Master, Spare My Life: A Disciple's Sweet Rebellion | Chapter 170 | Vengeance and Revelations | Novela.app

The nights at the Hundred Flowers Palace had grown unusually lively of late, as uninvited guests seemed to arrive in a silent, unending stream. As they ascended through the "secret passage," Bai Zhi’er nudged her younger sister. "Who exactly is she? How does she know the secret paths of the Hundred Flowers Palace so well?" Bai Shan waved a hand dismissively. "She refuses to say. Regardless, she clearly harbors a deep-seated hatred for Nan Menghua." Accompanying the sisters was the woman Bai Zhi’er had seen earlier—the one whose face was ruined and whose limbs were gone. Though not a mute, she remained indifferent to their conversation. She sat in a specially crafted chair equipped with wooden wheels and a complex system of interlocking mechanisms. It was an ingenious design; a row of control protrusions sat near her neck, allowing her to move the chair or even fire hidden projectiles simply by clenching them in her teeth. The sight made Bai Zhi’er increasingly curious. Whoever had built such a contraption was certainly no ordinary person. Who was this woman? One thing was certain: her eyes were filled with a poisonous, concentrated loathing. *Nan Menghua,* Zhi’er thought, *you certainly have no shortage of enemies.* A raspy voice broke the silence. "We are here." Guided by the disabled woman, the Bai sisters bypassed every sentry and arrived before Nan Menghua’s private quarters. Their wonder grew; the woman knew not only the layout of the palace but also the specific patrol formations of the disciples. Bai Shan stared at her. "Hey, are you... could you be from the Hundred Flowers Palace yourself?" "Shan’er," Bai Zhi’er said, shaking her head to signal her sister to be polite. "Senior, we thank you for bringing us here, but we are indeed curious. Who exactly are you?" The woman kept her head low, her hair disheveled and her voice gratingly hoarse. "It is not necessary for you to know. Our common enemy is Nan Menghua." "Right," Bai Shan interjected. "Today is the day she dies." Bai Zhi’er glanced at the moon. "The day has finally come. Shan’er, are you afraid? There is a high chance we won't make it back." "What is there to fear in death?" Bai Shan smiled. "Sister, we have only ever had one goal: revenge. Have we not?" "Good." Bai Zhi’er smiled faintly, whispering in her heart: *Ruo’er, wait for me.* Deep within the palace, the silence was so profound that one could hear a pin drop. The Palace Master, Nan Menghua, sat in quiet meditation with her eyes closed. When the intruders entered, she didn't seem surprised at all. "The House of the God of Medicine graces us with their presence," she said, actually letting out a laugh. "Why so formal? You didn't even say hello." Bai Shan spat on the floor. "Drop the act, Nan Menghua. Give us your life!" Nan Menghua flicked her horsetail whisk. "A joke. My head is always here for the taking, yet many have tried and none have succeeded. Instead, they all became wandering ghosts at my hand. You two shall be no exception. Though, I must say, it is a pity—after tonight, the House of the God of Medicine will vanish from this world forever. Hahaha..." Before her laughter could finish, Bai Shan struck. Her movement was incredibly fast and ruthless, but Nan Menghua merely offered a contemptuous smirk, shifting her body slightly to evade the blow. She smoothed the strands of her whisk. "So fragile. But where is the fun in crushing you instantly?" Enraged, Bai Shan lunged again. As expected, she missed once more. Nan Menghua shook her head, seemingly forgetting Bai Zhi’er for a moment. "Why don't you both come at me? Surely you won't watch your sister rush to her death alone?" To her surprise, Bai Shan retreated and burst into laughter. "Aiya, for an old hand in the martial world, you’re quite slow. Didn't you notice I planted something on you during those two passes?" Nan Menghua’s expression shifted. She instinctively checked her person. Bai Shan’s laughter grew more arrogant. "It’s useless. Didn't you know? This young lady’s greatest skill isn't healing—it’s poisoning. The first time, I scattered toxic powder on your back. The second time was a Gu insect; it follows the scent of the powder and crawls onto your..." Nan Menghua suddenly lunged forward. Bai Zhi’er immediately grabbed her sister and bolted for the door. Nan Menghua gave chase, but the moment she stepped across the threshold, a cloud of toxic powder met her face. She froze mid-step. Seeing this, Bai Shan roared with laughter. "What? Afraid to move? Do you feel something under your feet? That’s right—I’ve buried Thunderfire Puppet Gu all around this area. If you move even a fraction, they’ll explode. You may have high cultivation, but I doubt your head is made of bronze and your bones of iron. Even if you luckily survive the blast, the Puppet Gu inside will be more than enough for you to handle." Bai Zhi’er aimed her gold needles at Nan Menghua. "No matter how powerful your martial arts are, it was a miracle Shan’er could even pass by you unharmed; she couldn't possibly have poisoned you up