Underworld, King of the Underworld’s Palace. Under the crimson, gloomy sky, in a misty open-air bath. The King of the Underworld was bathing, holding a delicate beauty in his arms. The little beauty was unclothed, with disheveled black hair wet and clinging to his fair skin. His cheeks were flushed, eyes watery, brimming with tears.
“Your Highness…”
Biting his lip couldn’t suppress the tremor in his throat. Shu Qing was already weak all over, but the King of the Underworld’s strong hands gripped his waist tightly, causing the bathwater to ripple. Shu Qing was originally a minor steward on an Immortal Mountain. The Immortal Mountain wasn’t very large, and his position wasn’t significant, but for someone like him, a humble butterfly spirit who had cultivated into an immortal, it was a rare opportunity in a thousand years. If not for being blinded by jealousy and unfortunately offending someone he shouldn’t have, he wouldn’t have ended up like this—punished to the Underworld for three years and accidentally becoming the King of the Underworld’s chamber person. Though called a chamber person, he had no name or status, even lower than a concubine. It shouldn’t have been like this.
It really shouldn’t have turned out this way.
Being held by the King of the Underworld, Shu Qing’s mind was still on the noble and handsome Immortal Lord of the Immortal Mountain.
The Immortal Lord was the master of the Immortal Mountain and also his benefactor.
He had admired the Immortal Lord for a long time, hoping that if everything went well, he could marry the Immortal Lord…
But sensing his distraction, the King of the Underworld tightened his grip on Shu Qing’s waist.
A deep, sinister voice sounded in his ear, “What are you thinking about? Is it that I haven’t satisfied you, that you can still be distracted?”
Shu Qing shook his head repeatedly, tears mixed with humiliation and shame sliding down his cheeks. “No, I wasn’t thinking about anything…”
It was all because he was too greedy.
Back then, relying on his position as a steward on the Immortal Mountain, he wanted to eliminate anyone who might threaten him.
Because the Immortal Lord paid extra attention to a little rabbit who had violated the immortal rules, he abused his power and truly harbored murderous intent towards the little rabbit.
Unexpectedly, the little rabbit had a powerful backer.
In the end, not only did he fail to harm the little rabbit, but he also suffered revenge, being sent to the Underworld, with a three-year wait before he could return.
At first, Shu Qing had a hard time here, but his spiritual power wasn’t weak, and he was decisive and ruthless. In just two months, he managed to secure a minor steward position.
Eager to leave as soon as possible, he began to deliberately appear before the King of the Underworld, using his position.
Though his goal was to win the King of the Underworld’s favor, he thought maybe he could get a higher position, and considering his outstanding abilities, the King of the Underworld might be willing to let him go early.
The result, however, was what it was now—
Unable to even cry out, Shu Qing, with a hoarse voice, broke down and begged for mercy, “Your Highness, please spare me, let me go…”
Finally hearing his plea for mercy, a satisfied smile appeared on the King of the Underworld’s unparalleled handsome face.
After two months of interaction, he had somewhat understood Shu Qing.
A somewhat proud and arrogant little immortal official, demoted to the Underworld for three years for offending a big shot.
His spiritual power wasn’t weak, and he was capable.
His methods… were also decisively ruthless.
But when such a ruthless little beauty became his plaything, breaking down in tears and begging for mercy—this scene was truly something one could never tire of.
If it weren’t truly unbearable, Shu Qing would never have begged for mercy.
As the King of the Underworld thought, although he came from humble beginnings, he considered himself capable and always had some pride.
Becoming the King of the Underworld’s plaything was already disgraceful enough; did he really have to be willing? How was this different from a prostitute in the human world?
But the King of the Underworld’s ways of tormenting people were endless, and he never lasted until the end.
When the King of the Underworld finally let him go, Shu Qing lay on the stone of the bath, like a piece of dead meat, unable to move.
The King of the Underworld left on his own, and as he walked past the screen, several servants attended to him, helping him dress.
Shu Qing lay on the stone, watching the shadows of people moving behind the screen, feeling like the lowest tool, used and then casually discarded.
Only after the King of the Underworld left did someone come in to attend to him.
Two servants helped Shu Qing up and washed his body.
Initially, Shu Qing resisted this, but now he was numb. Exhausted and powerless, he closed his eyes, letting the servants clean him.
Suddenly, he heard a sneer.
Shu Qing immediately opened his eyes, his gaze no longer the submissive and pleasing one he showed the King of the Underworld, but filled with killing intent.
“Who laughed?”
He knew many people looked down on him behind his back.
Who would believe that the heroic and mighty King of the Underworld forced a little god who had made a mistake like him?
Everyone unconditionally leaned towards the idea that he used underhanded means, acted despicably, and climbed into the King of the Underworld’s bed by selling his beauty.
“Little Immortal must have misheard; no one laughed here.”
One of them explained, but exchanged winks with another, showing no concealment of their disdain for him.
Slap—
A gust of wind swept by, and Shu Qing raised his arm. In the next second, three bloody marks appeared on that servant’s face.
“I know what you’re thinking.” Shu Qing withdrew his hand, his tone icy. “But it doesn’t matter because His Highness favors me. If you dare to upset me again, I’ll have His Highness take your lives.”
The King of the Underworld didn’t favor him.
But that didn’t stop him from using the King of the Underworld’s name to establish his authority.
The next morning, Shu Qing woke up sore all over.
Recalling the first time the King of the Underworld tormented him, he couldn’t get out of bed for several days. Now, with just some soreness, it was already much better.
“Is the Little Immortal awake?” came a maid’s voice from outside.
Shu Qing: “Come in.”
Having become the King of the Underworld’s person, Shu Qing naturally moved into the side hall.
This was the best place besides the main hall where the King of the Underworld resided.
