Yin Hongxue lashed her whip with wild fury, each strike raining down on Jiang Tong's body. And yet Jiang Tong endured it all without so much as a single cry of pain, as though the flesh being flayed did not belong to him.
All Jiang Tong hoped for was that once Yin Hongxue had vented her rage, she might show a sliver of mercy and agree to his plea.
But it was clear that Jiang Tong had overestimated whatever conscience Yin Hongxue might possess. She cracked the whip over and over, as though beating a beast of burden.
What irritated her even more was that Jiang Tong made no sound and begged for no quarter. What satisfaction could she possibly get from this punishment if her prey did not even cry out in agony? How else was she supposed to release the dark emotions churning inside her?
"Yin Hongxue, stop!"
Just as Yin Hongxue raised her whip high and brought it crashing down again, an urgent shout erupted from below. In the next instant, a figure shot upward at tremendous speed.
When Jiang Tong saw who it was, his expression changed drastically.
The person who had come rushing over was none other than Jiang Yu. After Jiang Tong had left earlier, something about his demeanor had seemed off, which had planted a seed of suspicion in Jiang Yu's mind.
Jiang Yu had kept his wits about him and quietly trailed his father. By the time he arrived, he was confronted with this horrifying scene — one that made every hair on his body stand on end.
Any man, seeing his own father savagely beaten, would find it utterly unbearable.
Jiang Yu's eyes burned red as he lunged forward.
Yin Hongxue saw him charging in and let out a cold snort. "You're coming to take a beating too?"
Her whip cracked sideways, redirecting toward Jiang Yu. His strength was nothing to scoff at, but he was still not on the same level as Yin Hongxue.
He reached out to seize the whip, but Yin Hongxue feinted, and the leather strap lashed across his face with a searing sting, instantly carving a long, bloody gash.
The blow landed squarely, leaving a deep, bleeding furrow across Jiang Yu's cheek.
"Father, run!" Jiang Yu screamed despite the pain.
Jiang Tong, by now, had been beaten until his entire body was a canvas of wounds. Had it not been for a martial artist's tough constitution, he would have long since perished on the spot.
But Jiang Tong refused to flee. Instead, he threw himself forward, trying to wrest the whip from Yin Hongxue's hand.
"Yu'er, you have to go! Get out of here!" Jiang Tong shouted, his voice cracking with desperation.
Yin Hongxue held the whip high, watching the two of them with a mocking sneer. "I have to say, you spineless father and son — you've got some nerve. Fine, I'm in a generous mood today. Here's your chance. Between the two of you, if one dies under my whip, I'll let the other walk away. What do you say?"
Without a moment's hesitation, Jiang Tong called out, "Miss Hongxue, take me! Let Yu'er go. Beat me to death if you must — I won't resist."
Jiang Yu roared back, "Yin Hongxue, come after me if you want! You witch — I, Jiang Yu, am a grown man. Do you think I'd be afraid of you?"
Yin Hongxue merely laughed coldly. In her eyes, this father and son pair were no different from ants.
She was in a foul mood and was simply using them as playthings to amuse herself.
Jiang Tong pleaded, "Miss Hongxue, for old times' sake, please let Yu'er go. I'm willing to stay here. Whether you want to beat me or kill me, I won't so much as furrow my brow."
Yin Hongxue raised the whip and said flatly, "I'm only giving you one chance. Within ten breaths, you must make your choice. Otherwise, I'll assume you two want to die together."
Jiang Yu's heart bled, his eyes swimming with blood vessels as he bellowed, "Yin Hongxue, you lunatic! I was living my life perfectly fine, and you dragged me into your Purple Smoke Sect by force. Now you torment father and son like this. Are you out of your mind?"
Yin Hongxue burst into a fit of tinkling laughter. "You got that right — I am out of my mind. I just love playing with little insects like you. Let you think you've climbed to the top, and then grind you under my heel. Jiang Yu, did you really think you were something special? That I might actually favor you?"
She was laughing so hard her whole body trembled.
Jiang Yu's fury erupted. "Demoness! Witch! Lunatic!"
Yin Hongxue seemed to revel in her prey's helpless rage. Being hurled such insults by Jiang Yu didn't anger her in the slightest — on the contrary, she only laughed with greater delight.
"Boy, after all these years, your insults haven't improved one bit!" Yin Hongxue's face suddenly darkened. "The ten breaths are nearly up. Since you won't choose, I'll send you both on your way together."
Jiang Tong turned ashen. "Miss Hongxue, we've already chosen! I stay — Yu'er leaves!"
"I'm the one who stays! Let my father go!" Jiang Yu shouted. "Yin Hongxue, you captured me because you wanted to torture me and watch me grovel — what does my father have to do with any of it? Let him go, and I, Jiang Yu, will let you do whatever you want! Torture me however you please!"
Jiang Yu was dead set on getting his father out of here.
The two of them argued back and forth, which only made Yin Hongxue more agitated. For reasons she could not quite explain, seeing Jiang Tong and Jiang Yu willing to sacrifice themselves for one another filled her with an acute sense of displeasure.
"Since you can't decide, then you'll both become spirits under my whip!" Yin Hongxue gritted her silver teeth, flicked the long whip in her hand, and lashed it toward the pair.
And at that very moment!
From beyond the gates of the Purple Smoke Sect, an earth-shattering boom exploded across the mountainside. Almost simultaneously, the very foundations of the entire sect seemed to shudder beneath their feet.