The protagonist committed numerous evil deeds.

Chapter 39 Dream Demon

As dusk fell, around midnight, they flew into Qingzhou territory, but it would still take some time to reach Jiangcheng.

So the group decided to spend the night in the woods. Wen Li and the others huddled around the fire to keep warm.

"Once we get to Jiangcheng, that'll be my territory. When we go out to eat, just mention my name, Young Master Zhao, and you can eat whatever you want!"

As Zhao Sicheng added firewood to the fire, he couldn't help but gloat.

The Zhao family's main branch used to be in Jiangcheng. Although they moved away from Jiangcheng more than ten years ago, their roots are still there. Most of the Jiang family's collateral branches are still there, and they still have to go back every year for the holidays.

"Eat whatever you want? With His Highness here, do you need to act like a big shot? Is that right, Shen Yingsi?" Wen Li couldn't help but retort.

"I'm out with His Highness, so I can eat whatever I want!" Xie Xiao said smugly.

Shen Yingsi, who was sitting down, had already taken off his mask. He smiled slightly, still maintaining his gentlemanly demeanor: "With money in my hands, there's naturally no need to worry."

"No way, how can I let you pay in Jiangcheng! Fourth Brother, I may not be as rich as you, but I know Jiangcheng better than any of you. It's my hometown, after all."

In fact, Zhao Sicheng was two years older than Shen Yingsi, but due to the difference in their status, he couldn't call him "brother" and had to follow Xie Xiao's example. Actually, the only one younger than Shen Yingsi here was Wen Mingzhu.

"Brother Sicheng, what does Jiangcheng have?" Wen Mingzhu asked.

"Jiangcheng is a bustling city with a wide variety of food and entertainment options, some of which you may never have seen before. If we're lucky, we might even be able to celebrate the Thousand Lantern Festival in Jiangcheng this time."

"What is the Thousand Lantern Festival?" Wen Mingzhu asked, and everyone else listened attentively.

"On the night of the fifteenth of October, people come out to release river lanterns and make wishes to the gods. The river lanterns are usually made by themselves and given to their loved ones, so this Thousand Lantern Festival is also another Qixi Festival in our Jiangcheng. The main reason is that there are many rivers in our Jiangcheng, and these rivers flow through the city. If they are filled with river lanterns, the whole city can be lit up, like twinkling stars."

Everyone couldn't help but look forward to it; the festival sounded interesting.

Wen Mingzhu said excitedly, "Then we'll leave a little later this time, and wait until after the Thousand Lantern Festival to leave."

"I agree!"

Wen Li and Xie Xiao spoke at the same time, and everyone looked at Shen Yingsi.

Shen Yingsi nodded in response: "Since everyone has thought about it, it doesn't matter if we set off a little later."

"That's great! There's more to Jiangcheng than just the Lantern Festival; there's so much more fun to do. I'll take you there then..."

As night fell, Zhao Sicheng's voice grew softer and softer until it gradually disappeared.

The others present also closed their eyes.

The fire was still burning, its faint light illuminating the sleeping faces of the group, making everything seem so peaceful and serene.

Wen Li's eyes were half-closed, but Si Xiaxia's voice kept coming from her mind: "Host, don't sleep, it's the Dream Demon!"

Wen Li desperately wanted to open her eyes, but after struggling a few times, her eyelids finally succumbed to a deep sleep.

*

"Ah Li, come here quickly! Why did you run outside? Come back and practice your sword!"

Jiang Yanhong called out to Wen Li.

The woman had delicate features but a frail demeanor, with a hint of illness in her eyes and brows.

Wen Li stood still reluctantly, cautiously glancing at several children playing and frolicking together on the street.

"Wenli!"

Jiang Yanhong's threatening voice rang in her ears, and Wen Li could only drag herself into the Wen residence. But as soon as she reached the door, her mother pulled her inside.

Before she could react, a sharp pain shot through her buttocks.

"Mother! Mother, please stop hitting me!"

Despite Jiang Yanhong's thin physique and chronic illness, she was surprisingly strong when she got into a fight.

"If I don't hit you, you won't learn your lesson!"

As Jiang Yanhong spoke, he stopped what he was doing. Just as Wen Li was relieved, she saw Jiang Yanhong walking towards her menacingly with the "pear-beating stick."

Wen Li stared at the stick with great fear. She was stubborn and playful, and the sticks used to beat her had to be replaced several times a month.

"Jiang Yanhong, are you ever going to stop?! Other people's mothers are all gentle and kind, but you force me to practice swordsmanship in the courtyard every day. I get tired too!"

Seven-year-old Wen Li looked up and met Jiang Yanhong's gaze directly.

Wen Li raised her voice and straightened her back, trying to make herself look more imposing.

She was still young, and although she spoke with great force, tears and snot still covered her face.

Jiang Yanhong's hand holding the wooden stick trembled uncontrollably: "How could I have given birth to such a heartless child like you? Your maternal grandfather's entire clan died unjustly. Now you are their only descendant, hoping that you will one day clear their name. But instead of practicing your sword properly, you only know how to cheat and shirk your duties all day long."

"If I don't teach you a lesson today, you'll surely turn the world upside down in the future!"

