And then his gaze darted between the two women. His pupils shrank violently. The resemblance was unmistakable.
"You… Zhuqing? And… Zhu Zhuyun?!"
His voice cracked, filled with disbelief.
"No! No, this isn't real! You two can't be here together! You should be enemies, rivals for survival! This has to be an illusion! It has to!"
He shook his head wildly, blood spraying from his chest wound as he denied reality. His arrogance, his delusion, everything crumbled in the face of undeniable truth.
Zhu Zhuqing's lips pressed into a thin line. Her voice, though calm, trembled slightly with long-suppressed pain.
"There is no illusion, Dai Mubai. I risked my life to come here. And I did it to see for myself… just what kind of man you truly are."
Her words cut deeper than any blade.
Before Dai Mubai could respond, another voice rang out. Cold, amused, yet filled with an oppressive weight that made the very air tremble.
"Master Dai, wasn't the beating two years ago enough for you? Or do you really want me to loosen your bones again?"
The color drained from Dai Mubai's face.
Slowly, he turned his head.
Standing just beyond the sisters, clad in simple black robes, hands folded behind his back, was a man whose very presence seemed to suffocate the room. His half-smile was casual, but his eyes were sharp enough to pierce through one's soul.
Yuan Longxuan.
Dai Mubai's entire body shook. Sweat poured down his temples. His memories screamed—memories of pain, of humiliation, of being beaten half to death and spared only by the whim of this terrifying man.
"Y-Yuan… Yuan Longxuan…" His voice cracked, desperation bleeding through. He dropped to his knees with a resounding plop, the sound echoing through the hall like thunder.
The brothel's manager, who had been hiding in a corner, widened his eyes in shock. Dai Mubai was a Spirit Master of Soto City, a prince of Star Luo! Yet he knelt like a dog before another man. Just what kind of existence was this Yuan Longxuan, to terrify him so?
"Don't be so quick to kneel." Yuan Longxuan's voice was calm, almost lazy, but the chill in it froze the blood in everyone's veins. "We haven't settled our old score. Tonight seems like a fine night to do just that."
Dai Mubai slammed his forehead against the floor, his voice trembling.
"M-My lord! I was wrong, I was truly wrong! Please forgive me, I'll never—"
Bang!
Yuan Longxuan's foot lashed out. Dai Mubai's body flew across the hall and crashed against the wall with a sickening crack. He crumpled to the ground like a broken doll, coughing blood, his dignity shattered beyond repair.
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes widened slightly. Though she had already expected Yuan Longxuan's strength, seeing Dai Mubai so utterly helpless before him sent a strange mix of fear and relief coursing through her heart.
Yuan Longxuan stepped forward slowly, each step measured, his gaze never leaving Dai Mubai's trembling form.
"Two years ago, you wanted to steal my sister. You wanted to claim my apprentice. I spared your life. And yet, you dared to appear again, still chasing what does not belong to you. Tell me, Dai Mubai…" Yuan Longxuan's tone grew razor-sharp, "why should I not kill you here and now?"
Dai Mubai's lips trembled. His pride, his arrogance, everything shattered beneath the suffocating pressure of Yuan Longxuan's presence.
He could feel it—the weight of death pressing down on him. If he didn't act now, he would die.
"I—I'll cancel it! I'll break the engagement!"
With shaking hands, he fumbled at his robes and pulled out a small crimson booklet. On its cover gleamed golden characters: Star Luo Royal Engagement Contract.
Zhu Zhuqing's breath caught. The contract that had bound her for six long years… the shackle she could never escape on her own… was now trembling in Dai Mubai's hands.
Yuan Longxuan raised a brow, his expression unreadable. He eased his spirit power ever so slightly, giving Dai Mubai enough strength to move.
"Smart choice."
Dai Mubai's voice broke as he shouted, desperate to cling to life.
"I—I annul it! From this day forward, I, Dai Mubai, sever all ties with Zhu Zhuqing! The engagement… is canceled!"
The words echoed like a funeral bell.
For Zhu Zhuqing, it felt as though a mountain had been lifted from her chest. Yet at the same time, her heart ached with bitterness. The man she once thought she would rely on had reduced their sacred bond to nothing more than a bargaining chip for survival.
Her hands trembled, and she bit her lip until blood welled up.
Yuan Longxuan's eyes gleamed with cold amusement. With a casual flick of his wrist, he struck Dai Mubai's waist with a burst of energy. The man screamed, his body convulsing.
"You can live," Yuan Longxuan said flatly. "But you'll wish you hadn't."
The blow had crippled much of Dai Mubai's manhood. For someone like him, obsessed with women and lust, it was a punishment worse than death.
Dai Mubai collapsed in the corner, sobbing like a broken animal.
Zhu Zhuqing stared at the engagement contract in her hands, unable to believe it. Freedom. After years of suffocating under the chains of her clan, she was finally free.
Her lips parted. "Brother Yuan…"
But Yuan Longxuan cut her off, his gaze sharp.
"Don't call me Brother. From today, you will address me as Master."
His words were law, and the authority behind them left no room for refusal.
Before Zhu Zhuqing could respond, Zhu Zhuyun suddenly stepped forward, her eyes flashing with a mix of arrogance and longing.
"What about me?" she asked, her voice sultry yet desperate. "What do you call me, Yuan Longxuan?"
Yuan Longxuan's lips curled into a faint, mocking smile.
"You?" He leaned closer, his tone soft yet merciless. "You'll call me Master as well. Because you… are nothing more than my little slave."
The hall fell silent.
Zhu Zhuyun trembled—not from anger, but from a strange thrill that coursed through her veins.
Zhu Zhuqing clenched the contract tighter, her gaze flickering between her sister and the man who now held her fate in his hands.
The engagement was broken. The chains shattered. But what lay ahead was a path bound by Yuan Longxuan's shadow.
And none of them knew… whether it was salvation, or another kind of cage.
Read More 70+ Advance chapter
patreon.com/HeavenlyYinYang