Zi Wu Mo Gu Jin

Nie Yun had known who was outside while he was still in the room—it was Nie Chao, the one who had beaten him so badly five days ago!

Nie Chao was a member of the inner branch. Though he had only awakened one Bloodline Factor, he had access to the pills and cultivation techniques provided by the clan. His cultivation speed was no slower than Nie Yun's in his previous life—perhaps even faster. He had already reached the third level of the qi sea, the Peak Qi Cultivation Realm, several levels above Nie Yun, who was only at the Early Qi Cultivation Realm!

But now that Nie Yun possessed the memories of two lifetimes, his combat experience surpassed even that of the Nie Mansion's clan chief by hundreds of times. Let alone a Peak Qi Cultivation Realm cultivator—even someone at the fourth level of the True Qi Realm would be beaten until they were crawling around looking for their teeth!

In his previous life, he had lacked his current combat experience. After this fellow beat him into a grievous state, he had actually turned the tables and falsely accused Nie Yun of attacking an inner branch disciple. As a result, his branch had been punished with a compensation payment of ten thousand taels of silver!

The Nie Tian Branch was poor and destitute, unable to repay it. In the end, under coercion, they could only hand over the Luoshui Golden Shield, which represented the branch and his father's highest honor!

Being unable to protect one's family's honor was an unparalleled humiliation to anyone!

Because of this, his father had fallen gravely ill and nearly died!

And because of this, his eldest uncle's daughter—his cousin—had willingly married a wastrel second son of the Feng Family to ease the branch's crisis, only to be driven to suicide in the end!

It could be said that although Nie Chao was not the chief culprit behind his branch's decline, he had certainly fanned the flames. Even dying a hundred times would not be enough to erase this hatred!

In my previous life, I was grievously injured and my strength plummeted. I was no match for you, so I endured it in the end. But in this life, Heaven allowed me to be reborn—how could I possibly let history repeat itself!

Rage burned in his heart as Nie Yun looked at his arrogant and overbearing cousin in the courtyard, his gaze icy.

"I was wondering who dared speak to me like that. So it was Cousin Nie Yun. What, your wounds have healed? Now that they have, do you want me to beat you up again?" Nie Chao's face turned gloomy upon hearing the words, but when he saw that it was Nie Yun who had spoken, he immediately laughed.

For Nie Yun to dare speak to him like this, his skin must be itching for another beating!

"Yun'er, why did you come out? Your injuries haven't fully healed yet. Go back and rest quickly!" Seeing her son suddenly emerge and anger Nie Chao, his mother Nie Ling's face immediately turned pale. She hurried over and grabbed Nie Yun's arm.

"Nie Ling, you saw it with your own eyes. Your precious son Nie Yun, as an outer branch disciple, insulted inner branch disciple Nie Chao. The clan's punishment is fair and just, without the slightest favoritism. What else do you have to say this time?"

Before his mother could finish, a strange, mocking snort sounded from behind Nie Chao. A gray-robed young man looked over with a malicious grin, holding a sheet of paper bearing the clan's punishment order.

In stark black letters on white paper, it stated that the Nie Tian Branch was to be punished with ten thousand taels of silver.

This young man was called Nie Chaoxing. He was a member of the clan's Enforcement Team and possessed mid-stage Qi Cultivation Realm strength. He and Nie Chao had always colluded like wolves and jackals. This time, he had come to announce the clan's punishment order.

The clan's Enforcement Team had been specially established by the Nie Mansion to oversee and manage its many branches. It was responsible for announcing and carrying out all kinds of punishments, wielding immense authority and power. It was the existence most feared and hated by the many branches.

"My son's injuries haven't healed. He was just speaking carelessly—please don't take it seriously..."

His mother hurriedly waved her hands and tugged hard at Nie Yun's arm, only to discover that her once-obedient son stood firmly where he was, as though roots had grown beneath his feet.

"Mother, it's fine. They're merely two little clowns who don't know whether they're dead or alive. I know what I'm doing!" Nie Yun patted his mother's arm and smiled faintly.

"Yun'er..." Nie Ling froze when she saw the confidence radiating from her son.

Influenced by their family circumstances, her son had always cultivated diligently, but he had seemed somewhat inferior and lacking in confidence in everything he did. Why did he dare say such things to Nie Chao and Nie Chaoxing today? Especially that calm, steady gaze of his, which occasionally flashed with a sharp edge that was impossible to conceal...

She had only ever seen that kind of sharp edge in Nie Xiaotian's eyes back then!

Could it be... her son had changed? Had he become like Xiaotian used to be—confident and proud, his edge laid bare?

"Little clowns who don't know whether they're dead or alive? Fine, fine! You forced me to make a move. Kneel before me at once and say you're a beast, a bastard. Perhaps I'll spare you then. Otherwise... Ah!"

Bang!

Before his arrogant words had even finished, Nie Chaoxing felt a sharp pain in his face. A rainbow dye shop instantly burst open before his eyes—red, black, yellow, blue, every color imaginable. With a miserable scream, he flew seven or eight meters away, blood spraying from the corner of his mouth.

"You dare strike an Enforcement Team disciple... You've got some nerve. I'll report this to the clan..."

