I, who was turned into a woman by the Jade Maiden Master, want to rebel against the Heavenly Gang.

“Feng Hua’s situation has changed,” Qin Rufeng said worriedly. “The original plan was that once I reached the Golden Core Realm, I would meet the conditions for establishing a high-level contract with her. It was a life-and-death contract, and my soul would be offered as a sacrifice to her after my death.”

"What?" Shangguan Qingxue was also surprised.

Qin Rufeng continued, "So the strength of this contract can offset the two curse marks of Feng Hua and Yuan Mengli. But now it seems that Yuan Mengli's two curse marks have disappeared. Feng Hua has a collar around her neck."

"I think Yuan Mengli probably used up the curse mark to make Feng Hua wear that collar. And that collar is the shackle that binds her to obey Yuan Mengli."

"I know nothing about that thing. I don't know if I can break through it after making the contract, or even if Feng Hua can make the contract in that dazed state."

Shangguan Qingxue frowned. "This is a crucial issue that could determine success or failure. I can't think of a solution. Ruyan, do you have any ideas? If there's no feasible solution, I suggest you refrain from taking any rash actions for the time being."

“We can settle for second best,” Qin Rufeng said. “I have a friend who is a member of the Empress’s Thunder Sound Guard. If I achieve the Golden Core, both of us will be free. Yuan Mengli can only use our debts and our net worth as an excuse to stop us.”

"A problem that can be solved with spirit stones is not a problem. I have enough spirit stones... Not only do I have them, but that Netherworld Witch who once rewarded me with three thousand high-grade spirit stones is truly a spendthrift. She could probably buy Qingyuefang without any problem."

"If we offer enough spirit stones, and with the help of my friend from the Thunder Sound Guard, it's not impossible for us to redeem ourselves."

"Moreover, if you and I leave Qingyuefang, the other immortal sects will be overjoyed and will come to uphold justice for us."

"Faced with such pressure, Yuan Mengli dared not break the rules of Cangyun City. After all, the Thunder Sound Guards were also present to witness it."

“You and I, sisters, are quite famous in Cangyun City. If Yuan Mengli forcibly breaks the rules of the industry, the other immortal sects will surely rise up against her.”

“If Qingyuefang is destroyed, other fairy sects will be able to take over the customers and the women. So they will definitely stab Yuan Mengli in the back, and Yuan Mengli will not dare to act against them.”

"Once we gain our freedom, we'll gather our strength and find a way to defeat Yuan Mengli and rescue Fanghua," Qin Rufeng said firmly. "I won't run away; I'll fight her to the death."

“Okay! That works!” Shangguan Qingxue nodded. “You have a good hand. The only difficulty is how to escape, but I’m confident in that. However, we’ll have to wait until tonight.”

"Last night was your first time entertaining a client, and I reckon Yuan Mengli will come to see you in person soon. So you'll have to keep up this self-inflicted injury act."

"Should we continue this self-inflicted injury ruse? Fine...wait, ah!!" Qin Rufeng exclaimed in surprise, "Sister Qingxue, you...you saw through it?"

"Of course." Shangguan Qingxue grabbed Rufeng's ear and said, "You little fox, you think you can fool me? Those two people last night were your friends, right? One of them is someone from the Empress's side, isn't that the Thunder Sound Guard?"

Qin Rufeng: "Ah, this..."

"Hmph, you even lied to me." Shangguan Qingxue first feigned anger, then revealed a relieved smile. "But with your fox-like cunning, you still told me everything, which shows that you consider me your older sister. Don't worry, I'm not that petty."

Qin Rufeng: "I'm sorry, Sister Qingxue."

"Alright, the sect leader will be here soon. Hurry up and get ready." As she spoke, Shangguan Qingxue tied Qin Rufeng's hands behind his back and pressed him face down on her knees.

Then he raised his hand and slapped Qin Rufeng's fair and delicate skin hard.

Ru Feng's hands were tied behind his back, and his ankles were bound. His body was hunched over, just like someone tied up and placed on a horse's back.

Shangguan Qingxue's knee was already pressed against her aching lower abdomen, and this slap almost shattered her.

Qin Rufeng was completely stunned and didn't react for a moment. Then she felt her hips lift up; Shangguan Qingxue was actually grabbing her tail and lifting her up...

Then came another "slap!" A handprint immediately appeared on her thigh, and her fair skin swelled up and turned red.

