and night.

How can one life be enough to atone for the harm done to so many people?

Death is just the beginning; the real punishment has only just begun.

Chu Lengyu felt a sense of relief as she watched this scene.

She knew that this was the karma left behind by the original owner of the body, and now she had settled it.

She was in better condition than ever before, and could feel the active and surging spiritual energy within her body.

Perhaps, tomorrow will be the day she faces her tribulation.

At this moment, she seemed to transcend the mortal world, looking down upon the joys and sorrows, loves and hates of this land.

Green Bamboo, standing to the side, suddenly felt that her young lady had changed again, her temperament becoming ethereal and seemingly indifferent.

……

In a village outside the capital city.

As dusk fell, news of the execution finally arrived. The Chu siblings hid in their hideout, facing the dim oil lamp, a suffocating silence filling the air.

Chu Lin's eyes flashed with grief and indignation, his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white from the force.

Chu Wen'er sat in the corner, burying her head between her knees, as if that would allow her to escape all the bad news.

Her shoulders trembled slightly, and tears flowed silently like pearls from a broken string, dripping onto her dress and leaving damp patches.

"Brother... what should we do?" Chu Wen'er's voice was choked with sobs. She raised her head, her eyes red and bloodshot, filled with grief and despair.

She couldn't imagine that her loving parents were gone, and that they had been tried and beheaded in such a humiliating way in front of everyone.

She and her brother are now forced to live in hiding, unable even to prepare a proper burial for their parents.

Chu Lin turned around and looked at his sister's tear-streaked face. He felt a pang of sorrow, and his anger and resentment intensified.

He took a deep breath to calm himself, then said firmly, "Sister, this grudge must be avenged!"

Chu Wen'er wiped away her tears, a resolute glint in her eyes: "Brother, you're right. We can't give up like this; we have to make them pay the price!"

She bit her lower lip tightly, as if all her hatred had been concentrated in that moment.

In addition, Chu Wen'er harbored an even deeper hatred.

She could not forget the cold and ruthless figure at the snow-viewing banquet—Chu Lengyu.

From that day on, Chu Lengyu became almost her nightmare, deeply imprinted in her memory like a brand, and Chu Wen'er's heart was filled with disgust and hatred for her.

She could not forget how Chu Lengyu suddenly appeared, easily stealing everyone's attention and becoming the focus of everyone's attention;

I can never forget how Chu Lengyu hit me in public, humiliated me, and made me lose face in front of everyone;

What pained her most was that Chu Lengyu's sorcery, which came from who-knows-where, had harmed her parents, causing them to be beheaded and displayed to the public!

"Brother, and Chu Lengyu..." Chu Wen'er's voice suddenly became sharp and urgent, as if she wanted to pour out all her hatred, "How could she do this to us? How could she treat Father and Mother like that? She must pay the price! Kill her! I must kill her!"

A flicker of pain crossed Chu Lin's eyes.

He certainly remembered that everything started on the day of the snow-viewing banquet, and then suddenly took a sharp turn for the worse.

He also clearly remembered that his adopted daughter, whom he had once regarded as nothing and never paid any attention to, had wantonly trampled on his dignity and pride, causing him to lose face in front of everyone.

He was the undisputed sole heir to the title, the future Duke of Zhenguo, a man of noble status and great honor.

But now, all of that is gone! Gone!

Chu Lin's eyes were deep as he said, "That's right, we must make her pay the price."

The north wind howled outside the window, carrying a biting chill and endless desolation.

Just then, a deep and mysterious voice, like a ghost, silently pierced through the cold wind, breaking the oppressive atmosphere in the room.

"Do you want revenge?"