Nie Chaoxing roared, but before he could finish shouting, he saw an enormous foot viciously stomp down toward his face!

Crack!

All his teeth were kicked out in one blow, and his mouth swelled into a thick sausage.

"Stop at once! Nie Yun, not only have you openly defied the clan's punishment order, you've even beaten an Enforcement Team disciple. You're finished, and so is your entire branch! I'll report this to the clan and have all the men of your branch beaten to death with clubs, while the women are sold off as prosti—"

Everything had happened too suddenly. When Nie Chao saw Nie Chaoxing lying on the ground, no longer looking human, his fury soared to the heavens and he let out a long roar.

"The men beaten to death with clubs? The women sold off as prostitutes?" Nie Yun's eyes narrowed at once. He had lived two lifetimes, and before his rebirth, he had even reached the peak of the Dantian Acupoint Bridge Realm. How could he possibly accept such a threat? His feet shifted, and he turned into a phantom, appearing before Nie Chao.

"You want to ambush me? Dream on! I'm not Nie Chaoxing—I've trained against sneak attacks... Ah!"

Nie Chao had only just confidently declared that he was not Nie Chaoxing when darkness fell before his eyes. He followed in Nie Chaoxing's footsteps and flew through the air, landing on the ground with his face twisted like a fried dough twist, his whole body trembling and convulsing without stop.

"That's right, you're not Nie Chaoxing. You'll receive an even crueler punishment than Nie Chaoxing!" With a cold snort, Nie Yun walked over. Crack! Crack! Amid a string of crisp sounds, Nie Chao's qi sea shattered, and every bone in his arms and legs was crushed.

"Ah..."

Nie Chao had never expected the youth he had bullied as he pleased just days ago to be so ruthless today. With a miserable cry, he fainted. Looking at him now, even if he were rescued, he would likely not survive!

Ignoring Nie Chao, whose fate was unknown, Nie Yun once more came before Enforcement Team disciple Nie Chaoxing.

"Cousin Nie Chaoxing, you and Nie Chao came to deliver the punishment. Our branch obediently handed over ten thousand taels of silver, but Nie Chao was overcome by greed at the sight of wealth and viciously attacked you. In the end, you used your ultimate move and severely wounded him beyond recovery... Isn't that correct?"

"You..." Nie Chaoxing had wanted to rebuke him for spouting nonsense, but when he saw the cold, sinister look in the youth's eyes, he could only swallow his words.

That gaze was like that of a primordial beast, ready to tear someone apart at any moment. Nie Chaoxing was merely a disciple who borrowed the tiger's might to frighten others. When had he ever encountered such a scene? His courage had long since drained away.

"A wise man submits to the circumstances. I trust Cousin Nie Chaoxing will say exactly that!" Nie Yun smiled faintly and lightly squeezed every joint on Nie Chaoxing's body in turn.

"Ah... You... what did you... do to me..."

While he was still wondering why Nie Yun had done this, Nie Chaoxing suddenly cried out miserably. Beads of sweat the size of beans rolled ceaselessly down his forehead.

Every joint in his body felt as though someone were sawing through it viciously with an iron saw. Waves of piercing agony made him feel as though he could collapse at any moment.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I learned this from an expert once. It's called Zi Wu Mo Gu Jin. Those struck by it will feel pain in every joint at midnight and noon each day, as though their bones are being ground by millstones. If it isn't treated, after seven times seven, forty-nine days, every joint in your body will dissolve into pus, and you'll become a complete cripple!"

Nie Yun rubbed his fingers together as though he were discussing something that had nothing to do with him.

"There's one more thing I should tell you. I planted this Zi Wu Mo Gu Jin, and only I can undo it. Forget Luoshui City—even across the entire Shenfeng Empire, don't dream of finding a second person who can! A friendly reminder: if you cannot find the proper method and try to remove it by force, your pain will double. It originally only acts up at midnight and noon, but if you force it, it will also strike at dawn and late afternoon..."

Nie Yun's voice was not loud, yet to Nie Chaoxing's ears, it was enough to make his hair stand on end. An icy chill crept up his spine.

"Rest assured... Nie Chao... was utterly heartless... I... will certainly report his crimes... and clear your name..."

Struggling to his feet, Nie Chaoxing hurriedly shouted in words so faint that even he could barely hear them. He had no choice—the agony brought by Zi Wu Mo Gu Jin was simply too vicious. He had no choice but to submit.

"Cousin Nie Chaoxing is truly wise. You understood the course of events so quickly. Then please take Nie Chao away from our branch, Cousin! I don't provide meals!"

Nie Yun waved a hand, the corners of his mouth lifting.

"Yes..."

Struggling to hoist Nie Chao onto his back, Nie Chaoxing slowly made his way out. Before long, he had left the courtyard.

"Everything I did wrong in my previous life, I will correct. Everything I lost, I will take back. Those who bullied me—I will make each and every one of you regret ever being born into this world. I will show no mercy!"

Watching the two leave, Nie Yun clenched his fists and made a solemn oath.

Having experienced life and death twice, Nie Yun was no longer the simple person he had been in his previous life. His mind had already undergone a transformation like a butterfly breaking free from its cocoon!