Chapter 183: A Debt Repaid in Blood

This chapter is updated by Novels.pl

Gasps turned into horrified silence.

Not the stunned awe of a dramatic revealbut the raw, gut-punch kind of silence that came when reality shattered expectations.

No onenot even his enemieshad really thought hed do it.

They thought he was bluffing.

Maybe a dramatic speech. A deflection. A flashy gesture to distract the crowd and regain control of the narrative.

But this?

This was madness.

Someone whispered hoarsely, "He actually did it…"

Another voiceshaky, disbelievingfollowed.

"He tore it out… with his bare hands…"

They stared at the blood dripping from his fingers.

At the faint, golden-white glow of the Dao Bone pulsing in his graspbeautiful, pure, sacred.

And soaked in his own blood.

Even the wind stilled.

Because one should knowremoving a Dao Bone wasnt just painful.

It was catastrophic.

The act didnt just threaten the body. It shattered ones cultivation foundation.

Made future breakthroughs nearly impossible. In many cases, it reduced one to a crippleforever severed from the Cultivation.

He might lose everything.

He might become mortal.

Even the warships overhead fell quiet, their thunderous engines humming lowstunned, as if witnessing something divine or deranged.

Li Jianhongs sneer froze mid-formation.

This wasnt part of their plan.

They had expected Bai Zihan to deny, to justify, to spiral under pressure and crumble before the crowd.

But Bai Zihan hadnt done any of that.

He didnt hide. He didnt beg. He didnt run.

He admitted his sin and ripped open his own chest in front of the entire Empire.

And now he stood therebloody, broken, and holding the very Dao Bone they demanded.

"Hah… Hah…"

The sound of Bai Zihans breathing was ragged, but unwavering.

Blood gushed down his torso, soaking his robes in crimson, as he stood in the center of the Bai Clan courtyardchest torn open, Dao Bone in hand.

Still glowing.

Still pulsing with divine radiance.

It shimmered in Bai Zihans bloodstained gripgleaming like it didnt belong in this cruel, wretched world.

And many in the crowd gulped unconsciously, greed flickering in their eyes at the sight of a treasure that could change their fate.

(Was that too much?)

Bai Zihan wondered.

Did he overdo it?

The truth washe never needed to rip it out.

The Dao Bone had been stored in the System Store for a long time. He couldve retrieved it without effort, without injury.

But that wasnt enough.

He couldnt just take it out.

He needed to sell the illusionmake it real, make them believe. And to do that, he had to put on a show.

Hed put his body on the line for the sake of a narrative.

A performance.

Because once the Li and Zhao Clans learned the truth… It was only a matter of time before it went public.

They might claim theyd keep their mouths shut and negotiate, but who could trust that?

Better to tell the world himself and on his terms as well.

And if he could turn it into something that blunted the blow to the Bai Clans reputationeven better.

Because while he didnt care much for reputation, he knew better than anyone:

Wars were won not just with swords.

But with public opinion.

With moral high ground.

If the Li and Zhao Clans painted the Bai Clan as monstersstealing from their own kinthen even outsiders would see their invasion as justice, not conquest.

That couldnt happen.

Not on his watch.

(Still… damn, it hurts!)

He winced internally.

His body had grown so strong that injuring it wasnt easy.

Hed had to use real strengthreal forceto even simulate the damage.

A half-hearted effort wouldnt have made a scratch.

But hed pulled it off.

A very convincing act.

And by the stunned silence around himit worked.

Bai Xueqing looked at Bai Zihan in horror.

Nevernot in a thousand yearshad she expected him to do this.

She thought he, a coward, manipulator, the kind of person who would never admit to stealing the Dao Bone, let alone rip it out in front of the entire Empire.

This wouldnt just destroy his reputation.

It could destroy his cultivation.

Everything hed worked forgone.

Just like that.

Bai Xinyue stood similarly shocked.

Even after everythingafter he gave up the Immortal Emperors Inheritance for hershed never imagined he would go this far.

Shed assumed that act was his form of compensation.

But if he already gave up the Inheritance…

Then why this?

Was he afraid of the backlash?

She doubted that. The Bai Zihan she remembered never cared what others thought.

So then

"Bai Zihan… just what are you thinking?"

She couldnt see through him, not then and certainly not now.

She tried to understand him, tried to grasp what he wanted, tried to help him but never really seemed to achieve any of that.

"So this is Bai Zihan… never expected him to be this ruthless."

"Yeah! Doesnt he fear what his enemies will do once hes powerless? He might even lose his heir position."

"Still… I respect him. To admit his mistakeand undo it with his own hands…"

…

The onlookers whispered.

Even those who hated him had to admitthey admired his guts.

And more than that… they feared him.

Such ruthlessness.

Such cold resolve.

One could only wonder what he might have becomewhat kind of monster or legend he couldve beenif he hadnt destroyed himself.

Even Zhao Wutian couldnt deny it.

Though the outcome was unexpected… Perhaps it was better this way.

Because someone like Bai Zihan?

Left unchecked?

Left to grow?

He mightve become something far worse than they could ever deal with.

"A dangerous man," Zhao Wutian muttered.

"Good thing he ruined himself first."

Everyone knew that now that he had taken out the Dao Bone, there was no future left for Bai Zihan.

The Bai Zihan they once knewwas gone.

"This is the Dao Bone I stole from my cousin, Bai Xinyue, when she was still young. Because of this, she suffered greatly… and was even exiled from the Bai Clan because of it."

Bai Tianheng looked at his son, stunned by his actions.

And now this…

He had always believed Bai Zihan was not at faultthat it was all the result of his wifes misguided decisions.

Bai Zihan knew that too.

And yet… he still made it seem like he was the one who orchestrated the whole thing, taking all the blame onto himself.

(Wife… if only you had trusted our son. His future mightve shone even brighter.)

"I admit I wronged her," Bai Zihan cntinued. "And I owe her more than I can ever repay. This"

He held up the Dao Bone, blood still dripping from his hand.

"is just a small part of the justice she deserves."