The Spoiled Heiress Who Wasn't Spoiled

Lu Jiuyou and his puppet

"You there, what are you looking at!" The Grandmother Witch’s cold voice cut through Gu Xiao's thoughts. Startled, Gu Xiao turned to face her.

"Where to?" Gu Xiao asked in confusion. The Grandmother Witch looked up at the darkening sky and said calmly, "The weather is about to change."

Gu Xiao followed her gaze and saw the thickening clouds, clearly signaling an impending storm. Turning back towards the direction Xiyao had taken, Gu Xiao felt a pang of worry for her.

The Grandmother Witch glanced at Gu Xiao again and said, "Let's go!" Gu Xiao hesitated. "But my father and mother haven't returned yet."

"They won’t be coming back," the Grandmother Witch replied coldly, devoid of any emotion. It was as if the death of Gu Xiao’s parents had nothing to do with her.

Tears welled up in Gu Xiao's eyes. He fought to keep them back as he asked, "How did they die?"

"By someone," the Grandmother Witch said.

"By whom?"

"The Ghost King Sect of the Western Region."

"The Ghost King Sect of the Western Region?" Gu Xiao repeated softly, his eyes flashing with a hint of murderous intent. The Grandmother Witch continued walking, and the tears Gu Xiao had been holding back finally fell.

"If you want revenge, come with me!" The Grandmother Witch did not pause but spoke coldly. Gu Xiao glanced at the direction she was leaving and, clenching his fists, hesitated for a moment before following her.

Lightning flashed and thunder roared as the storm broke. Heavy rain fell from the sky. Xiyao continued to run, her pace hindered by the rain pouring into her eyes and the muddy path.

She wiped the rainwater from her face with her damp sleeve, struggling forward.

The rain grew heavier, and the path became increasingly slippery. Suddenly, a vine tripped her, and she tumbled down the slope, rolling uncontrollably.

Sharp stones tore at her clothes, exposing a crescent-shaped birthmark on her left shoulder. Covered in numerous cuts, she was helpless and unable to stop her descent. Her pitiful state rolled down endlessly.

Round and round she went, not knowing how many times she had tumbled.

Perhaps by some mercy from the heavens, a large tree halfway down the slope caught her. However, she collided headfirst with the tree, causing a severe head injury.

Blood mixed with rainwater streamed from her head. Lying motionless with her eyes closed, she seemed to feel no pain.

After the storm passed, the sky cleared. A faint rainbow appeared against the sun, and the gentle sunlight bathed Xiyao’s pale face. Her breathing was weak, and she was on the verge of death.

In the distance, the sound of gongs could be heard. Following the sound, a group of strangely dressed individuals approached Xiyao.

At the forefront were two men in red garments, their chests exposed. They walked forward with unblinking eyes, rhythmically beating gongs in their hands, as if they were controlled automatons.

Behind them were two women in red, with expressions identical to those of the men in front. They each held a basket filled with red petals and threw the petals into the air.

Further back, four men in red carried a red sedan chair, stepping in rhythmic unison.

Inside the sedan chair sat a man in a red robe. This man was Lu Jiu You, the leader of the Ghost King Sect of the Western Region and the head of the Xuan Huo Sect. In his forties, Lu Jiu You had narrow, cunning eyes with eerie red eyeliner. His hawk-like nose was accompanied by two tufts of goat-like beard. His chin was sharp and elongated, and his long, jet-black hair cascaded over his shoulders. His sickly pale face was unsettling.

Lu Jiu You was a formidable martial artist with exceptional lightness skills. He was skilled in the use of poisonous insects and had a peculiar hobby: he enjoyed turning beautiful men and women into puppets. These "puppets" were essentially moving corpses, bodies devoid of basic human sensations. Controlled by the insects inside them, they obeyed Lu Jiu You's commands through the drum he wore on his waist. Though they appeared human, they were merely controlled corpses. The insects within them consumed their flesh over time, and once their bodies were destroyed, Lu Jiu You would burn them without hesitation and seek new puppets.

As the sedan chair passed the tree where Xiyao lay, a breeze lifted the curtain of the chair. Lu Jiu You glanced briefly at Xiyao. Although it was a fleeting look, her adorable appearance was imprinted in his mind. Lu Jiu You struck the drum on his waist, causing the four bearers to stop and set down the sedan chair. Lu Jiu You lifted the curtain, stepped out of the chair, and walked towards Xiyao.

“What a beautiful little ghost,” Lu Jiu You said with a satisfied smile as he bent down to pick up Xiyao and carry her back into the sedan chair.

The drumbeat sounded again as the four bearers resumed their rhythmic steps, lifting the sedan chair and continuing on their way.