WFGL - 9

The pure black robe was made of fine satin, smooth and beautiful, making one fully feel the allure of black. This also made the hand it clothed appear exceptionally fair, with long, slender fingers. Firelight flickered in his palm, illuminating his appearance; there was not a trace of his former miserable and pitiful look!

His black hair was tied up with a strangely shaped red jade hairpin, with some long strands trailing behind. Countless strands of hair also fell loosely around his forehead and temples, messy and uneven, creating a decadent yet unrestrained beauty.

His pale face had incredibly soft contours, a high and delicate nose bridge, and naturally curved lips that always seemed to be smiling without truly smiling. His chin was slightly pointed. Most strikingly, his unusually long eyelashes were incredibly thick and slightly upturned, almost reaching his low-set eyebrows. His slender eyes were deeply hidden beneath the lashes, faintly revealing an evil gleam, as if he hadn’t fully awakened. It was a feminine charm in a man.

“Unable to distinguish between reality and disguise,” he lightly lifted his left foot, instantly moving in front of Yan Chu. “You should regret having these beautiful eyes; they deceived you.”

She had considered various possibilities beforehand, but she had never anticipated this outcome. Yan Chu vaguely sensed that she had made a mistake: “You’re not keeping your promise?”

“A promise, just a verbal agreement,” he leaned his face closer, his long lashes half-lowered, completely obscuring his eyes. “Don’t you know there’s something in this world called a lie?”

“Don’t forget I’m your master, you swore an oath.” Yan Chu was both shocked and angry.

“Master and oath,” his thin lips brushed against hers, carrying a searing breath. His questioning tone, however, was very serious. “Do these two things have a relationship?”

The other party was acting extremely abnormally. Fear began to grow in Yan Chu’s heart, but she managed to maintain her composure: “If you break your oath, aren’t you afraid the Flame God will punish you?”

“The Flame God,” he paused, considering, and answered honestly, “I’ve never seen him. Why are you so afraid of a nonexistent figure?”

Everyone in the Flame Kingdom revered the Flame God. He wasn’t even afraid of the Flame God; he was definitely not a benevolent person! Yan Chu became even more uncertain: “According to Flame Kingdom law, for whatever reason, a disciple betraying their master is a capital offense.”

“It seems there is such a rule.”

“You’re not afraid of death?”

“Afraid of death...” He stared intently into her eyes. “Master, I’ve committed a capital offense. Who will deal with me? Xiao Qi? The Flame Emperor? Or you yourself? You all can’t defeat me.” After saying that, he happily kissed her cheek. “Only the weak need rules for protection, but most of the time, they don’t protect you, because they also need people to uphold them. Only the strong can uphold them. Restraining the weak and obeying the strong—that is the true meaning of all rules in this world.”

Yan Chu turned her face away: “Absurd!”

“The sight of you now is the consequence of adhering to rules,” he chuckled, scrutinizing her. “Your hatred has infected me. What did my lovely elder brother do to you?”

Yan Chu couldn’t utter a single word. She finally understood what mistake she had made. This person was not normal at all, without normal thoughts or concerns. He was capable of anything, far more terrifying than she had imagined. He was a lunatic, a monster, an out-and-out demon!

“Who exactly are you?” Her voice had changed.

“A name? That’s just a symbol for distinction. The strong don’t need names to be remembered.”

Hasty footsteps sounded, and a guard rushed in first. However, before the man could react, or even show a surprised expression, he was instantly reduced to a pile of ashes by a flash of firelight.

And he, from beginning to end, didn’t even glance in that direction, as if it were the most natural thing.

His hand returned to Yan Chu’s face, and he continued their previous conversation: “No one would mistake me. If you absolutely need a designation, then, in this life, my name is Yunze Xiaoyan.”

Witnessing the brutal methods and terrifying evil power, Yan Chu’s face turned pale, for she had vaguely guessed his identity.

A similar fiery aura, she should have thought of it long ago...

“Alright, I’ve always respected and abided by your rules. You saved me, so you are my master,” Xiaoyan gripped her neck, feigning intimacy. “Poor Master, do you like my joke?”

Yan Chu struggled to breathe, forcing out a few words: “Is this how you treat your master?”

“Must a master always be respected, and a disciple always humble and deferential?” Xiaoyan asked. “We had no prior connection, not even knowing each other’s names. To determine status based solely on a title, such a rule is too strange.”