"Qingxue... Sister?" Qin Rufeng was someone who had risked her life several times during her rigorous training. She had also suffered many injuries in battle and was by no means delicate. But she herself did not expect that two mere slaps would make her eyes red and tears well up in her eyes.

"Bear with it, after all, it's a ruse," Shangguan Qingxue said. "How could your two friends bear to hurt you? But if the ruse isn't painful, how can it fool Yuan Mengli?"

"You guys... after all, you haven't seen enough of each other."

Chapter 165 If nothing unexpected happens

Qin Rufeng thought to himself that it made sense; professionals always think things through thoroughly. "Let's do it then, what's the big deal?"

She had just made up her mind to accept it when "slap!" she was slapped hard across the face.

This time, Qingxue used her full power. Her hair was disheveled, and she felt stars streaming down her face, her head buzzing. Blood was also flowing from the corner of her mouth…

While Ru Feng was still dazed, Shangguan Qingxue retied the red silk that had just been loosened and tied it back around her body. Not only was it tied tighter, but it was also tied in a more... artistic way.

How could Nangong Yue and Gan Mingyue be as knowledgeable and adept at the games as the top courtesan of Qingyuefang? Qin Rufeng had also learned what the consequences would be if he really failed.

No, I'm afraid I still won't be able to experience it. Shangguan Qingxue's brows were furrowed and her hands trembled as she struck. Now, she couldn't help but shed tears. She must have held back.

After a flurry of activity, dawn broke...

As the morning light slanted through the window, Shangguan Qingxue tucked a stray strand of Qin Rufeng's hair behind her ear.

The bronze mirror reflected the frosty lines of her shoulders and neck. The red silk, like a quenched flame, flowed down her arms like a whirlwind. It was like a master painter sketching vermilion patterns on rice paper, or like a steel knife cutting into flesh.

As the silk ribbon brushed against Ru Feng's lips, she deliberately tensed her jaw, letting the thin silk fabric leave shallow marks on her cheeks.

"Hold on tight," Shangguan Qingxue said in a low voice. "I need to tighten my grip a little more, or I won't be able to fool her."

Qin Rufeng nodded resolutely, biting down on the silk tail. It was almost as if he had injured his arm and was bandaging himself.

Her lowered eyelids concealed the glint in her eyes, but the force with which she bit her lower lip betrayed a hint of genuine pain. Even her curled-up toes trembled, making her appear as helpless as a sacrifice.

For some reason, Qin Rufeng thought of Cao Mengde's "offering of a sword." His own body was now both bait and scabbard... If he successfully deceived Yuan Mengli today, he would surely plunge a sword into her chest tomorrow.

Beneath the crimson satin, the delicate skin is enacting the spectacle of porcelain crackling. Beneath the seemingly flawless, snow-white glaze lies a network of ice cracks, barely perceptible to the naked eye, each fold meticulously calculated to hold the tension of impending collapse.

The overlapping ribbons at the back of her knees made Ru Feng's legs go numb, and the deep red ribbons left coral-bead-like marks on her skin as her pulse throbbed.

The geometric lines of the character "" were like ink traced, making the area more striking and eye-catching. The feeling it evoked in Qin Rufeng was like being surrounded by thorns and scorched by flames—painful and shameful.

As Qingxue wrapped the last piece of silk ribbon around Rufeng's taut instep and wedged it into her toes, a sharp pain, like a hot iron being plunged into a snowdrift, shot up a white mist that turned into a faint red tinge at the corner of her eye.

Like a sob escaping from the throat of a wind instrument, or like a broken string and shattered bones of a guqin...

"That's the right feeling. You should be like a crane soaked by a downpour," Shangguan Qingxue instructed.

Qin Rufeng's keen hearing had already detected the approaching footsteps, and she tried her best to compose herself.

Hearing that the distance was about right, Ru Feng nodded resolutely to Qing Xue. Shangguan Qing Xue screamed, "Ru Yan! Ru Yan!! How could they do this?"

Qin Rufeng's emotions were perfectly crafted, and the moment his acting was unleashed, the suppressed sob in his throat finally fell to the ground, transforming into a clear, trembling sound like shattered porcelain.

This horrific scene was witnessed by Yuan Mengli as she entered the room.

She was stunned for a moment, then a look of joy and delight flashed across her face, as if she had received some unexpected pleasure. However, she quickly recovered her composure and became shocked and worried. "Ruyan! Quick! Put her down!"

