Shantao called out to Lu Ya, and together they helped Si Shuo move Ji Xiao Cheng Liang to the back courtyard. Once the clamor and lights from the front faded into the distance, she stopped and chuckled softly.

"Ji Liang, put up a Protective Shield. I have something I need to say to you both."

The words had barely left her mouth when Ji Xiao Cheng Liang, who had just been feigning drunkenness, sat up straight. He clapped his hands, and a misty Protective Shield enveloped the three of them, shutting out Lu Ya, who wore a dark expression.

To be precise, the Protective Shield enveloped four people. From behind a large tree, Miao Juan emerged.

Si Shuo’s expression changed in an instant. She instinctively fell back behind Ji Xiao Cheng Liang, clutching his arm tightly. "Shantao, who is she? Why is she here?"

"Who am I? Heh. Why am I here? Si Shuo, why don’t you ask yourself what you’ve done recently?" Miao Juan threw back her hood, revealing a gaunt, aged face. Her voice was a hoarse rasp, dripping with both glee and venomous hatred.

Si Shuo trembled. "I... I don’t know what you’re talking about. And... and I don’t recognize you! Someone so old and ugly... I’d definitely remember. Old woman, I really, truly don’t know you."

Miao Juan was furious. ’Even if I’ve aged, how can my own daughter not recognize her Mother? And she calls me old and ugly? Whose fault do you think that is?’

"Hah! I hate that innocent act of yours more than anything! I look like this because of you, and you have the nerve to tell me you don’t know?

But that’s fine. You don’t have to know. Soon enough, you’ll be the one wearing this face, and then you can try screaming about how innocent you are! HAHA! Let’s see who listens to your complaints then!" Miao Juan, seemingly picturing the scene after their bodies were swapped, stepped up to Ji Xiao Cheng Liang and pinched his chin. "What a pity. Such a handsome, intelligent Snake Beast, refined into a puppet. From now on, his mind will be completely addled.

But that’s alright. I’ll be sure to dote on such a harmless Big Snake Beast. I hear that feebleminded men are especially... tireless... when it comes to physical exertion.

At the very least, as a husband, he’ll still be..."

Si Shuo trembled with genuine rage. She strode forward and slapped Miao Juan to the ground, her palm burning from the impact.

"You’re supposed to be my Mother, yet you dare to covet my Beast Husband?"

’Even if she was this body’s Mother, Miao Juan’s actions had already prompted the original owner to repay the gift of life twice over—in pain.’

Two more of Miao Juan’s teeth tumbled out, filling her mouth with the taste of blood. Yet she only cackled. "Your body will be mine, so of course they’ll treasure me and dote on me. What’s the big deal? Plenty of fathers and sons serve the same female. And it’s not unheard of for an overwhelmingly powerful male to make a mother and daughter serve him together.

Once we’ve swapped bodies, I won’t mind sharing. The real question is, will your Beast Husbands be able to bring themselves to get a taste of you when you’re all wrinkly like old tree bark!"

For some reason, a wave of grief and pain washed over Si Shuo. ’This must be a lingering emotion from the original owner.’ "Why?" she asked. "I’m your daughter. Why did you love Yu Jiao but not me?

Is it just because I couldn’t hear, because I embarrassed you? Even a vicious tiger won’t eat its own cubs. Why must you come after me? Why won’t you give me a chance to live?"

As if certain Si Shuo had no way to turn the tables, Miao Juan grinned, revealing a mouth now missing four teeth. "Because Yu Jiao is my daughter... and you are not."

Si Shuo’s eyes trembled violently. "That’s impossible. I was born in the Qianmiao Tribe. Father can sense his own bloodline..."

As she said this, her head snapped toward Miao Juan. "You... you’re not my Mother?"

"That’s right. This body belongs to your Mother. You’re just the failure she gave birth to, and it’s only fitting that you, like your Mother, should pave the way for me and my children!

Don’t worry. Once we’ve switched bodies, your lifespan will be transferred to me too. You’ll be reunited with your real Mother very soon." Miao Juan laughed, smug and triumphant.

Si Shuo clenched her fists. "I refuse to believe the Beast God is so blind as to let someone as selfish, sinister, and vile as you keep a superpower to harm others!"

Beast God: I merely act according to the rules...

"Once I become you, the Beast God won’t mind," Miao Juan said, her impatience growing as she stared at Si Shuo’s exquisite beauty under the moonlight.

She staggered to her feet and, smiling, asked Ji Xiao Cheng Liang, "Ji Liang, are you willing to permanently exchange the soul of your female, Si Shuo, with mine?"

Ji Xiao Cheng Liang’s expression seemed to flicker with struggle. He repeated woodenly, "Are you willing to have your female... soul redemption code?"

"What’s wrong with him?" Miao Juan glanced at Ying Lan, who was disguised as Shantao.

"His spiritual power might be too strong, and the refining process was too short, so his consciousness hasn’t completely faded," Shantao said, frowning slightly. "Try again."

Miao Juan took a deep breath. With a faint smile, she enunciated each word to Ji Xiao Cheng Liang. "Ji Liang, from now on, no matter what I ask, you will only answer, ’Willing.’

Are you willing to permanently exchange Si Shuo’s soul with mine? I’ll make you very, very happy!"

Ji Xiao Cheng Liang tilted his head. "Willing."

Ecstasy flooded Miao Juan’s face. ’It worked! It’s done!’ Her heart raced as she waited for her superpower to activate, ready to savor the feeling of youthful vitality.

But she kept her eyes closed for a long time, and nothing happened.

Si Shuo sneered. "Oh my, I was so very scared just now. Go on then, swap our souls. I’ve been waiting for ages. How come nothing is happening?

Don’t tell me the Beast God decided you were too evil and took your superpower away?"

A chill washed over Miao Juan. ’Impossible! My superpower is exchange, and an equal one at that. Each person only gets one chance. I’ve never used it on Si Shuo. All I needed was to find someone with authority over Si Shuo, and the soul exchange would be a done deal. What part of the process went wrong?’

Unconvinced, she tried again. Ji Xiao Cheng Liang’s response was just as crisp, but the body exchange failed once more.

Ying Lan couldn’t help but sneer. "Miao Juan, don’t tell me that as you’ve gotten old, your superpower has stopped working too? You mean I went through all this trouble just to play a game with you?

I don’t care if you can succeed or not, but you made me a promise, and it was witnessed by the Xiezhi Beast God. You can’t go back on your word."

Miao Juan was getting desperate. She tried again and again, but not a single attempt was successful.

Si Shuo, however, just smiled. "I am curious, though. Mother, what exactly did you promise her to seal a deal to betray your own daughter?"

Miao Juan’s soul was different, but since she was in the mother’s body, they were still nominally mother and daughter.

Even without their answer, Si Shuo already knew. A smirk played on her lips as she continued, "How about you two try exchanging with each other?" 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The moment she spoke, both women froze. Under the moonlight, a faint, illusory figure began to emerge from each of their bodies. If not for the lunar glow and the sheer amount of energy involved in the exchange, it would have been almost impossible for Si Shuo and the others to see the souls...