1 Prologue

Bai Xuiying inhaled and exhaled with a lot of difficulty. Though the place carried an offensive stench of blood, she had gotten used to it. After all, it was her own blood.

Her eyes felt heavy, she tried to open them but it seemed impossible as she had very little energy in her.

The prison gate creaked open and someone walked inside.

"I can see that you're enjoying your new home dear wife. You only need to tell me where you hid the treasure and you will be free from all these suffering for the rest of your life. Aren't you even lucky?!"

Zhang Xin "..."

There was no way Bai Xuiying could not recognize this voice. It unmistakably belonged to Wei Haoran!

'Did Prince Haoran simply take pleasure in talking to the air? The woman isn't even moving why is he still talking?' The two guards thought simultaneously.

Though most people would naturally think of the situation with the same insight as the other two guards, Shanyuan, Wei Haoran's personal guard had a completely different thought. His eyes were a mixture of pain, guilt, uncertainty and helplessness.

Bai Xuiying's eyes were half opened. If one were to look at her while standing, they would think her eyes were closed and even think she was dead, but Wei Haoran was on a reasonable cultivation rank, it would be almost impossible for him not to know that she was neither asleep nor dead.

Wei Haoran chuckled softly and folded his hands at his back, "It looks like you're eager for death, Bai Xuiying. Don't forget that the life of your son is in my hands"

Though engulfed in tiredness, Bai Xuiying summoned up her energy to speak, "Wei Haoran, I know my son is dead, you should quit deceiving yourself. I'll die very soon too."

"Oh, So you can still speak? I thought you had become mute" Wei Haoran smiled and lowered his body to face Bai Xuiying, then he held her chin up, "Your death won't be as simple as that, Bai Xuiying. Your son is currently being locked up in this dungeon, so unless you want me torture him to death, hand over the treasure."

Wei Haoran stood up and turned his back to leave, then he reminded Bai Xuiying, "You know me better than anyone else, and you should know that I always keep my word"

Wei Haoran walked out of the prison gate with the three guards behind him.

Before leaving, guard Shanyuan turned his head at Bai Xuiying, she managed to flash him a weak smile which seemed to convey the words 'don't worry', guard Shanyuan understood this and quickly walked away to catch up with the prince.

Wei Haoran turned around to the guard who was standing by the left, "Has she eaten today?"

The guard answered with his head down, "No, Prince, she refused it"

"Next time, force her to eat. She can't die just yet."

"Yes, Prince"

"Torture her harder until she talks! By tomorrow, I will await your good news," Wei Haoran said and walked away with Guard Shanyuan closely behind.

Bai Xuiying was a girl who grew up with a miracle doctor after being abandoned by her parents, but later brought into the palace by Prince Wei Haoran because she fell in love with him and he claimed he loved her too.

She was deceived and used by the love of her life and her sister, and presently imprisoned in an underground dungeon because of a treasure given to her by the Empress Dowager before she passed away.

The lower half of her arms were cut off and she was also chained. There was no way to escape.

What shocked her most was that she had infact visited this dungeon, helping Wei Haoran to mercilessly torture people, but she never thought that one day, she would be the one to be tortured.

Perhaps, this was what they call karma?

In the night, Bai Xuiying was in a curved position on the floor, shivering. Her outfit was thin and torn all over, it tantamount to wearing nothing.

The cold was unbearable. Coupled with the the severe torture she received this evening, the pain was worse than death!

There was no fire in the hand-built fire place because the coal was finished, neither were there sticks or stones to make an alternative.

Bai Xuiying layed on the ground in a curved position. Her lower arms were cut off so she couldn't even protect herself from the cold.

As Bai Xuiying stared into space, her eyes were emotionless. Hopeless.

A weak scoff escaped her pale lips. She felt her life was indeed pathetic, the worst and foolish kind of loser.

No one had ever loved her. No one had ever cared for her. She had no friends just because she was told by Wei Haoran that they would be her downfall and were not trustworthy at all. But he had friends, and she was blinded by love, unable to see reality....a love that didn't exist. She was so stupid.

"right....truly pathetic" she said with great difficulty which made her words come out as a whisper.

Closing her heavy eyelids, she succumbed into complete darkness.

...

The next morning,

Guard Shanyuan came out of the dungeon through a secret passage which led to Wei Haoran's chamber.

Wei Haoran, who was was slowly sipping tea on a low stool calmly said, "Any valuable report?"

Guard Shanyuan scratched his head and stammered, "...errr.... Sir, I'm afraid young miss has passed away"

Wei Haoran looked up and gritted his teeth, there was an hint of killing intent in his eyes. "Repeat what you just said"

"She... "

Crash!

The cup in Wei Haoran's hand broke into pieces. His palm was dipping blood.

She turned out to be right, he didn't get the treasure after all!

"trace her friends and tell me their locations. I need to settle some business"

"Prince, you told her not to make any, so she didn't."

"How would you know that? Let me tell you, girls can't live without friends. If so, who would they gossip and share their emotions with?"

"Prince...."

"You're dismissed. You have four hours to carry out my order."

Guard Shanyuan had no choice than to carry out the order even though the knew it would be fruitless.

He was the only friend Young miss had, so he knew her more than anyone else. This was because they had carried out most of Wei Haoran's missions together and had become quite close.

Guard Shanyuan regretted his actions, he had watched her being tortured but all he could do was to stand and watch.

He was her only friend for heaven's sake!

She had in fact shared the secret of the location of the treasure with him, but she has forbade him from telling Wei Haoran.

That was her only token to freedom!

The death of Bai Xuiying was very hard on Guard Shanyuan, but he still chose to keep his word: Loyalty to Prince Haoran and keeping the secret of Bai Xuiying!