Thinking of this, Yao He said to Yao Xi, "Xi'er, use the blood beads first."
A wave of emotion and tenderness washed over Yao Xi's face. She nodded slightly, then lifted her lovely gaze toward the Han Dynasty warriors and ordered imperiously, "Collect all the blood beads and bring them to me!"
Seventeen or eighteen people exchanged glances, but nobody was willing to stand up.
Over this period, they had suffered countless humiliations under Yao He and Yao Xi's hands. They wished they could grind their bones to dust — how could they possibly be willing to do their bidding?
But orders had been given from above, and dragging it out forever wasn't an option either. If they provoked them further, there would only be more suffering and disaster.
Ye Han from Myriad Flower Palace stood up in a huff, her little tiger teeth gleaming as she ground them together, hissing through clenched teeth, "I'll go!"
Yang Kai's eyes flickered. He reached out and tugged her sleeve. "Let me go instead. You rest."
Bi Xiuming had been meditating, but hearing this, he suddenly opened his eyes and chuckled in a low voice. "Oh? You've just been brought to heel and already you're showing your loyalty? Snatching up even errands like this?"
"That's right. A man's got to bow his head when he's under someone else's roof!" Yang Kai laughed casually and stood up.
Bi Xiuming and his junior brother both sneered, their faces dripping with contempt. Their expressions of disgust drew visible displeasure from many others.
Yang Kai walked around the places where the demon beasts had fallen and collected thirty to forty blood beads. Then he strode up to the three members of Hall of Forest Prison.
Yao Xi watched him with a cold, wary expression.
After all, Yang Kai had been brought in by Zi Mo, and Yao Xi had to be on guard.
"Throw the blood beads here!" When Yang Kai got within about ten feet, Yao Xi called out coldly, not letting him come any closer.
Yang Kai nodded and used a deft flick of energy to toss the thirty-odd blood beads over one by one, all of which Yao Xi caught without missing a single one.
Zi Mo watched in silence. Only after Yao Xi had gathered every last bead did she speak. "Now you've gotten what you wanted. If you have nothing else, I'll be leaving."
Yao He and Yao Xi exchanged a glance, both letting out soft chuckles. "Senior Sister, where exactly were you planning to go?"
Zi Mo's expression shifted, her voice dropping. "Where I go is none of your concern."
Yao Xi giggled sweetly. "Senior Sister's temper is still so fierce. We're only thinking of your well-being. This foreign land is incredibly dangerous. Without a demon beast to guard you, if you ran into something out there, how would we ever explain it to Master?"
Zi Mo stared at them in disbelief. "You want to control even me?"
Yao He said, "Senior Sister, what are you talking about? We're all one family — we ought to look after each other."
Yao Xi nodded as well. "Exactly. For Senior Sister's safety, I think you'd better stay."
A cold smile appeared at the corner of Zi Mo's lips, and her face was stricken with grief. On the way here, Yang Kai had already told her that Yao He and Yao Xi would very likely go all the way — push things to the absolute end.
If they dare to move against your demon beast, they'll dare to move against you! That was what Yang Kai had said.
Zi Mo had still clung to a sliver of hope, but now it was clear that what Yang Kai had predicted was dead accurate.
If they killed Zi Mo in a place like this, as long as they handled the aftermath properly, there would be no traces left whatsoever. And the Han Dynasty warriors? They were all going to be silenced anyway — what did Yao He and Yao Xi have to fear?
First, they had stripped away her demon beast. Now they were turning her into a target. Everything had unfolded exactly as Yang Kai had deduced. She didn't know whether to say he was prophetic or whether he simply saw through the scheming and deceit in people's hearts.
Zi Mo fell silent, her gaze gradually turning to ice.
Yao Xi suddenly furrowed her brow and turned to glare at Yang Kai, barking without a shred of courtesy, "What are you standing here for? Get back where you belong!"
Then she cast a contemptuous look at Zi Mo. "Senior Sister, so this is how you train your subordinates? Absolutely no manners at all."
Zi Mo didn't respond. Yang Kai, however, gave an awkward smile and cupped his fists at her with exaggerated deference, glancing sidelong toward Zi Mo with an expression of venomous resentment. He said, "You two — could you perhaps have that bitch get that insect out of my body? I'm willing to defect to the light and pledge my loyalty to you both!"
Zi Mo whipped her head toward Yang Kai, her teeth clenched. "What did you just call me?"
"Bitch! What about it?" Yang Kai straightened up as though he'd found a powerful backer, meeting her glare head-on.
"Heh heh..." Zi Mo laughed through her fury. "Daring to call me that — it seems you've forgotten who's in charge."
Those were words Yang Kai himself had once said to her. Now they were thrown right back at him.
"The lesson I gave you before wasn't enough!" Zi Mo shrieked, murderous intent radiating from her. Yang Kai immediately crumpled to the ground in agony, clutching his stomach and writhing in pain, shouting toward Yao He and Yao Xi, "Help me, please! I'm truly willing to serve you two — I'd spill my guts and sacrifice my life without hesitation!"
The commotion naturally drew the attention of the Han Dynasty warriors.
Hearing Yang Kai's shameless words, everyone who had even a passing acquaintance with him couldn't help but show a flash of heartbreak. The four girls from Myriad Flower Palace were particularly affected — Han Xiaoqi's brow furrowed, clearly shocked that Yang Kai could be so spineless.
Bi Xiuming and his junior brother, on the other hand, froze for a moment before bursting into loud laughter. "What did he say? He wants to pledge loyalty to those two? Hahaha... that's the funniest thing I've ever heard! So when he jumped at that errand, it really was to show his loyalty. I knew he was being suspiciously eager — sure enough!"
With that, he spat hard on the ground, his eyes brimming with scorn.
Humiliation — utter humiliation! These Han Dynasty warriors were also under control, but not a single one of them had ever groveled and begged for mercy the way Yang Kai just had.