When Xu Kaihan slowly regained consciousness, the first thing he saw was Yi Feng lounging with one leg crossed over the other, casually munching on peanuts.

"Who the hell are you? What do you want?"

"I’m the young master of the Moonview Sect, the White Emperor’s lover! How dare you lay hands on me?"

"You’ve got some nerve!"

Groggy and aching all over as if his bones had been shattered, Xu Kaihan bared his teeth and glared at Yi Feng, spewing curses without a trace of his usual refined, jade-like demeanor.

For emphasis, he even spat at Yi Feng!

But whether from exhaustion or sheer incompetence, the spit didn’t even reach its target—instead, it dribbled pathetically down his own chin.

Disgusted, Yi Feng couldn’t help but inwardly scoff at the White Emperor’s poor taste.

What kind of trash was she dragging into her bed?

If this fool couldn’t even spit properly, he probably pissed on his own shoes in the wind.

"Hey! Are you deaf? I’m talking to you!"

When Yi Feng ignored him, Xu Kaihan raised his voice even louder.

The shrill noise made Yi Feng scratch his ear in irritation before grabbing Xu Kaihan’s chin with a cold smirk. "Did it never occur to you that I specifically came for the White Emperor’s so-called ‘lover’?"

"Y-you—how dare you?!"

Xu Kaihan’s eyes bulged, his voice trembling. "Do you even know what you’re doing?"

He couldn’t believe it. This man knew he was the White Emperor’s lover and still kidnapped him?

"Because the White Emperor and I have a blood feud—one that ends only in death!" Yi Feng’s expression darkened as he snarled, "So why don’t you save us both the trouble and tell me where she is?"

"Otherwise, I’ll turn you into a human stick!"

"A blood feud with the White Emperor… and you’ll turn me into a human stick?!"

Xu Kaihan’s face drained of color. The moment the words registered, he immediately began groveling. "B-brother, I swear I don’t know where the White Emperor is!"

"You don’t know?"

Yi Feng’s face twisted into something monstrous.

He grabbed a nearby broadsword and dragged its cold, unsharpened edge harshly across Xu Kaihan’s neck.

"Ahhh—!"

"I’m dead! Dead, dead, dead!"

The blade’s icy aura seeped into his flesh, and coupled with Yi Feng’s murderous glare, Xu Kaihan lost control of his bladder, squeezing his eyes shut as he wailed.

"I was wrong, I was wrong!"

"I’ll talk, I’ll talk right now!" he howled.

Hearing this, Yi Feng’s eyes gleamed.

"Really?" he said, delighted. "That’s more like it!"

As he withdrew the gleaming blade, he added cheerfully, "See? Was that so hard?"

"Now, where is she?"

"My lord, what I meant was… I don’t actually know her!"

"I’m not the White Emperor’s lover at all—those rumors were all lies I made up!"

SMACK!

A brutal slap sent Xu Kaihan’s head snapping to the side, stars exploding in his vision.

"Playing games with me, huh?" Yi Feng’s blade returned to his neck, pressing down with lethal intent. "Looks like you won’t talk until you see your own coffin."

He leaned in, his voice dripping with menace.

"Let me make this clear—the White Emperor and I are sworn enemies. Generations of hatred, an endless cycle of bloodshed! If I can’t kill her myself, I’ll slaughter everyone she holds dear!"

With a flick of his wrist, the sky outside darkened visibly.

Ominous clouds rolled in, pressing down like the weight of the world.

Xu Kaihan gaped at the roiling storm beyond the door, his soul nearly leaving his body.

A blood feud with the White Emperor… endless vengeance…

If he couldn’t kill her, he’d slaughter everyone around her…

Holy shit.

He’d stepped into a nightmare.

Prostrating himself, Xu Kaihan kowtowed frantically.

"Misunderstanding! A huge misunderstanding!"

"My lord, you’ve got the wrong man!!"

"This is all a terrible mistake!!!"

"I don’t even know the White Emperor!"

"Please, spare my worthless life!"

