He recounted everything that had happened at the restaurant today.

"Damn it, this woman is too suspicious. She’s not falling for it at all. Looks like I’ll have to think of another way."

"This trick of mine used to be foolproof. It worked on every female cultivator I tried it on!"

Soon, the other party replied.

"It’s not that she’s suspicious, it’s that she’s no saint herself. You used the wrong trick!"

Qi Xiezi: "..."

"Then why didn’t you say so earlier!!!"

’Isn’t this just a waste of my time?’

That woman looked so gentle and mild, and I heard she was an Alchemy Cultivator. I thought she’d have a kind and gentle personality, which is why I played the pity card to win her sympathy.

The other person pondered for a moment before adding, "She’s selfish and self-serving, not so easy to fool. But you’ve judged countless people; I’m sure it won’t be a problem for you."

"Of course! Just you wait for my good news!"

Qi Xiezi snorted coldly and put away the Communication Talisman.

Recalling the sympathetic look in Song Wanning’s eyes today, he thought, ’She can’t be as cold-blooded and selfish as that person described.’

’They’re enemies, so that person’s words aren’t very credible.’

’In comparison, I trust my own judgment more. That woman must be the type who’s cold on the outside but warm on the inside. It’ll just take a little time to dispel her suspicions.’

’Hmph, if her Cultivation wasn’t so high, I would’ve just kidnapped her long ago. Why would I need to resort to these petty tricks?’

’So much trouble!’

...

Back at the restaurant, Song Wanning finished her meal and went up to the third floor.

After she entered the room, the Golden Small Sword leaped out and said angrily, "Master, it’s that kid again!!!!"

"He caused you so much misery in your past life. This time, you have to teach him a good lesson!" The Golden Small Sword was practically dying of anger. The moment it saw that familiar face, it wanted nothing more than to rush out and get rid of the man.

In its master’s memories of her past life, this person had harmed her greatly!

Song Wanning sat on the couch, scenes from her past life flashing unbidden before her eyes.

Back then, she had become a Demon Cultivator hunted by the entire Human Clan. While she was hiding everywhere, she received a message from Liu Yiyi.

Liu Yiyi had said she could provide a place for her to hide and promised she would never tell anyone.

At the time, she still didn’t know Liu Yiyi’s true nature. The appearance of a friend willing to help her moved her to no end.

Following the directions, she went to a mortal village.

The people in the village were exceptionally kind and treated her extremely well, gradually healing her cold heart.

There, the village chief’s youngest son often ran over to play with her, calling her "big sister" this and "big sister" that, looking utterly adorable.

Gradually, she let her guard down and went to the village chief’s house for a meal.

And that was the meal where everything went wrong.

But she was an Alchemy Grandmaster and noticed it immediately. She drew her Longsword and attacked them.

"Hahaha, to think you discovered it!"

"But so what? Now that you’ve entered my Ghost Gate, don’t even think about leaving alive!"

Qi Xiezi cackled madly as he charged at her. With a wave of his Soul Summoning Banner, countless wailing, vengeful spirits rushed out, enveloping her and starting to bite.

Every bite from those spirits tore at her Divine Soul, causing excruciating pain.

Even now, Song Wanning seemed to remember that feeling.

To survive, she fought with all her might and finally found a chance to escape the village.

To avoid being found by Qi Xiezi, she had no choice but to flee into the dangerous Red Sandalwood Forest, ending up covered in wounds and utterly exhausted.

What was even more outrageous was that by the time she emerged, more and more people from the Cultivation World had joined the hunt for her, because every single villager in that entire village had been killed.

The entire village was massacred, with no one left alive.

It was clearly Qi Xiezi’s crime, but in the end, the blame was pinned on Song Wanning.

This also became one of the reasons people used to besiege the Song Family.

Song Wanning let out a long, heavy sigh.

Ever since her Demonic Qi and Spiritual Energy had merged, the hostility in her heart had diminished considerably, and her emotions were no longer as easily swayed as they had been in the past.

She opened her eyes calmly, a flash of killing intent in their depths.

Qi Xiezi had made her suffer so terribly in her past life. She hadn’t even gone looking to settle the score with him in this life, and now he had delivered himself right to her doorstep.

’But...’

’Isn’t this a bit too coincidental?’

Song Wanning began to ponder. Liu Yiyi had a hand in this affair in her past life, so she was likely involved this time as well.

’Heh.’

’In that case, I’ll just take care of them both at the same time.’

"It’s laughable, really. In my past life, I ended up completely isolated and helpless."

Song Wanning stroked the Golden Small Sword, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes.

In her past life, she had been engrossed in Cultivation and Alchemy. Besides that, her favorite thing was to be by Gu Qingyuan’s side, and she didn’t even mind that her own brilliance was always overshadowed by his.

Because she had so much: family background, Cultivation, skills, status...

And precisely because she lacked nothing, she didn’t care.

She always acted without considering the consequences, doing as she pleased, straightforward and direct.

Coupled with the trouble-magnet constitution of the protagonist, Bai Yang, she had truly offended far too many people.

It seemed it was no surprise she ended up in such a state.

’Thinking about it seriously now, it seems I didn’t have a single true friend...’

A shadow of gloom crossed Song Wanning’s eyes. It was precisely because her past life was such a failure that she was determined to live this one more brilliantly.

’So what if I have no friends?’

’So what if my reputation is bad?’

What she wanted was absolute power, enough to crush and look down on everyone.

*

For the next few days, Song Wanning deliberately didn’t rush to leave Jiyuan City. Instead, she wandered around the city, buying the materials needed to create a clone.

Qi Xiezi didn’t give up either, managing to "coincidentally" run into her every day in different situations.

Sometimes he was being cursed and beaten by his "stepmother," sometimes he was being punished by kneeling at the courtyard gate, and other times he was being insulted and bullied by other children outside...

Each time, he made himself look utterly pitiful.

The Golden Small Sword couldn’t help but laugh its head off in her Sea of Consciousness.

’To get Master’s attention, he’s either getting beaten or cursed out every time. He’s really "working hard."’

Song Wanning didn’t disappoint him. She would step in to help each time, but her attitude remained cold, and she would leave as soon as she was done.

This only further convinced Qi Xiezi that the woman was cold on the outside but warm on the inside, and that his plan would surely work.

So he put even more effort into his performance. Finally, one day, Song Wanning frowned and said to him, "Are you willing to come with me?"

"Although I won’t take you as my disciple, I can arrange for you to enter a Sect to cultivate. It just depends on whether you can let go of your worldly family ties."

Her eyes were gentle, her concerned gaze falling upon Qi Xiezi.

’All these days, I’ve just been watching the show, while at the same time gaining his trust, making him believe he had successfully deceived me.’

’After all, Qi Xiezi is a master of escape. If he senses something is wrong and runs, it’ll be difficult to find him again.’

"Really? I’ll go with you!"

Qi Xiezi’s eyes lit up, and he eagerly scampered after her.

"I’ll go wherever Senior goes!"

Song Wanning raised a slight eyebrow and looked down at him.

’Is that so?’

’Then let’s go to hell.’