Yan Chu said, “I saved you, and you used me.”

This time, he readily admitted it: “I used your sympathy to be rescued. You wanted to use my hatred for them to achieve your goal. We are equally despicable. I succeeded, you failed. Is there anything unfair about how I’m treating you?”

Yan Chu refused to give up: “You really don’t hate them?”

“I was defeated, so I was restrained,” Xiaoyan released his hand, observing her with interest, expressing his incomprehension at the question. “Now that I’ve regained my freedom, there’s naturally no need to hate anymore.”

Yan Chu gasped violently. Normally, this conversation would have been both exasperating and amusing, but at this moment, she felt only deep despair. Her hands in her sleeves began to tremble, and fear surged through her heart like a tide.

With such a commotion, those outside couldn’t have failed to notice. Xiao Qi would arrive soon. A century of resentment, risking everything to return, approaching Xiao Qi, dodging traps, finally finding the old general’s whereabouts—everything was going according to plan, when suddenly she was told that it was all about to fall apart! Unwilling, so unwilling. She didn’t fear death, only failure! Those people were still living well, how could they!

Because of him, it was all because of this lunatic! Yan Chu used all her strength, staring at him almost fiercely, openly revealing the deep-seated hatred in her eyes.

“Hate?” Xiaoyan stroked her eyes, his tone imbued with genuine pity and sympathy. “Let it go, it changes nothing.”

Time passed more quickly than usual. Things progressed as expected. A commotion came from outside, and several more guards rushed in. Seeing him, they reacted as if they’d seen a ghost, retreating in fear, continuously shouting things like “He’s escaped!” and “It’s him!”

Xiaoyan naturally took her hand: “Master, take me out.”

Without any room to resist, he dragged her out of the secret passage and leaped out of the well. In the courtyard, raging firelight illuminated the night like day. Countless guards stood ready, evidently, all of the Prince Ding’s defensive forces had been deployed. Xiao Qi stood at the front with his hands behind his back, his face extremely grim.

Xiaoyan seemed startled, rubbing his forehead: “Too many people, I’m scared.”

Genuine qi swept through with a fiery hue. Xiao Qi, having prepared, waved his palm and pushed aside the several guards to his left, but he was still a step too late. The two closest guards, unable to dodge, were consumed by the genuine qi, turning to ashes that scattered in the wind in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace. The remaining guards turned pale at the sight, trembling and not daring to approach the two.

Xiao Qi growled: “Yunze Xiaoyan!”

“Apologies,” Xiaoyan raised a hand to smooth his excessively long eyelashes, revealing his slender eyes, then curved his lips into a friendly smile. “My most respected brother, my dearest elder brother, we meet again.”

Xiao Qi gestured for everyone to retreat. At this point, let alone the few people in the residence, even several times more would simply be sent to their deaths. A head-on clash was not a good strategy.

“Such vigilance, you hurt my feelings, big brother. Have you forgotten we are close kin?” Xiaoyan said gloomily. “These years, I’ve constantly missed you and father, worrying about your safety.” At this point, he paused and looked around, surprised: “Ah, why isn’t father here? Is he dead?”

The preceding sorrowful tone was very convincing, almost making one believe he was truly wronged, but the overly direct question that followed completely shattered that atmosphere, creating a situation where truth and falsehood were indistinguishable.

Xiao Qi clearly understood his brother’s style: “You don’t need to feign anything.”

“Big brother misunderstands me deeply,” Xiaoyan said with a helpless expression, then unhesitatingly pushed Yan Chu forward. “To show my sincerity, I caught a spy for you.”

The situation had deteriorated to its worst. Yan Chu steeled her resolve, secretly trying to gather her inner energy, but found she couldn’t summon even a trace. Unbeknownst to her, her pressure points had already been restrained.

“Take her down.” Hearing Xiao Qi’s command, two guards came up and seized Yan Chu.

“Eh?” Xiaoyan raised a hand to stroke his chin, asking in confusion, “Shouldn’t a captured spy be interrogated? This is my credit, after all.”

Xiao Qi said, “I will interrogate her thoroughly. Your credit will not be forgotten.”

