In an instant, Ji Ning seemed unable to distinguish between reality and dreams.
Ever since the graduation examination at the Royal Academy, she had had nightmares almost every night.
Very well, she could not tell whether these were nightmares or sweet dreams.
In every dream, Suo Lun would ravage her, again and again.
Each time using different methods, different ways.
The source of all this lay in that sentence Suo Lun whispered in her ear after creating a miracle by being blinded by her and then hitting the target every time while shooting blind: Ji Ning, one day I will definitely rape you and then kill you.
From then on, almost every night after falling asleep, Suo Lun would come to ravage her in her dreams.
This had once caused Ji Ning unbearable suffering, to the point where she dared not even sleep.
For this reason, she had even specifically gone to the Dragon God Temple’s spirit master to seek help.
However, the spirit master said this was an illness of the heart, and there was no particularly good solution. One could not simply erase memories for this.
Afterwards, Ji Ning gradually grew accustomed to it.
Yet…
The most terrifying thing was not gradually growing accustomed, but gradually anticipating, even enjoying.
Because the dreams were too real, and she had always suppressed herself. Although she was already twenty-two years old, she had never had any experience between men and women.
She understood everything, but had never tried.
And in this extremely realistic dream, that peak pleasure was almost exactly the same as reality.
Although she had always denied this in her heart, she was no longer afraid of sleeping. She even specifically sought out related books before sleeping to learn new knowledge, so that her dreams would have new images and sensations.
However, reality was just so dull.
When she no longer felt these dreams were painful torment, and even enjoyed them, the dreams disappeared.
From dreaming once every day, to once every three or four days, and finally disappearing completely.
To the point where Ji Ning sometimes deliberately drank and went to bed early, yet these dreams no longer appeared.
But now, the dream had appeared once more.
Oh no, this was far more real than a dream, and far more intense and stimulating.
Suo Lun held her little pink tongue in his mouth, sucking desperately, biting slightly with force.
Ji Ning’s entire person trembled as if she were shuddering.
How long had it been since the last dream? Two months? Or three?
She was a mature woman, and within her body there seemed to be a flame burning at every moment.
And the recent period without dreams seemed to have added fuel to this flame every day, making it burn even more fiercely.
It was also as if her body were a reservoir, and desire was floodwater.
Ever since the dreams stopped, this sturdy dam had always firmly blocked the floodwater, not allowing a single drop to spill out.
And every day, the floodwater continued to flow in, the water level constantly rising.
Every day she suppressed, whether desire or pressure, all suppressed and accumulated.
Suppressed to the extreme, she wanted to erupt.
Yet the dam of reason was too sturdy, making eruption impossible.
And now, Suo Lun had fiercely dug a breach in this dam.
Instantly, the fierce floodwater madly poured out. That intensity almost instantly destroyed everything.
Suo Lun felt that Ji Ning’s body seemed to be on fire, her flushed skin truly as if scalded by hot water.
He bit and sucked even harder, then his large hand went straight for the vital point, attacking Ji Ning’s weak spot.
Ji Ning seemed to be electrocuted, suddenly shuddering violently.
…
Suddenly, Ji Ning thought of something, her fiery and dazed eyes suddenly clearing, and she struggled desperately.
“Suo Lun, let me go, let me go…”
But by now she had no strength to push Suo Lun away, so she bit down hard with her jade teeth.
Suo Lun’s tongue was bitten and hurt, and then he was pushed away by Ji Ning.
Then, Ji Ning quickly retreated and said in a cold voice, “Suo Lun, I warn you, if you dare truly defile me. I guarantee I will cut you into ten thousand pieces, and will kill your sister, your women, everyone around you, skin them alive and tear out their tendons.”
Suo Lun stepped forward, extending his wet hand before Ji Ning and said, “You were clearly enjoying it.”
“Bullshit.” Ji Ning sneered.
She had clearly been lost in passion, so why had she suddenly pushed Suo Lun away?
