The King of the Underworld was in the study room. After the servant at the door announced his arrival, Shu Qing walked in.
Shu Qing kept his head down, putting on a well-behaved and obedient demeanor, and slowly took a few steps forward. “Your Highness.”
Facing the King of the Underworld, he couldn’t fight, didn’t dare to scold, and was afraid of the other party’s torturous methods. No matter how unwilling Shu Qing was in his heart, he could only disguise himself.
He sneaked a glance at the King of the Underworld, who was putting down his pen and also looked up. His features were handsome yet cold and sharp, exuding a powerful aura that made people tremble with fear.
With just one glance, Shu Qing quickly lowered his head again. His hand, clutching the hem of his clothes, clenched into a fist, and he suddenly thought: Is there really no way to kill this guy? Can I poison him?
“Come here,” the King of the Underworld spoke.
“Yes.”
But when he opened his mouth to answer, Shu Qing’s tone was very gentle, completely different from his arrogant demeanor during the day. In front of the King of the Underworld, he was as submissive as he could be.
His steps were even slower, inching forward to the King of the Underworld’s desk. Shu Qing didn’t lift his head, as if he heard the King of the Underworld’s low chuckle, full of amusement.
Finally reaching the front, the King of the Underworld didn’t mention anything but straightforwardly demanded, “Sit up.”
“……”
Shu Qing glanced at the King of the Underworld’s desk, and his scalp tingled instantly. The meaning was self-evident. But he didn’t want to do it in such a place.
“Your Highness…”
Shu Qing softened his tone, trying to plead.
“Hmm?”
“……”
But the short sound, combined with the sharp and dark gaze, was enough to demonstrate the King of the Underworld’s irresistible authority.
Shu Qing knew pleading was useless, so he closed his mouth and obediently sat on the desk.
The King of the Underworld hummed with satisfaction, “Good boy.”
Shu Qing gritted his teeth, not daring to lift his head. The King of the Underworld’s tone seemed gentler, but the words he spoke were still cold and ruthless: “Take off your clothes.”
“……”
Shu Qing closed his eyes. Although he had already guessed the King of the Underworld’s intentions and knew that pleading was useless, hearing such a request still made his heart skip a beat.
He didn’t dare to resist the King of the Underworld’s demands because the result would only be against himself. But his fingers lingered on his belt, hesitating to take the next step.
The King of the Underworld waited for a while, seeing his hesitation and unwillingness, and sneered, “What, you don’t plan to listen to me?”
“……”
If he had a choice, Shu Qing certainly wouldn’t want to. But in the entire Underworld, the King of the Underworld was the one who decided life and death.
Whether he agreed or not, there was only one option in the end. So Shu Qing didn’t answer, just kept his head down, gritting his teeth, as if making some kind of decision, and fiercely undid his clothes.
The thin inner shirt followed the outer garment as it slipped off, exposing his skin to the air. In the dim light, Shu Qing’s brows furrowed slightly, his expression restrained, reflecting the fresh bruises on his body, giving off an indescribable sense of pale fragility.
Of course, Shu Qing was unwilling to endure such humiliation. But what could he do, even more filthy and degrading things had already been done.
To the King of the Underworld in front of him, he was just an object, a tool, a target for venting. His slender fingers slowly caressed the King of the Underworld’s arm. He actually knew very well which set to use to deal with the King of the Underworld, and he asked softly, “Your Highness, how do you want me to serve you…”
Seeing his obedient submission, the King of the Underworld’s expression improved a bit. He grabbed Shu Qing’s hand and said in a deep voice, “I heard you were quite impressive in the hall today?”
“……”
Shu Qing knew he would bring this up. But there was nothing he couldn’t admit. When he did it, he was prepared for this.
So he wasn’t flustered at all and slowly said, “I am arrogant because of your favor, naturally harsh, Your Highness knows this.”
The King of the Underworld chuckled lightly, seemingly not expecting him to admit it so straightforwardly, without any remorse.
“It’s forbidden to use private punishment in the hall, don’t you know?”
“I would like to favor you, but now someone has complained to me. If I don’t punish you, wouldn’t it be unfair?”
Shu Qing sneered internally, fair? From the Immortal Realm above to the Underworld below, what real fairness could there be between insignificant ants and the king who ruled life and death?
But he didn’t miss the key point of this sentence. Someone complained. He knew this matter would definitely reach the King of the Underworld’s ears, but hearing it unintentionally and someone deliberately complaining were two very different things.
If he found out who complained, he would definitely skin them alive.
“What, teaching one person a lesson today wasn’t enough, and now hearing someone complained, you want to beat another one too?”
The King of the Underworld saw through Shu Qing’s little thoughts at a glance and mercilessly exposed them: “You’re not allowed to abuse private punishment again.”
Shu Qing remained silent. If this matter was really serious, would the King of the Underworld use this method to teach him a lesson?
“Then, Your Highness, how do you plan to punish me?”
Bringing him to the study room, sitting on the desk, and taking off his clothes, wasn’t it just hoping he would serve with his body? Even without this matter, wouldn’t he serve like this?
“You love to show off and are arrogant because of my favor. Then you should also know who gives you this power and who gives you this favor.”
The King of the Underworld smiled, reaching for a clean brush, playing with it between his fingers. “As long as you please me, I can give you more power and favor.”
Shu Qing’s face showed surprise, and before he could react, the moist and soft tip of the brush swept across his body with a cool sensation.
He couldn’t help but exclaim, “……Your Highness!”
