Chapter 14: The Answer

The scorching sun hung in the sky, dispersing the morning mist and bringing a hint of warmth to the earth. Rays of light refracted by tiny water droplets quietly slipped into this hidden secret chamber.

Two sets of footsteps, one short and one long, rustled as they traveled deep into the cell, caught by the young man's ears.

Junior Brother Bai Ming knelt halfway, waiting for the arrival of the woman in green, but the footsteps echoing from the floor felt wrong to him.

"Why does it sound like there are two people?"

It wasn't until the footsteps drew near that Junior Brother Bai Ming lowered his gaze and caught a glimpse of two graceful figures.

"Why did Xiaoxue come too? What is going on!"

The two arrived in front of the cell door.

Song Wanqing's beautiful face wore a smile, with some hidden meaning concealed within it.

Junior Brother Bai Ming hesitated for a moment before dropping to one knee. "Greetings, Miss."

Seeing this, Song Wanqing sneered, "Why only one knee today? Are you planning to propose?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming's body stiffened. He lowered his head and knelt on both knees. "I wouldn't dare."

Song Wanqing's eyes curved slightly, her expression playful. "What, am I not good enough for you?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming clicked his tongue inwardly. "How would I dare to have any improper thoughts about you, Miss?"

Song Wanqing gave a light hmph. "That's right, you are nothing but a dog I keep." She beckoned him over. "Crawl here."

Junior Brother Bai Ming did not dare to hesitate. He clicked his tongue inwardly, burying his head even lower, not daring to look at the expressions on their faces.

Song Wanqing was one thing, but why did Xiaoxue have to be here too?

He had already adapted to this crazy woman's insults and could treat them as nothing, but why did she have to bring Xiaoxue along?

Just to admire my embarrassment in front of others?

The smile on Song Wanqing's face grew even wider, while Xiaoxue, standing beside her, seemed somewhat uncomfortable watching this scene.

"Why are you crawling so slowly? Are you not used to having others around? Or are you feeling a bit resistant?"

Upon hearing this, Junior Brother Bai Ming had no choice but to speed up. In a few movements, he crawled before the two of them, and two pairs of slender, curvaceous legs were reflected in his eyes.

Xiaoxue still couldn't help but take a few glances, and feeling her gaze, Junior Brother Bai Ming buried his head even lower.

Song Wanqing took out a jade chair that looked expensive from her storage bag, and she leaned gracefully against the back of it.

Song Wanqing rested her head on her right hand. "Let's play slowly today."

Junior Brother Bai Ming swallowed, his throat trembling, and he inwardly thought that this was bad.

If Xiaoxue saw him in the embarrassing state of kneeling and begging for mercy after being beaten today, he didn't know how he would face her in the future.

In his heart, there was even a sliver of fear that Song Wanqing might have discovered the secret between him and Xiaoxue.

Amidst Junior Brother Bai Ming's anxious and complicated state of mind, the first command of the day arrived.

Song Wanqing held a delicate plush ball and tossed it lightly. "Go fetch it."

Junior Brother Bai Ming just started to stand up when the corners of Song Wanqing's mouth lifted slightly. "Did I tell you to stand up?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming's body bent down, and he quickly turned his head and crawled toward the plush ball.

It wasn't that he didn't understand what Song Wanqing meant, but he at least didn't want to appear so humble in front of Xiaoxue.

But in the end, Song Wanqing did not leave him even a shred of dignity in front of others.

A calm voice came from behind Junior Brother Bai Ming.

"Pick it up with your mouth."

Junior Brother Bai Ming's hand paused and then retracted. He lowered his head and used his mouth to pick up the ball.

Without even thinking, he knew he must look incredibly pathetic right now; there was no dignity left at all.

Dignity.

Junior Brother Bai Ming had thought this was something he had long discarded, but now he realized it was only discarded in front of Song Wanqing.

He tried his best to suppress this thing that should have been discarded long ago, but in the end, a strange feeling arose in his heart.

Junior Brother Bai Ming crawled back to the distance, relying on a vague sense of direction, trying his best to avoid eye contact with the two of them, as if this would make him feel better.