“I’m interested in listening to the interrogation,” the two guards automatically stepped back, and Xiaoyan went over, dragged Yan Chu along, and walked. “It’s been years, I’m starting to miss big brother’s interrogation methods.”

No one stopped them; or rather, the guards were quite cooperative, leading them to the torture chamber. The Prince Ding’s torture chamber was no different from others: there were wooden racks to secure prisoners, burning braziers, and several whips hanging on the surrounding walls, along with many torture instruments Yan Chu had never seen. But she knew that each of those instruments was enough to make a person wish for death rather than life. Xiao Qi, after all, was Xiao Qi; if he were truly as lenient as he appeared, how could he be known as a powerful minister?

Under Xiaoyan’s watchful eyes, two guards, trembling, came forward, took Yan Chu, pulled her arms apart, lifted her feet off the ground, and firmly secured her with iron chains to the torture rack.

Facing the worst outcome, Yan Chu forced a bitter smile.

The plan itself was not wrong. His heart being sealed by the Solidified Snow Stone was true. Having a common enemy should have made them natural allies, at least useful for stirring up trouble. However, she had miscalculated his identity; the word “normalcy” did not apply to him.

A madman isn’t terrifying. A madman who disguises himself as a normal person—that’s the most terrifying thing. To be defeated by a madman, was this fate?

As things developed to this point, Yan Chu slowly regained her composure. She looked up at Xiaoyan for a moment, and suddenly everything became clear in her mind.

Fate! Fate wasn’t meant to make her give up; it was helping her! This was the Flame Kingdom’s unknown secret! What did releasing this demon signify? The secret was about to be revealed, and what followed would be spectacular, even if it cost her life. She wouldn’t die in vain! Besides, she could gamble on this last hand: was Xiao Qi’s guilt towards her real or fake?

Yan Chu turned to face Xiao Qi, a surge of surprised delight at picking up an unexpected treasure making her unable to resist smiling slightly.

Xiao Qi also looked at her, remaining silent for a long time.

Once, she had stumbled into his torture chamber, stunned by the bloody scene of an ongoing execution. He had quickly covered her eyes, picked her up, and comforted her for a long time. It was then that he discovered the woman who loved martial arts was actually quite timid. She trembled in his arms, clinging tightly to him, which softened his heart and almost made him consider letting things continue that way.

But now, on the same beautiful face, there was no trace of fear, nor any intention of pleading. In her heart, he was no longer a protector; he was the enemy who had made her lose everything.

“Brother, you’ve changed. You’re much more patient with spies,” Xiaoyan touched a torture instrument on the wall, then turned his face to Xiao Qi, breaking the silence. “At a time like this, shouldn’t you give her a few whips to make her confess honestly?”

The matter was serious, and indeed required an explanation. Xiao Qi finally spoke: “Who put you up to this?”

“No one, it was my own doing,” Yan Chu shook her head. “He disguised himself to deceive me, to gain my sympathy, so...”

“How did you know about that dungeon?”

“I heard a noise at night and was curious, so I went to investigate.”

Half-truths, half-lies. If she claimed innocence, no one would believe it, but at this moment, she needed such an excuse. Xiao Qi nodded, not pressing further: “Though unintentional, a great crime has been committed. I will plead with His Majesty to spare you. You know what you need to do.”

“Admit I’m the amnesiac Princess Consort?” Yan Chu rejected without thinking. “Thank you for the Prince Ding’s kindness. I also want to live, but unfortunately, I am not.”

“Xiluo!”

“I am Yue Yanchu.”

Xiao Qi gripped her chin: “You don’t understand how serious this is!”

“I know,” Yan Chu glanced at Xiaoyan’s enchanting face, her expression calm. “I also didn’t expect him to be the Flame Evil Monarch, or rather... a Monarch who has broken free from the Emperor’s Seal’s control.” As she spoke this sentence, she couldn’t help but want to laugh again.

Xiao Qi looked at her for a long moment, then released his hand powerlessly: “Many things are beyond your handling. Is this worth it?! Stop now, and I will ensure your safety. As for Liu Yu...” Meeting her gaze, his voice lowered: “Just please spare her. I will make other arrangements, keeping her out of your sight. That’s all I can do.”

“I don’t remember anything,” Yan Chu simply closed her eyes. “I unintentionally made a grave mistake. The Prince Ding should deal with it as he sees fit.”

“Don’t force me.”

