The Black Jade’s Grip

Staring at the man’s approaching figure, Bai Chen found himself utterly bewildered. While he knew His Majesty harbored suspicions, he never imagined such blatant hostility. Was he truly preparing to strike directly?

Bai Chen couldn’t help but furrow his brows, truly enlightened by this turn of events. He had never anticipated that His Majesty, whom he had served so faithfully, would reveal his true nature in such a short time – brutal, heartless, cruel… Bai Chen squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then opened them wide. ‘No… This isn’t the His Majesty I knew,’ he thought, ‘he… shouldn’t be like this…’

“!” A sudden warmth enveloped his face. Bai Chen squirmed in discomfort, yet his body remained still, held captive by the restraints on his hands and feet. This sensation of being unable to control his own movements was a profound insult to Bai Chen’s lofty pride.

“Ugh! You! What are you doing!” The hand on his face continued its slow, abrasive motion, sending shivers down Bai Chen’s spine and raising goosebumps across his skin. He had never been touched in such a manner, especially not by the very His Majesty he had always revered. The sensation was utterly dreadful…

He twisted his body in a futile attempt to resist, but it was entirely useless. Bai Chen could only direct his gaze upwards, fixing it on the face of the man who loomed over him. “What are you doing?”

That same calm, unperturbed expression instantly displeased Mo Xiao. The hand that had rested on Bai Chen’s face now shifted, gripping his jaw with bruising force. Caught off guard, Bai Chen let out a cry of pain, then clamped his mouth shut, refusing to utter another sound.

Observing Bai Chen’s defiant demeanor, Mo Xiao was suddenly struck by a thought: how intriguing it would be if such a stubborn individual were forced to prostrate themselves under his dominion, becoming a subject akin to a s*ave, utterly incapable of defying his will. Though Bai Chen had always been his subject, this new level of subservience promised a different kind of amusement.

Mo Xiao withdrew his hand, but did not move away immediately. Instead, he turned, summoning a black object shrouded in blue light from his palm. The moment Bai Chen saw it, he felt an unsettling surge of energy, a strange fluctuation that wasn’t born of his own will, but rather a primal instinct from his body. ‘What is this?’ he wondered, ‘Why is it so deeply intertwined with my very being…’

Noting Bai Chen’s bewildered expression, Mo Xiao surmised that he likely had no idea of the object’s true purpose. A faint smile played on his lips as he channeled his inner energy into his left hand, then forcefully struck the black jade clutched in his right…

“Ugh!” A searing, tearing pain erupted in his chest, as if his very soul was being ripped from his body. Bai Chen instinctively tried to curl into himself, but the iron shackles binding him left him no choice but to lie rigid on the bed, enduring the agony inflicted directly upon his soul. Cold sweat streamed down his cheeks, soaking into the pillow and quickly saturating its surface.

“You… this… what is this…?” Bai Chen struggled to turn his head, gritting his teeth, forcing himself to endure the deep-seated pain in his soul and the primal fear that the object instilled. He managed to ask, each word a strained whisper.

“You should understand, shouldn’t you? You’ve experienced sudden shifts in your soul before, and this is what caused them. To put it simply, this black jade can completely control your body, and even your very soul…”

“Oh? And so?” Displaying no significant reaction, Bai Chen felt no fear of death or any other threat. If he were truly to be controlled by the man before him, he would not hesitate to take his own life.

“Heh!” Seeing the handsome man, tightly bound and trembling with pain, yet showing not the slightest hint of fear, Mo Xiao’s desire to completely conquer him intensified. However, having already anticipated such a reaction, Mo Xiao merely offered a contemptuous smile. “But this black jade… I acquired it from that girl.”

Bai Qiao?! Without surprise, Mo Xiao observed Bai Chen’s pupils constrict, and a subtle smile flickered across his face. It seemed his gamble had paid off; Bai Chen truly cared deeply for that ‘other self.’

“You… where is she?!” Bai Chen demanded, gritting his teeth, his voice laced with intense hatred. He himself might not matter, but Bai Qiao… she had only just arrived here, and now, merely for being near him, she was… ‘No! I cannot let her be harmed!’

“Even if I allowed you to see her, what good would it do?” Mo Xiao mused. “Don’t forget, you are the same person. If this black jade affects you, it will undoubtedly affect her. I truly wonder if a girl’s soul can endure such a severe blow…” As he spoke, Mo Xiao gently placed his hand upon Bai Chen’s sweat-drenched forehead.

“You!” The usually articulate Bai Chen found himself utterly speechless. Indeed, Mo Xiao was right. They were, after all, the same person. Even if there was a slight chance they weren’t, Bai Chen dared not take that gamble. He drew a deep breath, closed his eyes, and then slowly reopened them, his gaze fixed on Mo Xiao with an expression of grim determination, as if ready to face death. “What… do you want me to do?”

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