Painful Torment

In a small town on the border between Cangzhou and Black Mountain, the last surviving members of the Lin family resided.

Now, only seven or eight gaunt, scarred middle-aged men remained.

Some were missing an arm, others crippled in a leg. They had narrowly escaped the pursuit of the Azure Scale Hall, clinging to the hope of reviving the Lin family.

On this day...

The sky was overcast, appearing extremely gloomy.

A mysterious figure in black suddenly descended upon the town.

He wore a bamboo-slat mask, his eyes cold and sharp.

The man wielded a fine steel longsword, like a demon god descending, slaughtering the Lin family members at will.

Sword light danced across the sky, and a tide of blood surged.

Those figures who had lost all hope fell into pools of blood, their mournful cries and screams intertwining, tearing the night into pieces.

Death, like a cruel dance, unfolded in the Lin family's last sanctuary.

Their final shouts and hopes were drowned in the darkness.

The Lin family's last bloodline, at this moment, met its end beneath the blade.

An utter annihilation, not a single soul left!

Li Shuidao crossed off the names on the list in his hand one by one.

These names had been provided by Lin Yunzhi. Though frail, these individuals knew many secrets.

These secrets had to be buried, otherwise, they would pose a great threat to the Li Family.

Li Shuidao personally handled this matter, telling no one.

Lin Yunzhi slowly regained consciousness, his breathing labored, his mind a haze.

Gradually...

He realized he was in a dark, damp basement.

His vision fell upon a grim wall, covered in mottled water stains.

He tried to move his body, only to find his hands and feet bound by thick ropes to a heavy wooden frame. Chains snaked along his body, locking him securely.

At this moment, he noticed a woman in the basement.

She appeared to be no older than fifteen or sixteen, with deep-set eyes and a cold expression.

She was preparing food on the kitchen counter, busy and silent.

Lin Yunzhi hesitated, attempting to communicate calmly with the woman: "Where is this? Why am I tied up here?"

"Miss, I... I am a good person. I've never done anything wicked. If you let me go, my family will surely reward you handsomely."

A meaningful smile flickered across her lips again, a smile both alluring and chilling.

"Young master, you must be hungry after waiting so long. Allow this humble servant to serve you your meal." Li Shuiting said, bringing a bowl of congee to Lin Yunzhi.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this!" A flicker of panic flashed in Lin Yunzhi's eyes. He had no appetite for food right now; all he wanted was to know how to escape.

"If you don't eat, young master, this servant won't feed you."

"I'll eat, I'll eat!" Lin Yunzhi was both hungry and thirsty. Even if he wanted to escape, he had to eat his fill first.

Li Shuiting didn't use a spoon to feed him. Instead, she brought the bowl of congee to Lin Yunzhi's lips.

Lin Yunzhi forced himself to open his mouth and drink the porridge, but his stomach was too empty. After just a few sips, he choked.

"Cough... cough cough cough..."

"You should drink slowly, young master, so you don't choke."

Seeing Lin Yunzhi's ravenous and disheveled state, Li Shuiting's lips curved into a triumphant arc.

"I'm done eating. Please untie me." Lin Yunzhi looked up, meeting Li Shuiting's gaze directly.

However, Li Shuiting seemed to hear the world's biggest joke. She let out a couple of hearty laughs.

"Lin Yunzhi, you're still dreaming even as death approaches? This young lady has learned a knife technique called Serpent's Kiss Entanglement. I hope you'll appreciate it." Before Li Shuiting finished speaking, two daggers appeared in her hands from nowhere. She lightly tapped the ground with her feet, and like a viper, she coiled around Lin Yunzhi.

Lin Yunzhi was tied to the stake and couldn't move at all. Li Shuiting's actions filled his eyes with despair.

"If you dare kill me, my Lin family will grind you to dust!"

A cruel expression appeared on Li Shuiting's delicate and beautiful face.

Immediately...

With a "swoosh," a sharp dagger pierced his thigh, drawing a streak of crimson.

"The Lin family... hah... the Lin family has been wiped out." Li Shuiting sneered repeatedly. The two daggers in her hands didn't stop, slicing into his thighs and arms, occasionally grazing his waist. Each cut avoided a vital spot.

Lin Yunzhi felt cold blades slicing through his body. He realized this woman intended to flay him alive! He struggled desperately, trying to break free. Unfortunately, in his current state, he didn't even have a chance to resist!

"Ah... you bitch! If you have the guts, kill me! Otherwise, I'll slaughter your entire family sooner or later!" Lin Yunzhi cursed incessantly. However, the more fiercely he struggled, the more ruthlessly Li Shuiting struck. Blood slowly trickled from the corners of his mouth.

Li Shuiting seemed to be enjoying tormenting Lin Yunzhi. A sinister smile spread across her pretty face as she spoke word by word, "Lin Yunzhi, the congee you just drank? I spent a lot of money on it. I crushed a Clear Spirit Powder and had you drink it all. Even if I were to cut you into a thousand pieces, you wouldn't pass out. Enjoy yourself."

As she spoke, Li Shuiting twisted her body again and used her dagger to slash through the clothes on his right shoulder, revealing his fair skin.

"Ah... You venomous bitch! If I have a next life, I'll kill your entire family!" Lin Yunzhi cursed wildly.

Li Shuiting's pretty face was filled with a chilling terror. Her voice became even deeper as she gritted her teeth and said, "Lin Yunzhi, see? This is just the beginning. Soon you'll experience what it's like to wish you were dead! I guarantee you'll die a more miserable death than today!" As she spoke, Li Shuiting raised her dagger again, aimed at Lin Yunzhi's left shoulder blade, and plunged it down fiercely.

In just an instant, Lin Yunzhi had been cut at least a hundred times, his clothes soaked through with blood.

Lin Yunzhi was in unbearable pain, yet he couldn't pass out. He roared, "I surrender, I surrender! Just give me a quick end."

Hearing this, Li Shuiting actually put away her knife. She brought over a ceramic jar filled with coarse salt.

Li Shuiting grabbed a handful of coarse salt and rubbed it into Lin Yunzhi's wounds. Salting someone was like curing pork.

Lin Yunzhi screamed and wailed, his pain tearing him apart.

Outside the basement.

Even standing on the ground, Li Shuidao and Xia Ruoxue could hear the tragic wails coming from underground.

"Isn't killing him with one blow satisfying? Why must you do this?" Xia Ruoxue asked curiously.

Li Shuidao's eyes glowed faintly. "I want Sister Shuiting to personally avenge her father."

"No..." Xia Ruoxue shook her head. "The murderer of Fourth Uncle has already had his head severed by your own hands. Lin Yunzhi was at most an accomplice; you didn't need to do this."

Li Shuidao smiled faintly. "You guessed correctly. I do have another motive."

"What do you mean?" Xia Ruoxue frowned, looking at Li Shuidao and waiting for his explanation.

Li Shuidao took a sip of tea and said lightly, "Blood Bone First Appearance, Vengeful Spirit Awakens, merge with my mind, become my strongest..."

"Husband, what do you mean?" Xia Ruoxue's voice held a hint of fear.