But it wasn’t because the King of the Underworld favored him; it was just that he was “lucky” in this regard.
The King of the Underworld’s inner courtyard was empty, and he was the first to move in, seizing the opportunity.
Moreover, the Underworld was underground, always dark and sunless, with a crimson sky. No matter how good the scenery or architecture, it carried an inescapable gloom.
Shu Qing struggled to sit up in bed, and the maid handed him a cup and a basin of water for him to rinse his mouth and wash his face.
If he could ignore the King of the Underworld’s tormenting antics, being served like this was quite comfortable.
The maid whispered, “Little Immortal, the person is already waiting outside.”
It was the guy who laughed at Shu Qing last night and got slapped by him.
“I know, let him wait.”
“Yes.”
After rinsing his mouth and washing his face, the maid helped Shu Qing dress. When she was about to fasten a jade pendant for him, Shu Qing spoke, “No need to fasten this, put it down. You go out first and wait for me at the door.”
“Yes.”
The maid immediately put down the jade pendant and quickly left.
Shu Qing picked up the jade pendant on the table, gently stroking it with his soft fingertips.
This was given to him by the Immortal Lord.
Thinking back, it was something from hundreds of years ago.
The day he finally cultivated into an immortal and went to the Immortal Mountain, he fell in love with the Immortal Lord at first sight.
After much effort and all his endeavors, he finally climbed to the position of steward on the Immortal Mountain, becoming the Immortal Lord’s most capable and trusted subordinate.
On his birthday, the Immortal Lord gave him this jade pendant.
“It’s shaped like a butterfly. I specially had someone carve it. It’s quite beautiful, isn’t it?”
Shu Qing still remembered the joy of receiving this jade pendant. His usually proud and aloof face rarely showed a sincere smile: “Thank you, Immortal Lord!”
“No need to thank me; it’s what I should do.” The Immortal Lord patted his head, “You’ve managed the Immortal Mountain well. You’ve worked hard.”
He was a little demon with no one to rely on. Who would care about his birthday or remember this day?
He himself had no expectations, but the Immortal Lord prepared a gift for him.
He thought the Immortal Lord had him in his heart too.
Who knew a troublesome little rabbit would appear halfway?
Thinking of this little rabbit who ruined things, Shu Qing closed his eyes, trying to calm his emotions.
Forget it, forget it.
Anyway, the little rabbit had left the Immortal Mountain. As long as he finished his punishment here and returned, he still had a chance to win back the Immortal Lord.
This time, he wouldn’t hesitate anymore. When he returned, he would confess his feelings.
Shu Qing tucked the jade pendant into his chest. No matter what he encountered here, as long as he could return to the Immortal Mountain and see the Immortal Lord, he had to endure.
Opening his eyes, the brief tenderness and warmth faded from Shu Qing’s face, and he returned to his cold demeanor, walking outside.
The guy who got slapped last night was kneeling on the ground.
The blood marks on his face hadn’t faded. Seeing Shu Qing come out, he immediately begged for mercy, “Little Immortal, I know I was wrong. I won’t dare again. Please spare me!”
Shu Qing looked down at him, facing such a humble plea, showing no sign of softening.
A cold smile tugged at his lips, “You don’t seem to know you’re wrong; you’re just scared.”
“Not at all, Little Immortal. I truly know I was wrong. I won’t dare again. Please spare me, Little Immortal. I really won’t dare again…”
Shu Qing turned a deaf ear, instructing the person beside him, “Hold him down and beat him hard.”
In reality, the King of the Underworld hadn’t given Shu Qing the authority to discipline the servants—but Shu Qing exploited a loophole, as the King of the Underworld hadn’t explicitly forbidden it.
Even though in the King of the Underworld’s hands, he was like a lowly plaything, he was still the King of the Underworld’s person. Many things he ordered, as long as the King of the Underworld didn’t say no, the people below would still do it.
After doing it many times, Shu Qing knew how to use the King of the Underworld’s power to his advantage, taking over many matters in the palace.
It wasn’t that he liked doing these things.
He liked power.
Only by holding power, making people here respect and fear him, could he live with his head held high.
What did it matter if he was a plaything?
As long as he was second to one and above all others, no one could look down on or mock him.
At this moment, the guy who laughed at him last night was being held down and whipped, his screams and cries intense.
—What a good opportunity to establish authority, letting others see the consequences of underestimating him.
Until the screams and cries became silent, the person wielding the stick stopped, “Little Immortal, he’s fainted. Should we continue?”
Shu Qing sat in the chair, calmly sipping tea, “Splash him awake and continue.”
“But this…”
“What?” Shu Qing raised his eyes, “You don’t want to follow my orders?”
“Of course not.”
“Then continue.” Shu Qing coldly smiled, “Everyone in the Underworld is a ghost. I know they can’t be beaten to death.”
“…”
Though they couldn’t be beaten to death, each whip left them with torn skin and flesh, causing pain and suffering.
“…Yes.”
It seemed that although the King of the Underworld’s concubine held an immortal position, his ruthless and vicious nature was no less than the evil spirits of the Underworld.
The beating continued until the servants present all showed fear. Seeing that he had achieved his desired result, Shu Qing finally called for a stop.
And this act of killing the chicken to scare the monkey quickly spread. For the rest of the day, wherever Shu Qing went, others treated him with caution.
But that night, the King of the Underworld sent someone to summon him.
Shu Qing was startled because usually, the King of the Underworld wouldn’t call for him two days in a row, always giving him at least a day to rest in between.
But he guessed it was probably because of his actions in the morning. Shu Qing was prepared for this and went over calmly.
[Author’s Note]
With just 20 collections, I went all out and started writing like crazy.
It’s been a while. Will there still be readers who care about me? TvT