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At the same time, a long-buried memory resurfaced from the depths of Si Teng's mind, as clear as if it were yesterday.

That day was the day Qiu Shan was about to be granted a high position in the Xuanmen sect.

She secretly contacted several divination masters who harbored resentment towards Qiu Shan, plotting to cause trouble at the ceremony.

They pretended to agree to Si Teng's request, promising to help her break free from the confinement imposed by Qiu Shan and restore her freedom once the matter was completed.

Young Shito believed it.

How could she not believe it?

For her, whose life had been imprisoned for a century, the word "freedom" was a glimmer of hope that she was willing to take risks for.

However, she soon realized that she was completely wrong.

Those sanctimonious sorcerers are no different from Qiu Shan!
They couldn't tolerate her, a member of the Kai tribe who knew too many secrets, and only wanted to take advantage of the chaos to exterminate her and eliminate any future trouble.

A murderous intent suddenly arose during the ceremony.

The swords that were originally pointing at Qiu Shan suddenly turned towards her.

As the blade was brought to his head, the anger and despair that had been frozen in Si Teng's heart for a hundred years suddenly erupted.

In the chaos of battle, she didn't hesitate to unleash her inner power, releasing a barrage of vine-like killing intent...

The pitch-black vines danced wildly like venomous snakes, carrying a hundred years' worth of accumulated resentment, instantly severely injuring dozens of Specters.

Screams erupted, and chaos ensued.

Among them, the Suspense Master Shen Cuiqiao pursued the most closely and had the strongest killing intent. She was also hit head-on by the Vine Killer, and her essence was damaged.

It is said that he died young, around the age of thirty, when his vital energy was depleted.

This upheaval, though it ruined Qiu Shan's reputation and caused him to fall from grace, also made him swear a solemn oath to the heavens: he would destroy Si Teng in this lifetime!
He lay in wait, like the most patient hunter, waiting for the opportunity to deliver the fatal blow.

Finally, in the weakest moment after giving birth, he found it...

The cool touch of the teacup pulled Sito back from his memories.

She stroked the delicate porcelain glaze, a hint of desolate mockery flashing in her eyes.

"Most of the people who knew the details of these old stories are no longer here." Her voice was soft, yet it carried a detached indifference that seemed to see through the years. "How exactly Qiu Shan caused my transformation, the filth and secrets involved, I'm afraid now... only he himself can explain it clearly."

In the rising steam of tea, memories of the past, though like smoke, never truly dissipate.

Meanwhile, Shen Yindeng quietly found Yan Furui.

She wore a perfectly measured expression of concern, subtly probing in her words to find out the exact nature of the relationship between Si Teng and that Su Ning.

Before parting, she specifically told Yan Furui that he didn't need to wait for her to attend the banquet the next day.

The moonlight shone on her receding figure, and she whispered a sentence:
"I have my own plans."

……

The following day, the members of the Suspended Gate group gathered early in the agreed-upon private room at the hotel.

The air was still, the tea was changed again and again as it got cold, but no one had the heart to savor it.

Several elderly masters with white hair and beards looked somber, while the younger ones could hardly hide their anxiety, their fingers unconsciously tapping the table, their eyes frequently glancing towards the door...

They were waiting for a figure, a name that filled the entire Suspended Gate with both fear and hatred.

Meanwhile, Sito was still at home.

Morning light streamed through the carved wooden window and fell on the dressing table.

She picked up an eyebrow pencil and began to draw her eyebrows in front of the mirror, her movements so gentle and unassuming.

Su Ning paced back and forth anxiously, almost wearing the carpet down to the bone, just wanting to finish the task as soon as possible and get rid of this strange woman.

"Sito, they've probably all arrived! Are we... a little late?"

Si Teng's fingertips didn't stop; she lightly touched the rouge on the paper with her lips, and her face in the mirror remained aloof.

"What's the rush?" she said calmly. "Since they have something to ask for, just wait."

“I…” At this moment, Su Ning suddenly felt really helpless.

However, Si Teng quickly got up again, glanced disdainfully at the anxious Su Ning, and then walked out gracefully.

When she finally stepped into the private room, it was as if an invisible cold front swept over her.

All the masters stood up at once, and the sound of tables and chairs clattering together rose and fell.

The air instantly tightened with a tension between fear and anger, a tension that seemed ready to snap at any moment.

Sito's gaze swept lightly over the faces, some aged, some terrified, without taking a seat. "I invited you all here today,"

She spoke, her voice clear and cold, silencing all the whispers, "I don't want to rekindle old grudges."

She made her request directly—to find out the whereabouts of other members of the Yi ethnic group.

After giving the three-day deadline, he said no more, turned and left gracefully, leaving behind a room full of silence and astonishment.

She didn't go far, but instead moved with Su Ning into the private room next door that had been prepared beforehand.

