Chapter 837: Master, Who Tortured You?
She didn’t even turn her head; their fates had long been sealed.
"Master, are you feeling any better?" As the others coerced twenty individuals to yield their treasures and inflicted suffering upon them, she moved closer to Xiong Zi Ying, with Zhizhi following her. Her master had been unnervingly silent since she and her companions arrived.
Sensing his need for a private moment, she conjured a barrier that separated them from the chaos outside, leaving the rest to her partners.
Zhizhi acknowledged her with a nod before returning to Huan Huan’s side, where they continued to compel the captives to relinquish their valuables. Sometimes, killing wasn’t the harshest punishment; allowing someone to live with the weight of losing everything they cherished was an even greater torment.
"Xiao Yueyue, I’m deeply ashamed. As your master, I brought you pain because of my conflict with the Shenlian clan. I mistook you for just another pawn in my vendetta against them. Even after I changed my perspective and no longer wished to use you as a weapon against the Shenlians, the shame of having such terrible thoughts about you still plagues me." Xiong Zi Ying’s voice trembled as he bowed his head, hesitant to touch her, as if fearing his presence might tarnish her purity.
Xiong Yi Chen, momentarily surfacing from within Xiong Zi Ying, spoke with a voice laced with remorse. "I apologize for the way I’ve treated you. Once I have avenged my loved ones, I promise to make amends for all the wrongs I’ve imposed upon you."
Both Xiong Zi Ying and Xiong Yi Chen had envisioned numerous scenarios for the day they confronted the descendants of the Shenlian clan in her presence. Would she turn her back on them, aligning with her bloodline? After all, she bore the same heritage as her father from that clan. Who would stand alongside outsiders to harm their own kin?
Yet today, they were proven wrong. She stood resolutely beside them without hesitation, defending them fiercely. Today, she and her companions wielded the strength to safeguard them. They understood that, even against seemingly insurmountable foes in the future, she would repeatedly choose to protect them.
"Master, how many times must I remind you? You have shown me nothing but kindness from the very beginning. Your heartfelt sincerity is genuine. As for the grievances with my father and the Shenlian clan, let me handle it. When I find my father, we will uncover the truth together. Didn’t you always teach me that appearances can be deceiving?" She grasped his hands firmly, lending her strength to keep him from collapsing.
Her master looked frail, and she couldn’t fathom what these people had done to him. His beautiful scales were marred, blood seeping from the wounds where scales had been lost. Fresh scars crisscrossed his back, stark reminders of past torment.
Her eyes burned with a fierce combination of fury, rage, and concern.
"I believe in you, Xiao Yueyue. I will stand by you until you find your father... Just... please forgive me and my brother." Xiong Zi Ying vowed, a promise he never thought he would make to the child of his adversary.