Confinement and Capture

“Ugh…”

Opening her eyes again, Bai Qiao found herself in another warm, luxurious room. Gently massaging her still-throbbing forehead, she surveyed the unfamiliar surroundings, knowing instinctively that this was another of Xiao Mo’s rooms. She shook her head slightly, attempting to clear the lingering haze, before propping herself up and letting her feet touch the floor.

A weak groan escaped her lips. She hastily reached out, gripping the edge of the bed to prevent herself from collapsing. Evidently, injuries to the soul were indeed difficult to heal.

Leaning on the wall, Bai Qiao slowly shuffled towards the door. A persistent vexation gnawed at her, wondering why the room had to be so unnecessarily vast.

“Click!”

It wouldn’t open. Only then did Bai Qiao realize she was locked in. The door… it had been bolted from the outside. ‘Ha, she truly couldn’t fathom why he would imprison her. She was merely a man… utterly devoid of internal energy!’

‘Wait!’ A sudden realization seemed to strike Bai Qiao, prompting her to frantically search her surroundings. Soon, the room bore no resemblance to its original state; clothes lay scattered everywhere, and the writing desk had even toppled to the floor. Yet, there was no trace of the Black Jade. Logically, being so far from the Black Jade should have inflicted a severe blow to her soul, but now, she felt absolutely nothing of the sort.

****

Bai Chen staunchly endured, his body on the verge of collapsing at any moment, as he followed the two men for a considerable distance. He refused to let his weakness be seen, especially in the presence of Qing and Purple King. Thus, Bai Chen propelled himself forward purely through sheer willpower, for the agony of a wounded soul was truly the most unbearable.

Bai Chen, who had initially led the way, gradually fell behind. Sweat began to bead on his temples, and his breathing grew increasingly ragged. His entire soul felt as though it were being torn asunder. Bai Chen sensed his whole body trembling faintly, yet he struggled to suppress this inexplicable tremor. However, the more he tried to rein it in, the more violently his body involuntarily shook.

Finally, Qing came to a halt. He cast a meaningful glance at Bai Chen, who had fallen two steps behind, observing the sweat trickling down his temples. Suddenly, a flicker of understanding crossed Qing’s face, and a faint smile touched his lips. He took two steps back, falling into stride beside Bai Chen.

“What’s wrong? Are you unwell?”

“No…”

“Has something happened to that person? If two individuals are completely identical, and one inexplicably feels off, then it could only mean something has befallen the other, could it not?”

Qing continued to walk straight ahead, his gaze fixed forward, slowly surpassing Bai Chen. Yet, from his lips, a string of words drifted out, almost as if spoken to himself, causing Bai Chen’s heart to lurch abruptly. His steps faltered, bringing him to a sudden standstill. ‘Bai Qiao? Was he implying that something had happened to Bai Qiao?!’

Relying on his formidable willpower, Bai Chen drew forth a significant amount of blood from his wrist. As the blood flowed, his spiritual perception amplified considerably. However, this space was boundless, seemingly without a single blind spot or discernible edge. After one sweep, nothing was revealed. Unwilling to give up, he swept his perception across it once more.

‘!’ ‘He hadn’t noticed it just now… Had it suddenly appeared? A distinct void. He could clearly sense the external aura, and also perceive that there was no one outside. Why… It hadn’t been there a moment ago. Could his first sweep truly have been mistaken?’

‘No, forget it.’ Bai Chen turned and walked towards that direction nonetheless. Even though he knew it was incredibly risky, he couldn’t leave Bai Qiao alone outside for too long. Thus, Bai Chen embarked on an action he would never normally undertake, an impulsive decision he never imagined himself capable of.

Even knowing that stepping out might lead into an endless abyss, Bai Chen strode forward resolutely. Qing and Purple King hesitated for a moment, but followed suit. After all, they had no particular destination in mind and were merely wandering aimlessly.

Standing beneath the void, Bai Chen paused, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He raised his hand, a white orb of light forming at his fingertips, which rapidly intensified into a blinding glare. The previously sealed space around them seemed to erupt with violent winds and tumultuous waves. Bai Chen’s hair and robes billowed as his hand descended with crushing force.

“Bang!”

Sand and stones rained down incessantly, and dust choked the entire space. All three couldn’t help but cough. Then, a peculiar scent seemed to permeate the air, and their minds grew hazy, thoughts becoming sluggish. Despite this, they stubbornly fought to remain upright, their subconscious warning them that succumbing to unconsciousness would have dire consequences. However, their bodies failed to obey their will. After swaying precariously for a moment, Bai Chen’s vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground.

“Ugh…”

When he awoke again, his head still felt muddled. A blinding light shone above him, and Bai Chen instinctively raised a hand to shield his eyes.

“Clang!”

The clatter of chains, striking against the bed frame… Bai Chen, startled, struggled with his other hand and his feet. They, too, were bound tightly by chains. No, these weren’t mere chains; they were made of profound iron, a special material. Their strength was such that no ordinary person could ever break free. Given Bai Chen’s formidable power, which instilled fear in others, each of the four iron rings was equipped with a device to suppress internal energy.

Being unable to move caused Bai Chen immense discomfort, and simultaneously, a profound sense of humiliation. To think that he, the dignified White King, was trapped on a bed, utterly powerless to escape! The more he pondered it, the greater his indignation and sorrow grew. He could only fruitlessly struggle, twisting his wrists incessantly until blood seeped out, staining the sheets beneath him and instantly soaking through.

He had no idea how long he had been confined like this before waking again, but the aches and pains throughout his body indicated he had been in this position for a considerable time. Without the supply of internal energy, Bai Chen was practically indistinguishable from an ordinary person. To be trapped here, unable to move, was truly agonizing. He could only find slight relief by turning his head a fraction.

There was no sense of time, no sound, only a single glaring lamp. Bai Chen had no idea how much time had passed, though the soreness in his muscles suggested it had been roughly three hours since he awoke…

“Click!”

The sudden sound instantly seized Bai Chen’s attention. He strained to turn his head as far as his bonds would allow, but could only glimpse a partial silhouette. Yet, Bai Chen knew that person far too well, recognizing them instantly.

“Your Majesty… you…”