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Ye Chen's voice had barely faded when Ling Ying moved like lightning.
Before Xiao Xun'er could even register the order, the sharp crack of another slap echoed in the small world.
This time, the blow landed on the opposite cheek.
Her delicate face, once flawless and radiant, now bore two glaring red marks....angry imprints that stood out against her porcelain skin.
A faint trickle of blood escaped the corner of her lips. Her long black hair, normally smooth and well-kept, hung in disarray over her shoulders, framing a face that no longer carried the proud bearing of a noble lady, but the disheveled fragility of someone utterly humiliated.
She covered her cheeks with trembling hands.
The burning pain stung, but it was nothing compared to the crushing wave of shame and fury in her chest. Her vision blurred as moisture gathered in her eyes.
From childhood, Xiao Xun'er had been the cherished jewel of the Gu Clan, showered with affection, treated with reverence.
No one...not servants, not rivals, not even elders...had dared to touch her like this.
Yet now… twice, in quick succession, she had been struck.
And not by an enemy she could despise from a distance, but by Ling Ying....the man who had protected her from the shadows for years.
It was this betrayal, more than the pain itself, that made her heart ache.
But even as her rage seethed beneath the surface, she swallowed it down. She could no longer afford defiance.
Those two merciless slaps had forced her to accept the truth: here, in Ye Chen's domain, she was powerless.
Her eyes darted to Ling Ying's cold, unyielding face. She understood in that moment that if she so much as uttered another insult, he would strike again....without hesitation, without remorse.
Ye Chen watched the scene unfold with a faint smile curling at his lips. Her fear… her submission… it was far more pleasing to him than her earlier arrogance.
> "Ling Ying," Ye Chen said lightly, "remove the restrictions on your storage ring and hand it over."
The command was casual, as though he were asking for a cup of tea.
Ling Ying bowed his head.
"Yes, Master."
He immediately lifted the restriction and placed the storage ring into Ye Chen's hand with absolute obedience.
Ye Chen's soul power swept through the ring, probing its contents. Moments later, a satisfied gleam shone in his eyes.
It was as he expected...while Ling Ying's wealth could not match the treasure trove of the Gu Clan's young lady, it was still a respectable fortune.
Cultivation resources, rare herbs, high-tier techniques, and polished combat skills....enough to carry him well into the Dou Zong realm without worry.
Xiao Xun'er's gaze darkened. She realized then that her own storage ring was gone as well. All the resources entrusted to her by the clan… now sat in this man's hands.
Her chest tightened with resentment, but when she looked back at Ye Chen's self-satisfied expression, another thought flashed through her mind....one born not of pride, but survival.
She took a slow breath and stepped forward, forcing a softness into her tone.
> "Brother Ye Chen… what exactly do you want in exchange for letting me go? If it's within my power, I'll agree to anything."
The words tasted bitter, but her pride was a small price compared to her life.
Ye Chen arched a brow, clearly intrigued. He slipped Ling Ying's ring away and let his gaze roam over her graceful figure, deliberately slow and assessing.
"Anything?" His tone held a trace of mockery.
His hand rose and brushed against her cheek, his fingertips grazing the smooth warmth of her skin.
Xiao Xun'er's eyes widened.
"You… what are you trying to do?"
That touch....light though it was....felt like an intrusion, a reminder that she stood in enemy territory with no way out. She instinctively stepped back, her heart pounding.
Ye Chen's smile deepened.
I think my meaning is clear enough."
He withdrew his hand, but the weight of his gaze lingered.
"Play the obedient guest for a while, and once I'm satisfied… perhaps I'll consider letting you go. How about it?"
"You're dreaming!"
Her voice trembled with fury. She was the treasured daughter of an ancient clan...her body and dignity were hers alone. That kind of shame could never be endured.
"Hmph, that's not up to you," Ye Chen said, his tone sharpening.
"Brother Ye Chen…" She bit back her pride, forcing the words out. "Anything except that. A Heavenly-grade technique, a Heavenly-grade battle art...my father will grant you anything you ask for. With my clan's resources, nothing is impossible."
Her voice was steady now, but her heart roiled with venom. If she survived this, she would see Ye Chen and everything connected to him ground into dust.
She swore it silently: Mitel Family, Yunlan Sect, the Jia Ma Empire...
anyone who aided Ye Chen would be erased from the world.
Ye Chen's chuckle was low and cold.
"Do you take me for a fool?"
In a sudden motion, his hand shot out, gripping her slender neck.
Her breath caught, fear flashing in her eyes as he drew her closer.
"If I let you go, the Gu Clan would hunt me to the ends of the continent.
You'd lead them straight to me, wouldn't you?" His gaze was sharp enough to cut.
"No matter what you promise, you can't hide that thought from me."
Xiao Xun'er's lips parted, but no sound came.
"There's only one way to make me trust you," Ye Chen continued, leaning close enough for his breath to graze her ear. "Obey me completely… and maybe then, I'll think about letting you go."
Her heart pounded like a war drum, torn between fear, anger, and the cold realization that she was at his mercy.
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