Ouyang Xinuo was a remarkably sharp individual. Seeing the murderous intent flashing in Ye Tiancheng's eyes, clearly intending to kill him, he was utterly terrified.
"Ye Tiancheng, let's talk this out properly. Even for Miss Liu's sake, you can't lay a hand on me. We have a contract between us. If you harm me, Miss Liu won't escape either."
The first part of his statement was somewhat humble, but the latter part carried a hint of threat. Ouyang Xinuo was currently incapacitated and under control; otherwise, he would never have shown such deference. Even in his current subservience, a trace of arrogance peeked through.
"You dare threaten me? I brought you here today specifically to beat you!" Ye Tiancheng knew that Liu Lanying would also be harmed if this continued, so he had to break the contract first.
"You break the contract first. This damned contract was your doing, so you must have a way to break it. Don't play dumb with me. I have a bad temper and can lash out at any moment!"
Ye Tiancheng's eyes were filled with rage, his eyes even reddening. Facing Ouyang Xinuo, they held a terrifying cruelty capable of destroying everything.
"I cannot break the contract, but it will automatically dissolve after seven days. You don't need to worry about that. I can guarantee that I will not continue this contractual relationship. After seven days, Miss Liu will be free, and there will be no further connection between us."
As Ouyang Xinuo spoke, a peculiar glint flashed in his eyes; he seemed utterly abnormal. Ye Tiancheng, being exceptionally shrewd, immediately sensed that Ouyang Xinuo was up to something.
"I know what you're plotting. You have such a life-saving charm; how could you possibly give it up easily? I wouldn't believe you even if you swore it. You'll definitely continue the contract later. It doesn't matter. Even if I can't harm you, you won't regain your freedom. I will lock you in a dark, damp place where you'll never see the light of day again."
It was evident that Ye Tiancheng was truly resolute this time, employing ruthless methods. He genuinely intended to find a place where Ouyang Xinuo would never see the light of day, confining him there forever, ensuring he could never escape while enduring perpetual darkness.
"You can't do this to me. If you do, I'll harm myself. The contract won't be dissolved after seven days either. If I suffer, Miss Liu will suffer too, and she will suffer even more. After all, Miss Liu is just an ordinary person, not as robust as us cultivators. She'll be ruined and die quickly."
His intentions were clear. Ouyang Xinuo had no other leverage and could only use Liu Lanying as a bargaining chip. It wasn't that he enjoyed constantly threatening a woman or pushing her forward as a shield; rather, he disliked getting entangled with others. Self-preservation was paramount. Only by saving his own life could he have more possibilities. If he perished at Ye Tiancheng's hands today, all his grand achievements would crumble. Ouyang Xinuo didn't want this to happen and tried his best to avoid it. All his current pain and suffering stemmed from being neglected since childhood. Therefore, he had to achieve something significant to make everyone acknowledge him, to make everyone bow before him at the pinnacle of life. This was one of the sources of Ouyang Xinuo's psychological distortion. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"Don't worry, I won't give you any chance to harm yourself."
Ouyang Xinuo's words served as a reminder to Ye Tiancheng. Ye Tiancheng used his true qi to conjure ropes, binding Ouyang Xinuo from head to toe like a mummy, rendering him completely immobile. Ouyang Xinuo suffered immense trauma and was now incredibly weak, unable to break free from Ye Tiancheng's true qi restraints.
"Ye Tiancheng, I never expected you to be so despicable. You'll resort to any tactic. You're truly disappointing. Aren't you a gentleman? How can a gentleman tie someone up? Your actions are disgusting."
However, it was too late. As soon as Ouyang Xinuo finished speaking, he was bound tightly. Moreover, if he uttered anything Ye Tiancheng disliked, the ropes would immediately tighten, as if deliberately opposing him and making him suffer.
"Alright, I admit I was wrong. The victor becomes king, the vanquished a bandit. I have no room to make demands now. Do as you please; I'll listen to everything you say."
Ouyang Xinuo was truly adaptable. Just moments ago, he had been gritting his teeth, ready to fight Ye Tiancheng to the death, but now he had changed completely. For him, there was a saying: "The wise know when to yield." A smart person wouldn't stubbornly confront someone when at a disadvantage; that was simply asking for trouble and could lead to being killed by Ye Tiancheng. Thinking of this, Ouyang Xinuo chose a temporary solution: feigning weakness. He believed Ye Tiancheng, after all, possessed some compassion and cared about Liu Lanying, so he wouldn't truly harm him. Ouyang Xinuo felt this was a safe bet, but even so, he wanted to minimize his suffering.
Sometimes, suffering was the most tormenting. Death was a release, a final solution. Ouyang Xinuo's eyes flickered constantly as he watched Ye Tiancheng, fearing that if anything went wrong, he would be the one to suffer the consequences.
