"Bang—"

"Bang—"

"Bang—"

The sound of explosions echoed, with fragments flying around the room, accompanied by Xu Ruoxuan’s screams. In just a few minutes, the living room looked as if it had been through a world war, with pits on walls and floors and debris everywhere. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Black fog and blue light balls collided in the air, exploding, with fiery sparks flying in all directions.

The figure of the Little Cat Brother was like that of a cat, agile and versatile, appearing in front of Tong Raosheng one moment and behind him the next, skillfully playing a set of "Shadow Shifting."

Tong Raosheng was calm and steady, holding a blue light ball in his hand, throwing it out every time he caught a glimpse of the Little Cat Brother.

The Little Cat Brother was equally relentless, waving his palm to summon countless black fogs that enveloped him completely.

At the same time, while the black fog remained, he disappeared and reappeared in another place, attacking Tong Raosheng.

Tong Raosheng, without turning his head, chanted a mantra, turned his wrist, and a blue light wall appeared behind him.

The Little Cat Brother almost crashed directly into it. He dexterously tapped his toes on the wall, using the blue light wall to forcefully change direction and disappeared into the black fog.

The Little Cat Brother quickly attacked several times in succession, but Tong Raosheng blocked them all. Then, silently, a Ghost Hand emerged from the black fog behind him, reaching for his back.

Xu Ruoxuan screamed, "Second Brother, be careful!"

As soon as her voice fell, Tong Raosheng realized, swiftly shifting his body and disappearing on the spot.

The black claw grasped at empty air, becoming furious and immediately turned towards Xu Ruoxuan.

"Ah, help!" Xu Ruoxuan screamed.

However, unfortunately, Tong Raosheng was in no position to help, as he was being tightly pursued by the Little Cat Brother. Moreover, the Little Cat Brother was more agile than him, so he couldn’t break free at all.

Thus, Xu Ruoxuan could only scream as the Ghost Hand grabbed her by the neck.

Her screams were abruptly cut off.

"Uh..." She was lifted into the air, unable to manage the slipping blanket, her exposed naked body struggling, trying to pull away the hand squeezing her neck.

But no matter how she grasped, her hand passed through the black fog, grabbing only a handful of air.

"Help... me..." she couldn’t even call out the words.

Was she going to die?

Die just like this?

Actually, dying like this wouldn’t be so bad. After all, no one in this world cared about her anymore.

"Are you crazy?!" Tong Raosheng yelled in shock, seeing Xu Ruoxuan’s situation, "If you kill Xuanxuan, does Master know?"

"Oh? If I kill her, what does that have to do with Master?" The Little Cat Brother appeared in the black fog, leisurely playing with the Black Fog Ball in his hand, asking.

"You... Xuanxuan is the Natural Furnace, don’t you know?" Tong Raosheng gritted his teeth.

"I know! But what does that have to do with me? I don’t cultivate by draining others." The Little Cat Brother sneered, "Do you think I’m like you?"

"What nonsense are you spouting? Xuanxuan is the woman I love most; how could I do that to her? I was forced; she’s the Natural Furnace, even if it wasn’t me, Master wouldn’t let her go." Tong Raosheng looked pained.

"It’s fine to use that line to deceive women, but do you think I would believe it? Yes, you might not be a match for Master, but don’t you really have any other options?"

"What other options do I have?"

Tong Raosheng didn’t notice that at this moment, the Little Cat Brother released the Ghost Hand grabbing Xu Ruoxuan’s neck.

The Little Cat Brother said, "It’s simple: as long as you can replace Master, her fate will be up to you, won’t it?"

Tong Raosheng and Xu Ruoxuan were both stunned: Could I/the Second Brother be a match for Master?!

"I’m not a match for Master at all!" Tong Raosheng said.

"Don’t emphasize that. I didn’t ask you to kill Master; I want you to replace Master. If you don’t even dare to think about it, then don’t bother."

"Second Brother," Xu Ruoxuan quickly spoke, "Cough, cough..." Due to being choked earlier, she was still uncomfortable, coughing a few times.

"Xuanxuan," hearing her cough, Tong Raosheng finally came to his senses. He hurried over to support Xu Ruoxuan and picked up the blanket, covering her with it, "Are you okay?"

"I’m okay for now, but who knows if something will happen in the future? Second Brother, I beg you, save me? I don’t want to be a Furnace anymore!" she clutched Tong Raosheng’s hand, desperately pleading.

Of course, Tong Raosheng had thought about it, but he always felt the timing wasn’t right yet. He needed an opportunity to strike without fail; he couldn’t afford to fail.

"Second Brother, what are you waiting for? Your woman has been slept with by Master and treated as a commodity sent to your senior brothers. Don’t you hate it? Isn’t it something a man shouldn’t endure?" The Little Cat Brother continued to fan the flames, "Moreover, we’re all his disciples. If it’s just his pawns, who doesn’t want to break free from his control?"

"And you?" The Little Cat Brother’s last sentence moved him.

Indeed, relying solely on his own power, he wasn’t a match for Master. But what if a few senior brothers united?

Just like what the Little Cat Brother said, as long as he could replace Master, it didn’t matter to those behind Master who would do their bidding, as long as they succeeded.

"I will, of course, lend a helping hand to the Second Brother."

"Don’t you want that position?" Tong Raosheng probed.

The Little Cat Brother smiled, "Second Brother, the relationships between us brothers aren’t good. Do you think they would trust me? I don’t care who sits in that position; I just don’t want to be someone else’s pawn anymore."

Pawns, that’s what they despised the most!

"Alright, we have a deal," Tong Raosheng said.

"Second Brother, you really are cunning, turning something you wanted into a deal. Fine, the goal is the same anyway!"

Xu Ruoxuan breathed a sigh of relief, seeing the two reach an agreement. It seemed she saw hope; as long as they broke free from Master’s control, she would be free, no longer having to be a Furnace!

However, Xu Ruoxuan absolutely did not know at this time that freeing herself from Master did not mean she would escape the identity of a Furnace.

Tong Raosheng’s method was very simple and brutal. Didn’t those people want to drain the Natural Furnace? Let them, as long as they would join him in taking down Master.

And this method required the greatest sacrifice from Xu Ruoxuan.

"Me? Second Brother, you’re actually asking me to seduce other men?" Xu Ruoxuan was furious.

She wanted to shed the identity of a Furnace, not to become one. If she was still to be a Furnace, what’s the difference between breaking free from Master or not?

Tong Raosheng comforted her, "It’s something we can’t help. You’re the bridge connecting us; only you can connect all the men, and it’s temporary. Once I take Master’s place, won’t everything be up to me? What are you afraid of? Don’t you believe in my feelings for you?"