On the screen, a hidden camera clearly displays the panic, anger, conspiracy, and fear of the people next door.

They never expected that Si Teng was actually a half-demon.

Just as Sito picked up her eyebrow pencil again and began to examine the various figures on the screen, her eyes flickered and suddenly froze...

In a hidden corner behind her, a tiny point of light flashed by.

A miniature camera was silently pointed at her.

Su Ning followed her gaze, her expression changed drastically, and she immediately rushed out the door!

At the end of the corridor, a woman's figure suddenly turned and disappeared.

He sprinted and finally tackled the other person to the ground at the top of the stairs!
In the instant the pressure was applied, the woman suddenly turned her head...

At this moment, Su Ning met a pair of strange and extraordinary eyes, with a deep purple light swirling within them like a vortex!

He suddenly felt a buzzing in his head, his mind went blank, and his grip loosened involuntarily.

Once the inexplicable dizziness subsided, there was no one in front of me, only the faint afterimage of the safety door at the end of the corridor swaying slightly.

"It's Shen Yindeng." After listening to Su Ning's somewhat frustrated account, Si Teng calmly took a sip of tea and revealed the truth.

"What?" Su Ning exclaimed in astonishment, "That Miao girl? How could she..."

"Su Ning, today I'm going to tell you a lesson: never underestimate any woman."

"..."

……

At this moment, Shen Yindeng had quietly returned to the group of Xuanmen. Her previous eeriness and calmness had vanished, replaced by a face full of grief and indignation.

She knelt down in the center of the hall with a thud, and before anyone could react, she kowtowed three times, her forehead instantly turning bright red.

When I looked up again, tears were streaming down my face.

"Dear uncles and senior brothers!" Her voice choked with sobs, trembling with despair. "That monstrous Si Teng placed a vicious restriction on my Suspended Sword Cave many years ago! The spiritual veins in the cave have dried up, the disciples' cultivation has been hindered, and the century-old foundation is on the verge of withering and collapsing. It is all her doing!"

The tearful accusations, like sparks thrown into dry tinder, instantly ignited the pent-up fear and old grudges of the suspense masters present.

Immediately, public sentiment was inflamed, and condemnations of Si Teng were incessant.

Taking advantage of the moment, Shen Yindeng raised her tearful eyes, raised her right hand to swear an oath, and her voice suddenly became sharp and resolute: "I, Shen Yindeng, swear to the heavens that I will personally kill Si Teng and avenge the entire Suspended Sword Cave, or the heavens and earth will not tolerate it!" Just as everyone was moved and echoed her, her tone suddenly changed, becoming tinged with a trace of sorrow and determination: "Even... even though I am now six months pregnant, I will never back down! If I do not avenge this, how can I face my sect's ancestors?"

The whole place was in an uproar!

How could a pregnant woman have to risk her life like this?

Astonishment, sympathy, admiration, and even more anger spread through the crowd.

Only Bai Jin, the always aloof and detached master, remained silent, lost in thought. His gaze fell on Shen Yindeng's face, which was streaked with tears but could not hide a hint of sharpness. A barely perceptible doubt flashed in his eyes.

At the same time, Yan Furui, carrying large and small bags of tonics, nervously knocked on Si Teng's door.

After learning about his master Qiu Shan's shameful past, he went through immense inner torment.

Upon seeing Si Teng, he immediately bowed and sincerely apologized: "Miss Si Teng, my master has wronged you in the past, and I apologize on his behalf."

Si Teng accepted his greeting without hesitation, then lightly tapped the table with her slender fingers and made a request that sent chills down Yan Furui's spine...

"In that case, go among them and listen and watch for me."

"This..." They actually want him to go undercover!
"What? You're unwilling to serve me?"

"Don't dare!"

Yan Furui looked into Si Teng's eyes, which seemed to see through everything, his Adam's apple bobbed, and in the end, in order to save his own life, he had no choice but to agree with a pale face.

However, Si Teng has not been idle these days.

She not only built a sturdy swing for the tiled house in the courtyard, but also often prepared all kinds of snacks that he liked. Her gentle companionship and indulgence gradually melted away the child's initial defensiveness and quietly won over his heart.

On the other hand, Shen Yindeng was bothered by the fact that Si Teng was still strong after giving birth, which was completely contrary to common sense.

A thought swirled in her mind: this must be related to Si Teng's unique mutation, and may even be related to the forbidden technique of cannibalism!

Unable to contain herself, she sought out the seemingly erudite Platinum, attempting to subtly probe and verify his claims.

However, Platinum simply twirled his fingers and brought out a set of mysterious theories about "star shifts and energy conservation," effortlessly deflecting the topic.

He then casually mentioned the coincidence that when they worked together to dispel the vine-killing attack last time, everyone was injured to some extent, but Shen Yindeng was the only one who was unharmed.

