Qinger POV
I woke up this morning , resolved to complete my task once and for all.
Madam doesn't take excuses and she sure doesn't give second chances, she must have noticed the boy isn't entirely normal, that's why the silent tide poison proved useless.
A powerful constitution maybe ?, that would explain him coming out male even after the mothers diet was constantly lased with cold willows breathe.
But it doesn't matter much, he should blame his poor providence for being born in sights of these people.
I have nothing against the boy, I sincerely don't, but if it comes to choosing between his life and the life of my loved one, I would surrender his always.
Once am done with this , madam promised we would be free and we will escape the state to some other state far away to start a new.
No more assassinating, poisoning people or spying for a group of devil's, we will be free at last, and all I need to do is make a little sacrifice.
I got to the fourth wife's residence, this madam has been so good to me, i almost feel bad for what am about to take from her.
But , it is what it is.
The young master was already up as always, doing who knows what by himself. I and the other maids arranged for his bath and change of clothes as he kept asking about our life's and the outside world.
He seems genuinely interested in us mere servants, which was a first for me.
He talks like he's talking to his pairs and if it were not for the pitch of his voice being so high that it reminds us he was actually a baby, we would think we were conversing with an adult.
The other maids share stories of their life's while I just kept quiet and listen, he would glance my way ever so often , staring deep into my grey eyes with those deep blue gorgeous eyes of his, how can a man be so handsome, it hurts to even look at.
I found myself growing fond of the person I was sent to annahilate and I was subconsciously hoping the poison didn't take effect, I also realized this was the reason I had taken no drastic course of action against him for so long.
But I always try and refocus my mindset , reminding myself what it is am fighting for, this is it , the madam doesn't give second chances.
The boy has to die.
I planned to knock him out and drag him out of his room to the back mountainside since I know he never comes out of his room.
Turns out, that was unnecessary, the brat chose to leave his room on his own today after being scolded by his mother.
I acted as a guide and showed him all the nice places I know of in the west zone of the family ground and the sprawling market place some distance away, that's the least I could do for him since he won't be seeing much more of anything soon.
When we were on our way back to the family grounds ,I thought of what I could use to lure him far from there to a secluded place where I can ... put an end to all this.
So I decided to play on his curiousity, he is always curious and excited about everything so I know this should work.
"Young master, there is a far more interesting location at the backside of the mountainous zone, just some distance away"
"really?! more interesting than all we've seen today ?! " he asked me
"Yes, young master, the most interesting by far" I responded
"Ok now , lead the way please!" he chimed excitedly.
End Of Qinger's POV
The midnight breeze was cool and dry up the mountain, the stars glistered overhead with only the reflection of the two moons in the sky subtly illuminating our part.
Qinger walked ahead in her grey robes, not looking back almost as if she was trying to avoid my gaze.
I walked behind her, hands behind my back, purple robes swaying with the wind, my long locks of hair occasionally fluttering to my face and obstructing my vision as I constantly heaved my head back to get them in place.
We kept moving farther and farther away from the family grounds , only the sounds of our sandals on stones and the occasional growling of spirit beasts in the distance can be heard now.
I stopped walking and stood in place, qinger who was still walking briskly was stunned when she saw me just standing there and looking straigh at her.
I can tell she's been hesitating to do what she was about to do , that's why she was trying all means to drag this out.
Why the sudden hesitation ? I have no idea because I have clearly felt strong killing intent from her directed at me on more than one occation ,and I know she did not being me here for 'sight seeing'.
"Isn't this far enough?"
I spoke first as I stared at her blankly, every bit of the childish innocence she was used to seeing on me was nowhere to be be found.
I could visibly see the colors draining from her face as she stared at me in terror.
"I knew you've been feeding me poison for a while, planning to kill me slowly and since it didn't work out .... now here we are I guess" I said as I gestured around us.
"y....y..ou knew all a..long? how?!!! " she stammered, she didn't even bother denying it , since she was going to kill me here anyway.
I could feel her resolve solidifying as she steeled herself , straightened her back and let out a loud wisp of air she's probably been holding onto subconsciousl.
