Wang Jian approached the enchained Zhang Fei, his eyes fixed on him with a scrutinizing gaze. "How did the Zhang Clan rise so suddenly?" he questioned in a stern voice, his arms folded across his chest.
Zhang Fei didn't hesitate to respond, "I possessed a rare alchemy recipe that I used to collaborate with the Dao of Alchemy Society," he explained.
Wang Jian raised an eyebrow, a hint of suspicion on his face. "And where did you acquire this recipe? Did your clan possess it?" he inquired further.
Zhang Fei raised his brow as he heard this question. He hesitated for a moment before replying, "Yes. I obtained it while scrounging my family's treasury."
"I see," Wang Jian smirked as he had achieved his motive.
He knew that Zhang Fei had lied to him to conceal the fact that he received it from his otherworldly master Yu Qing.
However, Zhang Fei could never in his dreams guess that his voice had actually passed through the walls and reached Xiao Ling's ears.
She easily recognized their conversation and understood that it was about the rare alchemy recipe that the Zhang Clan had acquired.
Hearing Zhang Fei's answer, Xiao Ling's suspicions and doubts were cleared. Her heart felt cold with fury as she clenched her fists tightly, causing blood to seep out.
She was outraged that she had been serving the Zhang Clan, a family that had played a significant role in the destruction of her own clan.
Wang Jian left Zhang Fei's chambers.
He heard Zhang Fei's shouts, "Aren't you going to free me?! I answered all your questions! You promised!"
"Come back and fulfil your promise!" He bellowed aloud.
In response, the sound of Wang Jian's laughter resounded in Zhang Fei's dungeon chamber, "You really are a stupid fool. Hahaha…"
After departing from Zhang Fei's cell, Wang Jian made his way directly towards Xiao Ling's quarters.
Upon arriving, he could immediately discern that something was amiss.
Unlike before, she seemed to be in a much worse state, with her breaths coming in haggard gasps, and her eyes flashing with an intense fury that seemed to burn like a raging inferno.
As he drew closer, he also noticed that her palms were covered in blood, indicating that she had been clenching her fists so tightly that her nails had dug deep into her flesh.
He asked her in a taunting tone, "I wonder if you received the proof you needed?"
Xiao Ling whispered in reply, her voice barely audible, "Yes, I did."
Even though she had received the evidence she needed, it didn't change her feelings towards Wang Jian. She still despised him, however, her anger towards Zhang Fei was now greater than any other emotion she had ever felt before.
"I see that you want revenge. But I wonder how you will accomplish it. Zhang Clan has already been destroyed. And killing Zhang Fei would be letting him off lightly, considering the sins of his clan," Wang Jian mused aloud.
Xiao Ling realized that even if she wanted revenge, there was nothing she could do as the Zhang Clan was already destroyed, and Wang Jian was the one who orchestrated it.
"However, there is another matter that requires your immediate attention. You need to free yourself from these bindings," Wang Jian said with a smirk, indicating the chains that bound her.
"What are you suggesting?" Xiao Ling asked coldly.
Wang Jian leaned in closer, his words dripping with malice. "I believe that humiliating an individual is the best possible method to get your revenge," he spoke eloquently. "And to humiliate a man like Zhang Fei, all you need to do is steal his most beloved woman from him. And I know just the woman."
Xiao Ling felt her stomach turn as she realized what Wang Jian was insinuating. He wanted her to give herself to him.
"How dare you suggest such a thing!" she hissed, her eyes blazing with fury. "I will never stoop so low as to give myself to the likes of you."
Wang Jian's smirk only grew wider, as if he was expecting this response. "Oh, I know you won't do it willingly," he said, his voice dripping with honeyed malice.
"But I also know that you want revenge just as badly as I do. And if you truly want to make Zhang Fei suffer, you'll do whatever it takes."
Xiao Ling glared at him, her heart pounding with a mix of anger and fear. She knew that Wang Jian was right; she did want revenge, more than anything. But the thought of giving herself to this depraved man made her feel sick to her stomach.
