In a sudden shift, the surrounding atmosphere changed, becoming eerily chilling and instilling fear. Two men stood in confrontation, the tension plummeting to its lowest point.
Xuan Yuanheng advanced step by step, his gaze fixed solely on Feng Ran, his attention completely disregarding whatever Li Yuncheng, standing aside, was saying. He seemed utterly unfazed by Li Yuncheng.
Xuan Yuanheng stopped before Feng Ran. "Feng Ran, you don't honestly believe Li Yuncheng is my match, do you?"
"Do you think this prince dares not to touch you?" Xuan Yuanheng spoke sharply.
"It seems the lesson from before was not enough."
"I suppose after being confined for those few years, you still haven't learned to be smart."
"It appears I must send you back there again. Only then will you obediently listen."
Feng Ran shook her head, her entire body trembling. That place felt like hell. No, she didn't want to go through it again.
Instinctively, Feng Ran retreated behind Li Yuncheng. In her mind, she could trust everyone, except Xuan Yuanheng, who was the one person she couldn't trust. If it hadn't been for Xuan Yuanheng back then, she wouldn't have had to endure so much. She had already paid the price for what she had done, what she had endured. Those dark, humiliating, and lashing days – she didn't want to experience them again.
Just as Li Yuncheng was about to say something, Xuan Yuanheng's sword was already at his throat. If Li Yuncheng took even one more step forward, his life would be forfeit.
"Scram." Xuan Yuanheng roughly pulled Feng Ran towards him, his murderous gaze fixed on Li Yuncheng.
Anyone else might have been intimidated, but Li Yuncheng was not. He caught the sword with his hand, gently pushing Xuan Yuanheng's blade away, a smile still on his face.
At this moment, Li Yuncheng flourished his fan, while Xuan Yuanheng brandished his sword. Their strengths seemed evenly matched. They continued to stare at each other coldly, as if any slight movement would instantly ignite the conflict.
Li Yuncheng's hand twitched slightly. Feng Ran caught the movement and shook her head, her eyes pleading. Although she hated Xuan Yuanheng, she didn't want anything to happen to him. Li Yuncheng, who had initially intended not to stop, saw something that made the corner of his mouth quirk into a smile. Ultimately, he withdrew his hand.
Feng Ran didn't understand the meaning behind the light in Li Yuncheng's eyes, but for her, it was a good thing that Li Yuncheng hadn't made a move. She looked at him with gratitude. However, Feng Ran was unaware that her every action was being misinterpreted by Xuan Yuanheng, hinting at some unspeakable relationship between them.
Xuan Yuanheng's eyes were filled with a bloodthirsty glint. Li Yuncheng, however, remained completely unconcerned.
"She is not someone you can touch," Xuan Yuanheng said coldly, his hand still gripping Feng Ran's without letting go. Feng Ran's hand was developing red marks from the pressure, yet she didn't utter a sound.
As Xuan Yuanheng dragged Feng Ran away, Li Yuncheng's voice, most unsuitably, rang out. "Xuan Yuanheng, even though you are the high and mighty Regent, I have never feared you."
"By the way, Feng Ran is someone worth cherishing. If you don't, then surely someone else will." The moment he saw Feng Ran, he felt a sense of pity. When he was young, there was always someone following him, like a little tail behind him. But due to his momentary carelessness, he had lost that little tail. Especially her eyes, they were so similar.
Xuan Yuanheng responded coldly, "Heh, the 'Poison King,' known for his ruthlessness, actually says such words. You actually defend someone."
"It seems Feng Ran's abilities are truly great, to be able to make you speak for her."
"This Prince will have to properly question how she 'served' you."
"Such remarkable methods. This Prince has indeed underestimated her over these years."
Li Yuncheng's brows furrowed, his gaze falling on Feng Ran. He looked at her frail body, as if a gust of wind could blow her away. A sense of guilt welled up in his heart; the humiliation she was facing was because of him.
"Xuan Yuanheng, one day, you will regret this."
Xuan Yuanheng let out a scoff. A mocking smile played on his lips, his gaze towards Feng Ran filled with disdain. It seemed Feng Ran's methods were truly ingenious. In such a short time, she had made the usually cold-blooded Li Yuncheng speak up for her not once, but twice. He had truly underestimated her all these years.
Li Yuncheng saw the disdain, indifference, and mockery in Xuan Yuanheng's eyes as he defended Feng Ran. His intentions were good, but he never expected it to bring danger to Feng Ran. Xuan Yuanheng's words were not without reason. He was always indifferent and never cared about anything. For him to act this way now was indeed rare. Perhaps she had managed to evoke his pity.
He originally hadn't intended to speak again, but remembering her pitiful, pleading eyes, he felt a surge of compassion and spoke once more. "Xuan Yuanheng, if you didn't care about her, why would you condescend to come to such a place?"
"Rumor has it that the Regent detests entering such pleasure establishments. Yet now, for Feng Ran, you've come here repeatedly. Don't you find something different about this yourself?"
Xuan Yuanheng's hand tightened, a flicker in his eyes, but he said nothing, pulling Feng Ran away. However, the strength in his grip had noticeably lessened.
Li Yuncheng closed his fan. His gaze fell upon a pill. It seemed he would have to find an opportunity to question Feng Ran properly. Feng Ran definitely knew the owner of this pill. She was merely concealing something for that person. However, no matter what difficulty Feng Ran was in, he was determined to find that person.
…
Xuan Yuanheng dragged Feng Ran, bringing her back to a private room. He gave orders for Aunt Sheng to be summoned. Feng Ran looked at him, confused, not understanding his intentions.
Aunt Sheng arrived in haste. She had never seen Xuan Yuanheng in such a furious state before. She thought that perhaps someone in this place, someone foolishly bold, had angered Xuan Yuanheng again. Aunt Sheng believed that as long as it wasn't Feng Ran, anything else was acceptable. But as fate would have it, what she feared most was what happened.
When Aunt Sheng entered, she saw Xuan Yuanheng throw Feng Ran onto the bed. His expression was extremely grim. Aunt Sheng felt that things were not looking good. However, she could only stand aside, not daring to approach, and even less daring to say anything. It wasn't that she didn't want to save Feng Ran, but having been by Xuan Yuanheng's side for so many years, she knew that it was best not to say anything in front of him at such a time.
Xuan Yuanheng stared at Feng Ran, his mind consumed by the thought that she had betrayed him. In truth, wasn't this what he had always wanted to see? But why did he feel such an unbearable pang of regret? He should have been happy to see Feng Ran fall. Wasn't this what he had always yearned for? Yet now, witnessing it firsthand, he was consumed by a rage that made him want to kill the person before him. Such anger left him feeling utterly miserable. He had never imagined that his emotions could be so easily swayed by Feng Ran.