Xiao Xun'er's slender figure was hurled backward by the force of a palm strike.
The impact rattled through her bones, and she staggered before hitting the ground, a thin line of crimson trailing from the corner of her delicate lips.
The chill of the stone floor seeped into her palms as she pushed herself upright, her breath uneven. Her usually composed face showed a flicker of disbelief.
She couldn't accept it.
Who was she?
The eldest daughter of the Ancient Gu Clan...born with status, raised in privilege.
From the day she could walk, she had been treated as the precious jewel of her clan. Even the clan's patriarch, Gu Yuan....her own father....had always doted on her.
The elders handled her as if she were made of porcelain, protecting her from the faintest harm.
When she came to the Xiao family, the same treatment continued.
The elders of the Xiao clan bowed their heads in respect, speaking to her in tones of careful politeness.
Wherever she went, the air around her seemed to bend in deference.
And yet… here, in this small, inconsequential Jia Ma Empire, a man had just struck her.
Her eyes sharpened, her voice laced with icy fury.
"How dare you hurt me!"
The words rang like steel in the air, a verdict from a goddess toward a blasphemer.
But Ye Chen only stood there, a faint curl at the corner of his lips.
"So what if I did?"
His voice was steady, almost lazy, yet it carried a weight that made the room feel smaller.
To him, she looked like a stubborn child...too proud to realize she was standing at the edge of a cliff.
Even after tasting defeat, she held herself high, as if her bloodline alone made her untouchable.
"Not only will I hurt you," Ye Chen's tone deepened, "I'll make sure you remember who you're dealing with."
He stepped forward slowly, each footfall deliberate.
A flash of unease crossed Xiao Xun'er's eyes, though her chin lifted defiantly.
"Ye Chen, do you know who I am? Touch me, and the consequences will swallow not only you, but your entire Mitel family!"
He gave a short, cold laugh.
"Ah… so you mean the Ancient Gu Clan behind you?"
That stopped her. Her composure cracked, just for an instant.
Ye Chen's gaze sharpened.
"I know exactly who you are, Xiao Xun'er. Proud daughter of the Ancient Clan.
Daughter of Gu Yuan himself. You came to the Xiao family for one purpose...the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade."
Her breath caught. The Xiao family themselves had never learned her true origins. How could this man…?
"You… who are you really?" she asked, her voice tight.
He didn't answer her question. Instead, his eyes studied her as though she were a puzzle already solved.
"I know your arrogance doesn't come from nothing.
You were born into privilege, surrounded by power. On the Dou Qi Continent, few of your generation can stand shoulder to shoulder with you.
But…" His voice dropped, "…today I will strip away that pride."
The words struck her harder than the palm strike earlier.
For the first time, Xiao Xun'er felt exposed, as if the fine layers of silk and armor she had always worn had been torn away.
In Ye Chen's eyes, she could see a dangerous calm.....not the impulsive rage of a man offended, but the cold intent of someone who had already decided her fate.
She tried to hide the small step she took backward.
"You won't get away with this," she murmured, though her voice had lost some of its edge.
Ye Chen's expression did not change.
"If you were capable of stopping me, you already would have."
In a flash, his hand shot out....not to strike her again, but to grasp her wrist.
Her eyes widened at his speed. His grip was firm, unyielding, but not cruel.
"You…" She tried to twist free, but his hold didn't budge.
His gaze locked with hers.
"Do not mistake my restraint for weakness. If I wanted to, this would be over already."
Before she could retort, a sharp snap echoed...the sound of his palm meeting her cheek in a quick, controlled strike.
It wasn't bone-breaking, but the force was enough to send her reeling to one knee, a blooming red mark staining her porcelain skin.
The humiliation burned hotter than the sting on her face.
Xiao Xun'er glared up at him, her eyes bright with unshed fury.
Never before had anyone dared to treat her this way.
Ye Chen crouched down to meet her gaze, his expression cold but steady.
"This is the price of provoking me. Remember it."
Her breathing was sharp, quick, but she said nothing. She could taste the metallic tang of blood, and with it, the bitter realization..she could not win. Not now.
Ye Chen straightened, his shadow falling over her.
"If you stop struggling and learn your place, I will treat you well enough. But challenge me again, and you will regret it."
Her fingers curled into fists against the floor. The words scraped against her pride, but her instincts told her the truth....another fight would only deepen her loss.
She forced herself to meet his eyes, her gaze cold but no longer reckless.
Ye Chen gave a faint, knowing smile. He could see it...the first crack in her armor.
Breaking a person's will was not done in a single blow; it was a slow, deliberate process. And he had time.
From the corner of her vision, Xiao Xun'er caught sight of Ling Ying, her loyal shadow, lying unconscious nearby.
The sight twisted something in her chest.
For the first time in many years, Xiao Xun'er felt truly cornered.
Ye Chen's voice was quiet, almost conversational.
"Consider today your first lesson."
He turned away, leaving her kneeling on the cold floor, her mind a storm of anger, humiliation, and confusion.
Her pride screamed for her to strike at his back. Her reason told her it would end no differently than before.
For now, she could only endure.
But deep inside, a single thought pulsed in time with her heartbeat: One day… I will make you pay.
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