C12 You Are Not at the Spirit Apprentice Stage!

"Isn't it obvious whether it'll work if you try?"

Murong Yunxi suddenly detected an odd noise, so faint it was almost imperceptible.

She pulled an antidote pill from her Storage Bag and swallowed it without hesitation, not fully convinced of its efficacy, so she went ahead and sealed her body's acupoints as a precaution.

Some time later, the door swung open, and Han Hu and Han Loong stepped inside.

Upon laying eyes on the figure sprawled on the bed, excitement surged through them, and they eagerly rubbed their hands together.

They had never encountered such an attractive woman before. The thought of simply handing her over to Han Yi was unbearable.

If she was to be given to Han Yi, she would have to be theirs first!

Han Loong gave Han Hu a nudge and prodded, "What are you waiting for? I provided the knockout drops, now hurry up and take her!"

Han Hu shot Han Loong a disdainful look and strode over to the bedside.

As they drew nearer, Murong Yunxi abruptly sat up.

With a swift motion of her hand, she unleashed a burst of palm energy that slammed the door shut. Simultaneously, the oil lamp flared to life, illuminating the entire room.

The sight of an unharmed Murong Yunxi left them dumbfounded.

Han Loong, pointing at her, was at a loss for words.

Murong Yunxi couldn't help but smile at their astonishment.

"What's the matter? Don't you recognize me?"

Sure, Murong Yunxi was unscathed, but why?

Had she closed the door as a gesture of welcome?

Han Hu, filled with apprehension, turned to Han Loong and asked, "Big brother, what do we do now?"

"What's there to fear? She's merely a Spirit Apprentice, and we're both Spirit Masters. Surely we can handle her."

Indeed, they were Spirit Masters; a Spirit Apprentice posed no threat.

Now that she was awake, they might as well make their move!

Watching them gear up for a confrontation, Murong Yunxi shook her head, her expression one of scorn.

"Do you honestly believe I'm just a Spirit Apprentice?"

With those words, she unleashed her full power, revealing her true level: Spirit Apprentice, Spirit Master... all the way up to Spirit Emperor.

Despite the vast disparity in their cultivation levels, they were unable to discern Murong Yunxi's true power.

As Murong Yunxi unleashed her full cultivation, Han Loong's brow furrowed, and he pointed at her accusingly.

"I wasn't mistaken during our first encounter. You never took the Spirit Hiding Pill, did you?"

The Spirit Hiding Pill was designed to conceal one's cultivation, rendering it undetectable to others.

He had even gone out of his way to inquire about the pill with the innkeeper, whose suspicions were allayed only after the mention of the Spirit Hiding Pill.

Murong Yunxi was, after all, just a young girl. The idea that her cultivation could surpass his—and by such a margin—was inconceivable to him. Thus, he had convinced himself that the effects of the Spirit Hiding Pill were at play.

Yet, to their astonishment, Murong Yunxi's strength was formidable.

Clearly outmatched, Han Loong's fists tightened as he spun on his heels, plotting his escape.

Murong Yunxi produced a talisman, casting it toward the door where it adhered and conjured a barrier that repelled Han Loong.

He launched a barrage of attacks against the barrier, but his efforts were futile.

It was in this moment that he grasped the extent of the chasm between him and Murong Yunxi, and fear engulfed him.

Back against the barrier, he faced Murong Yunxi with a look of sheer panic.

"What do you intend to do?"

Murong Yunxi glanced down at her fingers and sighed deeply, her expression one of reluctant resolve.

"I have no particular desire. I simply wish for you to meet your end here."

At her words, Han Hu quickly backed away, coming to a halt next to Han Loong. The two of them cowered together, eyeing Murong Yunxi with wary anticipation.

"You can't kill us—we are the scions of the Han family. Should you take our lives, the Han family will never forgive you. They will seek vengeance. Therefore, you cannot—must not—kill us!"

Murong Yunxi found their pleas grating. With a hand to her temple, she massaged it gently, her gaze on the pair laced with impatience.

"Do you truly believe that anyone from the Han family could contend with me?"

Their ignorance of Murong Yunxi's cultivation level spoke volumes of their fear.

To be frank, not even the three esteemed elders of the Han family, nor the family head Han Yuming, could stand a chance against Murong Yunxi.

Were they truly facing their end today?

The thought was unbearable, utterly intolerable!

The Han family's reins had not yet been passed to them. How could they resign themselves to such a fate?

Realizing their pleas were futile, Han Loong immediately dropped to his knees, fervently bowing his head to Murong Yunxi. Catching sight of this, Han Hu followed suit and knelt down.

"Miss, we admit our wrongdoing. Please, spare us. After all, we didn't succeed in our plans. We're Han Yi's own brothers, and you're his wife. Surely you wouldn't kill his kin?"

"Kin?"

Murong Yunxi had managed to contain her anger until that point, but the mention of 'kin' twisted her expression into one of sheer contempt.

She strode forward and in a mere moment, she was upon Han Loong. With a swift motion, she seized him by the neck and hoisted him up. Han Loong struggled in vain; no matter how he writhed, it was to no avail.

His spiritual energy had vanished, leaving him powerless.

As Han Loong's struggles waned, Han Hu, mustering some unknown reserve of bravery, lunged at Murong Yunxi, only to be repelled against a barrier and sent crashing to the ground.

Pain wracked Han Hu's body, his insides felt as though they had been rearranged.

Clutching his chest, agony etched across his features, he realized he was in no state to worry about Han Loong's fate.

Murong Yunxi tossed Han Loong aside, next to Han Hu, and her voice cut through the air, icy and sharp, "You claim to be Han Yi's brothers, yet you would murder his mother?"

At her words, a chill ran through them, their hearts pounding with the realization.

If Murong Yunxi was aware of their deed, did that mean Han Yi knew as well?

Han Yi's presence wasn't just for the banquet; was it also for retribution?

Their faces drained of color, they were momentarily too shocked to plead for mercy.

Murong Yunxi, as Han Yi's mother-in-law, was more than willing to exact vengeance for her mother-in-law's sake.

At that time, despite their young age, the two were already harboring such malice in their hearts. Merely killing them wouldn't satisfy her thirst for retribution.

Murong Yunxi retrieved two small bottles from her Storage Ring, uncorked them, and forcefully administered their contents to the pair.

Almost immediately, they writhed in agony, feeling as though their flesh was searing on a grill, the sensation unbearably excruciating.

Their screams escalated, each more piercing than the last. Murong Yunxi stowed the bottles and moved aside to take a seat, calmly observing them as they endured their torment.