Because she remembered something extremely fatal. She was to be married, she had a fiance. And the other party was an extremely important figure. Once she lost her chastity before marriage, the consequences would be extremely fatal.
Suo Lun smiled and said, “But you cannot stop me at all now. Here, even if you scream yourself hoarse, no one will come to save you.”
This dialogue seemed very familiar.
Ji Ning said, “Let us negotiate. If you spare me and do not destroy my purity. I can let you live, and can also let your sister live.”
Suo Lun said, “What about my Tian Shui City?”
Ji Ning said, “Do not even dream about Tian Shui City. We spent such a great price precisely to make Tian Shui City the base camp for our southern advance into the Savage Plains.”
Suo Lun said, “Then I am sorry. Without Tian Shui City, there is no meaning in my living either. So, rather than dying, let me enjoy myself thoroughly first.”
After speaking, Suo Lun advanced upon Ji Ning like a great devil.
And the vicious and cunning Ji Ning instead became like a little white rabbit.
Watching Suo Lun approach step by step, Ji Ning desperately clamped her legs shut, desperately retreating to protect her purity. Soon she was forced into a corner, with nowhere left to retreat.
“Fine, fine.” Ji Ning said through gritted teeth, “You can still be the Lord of Tian Shui City, but only in name, and you must remain in the royal city count’s residence. As for Tian Shui City, it will all be handed over to us to rule.”
“No.” Suo Lun sneered, stepping forward and saying, “I must be the legitimate and rightful Lord of Tian Shui City. As for your southern advance to attack the Savage Plains, I can support it, but I must become one of the commanders-in-chief of the southern expedition army.”
“Dream on, dream your pipe dreams.” Ji Ning said, “This condition, I would rather die than agree. If you want to rape me, then come at me.”
After speaking, Ji Ning closed her eyes, as if resigning herself to fate, resolutely refusing to yield.
Suo Lun stepped forward, grabbed her clothes, and was about to tear them open fiercely.
Ji Ning was startled and shouted loudly, “Stop, stop, Suo Lun you beast, you animal, using such despicable methods against a woman like me, what kind of hero are you?”
Suo Lun said, “I was never any hero.”
Ji Ning said, “If you defile me, what will happen when Yan Nai Er finds out?”
Suo Lun said, “What is the big deal? At worst, I’ll kneel on a washboard for a month. Facing one’s wife, as long as a man is willing to kneel, what problem cannot be solved?”
“Shameless, shameless…” Ji Ning almost bit her teeth until they bled, incomparably furious, yet unable to say why.
Suo Lun again thrust his hand into her clothes, making as if to tear them, and said, “Princess Ji Ning, you must make your decision quickly. My blood is already surging. If this stalemate continues, I do not know what will happen.”
Princess Ji Ning looked at Suo Lun, word by word, and said, “The final bottom line, a bottom line that cannot be crossed. Everything north of Tian Shui main city is yours, everything south of the main city is ours, including Tian Wolf Pass and the Savage Gorge Fortress.”
Suo Lun said, “Then would I not lose most of Tian Shui City’s land?”
Ji Ning said, “Being able to preserve your life and half your territory is already your best result.”
Suo Lun suddenly asked, “Why are you so afraid of losing your purity?”
Ji Ning said, “I am a noble princess. I value my purity as my life.”
Suo Lun pursed his lips and said, “Stop it. We are all children of the jianghu, who can fool whom? At first you showed no resistance, and your reactions were even more intense than mine.”
“I am betrothed, I am to be married.” Ji Ning said.
“Who is the other party?” Suo Lun asked.
“Why do you ask who it is? In any case, he is a hundred times nobler than you.” Ji Ning said.
“Who is it?” Suo Lun grabbed hard.
Instantly, Ji Ning shuddered, nearly losing her guard.
“The world hegemon, Prince Ji Min of the Yan Empire.” Ji Ning said.
