Volume One Chapter One Reborn on the Day of Tragic Death

"I refuse to accept this. I want revenge!"
Within the formation, a young soul screamed in agony, its voice echoing with desperation.
A golden light flared, and the soul vanished, leaving behind only a faint sigh.
…
"Tongtong, today is your eighteenth birthday. This is my gift to you," her mother said.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Su Tong's head. She looked up and saw the woman across the dinner table, carefully dressed for the occasion, holding up a ruby bracelet and gazing at her with a smile.
Su Tong was dazed for a moment.
She had truly been reborn!
She had returned to the day of her death in her previous life.
"Tongtong, what's wrong? Aren't you going to accept it?"
Her father, who appeared scholarly and refined, noticed her distraction and gently urged her.
Su Tong regained her composure and glanced around.
It was a European-style villa. The expensive dining table was laden with exquisite dishes and a cake.
On the opposite side sat her father, Su Mingzhe, and her mother, Shen Xianglan. On either side were her elder brother, Su Yuan, and her younger brother, Su Hao.
The family appeared harmonious and warm.
Staring at the detestable faces of Shen Xianglan and Su Mingzhe, Su Tong clenched her hands beneath the table, suppressing the overwhelming hatred in her heart.
After a moment, she reached out to accept the red bracelet, curling her lips into a smile.
"It's the first time I've received a gift from you, Mom. I'm so happy—I just didn't know how to react for a moment."
Su Mingzhe, seeing Su Tong's sweet smile, didn't think much of it and replied gently, "It's our fault for being too busy and neglecting you before. Don't worry, from now on, we'll never forget your birthday again. Every year, we'll throw you a party and prepare gifts for you."
Shen Xianglan chimed in, "We really do love you, and we'll love you even more from now on. Go on, accept it."
Is that so?
Su Tong's face was filled with gratitude, but inwardly she sneered.
She was never allowed to eat at the table in this household, lived in a converted storage room smaller than the master bedroom's bathroom, and was never given pocket money.
Every year on her birthday, her family was always absent, and she had never once received a birthday gift.
Looking at the loathing in her parents' eyes, she thought it was because she wasn't good enough. So, she studied desperately and did everything she could to please them.
She never expected them to treat her like Su Yuan and Su Hao, only hoped they might spare her a glance.
But what was the result?
They sent her to her death!
In her previous life, just like today, they were all present, and they had prepared a lavish lunch and birthday gift for her.
She was overjoyed, thinking her efforts had finally moved them, and happily accepted the red bracelet.
Who would have thought, the moment she put it on, Shen Xianglan drove her out. After leaving the Su family, she was hit by a car and died.

For some reason, her soul did not immediately pass on but lingered for a while.
She witnessed, after her death, Su Mingzhe and Shen Xianglan bringing another girl home.
They embraced each other and wept.
"Xixi, that wild girl Su Tong is finally dead. The life exchange worked. You can finally come home."
Only then did she learn she was never their biological daughter.
She was merely a pawn, a tool to take disasters and exchange fate for their real daughter, Su Xi.
The red bracelet was the final step in that fate exchange.
Once she willingly put it on, she would die within twelve hours.
The person who hit her with the car was just an unfortunate passerby.
Her mind had been muddled at the time, and she had walked right into the accident herself.
When Su Mingzhe learned that the driver was from the Xiao family—one of the four most powerful families in Haishi—he extorted a plot of land that was about to be developed.
From then on, the Su family rose overnight, replacing the Xiao family as one of Haishi's four top clans.
"Tongtong, quickly put on the bracelet and see if it fits," Shen Xianglan urged, her tone feigning warmth.
But Su Tong could hear a trace of impatience in her voice, and in her eyes, a deep malice and excitement.
Su Tong withdrew her gaze and did not immediately put on the bracelet. Instead, she raised it for a careful look.
The red beads were not rubies at all, but ordinary jade that had been steeped in evil energy for a thousand years, turning red from absorbing too much blood and malevolence.
Ordinary people could never tell the difference.
If she wore this bracelet, her fortune, merit, and destiny would all be transferred away.
Seeing her delay, Su Mingzhe urged as well: "Tongtong, put it on and see if it's pretty."
He seemed so eager, as if he wished he could put it on her himself.
But he couldn’t.
The bracelet only worked if Su Tong put it on willingly herself.
Which was why, today, they had prepared a birthday party and spoke so gently.
In her past life, deceived by their false affection, Su Tong joyfully put on the bracelet and died a miserable death.
This time, Su Tong, still feigning happiness, prepared to put on the bracelet.
At that moment, her brother Su Yuan, who had been silent, suddenly stopped her.
"Don't put it on."
After speaking, he seemed a bit annoyed, glanced at the others, and went upstairs.
"Don't mind your brother. I don't know what's gotten into him today—he's been acting strange and wasn't even happy at dinner," Shen Xianglan scolded, glaring after Su Yuan.

Su Tong’s eyes flickered, but she felt no gratitude for Su Yuan’s warning.
For eighteen years, he had always watched her suffering in the Su family with cold indifference. His warning today was only to appease his own conscience.
She would not be thankful.
Su Tong smiled sweetly, her tone considerate. "Maybe my brother's just in a bad mood today. I don't mind."
With that, she slid the bracelet onto her left wrist.
Seeing this, Shen Xianglan's smile grew even deeper as she stroked Su Tong's hand in praise.
"Your skin is so fair. This red bracelet looks beautiful on you."
Even the usually stern Su Mingzhe broke into a smile.
Little Su Hao, oblivious to everything, saw his parents' happiness and clapped his hands, exclaiming, "Sister, it looks great!"
Su Tong smiled as well.
But within her crescent eyes gleamed a cunning light.
In her past life, she had always considered them her family. No matter how poorly they treated her, she never uttered a word of complaint. Now that she knew the truth, she would never let them oppress her again.
Want to steal her fortune and fate?
Let them try.
She was now in debt for a great amount of merit, and if the Su family wanted to help her repay it, she would gladly let them.
After her death in her past life, she was reincarnated in the Mystic Realm.
There, she became a genius of the Mystic Sect—proficient in face reading, feng shui, divination, fortune-telling, and even exorcism.
But she was born frail and died young yet again.
Twice fated to die young, she was unwilling to accept it, and her soul lingered in the Mystic Sect.
Her master, deeply fond of her, calculated that her misfortune was due to her fate being stolen in her previous life. Consuming vast merit, he used a secret method to send her back.
Now, she was Su Tong, the prodigious mystic.
Back from the dead, she would ensure those who harmed her suffered their just deserts.
And, of course, she would repay her master for all the merit he spent on her.
A red light flashed across the bracelet—the fate-exchange ritual was complete.
Su Mingzhe and Shen Xianglan exchanged glances, their faces suddenly darkening, about to order Su Tong out.
This time, however, Su Tong spoke before they could. "Mom, Dad, after today I’ll be an adult. I want to live on my own and support myself. Could you give me ten thousand yuan for living expenses?"
In truth, she wanted much more, but knowing their nature, she knew they would never give her more than that.