Chapter 74: The Slash Went Astray

“Why don’t you have the heavens strike me with lightning and see what happens?” With a disdainful glance at Bai Xi, Old Lady Wang sneered at Chen Daliu, “I won’t speak to someone who brings nothing but loss. You’re the village head; you should know that we’re supposed to abolish the Four Olds and eradicate feudal superstitions now, right?”

“If you don’t pay compensation today, I’ll go report you to the town. I’ll accuse Niuluo Village of engaging in feudal superstition!” As she spoke, Old Lady Wang’s expression brimmed with smug satisfaction.

In these times, anyone caught up in such things would be in serious trouble—arrested, no less. There was an old woman in her village who’d run afoul of Old Lady Wang; after Old Lady Wang saw her bury a small clay idol in the ground, she sent her second son to report it. They dug up the idol and that family had been locked up in the cowshed ever since.

Now, her second son had even been named an Exemplary Pest Exterminator. If he accused someone from Niuluo Village of feudal superstition, there’d be no escape for them!

The more she thought about it, the more triumphant Old Lady Wang looked. Not just her, but her son and daughter-in-law were positively giddy, clamoring for an apology and compensation from the people of Niuluo Village, threatening them with worse if they refused.

Bai Xi had never been so disregarded, whether in the Heavenly Realm or here in Niuluo Village. For Old Lady Wang to ignore her and keep calling her a burden who brings nothing but loss—Bai Xi was instantly furious.

She was practically a deity; for a mere mortal to treat her with such contempt was simply unforgivable—a crime deserving a thousand deaths.

“So you really don’t fear divine retribution?” Bai Xi was already preparing to unleash her divine power.

Though using her powers forcibly would have some effect on her body, a period of rest would be enough to recover—it wasn’t a problem. At this point, Bai Xi no longer cared what consequences would come from using her power against mortals.

But before she could act, as if the heavens sensed her wrath, a muffled clap of thunder rolled across the sky, and a bolt of lightning struck, landing right by Old Lady Wang’s feet.

Old Lady Wang jumped in fright, the others fell silent, and Bai Xi, momentarily stunned, looked up at the sky and snapped, “Missed! Are you blind up there?”

When she first arrived, Heaven had tried to scare her. Now, it seemed useless!

No sooner had Bai Xi finished speaking than another bolt of lightning crashed down, this time striking Old Lady Wang directly. Her hair stood on end, her clothes were scorched with holes, and she collapsed to the ground, eyes rolling back and body twitching, the acrid stench of burnt flesh rising from her…

“Mother!”

“Mother, are you alright?” Old Lady Wang’s son and daughter-in-law, terrified, rushed to her side, weeping and wailing as they helped her trembling form sit up.

“Mother, how are you?”

“Mother, are you okay?”

Afraid of another lightning strike, they kept glancing anxiously at the sky as they supported her, their faces pale with panic.

By now, fear had taken root in their hearts; they only wanted to get her home as quickly as possible.

Though Old Lady Wang had been struck, the injury wasn’t too severe. After her fit had passed, she came to, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and ignored the sobbing pair beside her. Instead, she glared up at the sky and shouted furiously, “You damned heavens, why strike me? I’ve done nothing wrong! I raised her all these years; if not for merit, I have certainly worked hard. Is it wrong for her to give me a little something in return? If it weren’t for me, she’d have been carried off by wolves long ago!”

Her eldest son, Wang Damao, hearing this, thought, Oh no, Mother’s let it slip! He hurriedly tugged at her sleeve to warn her discreetly.

But Old Lady Wang, still fuming—even blaming the heavens—paid him no heed, snapping, “Damao, why are you pulling me? It was me who saved her life! If it weren’t for me, she’d be nothing but bones by now!”

The crowd instantly sensed something was off. Li Jia, especially, was stunned. She stared at Old Lady Wang and asked in a panic, “What? What do you mean? Aren’t you my mother? No, that can’t be! I’m your daughter, everyone in the village knows that!”

Li Jia wasn’t foolish; she’d harbored suspicions as a child, but no one in the village had ever said she wasn’t Old Lady Wang’s daughter. All said Old Lady Wang was harsh to her own flesh and blood—if she was adopted, her life would be even worse. But now, hearing this, it was clear something was wrong!

“Ha!” Now that the truth was out, Old Lady Wang no longer hid it. She ran her fingers through her singed hair and sneered, “You’re nothing but a wild girl I picked up. How could you possibly be my daughter?”

“If not for your wretched mother’s dying pleas, I’d never have brought you home. And to think, you thankless wretch, that you want to cut ties with me! You’re nothing but a heartless wolf!”

Hearing these words, Li Jia broke down in sobs, while the surrounding villagers sighed and shook their heads.

No one had expected such a revelation.

“What are you crying for? You have the nerve to cry? If I’d known you’d be so ungrateful, I’d have left you in the woods for the wolves!”

No sooner had Old Lady Wang finished than another bolt of lightning struck her. This time it was far more severe—she was knocked unconscious on the spot.

Although the rest of the Wang family stood close by—her third daughter-in-law was even supporting her—none but Old Lady Wang herself was struck, save for a scorched sleeve from the collateral fire.

Who else but a truly wicked person would be struck by lightning—not once, but twice?

The villagers’ gazes toward Old Lady Wang were now full of disgust. After such a spectacle, no one wanted anything to do with her family. Coupled with her being struck by lightning, people only wished to stay as far away as possible.

In contrast, many looked at Bai Xi with awe and admiration.

She really is formidable!

Bai Xi sensed these looks, glanced around, and shook her head to indicate it wasn’t her doing. The villagers of Niuluo nodded in understanding, but their faces made it clear they didn’t believe her for a moment.

It really wasn’t me—I didn’t even say anything! Bai Xi thought helplessly.

“Y-you, please don’t hurt my mother. She’s just old and confused…” Wang Damao stammered, fear thick in his voice.

This time, it truly had nothing to do with Bai Xi—Old Lady Wang got what she deserved.

Bai Xi’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Wang Damao, who was sneaking frightened glances at her. She snorted coldly and said, “There’s a reason your mother took Li Jia in.”

Given Old Lady Wang’s greed, there was no way she did it out of kindness.

“She took her in, only to treat her so cruelly. Even Heaven couldn’t stand it anymore. If you don’t tell the truth now, there’s no telling who might get struck next.”

No one would have believed such words from a five-year-old child—except after what had just happened, the Wang family dared not doubt her for a second.

“No, please, no!” Wang Damao, terrified, clasped his hands and pleaded with Bai Xi. Seeing her impatience, he quickly explained, “I don’t know the exact details. I only know that my mother was supposed to bury my dead sister. But less than an hour after she left, she came back with a little girl in her arms.”