Defeat the system! Kiss my little monster!

Xuan Lin looked down at Shen Yu, the light casting a shadow that enveloped most of Shen Yu's figure.

"Arrest him." Xuan Lin stared at Shen Yu's face for a long time, his voice flat and emotionless. "Take him back."

The guards' blades were pressed against the sides of Shen Yu's neck. Shen Yu did not struggle; he stood up on his own and looked straight at Xuan Lin's shoulder.

The coal ball remained the same as before, but the data on it scrolled rapidly. After Shen Yu was captured, the black lines that had been wrapped around Shen Yu's chest and limbs were quickly withdrawn.

Shen Yu staggered a step as he was escorted by guards toward Kunning Palace. Along the way, he caught a glimpse of Mu Yuyuan standing in a shadowy corner.

Mu Yuyuan seemed to have just arrived. His black hair was disheveled, and the mask on his face had long since disappeared, completely revealing his pale face with sharp features.

He stared in the direction of Shen Yu, his body stiffening as he stood still.

Shen Yu slowly withdrew his gaze, lowered his head, and was escorted by the guards towards the direction of Kunning Palace.

The Kunning Palace was eerily quiet. The palace maids and eunuchs who were monitoring it seemed to have vanished into thin air in an instant. Only the candles in the inner hall were burning, casting shadows on the windows.

Shen Yu walked inside. On the grand chair in the inner hall, there were still a few severed hemp ropes. A few drops of blood were scattered on the armrest of the chair, and only the gold-inlaid phoenix hairpin was still lying on the corner of the table.

Shen Yu stood alone among them, his pupils scanning the inner hall.

The sound of the guards closing the door behind him rang out shortly after, followed by a deathly silence, then Shen Yu heard light footsteps. Shen Yu's eyes were cold, and upon hearing the sound, a mocking smile immediately appeared on his face.

“Lanyu, it’s been a long time. You’ve changed a lot.” Xuan Lin stood behind Shen Yu, stepping over the hemp rope on the ground, staring intently at Shen Yu’s back. “Everyone says you’re a medical prodigy. I didn’t believe it before, but now I’m starting to believe it.”

A disfigured face, broken tendons, depleted inner strength, and a sealed palace.

Xuan Lin had kept Wen Yu locked up here all these years, cutting off all external support for her. He never expected that Wen Yu would still have the means to recover on her own.

And...she even tried to escape right under his nose.

All the hidden weapons in Shen Yu's hands were taken away. He seemed not to have heard Xuan Lin's words, and glanced at him sideways: "So?"

"You think I can't do anything to you just because you let those people from Chengyuan Mountain go?" Xuan Lin curled his lips, but there was no smile in his eyes. "I have many ways to deal with you."

Shen Yu lifted his eyelids and saw Xuan Lin pointing at his limbs from a distance: "I can sever your tendons again, cut out your tongue, and tie you to the bedpost with the same thick rope you used to tie Li Yongquan, and force-feed you water every day. Do you think you can still die?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Yu gave a cold laugh for no apparent reason: "Your Majesty, it seems you really don't want me to die."

“Of course. Lanyu, you must understand that none of the millions of people in Yue Kingdom are as important to me as you.” Xuanlin said, taking a few more steps closer to Shen Yu.

He found this face stunningly beautiful when he first saw it, but after half of it was destroyed, it lost its luster. Now, Wen Yu has restored his face, and although there are some sharp changes, it looks almost exactly the same as before.

It was even colder and more alluring than before.

"Stop disgusting me." Shen Yu gripped the phoenix hairpin on the table with one hand, his brows furrowed, his disgust undisguised. "Get out."

Xuan Lin had noticed Shen Yu's movements as he approached. Shen Yu had now recovered most of his internal strength, so it would be difficult for him to confront him head-on.

"You are my empress, do you understand what that means?" Xuan Lin's tone turned cold. "I have given you so much honor, making you above all others! What more could you want? Go ask anyone on Chengyuan Mountain who can give you as much as I have!"

“Honor... above ten thousand people... hahaha…” Shen Yu murmured twice, then found it amusing.

He gripped the phoenix hairpin in his hand so tightly it almost broke the entire hairpin: "Who cares about you, the empress? Who do you think you are? Who do you think I am! Don't talk about giving me honor; when you drank my blood, did you ever think of such things!"

"That's because you don't know what's good for you!" Xuan Lin suddenly became angry. He had a bad temper, and now he showed his fierce side. "Do you think I'll let you off the hook for what you've done today? Huh? Don't even think about it!"

He gestured towards the coal ball and walked quickly toward Shen Yu.

Shen Yu's eyes narrowed, a murderous intent welling up within him, and he already gripped the phoenix hairpin in his palm. He stared at Xuan Lin, and as Xuan Lin approached, he reached out to grab his neck.

Xuan Lin didn't move. He sneered, and the energy on the coal ball suddenly erupted at his command. Countless black lines condensed and shot out from his body, wrapping around and suppressing Shen Yu's figure in just a few seconds.

Shen Yu didn't have time to retreat. His limbs were stinging with pain, and his expression twisted into a ferocious grimace: "Xuan Lin!"

Xuan Lin touched Shen Yu's collar, looked down at Shen Yu, and said, "You are my Empress, serving the Emperor is your duty. I haven't taken care of you for the past two years, you should know to reflect on your actions... Or do you want your face to be scratched again? Huh?"

"If that's the case, I might let you go..." Xuan Lin said, smirking as he gripped Shen Yu's neck tightly.

Black lines wrapped around Shen Yu's body, and his pent-up anger surged to its peak. Finally, despite the stinging pain, he suddenly thrust the phoenix hairpin in his hand into Xuan Lin's cheek.

Xuan Lin showed no fear. The system energy on the coal ball was far beyond what ordinary people could destroy, and Shen Yu was merely struggling in his death throes.

"Click——"

With a sound like breaking, the black threads binding Shen Yu snapped. A fierce glint flashed in Shen Yu's eyes as he strained his arm, driving the phoenix hairpin deeper into Xuan Lin's skin and flesh.

"Ahhh!" Xuan Lin cried out in agony. He took two steps back and used the force of the black coal thread to throw Shen Yu aside.

Shen Yu crashed into the wall behind him, a metallic taste rising in his throat, which he then swallowed without expression.

“Kill him…” Xuan Lin covered the right side of his face. Blood gushed out from between the five fingers of his right hand, the flesh was torn open, and the wound was deep inside.

Hearing the commotion, the guards outside rushed into the inner hall. Xuan Lin's eyes were bloodshot, and he pointed a trembling finger at Shen Yu, shouting, "Kill him! Kill this bitch!"

Shen Yu pressed his hand against the wall behind him, drops of blood dripping from the phoenix hairpin in his hand. He looked at Xuan Lin and chuckled softly.