Torture! . . .
Rumors swirled in the minds of those who contemplated the situation, one of them being the involvement of the World's number one Assassin, Ning Biluo, among the three deadly assassins. Whispers suggested that Ning Biluo had affiliations with Ling-Bao Hall, and the havoc wrought by the sect had been a global sensation. Second Prince couldn't help but speculate that Cha Eun Xiao must share a close bond with Ling-Bao Hall.
He couldn't help but marvel at the immense power at play. Even his father, King of the Chen-Xing Kingdom, could not afford to engage in conflict with Cha Eun Xiao.
"Why didn't you reveal just a fraction of your true power?" Second Prince's mind raced with regrets. "If I had even a glimpse of your unfathomable might, I would never have dared to challenge you. No beauty is worth more than my own life."
Now, however, the Second Prince was shattered, hopelessness weighing upon him. His life had transitioned from bleak to utterly desolate. Alone, ensnared in an invisible cage, he pondered the implausible prospect of escape.
Cha Eun Xiao cast cold, unfeeling eyes upon the prince. His words, devoid of empathy, struck like a chilling gust of wind. "Do you believe you still have a chance to escape from this predicament?"
Second Prince's head shook involuntarily.
Cha Eun Xiao retorted, "Why don't you keep your silence? You seem incapable of behaving properly. I have given you instructions. You simply can't oblige, can you?" With half-closed eyes, he exuded a menacing aura and lashed a long whip against Second Prince's flesh. The resulting scream was piercing, and blood flowed.
"Let me pose the question again. If you conduct yourself properly, we might have a civilized conversation. What do you think?" Cha Eun Xiao inquired with feigned cordiality. "I have a burning curiosity, and I believe you possess the answers I seek."
Second Prince, writhing in pain, mustered the strength to respond. "What... what do you want to know?"
However, his response was met with another brutal lash of the whip. Second Prince, unable to endure the agony, nearly lost consciousness.
Cha Eun Xiao chastised him further. "Why did you nod your head? Do you think I am unaware of the language you speak? You provided an answer, and now you pretend otherwise!" His anger was palpable as he continued to torture the prince. "Is your face twisted with hatred for me?"
"Show me a smile, be delighted, and convey your willingness to answer my inquiries. Understand? Can you? Or do I need to provide further instruction, not through words, but with the whip?" His words were infused with menace.
Second Prince realized he was being toyed with, but he had no recourse but to endure. He mustered the courage to speak, only to be met with yet another brutal lash.
"Lord Cha, at a time like this, could you please..."
Cha Eun Xiao showed no mercy, lashing the whip forcefully and swiftly. Second Prince's skin was torn. He screamed in agony, and the room was filled with his cries.
Cha Eun Xiao's response was devoid of empathy as he declared, "Who do you think you are addressing? Do you believe you remain a noble prince? Here and now, you are nothing more than a wretched cur. Even dogs have a place near people, but you are far lower. You are nothing more than a filthy animal. Your life is of lesser worth than a dog's. Your sole purpose is to follow my commands. If you fail or make mistakes, you know the consequences." Cha Eun Xiao's voice dripped with malevolence.
The pain surging throughout Second Prince's body was so overwhelming that it overshadowed the shame he felt. He mustered every ounce of courage to force a smile. He spoke in a subdued tone, "I... I will accept your questioning..."
Cha Eun Xiao, far from appeased, retorted, "What an unsightly smile! Are you mocking me?" His rage was evident, and the whip cracked against Second Prince's flesh multiple times.
Second Prince screamed, the agony reaching unbearable heights. He had suffered physically and mentally and was on the brink of death.
Second Prince found himself in the depths of despair, yearning for the release of death to escape the relentless torment.
"Come on! Do it! Kill me!" he silently implored.
But Cha Eun Xiao had other plans. He abruptly halted the torture, extracting a supreme dan bead from his clothing, a treasure Second Prince had never seen before.
This supreme dan was of remarkable quality, a rare and precious item. Cha Eun Xiao took hold of Second Prince's jaw and forcibly inserted the valuable bead into his mouth.
A warmth emanated from the dan bead, coursing through Second Prince's body, and he felt a peculiar comfort. His wounds, once grievous, began to heal at an astonishing speed. His flesh mended before his eyes, becoming smooth and whole once more. However, this miracle brought him no joy, only an overwhelming sense of despair.
Despite the pain persisting in his body, the wounds had vanished, leaving only the eerie sensation of rapidly healed skin. With eyes wide open, filled with fear and dread, Second Prince regarded Cha Eun Xiao, anticipating further torment.
Cha Eun Xiao, his tone gentle and mocking, declared, "Do you wish for death? It won't be that easy!" He nodded with feigned kindness. "Your honor, I am a man of my word. I promised to keep you alive and make you beg for your life. I won't allow you to die so easily." His anger caused his face to contort. "If I were to allow you an easy death..."
As he spoke, Cha Eun Xiao unleashed the gravity of his rage. "How would I justify the eight hundred thousand young lives you ruined?"
The mention of eight hundred thousand lives weighed heavily on Second Prince. He knew all too well what Cha Eun Xiao was referring to.
Cha Eun Xiao glared at the prince, fully aware of his malicious intent. He had inflicted suffering upon Second Prince deliberately, seeking to explore every avenue of brutality. His motives were neither reasonable nor honorable, but his objective was clear: to make the prince endure torment.
To add to the prince's agony, Cha Eun Xiao administered the supreme dan bead with the sole purpose of ensuring Second Prince's continued existence for further suffering. Cha Eun Xiao remained unsatisfied; his thirst for vengeance persisted.
In Second Prince's eyes, Cha Eun Xiao was nothing short of a loathsome monster.