The edge of her right lips curved a little upward as she began by saying .
"I knew you weren't ordinary, your rate of development and the fact you are immune to the silent tide poison.
Not to mention your intelligence that rivals that of adults at just one year old." she lamented with an almost melancholic glint in her eyes and voice.
"You are special kid I can admit that, given time, you would have done great things am sure, but you were born unlucky" she said as she began walking towards ethan.
"am assuming you are working under someone else's instructions, cause I don't recall us having this much bad blood .
why are you doing this ?, who sent you and for what purpose?
That's the least you can tell me right ? , since I will be dying soon anyways , allow me a chance to avenge my death against that person in my next life please."
Ethan spoke in a measured tone as he tried pressing her for some Intel, and it worked because she slowed her pace, took a deep breathe and looked straight at him.
"I am doing this for the freedom of my younger brother, just a few years older than you , and for myself as well , for a new life away from all this."
"I can't tell you anything about them , caus if I did I will die and so would my brother."responded qinger
"why don't you join me instead, come to my side and am sure i can come up with a way to save your younger brother in due time, I promise , and you can continue buying time and serving in capacy as my maid" I rapidly chimed in , trying to sway her to my side.
Because truth be told , I would rather avoid taking anyone's life if possible , I know it's a bit naive coming from someone born into a cultivation world.
But like I mentioned before, am just an ordinary guy, I wasn't an assassin in my past life or even a fighter, I would kill if my survival depended on it but if it didn't, I would rather not.
"You are too naive, do you even know who these people are ?, we are held in a soul contract young master , and any active plans of betrayal will lead to our deaths, you have no idea what powers you or your small Li family is dealing with, no matter how much you plan ahead or fight against them, you will never win"
"nah, I'd win."
"Yeah, Keep believing that , but you won't be getting a chance to find out" she declared as her voice got somber, her killing intent surged all of a sudden as the palm of her hands started glowing green.
"Qinger, one final Question please, just out of curiosity that's all , indulge a dying kid a little"
Hands still glowing green and killing intent still growing , but she nodded at him to go ahead.
"say... hypothetically, I somehow survive this , and even if you don't align with me , Is there a chance you don't tell whoever sent you all that happened here tonight ?"
"You have to die here today , I won't be changing my mind, no matter what you say or do" she retorted as she prepared to strike.
"Wait wait wait, just ... hypothetically, that's all , I know am already dead so just indulge me please"
Qinger didn't understand what this brat was getting at but the fact that he's actually not responding to her immense aura right now was starting to unsettle her but she still went along with the dying boys final wishes.
"Well .. I can't lie to the madam , so if she asks , I'll be telling her every single detail of course" she responded
"I thought as much" Ethan said in a resigned manner.
"I have to do this, young master, am sorry" remarked qinger as she channeled her qi and launched into the air , hands blazing green with poison qi straight at Ethan's chest.
Ethan stared at the incoming attack, she looked..... slow, disturbingly so, I guess this is the chasm between a major realm gap.
My real strength now lie a little above the early qi gathering realm , close to the mid stage .. theoretically as least.
When my mother moved earlier, I couldn't follow her movements at all, she was a peak qi gathering realm cultivator, plus I think she was using a very high level technique, I should use identify on her later on when I get the chance.
Looking at the attack, Ethan decided to just let it land, the poison has zero effect on him , same as the force of the palm.
It's not like the technique was totally useless, it's just that it's a bad matchup,I have poison immunity plus she's of a lower cultivation realm and her technique quality and mastery is also low.
'I will take a couple of hits and to test my resilience and finish her off with my pistol, I have no choice , she can't be left alive or it will only lead to more problems that would endanger my own life'
Just when the attack was about five feet away from meeting Ethan, the heavens roared and opened it's maws as a massive bucket load of yellow lightning poured down from the open skies landed squarely on the advancing qinger and completely erased her existence, only black scorched earth and the occasionally motes of remnant lightning remained were of what used to be Xiao qinger.
Ethan "..."
"WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK!"