Chapter Fifty-Three: Returning Kindness with Betrayal

After parting ways with the man in black, Li Yuxi walked straight out of the forest. Chu Bing hesitated for a moment before lifting her foot to follow.

Li Yuxi returned directly to the Li Residence. Chu Bing thought he was going to rest and was about to head back to her own room when she realized he wasn’t heading toward his own courtyard at all.

Where is he going in the middle of the night?

Chu Bing frowned, then once again followed him.

Li Yuxi entered the most secluded courtyard of the Li Residence. Chu Bing had never been there before, as it was the most heavily guarded place. However, once Li Yuxi went in, he ordered the guards to keep their distance.

Chu Bing cast a concealment array on herself and tiptoed into the courtyard, hiding just outside the door.

She was the only one in the entire courtyard. With her finger, she poked a hole in the paper on the window and, by the faint light inside, took in the scene.

This was actually a torture chamber!

Various instruments of torture hung from the walls, and in the center of the room stood a chair. A man was tied to it, his head hanging so low that his face was hidden.

The air was thick with the smell of blood.

“You still refuse to speak?”

Li Yuxi stood shrouded in darkness, his entire being exuding a sinister aura. Chu Bing felt a chill run down her spine. This man was truly terrifying!

“Heh, Second Young Master, why waste your words? If you have the ability, just kill me.” The man tied to the chair lifted his head, revealing sharply defined features.

Though blood stained his face, he didn’t look pathetic; on the contrary, it made him seem even more menacing, like a beast returning from a mountain of corpses.

It was the same Lord Ren from the bamboo forest!

Wasn’t he supposed to be formidable? How did he end up in Li Yuxi’s hands?

Li Yuxi pulled a whip from the wall, flicking it casually between his hands. “Lord Ren, there’s no need for bravado. You should understand that compared to killing you, making you wish you were dead is the true measure of ability.”

There are things in this world more unbearable than death.

Chu Bing saw Lord Ren’s expression change instantly.

She couldn’t help but curse inwardly—Li Yuxi was a true sadist!

Crack!

The black whip lashed across Lord Ren’s body, each strike draining the color from his face.

Even Chu Bing found herself unable to bear watching.

But Li Yuxi seemed devoid of any concept of mercy or compassion, whipping relentlessly. Only when convinced that Lord Ren would rather die than talk did he finally toss the whip aside, his expression dark and menacing. “How dull.”

Lord Ren panted, “Li Yuxi, are these your only methods?”

He sneered coldly, “People like you will suffer retribution sooner or later.”

Li Yuxi wasn’t provoked; instead, he smiled. “I’ll be waiting for that day.”

“But I wonder if you’ll live to see it,” he added, satisfied as Lord Ren’s face darkened, and shook his head before leaving.

When he reached the door, he mused, “Still, the most interesting one is that little wildcat.”

Chu Bing held her breath, only letting out a long exhale once Li Yuxi had gone.

She bared her teeth in his departing direction. She had the distinct feeling that the “little wildcat” he mentioned was none other than herself!

She rubbed her sore arms and was about to leave when she suddenly heard a weak cough from inside the room.

Chu Bing froze.

If she left now, what would become of Lord Ren? Li Yuxi would never let him go. Next time she returned, there might be nothing but a corpse here!

Chu Bing stood indecisively.

The coughing from inside grew harsher, sounding as if his last breath was near. Gritting her teeth, Chu Bing turned and pushed open the door.

Inside, Lord Ren lifted his head.

By the faint light of the moon, he saw a small, slender figure standing on the threshold—her body frail, but her back straight and her presence commanding.

A glimmer flickered in his eyes, though his voice was even weaker. “Miss, please save my life. If I get out, I will repay you.”

Chu Bing had come to rescue him anyway; without another word, she strode forward to untie the ropes binding him.

But the moment the ropes fell, she was suddenly seized by a powerful force—before she could react, Lord Ren had pressed her down onto the chair.

“What are you doing?! I’m helping you!” Chu Bing wanted to shout in fury, but afraid of attracting Li Yuxi, she could only grit her teeth and lower her voice.

Lord Ren’s voice was icy, without the slightest hint of apology. “Forgive me.”

He produced a porcelain vial from his sleeve, shook out a black pill, and shoved it into Chu Bing’s mouth.

She struggled desperately, but the pill was forced down.

The pill dissolved instantly, leaving only a faint bitterness in her mouth.

“What did you make me eat?” Chu Bing coughed and demanded.

Seeing her swallow the pill, Lord Ren immediately let go, letting her collapse to the floor. Clutching his wound and supporting himself on the chair, he said slowly, “That is called Crescent Moon. Every half month, it will flare up. Without the antidote, you’ll feel as though ants are devouring your entire body until you die from exhaustion.”

Chu Bing trembled with rage, retching repeatedly, but the pill had already melted—there was no way to spit it out.

She gritted her teeth, glared at the man, and said, “I saved you, and this is how you repay me?!”

She had come out of kindness, yet he poisoned her.

Lord Ren’s face was expressionless. “Now you have only one choice: do as I say. Or else…”

Or else she would die from the poison.

Chu Bing was so angry her teeth itched. She swore to herself she would never be so softhearted again!

Suppressing her fury, she asked, “What do you want from me? I’m just a maid!”

Lord Ren gave her a meaningful glance. “A maid? None of the maids I’ve seen are as wild and defiant as you.”

Chu Bing choked, rolling her eyes in exasperation. “That’s none of your business!”

Lord Ren let out a low chuckle and slowly approached, a dagger appearing in his hand—taken casually from the wall.

He pressed the blade to Chu Bing’s throat. “Take me somewhere safe, or else…”

Chu Bing brushed aside his dagger. “You’ve already poisoned me. What more do you need to threaten me for?”

She strode out, Lord Ren raising an eyebrow at her retreating figure before following closely behind.

Chu Bing led the way without a word, but her mind was in turmoil as she asked the system, “System, is this poison real?”

Could it be, like the fake one she’d used on the county magistrate, a bluff?

The system replied with a sympathetic sigh, “You might as well resign yourself—it’s real.”

So it was real!

She truly had been poisoned!

Chu Bing had originally intended to take Lord Ren straight to Li Yuxi. Now, she had no choice but to change direction, holding back tears as she led him toward Li Haoran’s courtyard.

No one lived there—it was the perfect place to hide someone.