"I... my Daoist skills are indeed still lacking."
Mr Fang’s face turned red from the reprimand, inexplicably feeling like he was the junior, yet he retorted with dissatisfaction, "No matter what, I am still your senior, one should show some respect to elders when speaking. Your talent is indeed exceptional, who taught you these skills? Could you introduce me to your master?"
If he could receive guidance from such a master, his Daoist skills surely had room for improvement.
Yu Nianzhao looked at him critically, "You better not think about it, your talent and learning have reached their limit. Better to focus on teaching your disciples, see if there’s anyone who can become capable."
His mindset suddenly became dejected. Wailing inwardly, he felt insulted.
From Mrs. Yao’s throat came a grieving sound akin to the rustling of tree bark. She glared venomously at Yu Nianzhao, her eyes covered with a white film, only able to see shadows, unable to make out a person’s features.
"It was you who ruined me, give back my youth and my life!"
Mrs. Yao was unwilling, struggling to crawl toward Yu Nianzhao, but her bodily functions had reached their limit. She fell to the ground after crawling a couple of steps forward and couldn’t get up.
Mrs. Yao looked at the old lady with disdain, "I call you mother one last time. You were once domineering, but I pitied you for raising your husband and them to adulthood, respected you as an elder. Yet you plot against my daughter , and she is your legitimate bloodline! How could you do such a vicious thing?"
Mr Yao’s gaze was unwilling, his heart both angry and upset. He turned his head away silently and said in a deep voice, "Mother, you have gone too far this time. Who in the world doesn’t grow old? I understand your desire to be young again, but you can’t commit evil, nor stretch your malicious hands towards Jing’er. She’s the daughter we waited so long for!"
"Do you know the pain of old age? The body already tormented, lingering on a sickbed, unable to speak, clearly in pain, yet unable to tell you, only waiting to die in endless suffering. I do not want to experience this even a bit more."
Mrs. Yao cried out hatefully, "I spent half of my life on you three sons. Is it too much to ask a little in return? It was me who gave you life, can you bear to see me suffer like your father?"
Mrs. Yao spat in disgust, "Hah! As a mother, I’d never ensure my life by sacrificing my children. What you say is self-righteous; which parent doesn’t selflessly give everything for their children? Why must they give their life to you? Even if it were true that a life must be given, find your sons, why my daughter?"
The three sons of the Yao Family looked at each other, genuinely not knowing how to refute her words.
Ms Yao spoke too much, "Surely she can’t bear to harm her own sons, sons are more precious after all."
Yu Nianzhao raised an eyebrow, "The Life-extending Talisman chosen by Mrs. Yao could only use close blood relatives to extend life. She didn’t specifically choose Yao Jing’er, rather, among the three daughters of your three families, she chose Yao Jing’er."
Ms Yao and the third wife ground their teeth, glaring at Mrs. Yao.
Ms Yao gritted her teeth, "No wonder I saw this sachet on Mei’er. Does that mean the three children were all gifted sachets by her? Could the lake excursion also have been a setup?"
"Yes, on the day they went out, my Zhi’er mentioned that it was grandmother who rented the boat, suggesting they should make friends with others." Ms Yao was hopping mad, clutching her chest in anger, "Such a calculation, among so many descendants of the Yao Family, you choose our daughters. You old lantern, you make me furious. Every time I think Zhi’er almost ended up like Jing’er, lying on a bed enduring such pain, I get disconcerted."
Mr Yao hurriedly calmed her down, "Don’t be angry, she... she’s still our mother after all!"
"She was going to kill our daughter, and you still say that? Isn’t every life precious? Are you agreeing with your mother prolonging her life through bloodline?" Ms Yao lashed out, twisting a piece of flesh on Mr Yao’s arm, causing him to grimace in pain.
"I dare not, I didn’t mean it."
Mr Yao also felt troubled, "Things have already happened, and fortunately, with the master’s help, Jing’er is unharmed. Why not let this matter rest? Mother has become , I reckon she has little time left."
Mr Yao sighed deeply, "All sins and debts!"
The three wives refused, "None of us dare to stay with her any longer. Anyway, the estate is divided, why don’t you three sons find a house to care for her? We’re leaving!"
Mr Yao swung his sleeves in anger, "You call yourselves wives, women, how can you say such things?"
"This Life-extending Talisman requires continuous use. If not for sensing Mrs. Yao’s sincerity to visit the Yao Mansion, Yao Jing’er would have surely died. Her death would not be the end, but a start. If Mrs. Yao still wants to live, she’d target the next, maybe your daughters from the second and third houses. After exhausting women, having tasted sweetness, she would continue targeting your sons, in the end... it would be you three."
Yu Nianzhao pointed his finger at each of them.
The three sons of the Yao Family shuddered, washing away the last hint of unwillingness from their hearts.
"Do you plan to kill me? Commit matricide?" Mrs. Yao said displeased, "What’s the use of raising you three sons? Why listen to these outsiders? We live a Yao Family life behind closed doors!"
Mr Yao frowned in displeasure, "Mother, we have our own families and children to protect. How can you be so selfish? You weren’t before, even if stubborn, you had us in mind."
Mrs. Yao was stunned, shaking her head, murmuring softly, "Changed? No, I haven’t changed. This talisman’s method I found among your father’s coffin items. He endured so much he wanted to use this but I stopped him. Later... right, what happened later? Why did things turn out this way?" Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs noᴠelfire.net
"Argh! It hurts, my head hurts!"
Mrs. Yao hugged her head painfully, in agony.
Yu Nianzhao drew a talisman with two fingers above Mrs. Yao’s head. A golden talisman imprinted on her forehead, a ferocious ghostly visage emerged, which Yu Nianzhao pinched by its neck and pulled out.
"Let go of me!" The ghostly figure struggled angrily.
Everyone else widened their eyes, shouting in unison, "Father!!!"