Truly a great personage, one almost as great as the heavens.
Suo Lun said with a wicked smile, “In that case, your purity is truly important, truly valuable.”
Ji Ning’s expression changed and she said, “Suo Lun, what do you mean? Do not think you can extort anything more from me.”
Suo Lun said, “Then I state my final bottom line. I can yield the Savage Gorge Fortress, but for everything else, I will not yield an inch!”
“Impossible!” Ji Ning said, “That Savage Fortress can station at most twenty thousand troops at most.”
Suo Lun said, “You can build castles and barracks behind the Savage Fortress. I will give you everything thirty li north of the Savage Fortress.”
“Not enough, impossible.” Ji Ning said in a cold voice.
Suo Lun said, “Then do not force me to burn all our boats. The person you are to marry is the future world hegemon. Is your purity so worthless? If you lose your chastity, this marriage alliance will definitely fall through. You cannot possibly also go to a sorcerer to get it repaired.”
Instantly, Ji Ning trembled all over with anger, almost biting through her gums until they bled. Coldly, word by word, she said, “Suo Lun, you are truly shameless. There is no one more shameless than you in this world.”
Suo Lun said, “I begin the countdown. After I finish counting to ten, if you still have not agreed, do not blame me for being merciless with my spear.”
Then, Suo Lun began the countdown.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six… three, two, one…
After speaking, Suo Lun fiercely tore at Ji Ning’s clothes, and instantly all her wonderful spring beauty was revealed.
“Fine, fine, fine…” Ji Ning’s gaze was ice-cold, word by word, she said, “We only want the Savage Gorge Fortress and Tian Wolf Pass. Everything else is yours.”
Tian Wolf Pass and the Savage Fortress were fortresses that the Suo clan had spent decades and mobilised tens of thousands of people to build. They were the only barrier against enemies invading from the south.
Suo Lun said, “Why do you want Tian Wolf Pass now too?”
Ji Ning said, “Tian Wolf Pass is right behind the Savage Fortress. If Tian Wolf Pass is in your hands, we will not be able to sleep in peace. This is the final bottom line.”
Suo Lun thought for a while and said, “Fine, it is a deal. I will present Tian Wolf Pass Fortress and the Savage Gorge Fortress to Ji Li, and in exchange you immediately withdraw your troops and never again harbour designs on my Tian Shui City.”
Ji Ning’s gaze was filled with boundless hatred, the corner of her mouth truly biting until it bled. Word by word, she said, “Fine, it is a deal.”
Suo Lun said, “Empty words are not proof. Sign and affix your seal.”
Then, Suo Lun took out a roll of parchment and wrote the terms of the treaty upon it.
Suo Lun, Lord of Tian Shui City, leases Tian Wolf Pass Fortress and Savage Gorge Fortress, along with the affiliated territory within twenty li, to His Highness Ji Li for thirty years. In exchange, Duke Ji Wei shall immediately withdraw his troops, and henceforth the royal house shall not dispatch a single soldier into Tian Shui City territory. Once this holy covenant is established, the Holy Temple shall guarantee it. Should any party violate it, let heaven and earth despise them, and let the Dragon God destroy them!
Then, Suo Lun signed his great name upon it and stamped it with the seal of the Lord of Tian Shui City.
“Your turn.” Suo Lun said.
Ji Ning took the brush and signed her own name on the treaty.
Suo Lun took this treaty and examined it carefully, as if he treasured it immensely, as if it were a lifeline.
And Ji Ning breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. Seeing Suo Lun treating the treaty as a precious treasure, she could not help a sneer of mockery in her heart.
So-called treaties were used when one’s strength was insufficient, employing a scrap of paper to carry out final extortion and consolidate the fruits of victory.
When one’s strength was sufficient, one simply used military force to seize things. Who the hell would care about a treaty? This thing was too stiff to even wipe one’s arse with.
