Remembering those ‘training’ days, Xue Lan’s mind spiralled down to each and every time his body was forced to satiate men’s filthy desire. The names they called him, the vulgar praises they gave upon their satisfaction, the humiliation they used to punish him every time he fought back.

Xue Lan’s eyes turned bloodshot. His hands clutched onto his fan until they shook and his chest heaved erratically.

When a touch fell onto his shoulder, he violently thrashed it off. But when he saw whose hand it was, he slightly calmed down.

Mo Shen knelt down by his side and smiled deeply at him, “My Lord, is your sword not by your side? Just say the word and he shall be thoroughly depraved that no heaven and hell will accept his soul.”

Xue Lan stared at Tang Zhuo, terrifying bloodlust brewing in his eyes.

Tang Zhuo trembled intensely. He was deeply terrified by the look the two people were giving him. It was as if he was skinned alive by their eyes alone.

“Tang Zhuo, firstborn of the Tang family yet you were thrown out by your family because of your…special physical condition. They called you a monster, the devil’s spawn, and said that you are destined to be a whore,” Mo Shen chuckled mockingly. “You carry affection for Han Jinli and went as far as becoming his male pet to stay by his side. Ironically, because of your amazing performance in his bed, you were told by the same man to enter another man’s harem as a spy.”

“You piqued His Majesty’s interest and became his favourite for quite a long period of time,” Xue Lan tilted his head with his unblinking eyes. “Still, even children get bored with their favourite toys if they play with them every day. Regardless of how unique it is, new ones always win sooner or later.”

“Shut up!! What the hell do you know about me!?” Tang Zhuo yelled in half-anger half-fear.

“Enough to know that what you fear the most is becoming useless to Han Jinli,” Xue Lan stood up with Mo Shen’s support.

“Enough to know that you are already useless to him,” Mo Shen added with a wicked grin, “a long~ time~ ago~”

“Surely, being treated as such by your beloved fills you with resentment, no?” Xue Lan lifted Tang Zhuo’s chin with his fan and coldly gazed down at him. “If you or he dare to order me around ever again, I will make sure Han Jinli experience all your grievances for a full month.”

Tang Zhuo immediately paled, “You wouldn’t dare!”

Xue Lan unrestrainedly slapped Tang Zhuo with his fan. Although his legs were weak it didn’t affect his arm strength.

The edge of his fan created a long scratch on Tang Zhuo’s cheek but Xue Lan wasn’t satisfied yet.

“Allow me,” Mo Shen took the fan from Xue Lan’s hand.

Pa!!!

With one swift motion, Tang Zhuo was thrown off the chair by Mo Shen’s slap. The action broke the fan into two halves and dislocated Tang Zhuo’s jaw.

His attendant who waited outside heard the noise inside. He wanted to go inside to check but was stopped by a teenager, one of the servants in Xue Lan’s courtyard.

“Nobody is allowed to enter the house without His Highness’s permission,” the teenager warned.

Xiao Hu also jumped down from the rooftop and blocked the door. The attendant was certain that it would eat him if he took one more step.

Mo Shen crouched down and scratched Tang Zhuo’s face with the sharp edges of the broken fan, “Lucky for you, my master is sensible. If you and your people step into this courtyard one more time, rest assured, my master will not be there to stop me.”

“Leave,” Xue Lan expressionlessly said, “and tell Young Master Han to convey my words to the council. I will not get involved with their retarded plan. They are prisoned and blinded by their fanatic worship towards the dead. I suggest they read more books rather than scheming all day.”

“Y-you, you…” Tang Zhuo looked at Xue Lan with disbelief. “Are you betraying your own nation, your own people!? Are you choosing to side with our enemy just to keep your non-existent purity!?”

Mo Shen grabbed Tang Zhuo’s hair and pulled his face to the table. Taking the teapot, he pressed Tang Zhuo’s face close to the burner.

“I wonder what Young Master Han will think of you with your delicate little face disfigured?” Mo Shen smiled maliciously.

