Yu Rumeng had always been the kind of woman who could turn on someone faster than flipping a page, unable to suffer even the slightest grievance. Having just been softened by Yang Kai's tender words and affection, only to be met with vicious insults immediately after — the sheer whiplash left her reeling. It felt as though the person she trusted most had betrayed her and driven a knife into her back.
The wound cut far deeper than when Yang Kai had struck her last time. At least back then, there had been reason behind it, and physical injuries were easy to heal. This time, the hurt was real and visceral. No wonder she flew into such a rage.
Yang Kai simply stood there with a serene smile, as though those words had never left his mouth.
Seeing his utterly unrepentant expression only made Yu Rumeng angrier. She let out a cold laugh. "Apologize, and I might let you off!"
Yang Kai's smile didn't waver. He slowly shook his head.
"You're sure you want to play it this way?" Yu Rumeng's beautiful eyes turned frigid.
Yang Kai declared with iron resolve, "Words once spoken are like water poured — there's no taking them back. If you want an apology from me, you'll have to get it over my dead body."
"Then so be it!" Yu Rumeng suddenly sat cross-legged right in front of him. Her icy gaze locked onto his, her complexion went pale, and she let out a muffled grunt.
At the same moment, Yang Kai felt as though his skull was about to split open.
I knew you'd do this! Yang Kai was in agony beyond endurance, yet inwardly he was secretly delighted. If Yu Rumeng hadn't resorted to this, all his earlier efforts would have been wasted.
It felt as though ten thousand swords were rampaging through his mind. The unimaginable pain was beyond anything a human being should be able to bear. Before long, Yang Kai's body was shaking uncontrollably, his face as white as paper, beads of sweat the size of beans cascading down his forehead.
Yu Rumeng was faring no better. Her Heart Seal secret art was eerie enough, but its drawback was equally severe — the kind that wounded your enemy a thousand and yourself eight hundred. If she wanted to use this method to torture Yang Kai and vent her fury, she would inevitably suffer tremendous pain herself.
Before long, Yu Rumeng's entire body was drenched in sweat, as though she had been pulled from water. Yet she clenched her jaw and refused to make a sound, staring only at Yang Kai with an expression that said she would absolutely not let the matter rest until he apologized.
The forced smile on Yang Kai's face had warped into something grotesque, while Yu Rumeng's expression grew ever colder and more ruthless.
Inside the chamber, both man and woman trembled ceaselessly, their faces ashen, sweat pouring off them in torrents — clearly both enduring tremendous agony. Yet neither was willing to break first. The sight was deeply unsettling to behold.
Under such excruciating torment, time seemed to stretch out to infinity.
Yang Kai truly experienced what it meant for a single day to feel like a year. But when he turned his gaze inward, there was still no abnormal movement within his Spiritual Sea.
Not enough — far from enough.
Yu Rumeng suddenly spoke. "If you… can't take it… just say so. Perhaps… I'll grow soft-hearted… and let you go!"
Yang Kai stared into her eyes and flashed a savage grin. "Feels great!"
Yu Rumeng burst into laughter as well, her body trembling with mirth for a long moment. "Feels great, does it?"
Yang Kai nodded vigorously.
Yu Rumeng shrieked hysterically, "Then let me make it feel even better for you, you wretched man!"
The instant the words left her lips, the already excruciating pain surged dramatically. His entire Spiritual Sea felt as though it was being ripped apart. Within the Spiritual Sea world, the waters churned violently as though brought to a rolling boil.
Yang Kai's vision went black, his consciousness blurring. He glanced at Yu Rumeng and saw her body sway — she nearly collapsed to the ground. But neither of them was ordinary. Their Divine Sense was staggeringly powerful, and even under such torment, each continued to pour their will into the contest, wearing an expression of stubborn refusal to concede. It had become a battle of who would fall first.
For Yu Rumeng, if she didn't put Yang Kai in his place this time, she would never have any standing to demand anything of him again.
For Yang Kai, if he couldn't hold on through this, he could forget about ever breaking free of that Heart Seal secret art.
Both had their own reasons to fight to the bitter end.
An indeterminate amount of time passed, and Yu Rumeng's aura gradually grew weaker. She was powerful, her Divine Sense far beyond what ordinary cultivators could muster, but under such sustained consumption, even she would eventually run dry.
Yang Kai's mastery over Divine Sense was perhaps not on her level — otherwise she would never have been able to plant the Heart Seal on him without a trace. In principle, he should have been at a far greater disadvantage in this contest.
But Yang Kai had the Seven-Colored Warm Spirit Lotus.
The lotus within his Spiritual Sea radiated its seven-colored brilliance ceaselessly, replenishing the Divine Sense Yang Kai was burning through and nourishing his ailing soul. With such a formidable ally at his side, how could Yu Rumeng possibly win?
So despite the fact that Yu Rumeng's Divine Sense was stronger, Yang Kai's condition was the better one.
Yu Rumeng clearly noticed this too. A flicker of suspicion crossed her eyes, and she knew she could not afford to drag this out any longer — if she did, she would likely be the first to collapse.
A flash of resolve appeared in her beautiful eyes. She spoke in a low voice. "Yang Kai, last chance. I won't even ask for an apology. Just don't insult me again in the future, and we'll call this whole thing even." She had clearly made an enormous concession — otherwise, given the fury she had been in moments ago, unless Yang Kai had offered a sincere apology, she would never have let him off so easily.
Yang Kai swayed as though he might topple over at any moment, yet he slowly shook his head.
"You truly want to perish together with me?" Yu Rumeng's eyes went slightly vacant.
"Could you bear to?" Yang Kai asked.