The moment they entered the portal, Si Shen closed it with a flick of his wrist. The path ahead would lead straight to the administration building for registration, where the servants would take care of the rest.
"Now that I've settled your parents," Si Shen turned his gaze to the Young Lady still kneeling on the ground. "It's your turn."
Ye Wan-er lifted her head slowly, her expression numb, but her eyes quickly darted back to the ground.
"You must think I'm a fool," she murmured.
Si Shen's lips quirked upward. "I've seen worse."
Her smile was fragile, barely there. "That doesn't make me feel any better."
With a deep breath, she met his eyes once more. "What do you want to know?"
Si Shen folded his arms, his expression unreadable. "How are you able to wield resentment energy without being corrupted by it?"
Ye Wan-er's hands clenched in her lap as she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "When Second Young Master Xia gave me the hairpin, he said it was an artifact to channel energy. At first, it was for spiritual energy, but he hinted it could also control resentment energy. I was frightened at first, but he told me it wasn't so different from spiritual energy."
"The first time I used resentment energy was on my personal servant. It worked perfectly. Second Young Master Xia praised me, said I had talent. No one had ever praised me like that before," she said with a bitter smile, before continuing. "But my cultivation level was low. I could only use it little by little. So, I practiced in my mother's courtyard, where the servants were closest to me."
"My mother was always strict with them, and over the years, resentment had built up. When I finally gained full control over Mother's servants, the resentment energy had already corrupted the courtyard's natural flow. It started affecting Mother's health—she fell ill, never left her bed. Father invited a new teacher to take over my lessons, and I was freed from her watch. That's when I started to…experiment more, became bolder."
"An accident happened with one of the servants. She was too good, not a hint of resentment in her heart. I couldn't control the hairpin properly and it started corroding her spirit. Her daughter was there, she was so young."
Young Lady Ye stared blankly at her trembling palms, the echoes of a child's desperate cries still ringing in her ears. She could not shake the image—the little girl clinging to her mother, her tiny hands grasping at bloodstained sleeves, eyes brimming with helpless tears. The woman had collapsed, wracked with unbearable agony as the resentment energy devoured her from within. She had tried to push her daughter away, but the child clung to her as if refusing to let go could change fate itself.
Then the transformation began. A shriek split the night as the creature unleashed its wrath, tearing through the house like a storm of fury. Walls cracked, furniture splintered, the air thick with the scent of burning talismans and blood.
Young Lady Ye did not stay to witness the end. She feared that her deeds would be discovered. Attempting to manipulate resentment energy is akin to breaking the most fundamental rule of the cultivation world. She would be killed instantly on the spot by her Father if they were to find out what she had been up to.
The Ye family cultivators arrived swiftly, their swords drawn, their spiritual techniques blazing—but none were a match. One by one, they fell, their qi dissipating into the night like dying embers. Even Master Ye, sensing the unnatural strength of the spirit, sought aid from the Xia Clan, yet they too found themselves powerless before it.
It was only when she sought out Second Young Master Xia for help that he looked at her with pity before heading towards the Ye mansion in secret, getting rid of it in one powerful swing.
Si Shen's eyebrows arched, surprised by the Second Young Master's strength. To eliminate a threat the Xia Clan couldn't? The boy was full of hidden talents.
Ye Wan-er paused, her voice trembling as she looked up at Si Shen. "Can I ask... is the child...?" Her words faltered, as though unsure of the answer she sought, but desperately needing to hear it.
"She's dead," Si Shen answered softly.
Ye Wan-er's shoulders slumped. Tears gathered in her eyes, slipping down her cheeks. It was her fault. If only she had stopped sooner. Regret consumed her, but it no longer mattered. The blood on her hands was hers to bear.
"If punishment is what awaits me, then I will accept it," she whispered.
Si Shen replied, "You will receive your due punishment from the Gods. Farewell. I can only hope you will be a better person when you are reincarnated."
He extended his hand, flames crackling at his fingertips. The fire danced around him, cool yet unyielding, swirling in bright, flickering sparks. With a wave, the flames encircled Ye Wan-er, and in the blink of an eye, the floor beneath her crumbled away. She tumbled into the abyss, her screams echoing as she fell.
Si Shen slowly approached the hole, peering over the edge. Far below, the sea of flames on the 8th floor of Hell, Raurava, swallowed her. The moment her body touched the infernal waters, the fire roared to life, licking at her skin, searing her flesh as she writhed in agony, desperately trying to stay afloat.
The 8th floor, Raurava, was where those who had committed grievous sins—like murder—were condemned. The fiery sea would burn her for years, an atonement for her crimes. Ye Wan-er would remain here for 23 years before moving on to other hells for the other transgressions she had committed.
Si Shen flicked his wrist, and the flames surrounding the portal closed, sealing it tight. The direct link to Hell vanished, leaving only the silence in the aftermath.