"At the time, Miss Shen seemed completely unaffected by Teng Sha, which is quite a strange thing." Bai Jin said in a calm tone, as if he were just mentioning it casually.

Shen Yindeng's expression changed drastically, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes. She hurriedly took her leave, almost incoherently, and walked away with unsteady steps.

Her unusual behavior undoubtedly confirmed Platinum's suspicions.

As night fell, Si Teng stood alone by the window, her plain clothes shimmering like flowing silver light in the cool moonlight.

She gazed at the sharp crescent moon on the horizon, which seemed like a hook hanging over fate.

She knew that the chessboard was laid out and the pieces were all in place.

This game has only just begun.

The secret that Shen Yindeng is trying so hard to hide is probably far more complex than what she has shown today...

……

As night deepened, the city lights outside the window poured down like a galaxy, yet they couldn't penetrate the tranquil living room filled with the aroma of tea.

Suning and Siteng sat facing each other, the rising steam from their white porcelain cups blurring their outlines.

After a moment of silence, Su Ning suddenly put down her teacup, her voice soft yet like a pebble thrown into a deep pool: "Si Teng, have you ever... truly loved someone?"

Sito's fingertips, holding the cup, paused almost imperceptibly.

She looked up, a faint, almost icy sneer flashing in her eyes, as if she had heard an utterly absurd question.

"How can different species fall in love?" She spoke indifferently, as if stating a physical law. "Human lifespan is but a fleeting moment to me. Love, hate, and passion are all like morning dew, vanishing with the sunrise. What is there to care about something that lives only a day?"

Su Ning was taken aback upon hearing this, and subconsciously touched her chest before realizing what was happening.

Having undergone a mutation, becoming half-human and half-monster, she could no longer be considered a normal human being who "lives in the morning and dies at night" as she described.

A complex emotion quietly spread through me.

To help Si Teng better integrate into modern life, a few days later, Su Ning reluctantly took her to the police station to handle her household registration.

Faced with the scrutinizing gaze of the staff and a series of questions about his "unknown origins," Suning remained unfazed and smoothly fabricated a pre-prepared explanation: Si Teng was a resident who grew up in the deep mountains and forests, isolated from the world, so he did not have a household registration.

I have no choice but to apply for an ID card in order to date him, get married, and live a normal life.

His sincere expression, tinged with a hint of smug satisfaction as if he had "found a treasure," was almost flawless.

Standing to the side, Si Teng slightly turned her head, watching this human lie for her without batting an eye, and found the scene both absurd and indescribable...

interesting.

Her lips curved slightly, a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

After leaving the police station, Si Teng suddenly looked at Su Ning and said, "Su Ning, it seems you really like me?"

"Uh? How so?"

"Hmph! You're always taking advantage of me! You're such a hypocrite."

“I…” At this moment, Su Ning was speechless in the face of this narcissistic Si Teng.

……

A few days later, Master Canghong personally visited and informed us that he had found some preliminary clues about other tribes.

Si Teng leaned back lazily on the sofa, showing no sign of urgency, and only asked the other party to provide conclusive evidence.

Just when Cang Hong thought the matter was temporarily over, she suddenly changed the subject, her voice calm but carrying an undeniable force, and asked about the long-buried past: "You know the details of how Qiu Shan, Li Zhengyuan, and Huang Yu joined forces to kill me back then. Tell me about it."

Although Cang Hong was filled with doubts, he carefully chose his words and told the truth: "Back then, when you were weak after childbirth, Daoist Qiushan set up a great formation, summoning thunder and heavenly fire to burn your body. Later, he discovered that it could not be completely refined, and then you made a vow in the fire..."

The old man's voice was low and deep, as if he himself were caught in the raging fire, "He said you would surely return..."

After Cang Hong left, the living room was deathly silent.

Su Ning couldn't hide her shock, her gaze towards Si Teng filled with disbelief: "Si Teng...you, you actually had a child?"

Sito did not answer immediately.

She gazed out the window at the deep night, a rare, genuine bewilderment flashing in her eyes, as if trying to solve an age-old puzzle.

“I just don’t understand,” she murmured to herself, as if questioning herself, “why a woman, knowing she is being deceived, used, and in dire straits, would still be willing to bear children for the other party.”

She abruptly withdrew her gaze, the confusion she had felt earlier now replaced by a familiar chill, which transformed into a soft sneer, severing all possibility of weakness.

“If this is what humans call love,” she said resolutely, with a touch of detached judgment, “then I think it’s nothing but folly.”

“Sito, I finally understand the difference between you and us humans.”

"Oh? What do you say?"

"Humans' favorite thing to do is to be like moths drawn to a flame, and you..."

"Hmph! That's nothing but your foolish excuse."

"Have you ever thought that changing your mindset might be the only way to truly integrate into human society?"

"Impossible! You humans often say that those who are not of our kind must have different hearts, and you can never accept those who are different."

"..."

...(End of chapter)