"That's not my fault. It's your nephew who's got a crooked mind."
Ye Yunxi looked at Prince Xue Xing's furious, wide-eyed expression and smiled carelessly.
"Tell me, if Xue Qinghe found out he was still causing trouble in the dungeon, wouldn't he add to his punishment?"
"How dare you! Ye Yunxi!"
Prince Xue Xing's face turned livid with rage, and even his pointing finger trembled.
"A woman of unknown origins dares to swagger around Heaven Dou City like this? His Highness the Crown Prince must be completely bewitched by you!"
"Tsk, tsk. What good does it do to yell at me?"
Ye Yunxi raised an eyebrow and taunted him.
"If you've got the nerve, go argue with Xue Qinghe. What kind of skill is it to shout at a woman like me?"
"Fine! Very well!"
Prince Xue Xing laughed furiously, then turned and barked at the soldiers behind him:
"You five, seize her! Lock her in the dungeon. This prince will thoroughly interrogate her about her collusion with Spirit Hall!"
Yet even after he finished speaking, the five soldiers hesitated to approach.
They had seen with their own eyes how His Highness the Crown Prince protected Ye Yunxi. How could they dare lay a hand on her?
"What? Are you going to defy my orders?"
Prince Xue Xing shouted sharply.
"Seize her. If anything happens, I'll take responsibility! If you refuse, you'll all be demoted to guarding the imperial mausoleums!"
With no choice, the soldiers steeled themselves and surrounded Ye Yunxi.
Ye Yunxi lightly tapped the ground with her toes and darted past the four soldiers rushing at her, her rosy-pink skirt tracing a graceful arc. She gave them a playful smile.
"With skills like that, you think you can catch me?"
Prince Xue Xing was so furious his beard bristled and his eyes bulged. He roared:
"Useless! Get her!"
Before the words had left his mouth, a sturdy soldier suddenly lunged from behind. While Ye Yunxi dodged, he grabbed her wrist.
Ye Yunxi's heart tightened. She was just about to use Lingbo Microsteps to break free when the other four rushed in together. Rough hemp ropes instantly wound around her hands, and the restraints on the ropes temporarily suppressed her Soul Power.
[ Ding! Fun-seeking death mission triggered: Taunt Xue Xing in the dungeon and make him see red ] [Mission requirements: Say three things in the dungeon that make Prince Xue Xing furious. No Soul Power—just pure verbal attacks ] [Mission reward: Soul Power +1, plus 1 "Fox Shadow Escape Talisman" (can silently undo ropes not reinforced with Soul Power) ] [Keep it up, host! You're one step closer to becoming a god.]
A sly glint passed through Ye Yunxi's eyes. Far from panicking, she only smiled more brightly.
Hu Liena anxiously started forward to stop them, but Prince Xue Xing's guards blocked her.
"People from Spirit Hall, keep your noses out of Heaven Dou's imperial affairs! Interfere again, and we won't go easy on you!"
Hu Liena bit her lip and watched Ye Yunxi being dragged away, frantic with worry yet powerless to help.
They shoved her along the way and threw her into the dark, damp dungeon. The cold floor dug painfully into her knees, but Ye Yunxi straightened her back and shouted at Prince Xue Xing, who had followed close behind:
"Prince Xue Xing! How dare you! You've detained a guest of the Crown Prince's Mansion without permission! Aren't you afraid Xue Qinghe will hold you accountable?"
Prince Xue Xing snorted and paced up to the cell door, his face full of contempt.
"You're just someone His Highness the Crown Prince took in on a whim. How dare you call yourself a guest? In my eyes, you're no different from the street thugs!"
Ye Yunxi raised an eyebrow and lifted her voice, making sure the jailers nearby could hear:
"A guest? I helped Xue Qinghe root out Xue Beng, that hidden threat! I'm a hero! If you dare lay a hand on me, Xue Qinghe will tear down Xue Xing Prince's Mansion and leave you a penniless beggar!"
At that, the veins at Prince Xue Xing's temples bulged. His pointing hand trembled.
"You! How dare you!"