"I will never be a pawn in your sick game," she spat, her voice trembling with anger.
Wang Jian chuckled darkly as he stepped closer to Xiao Ling, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous intensity.
"Think a little about your circumstances, my dear. You're a prisoner with an extremely beautiful body. You could lose that body at any moment once I lose my endurance. So wouldn't it be better if you actually achieve your revenge at the same time of losing your innocence and body?"
Xiao Ling recoiled in disgust as Wang Jian's words sunk in. She knew that he was right, but the thought of giving herself to this evil man was repulsive to her. "I will never do what you ask," she spat, her voice laced with venom.
Wang Jian simply smiled, his eyes glinting with a hint of sadism. "You say that now, but how long can you resist? You're just a weak, helpless girl who's at my mercy. And sooner or later, you'll realize that the only way to get what you want is to give me what I want."
Xiao Ling's heart raced as she realized the truth in his words. She was indeed at his mercy, and there seemed to be no way out.
Wang Jian stepped even closer, his breath hot on her face. "Just think about it, my dear. You could have your revenge and, at the same time, experience pleasure beyond your wildest dreams. All you have to do is give in to me."
Xiao Ling shook her head furiously, her eyes blazing with defiance. "I would rather die than be a pawn in your sick game!"
Wang Jian simply laughed, his eyes filled with wicked amusement. "Oh, my dear. You'll find that death is not so easy to come by in this place. And besides, you'll soon realize that the pleasures of the flesh are far more tempting than any revenge you could possibly seek."
As Wang Jian entered Mei Yan's dungeon chamber, she immediately noticed a new addition - a large, luxurious bed.
A sense of unease filled her, and she watched with mounting dread as he approached her without a word.
Suddenly, he released her from the chains that bound her and tossed her onto the bed.
Before Mei Yan could even react, Wang Jian was already on top of her, his hands exploring her body with a mixture of cruelty and desire.
The violation she experienced was both physical and emotional, as she was forced to endure unspeakable acts of degradation at his hands.
Despite herself, however, she couldn't help but feel a strange, twisted pleasure in the midst of the horror.
As the afternoon turned into evening, Wang Jian's twisted desires seemed insatiable as he continued to ravage Mei Yan's body without mercy. Her cries of pain and pleasure echoed through the cold stone walls of the dungeon chambers.
Despite her body being violated in such a depraved way, Mei Yan couldn't help but feel a sense of shame and guilt. She had always prided herself on her intelligence and wit, but now she found herself being used as nothing more than a vessel for Wang Jian's sick pleasures.
As the sun began to set, Wang Jian finally finished with Mei Yan and left her there, battered and broken. She lay on the bed, her body trembling with a mix of pain and pleasure, and her mind filled with a deep sense of shame and regret.
A group of maids quickly entered the room, each carrying buckets of warm water and towels.
They approached Mei Yan with gentle hands, carefully washing every inch of her body to rid her of the filth and sweat that had accumulated during her ordeal.
Mei Yan winced as they touched the bruises and sore spots that Wang Jian had left on her skin, but she remained silent, knowing that resistance would only make things worse.
The maids worked efficiently and quickly, and soon enough, Mei Yan was left clean and fresh.
Mei Yan soon found herself bound by those restraining chains.
After sating his lust, Wang Jian had approached the Lin, Ji, and Meng Clans in Qianwei Town.
He informed these three clans regarding King Chen's issues and ordered them to submit a memorandum to the Palace that they would submit to the Royal Family.
The next faction he approached was the Dao of Alchemy Society. It didn't take much effort convincing them considering that Wang Jian had Xie Zhiwei's backing.
He was sure that the lower-ranked clans would think twice before disobeying King Chen.
However, this was merely a stopgap measure. Wang Jian planned to unite the entire Windhaven Kingdom in one go. He gazed at the list and selected some powerful factions while circling their names.
