Yu Nianzhao’s words plunged the entire room into silence.

Ms Yao and the Third Madam covered their mouths in shock, as if they had stumbled upon a shocking revelation. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Mrs. Yao glared coldly at Yu Nianzhao and suddenly pulled the corners of her mouth in a sneer, "What nonsense are you spouting? You’re just a charlatan, Jing’er is my granddaughter, why should I harm her?"

Her sharp gaze swept across the people in the room, "What? You would rather believe a stranger’s words? Than trust your own mother?"

Mr Yao sweated profusely, glancing between Mrs. Yao and Yu Nianzhao, uncertain for a while.

Mr Yao stomped his foot, "Just based on a sachet, you say mother wants to take Jing’er’s life? That’s just utter nonsense, she’s her own granddaughter after all, what would she want her granddaughter’s life for?"

Mr Yao was unhappy, "Exactly, to do such a thing, wouldn’t mother have to be so vicious?"

Mrs. Yao cast them a chilling glance, and the brothers of the Yao Family felt a chill spread across their bodies.

Why did their mother seem increasingly off?

That look, to those unaware, it seemed as if they were facing a big bad wolf.

"Mother, you truly haven’t touched such evil things, have you?" Mr Yao’s lips trembled lightly, not wanting to doubt Mrs. Yao, yet he also noticed her current state was off.

Mrs. Yao scolded, "Are you doubting me? Doubting the mother who gave birth to you, who raised you?"

The three brothers fell silent.

"Why shouldn’t we doubt!"

Mrs. Yao’s eyes were filled with bloodshot anger as she pointed at her, "I always found it odd, after father passed away, mother’s health deteriorated, but later it seemed as if she had taken some magical elixir, not only did her health improve, her posture became agile, at that time I thought it was due to proper health care, but now looking at it, it clearly had issues!"

Ms Yao grabbed Mr Yao’s arm, her voice trembling, "There’s something I hesitate to say, the year after old Mr Yao passed away, mother went to sweep the grave and spent two days at a temple, praying and eating vegetarian for father, did she not? Upon return, there was always this faint stench on her, I was close enough to notice, found it strange, and kept silent despite the discomfort, later the smell disappeared, and only the scent of sandalwood remained on mother."

"Smell it, is it the same as this?" Yu Nianzhao opened the sachet and handed it to her for a sniff.

Ms Yao smelled it and her complexion turned grim, "Yes, it’s precisely this scent, this putrid smell is unusually eerie and distinct, unforgettable once encountered."

"It’s the smell of decay and death, Mrs. Yao’s sandalwood scent is so strong because it covers this odor."

Yu Nianzhao smiled at Mrs. Yao, "No need to deny so quickly, as long as you can endure the backlash, I must commend you as remarkable!"

Finishing her sentence, under Mrs. Yao’s puzzled gaze, Yu Nianzhao flicked her finger, igniting the sachet with a flame.

Mrs. Yao’s pupils constricted, instinctively wanting to reach out but holding back, she opened her stiff lips, "What are you doing? Burning the sachet will make it impossible to find who is behind it!"

Yu Nianzhao blinked her beautiful eyes, "Once this thing is destroyed, the person behind it will suffer backlash, don’t you know that?"

Mrs. Yao pursed her lips, her drooping hands clenched into fists, her body slightly trembling.

"You don’t think that this flame can’t burn this sachet, or more precisely, burn this copper coin, do you?"

Seeing her staring intently at the sole remaining black copper coin in her palm, Yu Nianzhao chuckled, "Ordinary flames probably can’t burn it, but this flame is no ordinary flame."

Zzzzz—

As the flame burned, the black copper coin melted slowly; Yu Nianzhao casually tossed it aside, and the coin turned into black blood that flowed on the ground, entwined with flames, rapidly darting towards Mrs. Yao like it had gained life.

Mrs. Yao was startled, her agile figure retreating, pushing the servants forward to try and block the black liquid.

Unfortunately, the black liquid bypassed the crowd, its sole target being her.

"Don’t come near! I’m not your target, you fool!" Mrs. Yao’s eyes reddened with urgency; she wasn’t as fast as the black liquid.

The black liquid climbed up along her instep, burrowing under the hem of her dress.

Mrs. Yao froze on the spot, her eyes filled with despair, mumbling, "It’s over, it’s all over."

Visibly, Mrs. Yao’s back hunched, her face wrinkled together as if drained of life, her once black hair turned silver in an instant, her eyes clouded over with a white film, muddled like a decrepit old crone.

"Mother!" The three brothers of the Yao Family were shocked, none daring to step forward to check.

Witnessing the scene, they finally understood, looking at her as if seeing her for the first time, disappointment filling their eyes.

Mr Fang slapped his thigh, "Oh my, is this the result of being backfired upon by evil arts? I’ve never seen it before, when the Life-extending Talisman backfires, aging happens instantly, just like the legend, truly remarkable!"

"Jing’er seems to be doing better."

Mrs. Yao turned to see that Yao Jing’er’s previously emaciated body had gained some flesh, and the cyan-black hue on her face was gradually fading, she was overjoyed and wept, "Jing’er, it’s good to see you revived, mother was genuinely worried about you."

"Marvelous, once the talisman was destroyed, Miss Yao’s body indeed recovered."

Mr Fang, despite his age, looked around excitedly like a child, full of energy.

Yu Nianzhao cast him a sidelong glance, "That copper coin is the source, immersed in corpse water and corpse oil for forty-nine days, contaminated by evil; it had a spell cast on it, ordinary fire can’t burn it."

Mr Fang rubbed his hands, humbly asking, "Did the lady use a Fire Talisman just now? What kind of Fire Talisman is so powerful?"

"Karmic Fire of the Red Lotus!"

"Oh, Karmic Fire of the Red Lotus!" Mr Fang just nodded, then his expression froze, incredulous, "What? Karmic Fire of the Red Lotus? Isn’t that Hellfire? You, you, you... you actually have such a powerful Fire Talisman? Where did you acquire it? Could you also sell some to me?"

Though his attitude toward Yu Nianzhao was significant, he still didn’t entirely believe these were Yu Nianzhao’s true skills, suspecting a more powerful figure behind her.

"Sell to you? Dream on!"

Yu Nianzhao coldly said, "You’re of considerable age, yet your skills in Taoism are lacking. You failed to find the main cause on Yao Jing’er and casually applied talismans; the culprit was right beside you, yet you couldn’t see it; your Taoist institute might as well shut its doors."