Chapter 11: Submission

Yet, a blank sheet of paper would inevitably be tainted by this murky, secular world; it could never retain that initial purity.

Since that was the case, it would be better to take the first step and dye this blank sheet of paper with her own color.

To paint it completely, so that no one else could ever add even a fraction of a color to him.

To ensure this secular world could no longer leave a mark on this richly colored scroll.

The color of love was too faint and could be replaced by other colors; only the pitch-black color of hatred could cover everything.

Song Wanqing looked at Junior Brother Bai Ming on the ground, a spiritual light flashing in her eyes.

"Not enough, still not enough."

Another heavy lash followed.

Junior Brother Bai Ming was on the verge of fainting; the heavy blows directed at his soul could neither be avoided nor alleviated.

Song Wanqing stopped, her beautiful eyes fixed on Junior Brother Bai Ming's eyes. "Do you hate me?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming secretly gritted his teeth. "I do not hate you."

The corners of Song Wanqing's mouth lifted slightly, and the color deepened a little more.

A few more lashes followed.

"Do you hate me?"

"I do not hate you."

Song Wanqing asked softly, "Do you hate me?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming shouted, "I do not hate you!"

Not hate? How could I not hate? Does this crazy woman have any normal values at all? With such torture, who could not hate, who could not be angry?

Yet he, Junior Brother Bai Ming, had to shatter this hatred and swallow it down, which left him feeling stifled.

Song Wanqing stopped her whip and chuckled a few times. "It seems Young Master Bai is sincere. Sigh, why didn't you say so earlier? Wouldn't you have suffered less? I truly couldn't bear it."

A surge of anger rushed straight to Junior Brother Bai Ming's head; he barely suppressed the urge to curse out loud.

I've said it so many times, yet this crazy woman just won't believe me. Even if I were faking it, I've faked it well enough, haven't I?

He was indeed full of hatred, but at least he wouldn't show it now; instead, he was doing his best to act as a servant who was willing to give his heart and soul.

"Thank you for your concern, Miss."

Song Wanqing suddenly leaned down, her pretty face less than a foot away from Junior Brother Bai Ming. Her warm breath washed over his face, and the unique fragrance of a woman drifted into his nose.

Song Wanqing's eyes were intensely aggressive. "You aren't secretly hating me in your heart, are you?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming gave a dry laugh. "Miss, how could that be? I am merely a toy for your amusement."

The corners of Song Wanqing's mouth curled up with a hint of mockery. "So, you're quite happy being whipped by me, then?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming cursed inwardly, but put on a smile. "That is only natural. It is my honor to be whipped by you, Miss."

Song Wanqing feigned surprise. "I didn't expect Young Master Bai to be interested in such things; it doesn't seem normal."

Junior Brother Bai Ming was about to explode with rage. Who isn't normal? Do you think I want to be whipped? It's you, this crazy woman, who likes whipping people and insists on forcing me to admit that I like being whipped.

Endure.

I must endure. This is all to escape.

Song Wanqing covered her sleeves and chuckled. "You servant certainly have a silver tongue. Since you feel happy when being hit, I won't hit you anymore."

Junior Brother Bai Ming breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that lowering his head had some effect after all.

Song Wanqing's expression changed. "What, are you happy to know you won't be hit anymore?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming was anxious and hurriedly said, "I am regretting, regretting that I can no longer receive the Miss's whip."

Song Wanqing laughed aloud, her delicate body trembling slightly. "You servant are truly a pervert. Who else is like you, feeling happy when being beaten?"

You know it, but for the sake of the escape plan, I must swallow it.

Junior Brother Bai Ming gave a dry laugh. "That is because it was you who hit me, Miss."

Song Wanqing's eyes flashed with spiritual light, and the smile on her lips deepened.

"Smooth talker. Forget it, continue to perform well, servant."

Song Wanqing flicked her sleeves and left the secret room. Junior Brother Bai Ming waited for a while before daring to stand up.

