An hour later, within the fire wall, besides Zi Linling, only Shen Wenqing, Qin Mingyue, Qin Mingfei, Zi Dong'an, and Dongfang Feihong remained.
Zi Linling moved her thoughts, and Long'er and Xiaohu were returned to the contract space, while Huangyi returned to the Divine Maiden's Palace.
The scattered remains and the strong smell of blood, along with the bloodstains on several people, all spoke of the brutal battle that had just occurred.
Shen Wenqing's face was filled with despair. At this moment, only one thought echoed in his mind, "It's over, it's over!"
But did he hate Zi Linling?
He didn't know.
In any case, he greatly hated himself.
Qin Mingyue's heart was filled with bitterness.
If the people in her family found out that everyone she brought had been annihilated, what would they think?
In any case, she regretted it!
Wasn't it ironic that the person who could have brought her immense benefits had now become an irreconcilable enemy?
Qin Mingfei's heart was even more bitter.
He had betrayed his brothers and sisters, betrayed his captain, and betrayed the oath of the King's Mercenary Group, but what had he gained?
Zi Dong'an's resentment had long since vanished in fear. At this moment, there was only endless dread.
He finally understood that the humiliation of falling face-first twice had already been an act of great mercy.
The young girl before him, though seemingly young, possessed a ruthlessness that far exceeded his imagination.
If he could do it all over again, would he still choose to be an enemy of Zi Linling?
Probably not!
But with his character, it was likely that he would inevitably repeat his mistakes.
Dongfang Feihong's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot, but it couldn't hide the trace of fear in his eyes.
Despite being only twelve years old, Zi Linling's coldness and ruthlessness were unlike those of a twelve-year-old girl.
Amidst the fear, his heart welled up with endless anger.
He, the Dongfang imperial family, had stood for a thousand years without falling. When had they ever suffered such a great loss?
But now, alone, he truly dared not do anything to Zi Linling.
Moreover, with his cultivation, he couldn't do anything to Zi Linling.
Not only that, but whether he could leave safely now was also a question.
Zi Linling's icy gaze swept over the five of them, one by one, and she said, "Will you do it yourselves, or shall I?"
A trace of malice suddenly surged in Shen Wenqing's despairing eyes.
"Zi Linling, you are so heartless! *Puff!*
I clearly bowed to you, I clearly offered my life to save theirs, why must you kill them all? *Puff!*
I am greedy, I am ungrateful, and my death is deserved, but they were merely following my orders. What wrong did they do? *Puff!*
Do you know that if they die, Liuxing will also be finished? Without their support, Liuxing cannot control the Shen family? Liuxing likes you so much, how can you bear to clip his wings and ruin his future? *Puff!*
Zi Linling, is your heart made of flesh? Is your blood red? Does your body have warmth? Are you not afraid of retribution? *Puff!*"
Shen Wenqing spoke with a heart-wrenching lament. With every question he directed at Zi Linling, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
His accusations, which could move listeners to tears, were less about hatred for Zi Linling and more about his self-hatred.
Qin Mingyue and Qin Mingfei looked at Shen Wenqing with sympathy.
They could deeply empathize with Shen Wenqing's suffering.
A once very strong relationship suddenly turned into a situation of irreconcilable animosity. Wouldn't anyone regret it to the point of spitting blood?
Zi Dong'an fearfully echoed, "Bitch... Zi Linling, you are a complete demon!"
Dongfang Feihong also echoed with a dark face, "Zi Linling, you are indeed a cold-blooded demon!"
"Heh heh..."
Zi Linling sneered and said, "A demon? You wanted to kill me, and because you were not strong enough, you were killed by me, so I became a demon? If you wanted to kill me, and I offered my neck for you to chop, would that mean I am not a demon?
According to your logic, if I killed so many of you now, would you let me go if I simply said I was sorry?"
Shen Wenqing, Zi Dong'an, and Dongfang Feihong were rendered speechless.
Zi Linling was right. If it were them, their methods would only be more vicious than Zi Linling's.
This was their age-old way of operating as those in power.
Seeing their stunned silence, Zi Linling scoffed, "Why aren't you talking anymore? Don't you think your logic is more like that of bandits?
Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you! Since you cannot be magnanimous, why do you expect me to be?"
"*Puff!*"
Shen Wenqing spat out another mouthful of blood, his entire body swaying precariously.
Zi Linling knew that he had severed his own heart meridian. If not for the support of his peak Saint King realm cultivation, he would have collapsed on the ground.
With a blood-soaked mouth, Shen Wenqing laughed to the sky, "My life, Shen Wenqing, was spent in schemes. Yet, after all my calculations, I never expected that a moment of bewilderment would not only cost me my life but also cause so many Shen family elites to be buried with me, and even jeopardize my son's future!
I have failed my ancestors! I have failed the deceased Shen family elites! I have failed Liuxing and his mother, and I have no face to see them! No face to see them! *Puff!*"
As he spoke, he spat out another mouthful of blood and his body fell towards the ground.
"Father..."
A heart-wrenching cry echoed, and a figure charged towards the fire wall without regard for anything else.
Zi Linling looked at the familiar shadow and her heart softened slightly.
With a flicker of her thoughts, the fire wall parted, allowing the figure to enter.
"Father..."
Shen Liuxing, at the very moment Shen Wenqing was about to make a close contact with the ground, reached out and caught him, kneeling on the ground.
"Father! What's wrong? Don't leave Liuxing alone! Father! Wake up, Liuxing will take you home!"
Shen Liuxing cried like a torrential downpour.
A man sheds tears only when his heart is truly broken!
At this moment, the fear and pain of losing his dearest kin caused his tears to stream down uncontrollably.
He held Shen Wenqing in his arms and tried to stand up, but due to overwhelming grief, he stumbled several times and couldn't get up.
Zi Linling remained silent. Allowing Shen Liuxing in was already her greatest concession.
Of course, she did not stop Shen Liuxing's actions. After all, Shen Wenqing had already severed his heart meridian, and even an immortal could not save him.
Therefore, she didn't need to deny Shen Liuxing even the body.
But she knew that her bond with Shen Liuxing had reached its end. The moment Shen Wenqing made a move against her, it was already sealed.
Shen Liuxing finally managed to lift Shen Wenqing.
He glanced at Zi Linling, said nothing, and walked towards the outside of the fire wall.
Zi Linling did not stop him, and the fire wall automatically made way.
Watching his desolate and lonely retreating figure, Zi Linling's heart ached.
But if she had to do it again, she would still do the same.
Her enemies, she would never show mercy!