A Moment of Beauty and Brutality

Su Xiaoxiao was stunned by the scene before her and pinched her own cheek. The pain confirmed she wasn’t dreaming. The setting sun cast a warm, golden light over the small courtyard, seemingly dispelling much of the chilling aura of the demon realm. Su Xiaoxiao remained dazed, unaware of when Xiyue had approached from behind.

“Looks like you’re mesmerized,” Xiyue remarked, her voice tinged with amusement. Su Xiaoxiao lifted her gaze, still somewhat disoriented.

“What have you done?” she murmured.

“I went to visit the bird tribe and noticed the palace was quite desolate, so I made some adjustments,” Xiyue replied, omitting the harsh realities of the demon realm’s inhospitable environment. Even the best location in the demon palace lacked vitality, with no grass able to grow. The lush greenery Su Xiaoxiao now saw was the result of Xiyue forcibly acquiring spiritual veins from other tribes, allowing the transplanted flora to thrive.

Su Xiaoxiao stared at Xiyue, her eyes wide with disbelief. She found Xiyue incredibly alluring, especially as she had just awoken, her blue and white hair unkempt and cascading down, occasionally whipped by the breeze. Her thin, loose garments revealed her delicate, pearlescent feet, which occasionally peeked out from beneath the fabric. Xiyue was captivated by Su Xiaoxiao’s innocent, bewildered expression, which she found far more enchanting than when Su Xiaoxiao was hiding from her in fear.

Xiyue’s mood lifted, and she suggested, “Why don’t you go for a swim?”

The pool was large, surrounded by smooth stone walls that made it both beautiful and spacious enough to accommodate several merfolk. The water was crystal clear and inviting. Su Xiaoxiao remained in the pool, her legs transforming into a tail as she swam, still unable to comprehend Xiyue’s intentions.

As Su Xiaoxiao splashed around, Xiyue leaned against a pillar, watching her with a hint of fascination. She mused, “If only you could stay quiet,” but her good mood prompted her to think of all this as a gift to Su Xiaoxiao. “Are you unsatisfied with me? If you join that wolf demon, would he treat you better?”

The mention of the wolf demon’s death caused Su Xiaoxiao’s expression to darken, and she averted her gaze, unwilling to look at Xiyue.

Xiyue, noticing Su Xiaoxiao’s sudden withdrawal, felt a mix of frustration and curiosity. She splashed into the pool, startling Su Xiaoxiao.

“Why are you avoiding me?” Xiyue asked, her grip tightening on Su Xiaoxiao’s arm.

The once-harmonious atmosphere was shattered. Xiyue dragged Su Xiaoxiao back into the water, her claws gripping Su Xiaoxiao’s tail. The sudden pain and fear caused Su Xiaoxiao to thrash, her tail unintentionally striking Xiyue’s neck and cheek with a sharp, audible smack.

“Slap—”

Time seemed to stand still. Su Xiaoxiao looked at Xiyue with terror, realizing she had crossed a line. Xiyue’s anger flared, and she transformed her hand into a claw, gripping Su Xiaoxiao’s tail tightly but not breaking the skin.

“Ow, it hurts! Let go of my tail!” Su Xiaoxiao pleaded, her voice trembling.

Xiyue, suppressing her anger, growled, “I’ve been generous to you, but you’re ungrateful. If you move again, I’ll cut off your tail. Do you understand?”

“No, please don’t!” Su Xiaoxiao begged, her body trembling with pain and fear. Xiyue, noticing Su Xiaoxiao’s genuine suffering, asked, “Do you now understand?”

Captured by the grip on her tail, Su Xiaoxiao felt her life was in Xiyue’s hands. She nodded, tears streaming down her face.

“Y-yes, I understand,” she stammered. Xiyue, satisfied but still not releasing her, pressed further. “What exactly do you understand?”

Su Xiaoxiao, confused and overwhelmed, couldn’t articulate her mistake. She remembered Met Yan’s advice from a few days ago, when they had a private conversation. Met Yan had warned her about Xiyue’s temper and suggested submitting to avoid punishment.

“I’m afraid my tail is going to break,” Su Xiaoxiao whimpered, finally calling Xiyue by her name. This gesture surprised Xiyue, who released her, her claws transforming back into hands. She gently tilted Su Xiaoxiao’s chin, her voice playful.

“You should have been this obedient from the start,” Xiyue chuckled. She continued, “Be a good pet, and I’ll treat you well. I won’t harm your merfolk kind.”

Su Xiaoxiao, focused only on escaping Xiyue’s presence, barely heard the words. Xiyue, in a good mood, grabbed Su Xiaoxiao’s wrist, feeling her pulse. She pressed Su Xiaoxiao against the stone edge of the pool, which was smooth and slightly uncomfortable.

Last night, Xiyue had fed Su Xiaoxiao spiritual energy and let her rest, ensuring she was well-rested. Xiyue held Su Xiaoxiao down, warning her before she could resist.

“Remember what I said?” Xiyue’s tone was stern. Su Xiaoxiao, knowing her fate in the demon realm, braced herself for the inevitable. Each encounter left her feeling as though she were in a fiery hell. Xiyue noticed Su Xiaoxiao’s rigid body and trembling, but she remained silent, a mix of curiosity and unease stirring within her.

Xiyue caressed Su Xiaoxiao’s neck, offering a rare moment of comfort. “If you’re good, I won’t hurt you,” she murmured.

In the mortal world, wealthy officials and merchants often kept birds or falcons, with specialized ‘falconers’ to train them. The process involved starving the falcons to break their spirit, then rewarding them with food and water. Once tamed, the falcons became mere playthings, confined to cages. Xiyue saw herself as Su Xiaoxiao’s falconer, imprisoning her, breaking her spirit, and offering her gifts.

“If you obey, I won’t make you suffer,” Xiyue promised, her voice laced with a threatening undertone.