Tang Zhuo’s eyes shook in fear. He glared at Xue Lan and laughed mockingly in an attempt to hide the panic in his eyes, “You think the Emperor will still favour you the moment Qi Ming cause trouble for him!? The Emperor’s heart is fickle. You’ll also be abandoned once you bore him.”

“I do not seek to be owned by anyone. Not Qi Ming, not Qian Jin, and not His Majesty. One cannot be abandoned by independence and solitude,” Xue Lan walked into his bedroom. “Mo Shen, show our guest out. Wash his ears and repeat my message to him.”

Mo Shen grinned, “With pleasure, My Lord.”

He slammed Tang Zhuo down next to the burner. With the teapot already in his hand, he poured the boiling hot tea into Tang Zhuo's ear.

Xue Lan listened to Tang Zhuo’s scream from his sleeping chamber. Looking at his bed, his body unknowingly chilled. He laid down on the ground, between the low table and the couch.

When Mo Shen entered, he found Xue Lan laying there, his empty eyes staring at the ceiling.

He promptly picked up the table and moved it away, “My Lord, you’ll get sick.”

Xue Lan shifted his head and looked at Mo Shen. The latter knelt down and gave him a look.

The spy was still here.

“You should have let me disfigure him,” Mo Shen pulled Xue Lan up and leaned him to the couch.

“His Majesty had just got enraged by his harem. Don’t make more trouble for him,” Xue Lan closed his eyes. “Because you’re like this that you almost got caught.”

Mo Shen took off Xue Lan’s crown and smoothened down his hair. He worshipped them with his lips without breaking his eyes from Xue Lan’s face.

“My beautiful master, I pledged that I will never let harm of any form comes your way until the day you die. I shall eternally be your shield and sword in your solitude,” Mo Shen stroked Xue Lan’s face and leaned closer. “Let this attendant comfort your heart.”

Xue Lan’s eyes slightly opened to see the unknown glint in Mo Shen’s eyes. He knew this demon was taking advantage of him again.

This time, he let Mo Shen do what he wanted. He would never say it to the demon but being kissed by him felt great.

It was a regret that Mo Shen could only use his human tongue right now.

Unlike that of a human though, Mo Shen’s breath was refreshingly cool. The taste of ambrosia lingered from his saliva that somewhat tingled his senses. He always knew what he wanted him to do as if their tongue was conversing in their entanglement.

Mo Shen hooked Xue Lan’s waist and lifted him to the couch with Mo Shen cushioning Xue Lan under him. He pressed the back of Xue Lan’s head, not letting him separate for a breath. His other hand massaged Xue Lan’s waist, trying to extract a moan from him.

But as expected of his master, he perfectly held down his voice despite his flushed face.

“My Lord, what do you wish to eat for dinner?” Mo Shen asked before continuing their kiss.

It took some effort for Xue Lan to free himself with a string of saliva still connecting them, “No fish.”

“This attendant will prepare your dinner shortly,” Mo Shen sat up, pulling Xue Lan with him.

He gave a small peck on Xue Lan’s nose before letting him go, satisfied by his snack. Starting tomorrow, things should be fun.

The spy had seen enough and left to report it to Tian Chen.

When Tian Chen heard the recount in his study, the teacup in his hand flew to the spy’s head and shattered. His emotions were in shambles, not knowing whether to feel anger, distress, or moved.

One thing he was certain about was that he wanted to shred Mo Shen to pieces and feed him to the dogs.

That ‘training’ must be what Xue Lan meant when he said that he wasn’t as clean as he looked.

Qi Ming Nation dared to do such a thing to their own prince?

He had found that Xue Lan’s mother, who was the Fifth Princess, was sacrificed to Qi Ming’s deity and his father died from heartache. Xue Lan bore the title of Qi Ming Prince when he was 10 without anyone to protect him.

He never left his residence and lived in solitude only to be tasked to whore himself.

Tian Chen looked at the continent’s map thoughtfully.