Lin Yue POV
The hairpin pierced my scalp, and I barely held back a yelp.
"Sorry, little sister." Lin Xian's fingers twisted in my hair, pulling tight. "I'm just so excited for your big day. Eighteen years old! Finally a woman."
I forced a smile, watching her reflection in the bronze mirror. My half-sister looked beautiful as always—perfect face, perfect hair, perfect everything. But her eyes met mine in the mirror with something cold and sharp.
"It's fine," I said, even though my scalp throbbed. "Thank you for helping me get ready."
Lin Xian smiled wider. "Of course. What are sisters for?"
The word "sisters" sounded wrong in her mouth, like food gone bad. But I pushed the feeling down. Today was my eighteenth birthday. Today, Young Master Zhao Ming would probably announce our engagement in front of everyone. Today was supposed to be perfect.
I'd loved Zhao Ming since I was ten years old. He was handsome and strong, already at the Foundation Establishment stage of cultivation even though he was only twenty-five. Our families had promised us to each other when we were children. For eight years, I'd dreamed of this day.
"All done!" Lin Xian stepped back, and I saw myself in the mirror. She'd actually done a good job—my black hair was pinned with jade ornaments, making me look older and prettier. "Father is waiting. The guests are already arriving."
My stomach fluttered with nervousness and excitement as we walked to the celebration hall. I could hear voices and laughter echoing through the Lin family estate. So many people had come! Important cultivators from other clans, sect elders, even the city magistrate.
"Lin Yue!" My father's voice boomed across the hall. He stood on the raised platform at the front, arms spread wide. "Come, daughter. Stand beside me."
My heart soared. This was it! He'd never called me up to the platform before. He must be planning to announce the engagement right now!
I hurried forward, barely noticing how the crowd parted for me. Father smiled as I climbed the steps, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. Up close, he looked tired. Stressed. When was the last time I'd really looked at my father?
"Father, I—" I started to say something, but he cut me off.
"Stand here. Stay quiet." His hand gripped my shoulder hard enough to hurt. "Today is important. Don't embarrass the family."
The words felt like a slap. I nodded slowly, confusion swirling in my chest. Why was he being so cold?
That's when I noticed the old man.
He stood in the shadows at the edge of the platform, wearing dark robes that seemed to swallow the light. His face was wrinkled like old leather, but his eyes—his eyes were young and hungry. They crawled over me like bugs, and I wanted to run away screaming.
"Who is that?" I whispered to Father.
"Elder Liu. An honored guest. Be polite if he speaks to you."
Something about the way Father said "honored guest" made my skin crawl. He sounded afraid.
The celebration hall filled up fast. I searched the crowd for Zhao Ming and finally spotted him near the back. My heart jumped—he looked so handsome in his blue cultivation robes! I smiled at him, waiting for him to smile back.
He looked away.
My smile froze. Maybe he hadn't seen me? But no, he'd definitely looked right at me before turning his head. And was that... was that Lin Xian standing next to him? When did she leave my side?
I watched as my sister leaned close to Zhao Ming, whispering something in his ear. He nodded. She giggled, touching his arm.
My chest felt tight, like someone was squeezing my lungs.
"Welcome, everyone!" Father's voice rang out, and the crowd went silent. "Thank you for coming to celebrate my daughter Lin Yue's eighteenth birthday. This is a special day for our clan. A day of... change."
The way he said "change" made my stomach drop. This wasn't right. Nothing about this felt right.
"As you all know," Father continued, "our family believes in serving the greater good. In making sacrifices for cultivation advancement. Today, my daughter will fulfill her destiny."
What? I tried to catch Father's eye, but he wouldn't look at me.
"Lin Yue has been blessed with a Pure Yin spiritual root—a rare treasure." Father's voice echoed through the hall. "Such a gift should not be wasted on a girl with mediocre cultivation talent. Therefore, we have made arrangements."
The crowd murmured. I felt like I was falling even though I was standing still.
Father finally looked at me, and his eyes were empty. "Lin Yue, you will have the honor of serving Elder Liu as his cultivation furnace. Your spiritual energy will help him break through to the next realm. This is a great honor."
The words didn't make sense. Cultivation furnace? That meant—no. No, that couldn't be right. A cultivation furnace was a person who got their energy drained until they died. It was something bad people did to prisoners and slaves.
"Father?" My voice came out small and scared. "I don't understand. This is a joke, right?"
"No joke." Father's face was stone. "The arrangements are made. Elder Liu has paid handsomely. You should be grateful to finally be useful to this family."
The room started spinning. This couldn't be happening. Not on my birthday. Not with all these people watching.
"But—but what about Zhao Ming? Our engagement—"
Zhao Ming stepped forward from the crowd, and for one desperate second, I thought he'd save me. He'd tell Father this was wrong. He'd protect me.
Instead, he bowed to Father. "Clan Leader Lin, I formally request to end my engagement to Lin Yue. I wish instead to pursue your daughter Lin Xian, whose cultivation talent and character are far superior."
The words hit me like arrows. Each one pierced something vital inside my chest.
Lin Xian appeared beside Zhao Ming, her hand sliding into his. "Father already approved," she said sweetly, looking right at me. "I hope you understand, sister. Zhao Ming deserves someone worthy of him."
The crowd was perfectly silent. Everyone was staring at me. Pitying me. Some were smiling, enjoying the drama.
I looked at Father, desperate for him to say something. To stop this nightmare.
He turned away.
"The ceremony begins now," Elder Liu's voice rasped from the shadows. His cold hand grabbed my wrist, and I felt something—something dark and wrong crawl up my arm like poison.
"No—" I tried to pull away, but I couldn't move. My body was frozen.
"Don't struggle, girl." Elder Liu's breath smelled like rotting meat. "This will hurt less if you cooperate."
The crowd parted as he dragged me toward the platform's stairs. Toward the basement. Toward whatever horror waited below.
I caught one last glimpse of my family. Father's blank face. Mother looking at the floor. Lin Xian smiling her perfect smile.
And Zhao Ming, the boy I'd loved for eight years, watching me get dragged away like I was nothing.
The basement door opened, and I saw the glowing ritual array carved into the stone floor. Arrays meant for harvesting spiritual roots. For ripping souls apart.
Elder Liu shoved me forward, and I fell to my knees inside the circle.
"Begin," Father's voice commanded from behind me.
The array blazed to life, and agony exploded through every nerve in my body.
As I started screaming, one thought burned through my mind:
They planned this. All of them. This was never a birthday celebration.
It was my execution.