As she spoke, Jiang Yanhong went to lock the door. Seeing her imposing manner as she locked the door, Wen Li was frightened and started running into the house. But she hadn't run two steps before Jiang Yanhong caught up and blocked her way.

Wen Li immediately turned around and ran around the room, shouting for help as she ran.

"Help! Someone's trying to kill me! Help!"

She ran extremely fast, making it difficult for Jiang Yanhong to catch up.

Unfortunately, experience prevails, and Wen Li was eventually caught by Jiang Yanhong.

Jiang Yanhong grabbed Wen Li and slapped her hard with a wooden stick. She was so angry that she lost her mind and hit her harder and harder.

"I'll teach you to not practice your sword properly! I'll teach you to not practice your sword properly!"

"Waaah, Jiang Yanhong, let me go, let me go!"

It hurt so much that Wen Li had no doubt that if the beating continued, she wouldn't be able to get out of bed for the next two weeks.

Wen Li began to struggle desperately, and when Jiang Yanhong wasn't paying attention, Wen Li successfully escaped again.

This time she was beaten so badly that she could even fly up the high walls that she couldn't usually climb.

Wen Li turned her head and saw the ground so far away from her, feeling a little scared. But the pain in her buttocks made her prefer to stay there.

"Wen Li! Get down here right now!"

Wen Li threatened Jiang Yanhong: "If you dare to hit me again, I'll... I'll jump down and cripple myself. That way, no one in my maternal grandparents' family will want to avenge them or overturn the verdict."

"Wen Li, how could you be so selfish! Do you know how much your uncles and your maternal grandfather love you! Before you were even born, they were already looking forward to it and even prepared the clothes you would need from a young age. But what about you! Have you ever thought about them even a little bit? Have you ever even thought about their deaths!"

Jiang Yanhong's health has been deteriorating over the past two years. She used to be kept healthy with miraculous medicines, but without them, she was already nearing the end of her life. These past few days, she's been very worried. If she were to pass away, what would happen to the Jiang family, and what would become of Wen Li?

Wen Li felt very wronged. She didn't have much of a concept of death, only that her mother treated her harshly and coldly every day because of those dead people.

“They were all dead when I was born! I didn’t get a single bit of their goodness, so why should I bear the burden of their death?”

Completely oblivious to Jiang Yanhong's anger, Wen Li continued shouting, "What do they have to do with me! I don't like practicing swordsmanship or studying magic, I just want to live for myself! I want to go out and play! I just want to go out and play!"

Jiang Yanhong was so angry at Wen Li's words that she wanted to fly up and bring her down.

"What are you doing! Let go of me, let go of me! Jiang Yanhong, you vicious woman, let go of me!"

Ignoring Wen Li's struggles, Jiang Yanhong dragged her all the way to the door.

Wen Li was bewildered and struggled, but to no avail. She watched as Jiang Yanhong opened the door and left her outside.

"You want to have fun, right? Go ahead and have a good time with them. See if they're willing to talk to you."

Wen Li glanced hesitantly at the children her age playing happily outside the door, and hesitated to go over.

"Go!"

Hearing Jiang Yanhong yell at her, Wen Li refused to back down and said defiantly, "Fine! I'll go right now!"

After saying that, he turned and ran towards the side of the street.

Seeing that Wen Li showed no sign of yielding, Jiang Yanhong angrily shouted, "If you go, don't come back."

Wen Li ran even faster when she heard her shouts, but slowed down as she got closer to the group of children.

The children, who were playing happily, stopped and stared at Wen Li as she approached.

Wen Li glanced back at Jiang Yanhong and saw her looking at her coldly, so she gritted her teeth.

"Can I come with you?"

The children looked at each other, and none of them said a word.

"I won't bother you, I'll just stand here."

As soon as Wen Li finished speaking, a child threw a stone at her. The stone hit her foot, and it hurt, but she still stood there.

"Get out of my way, you little nemesis!"

A slightly chubby little boy stepped forward, holding a stone in his hand.

"My mom won't let us play with you, so go away! Otherwise, I'm going to hit you!" a younger girl said softly, raising her tiny fist.

When the two children spoke first, the other children picked up stones from the ground and threw them at her.

"Get out of here! You little jinx!"

"Go away!"

Wen Li was forced to leave, but she still cursed at the others, "Who wants to play with you! A bunch of useless trash without spiritual roots!"

After he finished cursing, a stone hit her on the head, blood seeping from her forehead, and she had to run away in a disheveled state.

But the children behind her were cheering and jumping for joy!

"Great! We've chased away that little jinx!"

"Yes! We're little heroes!"

Wen Li ran back to her doorstep and stopped when she was about ten meters away.

She saw Jiang Yanhong leaning against the wall, her eyes cold and indifferent, as if she had expected this. She said, "Go ahead, why aren't you going to play?"

Parents often think that children's self-esteem is insignificant, but in reality, their pride is greater than anyone else's. At this moment, Wen Li felt an unprecedented humiliation. Unable to bear it, she wiped away her tears and just wanted to escape.

So she roared at Jiang Yanhong, "It's all your fault! Why did you give birth to me! I don't want you to be my mother anymore! I'm leaving home today and never coming back."

Wen Li, lost in her grief, ran away without looking back.

But she knew Jiang Yanhong was catching up behind her. Her small body could unleash tremendous energy, and she ran faster and faster until she was finally all alone.