She then ordered Feng Hua, who was standing there like a doll, to step forward and help Qing Xue "rescue" Qin Ru Feng.

Ru Feng's eyes were glazed over and his whole body was trembling; he looked completely broken.

Shangguan Qingxue and Yuan Mengli took turns questioning Qin Rufeng, but he remained silent. She had only just realized that she actually had a talent for feigning madness.

Finally, Yuan Mengli said, "Ruyan, there's been trouble at the Xigu Spirit Stone Mine again today. I have to let Fenghua handle it. Let Qingxue take care of you and let you rest well. I'll come see you later."

After speaking, she happily left with her people. Qin Rufeng knew he couldn't escape with Feng Hua, and besides, Feng Hua in this state would be a ticking time bomb.

So even when she heard that Feng Hua had been sent away, she didn't show any change in expression, still looking like a broken girl. In the end, Shangguan Qingxue carried her back to Qingxue Pavilion.

Upon arriving at Qingxue Pavilion, Qin Rufeng finally breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at Shangguan Qingxue, she couldn't help but laugh at their acting. But Shangguan Qingxue's eyes were still red.

After calming down, Qingxue said, "Rufeng, actually, I was just like you at first. I was also unwilling to give in, but as time went on, I became somewhat resigned to my fate."

“But I’ve been preparing all these years. I dug a secret passage in the basement of Qingxue Pavilion that leads to the outside of Qingyuefang. We’ll escape through that passage.”

"Ah! There's such a trick!" Qin Rufeng exclaimed in surprise. "That's fantastic! I was worried about how to evade surveillance and contact my two senior sisters. If we can do it secretly, things will be much simpler."

“But we can’t do it during the day,” Shangguan Qingxue said. “Even after we get to the basement from here, it won’t be safe immediately. It’s definitely not safe when there are many people around. Let’s do it at night. The jade pendant is in my hands, so you can rest for a while now.”

Qin Rufeng nodded; she did indeed need to rest for a while…

After telling Xia Jinghong and Li Qingshi about their plans for the evening, she closed her eyes to rest. Qingxue, after checking that the secret passage and hidden door were reliable and functional, returned to the room to stay by Rufeng's side.

However, she hadn't rested for long when Zizhu burst into the room, panting. Shangguan Qingxue quickly asked, "What is it?"

Zizhu shouted, "You all better run! We've been exposed, you need to leave now!"

"What did you say?" Shangguan Qingxue asked in disbelief.

Qin Rufeng immediately realized, "There's a traitor!"

Zizhu looked at Qingxue with a frown and said, "Fairy... I'm sorry. The plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums were all planted by the shopkeeper to monitor you."

"She already knew about your tunnel digging, but she just didn't expose you. Just now when you went to check the tunnel, Qingmei and Baiju went to report it to the workshop owner."

"You must leave now! Immediately!"

Upon hearing this, Ru Feng and the others didn't hesitate any longer and immediately headed straight for the secret passage in the basement. They ran into Jin Lan just as they arrived at the basement entrance.

Jinlan glared at Zizhu and said, "I knew you were a traitor."

Zizhu retorted angrily: "Who is the traitor among us!"

"Stop pretending to be a good person," Jinlan mocked. "Haven't you been keeping this from Fairy all these years? I'm a traitor, but you're the traitor among traitors."

Qingxue looked extremely sad and shook her head, saying, "Jinlan, I personally chose all of you. I've treated you well over the years."

“But the brothel owner gives me more,” Jinlan said. “And he gave me hope. If I behave well, he can help me improve my cultivation level; otherwise, I’ll be your servant for life.”

“If we hadn’t agreed, we would have been dead. How could I have chosen? Besides, the brothel owner has always kept his promises over the years.”

"This time, I've captured you and Liu Ruyan, which is a great achievement. I won't have to be a slave anymore. I can also improve my cultivation level and become a superior person."

“But you’re all alone, you can’t stop us all,” Qingxue said. “Get out of the way quickly, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“No.” Jinlan shook her head resolutely. “If I let you go, I will get nothing, and the brothel owner will not let me go either. So, I’m fighting for my life. I’ll hold you off for a while, the brothel owner will be back soon.”

Chapter 166 It's better to be foolish than to arrive at the right time.

At this point, talking won't work; it'll only be a waste of time.

Shangguan Qingxue was still in a daze, the pain and sadness of being betrayed by someone close to her condensed into tears rolling down her cheeks.