Seeing his reaction, Ye Yunxi smiled even more smugly and added fuel to the fire:
"Oh, right. Xue Beng is still waiting in the dungeon. What if I ask Xue Qinghe to lock you two uncle and nephew together, so he can properly 'honor' you as his uncle? Wouldn't that be fun?"
"And you, you old fossil. At your age, you should be staying home and enjoying your retirement. Instead, you came looking for trouble with me. You must be tired of living and eager to join your useless nephew!"
The three taunts landed one after another. Prince Xue Xing shook with rage, kicked the cell door, and roared:
"Shut up! Say another word and I'll cut out your tongue!"
His chest heaved violently, and fury nearly erupted from his eyes. He was plainly beside himself with rage.
[ Ding! Mission completed! Rewards have been issued! ]
A warm current coursed through her limbs, and her Soul Power steadily rose by one level.
Feeling the hemp rope binding her wrists, Ye Yunxi quietly hooked her finger around the Fox Shadow Escape Talisman issued by the system. A smile that no one noticed tugged at her lips.
She was almost ready to break through to Soul Saint.
Leaning against the cold wall, Ye Yunxi's peach-blossom eyes curved as she watched Prince Xue Xing hopping mad. Her voice rang out, bright and provocative:
"If you've got the nerve, come on! Let's see if you dare lay a finger on me!"
"Don't think I wouldn't dare!"
Prince Xue Xing glared at Ye Yunxi, his eyes shadowed with malice.
"Even if I can't do anything else to you, I can lock you up for ten or eight years and leave you to rot in this dungeon!"
He hated Ye Yunxi. If it weren't for her, Xue Beng wouldn't have been arrested, and Xue Qinghe wouldn't keep targeting him at every turn.
Today, he would humiliate her properly and vent his anger.
A vicious look flashed in Prince Xue Xing's eyes. He immediately opened the cell door and advanced on Ye Yunxi, one step at a time.
"Quite the bold one, aren't you? Tonight, I'll show you what this dungeon is like!"
Ye Yunxi went pale. She never thought the old fossil would really take things this far. Fear seized her, and she shrank toward the corner, her eyes unconsciously growing moist.
"Don't come any closer! This is Heaven Dou City, not a place where you can do whatever you want!"
"Do whatever I want?" Prince Xue Xing laughed wildly. "In this dungeon, I'm the law! You could scream until your throat gave out, and no one would come to save you!"
He continued to advance. Ye Yunxi curled into the corner, with nowhere left to retreat. As Prince Xue Xing drew closer, her whole body trembled uncontrollably.
"You lunatic! Get away from me!"
Just as Prince Xue Xing reached out to grab Ye Yunxi, a figure flashed past like a gust of wind and kicked him hard in the back!
Caught completely off guard, Prince Xue Xing was sent flying out of the cell and crashed heavily to the ground, grimacing in pain.
"Who? Who dares ruin this prince's plans!"
Prince Xue Xing struggled to his feet. The instant he recognized who it was, a chill ran down his back and his face turned deathly pale.
"X-Xue Qinghe? What are you doing here?"
"If I hadn't come, my person would have been bullied by you."
Qian Renxue gave a cold laugh and glanced at Ye Yunxi, curled up inside the cell. Her face was full of lingering fear, utterly unlike the arrogant, overbearing way she had acted at the Soul Fighting Arena.
Qian Renxue's initial urge to scold her for wandering off vanished in an instant, leaving behind nothing but fury.
She strode into the cell and sliced through the hemp ropes binding Ye Yunxi with a sweep of her hand. Her tone carried a hint of helpless reproach.
"I told you not to wander off, but you wouldn't listen. Now you know to be scared?"
Ye Yunxi looked at Qian Renxue, her eyes reddening. Unable to hold back any longer, she grabbed his sleeve and sobbed:
"Waaah, I was wrong... I won't wander off again... He bullied me..."
Qian Renxue patted her shoulder and turned a frigid gaze toward Prince Xue Xing, who was sprawled on the ground.
"Prince Xue Xing, how dare you lay a hand on my people."