Making the Princess Cry

It seemed the princess had quite the fiery temper.

Though she appeared fragile, her strength—judging by the force of her strike—was no small matter. She had reached the First Stage of Body Refining.

But Ronald was no longer the same as he once was. With a swift movement, he dodged her kick with ease, then reached out and scooped her up, pinning her under his arm.

"You bastard! Pervert! Let me go!" Qin Xue screamed, struggling violently in his grasp.

Ronald's muscles tensed as she thrashed against him. His patience snapped. With a quick motion, he slapped her—hard—across her soft rear.

"Still playing pretend at being a heroine? You haven't even grown up yet, and you're already trying to act like a warrior? I'm going to teach you a lesson on behalf of the Emperor!"

Ronald was angered. If it weren't for the princess's status, he would've already drawn his blade and dealt with her accordingly.

But now, with her caught in a humiliating position under his arm, and her soft bottom slapped, Qin Xue's neck turned red in shame as she continued to struggle with all her might.

But Ronald's strength was far too much for her.

"Still not quiet?"

Smack! Smack! Smack!

He struck her again, each slap landing with the force of a father disciplining his rebellious daughter.

"Bastard! Let me go!" Qin Xue cried out, her voice filled with rage.

Ronald was intent on teaching this stubborn princess a lesson. He knew if he didn't break her spirit now, she would never stop targeting him later.

"Qin Xue!" he barked. "You attacked me for no reason! Now you dare to keep your mouth shut? You better beg for mercy, or I'll make sure your backside is sore for days!"

Qin Xue's body felt weak, her tender bottom throbbing with pain from the slaps. But she refused to give in, still shouting insults through her tears.

"You damn rapist! Bully! Traitor to Sister Mengyu! Scum! Pervert! I won't let you get away with this!"

Ronald's anger flared. He slapped her again, this time with even more force.

"When did I ever force myself on a woman? And as for that slut Mengyu—don't ever mention her again! Believe me, I'll have you sold to a brothel if you keep it up!"

The slap landed with a sickening sound, and Qin Xue let out a blood-curdling scream. Her whole body stiffened, like she'd been electrocuted, her energy drained from the pain. The tears she'd been holding back finally spilled over, and she began to sob uncontrollably.

Ronald paused, shocked. He hadn't expected to reduce the princess to tears. He wasn't exactly the best at handling a girl's tears.

Just as he was about to release her and make a quick escape, an angry shout rang out from ahead.

"Traitor! Let go of my sister!"

Ronald looked up to see the Second Prince, Qin Ji, leading a group of guards, rushing toward him. Among them were Li Haotian and Mia.

Qin Ji bellowed, "Ronald! Let go of the princess, and you might still get off easy. If not, I'll make sure you regret it for the rest of your life!"

Ronald remained calm, scanning the group with a cold gaze. He then said, "Oh? The Second Prince? It's been years, Your Highness, but you've only grown more distinguished."

Li Haotian sneered. "Ronald, didn't expect you to still have the guts to show your face. Cut the crap—let the princess go!"

Qin Ji, impatient, demanded, "What do you want, Ronald?"

Ronald thought for a moment, then smiled. "It's simple. I'll release the princess, but only if you agree to one thing."

"And what's that?" Qin Ji asked, his voice tight with impatience.

"I hear the Empire brought a treasure to the auction—a Ge Yuan Fruit. I don't need much. Just three will do, and I'll let the princess go."

"Ge Yuan Fruit?"

The group exchanged glances. While the fruit was rare, its practical use was limited.

Mia's voice was calm as she spoke. "Ge Yuan Fruits can't be consumed directly. I'm curious, what would the esteemed Prince want with them?"