close. But now that we’ve lured you out, this toxic powder is very real. Within half an hour, you will dissolve into a pool of blood. Nan Menghua, who would have thought you’d see this day!" "Is that so?" Nan Menghua remained remarkably composed, a sinister smile curling her lips. Just as Bai Zhi’er felt something was wrong, a blood-red sword was pressed against Bai Shan’s throat. "Hand over the antidote." "Nan Yunshuang!" Nan Yunshuang’s gaze was icy. She increased the pressure until a thin line of blood appeared on Bai Shan’s neck. "Hand it over." "Shan’er!" "Sister, don't give it to her! I’m not afraid to die! Besides, we came here to kill; why would we be stupid enough to bring an antidote?" The cut deepened, breaking the skin. Bai Zhi’er’s heart wrenched. "Let go of my sister!" She couldn't understand it—they had evaded everyone, so why did Nan Yunshuang always appear like a vengeful ghost? Nan Yunshuang didn't waste words. "Antidote." "You cannot give it to her!" This time, the voice didn't belong to Bai Shan. It was the disabled woman who had been hiding in the shadows. She clenched the mechanism on her wooden chair, slowly rolling forward to face the group. "You cannot give it to her. Shuang’er, put down the sword." Nan Yunshuang was visibly stunned—either by the name or the person herself. She looked confused. "You..." The others fell silent, but Nan Menghua, still trapped atop the Thunderfire Puppet Gu, grew agitated. With her cultivation, she knew that using her inner energy would only accelerate the poison's spread. She barked, "Kill that woman!" "Shuang’er..." The disabled woman’s voice was agonizingly hoarse. She seemed even more emotional upon seeing Nan Yunshuang. "You..." "Yunshuang, kill her immediately! You wanted to know about your birth? She is the one who murdered your mother!" At those words, Nan Yunshuang’s composure shattered. The hand holding the blood-red sword began to tremble. Seeing this, Nan Menghua continued her manipulation. "Kill her. Yes, she is the one who killed your mother." "Nan Menghua," the disabled woman spoke up. "It seems you still remember me." "Hmph. You’re nothing but a wench." "I have dragged my broken body through the years just for revenge. The one who truly killed her was you! How could you have the heart? How could you do such a thing back then?" "The Hundred Flowers Palace forbids romantic love. You two wenches..." "We..." "Nan Yunshuang, what are you waiting for! I command you to kill her!" Nan Yunshuang looked at Nan Menghua, then suddenly shoved Bai Shan aside. She raised her sword, but in the next heartbeat, she stepped in front of the others, shielding them. "What is the truth of my birth?" "Fine! Fine! One by one, you all dare to rebel against me! You are a wench too—a wench’s child is just as lowly. I truly regret not strangling you to death back then. I gave you the position of Great Protector, I taught you martial arts, and yet you join others to turn against me! What are you? You are nothing but a bastard spawn!" "For all these years, I followed your orders and committed countless atrocities. You only ever treated me like a loyal dog. You drove your own daughter to drown herself in the lake—is there anything you *wouldn't* do?" "Hahaha! Fine! Today, not a single one of you leaves alive!" Nan Menghua began to circulate her internal energy with such force that her body looked as if it might split apart. She struck several of her own pressure points. The disabled woman cried out, "Not good! She is forcing out her maximum potential for a short burst. Though it will leave her severely weakened later, right now she will have skin of bronze and bones of iron. We are no match for her. Run, quickly!" Bai Shan was loath to give up. "But we finally poisoned her, and the Puppet Gu—" "It’s useless! Run while she hasn't finished the transformation! She has practiced her evil arts since childhood; the horror of it is beyond your imagination. I want her dead more than any of you, but we cannot win now. Go!" By the time a hideous, red-eyed Nan Menghua charged out from the bursts of thunderfire, the others were long gone. In a fit of rage, she rampaged through the palace, killing anyone she encountered. She needed to slaughter and drink blood to vent the chaotic energy of her poisoned technique. By the end, she looked like a blood-sucking demon. The disciples fled at the sight of her, but she only grinned manically, losing all reason as she cut down everyone in her path. "No one is my match! Hahaha..." Once they had escaped to safety, Nan Yunshuang looked at the disabled woman. For the first time, her eyes were filled with bewilderment. "Who are you?" The woman laughed, a sound full of immense bitterness. "Your mother and I... we were the Protectors who grew up alongside Nan Menghua." The group was shocked. Bai Zhi’er found it hard to believe. "You were her Protector? Then... why did you end up like this? Did she do this to you?" ... *Splash... splash...* The sound of water reached her ears. Opening her eyes blearily, she saw a faint white light. Her index finger twitched. She opened her mouth, but her first words were only two syllables. "Ruo’er..." ***