Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 698 - 346 Shura Prototype

Chapter 698: Chapter 346 Shura Prototype

The Capital.

In the cold and damp underground palace, a pool of dark crimson blood swirled slowly, the color resembling the withered leaves of late autumn or the weathered patina of ancient bronze, exuding a heavy, oppressive aura.

Flickering, faint pearl-like light cast long, wavering shadows on all sides, adding an even more sinister atmosphere.

This was an underground palace located directly beneath the high platform of the Astronomical Observatory.

In the center of the Blood Pool within the underground palace, on a stone platform, knelt a young girl in a green dress.

This girl was none other than Ran Qingchen.

Beams of light shot down from the Astronomical Observatory above, forming invisible chains that imprisoned her firmly in place.

Ran Qingchen’s expression alternated between agony, hatred, and blankness... Black Blood Qi continuously swirled around her body, sometimes drawn out from within her, sometimes forcefully injected back in.

"You lied to me... You all lied to me..."

The girl glared with eyes full of seething hatred, as if her pupils were ready to leap out of their sockets. Her bloodstained nails scraped relentlessly against the hard stone platform, like clawing at invisible wounds carved deep into her heart.

Her heart was already shattered.

At her wedding, she had been abandoned by the man she loved deeply, deceived by her sworn sisters... Her heart had long since been riddled with holes.

And on top of that, she had killed her own master with her own hands, pushing her to the very edge of collapse.

The only thing holding her together was the hope that she still had a family.

But now, even that was gone.

She was not Jiang Wan’s daughter. She was not of Ran Family blood. She had no family at all.

It was all a lie.

Everyone had deceived her!

"You should all die! You should all die!"

Tears glimmered in her eyes as they turned feral, burning with a beastly light. The blood in her veins roared as if boiling, surging to the tips of her fingers, carrying with it an unendurable hatred.

She had already shown signs of darkening back in Qingzhou.

But after the tempering of the wedding feast, the despair of slaying her master... And now, as Emperor Zhou Chang personally snuffed out her last sliver of kindness, she was thrust entirely into the abyss of the Shura.

The Shura Bloodline within her was fully awakened, its pure malevolence leaking out bit by bit, seeping from the inside out.

The Asura Queen appeared beside the young girl.

She gazed at the girl who was stepping deeper and deeper into darkness, a pleased smile curling her lips:

"Yes, that’s it. In this world, everything is a lie. Those so-called love, friendship, family ties – they are all illusions, unworthy of your attachment.

Qingchen, what you must do is slaughter these hypocritical, filthy worms. You carry the pure Shura bloodline; you rightfully belong above them all. These insects are not even fit to touch you..."

The Asura Queen greedily absorbed the hateful Blood Qi seeping from the girl, murmuring to herself, "Everyone deserves to die. When they’re all dead, the world will finally be clean."

Meanwhile, atop the platform above, Emperor Zhou Chang gazed coldly at the underground scene refracted in the mirror. He spoke indifferently: "How long?"

The old Astronomical Overseer replied, "The progress is much faster than we anticipated. She may fully succumb to her transformation within three days."

Raising his right hand, Zhou Chang observed the faint red line swirling in his palm. He spread his fingers and aimed his palm at the mirror, at the suffering Ran Qingchen, a cruel sneer tugging at his lips:

"The Asura Queen, huh? Just another one of my dogs!"

The old Overseer frowned and voiced his concern: "Recently, the Hidden Guards haven’t been able to locate Yan Changqing. I fear..."

"Is Zhao Wuxiu really planning to stay out of this?"

Zhou Chang’s expression turned icy.

The old Overseer let out a bitter laugh: "Mr. Zhao is currently in seclusion, preparing for his attempt at Ascension. I doubt he has the time or energy to bother with this matter. Fortunately, we have the two Saints of the Confucianism and Military factions. Even if Yan Changqing shows up, we should be able to hold him off."

Zhou Chang slowly gripped the carved head at the edge of the stone railing, his voice cold as frost:

"Zhao Wuxiu seems to have forgotten how he achieved the title of ’Number One Under Heaven.’ Were it not for my promise to share the Dazhou Imperial Family Qi Fortune with him, it would’ve been impossible for him to claim that title, let alone this chance at Ascension, even in three lifetimes!"

The old Overseer remained silent.

Suddenly, Zhou Chang chuckled, his mood shifting from gloom to mirth in an instant:

"No matter. Yan Changqing is, after all, just a reckless ruffian of Jianghu. My Imperial Palace is not so frail as to be easily breached.

In three days, when I gain control over his daughter, why should I fear the Sword Demon? By then, staging a drama of father and daughter turning against each other might be quite entertaining."

The old Overseer frowned, sighing quietly to himself.

It was clear that the Secret Gu implanted by His Majesty in Ran Qingchen’s body was not without its effects on him as well.

The once deeply calculating Zhou Chang had become increasingly volatile and arrogant since Ran Qingchen’s descent into darkness began influencing him.

"Whether this is a boon or bane remains uncertain. Let’s hope everything proceeds smoothly," the old Overseer thought to himself.

"I’ll go see the Empress," Zhou Chang suddenly announced. "After all, as husband and wife, she should be willing to help me."

With that, Zhou Chang descended from the high platform.

Clearly, the Emperor still harbored apprehensions regarding Yan Changqing.

Arriving at the Empress’s palace, he encountered a splendid and ornate garden where Er Liang was practicing her swordsmanship.

The young girl wore a pale pink long dress, its hem fluttering lightly with her sword movements. Her hair, tied in a simple ponytail with a silk ribbon, swayed gently in the breeze, adding an air of liveliness.

As she twisted her supple form, rays of light danced across her hair, twinkling like scattered stars.

The sight momentarily froze the Emperor in his tracks.

In a trance, he seemed to be transported back to his youth, recalling a similar scene of another girl practicing her swordsmanship.

The same grace, the same purity.

"What brings you here?"

A cold and impatient voice broke through from behind.

Zhou Chang snapped back to reality. Turning around, he faced the glamorous and proud Luo Wanqing and replied with a smile, "I just came to see you."

"How rare. Ignoring Noble Consort Lin, you’ve come to visit this old hag?"

Luo Wanqing scoffed, a mocking smile on her lips.

Zhou Chang joked, "Is the Empress perhaps jealous?"