Qin Rufeng and Qingxue had previously discussed plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums; Qingxue had chosen all four herself. From their first meeting to spending many years together, each had their own story and their own entanglements.

Therefore, it's unlikely that they were initially planted by Yuan Mengli next to Qingxue. They were probably coerced, bribed, or bought off.

Putting himself in their shoes, for example, Xia Jinghong and Li Qingshi, both of whom had risked their lives for Qin Rufeng. If they were bribed by Yuan Mengli and betrayed him... Qin Rufeng felt he might even turn to the dark side.

Therefore, she fully understood Shangguan Qingxue's feelings at this moment. But at this time, dawdling would delay important matters.

Although Qingxue should be the one to clean house, given her current state... only Qin Rufeng can handle it.

Then Ru Feng glared angrily! In an instant, two invisible sword energies, one vertical and one horizontal, crossed and slashed straight at Jin Lan.

Jinlan didn't notice Rufeng's movements or see the sword energy. But she was still a Golden Core cultivator, so she sensed the sword energy whirlwind hurtling towards her face. So she crossed her hands to protect her head, face, and chest, gathering spiritual energy to form a shield.

In a flash, a sharp "bang!" rang out, and Jinlan staggered back, clutching her stomach. Crimson blood was already seeping from between her white fingers.

She blocked the first vertical sword strike, but was struck in the abdomen by the second horizontal slash that followed immediately.

The only problem with the Ambush from Ten Sides technique is its slightly weak power; even if it hits Jinlan, it can't take her down in one move. After all, she's also at the Golden Core stage.

Although he couldn't kill with a single blow, Qin Rufeng's swift action broke the stalemate.

Jinlan, injured and enraged, immediately retaliated. Seeing this, Zizhu stepped forward to block her and shouted, "You two fairies, hurry up and leave! We can't afford to waste a moment!"

Now that things have come to this, Shangguan Qingxue has fully realized that she has lost everything in Qingyuefang and there is no turning back.

She gripped Qin Rufeng's hand tightly and plunged into the tunnel.

The tunnel was dark and narrow, and none of them had any way to burrow underground, so they could only crawl and feel their way forward. Fortunately, they made it smoothly without encountering any accidents.

At the exit, Shangguan Qingxue silently chanted an incantation, and the tangled vines and thorns in front of her automatically dispersed. Blinding white light immediately shone into the dark tunnel.

Qingxue grabbed Rufeng's arm, signaling her not to go out yet. Then she activated her magic, and the vines at the exit of the secret passage sprang forth like snakes emerging from their holes or whips lashing wildly.

After confirming that it was safe, the group walked out of the tunnel.

The tunnel's exit was located behind Qingyuefang. This place should have been quite secluded, but when the group came out, they found that someone was already waiting for them.

There were four people who came: Qingmei, Baiju, and Zeng Yuzhen! There was also a fairy maid who usually didn't interact with Zeng Yuzhen standing next to her.

As expected, Shangguan Qingxue's tunnel had already been exposed. Qingmei and Baiju obviously knew that she had cast a wood-type spell at the exit, so they didn't just stand there blocking the exit.

Qingxue and Qin Rufeng were both very surprised to see Zeng Yuzhen.

A few days ago, the two of them used deadly moves, and Zeng Yuzhen was basically doomed. It was only because Qingxue still wanted to leave some room for maneuver and didn't want to go too far that she sent her to the hospital.

I never expected that after just a few days, he would be jumping around like a baby again...

"How about that? You didn't expect that, did you?" Zeng Yuzhen said smugly. "Don't you regret not killing me completely back then? Now that you're in my hands, it's too late for regrets. I'll make sure you wish you were dead."

Qin Rufeng still couldn't quite understand Zeng Yuzhen's recovery ability; it was practically like that of the Crimson Moon Saintess.

Wait... Crimson Moon Saintess?

Qin Rufeng looked into Zeng Yuzhen's eyes and noticed they were slightly red. Then he looked at the woman from the fairy workshop beside her… he'd met her before; her name seemed to be Xiangling.

Xiangling was only slightly higher in rank than the lowest-ranking maid. Occasionally she would receive a guest, but otherwise she performed the duties of a servant.

Xiangling is usually a nobody, how did she become Zeng Yuzhen's follower?

Ru Feng observed closely and saw that Xiang Ling was looking down, listless and dazed, appearing strange. Moreover, he could vaguely see that her eyes were red…