Chapter 153: Sister-in-law's Plea, Goddess Captured; Sudden Twist, the Witch Devoured (1)
In this front courtyard, two battlefields had clearly formed.
One was the besieged "resilient youth," the other was the helpless sister-in-law being bullied by a scoundrel.
One was filled with flashing blades and flying swords, the other was drenched in tension and seduction.
Though the two weren't far apart, the fighting styles couldn't be more different.
What they shared, however, was that Tang Xuan suffered heavily in both.
Both mentally and physically, the damage was immense, gradually eroding his will to fight.
After all, this was a battle he had no way of continuing!
Forget the fact that he was surrounded and bound, unable to move or strike back.
Even if he could fight back, that bastard could just use his sister-in-law as a hostage.
No matter how he fought, it was a guaranteed loss!
"Tang Xuan, the fact that you've held out this long proves your strength, but this is the end of the road."
"If you surrender now, I might spare you. You wouldn't want to see her clothes ripped off in front of everyone, would you?"
Su Qing said this after feeling things out.
Well, the sensation was there, but it was still all part of the illusion.
Continuing to grope her didn't mean much anymore—might as well move on to the next stage.
"You shameless bastard! Don't touch my sister-in-law! I'll surrender, alright?!"
Fury filled Tang Xuan's face, but he had no choice. He could only surrender.
As long as the green hills remain, there will be wood to burn!
At this point, he could only endure the humiliation and wait for his chance.
The four people who had been attacking him stopped.
Shenyue stepped forward and began sealing techniques, locking away all of Tang Xuan's strength.
Tang Xuan looked at the other women watching him cautiously, then closed his eyes, letting them lock his cultivation.
With his powers sealed, he was no different from an ordinary man.
But Su Qing clearly had no intention of letting this protagonist go.
He shot Shenyue a glance, full of unspoken meaning.
Shenyue understood instantly. Her short blade lifted without hesitation, aiming straight for Tang Xuan's heart!
Logically, Tang Xuan should've been dead for sure.
Not only was his power sealed, but his body was restrained by a great formation—he couldn't move at all.
Under such conditions, he had no way to dodge.
But then, something unexpected happened.
The previously clear sky suddenly filled with dark clouds.
A violent wind roared through the courtyard, just enough to nudge Shenyue's blade slightly off course.
That slight deflection changed the target from his heart to his chestplate.
Clang!
The chestplate shattered, and Tang Xuan narrowly escaped death.
Su Qing clicked his tongue, but didn't seem surprised by the outcome.
He had already known the protagonist was protected by fate.
This was just the first time he had witnessed how ridiculous that protection really was.
In four words: utterly unreasonable!
Even with everything stacked in his favor, even when the protagonist had no chance of survival, he still managed to find a sliver of hope.
And the twist came before the captive in his arms even exposed herself.
A flicker of surprise passed through Shenyue's eyes. She raised the blade to try again.
But before she could strike, Su Qing stopped her.
The clouds over the capital didn't disperse, as if a storm was looming.
If they pushed any further, who knew what else might happen?
First came a windstorm—next could be hail, or even lightning from the heavens.
"You despicable bastard! I already surrendered, and you still try to stab me?!"
"Everyone saw it, right? You're just a treacherous liar who breaks his word!"
Tang Xuan's face was filled with lingering fear as he shouted in rage.
That last attack had truly caught him off guard.
If not for that twist, he might have died without even knowing how.
"What's the problem? Don't tell me you came sneaking around here with good intentions."
"I said it before we fought—against monsters like you, there's no need for chivalry."
"You're so cute, giving up just because of a few of my words."
Su Qing said with admiration, not an ounce of shame on his face.
Mercy for the enemy is cruelty to oneself—especially when dealing with a protagonist.
None of the women looked disturbed by this. Clearly, they didn't see anything wrong.
Tang Xuan's face turned a sickly shade of red.
Though he didn't understand why he was being called "cute," he knew it wasn't a compliment.
The anger surged through him, and paired with the ache from the dagger strike, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Toyed with so thoroughly, his spiritual resolve was on the verge of collapse.
Nong Ying had seen it all, her brows subtly furrowed.
All of this effort had been meant to motivate him.
But now, his motivation was nearly crushed—this wouldn't do.
She had to give him a push!
"My lord, please... please don't do this to him. He's the only bloodline left from my husband's family!"
"Spare him, I'm willing to do anything!"
Nong Ying humbly clung to Su Qing's sleeve, her voice full of desperation.
Before, her face had worn a mask of strength—now she was all soft, pitiful weakness.
"Anything? You mean no matter what I ask, you won't refuse?"
Su Qing repeated the words, amusement in his eyes.
Tang Xuan suddenly imagined what might happen and tried to speak.
But before he could open his mouth, he heard his sister-in-law speak first.
"Yes."
Nong Ying nodded without hesitation, not even pausing to think.
Tang Xuan was stunned.
He never imagined a sister-in-law he had never even met would go so far to protect him.
No one was unaware of the price she had paid by saying those words.
Feelings often bloom without warning, and in that moment, his heart was moved.
What had he ever done to deserve this?
If he had the chance, he wanted to protect his sister-in-law for the rest of his life.