An indescribable subtle and strange feeling, gentle yet stimulating, as if every touch could be precisely captured by his skin.
But Shu Qing was sitting on the desk, his back unsupported, making it very difficult to maintain his balance. Understanding the King of the Underworld’s intention, he could only pretend to be pitiful and look at the King of the Underworld with a pitiful expression, saying, “Your Highness, I can’t hold on… let’s go back to the sleeping quarters.”
“Then find a way to hold on,” the King of the Underworld said mercilessly, “If I make it too easy for you, would it still be considered a punishment?”
The King of the Underworld refused to put down the brush, and Shu Qing instantly felt a shiver run through his body. His wrist trembled, and his body lost support, suddenly falling backward, causing the items on the desk to scatter to the ground with a clatter.
“Look at you, clumsy, messing up my desk and breaking things. Now your crime is even greater. How should I punish you next?”
Shu Qing propped up his upper body, always keeping a low posture without the strength to resist: “……Your Highness, do you really have to punish me? Can’t you forgive me?”
The King of the Underworld reached out, pinching his chin, and smiled, “But you don’t even know how to say nice things. How can I forgive you?”
Shu Qing paused for a moment, then clasped the King of the Underworld’s hand with both of his. It seemed like a humble and obedient plea for mercy, but in reality, it was a bold and reckless test.
He looked directly at the King of the Underworld, his eyes glistening with a slight sheen of tears, “……Husband, please forgive me.”
Unexpectedly, in the next second, his hands were mercilessly flung away, and then he was grabbed by the shoulders and pressed back onto the desk.
Thud—
His head hit with a loud bang, pain mixed with a dizzying sensation. Shu Qing felt like he was about to pass out.
The King of the Underworld’s eyes were blood-red and fierce, sinisterly mocking, “Do you think you’re worthy of calling me husband?”
Shu Qing’s heart raced, wrapped in sudden fear. The man on top of him only brought unpredictable violence and savagery, and the instinct to survive made him struggle to escape.
But the disparity in strength was too great. The King of the Underworld could crush him as easily as crushing an ant.
“……Ugh!”
This was Shu Qing’s most wrong decision. He didn’t know what about this address angered the King of the Underworld, causing him to lose all patience in an instant, his temper flaring to the extreme.
The King of the Underworld had no intention of showing any tenderness. In the next second, he directly pinned him harshly onto the desk.
Almost everything on the desk was swept to the ground. It was unclear who first got stained with ink, but in the end, both of them were dirtied, and the air was filled with a faint ink scent.
Shu Qing began to hate this smell. From now on, wherever he was, as long as he smelled this scent, he would remember this night.
At first, Shu Qing would plead for mercy, but later, he fell silent, only shedding tears with his eyes open.
His eyes were vacant, his gaze unfocused, not knowing where his sight landed. It seemed that by not looking at the King of the Underworld on top of him and looking into the distance, he could see through the Underworld, which never saw sunlight, and return to the Immortal Mountain thousands of miles away, back to the Immortal Lord’s side.
Immortal Lord. Immortal Lord. But even the Immortal Lord couldn’t save him.
Thinking of the Immortal Lord, Shu Qing’s sense of humiliation deepened, and he instinctively bit his lip, unwilling to let any extra sound escape from between his teeth.
……
When he opened his eyes again, it was already the afternoon of the next day. Shu Qing woke up in a rare daze, his mind blank and confused, even his vision blurry.
When his rationality returned and his vision cleared, he realized he was sleeping in the King of the Underworld’s bed. In the main hall, the King of the Underworld’s sleeping quarters.
The most noble and unparalleled King of the Underworld’s bed in the entire Underworld. ……Was he dreaming?
Being allowed to stay in the side hall was already a great honor. After what happened last night, he thought he had angered the King of the Underworld greatly, yet the King of the Underworld had actually carried him to his own bed?
“Is the little immortal awake? Do you need to get up?” A maid’s voice came from outside the screen.
Shu Qing blinked, confirming this wasn’t a dream. “……Where is the King of the Underworld?”
“His Highness left four or five hours ago, but before he left, he specifically instructed the servants not to disturb the little immortal’s sleep and to let the little immortal wake up on his own.”
“……”
How strange, what kind of trick is this?
“……Why am I here?”
“Naturally, the King of the Underworld carried the little immortal here.”
So after being so angry and tormenting him last night, he ended up personally carrying him from the study to the main hall’s sleeping quarters?
How is this like a punishment? In the eyes of the servants, this was more favoritism and affection.
Wait a minute. If that’s the case, the bastard who complained to the King of the Underworld yesterday must be very angry.
Thinking of this, Shu Qing’s lips finally showed a hint of a smile. At least in the eyes of outsiders, the King of the Underworld not only didn’t punish him for using private punishment on the servants but instead favored him even more.
Although, on second thought, this could easily lead to deeper jealousy and hatred. Shu Qing snorted coldly, thinking that the King of the Underworld wouldn’t let him off so easily, it turned out he had set a trap here.
Shu Qing thought for a moment: “……In the side hall, there’s a servant named Xiao Qi. I have something to discuss with him. Go and call him.”
“Yes.”
Shu Qing had long suspected who the informant was. Having stayed in the Underworld for so long, in order to climb up, he had already figured out the complex relationships between the servants below, even more clearly than the King of the Underworld knew who held which positions.
The King of the Underworld had said not to use private punishment again, but so what? He didn’t plan to listen anyway.
[Author’s Note]
Shu Qing: Sooner or later, I’ll take you down too.