C11 They Were Trapped in a Prison and the Beauty Was Heartless

After several days and nights in captivity, Xiao Chen's aura finally began to show signs of improvement.

Moreover, since Ming Yu had refrained from draining his vital energy during this time, his recovery was relatively swift.

Struggling to his feet, Xiao Chen still felt a dull ache in his head.

Surveying the gloomy, damp surroundings, he was greeted by the foul stench of decaying flesh.

The sight of the iron walls, etched with runes, left no doubt in his mind about his current location.

Xiao Chen knelt on the ground, lost in thought, his eyes hollow, his face gaunt.

Three years! He had dedicated three years to arduous cultivation!

He had endured untold suffering, repeatedly teetering on the brink of life and death.

Yet it was his unwavering resolve that had carried him through the darkest moments, time after time.

All for the chance to personally slay Yim Wuxie!

But with what seemed like a simple blow, his adversary had laid him low.

Now he found himself in chains, a prisoner at the mercy of his enemy.

The vengeance he had sought for so long had turned into a cruel mockery.

The thought was so absurd it was almost laughable.

"Yim Wuxie!"

Xiao Chen's eyes blazed with a terrifying intent to kill as he growled the name through clenched teeth.

Whenever he thought of Yim Wuxie, with his disdainful air and lofty demeanor, a fire of nameless rage ignited within him.

"Chen!"

A soft voice broke through Xiao Chen's reverie.

It was Ming Yu.

"Master, Master, you've finally spoken. I feared you were so displeased with your disciple that you would never speak to me again!"

In that moment, tears spilled from Xiao Chen's eyes, a testament to his overwhelming emotions.

In such dire straits, the presence of someone steadfast by his side was a source of indescribable joy, understood only by those who have lived through such trials.

"Ah, Chen, what need was there for this..."

Xiao Chen needed no further explanation from Ming Yu; he knew all too well what his master meant.

Had he heeded Ming Yu's advice during his confrontation with Yim Wuxie, left promptly and avoided prolonged conflict, he wouldn't be in this wretched state now.

Now, not only was his own life hanging by a thread, but his master, to whom he owed a great debt of gratitude, had also been dragged into this dire situation.

Revealing his true form in front of everyone would be tantamount to broadcasting to the entire world that Ming Yu was still alive, wouldn't it?

Should anyone with nefarious designs on the soul of a powerful being catch wind of this, the fallout would be catastrophic, to say nothing of his adversaries.

"Master, is there any way out of here for us?"

All he got in return was a deep, heavy sigh.

The answer was self-evident.

"These runes are imbued with a secret talisman specifically designed to suppress souls. Judging by the marks, they were inscribed quite recently."

Ming Yu's voice remained as tender as a spring breeze, yet now it carried an undertone of wistfulness.

"If it weren't for these restraints, escaping would be relatively straightforward."

Clearly, the Chiang family had taken precautions in light of Ming Yu's unmasking.

Xiao Chen was about to speak again when he suddenly heard footsteps and quickly feigned unconsciousness on the ground.

Tap, tap, tap!

Light footsteps crossed the damp, green stone floor, followed by a voice that made Xiao Chen's heart skip a beat.

"Xiao Chen, are you okay?"

It was Chiang Qiushui, Qiushui herself had arrived!

Xiao Chen leaped up from the haystack, his excitement propelling him to the railing.

"Qiushui, Qiushui, what brings you here? Did they imprison you too? Have they hurt you in any way?"

His voice was a mix of urgency and joy.

Yet Chiang Qiushui didn't reply. Instead, she produced a silver key and unlocked the door, then proceeded to free Xiao Chen from his shackles.

Xiao Chen refrained from asking further questions; the situation spoke for itself.

Qiushui must have stealthily obtained the key and risked everything to rescue him.

This act alone confirmed that he still held a place in her heart; she wouldn't have ventured into such peril otherwise.

That was all that mattered.

Xiao Chen reached for Qiushui's wrist, intending to escape together, but grasped at air.

"Qiushui, what...?"

He was baffled as Chiang Qiushui withdrew her hand.

"What's going on?"

"Xiao Chen, please don't get the wrong idea. I truly came to rescue you, but I cannot leave with you."

Chiang Qiushui's response was icy.

In a flash, Xiao Chen felt as though an invisible yet impenetrable wall had erected itself between them.

"What did you say?"

Xiao Chen was taken aback.

Chiang Qiushui seemed so familiar, yet so distant.

"It must be them, right? They forced you into this?"

"Did you agree to some vile deal with that scoundrel Yim Wuxie to save me?"

Xiao Chen could hardly believe his own words; it was as if he was speaking to himself rather than to Chiang Qiushui.

"Young Master Yim is not the person you think he is. He's a man of honor, a true gentleman. Xiao Chen, I urge you to let go of your biases."

Yim Wuxie, a gentleman?

To Xiao Chen, this was the most absurd joke he had ever heard, and it was coming from the lips of the girl who had once pledged her love to him.

"Qiushui, if you're in trouble, just tell me. I'll save you!"

He moved forward, reaching out to grasp Chiang Qiushui's hand once more.

But he stopped in his tracks, compelled to halt.

A long sword was now pressed against his chest, wielded by none other than Chiang Qiushui herself.

Xiao Chen's mind reeled. What on earth had happened during the days of his unconsciousness?

How had the girl who once stood by his side beneath the moonlight become so alien and icy?

"Xiao Chen, let me repeat myself: I will not go with you," Chiang Qiushui stated flatly.

"No one has coerced me, and Young Master Yim hasn't forced me into anything. It's always been you who's been deluded by your own desires."

With those words, she flung a token from her sleeve, letting it clatter to the ground before Xiao Chen.

"This token was given to me by Young Master Yim, who, despite our history, allowed me to come here and set you free!"

"I hope you'll start seeing others clearly, without your clouded judgment."

With that, she sheathed her sword and walked away, her resolve unshakable.

Xiao Chen was left alone in the damp chill of the dungeon, slumped and desolate.

Indeed, Xiao Chen had just sensed with unmistakable clarity that Chiang Qiushui was not jesting. The icy rejection she had just projected was no laughing matter—she meant it!

What a joke...

He was the joke...

In that moment, Xiao Chen let out a bitter laugh towards the heavens.

Had all these years been nothing but a delusion, a self-deception?

Was this the harsh reality?

Chiang Qiushui was merely a woman of ambition and fickleness. In defeat, he was nothing but a weakling, and weaklings did not deserve to stand by her side.

At that moment, a torrent of thoughts and jumbled emotions flooded Xiao Chen's mind.

With a splitting headache, compounded by his previous injuries and unhealed Yuan Qi, Xiao Chen tasted the sweetness of blood in his throat.

“Puff!”

A gush of warm blood spurted from his mouth, and he collapsed to the ground, once again losing consciousness.