Releasing the Flame Evil Monarch—a capital offense unavoidable. If she admitted her identity, she would be the Prince Ding’s Consort, and his plea would become reasonable. At his current status and power, he was confident he could save her life. As a powerful minister, he could plead for an amnesiac wife, but absolutely not for an unrelated woman. All eyes in the court were watching, and the fragile relationship between monarch and minister could not withstand too many blows, especially at this critical juncture. Her intention was clear: even at a time like this, she didn’t forget to scheme against him, gambling with her life!

Having received no response for a long time, Xiao Qi’s tone suddenly turned cold: “Regardless, you must admit it.”

Receiving the instruction, the executioner picked up the whip.

“You are Yunze Xiluo, belonging to the Yunze family in life and death,” his words were slow and clear, almost an emphasis. Xiao Qi commanded, “Begin the torture.”

To seek revenge even at the cost of her life? She had gambled correctly. Even though he had betrayed her, he never wanted her to die—not a hundred years ago, and not now.

The searing pain was unbearable for ordinary people. It was a specially made whip, soaked in medicinal water before use, allowing the medicine to seep into the skin through the wounds, intensifying the agony. Moreover, hearing the ruthlessness in his command, the executioner dared not be careless, striking each lash with full force.

Xiao Qi did not avert his gaze, watching her endure the torture, his eyes calm and still. After fifty lashes, he spoke again: “Admit it, or not?”

Yan Chu gasped, shaking her head with a smile.

Had he gone soft? Did he want to protect her? Did he only want to protect her now? Since he had already betrayed, already harmed, already become an enemy, why bother with these hypocritical gestures! Nothing he did could make up for it! Even if she died, she would make them pay the price!

Xiao Qi did not press further, signaling to continue.

“To save someone even by force, brother, you are truly tolerant. I am impressed.” The beautiful demon leaned against the wall, watching the show, his low chuckle magnetic. As he spoke, the executioner suddenly flew backward, hitting the wall, and died upon impact.

Xiao Qi turned around without surprise: “Are you interfering again?”

“Interfering?” Xiaoyan seemed to realize, straightening up. “Ah, yes, she saved me after all. How can I stand by idly while she suffers?”

Xiao Qi said, “Don’t forget, you were the one who handed her over to me.”

Xiaoyan lowered his long lashes, his face full of self-reproach: “So I know I was wrong, I regret it, I feel guilty, and now I want to make amends.”

The iron chains were shattered by genuine qi and fell off on their own. Yan Chu collapsed powerlessly, caught and held in his arms.

His handsome face rubbed against hers, accompanied by intimate gestures, as he cautiously pleaded, “Master, forgive your only disciple. He was just confused for a moment.”

Xiao Qi’s expression changed slightly: “You can mess with anything else, but she is your sister-in-law.”

“Sister-in-law?” Xiaoyan looked at Yan Chu in confusion. “Master, how did you become my sister-in-law? You’re my master, you’re his elder, how can you be a sister-in-law? This doesn’t conform to your rules.”

At first glance, his words seemed logical and perfectly reasonable, but in reality, he was deliberately reversing the order of events. Whether his innocent demeanor was genuine foolishness or an act, Yan Chu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This was the variable; as long as he interfered, everything would deviate from its intended course, just as the current situation, where the impromptu plan was disrupted again.

Getting no answer, Xiaoyan figured it out himself: “Killing a master is a capital offense, but killing a sister-in-law isn’t that serious, right? Brother, do you want her to die?”

Xiao Qi’s face was ashen, making no response.

Xiaoyan smiled: “So, that’s your weakness.”

Xiao Qi stepped forward two paces: “Xiaoyan!”

“Don’t move, or she’ll die quickly,” Xiaoyan lightly tapped Yan Chu’s forehead. “Brother, you need to obey.”

Xiao Qi suppressed his anger: “Even if you’ve broken free from the Emperor’s Seal’s control, opposing us brings no benefit.”

“A disciple betraying their master is also a capital offense, isn’t that your rule? I’m afraid of death, so I must save her,” Xiaoyan looked both helpless and melancholic. “Despite being treated so ruthlessly by you all, I still retain my last respect and tolerance for you, brother. Can you bear to see your brother commit a capital offense?”

Xiao Qi no longer spoke, and Yan Chu understood why, because nothing said in front of this person would be effective.