Treaties like this, Princess Ji Ning could sign a hundred of them without issue. When the time came to tear them up, she would not even blink.
Su Lun had now lost his only backer. Duke Ji Wei’s one hundred thousand troops could at any moment enter Tian Shui City under the pretext of suppressing rebels and exterminate the Suo clan to the last person.
For Suo Lun to try to preserve Tian Shui City with a scrap of paper was truly too naive.
Once she was released and returned to Ji Wei’s great army, the first thing she would do was order the one hundred thousand troops to march into Tian Shui City and exterminate the Suo clan’s power to the last person. Opportunity knocks but once. This was the best opportunity to destroy the Suo clan. If she missed it, Ji Ning would never forgive herself.
Seeing Suo Lun examining the so-called life-preserving treaty again and again, Ji Ning ordered coldly, “Suo Lun, using your despicable methods, you have now obtained everything you wanted. Release me immediately, release Tu Ling Duo, release Gui Qin Qu, release everyone including Nu Er Dan.”
Suo Lun carefully rolled up the treaty and said, “Despicable is the passport of the despicable. To preserve my life, to preserve Tian Shui City, I can only resort to any means necessary.”
“Hmph…” Ji Ning sneered inwardly with contempt, and said, “Now, immediately, right this moment, let me go, let all of us go.”
Suo Lun brought over a candle flame, unrolled the treaty, and examined it once more with great care, saying, “This is my life-preserving treaty. It was so hard to negotiate. You must all abide by it, or else you will violate the faith of the Dragon God and be cursed by the Dragon God.”
Ji Ning said, “Of course, of course we will abide by the treaty. This is guaranteed by the Dragon God Holy Temple. Do not forget I studied at the Dragon God Holy Temple for several years. The Dragon God is my highest faith.”
“Wonderful…” Suo Lun said with tears in his eyes.
Then…
Suo Lun placed the treaty he treasured so much upon the candle flame and lit it. The flames quickly devoured this parchment contract.
Ji Ning was stunned, completely unable to believe what she was witnessing.
The life-preserving treaty that Suo Lun had exhausted all his efforts to obtain, a treaty that should be worth ten thousand gold in his heart, was actually reduced to ashes just like that, burned to nothing.
“Suo Lun, you, what do you mean?” Ji Ning hissed and asked.
Suo Lun said seriously, “This parchment is too slippery. It cannot wipe one’s arse clean.”
Ji Ning trembled all over with anger and shrieked, “The life-preserving treaty you worked so hard to negotiate, why did you burn it?”
Suo Lun said, “I was just playing with you. Who would believe you would keep your word? Moreover, I will not yield a single inch of land to you. Wanting me to cede Tian Wolf Pass and the Savage Fortress, impossible!”
Ji Ning’s entire body trembled, looking at Suo Lun in disbelief.
Bastard, this bastard had actually toyed with her so, played with her so.
Instantly, she shrieked in fury, “Suo Lun, I will definitely have Duke Ji Wei’s great army exterminate your Suo clan to the last person, castrate all men loyal to the Suo clan and make them slaves, and make all women, all of them, into prostitutes.”
However, she only got halfway through her cursing before she stopped.
Because the Suo Lun before her began removing his clothes one by one, and soon stood completely naked before Ji Ning.
“You, what are you doing?” Ji Ning trembled.
“Sleeping with you. We agreed on this long ago.” Suo Lun said, “What happened just now was merely foreplay.”
Ji Ning was greatly shocked. This devil, this devil.
Suo Lun pressed her to the ground, tore her clothes to shreds, revealing her peerlessly wonderful jade body.
Then, Suo Lun did not hesitate in the slightest. He gripped her neck, stared into her eyes, and entered her directly.
“Ah…” Ji Ning cried out in pain.
Her priceless purity was instantly destroyed.
Ning Bing, Nai Er, I have prepared the washboard.
To preserve Tian Shui City, to protect all of you, I, Suo Lun, am capable of doing anything!