Chapter 147: Guilt?

“Still need a clear death?”

Xu Boqing sneered coldly and reprimanded, “Just because I saw you using sorcery to harm others—isn’t that enough?”

“I...”

The cat demon’s sobs faltered, its clasped paws frozen mid-bow. Recalling how its spell was interrupted at the banquet, it slowly regained composure.

It seemed to glimpse a sliver of hope, drooping its face as it choked out, “Immortal, the actions of this little demon were under someone’s orders, and the spells I cast carried no direct lethal intent. They merely clouded the mind, drowning one in lust.”

Pausing, it hurriedly explained, “The karmic entanglements surrounding royal power are deep, especially with Zhu Wenjue, the prince vying for the throne—his fate is heavily intertwined...

This little demon’s cultivation is shallow and path narrow; I would never deliberately take a life unless absolutely forced.

It was Zhu Wenjing!

He asked me to silently harm his elder brother Zhu Wenjue, to aid his own ascension as crown prince...

I owed him a favor, and he promised that if successful, he would appoint me as the imperial tutor. I was blinded by that promise, so I agreed.

Moreover, the banquet was crowded—though all were mortal bodies, they held high positions, each tied by karmic threads...

Even if I wanted to kill someone outright at the banquet, Zhu Wenjing would never have agreed.

So, I thought to cast minor spells, to let Zhu Wenjue’s spirit fall into despair, drowning in lust and losing ambition.

This way, Zhu Wenjing would gain the crown prince position, I would repay my debt, avoid karmic repercussions, and accomplish the task…”

Seeing the fierce man’s brow furrowed in thought, it sobbed again, “Though this little demon harbors ill intent, I never meant to take a life directly. I beg you, Immortal, see clearly!”

“See clearly?”

Xu Boqing’s gaze flickered as he snorted coldly...

The banquet was staged by Zhu Wenjing, and with so many eyes present, as long as his mind was intact, he wouldn’t let his own second brother die at the prince’s mansion banquet—nor in recent times.

The cat demon’s story made some sense...

Then he recalled his recent infiltration of the prince’s mansion, the woman from the Liu family forcing him to drink milk tea—a kind of karmic entanglement born of favors and debts.

And now, the Liu woman’s body had been occupied!

Xu Boqing’s eyes darkened with killing intent as he harshly reprimanded, “You say you never wanted to kill directly? Then how do you explain possessing Liu Heng’e’s body?”

“...”

The cat demon, having barely glimpsed hope from despair, now faced the killer’s murderous glare and apparent intent to strike, causing its fur to stand on end!

Seeing the murderous finger pointed again, it screamed in panic, “I did possess Liu Heng’e’s body, but she was not killed by me—it was Zhu Wenjing!”

The finger did not stop but grew larger in sight. The demon shut its eyes and cried out, “Everything I say is true, Immortal! Please spare me!”

The demon’s fur rippled though there was no breeze. As it sensed death nearing, the fear abruptly vanished...

Trembling, it opened its eyes to see the finger hovering above its forehead. Terrified, it shut its eyes again, unwilling to look further.

“Immortal, please allow me to explain!”

“Speak!”

Xu Boqing snorted coldly, warning in a deep voice, “I have ways to discern truth from lies. If you dare utter a falsehood, this finger will pierce your skull!”

“I... I dare not deceive, Immortal...”

The cat demon slowly opened tear-filled eyes, sobbing with grievance, “When I occupied Liu Heng’e’s body, her soul had already mostly dissipated.”

Xu Boqing nodded slightly. “Be specific.”

“This involves a scandal at the prince’s mansion.”

The demon sobbed as it explained, “Some time ago, Zhu Wenjing discovered Liu Heng’e’s alleged infidelity. In anger, he beat her and demanded to know her lover’s identity...

But Liu Heng’e was strong-willed, refusing to admit to any affair. Both sides stood firm in their claims.

Zhu Wenjing, humiliated and unwilling to let the scandal leak, listened to rumors and secretly took Liu Heng’e to seek out some charlatan magicians in the capital...

They hoped to use a method said to reveal memories to find the lover.

These charlatans were lowly scoundrels, mostly con artists with little real skill...

They gave Liu Heng’e all kinds of strange potions. No memories surfaced, but her soul was shattered, and she suffered unbearably...

Because of my special circumstances, I needed to find a departed spirit to lodge my consciousness for cultivation...

I happened upon them during this search and saw that Liu Heng’e was the spirit I sought...

So, I hoped to form a good bond and took over her body, using her voice to reveal the truth to Zhu Wenjing.

But upon seeing my spell, Zhu Wenjing no longer cared about Liu Heng’e’s survival. He insisted I return to the prince’s mansion as an immortal attendant...

Since I owed him a favor for the host body, I did not refuse. That’s how the events at the banquet unfolded…”

The demon paused, glancing furtively at the fierce man. Seeing his strange expression, it feared disbelief and hurriedly added, “Everything I say is true! I beg the Immortal to see clearly!”

“Liu Heng’e’s infidelity??”

Xu Boqing’s breath caught. Thinking of “Liu Heng’e’s infidelity” and his recent infiltration of the prince’s mansion, he was momentarily dazed...

“Immortal, everything I say is true.”

The cat demon saw the fierce man’s dazed expression and feared disbelief. It hurriedly explained, “When I possessed Liu Heng’e’s body, her last lingering thoughts begged me to help her find peace...

I accepted her remaining consciousness and, as an outsider, analyzed the affair’s cause.

Though it seems complicated, it’s actually simple...

Some time ago, a thief disguised as Zhu Wenjing secretly entered the mansion. Liu Heng’e, unaware, tried to deepen their marital relationship.

That thief, unfamiliar with Zhu Wenjing’s temperament, had no intention of entangling with Liu Heng’e.

But Liu Heng’e, mistaking the thief’s gentle words for Zhu Wenjing’s, became anxious, and... well...

There was a misunderstanding, a physical one.

However, the thief had some limits and did not take advantage or commit rape. Claiming outside matters needed attending to, he postponed further and fled after leaving.

Liu Heng’e took it seriously, and when the real Zhu Wenjing returned, she ‘met’ him as agreed, naturally causing the misunderstanding of infidelity.”

“...”

Xu Boqing’s heart twitched. He understood now that he had caused this trouble...

Thinking that Liu Heng’e lost her life because of him, even his own hardened heart felt faintly shaken. Unconsciously, he withdrew his hand from the cat demon.

The cat demon noticed the fierce man’s sudden loss of momentum and somewhat distracted expression. Curious, it seemed to realize something and its eyes flickered...

“That thief... truly despicable...”

Xu Boqing murmured dryly, a complex guilt rising within.

He pressed his lips and looked at the cat demon seriously. “From an outsider’s perspective, whose fault was this ‘infidelity’?”

“...”