Song Wanqing patted Junior Brother Bai Ming's lowered head with her jade hand. "Our Young Master Bai is truly obedient. Don't you agree, Xiaoxue?"

Xiaoxue clasped her hands together, looking somewhat uneasy. She didn't know where to cast her gaze and replied softly.

"Mm…"

Junior Brother Bai Ming sighed inwardly, his head subconsciously turning slightly to one side.

"But Young Master Bai, why do you seem a bit off today? Could it be that you still have some self-esteem left?"

Song Wanqing leaned her slender body. "Didn't Young Master Bai say that you had already discarded it and wouldn't make that mistake again? Could it be that you were lying to me?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming was secretly alarmed. He adjusted his posture and quickly pressed his head to the ground. With the ball in his mouth, his voice was somewhat muffled. "I wouldn't dare."

Song Wanqing reached out and took the plush ball. "Very well, I will forgive you this once, but don't let it happen again in the future."

Junior Brother Bai Ming secretly made up his mind that this kind of behavior could not happen again—not because of Song Wanqing's words, but because this ethereal self-esteem did him no good.

Being imprisoned, with no guarantee of freedom.

In such a situation, what was the point of talking about self-esteem, or on what grounds could he have it?

Song Wanqing's slender fingers lifted Junior Brother Bai Ming's chin. "Look up."

Junior Brother Bai Ming was ten thousand times unwilling in his heart, but his body moved spontaneously. His eyes darted away, and he subconsciously squinted.

While darting his eyes, he accidentally caught a glimpse of Xiaoxue, who was keeping her head down and not looking.

But wouldn't her not looking mean that she had already seen it?

Song Wanqing laughed heartily. "To think you're still such a green little dog."

The flickering candlelight cast the wavering shadows of the three of them—one kneeling, one standing, and one sitting askew.

Junior Brother Bai Ming's heart was in chaos; he simply didn't know how to face the two of them.

Song Wanqing waved her hand. "Xiaoxue, you go out first."

Xiaoxue bowed, letting out a sigh of relief. "Very well, Miss."

The heavy iron door was closed, and the strange feeling in Junior Brother Bai Ming's heart gradually faded.

Song Wanqing's gaze was deep. "Alright, now there are only the two of us here. Do you have anything you want to say?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming lowered his eyes. "I do not, Miss."

The corners of Song Wanqing's mouth drooped slightly. "None? Then slap yourself 1,000 times first."

Junior Brother Bai Ming couldn't figure out what on earth Song Wanqing wanted him to say, so he had no choice but to comply.

He slapped his right cheek with his right hand, then his left cheek with his left hand.

Junior Brother Bai Ming didn't dare to hold back; he put his full strength into every single slap.

Crazy woman, what on earth do you want me to do? What can I say? Begging for mercy is useless, and obedience is useless. What do you want from me?

The slapping sounds echoed in the silent secret chamber, each one crisp, one after another, accompanied by a hollow reverberation.

Junior Brother Bai Ming finished the last slap and stopped.

Song Wanqing crossed her legs, leaning against the jade chair. "Do you have anything now?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming was dumbfounded. What exactly did this crazy woman want him to say?

"I do not know what you wish to hear, Miss. Where did I go wrong?"

Song Wanqing's gaze was calm. "10,000 times."

Junior Brother Bai Ming had no choice but to continue hitting himself, screaming loudly in his heart after every slap.

What the hell do you want to hear? What exactly do you want me to say!

One slap after another, Junior Brother Bai Ming slapped himself for a full hour, while simultaneously thinking and trying to fathom Song Wanqing's thoughts.

His face became swollen from the heavy slaps, a burning pain radiated from both cheeks, and his knuckles felt sore.

Although he was already at the Qi Refining stage, his cultivation was sealed, and he could not mobilize a single bit of spiritual energy within his body. Aside from his spiritual sense and mental state, his body could only wait for natural recovery.

The 10,000 slaps ended in Junior Brother Bai Ming's long, agonizing ordeal, and his arms hung slightly limp.

Song Wanqing's beautiful eyelashes opened slightly. "And now?"