Seeing that the Rock Demon showed no reaction, Suo Ningbing pleaded once more, “Brother, come home with me. Come back with me to meet our younger brother, Suo Lun.”
Hearing the name Suo Lun once again, the Rock Demon suddenly asked, “Does he truly look very much like me?”
Suo Ningbing said, “He truly does. You would certainly like him very much upon seeing him.”
The Rock Demon said, “What about your father? Why do you keep speaking of a younger brother, yet say nothing of your father?”
Suo Ningbing said, “Father, he has already passed away. It happened last year. Now Suo Lun is a noble of the Raging Wave Kingdom, the lord of Tianshui City.”
Hearing that his biological father was dead, the Rock Demon naturally showed no reaction at all, appearing exceedingly indifferent.
Firstly, he had never laid eyes upon this so-called biological father.
Secondly, the Rock Clan placed very little weight upon life and death, viewing death as merely another form of return. Thus, whenever they encountered battle, the Rock People would press forward wave after wave, utterly unafraid of death. And so, thousands of years had passed. Countless human races had vanished or been assimilated, yet the Rock People still endured, even feared by the entire human kingdom.
Of course, this also led to another consequence. The men of the Rock Clan were always fewer in number than the women, giving rise to the tradition of Rock women coming to the human kingdoms to borrow seed.
The Rock Demon asked again, “Why do you wish me to meet Suo Lun?”
Suo Ningbing’s instinct was to say that she wished him to go and help Suo Lun.
But the words reached her lips, and she hastily swallowed them back down, for this half-brother before her was filled with arrogance. He would certainly not wish to hear such words. Thus she said, “The Suo Clan now has only myself and Suo Lun remaining. Now that we have gained an elder brother, we are all overjoyed and wish for our family to meet.”
The Rock Demon closed his eyes and pondered for a while.
When he opened his eyes again, he looked at Suo Ningbing and said, “We Rock Clan pirates never return empty-handed from our raids. So these gold coins we have plundered, and this salt, you may forget about me ever returning them to you.”
Suo Ningbing said, “Consider these things as gifts from Suo Lun and myself to our elder brother.”
“Unnecessary.” The Rock Demon said, “These were plundered by me, so these goods belong to me. Our Rock Clan obtains whatever we need through our own plundering, not through gifts from others. In fact, even you yourself belong to me.”
Suo Ningbing did not reply. She merely gazed at him.
The Rock Demon continued, “I am showing mercy now. I shall only seize property, not ravish, and not kill. Go back. Take your people and go back.”
Suo Ningbing was startled and said, “Brother, will you not come home with me to meet Suo Lun?”
The Rock Demon sneered coldly, “You must be joking. We Rock People never set foot upon the mainland, or we shall be cursed by the Sea God.”
“But… but…” Suo Ningbing said anxiously.
“There are no buts.” The Rock Demon said, “If you prattle on any further, none of you shall be able to leave.”
Then he gave an order to the Salt People, “Two females, come here. Throw this woman back onto her ship.”
Then, two female pirates emerged and escorted Suo Ningbing back to her tower ship.
Afterwards, countless Rock Clan pirates began swarming onto the Suo Clan naval vessels, transporting silver coins, gold coins, and large quantities of salt.
Because of Suo Ningbing’s orders, the Suo Clan naval forces offered no resistance whatsoever, allowing the Rock Clan pirates to seize all the goods aboard the ships.
Once all the goods had been plundered, at the Rock Demon’s command, the countless pirate vessels dispersed like a wolf pack, fleeing towards the vast eastern sea.
Suo Ningbing’s heart was filled with boundless anxiety. She wished to retain this half-brother.
She felt herself utterly useless, unable to keep him. But Suo Lun was so clever. He would certainly be able to make their brother stay.
And right at this moment, the Rock Demon’s voice reached her ears, saying, “I am the future King of the Rock Pirates. To think you would have me go and meet a human noble in person. Truly a joke. If there is to be a meeting, let that Suo Lun come to Rock Island to meet me.”
With that, the Rock Clan pirate fleet swiftly receded into the distance.
Suo Ningbing discovered that although the vessels of the Rock Clan pirates were not particularly large, they were exceedingly sturdy and remarkably swift.
However, they appeared to toss about upon the waves, as though they might capsize at any moment.
Yet the Rock People pirates aboard the ships moved as steadily as if walking upon flat ground.
They were truly born pirates, and the most elite, most powerful navy in the world.
…
At this moment, within the Rainflower Pavilion of the capital city of the Kingdom of Zhi. Gui Qinshao was experiencing the most unbearable scene imaginable.
All the dragon power in her meridians had been sealed, rendering her a frail and helpless weak woman.
Then, she was stripped completely bare, revealing a devilishly curvaceous and enchanting figure.
Her hands were bound, and she was suspended halfway in the air. She needed to exert great effort merely to let her toes touch the ground.
Instantly, she entered an exceedingly painful state.
The ropes binding her delicate arms were already agonising. If her entire body were suspended, her hands simply could not bear the strain.
But if she wished to stand upon the ground, she needed to strain her feet to stand upon tiptoe with all her might. For an ordinary person, this was excruciating.
Still, Gui Qinshao had practised the Nine Swords of Tribulation, so she could barely endure. Yet after merely a quarter of an hour, she was trembling all over, her fragrant sweat pouring down in streams.