“Master, I’ll take you to rest.” Xiaoyan picked her up and walked out of the torture chamber.

“Quickly send someone to report to the Eternal Realm,” Xiao Qi ordered his attendants. “Prepare horses immediately, I must enter the palace.”

Him saving her, in a sense, actually helped him, as he no longer had to face her stubbornness. However, the fact that he had taken an interest in her was itself a terrifying thing. Those who fell into his hands rarely met a good end.

Captured, then rescued—this sudden turn of events caught Yan Chu off guard. She didn’t feel lucky at all; on the contrary, she grew more and more uneasy. The outcome of falling into a madman’s hands would certainly not be better than falling into Xiao Qi’s. If she had some chance of survival with Xiao Qi, she had none with this man. What he would do next, or how he would do it, was completely unpredictable. Perhaps she would truly be saved from now on, or perhaps she wouldn’t live to see tomorrow.

For instance, just now, Xiaoyan walked straight ahead with her in his arms, not asking for directions. Just as she thought he was familiar with the layout of the royal residence, he stopped and politely knocked on a nearby door.

Xiao Qi had kept the news very tightly sealed. Despite such a commotion at the ancestral hall, many rooms in the residence lit up, yet no one dared to come out to inquire or join the spectacle. The on-duty guards who had been temporarily reassigned earlier had all returned to their posts, standing rigidly in the corridor. Aside from their somewhat stiff expressions, everything else was as usual.

Inside the door, two attendants stared at the two with puzzled expressions.

The beautiful demon spoke very politely: “May we borrow your room?”

Before the attendants could agree, or rather, before they even understood what was happening, their bodies turned into two piles of ashes in a flash of flame.

“Ah, this room has no owner,” Xiaoyan walked in with Yan Chu in his arms, feeling perfectly justified. Seeing many chests and cabinets filled with miscellaneous items, a cramped space, half-uncovered quilts on two beds, and a puddle of water next to a chamber pot, he immediately carried her back out the door. “Master doesn’t like it. We’ll find another one.”

This must be one of the reasons he was imprisoned. After just one turn around, a dozen people in the royal residence had died. If he walked a few more rounds in the streets, not only would Xiao Qi be unable to bear it, but the entire capital would probably have a headache. Yan Chu actually wanted to laugh, but the current situation made it impossible for her to do so. She only felt intense pain from her injuries, and blood and clothes stuck together, wet and sticky.

Yan Chu couldn’t help but speak: “Still not planning to escape?”

Xiaoyan said, “Do you want to escape, or do you want me to show myself outside?”

“Thanks to you, I have no choice but to escape. Should I stay here and wait to die?” Realizing he had seen through her, Yan Chu could only remain calm. “Although you’ve escaped, there are countless masters in the capital. If Xiao Qi calls in more, you’ll find it difficult to get away.”

Xiaoyan patted her back, comforting her: “Big brother won’t let you die. With you in my hands, he also can’t let me die. So we are very safe. Where do you live, Master?”

If he never showed himself outside, tonight’s actions would truly be for nothing. Yan Chu had no immediate plan, so she could only point him towards Maple Garden.

Hongye and the others had long been startled awake. They were already curious when they found Yan Chu wasn’t in her bed, and now seeing her return in the arms of a strange man, they were even more shocked. The strong evil aura emanating from this beautiful man made them feel dangerous, and they instinctively kept their distance, inadvertently saving their own lives.

Entering the bedroom, Xiaoyan truly obediently placed her on the bed as instructed, then found a bottle of wound medicine and tried to undress her.

Yan Chu was pondering how to deal with him. Seeing his action, she stopped him and said, “I’ll do it myself. Please excuse yourself.”

An evil gleam flickered beneath his long lashes. Xiaoyan held her hand to his chest, extremely sincerely: “Still don’t trust me, Master? Have you forgotten that I just saved you?”

The heartbeat beneath his black robe was strong and powerful, but her pressure points were restrained, and she couldn’t release even a trace of internal energy. Yan Chu said coldly, “Are you trying to save me, or have you become interested in my story?”

Xiaoyan heard her words, leaned closer, and a smile spread across his lips like ripples.

“Master, you’re finally starting to understand your disciple.”

“I’m very curious, how did you break free from the Flame Emperor’s Seal’s control?”