Chapter 61: 59: One day apart feels like three years.
Chapter 61: Chapter 59: One day apart feels like three years.
Cheng Guang left Duke Zhen’s Mansion and headed for the Bureau of the Lamp.
The bustling and beautiful scenery along the way failed to capture his interest this time.
Riding on a Dragon Horned Horse and spurring it to a fast pace, he arrived at the Bureau of the Lamp in just a quarter of an hour.
After handing over the horse to his follower, Lin Cheng, Cheng Guang entered alone.
As the largest investigative agency of Great Zhou, the Bureau of the Lamp held various powers, including supervision, reconnaissance, case handling, enforcement, and detention.
Inside the Bureau, there were also prisons specifically designed to detain prisoners.
The interior space of the Bureau was vast. Cheng Guang had been walking for a while and was about to get lost.
He stopped a member of the Bureau at random to ask for directions. The person warmly provided guidance and even wanted to accompany him.
Cheng Guang declined outright and soon, following the guidance provided, he saw a towering wall.
The thick wall, with watchtowers neatly placed like stars in a game of ‘Go,’ soared into the clouds.
The prison’s gate was carved from a single massive stone and decorated with images of the Bis Beast and Suan Ni.
On both sides of the gate stood several burly members of the Bureau in iron armor, their faces expressionless and their eyes flickering with a cold light.
Upon seeing Cheng Guang, their usually impassive faces contorted into stiff smiles.
They recognized Cheng Guang and bowed slightly in greeting.
Cheng Guang nodded, “Open the gate, I’m going in.”
The heavy gate was pushed open, and a cool and shady air rushed to meet him. Inside it was deep and dim, with only a few oil lamps providing meager light.
Cheng Guang walked slowly inside, followed by a person who began to explain the prison’s layout to him.
The prison was divided into five levels.
Each level held prisoners of different strengths.
Among these prisoners were court ministers, wanderers from the Martial World, spies from different clans, and so on—most of whom had to be of some value to be detained here.
Those without value might have been killed with a palm strike on the spot during capture.
Bai Shuxuan, because she was of the Devil Clan and not low in terms of cultivation realm, was detained on the third level.
This indicated that Bai Shuxuan’s strength might be around the sixth rank.
Cheng Guang pondered as he walked on the slightly cold bluestone slabs toward the third level, winding through several passageways, passing long rows of cells, and came before a particular prison cell.
Bai Shuxuan and her maiden Hong Zhu were both imprisoned here.
In the shadows of the cells, Bai Shuxuan sat on the cold floor like a wilted rose, pitifully beautiful and stubborn.
Her once luxurious purple long skirt had become a torn and soiled prisoner’s garb, barely concealing her suggestive curves.
Despite the harsh conditions, her posture remained proud, exuding a fragile yet resilient beauty.
Her legs were together, elegantly crossed, revealing a glimpse of snow-white, smooth as jade, proportionate and muscular thighs.
Cheng Guang observed her.
Bai Shuxuan also noticed Cheng Guang.
Looking at Cheng Guang, her complexion changed slightly, and she lightly bit her red lips.
Her beautiful face expressed hatred, unwillingness, and humiliation.
On her fair face, it was her eyes that drew the most attention.
Profound and bright, they twinkled with a stubborn light like numerous stars.
Even in captivity, her gaze still revealed an indescribable firmness and hope.
Cheng Guang let out a light chuckle.
Seeing that Bai Shuxuan was in good spirits, he was relieved.
At the very least, it proved one thing—Bai Shuxuan still had a way to free herself.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t be putting on such an act.
Cheng Guang said, “Open the prison door.”
The burly man behind Cheng Guang responded and hesitated for a moment before carefully reminding,
“Princely Heir, though this devil woman has been severely injured by Mr. Qian and had her cultivation restrained, there might still be some hidden tricks up her sleeve. It’s best to remain cautious.”
“If the Princely Heir needs to interrogate anything, let me do it on your behalf.”
Cheng Guang shook his head, “No need.”
Seeing Cheng Guang insist, the burly man could not say much else and silently opened the Black Iron prison door for Cheng Guang, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far.
If anything unexpected were to happen, he would be able to react immediately.
Cheng Guang didn’t say much about the burly man’s caution.
After all, it’s all for the best.
Cheng Guang walked into the cell, his gaze scanning around before finally settling on Bai Shuxuan’s face.
“Miss Bai, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other.”
A bright smile spread across Cheng Guang’s face.
Upon hearing Cheng Guang’s words, Bai Shuxuan felt a surge of nervousness and fear towards the unfathomable Cheng Guang.
She had originally thought that she had been toying with Cheng Guang all along, but it turned out she was the one being played.
If it hadn’t been for Cheng Guang deliberately revealing himself at the end, she would have believed that he had been affected by her “fascinating body,” and that his mind had changed.
“No matter how high one’s Cultivation Realm, if they spend day and night with me, they are bound to be influenced by my ‘fascinating body,’ feeling a certain closeness to me.”
“Why is the Princely Heir able to maintain his own sanity all along?”
“Could it be that he has some Different Treasure that protects him from mental influences? It shouldn’t be, those treasures capable of preserving one’s sanity and protecting the Primordial Spirit exist, but the power emitted by the ‘fascinating body’ is silent…”
“Moreover, even without the aid of the ‘fascinating body,’ with my methods, I would still be able to make him fall in love with me on his own; he simply can’t defend against it…”
Bai Shuxuan pondered in her heart, took a deep breath, her beautiful features becoming slightly stiff as she forced a smile.
“Princely Heir, we have seen each other just yesterday.”
Cheng Guang lightly tapped his forehead, as if suddenly realizing,
“Only a day, eh? Seeing Miss Bai’s condition, I thought it had been a long time.”
Having said that, Cheng Guang then seemed to gain enlightenment, “It seems what the ancients said is true, ‘One day apart feels like three autumns.’
“Last night we were at Wanhuatower, yet today you find yourself in a cage, such are the caprices of fate.”
After Cheng Guang finished speaking, Bai Shuxuan’s complexion had already turned very unsightly.
She didn’t feel like pretending anymore.
The smile on her beautiful face slowly receded, and she tightly grasped the hem of her long skirt, her voice becoming hoarse.
“Why must the Princely Heir come here to mock me? Although I am from the Devil Clan, I believe I haven’t done anything excessive towards the Princely Heir.”
“If you detest me so much just because I am of the Devil Clan, isn’t that making a mountain out of a molehill?”
As Bai Shuxuan spoke, a dimness crept into her beautiful eyes, and the corners began to twinkle with crystal-clear tears.
This scene, if seen by outsiders, would surely evoke pity.
But Cheng Guang just lightly chuckled, unmoved.
Bai Shuxuan’s acting skills were not bad. At least the little pearls fell quickly.
If Cheng Guang did not possess Charm Eyes and could not detect Bai Shuxuan’s ploys, one could indeed believe Bai Shuxuan’s words to be true.
After all, Bai Shuxuan hadn’t harmed him.
At most, she was just a little too good at serving tea.
“Miss Bai, your charming techniques are quite ingenious, they just don’t work on me, that’s all,” Cheng Guang said with a smile, slowly walking towards Bai Shuxuan.