"You're quite clever. Obeying is good for you. Otherwise, I have a bad temper and might do something unpredictable."
"I will definitely obey. But I hope you won't lock me in a cellar or any damp, cold place. Even if it's simple, as long as it's clean and dry. I detest dark, damp places and love sunlight. I hate never seeing the light of day. I hope you can grant me this request. Thank you."
Ouyang Xinuo now appeared as a refined, gentle scholar. The main reason was his complete lack of leverage. At this moment, he could only lower his head. When facing Ye Tiancheng, no matter how much dissatisfaction he harbored, he had to present himself as an extremely obedient person.
"You've done so much evil. Many healthy people have been harmed by you, dying after experiencing much pain and darkness. These are the sins you've committed. After committing so many sins, you now expect good treatment? You're being too wishful. Rest assured, I won't let you live too comfortably."
Although Ye Tiancheng's compassion had grown stronger recently, it depended on the person. When facing those who could still be saved, Ye Tiancheng would try to guide them, not strike them down with a single blow. However, Ouyang Xinuo had harmed too many people.
As the primary vessel of dark energy, his path became irreversible the moment he began cultivating it. One must remember that Ouyang Xinuo had harmed countless individuals. Even those not killed by his dark energy had their families ruined. Ouyang Xinuo's current display of pity was far too late, and Ye Tiancheng would simply not listen.
After speaking, Ye Tiancheng instructed Fatty to take the man away. They were indeed preparing to lock Ouyang Xinuo in a cellar, very close to the place where they had previously buried him. It was a desolate burial ground, filled with nothing good, with the constant cawing of crows and scattered remains of animals. In such a place, Ouyang would surely experience what true suffering meant. Of course, Ye Tiancheng thought so too, hoping he would atone for his past actions. Therefore, these actions were entirely justified.
The moment the lid was closed, Ouyang Xinuo could clearly feel despair spreading. It was truly terrifying, an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. He was bound by Ye Tiancheng's true qi, unable to even attempt an escape. Yet, he wouldn't die, as his dark energy protected him. Now, Ouyang Xinuo was no different from an ordinary person; he was considered a cultivator of considerable power. Unable to live, unable to die – that was his current state.
"Brother Fatty, don't go. Can I discuss something with you? I have something important I want to discuss."
"You're not asking me to let you out, are you?"
"Of course, I won't ask for your help for free. Look, you don't get much out of following Ye Tiancheng. How about I give you two million directly?" Ouyang Xinuo had no idea about the relationship between Fatty and Ye Tiancheng, simply assuming Fatty was Ye Tiancheng's subordinate.
Ye Tiancheng hadn't been doing particularly well recently, so his followers also received little benefit. In such circumstances, Ouyang Xinuo believed everyone was greedy and vain. At least, there was a devil within everyone that constantly tempted them. When one's life was difficult, they were easily swayed by profit. Thus, Ouyang Xinuo wanted to try. If Fatty was tempted, wouldn't he be able to escape this suffering?
Although Ouyang Xinuo was an extremely stingy person, it was now a critical moment. Money wasn't the most important thing for him; what mattered most was staying alive. If he continued to cling to wealth, he would ultimately harm himself.
"Are you kidding me? I follow Brother Ye, and even though I'm not a rich man now, I have enough money to spend. Our brotherhood feels tainted by your words. You're disgusting."
Fatty felt like hitting Ouyang Xinuo, but he worried about implicating Liu Lanying. Despite his reluctance, he forcefully restrained himself. For him, emotional growth was crucial. He had made too many impulsive mistakes before and truly didn't want to continue being like a rash youngster, easily swayed by someone's words. He had come to terms with everything. After all, Ouyang Xinuo, that scoundrel, was the one under duress now, and it had little to do with him, so there was no need to take it personally.
"Are you content to forever follow Ye Tiancheng as a mere subordinate? You are clearly so talented. If I give you a sum of money, you'll have the capital to spread your wings and no longer be bound by anyone, nor will you have to trail behind others."
Seeing that Fatty completely refused his offer, Ouyang Xinuo, desperate to escape his predicament, remained unwilling and continued to cleverly try to persuade Fatty.
"Do you believe I'll pour feces into the pit where I'm holding you, making you live in a stinking environment?"
While he couldn't harm Ouyang Xinuo, he could disgust him and make his life miserable. That was Fatty's sole objective. Fatty even considered urinating directly into the pit where he was confined, letting the stench accompany Ouyang Xinuo, making him realize how treacherous society was.
"I was wrong, Brother Fatty. I was just trying to tease you. I won't talk nonsense anymore. I deeply respect you and Brother Ye. I just wanted to lighten the mood; I had no other intentions."