Stealing Luck from the Heavenly Dao's Favorite

Zhenzhu suddenly found her neck gripped tightly. She instinctively struggled, only to realize it was Da Ye holding her. Her face turned deathly pale in an instant, and she barely managed to squeeze out two words:

"My… My Lord!"

Wei Lingyue's expression was icy as he spoke. "You were the one who laced Yunxi's spirit meal with the Rongling Pill."

Zhenzhu shook her head frantically, but Wei Lingyue's hand was like iron tongs—unyielding and tightening bit by bit.

"Please, My Lord, spare me!"

Her survival instinct kicked in hard as she forced the words through her constricted throat.

Wei Lingyue judged that she'd had enough. With a flick of his arm, he slammed her to the ground and, without hesitation, crippled her cultivation. Then, dragging her like a sack of grain, he marched straight to Haitang Courtyard.

Du Ruolan's eyelids had been twitching nonstop, a sign she had learned to associate with bad omens. And sure enough, as soon as she saw Wei Lingyue throw a ruined Zhenzhu at her feet, she knew something had gone terribly wrong.

Wei Lingyue's face was as cold as frost. He swept his sleeve, and Du Ruolan—who had been seated gracefully at the head—was flung to the floor like a discarded doll.

His voice carried a biting chill. "Du Ruolan, have I been too lenient with you? You dare harm my child?"

Du Ruolan clenched her jaw. "My Lord what are you saying? I don't understand."

Wei Lingyue sneered. "I allowed you to have your little schemes. I even let you plant your people around Yunxi. But of all things, you should never—never—have tried to destroy her spiritual roots."

"I…"

Just as Du Ruolan opened her mouth, Wei Lingyue raised a hand and cut her off.

"Don't bother lying. Or I'll search your soul."

That threat made her go as pale as Zhenzhu. Soul searching didn't just expose one's deepest secrets—it also left the victim mentally crippled, a walking husk.

Wei Lingyue could already tell from her face that Zhenzhu had acted on Du Ruolan's orders. As for the motive, he could easily guess.

Without another word, he struck Zhenzhu on the crown of her head. She didn't even have time to scream. Blood poured from her orifices, and her body slumped to the ground, lifeless. Even in death, her wide eyes stared accusingly at Du Ruolan.

"Ah!" Du Ruolan gasped, terror gripping her chest. But after the initial scream, she pressed her lips shut and didn't say another word.

Wei Lingyue sat down in the head seat, smoothed out his sleeve, and said coldly:

"Du Ruolan, I gave you the title of Lady Wei, and I can make you vanish just as silently as Feng Jiayun. You'd better rein in your petty calculations. Yunxi is my daughter and the bridge between the Wei and Feng families. Until we secure the Feng family's alchemy techniques, nothing must happen to her.

"You're just afraid Yunxi will take away Yunqing's cultivation resources, aren't you? Well, let me make this clear—their paths are different. Until Yunxi proves her worth to the Wei family, if anything happens to her, I will hold you solely responsible. Have I made myself clear?"

Du Ruolan's heart pounded like a drum. She nodded hastily, not daring to speak out again.

Wei Lingyue added,

"Zhenzhu was your person. You handle the aftermath."

With that, he turned and left Haitang Courtyard without looking back.

Only after he was gone did Du Ruolan shakily prop herself up with the chair. Tears welled in her eyes as a deep chill settled in her chest.

It was only now she fully realized—her pillow companion had never truly cared for her. Wei Lingyue only cared about the interests of the family and the advancement of his own cultivation. She had always been an ornament by his side, useful only because she'd birthed a daughter with strong spiritual roots.

Staggering back into her seat, Du Ruolan let out a bitter laugh. She waved her hand and stored Zhenzhu's corpse in her storage pouch.

Then she called out firmly, "Someone, come in!"

Zhuohua Courtyard

Wei Yunxi had behaved herself and stayed quietly in her room, reading. She hadn't cultivated. She knew that Wei Lingyue would definitely come give her an explanation. It wasn't just for her—it was also for the Feng family.

After Wei Lingyue had taken Zhenzhu away, Feng Xiu told Wei Yunxi everything that had happened. She even whispered her own suspicions.

"Miss, Zhenzhu slipped a Rongling Pill into your spirit meal. That pill, once inside a cultivator, silently dissolves their spiritual roots. It's cruel and insidious—banned throughout the cultivation world."

Wei Yunxi's eyes went wide. She'd only read about such pills in novels. She hadn't expected them to actually exist in this world. Swallowing hard, she asked:

"Sister Feng, if I'd eaten that pill… would I never be able to cultivate again?"

"Yes. Spiritual roots are a gift from Heaven. Once destroyed, they cannot be restored. Unless…"

Feng Xiu trailed off. She didn't want to scare the child by finishing the sentence.

But Wei Yunxi already knew—unless you ripped someone else's spiritual roots out and took them for yourself.

"…In any case, Miss, you must be extremely cautious with anything you consume, especially since you haven't reached Fasting yet. Anything you eat must be thoroughly checked."

Feng Xiu didn't mention it outright, but this was one of the main reasons the Feng family had sent her. She wasn't just a bodyguard—she was also a first-rank alchemist, responsible for guiding Yunxi in the basics of pill refinement.

But with the Wei family now having three more slots to enter Haoran Sect, Feng Xiu suspected plans might change.

After finishing his business with Zhenzhu, Wei Lingyue returned to Zhuohua Courtyard.

Wei Yunxi immediately put down her book, stepped forward, and bowed respectfully. Then she asked in a careful tone:

"Father, did you find out who tried to hurt me?"

Wei Lingyue sighed before taking a seat and answering.

"Yunxi, this was my mistake. I didn't keep close enough watch. I allowed someone scheming and vicious to remain by your side."

Wei Yunxi widened her eyes in just the right way, her face showing confusion and surprise—but in her heart, she was already rolling her eyes.

"Lie. Go on, spin your tale. Let's see what kind of flowery excuse you come up with next."

Seeing that she didn't react too strongly, Wei Lingyue continued, "It was Zhenzhu."

"What? Why? Why would she poison me?" Wei Yunxi responded on cue.

"She was jealous of how highly you regarded Feng Xiu, and resentful that you'd sent her to the outer courtyard. She wanted to make you sick for a few days, then blame Feng Xiu for not taking proper care of you. That way, she could return to your side."

Feng Xiu worked hard to maintain her expression. She couldn't afford to break character—not when she'd pretended not to recognize the Rongling Pill earlier.

Wei Yunxi felt like a whole flock of alpacas was stampeding through her brain. Still, she kept her face serious, even showing a hint of anger.

"Father, how could she be so malicious? Sister Feng has higher cultivation than her! Of course I'd want her as my protector.

Besides, she always reminds me of the key points before I start cultivating. I only managed to reach Qi Gathering after she arrived! That just proves Zhenzhu lacked the skills. Why blame me for not using her? Even Yueying, who serves Sister Yunqing, is stronger than her!"

Wei Yunxi's little mouth rattled off complaints, her cheeks puffed in frustration.

Finally, she pouted. "Father, I don't want that maid anymore. Make her leave!"

Wei Lingyue nodded. "Don't worry, Yunxi. That scheming woman has already been dealt with. Our family doesn't tolerate people like her.

Also, I have good news for you. This time, you'll be going with Yunqing to cultivate at Haoran Sect."

Feng Xiu had already anticipated this. Wei Yunxi was genuinely taken aback, but then a bright smile spread across her face.