Yanmei's Ruthlessness

Xiao sat in a chair inside of Yanmei's commodious V.I.P. room while the master of the establishment elected to stand, watching Xiao with a domineering gaze.

"So basically, you lied?" The disappointment in Yanmei's face coincided with her tone. "Scum. Now get out of here and kindly never set foot in my pharmacy ever again."

<<Such rudeness. You have my permission to blackmail her.>>

Xiao was a bit flabbergasted by how the two women immediately resorted to the extreme. It was going to be up to her to find a middle ground.

"Lady Yanmei, do not misunderstand, I only did it because I wanted to get your attention. You see, I know you're hiding a secret. If you would just comply with my request then I would happily take that secret with me until I breathe my last."

Xiao tried her best to make it seem like she was extorting the woman. However, she badly needed her blood

"You have dirt on me. You are not the first and you will be the last who will try to sabotage me or my pharmacy's reputation. Don't think I will go easy on you because you're a cripple. Whatever it is that you have on me, I will simply not be threatened. Leave."

Yanmei was certain that Xiao was only after her spirit stones. Her most well-guarded secret being threatened didn't even cross her mind.

How could it? When she had been careful with her every move, her feeding patterns were innocuous in order to not raise any suspicion.

"I know you're a Huli Jing."

The air suddenly froze and Xiao had nothing to do with it this time.

Violent gusts of wind began to swirl inside the room. The gale of bloodlust shattered vases and decorations alike, at the center of it all was Yanmei, her very form changing before Xiao's eyes. Her pupils are now slit, belonging to that of a lupine predator. Her human ears receded in favor of fox ears at the top of her head. Markings akin to whiskers appeared on her cheeks. Five of her tails blossomed on her back, as if to illustrate her ludicrous strength.

Yanmei's higher cultivation base was revealed before Xiao, who despite her composure was already cursing her luck internally, finding herself in the presence of another monster.

"You should have left when I gave you the chance."

The winds may have calmed, but Xiao felt that it was still there, all contained under Yanmei's menacing glare.

"Teacher, I think she's trying to kill me. A little help, please?" Xiao wryly smiled at the face of the danger, that danger being able to release gusts of wind that could tear her to shreds via a single command.

<<Remember what I said. I am your mentor, I am not here to bail you out everytime you would encounter a dangerous situation.>>

Yanmei ominously smiled, showing a new pair of pointy canine teeth, "Trying to kill you? Consider yourself deceased. Then, I shall deal with this master of yours next!"

Yanmei would do EVERYTHING to ensure that her secret is safe. The stigma against her kind is too severe for her to even entertain the idea of letting Xiao go. She will not be lynched or become hunted like some common animal.

Xiao sighed. It looks like she would need to do it by might since that is the only thing that would make Yanmei listen.

Xiao released her ice qi, like Yanmei's display from earlier, Xiao also made her killing intent known by pulsing her ice qi outwards.

The terrible cold crashed into Yanmei but instead of being threatened it only served to annoy Yanmei even more. "You know I'm a realm higher than you, right?"

"Maybe so, but that doesn't mean I won't be able to put up a fight. You might kill me in the end but I would assure you that this pharmacy of yours would be turned upside down before that happened."

Yanmei clicked her tongue. Could she acquiesce to whatever demand the cripple before her might have? No, she can't afford to, she knows her secret. It would appear that Yanmei would need to use 'that'.

Ceasing her hostile aura, Yanmei relaxed her posture. "You win, now tell me, what is it that you want?"

Xiao threw an empty vial towards Yanmei.

"Fill that with your blood. After that, you would never see me again. "

Yanmei internally sneered. (Never see you again? More like you would never be seen again!)

Yanmei opened her left palm, her own razor sharp wind slicing into it. She let the blood flow from her wound and into the vial.

Xiao gladly watched the blood slowly trickle down into the vial. Her master's intervention was not needed in the first place. All she needed was a little faith in herself.

Soon, Yanmei was about to hand the vial but before she could pass it over, Yanmei made a request. "Oh, and one last thing, would you mind looking into my eyes for a moment?"

"Your eyes..."

Xiao felt as if those slit pupils contained within those hazel orbs were staring at her very soul.

Yanmei's gaze was eviscerating every single one of Xiao's thoughts, until only one remained, that is absolute devotion towards the spirit beast before her.

The Huli Jing cupped her hapless victim's chin, raising it so Xiao could further drown into her eyes.

A triumphant smirk etched in Yanmei's face, "That's it, give in."

Seconds later, Yanmei freed Xiao from her charming gaze. That may well be, Xiao remained to be bound, Yanmei claiming full dominion over her consciousness.

"Now I could kill you and no one would ever find out. I could rip your heart out from your chest and you would even thank me for it." Yanmei threatened only for her words to cause elation at its intended target.

Xiao was so far gone, even after hearing words regarding her own demise, the only reply she gave to Yanmei was a swooning smile.

"Take off that mask." Yanmei ordered on a whim, she grew curious to see the face of the one who dared to blackmail her.

Yanmei was astonished, Xiao's looks were enough to rival her own.

"What a beauty, a shame I'm going to have to end you now." Yanmei brandished her nails into deadly claws, strong as steel and sharp as a sword's edge.

Her charm would only last for an hour, she must end the woman's life here and now, lest her secret would be leaked.

She had avoided the pitfalls of demonic cultivation and subsided purely on dual cultivation. Yet she knew that even if that was the case, the humans would never understand, she would be murdered if she wasn't driven out from Xiulan and the business that she built from the ground up would be for naught.

She wasn't ruthless but if she wanted to keep living amongst humans, she had no choice but to become one.

Yanmei swung her claws, her target?

Xiao's jugulars.