Xiao Juyuan smiled gently, "I'll turn you into a captivating little thing from now on." With a burst of strength, she sent Xiao Yuan's body crashing against the wall with a thud. A mouthful of blood gushed out, splattering onto her clothes on her chest like a beautiful plum blossom painting.
"What are you doing?!" Hang Yisu trembled with hatred.
"I used my unique method to sever her heart meridian. Anyone who wants to keep her alive can only use their inner energy to prolong her life. The precious inner strength I painstakingly cultivated will be consumed by this peerless beauty every day until she is completely drained!" She laughed triumphantly. "Li Yuan'er, tell me, who would be reluctant to let you die? Isn't this more interesting than killing you? Let you watch the man who loves you being drained away bit by bit. Or... no man will be willing to sacrifice like this for you anymore, and they will all leave you."
Xiao Yuan lay on the ground, her face and mouth covered in blood, her blood mixed with Hang Yisu's. She was surprisingly lucid; she even smiled. She looked at Xiao Juyuan, "What if that man was Pei Junwu?"
Xiao Juyuan's smile froze, then his expression hardened. "What do you think? Why should I cherish something I can't have? He used his true energy to prolong your life, so I can torment you and him anytime."
Xiao Yuan was stunned. Yes, there was nothing this woman couldn't do.
"That's enough, Young Master Hang. Look, her face is even redder now. Enjoy it while you can." She laughed wildly and pulled the regretful Nangong Zhan out of the room.
"Wait!" Xiao Yuan gasped for breath, choking on blood as she screamed. "Give me back the golden whistle!" She didn't want the thing he had given her to fall into this woman's filthy hands.
Xiao Juyuan stepped back inside the door and looked at her leisurely. "At this time, you are still thinking about Yi Chunjun?" She chuckled. "Even better. When you are enjoying yourself under another man, you are thinking about your Senior Brother Yi. How enjoyable is that?"
With a flick of her wrist, the golden whistle hidden in her sleeve was thrown to the ground with a series of crisp sounds.
Hang Yisu quickly picked it up and handed it to her.
She clenched her fists tightly, and tears finally streamed down her face in despair, washing away a small patch of blood and grime. He looked at her small face covered in blood and tears, and felt a pang of heartache and unbearable sorrow.
Xiao Juyuan gave a cold laugh and gracefully left.
They took the torches away, leaving only bone-chilling darkness and the increasingly rapid breathing of the men and women in the room.
Chapter 48 of "The Smiling Flower": Starry Sky and Sea of Flowers
Although darkness extinguishes all hope, it also conceals the unbearable despair.
Xiao Yuan bit her lip tightly, her heart completely out of control, pounding as if it would burst out of her throat. Each beat sent blood rushing more violently to every part of her body.
The feeling of desire was so unfamiliar to her; a certain part of her body felt increasingly empty. She was ashamed and annoyed to find that hot liquid was accumulating in her most vulnerable place, even flowing out, but it was icy cold between her legs.
Hang Yisu stood in a corner out of her sight, panting heavily, without making any move.
That longing to be touched, to feel fulfilled, stirred a new wave of restlessness and a racing heart. Even biting his lips until they bled, he couldn't help but let out moans that sounded like both pain and pleading.
Hang Yisu finally took a deep breath, stepped forward, and picked her up.
Tears welled up again. Death—she wanted Hang Yisu to give her a quick end, but she couldn't! She couldn't die yet! Living… was too unbearable, too painful!
After this night that felt like sinking into hell, what will tomorrow bring? What will become of her?
"I'll take you away!" Hang Yisu said in a deep voice, as if these words were his last cry from hell.
His arms, which were holding her, were trembling violently. In her confusion, she couldn't discern his feelings—was it pain or repression? Regardless, he promised to take her away, away from here… at least there was a sliver of hope.
So the stone house was underground; no wonder there wasn't even a breeze. Emerging from the secret passage, they walked for what seemed like an eternity, a painful and agonizing journey. Finally, Hang Yisu stopped and placed her on the ground. Under the clearest moonlight, she saw a sea of flowers stretching to the horizon.
She could no longer distinguish what kind of flowers they were; some were pink, some were white, and their fragrance filled the air… In her eyes, amidst the flood and the flames, this was nothing more than the most beautiful and alluring purgatory of desire.
The last glimmer of hope has been extinguished.
Xiao Juyuan is right. In this extremely remote place, there are only two men, Hang Yisu and Nangong Zhan.
Her body was tense, urging her to writhe. Her hands dug into the cool soil beneath the flowers, tears wetting the pink petals. She closed her eyes tightly, but tears still streamed down her long eyelashes quickly and urgently; she was too embarrassed to open them again.
"Kill me... or save me..."
Saying those words was more painful for her than death.
Hang Yisu stood in the flower bushes, his body trembling violently, or rather, contorted. His injured hand was clenched into a fist, and blood splattered everywhere, causing the surrounding flowers to sway from the blood droplets.
"I can't! I can't!" he cried out in anguish, "I can't—"
Xiao Yuan was startled by his agonizing screams and couldn't help but look up at him. The man's face was contorted in pain, and his once handsome appearance was now replaced by a horrifying and terrifying expression.
What's wrong with him?
"I can't...I can't...because I am..." His body convulsed even more violently, and he actually abandoned her and fled in panic.
Her whole body trembled, scattering petals from the surrounding flowers that landed on her hair, face, and body. She looked up at the vast starry sky and laughed... Dying like this was better than being defiled by Nangong.
But... what about her secret? Who will avenge her hatred?
Actually, she should be happy for her senior sister. That man loves her so much... In this life, has anyone ever loved her, Li Yuan'er, like this?
She held the golden whistle to her eyes. Yi Chunjun… Didn’t he say that he would come to save her if she blew it? Where is he now? She gently blew it… For the first time, she heard its long, drawn-out sound, as if it were music calling her to heaven.
She heard a clanging sound of metal; people were fighting. She listened numbly, her heart pounding faster than she could bear.
Her eyes gradually closed, and in the instant before they did, she saw Hang Yisu's face and a shadow behind him...
Her mind was on the verge of collapse. She felt a man pull her into his arms tightly, and she let out a painful cry. Her body yearned for his body. Because of his approach, her heart was beating faster, and the emptiness she was waiting for to be filled was becoming more and more burning and painful.
"Go away! I'll send you back with fireworks afterwards!"
She heard the man holding her speak in a commanding tone, his rough voice sounding familiar.
She struggled to open her eyes. It was him?! His silver mask gleamed coldly in the moonlight, and his black robes blended harmoniously into the night. It was him, the Lord of the Extinction Palace!
She pressed herself against his strong body, panting heavily. Even if it was him, it would be alright! In her despair, where she felt no humiliation, she was even filled with a sense of relief! At this point, she would rather it be a complete stranger whose face she had never even seen!