Chapter One: The Useless Third Miss

Vast Continent.

The Kingdom of Providence.

The Luo Residence.

Pain—

A searing, all-consuming pain—

It gnawed at her bones, as if someone were digging into them with a knife!

She bit down hard on her lower lip, forcing herself not to cry out.

It had been three years since she started taking assignments. She had nearly forgotten this kind of agony; feeling it again now was merely a reminder of what it took to become a truly exceptional assassin.

She had endured for ten years—she refused to believe she couldn’t withstand this time too.

Her lip broke beneath her teeth, blood welling up.

…

No, something was wrong. She vaguely remembered perishing alongside her enemies—how could she still feel pain?

Did that mean she hadn’t died?

At that thought, her eyes snapped open—

A burning whip lashed down upon her.

The pain nearly made her faint again!

Someone dared to whip her? Very well. Very well indeed.

She was eager to see who had the nerve.

Lifting her gaze, she looked coldly ahead.

Before her, two sisters dressed identically in blue skirts, each playing with a thick rope, stared at her with strange expressions.

"You useless wretch, why won’t you just die?" they chorused, closing in step by step.

"Please, spare Third Miss! I beg you!" A maid darted forward, clutching her protectively.

"How dare you, Bizhu? Do you have a death wish?" The twins sneered, swinging their whip. It landed mercilessly on Bizhu, splitting her skin with two bloody marks.

"Ah—" Bizhu screamed, her arms falling away from Luo Xia as she was flung aside like a leaf in the wind.

Luo Xia’s brows drew tight, her face radiating murderous intent.

"Sister, look—this waste is actually angry!"

"Ha! She dares show anger now!"

Crack—the whip lashed down again, scorching Luo Xia’s battered body, already a mass of bleeding welts.

"No, Xiaodie, Xiaoman, you’ll kill Third Miss! Please, stop!"

Crack.

"Ah—"

…

Bizhu wasn’t sure where she found the courage, but she hurled herself over Luo Xia, holding her tightly as the whip rained down on her own back.

She felt she might die, but she couldn’t let go—if she did, the lash would fall on Third Miss.

"If Bizhu is set on dying today, let’s oblige her!" said the sisters, swinging their whips again.

But as the whips came down, Luo Xia drew a deep breath, seized both whips in her hands, and yanked. The twins were thrown to the ground, sprawling.

They stared in disbelief.

Their Third Miss was supposed to be a useless weakling—years of tests had proven she had no spiritual power at all, powerless to resist anyone. To see her act like this was utterly shocking.

"Third Miss, how dare you resist? Hurry up and help us up!" Xiaoman threatened, seething with rage.

They were the favorites of the eldest young lady, after all!

Luo Xia’s eyes glittered with pride. She let out a cold laugh. "You think mere servants like you are worthy?"

She didn’t look down on others because of their status—but these two had gone too far.

She wished she could dismiss this farcical situation, but it was undeniably real.

She had transmigrated!

After the celebration banquet, she’d returned home and seen a heart-wrenching scene.

Luo Yi and her boyfriend were in bed together!

She didn’t care about their affair—it was the betrayal of sisterhood that broke her heart.

She knew that in the organization, personal attachments were forbidden. Anyone could betray you, but she and Luo Yi had sworn sisterhood, joined the organization together, trained and grown up side by side. Luo Yi had even risked her life to save her during missions, and she had repaid that debt with all her might.

In the end, simply because she surpassed Luo Yi, jealousy had consumed her.

…

Alas, the past was too painful to dwell on.

Yet, as fate would have it, she now found herself in the Luo Residence, with Luo Yi as her elder sister—who loved to cause her trouble. Luo Yi was clever; lately she sent her maids to bully her or sent their second sister, Luo Mei, instead—so as not to get caught herself.

A woman’s hatred was indeed a terrifying thing.

"You useless trash, how dare you insult us? We’re already at level one—level one! Compared to you, we’re geniuses!" Xiaodie snapped, refusing to get up. The two sisters had made up their minds: since Luo Xia had thrown them down, she must help them up, to show their superiority.

Luo Xia looked coldly at the pair groveling at her feet. On this continent ruled by martial strength, they could indeed lord it over her—once.

But those days were gone.

Now, her soul was different.

It was time to give the former Third Miss’s tormentors a lesson.

Luo Xia looked down at them. "Who are you calling trash?"

"You!" snapped Xiaoman, then realized she’d walked into a trap. "Luo Xia, do you believe I won’t kill you?"

It seemed if she didn’t kill a chicken to warn the monkeys, these people would only become more brazen.

Her whip lashed out, merciless and precise.

She had always struck swiftly and ruthlessly—her targets never escaped.

Crack!

Crack!

Screams echoed.

Xiaoman and Xiaodie’s cries soon filled the air.

Bizhu, who had nearly fainted from pain, was jolted awake by the astonishing reversal before her.

She stared, wide-eyed, at her Third Miss, who wielded the whip with effortless mastery.

Third Miss seemed… different now.

Luo Xia relished the sound of the whip. She was battered and bloodied by their blows, but now they were even more wretched than she.

The sisters were on the verge of collapse.

"Third Miss, stop, please," came Bizhu’s weak plea.

Luo Xia paused, looking at the twins with a wicked smile. "Do you want to live?"

Xiaoman and Xiaodie wanted to curse her, but lacked the strength.

"If you want to live, go help Bizhu up!"

Weren’t they just demanding that she help them? Now, let them taste how the tables turn.

The sisters resisted. For them, helping Bizhu was beneath their dignity. They were the prized maids of the eldest young lady—what was Bizhu but a serving girl to a useless mistress?

Crack!

This time, Luo Xia crippled Xiaoman’s left hand.

Xiaoman fainted on the spot.

Xiaodie was furious. "Aren’t you afraid the eldest young lady will kill you?"

Luo Xia blinked, her eyes clear and unconcerned. "Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you right now?"

Xiaodie glanced at Xiaoman, whose injuries were grave. Without urgent treatment, she could die. Though resentful, Xiaodie saw that the Third Miss now seemed possessed, suddenly so powerful. The wise bide their time—she would endure for now, but once she saw the eldest young lady, this useless wretch was done for.

"So, you know what to do, don’t you?" Luo Xia’s smile was as mocking as theirs had been earlier.

A chill ran through Xiaodie. She quickly took out a pill, intending to feed it to Xiaoman—a low-grade medicinal pellet from a first-rank alchemist, capable of relieving pain, given to Luo Residence’s servants as a reward.

The Luo family’s ancestor, Luo Jingfeng, was a seventh-rank alchemist. For others, such pills were precious as gold, but for the Luo family, they were as common as cabbages. This was why the Luo Residence attracted such talent—many came for the promise of Luo Jingfeng’s medicines.