At this moment, her heart was filled with boundless, boundless regret.
Why had she come? She had clearly known she would be tormented by Suo Lun, yet she had insisted on coming.
Of course, there was another reason. If it were only Suo Lun, that would still be tolerable. But Tu Lingduo was there at his side.
Two women equally beautiful and proud were certain to be enemies.
Thus, in Gui Qinshao’s eyes, she had never been able to tolerate Tu Lingduo.
And now, Suo Lun and Tu Lingduo were tormenting her together. Her most unbearable side was being displayed completely before Tu Lingduo. How could she ever show her face again?
She hated them so much she wished to vomit blood, wished to kill.
But her entire body was sealed. Forget killing, she could not even cry out.
…
Crouching before Gui Qinshao, Suo Lun said, “Tu Lingduo, what do you think I should tattoo upon her lower abdomen?”
“Simply write the character Suo directly. Then she shall never be able to escape you for the rest of her life.” Tu Lingduo said.
Gui Qinshao could not see, but she could hear. Instantly she wished to scream and cry out in desperate protest.
If Suo Lun used bone-etching fluid to write the character Suo upon her lower abdomen, it would never be erasable. Even if she cut away her entire belly, it would be useless, and that would kill her.
In the future, when she and Ling Ao consummated their marriage, if Ling Ao saw the character Suo tattooed upon her lower abdomen, Ling Ao would certainly go mad. He would certainly break off the engagement.
But she was completely unable to stop it now.
The needle dipped in bone-etching fluid pigment continuously pricked her snow-white lower abdomen.
Gui Qinshao could not cry out, and dared not even struggle, for once she struggled, the tattoo would only become more unsightly.
Thus, she could only weep inwardly, curse inwardly. Of course, what mattered most was that having a character tattooed upon her belly was simply too ugly.
By this point, what she cared about most was still her own beauty or ugliness.
A full half hour passed, both painful and itchy. Even though Gui Qinshao had practised the Nine Swords of Tribulation, she could barely endure. Her entire delicate body trembled, her body covered in sweat as though drenched by rain.
Sweat seeped into the tattoo wounds, making the pain even more unbearable.
Finally, the tattoo was complete!
Gui Qinshao could not see it at all, for it was blocked by her own chest.
And Tu Lingduo suddenly said in a faint voice, “Suo Lun, you are truly biased.”
Hearing these words, Gui Qinshao could not help but be startled.
Tu Lingduo said, “The tattoo you gave me was such a terrifying image. Yet the tattoo upon her body is so… beautiful!”
Hearing these words, Gui Qinshao was stunned.
At this moment, Suo Lun took a crystal mirror and held it before Gui Qinshao.
Instantly, she saw the tattoo upon her lower abdomen, then froze slightly. Her beautiful eyes revealed a gleam of astonishment.
Because this tattoo was truly exquisite.
Although it was still seemingly the character Suo, it was a character Suo filled with artistry.
The entire tattoo was a rose flower.
Crimson red petals. Deep green leaves. Dark green stems.
So delicate and alluring, as though about to drip fresh blood.
This rose flower, tattooed upon her snow-white lower abdomen, was truly stunning to the extreme.
Even Gui Qinshao felt that this tattoo made her even more gorgeous and alluring, as though adding the finishing touch to a painting.
Of course, this tattoo could only be seen when one’s clothes were removed. Only the most intimate lover could see it.
But…
This was a rose flower, yet it was also the character Suo.
Anyone could almost instantly recognise that this flower formed the character Suo, imbued with artistic beauty.
Gui Qinshao had always considered herself a flower, a delicate and alluring rose that would never wither.
And Suo Lun’s tattoo of this rose symbolised her, Gui Qinshao.
Yet it also formed the character Suo, as though the two of them were within each other, inseparable.
And thirteen years ago, the tattoo he had given Tu Lingduo was crooked, ugly, and bizarre, reading “Suo Lun was here.”
Thus, Tu Lingduo had said he was biased.
These words instantly gave Gui Qinshao a nearly perverse sense of sweetness.
Even when Suo Lun tormented her, he was more biased towards her.
“Gui Qinshao, you once bowed before the ceremonial hall and became my wife. Thus in this lifetime, you shall never have a second man. Even if I divorce you, you remain a woman of the Suo Clan.” Suo Lun said fiercely.
These words also made Tu Lingduo’s heart feel inexplicably uncomfortable. Instantly, her interest in the so-called tormenting of Gui Qinshao waned completely.
“Continue on your own. I no longer wish to participate. But rest assured, I shall not ruin your good affair.” Tu Lingduo said coldly. Then she took a jug of wine, went to the balcony, and drank her fill while leaning against the railing.
In the distant pavilion sat Tu Lingchen and the others. Yet it seemed Tu Lingduo truly had no intention of betraying him.
To describe it in one phrase, the moment her fate was decided, her grief was already greater than her heart could bear.
And at this moment, Suo Lun revealed a terrible smile. He took out a bundle of special ropes, a whip, night pearls, and a great pile of other things.
Then he rolled up his sleeves and said, “Gui Qinshao, that was merely a small appetiser just now. Now the main course has arrived. What follows shall truly make you wish you could neither live nor die.”
At these words, Gui Qinshao’s delicate body trembled violently, shrinking back with a start.