Yi Feng watched the desperate display with a sneer. "You think I’m an idiot? The whole Nine Realms knows you’re her lover—you expect me to believe it’s all lies?"

To drive the point home, he pulled out an arsenal of weapons from his spatial ring.

With a thunderous CRACK, he slammed them into the ground, fracturing the floor like a spider’s web.

The message was clear: refusal meant dismemberment.

Xu Kaihan shuddered violently.

"My lord, I beg you, I truly don’t know her!" he sobbed.

How could he convince this madman? He’d never even met the White Emperor!

"Tch." Yi Feng crossed his arms, unimpressed. "I didn’t expect you to be so loyal."

"Even now, you’d rather break your own skull than betray her."

Despite all the threats, this fool still refused to drag his "lover" into danger.

Such touching devotion.

Too bad it only pissed Yi Feng off more.

"Guess I’ll have to torture it out of you."

"My lord, no need for torture! I’ll confess to anything! Ask me anything and I’ll answer!" Xu Kaihan cried. "If I don’t talk, it’s only because—"

"I genuinely don’t know!!!"

Yi Feng rolled his eyes. "Damn it, did I kidnap you to admire your undying love?!"

Enraged, he swung the blade up, resting its edge against Xu Kaihan’s throat.

"Talk. Now."

The roar alone made Xu Kaihan flinch—then another warm trickle ran down his leg.

Yi Feng wrinkled his nose, glancing down before shooting Xu Kaihan a look of utter disdain.

Though, grudgingly, there was a hint of respect too.

This idiot really was willing to die for love.

Xu Kaihan clenched his jaw, realizing words were useless now.

This man was convinced he was the White Emperor’s lover.

Under normal circumstances, he’d be thrilled. But facing this executioner, he wanted to strangle the servants who’d spread those damned rumors.

Survival now hinged on a different approach.

No matter how much he denied it, Yi Feng wouldn’t believe him.

Gritting his teeth, Xu Kaihan lifted his head—just as Yi Feng started sharpening his blade.

"If you touch me, my father will hunt you down! He’s the Sect Master of Moonview Sect!" Seeing no other option, Xu Kaihan bluffed, though his voice shook as much as his bones.

Yi Feng kept grinding the blade.

The metallic shing-shing made even Xu Kaihan’s nether regions quiver.

Desperate, he doubled down.

"Not just hunt you—I’m his only heir! My father’s a titled Sage! And stronger than the White Emperor! Hurt me, and he’ll skin you alive!"

The sharpening stopped.

Yi Feng turned, flashing a grin as his four-meter blade gleamed under the light, illuminating his pearly whites.

He’d only wanted to lure out the White Emperor, but now he’d stumbled upon a Sage even mightier than her?

What a delightful surprise.

"Ohhh~" Yi Feng nodded slowly, feigning enlightenment. "I see now."

"Just to confirm—your father’s really a Sage?" He stood, dragging the blade across the floor, leaving a jagged scar in its wake.

"Uh…"

His father was only at the Dao Manifestation realm. Claiming he was a Sage stronger than the White Emperor was shameless, but survival trumped pride.

"That's right, my father is a Sage!"

"A tremendously powerful Sage."

"When he strikes, it's utterly terrifying."

"Release me now, and if my father finds out I've been captured, he’ll surely come for me. If he sees I’m unharmed, he might just spare your life." Xu Kaihan seized the opportunity to bargain.

Yi Feng laughed.

"Fine, I’ll give you a chance. Call your father here." Yi Feng set his broadsword aside and retrieved a jade slip from Xu Kaihan’s storage ring.

The move left Xu Kaihan stunned.

This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.

Why wasn’t this guy intimidated by his threats?

Shouldn’t he be letting him go? Why was he handing him the jade slip instead?

But the gleaming blade nearby left him no time to dwell on it. He grabbed the jade slip and wailed into it.

"Dad! Dad! Save me!" Xu Kaihan cried, tears and snot streaming down his face. "If you don’t come soon, your son’s gonna die—waaah!"

With that, he crushed the jade slip in his hand.

It instantly turned to dust, scattering into the wind.