"I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong! Please forgive this lowly servant, Second Miss!"
The servant kneeling on the ground looked terrified, constantly banging his head against the ground like a pounding pestle.
In only a short while, the clothes on the servant's back had already been torn apart, exposing a bloody back.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
The whip continued to fall, every lash delivered without holding back.
"How many lashes?"
"Reporting to Second Miss, ten lashes. Ten more remain," the maid wielding the whip answered.
"I am fair in reward and punishment. Your name is Fang Han, correct? You have raised my Thousand Mile Snow well, which shows that you usually put your heart into it. But today, you let it fall and get injured. That cannot be forgiven. You must understand that this horse is your life. Even if you have to risk your life, you must serve it properly. Continue," Fang Qingwei said coldly.
"Yes."
Smack!
After ten lashes, Fang Han, kneeling on the ground, had already gone deathly pale. Sweat poured down like rain, and even his gaze had become somewhat unfocused as he continued begging for mercy.
Fang Xuan, who had been passing by, frowned. He had seen Fang Qingwei punish servants several times before. He could not be bothered to interfere, and even if he did, he could not stop her. Just as he turned to leave, he suddenly heard the name "Fang Han."
He abruptly turned and looked at the servant kneeling on the ground.
Thousand Mile Snow. Fang Han.
Old Devil Fang?
"Stop."
Fang Xuan shouted and strode over.
Fang Qingwei had naturally seen Fang Xuan as well. Her expression was far from pleasant; she clearly still remembered how he had rejected her a few days ago.
"What, Thirteenth Brother? Are you pleading for this slave?" Fang Qingwei mocked.
"Second Sister, forgive when you can. It was only an accident. Besides, your thousand mile horse has not suffered any real injury. This servant is merely an ordinary person. Twenty lashes would cost him half his life," Fang Xuan said with a frown.
"Hmph. What does my disciplining my servants have to do with you? This slave injured my thousand mile horse, so he deserves punishment. Leave at once. Qing Xiu, why have you not continued carrying out the sentence?"
"Yes, Miss."
With that, she continued swinging the whip in her hand.
A flash of anger passed through Fang Xuan's eyes. He moved like lightning and grabbed the whip from the maid's hand.
Fang Qingwei flew into a rage as well. "How bold! Today, your Second Sister will properly test Thirteenth Brother's martial arts. Do you really think entering the Suppleness Realm means you can be so insolent?"
As one of the younger generation's "experts" in the Fang Family, second only to Big Sister, she had reached the peak of the Suppleness Realm at such a young age and could break into the Divine Strength Realm at any time.
Favored by the family and admired by everyone, Fang Qingwei had long developed an arrogant personality. Saying she regarded herself as the sole ruler would be an exaggeration, but what she hated most was resistance from others.
She stamped her foot and shot forward like a white crane, covering several meters in one step. Her pair of pale, delicate palms struck toward Fang Xuan's chest.
Fang Xuan stood where he was and snorted. Without using any martial arts technique, he simply threw a straight punch with his right hand.
Woooo!
As the punch blasted out, the surrounding air was compressed, producing strange cries.
The violent airflow sealed off the area, and the grass and trees around them swayed beneath the force of the punch.
Fang Qingwei's expression changed wildly as she charged forward. She cried out in horror, "Impossible, you... Puh!"
Fang Qingwei had come quickly, but she flew backward even faster. She slammed heavily into a nearby wall, which collapsed with a roar from the rebound. A mouthful of blood sprayed from her lips, and Fang Qingwei's eyes were filled with disbelief.
Feeling her injuries and the mud covering her entire body, fury rushed straight to her heart and lungs. Her blood surged backward, then her eyes rolled back and she fainted onto the ground.
"Second Miss!"
The servants nearby looked terrified as they hurried toward Fang Qingwei.
Only then did Fang Xuan have time to examine Fang Han carefully.
He looked fourteen or fifteen, with an unremarkable appearance. He was currently kneeling on the ground and trembling, his face full of terror.
Looking at the unconscious Fang Qingwei, Fang Han did not feel the slightest joy at getting revenge. Instead, he was filled with fear, as though the sky had fallen.
Fang Xuan could not help laughing when he saw Fang Han's expression. As expected of Old Devil Fang—even at such a young age, he already knew how to weigh the pros and cons.
Two masters of the Fang Family had fought fiercely because of a mere servant like him. No matter who won or lost, the one who would suffer the most in the end would definitely be him, the servant.
"Your name is Fang Han?"
"R-Reporting to Thirteenth Young Master, this... this servant is Fang Han," Fang Han replied tremblingly.
"I got you involved. My apologies," Fang Xuan said.
"This... this servant would not dare."
"From now on, stay by my side. With me protecting you, Fang Qingwei will not do anything to you."
Joy welled up in Fang Han's heart, and he quickly kowtowed. "Thank you, Thirteenth Young Master. This servant greets Thirteenth Young Master."
No matter what, he had to get away from Second Miss first. Otherwise, once she woke up, he would certainly lose his life.
"Can you still walk? Come back with me."
"Yes."
With that, he struggled to his feet and endured the pain in his body as he followed behind Fang Xuan.
Fang Xuan also headed toward his own courtyard, pondering how he should treat this protagonist who had yet to rise.
Fang Han, Old Devil Fang—a man who was very good at eating people. Throughout the entire story, this guy practically spent his life eating people. If he was not eating people, then he was on his way to eat people.
When Fang Xuan had first learned that this was the world of Eternal Life, he had considered killing Fang Han.
But that thought was dismissed almost as soon as it appeared. At this stage, who knew how many great powers were watching Old Devil Fang from above? As a tiny shrimp, Fang Xuan had better not cause trouble.
And even if he really could kill him, it would be useless.
After Lightning Mother took the artifact spirit of the Gate of Eternal Life out all those years ago, it was unknown how many times it had reincarnated or died. But as long as its true spirit remained, it could reincarnate endlessly. If Fang Han was killed in this life, who knew what sort of Han would appear in the next?
It was completely pointless.
Besides, looking at Fang Han's actions throughout his life, although he constantly ate people, they were all enemies. He was exceptionally good to his own people.
So rather than trying to deal with Fang Han, it was better to show him kindness.
This was a thigh thick enough to reach the heavens. If Fang Xuan latched onto it properly, he could soar to the top in one leap!
Lost in thought, he had already arrived at his own small courtyard. Looking at Old Devil Fang following closely behind him, Fang Xuan could only take things one step at a time.
"Young Master, you're back!"
"Where is my mother?"
"Madam is in the kitchen. I'll go inform her immediately."
"No need. I'll go myself. Xiao Yu, this is Fang Han. Go apply some medicine and bandage his wounds," Fang Xuan instructed.
"Yes, Young Master."
After Fang Han bowed to Fang Xuan, he followed Xiao Yu into the room.
"Mother, I'm back. It smells so good! What delicious food are you making?" Fang Xuan plunged straight into the kitchen.
The smoke-filled kitchen had a special warmth to it. A familiar figure was stir-frying at the stove.
Upon hearing Fang Xuan's voice, Zhao Xuemei's face lit up with joy. Without even putting down the spatula in her hand, she turned around and pulled Fang Xuan into her embrace.
"My precious darling, you're finally back. You had Mother so worried!"
Before you continue