Even breathing heavily seemed to be a challenge for her.

"Y-Young Master, I know I was wrong. I just didn't think it through for a moment there. This was my mistake, I'm sorry! I really know I was wrong!

I promise, there won't be a next time. I will never reveal any secrets about you again! Please believe me!"

Yue Mingkong felt very aggrieved inside.

But what else could she do now besides beg for mercy?

Could she... fight back?

That was something she didn't even need to consider. Yue Mingkong wasn't a fool.

To resist Ye Yun would be akin to seeking death.

Even though she felt extremely aggrieved inside, Yue Mingkong still admitted her mistake.

She was very afraid now, because if Ye Yun really decided to do something to her, she wouldn't be able to resist at all.

"Wrong? Is it just a matter of saying you're wrong? If you're wrong, you should be punished, don't you think?"

Ye Yun moved his fingers to Yue Mingkong's delicate face, gently stroking her fair and exquisite cheeks.

Already tense, Yue Mingkong actually felt a slight sense of relief upon hearing that Ye Yun intended to punish her.

Being punished meant that nothing worse would happen to her.

Trembling with fear, Yue Mingkong mustered the courage to ask.

"Young Master, what... what kind of punishment do you want?"

She didn't know what kind of punishment awaited her, but she knew it would likely be unforgettable.

Upon hearing this, Ye Yun looked at the anxious Yue Mingkong and chuckled softly.

"What kind of punishment do I want? Haha! How about this, tonight Xia He and Qiu Lan won't need to serve me during my bath, you will."

When she learned of the punishment she was about to receive, Yue Mingkong's mind went blank.

She had been here for a few days, mostly learning from Xia He and Qiu Lan how to be a personal maid.

Tasks like serving Ye Yun during his bath were never meant for her.

Xia He and Qiu Lan were mainly worried that Yue Mingkong might not do well and anger Ye Yun, which would be bad.

Thus, Yue Mingkong had never served Ye Yun during his bath.

Now, faced with such a sudden condition, Yue Mingkong felt extremely nervous.

She was terrified inside, as this was something that had never happened to her before.

For a moment, Yue Mingkong was caught in hesitation.

Seeing Yue Mingkong's conflicted face and her hands twisting together, Ye Yun feigned ignorance and asked.

"What? Do you have any objections to my punishment? If you do, feel free to speak up.

Don't worry, I'm a very democratic person. If you have any objections, you can bring them up."

Of course, Ye Yun was just saying that. She could bring it up, but whether he would act on it was another matter.

After a long period of internal struggle, Yue Mingkong's eyes became resolute.

She was just a personal maid now, and if she wanted to win Ye Yun's favor, simply doing what she usually did wouldn't be enough.

Because everything she could do, Xia He and Qiu Lan could do as well, making her unnecessary.

Taking a deep breath, the conflicted expression on Yue Mingkong's face suddenly turned determined.

Her beautiful eyes locked onto Ye Yun, and she responded nervously.

"Alright... alright! I understand, I'll be prepared in advance."

With that, Yue Mingkong hurriedly left.

She didn't dare stay any longer, fearing Ye Yun might make other excessive demands that she couldn't accept.

The problem was that even if she couldn't accept it, she couldn't resist.

...

At this moment, in Canglan City.

After a night's rest, Yue Qingshan, who had been exhausted, finally recovered.

For some reason, he felt uncomfortable this morning, as if something was leaving him.

But he couldn't figure out exactly what it was.

He didn't have time to think about such things now. What he needed to do was find the Ancient Ruins as soon as possible.

To find any useful inheritance or items that could make him stronger in a short time.

As long as he could enhance his cultivation talent and catch up to Ye Yun, he might be able to reclaim the Breaking Army Sword his master entrusted to him.

Indeed, Yue Qingshan wasn't thinking about Yue Mingkong anymore.

In his view, Yue Mingkong was no longer the person she used to be, having succumbed to Ye Yun's tyranny.

Such a person wouldn't be grateful even if he saved her; instead, she would likely respond with harsh words, making it a waste of time.

Now, Yue Qingshan's real concern was the Breaking Army Sword.

It was a powerful Reincarnation Device, his master's most prized possession.

But now, he had lost it, and he was determined to get it back.

Otherwise, how could he repay his master's teachings, especially since his master had fallen into a deep sleep because of him?

He was determined to retrieve the Breaking Army Sword his master had given him, no matter the cost.

"No time to think about it, I must visit the ruins today!"

With firm resolve, Yue Qingshan quickly packed his belongings and set off again.

To avoid drawing attention, Yue Qingshan chose not to ride the Air Speed Beast.

After all, this wasn't the outside world; it was best to keep a low profile in the city, or he might attract unwanted attention.

Once targeted, it wouldn't be easy to shake off pursuers.

Meanwhile, Yun Lan, who had chosen a place to stay and rest, had barely rested, remaining in cultivation the entire time.

She extended her senses, trying to track Yue Qingshan's movements.

As Yue Qingshan packed his things and left the inn, Yun Lan happened to finish her cultivation.

She went to the window just in time to see Yue Qingshan leaving the inn.

Quickly gathering her things, Yun Lan didn't want to lose track of him and immediately followed.

To avoid being detected, Yun Lan kept a considerable distance.

Her stealth skills were top-notch, and under such circumstances, Yue Qingshan didn't notice her presence.

Leaving Canglan City, Yue Qingshan followed the map he remembered clearly in his mind, heading straight for his destination.

It was a forest filled with towering dead trees, littered with various dead branches and leaves, devoid of any signs of life.

The eerie environment made it feel quite creepy.

No one knew why it was like this.

It had been this way for many years, and generally, no one wanted to approach it, as it was said that those who entered never returned.