TVWFTBS 17

[017] A Night of Madness

Elder of the Punishment Hall, Beiming Yuan, narrowed his eyes, and with a single strike, he slammed his palm through the air toward Beiming Heng.

“Beiming Lang, don’t think you can act above the clan rules just because of your father’s connection to the king!”

“I’ll tell you this: every punishment issued by the Punishment Hall has been approved by the king.”

“Your son is strong-willed, yes, but this punishment order was personally authorized by the king—and I executed it myself!”

“Don’t thank me; it’s nothing, just my duty.”

He had long despised the Beiming family but had restrained himself out of respect for the king. This time, Beiming Lang’s son had fallen into his hands—whether alive or not, he would be severely punished.

Beiming Lang and Bai Youruo could only watch in horror as their son, Beiming Heng, was beaten by Beiming Yuan until his skin and flesh were torn, his meridians destroyed!

Beiming Lang’s eyes burned with rage; he wanted nothing more than to tear Beiming Yuan limb from limb. Yet he couldn’t even break through the barrier that Yuan had set. The power gap was too vast.

“Heng-er!!!” Beiming Lang and Bai Youruo screamed in agony, their anger and despair so extreme that they coughed up blood and fainted.

In the next moment, a tremendous pressure descended. A man with streaks of white at his temples appeared, his sharp gaze fixed on the Punishment Hall. He spoke each word with deadly precision:

“Beiming Yuan, how dare you! Do you know that Heng-er is Linghu Suifeng’s only grandson?”

“If you dare harm him, you are courting death.”

His face darkened with fury, eyes icy, as he struck toward the barrier Beiming Yuan had erected. One hit from him, and Yuan would either die or be crippled.

Beiming Yuan cursed himself for overthinking and closed his eyes, bracing to endure Linghu Suifeng’s strike.

“Father! You wish to shield the serpent clansman Beiming Heng and grievously injure Elder Beiming Yuan. Do you think that’s appropriate?”

Beiming Ye arrived just in time, saving Beiming Yuan from certain death. Her gaze was colder than ice, her voice so chilling it made people shiver.

“Welcome back to the Serpent Clan, Your Majesty!”

With Beiming Ye’s intervention, the members of the Punishment Hall quickly knelt under Beiming Yuan’s lead, paying their respects.

Meanwhile, in the Blue Star Empire’s palace, the empress’s bedchamber was brightly lit. From a side chamber came Li Yaoyao’s venomous curses, all wishing that Li Luoluo would die miserably, live a lonely life, and never find love!

At that moment, the empress’s lingering guilt over Li Yaoyao’s disfigurement at Luoluo’s hands vanished completely. She turned to the secret guard, Gong Jiu, and commanded:

“Gong Jiu, make the Second Princess shut her mouth.”

“Being of royal blood yet spouting vile words constantly—what is she even?”

Her sharp gaze fell on Chen Lie, who had knelt to report the matter. She spoke each word deliberately:

“Chen Lie, as the Second Princess’s father, you failed to teach your daughter properly. What punishment is fitting for you?”

This time, her disappointment was profound. Gong Jiu had already explained everything to her.

She was furious. Li Yaoyao had ignored countless outstanding men yet insisted on competing with Luoluo—did she have a brain full of nonsense?

“Your Majesty, please calm your anger. All the fault is mine. I beg you to forgive the Second Princess this once, for the sake of her disfigurement caused by the Crown Princess.”

Chen Lie knew the empress was serious. Even at the cost of his life, he would fight for his daughter’s justice.

“Guards! Chen Lie failed in teaching his daughter—twenty lashes! He is banned from appearing before me again without my summon.”

The empress frowned, a fleeting trace of pity flashing across her eyes, but she quickly dismissed it. Her Luoluo had grown up; it was her role to deal with the wrongdoers.

As Chen Lie tried to make a final desperate move, an invisible barrier blocked him. In that instant, he realized he had been completely abandoned by the empress; his chances were gone forever. Tears streamed down his face as he stared at her in despair.

Moments later, he was dragged away and whipped twenty times, leaving his backside a bloody, mangled mess.

Elsewhere, after a night of wild abandon, Li Luoluo let out a soft whimper and opened her beautiful cat-like eyes.

Scenes from the previous night played repeatedly in her mind like a film.

Her eyes widened in shock, as if everything had been a ridiculous dream. Yet when her gaze fell upon the half-naked, beautiful men sprawled across the bed, she realized it had all really happened.

Her heart raced and her breathing quickened. She couldn’t believe that last night she had… coupled with Hua Qingcheng, Tuoba Jinghao, Huo Sinian, Zhong Hua, and others—and that it had lasted a whole night.

For someone as proud and arrogant as her, it was unthinkable.

Her mind filled with guilt and unease. She didn’t know how to face these men, nor how to explain her actions.

Her face felt as if it were on fire, every breath cautious, afraid to wake anyone on the bed.

Thinking of the domineering Beiming Ye, a surge of anxiety rose in her chest.

She realized she had taken their innocence—a serious matter indeed. With Beiming Ye’s strong personality, he would never let it go and would certainly confront her.

Hua Qingcheng, Tuoba Jinghao, Huo Sinian, Zhong Hua—these men might all demand she give them a status or title.

The thought of her future life being overtaken by these five men made Li Luoluo shiver as if electrified.

She could already see herself trapped in this complex web of relationships—a prospect that terrified her.

She could not allow this to continue.

Resolutely, Li Luoluo decided she would never let anyone control her life.

She quickly packed her things, not daring to look back, afraid of being discovered.

She left a note for her mother, the empress: “I am going to explore the beauty of the world.”

Then, like a gust of wind, she left hurriedly, as if some terrifying monster were chasing her.

Shortly after, Hua Qingcheng gradually recovered.

He opened his eyes, looked around, and saw no sign of the Crown Princess.

A chill ran through his heart; a foreboding sense of danger washed over him.

His face turned pale, and a fine sweat broke out on his forehead.