Chapter 402: Yuan Fu Prison Warden A Jie

Xu Xiaoshou had originally planned to attend the banquet with Fu Zhi and take the opportunity to see his nephew, Fu Xing.

However, the old man complained that he was dirty, claiming he hadn't bathed in four years and needed to clean up.

Unable to argue with him, Xu Xiaoshou had no choice but to part ways.

Fu Zhi was still incredibly excited.

After all, he hadn't seen a living soul in four years.

Stepping out of the array, he happened to encounter the evening banquet, which was truly cause for celebration.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't feel the same way.

Watching the man leave in high spirits, as if finding the Tian Shu Ji Pan was no longer important, Xu Xiaoshou could only sigh at his remarkably big heart.

When the flower sea exploded, Fu Zhi didn't pursue the matter further, clearly intending to make some connections.

And Xu Xiaoshou hadn't done it on purpose anyway.

So, the issue was temporarily put aside.

Fu Yin Hong took Liu Jing to search for the thief, Fu Zhi walked off, and Xu Xiaoshou stayed put, lost in thought.

"So, in the end, out of nowhere, this Tian Shu Ji Pan ended up in my hands?"

Even Xu Xiaoshou was a bit bewildered by this outcome.

After all, before this, he had no idea what the Tian Shu Ji Pan even was.

Perhaps good deeds really do bring good rewards!

If he hadn't brought Xu Xiaojian into the city lord's mansion back then, things wouldn't have taken such a bizarre turn...

Thinking of Xu Xiaojian, Xu Xiaoshou didn't rush to leave the flower sea.

With a flicker of his form, he entered Yuan Fu directly.

"Ah—"

The moment he stepped in, a blood-curdling scream pierced the air, followed by relentless cursing.

"You damn Xu Xiaoshou, what the hell is this thing? Make it stop!"

"Damn it, let me go! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, bro, I shouldn't have said 'damn it,' ahh, it hurts, don't hit!"

"You bastard, stop! Do you think I won't fight back... mmph!"

"Shit..."

With the final weak, desperate wail, Xu Xiaoshou shivered.

He looked up and saw a blood-soaked figure soaring chaotically through the air above the Slanted Tower Spirit Pool, with no control over its trajectory.

Every time it reached the farthest point, about to touch the chaotic mist, A Jie would suddenly appear and deliver another flying kick.

Xu Xiaojian was like a ball, and A Jie was an emotionless machine kicking it.

The kicks were so fast that they left multiple afterimages in the void.

The blood spraying everywhere landed on the broken tower, the spirit pool, and the seeds by the edge, turning the whole place into a sea of red.

Xu Xiaoshou was shocked.

"This..."

"This is way too brutal!"

"Did he piss off A Jie?"

Xu Xiaoshou thought to himself that even he wouldn't dare mess with that guy, so what made Xu Xiaojian think he could cause trouble here?

But then he remembered the order he had given A Jie earlier: to beat him "to death"...

Was that just a joke on his part? And A Jie had taken it completely seriously?

"Stop!"

He quickly shouted.

The red glow in A Jie's agitated and eager eyes stopped flashing, and it halted abruptly in the void.

It tilted its head, its fists and feet covered in fresh blood, with red and white splatters all over its body and face.

Spotting Xu Xiaoshou, the little creature seemed thrilled and let out an affectionate call.

"Mama..."

Xu Xiaoshou shuddered.

The scene was just too horrifying, like some terrifying child.

"Ah—"

Just then, another desperate shriek echoed.

Xu Xiaoshou turned to see that Xu Xiaojian, sent flying by a kick, couldn't control his body and had plunged straight into the chaotic mist.

That stuff could corrode even a grandmaster's body!

"Save him!"

Xu Xiaoshou was startled—this guy couldn't die yet; there were too many secrets left to uncover.

A Jie vanished in an instant, the chaotic mist churned, and when it reappeared, Xu Xiaojian was draped over its shoulder, his muscles and bones mangled, completely unconscious.

Xu Xiaoshou: "..."

"Sorry, I came late."

He stepped forward and fed him a pill, but it turned out Xu Xiaojian still had a bit of awareness left.

Hearing that apologetic voice, he slowly lifted his eyelids, his once-lifeless eyes refocusing.

The next second, his pupils shrank, and he was so frightened that he slid right off A Jie's shoulder, hitting the ground with a thud.

The pain couldn't overshadow his inner terror.

Xu Xiaojian immediately cried out: "Holy shit, Xu Xiaoshou?!"

"Receiving fear, passive value, 1."

After the shock, he lunged forward and clung to Xu Xiaoshou's leg.

"Bro, bro, I was wrong!"

"I shouldn't have deceived you. I don't want the Tian Shu Ji Pan anymore—it's all yours. Everything's yours. Just get me out of here."

"I can't stay here. If this goes on, I'll die."

"Why, why didn't you say a word before starting the punishment? I don't deserve..."

He wailed, then suddenly shuddered and backtracked: "No, the punishment is fine, as long as you like it, bro. You can do whatever you want—just let me out first!"

"Bro..."

His miserable, helpless voice echoed through the small space of Yuan Fu, eventually absorbed by the chaotic mist.

Yet, the air was thick with the scent of utter desperation, the plea of someone stripped of all humanity.

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned.

He looked down at Xu Xiaojian, sobbing with snot and tears, then glanced at A Jie, who was tilting its head curiously at the two of them.

Drip.

Drip.

Blood dripped from A Jie's fingertips, each drop echoing in the quiet space and tugging at the heart.

Every time it dropped, Xu Xiaojian's body twitched.

But he refused to look up, completely afraid to face the one who had just brutalized him.

"I was wrong."

The thought flashed through Xu Xiaoshou's mind.

Who needed a terror park, or man-eating flowers and fish?

This place, with just A Jie in it, was already hell for anyone who entered.

He slowly crouched down and gently tried to help Xu Xiaojian up.

But the guy's legs were like jelly; once down, he was totally limp.

Forget standing—he could barely even hunch over without collapsing.

"Sorry..."

Seeing this pitiful state, Xu Xiaoshou fell silent for a long time, only managing to say that.

Even Xu Xiaojian's earlier curses and insults seemed forgivable now.

It was just too tragic.

No need to pursue it further.

Stuff like "you damn" or "you bastard"—clearly, he hadn't had much education!

If he had, he wouldn't resort to such meaningless ways to insult his most hated enemy!

Xu Xiaoshou wanted to say more, but as soon as Xu Xiaojian heard "sorry," he shrank back in fear.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"It was my fault; I should apologize, bro. You can't say sorry—I don't deserve it..."

He looked up, his eyes brimming with tears.

In that moment, a twinge of guilt rose in Xu Xiaoshou's heart.

Yuan Fu was like a tiny black room, A Jie the heartless tormentor.

And Xu Xiaojian...

Well, he was truly just a helpless little guy, forced to endure it all.