A dull thud of a punch echoed against the cold floor.

Junior Brother Bai Ming knelt on one knee and hammered the ground. "What a humiliation!"

"Song Wanqing, I will remember every bit of this humiliation you have brought upon me."

Xiaoxue opened the iron door and entered the secret room, seeing Junior Brother Bai Ming kneeling on one knee.

"Young Master, didn't I tell you to be more compliant? Why are you like this again?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming gave a bitter smile. "The physical pain is one thing, but this is an insult to my character."

Xiaoxue picked up a towel. "It's just a little bit of mental wear and tear; what is there to care about?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming's eyes were dazed as he looked at Xiaoxue's petite profile. "Xiaoxue, how did you know?"

Xiaoxue smiled. "I guessed."

Junior Brother Bai Ming leaned against the wall. "By the way, Xiaoxue, why are you helping me? Aren't you afraid of being blamed afterward?"

Xiaoxue shook her head. "Then why did you beg me back then, Young Master?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming fell silent. At that time, his heart was dead, and the damage to his soul made it impossible to control his emotions; all he could see was a pitch-black future.

He could absolutely not escape from here on his own.

Only with Xiaoxue's help was there a glimmer of hope.

Xiaoxue continued, "Young Master trusts Xiaoxue, right? Miss did indeed go a bit too far."

"As for the punishment, Young Master need not worry; Xiaoxue has her own discretion."

Junior Brother Bai Ming felt a warmth in his heart. "Thank you, Xiaoxue. Now, let's start analyzing the information."

Junior Brother Bai Ming stroked his chin. "It seems that the only one capable of opposing the Song family is the Yuqing Sect. If I want to escape the city, this route has the highest success rate."

Xiaoxue gently wiped Junior Brother Bai Ming's back, her soft, petite hands delicately wiping away the exhaustion from his body.

"The patrols in the Yuqing Sect's territory are relatively relaxed. No cultivator dares to act wantonly in the territory of the Seven Great Sects, and the Song family cultivators cannot easily enter to conduct investigations."

Junior Brother Bai Ming nodded. "This gives me an opportunity. It seems the key to the problem is how to escape from here. Xiaoxue, can you tell me about the distribution of the Song family?"

Xiaoxue nodded slightly and began to describe in detail the general distribution of the Song family and the route to the Yuqing Sect.

Xiaoxue asked with confusion, "But isn't your cultivation sealed, Young Master? How will you escape this secret room?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming waved his hand with a smile. "I have my own clever plan. Once my cultivation improves, this seal will naturally break. I just need to wait for the right opportunity."

Xiaoxue smiled. "Then I will keep an eye out for you, Young Master. But during this period, do not defy Miss again, otherwise, there won't be enough time for cultivation."

Junior Brother Bai Ming nodded solemnly. "I will. To suffer fewer injuries and minimize the time needed for recovery, I will do whatever is asked of me."

"That's good."

"Xiaoxue, on your way out, please keep an eye on the patrol situation at the Song family's entrances and exits."

Xiaoxue packed up the medicine bucket, nodded, and turned to leave.

"Alright, next, I will first raise my cultivation." Junior Brother Bai Ming sat cross-legged on the floor, closed his eyes to focus, and began to absorb the spiritual energy from heaven and earth.

Junior Brother Bai Ming was now full of motivation; what he needed to do was first raise his cultivation to the limit of this cultivation technique—the Qi Refining Peak.

His heart was filled with hope and determination.

The spiritual root in his lower abdomen emitted a trace of warmth, as if echoing his emotions.

"Today, let me break through to the Second Level of Qi Refining."

A large amount of spiritual energy from the surroundings surged into Junior Brother Bai Ming's body, and the warmth in his lower abdomen accelerated his absorption of the spiritual energy.

The spiritual root within his body was undergoing a transformation, nourished by the spiritual energy and hope.