Chapter 56: Miss Su Nian, you don’t want to… right? 

Shadowmoon Manor.

Su Nian followed the damned horned demon all the way before finally leaving the dungeon and arriving at the first-floor hall of Shadowmoon Manor.

Compared to the dungeon, the decor here was far more luxurious.

During this time, Su Nian had been memorizing the route out of the dungeon-she needed to prepare for her eventual reckoning with the perverted horned demon.

In truth, Chu Tian could have easily sealed Su Nian’s vision to prevent her from discovering the dungeon’s entrance.

But now, there was no need for that anymore.

Chu Tian looked at the gift box in his hand, organizing his thoughts.

Main Hall of Shadowmoon Manor.

After walking for what felt like ages, Su Nian returned to the place where she had previously fought the damned horned demon.

If she could just leave through the main gate and escape Shadowmoon Manor… she’d be safe!

Surely nothing unexpected would happen now, right?

The damned horned demon had already brought her this far he couldn’t be toying with her. 

He would let her leave, wouldn’t he?

The next moment, Su Nian felt a ripple of magical energy around her. 

The mana that had been suppressed and continuously drained began to slowly recover.

Soon, she would be able to use magic again.

The reason was simple.

Chu Tian had deactivated all the magic arrays. 

Though these arrays weren’t single-use, each activation consumed energy from magic crystals or, in their absence, from his own reserves of Qi.

Now that they were turned off, it was because the next phase of his plan was already in motion. 

There was no need to keep them running.

Feeling her mana gradually return, Su Nian finally let out a sigh of relief.

If he had gone so far as to disable the arrays, he must truly intend to keep his word and let her go.

Now was the time to leave-why hesitate?

Run!

Her heart pounded with urgency, her steps unconsciously quickening as she desperately sought to flee this place of humiliation.

But then, she heard a voice behind her.

“Wait,” Chu Tian called out.

Su Nian’s heart clenched.

Had the damned horned demon changed his mind? 

Did he not plan to let her go after all?

She should have known better than to trust him.

Turning back, she saw the horned demon standing there, a wicked smirk playing on his lips as he gazed at her.

Her strength hadn’t fully recovered yet.

The main hall was still a good hundred meters away from the manor’s exit. 

If she ignored him and tried to run now, she wouldn’t make it. 

And worse it would only provoke him.

“What is it?” Su Nian asked, her voice trembling with fear and unease.

She was so close to freedom, yet the tension of this critical moment made her heart race uncontrollably.

“Nothing much. Just a little gift for you. Open it,” Chu Tian said, handing her the neatly wrapped box. 

Inside were the images captured earlier by the recording crystal.

Su Nian immediately grew wary.

What kind of “gift” would the damned horned demon give her?

A thought suddenly struck her considering the perverted horned demon’s earlier strange behavior…

Could it be…?!

She snatched the box, crouched down, and opened it, finally seeing its contents clearly.

A duplicate crystal orb…

And several photographs.

The moment her eyes landed on the images, the beautiful maiden’s pupils dilated in shock. 

She stared in disbelief at the photos inside the box.

This… was her!

In the pictures, she stood completely naked, holding her identity badge, the symbol of her status as a mentor,between her teeth.

She had thought that enduring the perverted horned demon’s twisted whims would be enough to secure her freedom.

However, it was all part of the damned horned demon’s scheme-tricking her into striking that pose so he could secretly take photos.

So… that’s how it was.

At this moment.

The sight of her humiliating pose in the photos made her face burn with shame, wishing she could vanish into the ground…

As for the footage in the copied crystal ball, she only needed to watch the beginning to understand.

It contained the disgraceful scene of her kneeling, begging for mercy, and swearing allegiance.

Wuuu…

In an instant.

Su Nian slumped onto the floor of the hall, her beautiful face resting weakly against her knees as if all her strength had been drained.

After a brief silence.

The sorrowful, aggrieved peerless beauty finally spoke.

“You… what exactly do you want?”

As Su Nian spoke, she channeled her ice-fire magic.

In a flash.

The photos before her turned to ashes, and the copied crystal ball shattered under a blade of ice.

After the magic circle dissipated, she had regained a sliver of her power-not enough to fight the horned demon, but more than sufficient to burn a few photos and smash a crystal ball.

“What do I want?” Chu Tian crossed his arms.

“Mainly to prevent Miss Su Nian from rallying forces to storm my Shadowmoon Manor after leaving. As for the rest… I haven’t fully decided yet. That’s why, among your ‘gifts,’ there’s one more thing—and you’d better not destroy this one…”

“As for the photos and crystal ball you just ruined, I can print thousands of copies anytime. Burn them all you like.”

In truth.

The photos Su Nian had just burned, along with the footage in the copied crystal ball, were the last remaining copies in this world. 

The original recording crystal had already been disposed of.

Chu Tian had no intention of letting others see Su Nian’s private photos and videos; this was merely a threat. 

Even if she refused to yield, he wouldn’t actually spread them.

Moreover, this ensured Su Nian couldn’t track down the original crystal to erase the contents and free herself from his control.

A recording that no longer existed was the most unbreakable leverage and the most potent threat.

Su Nian gritted her teeth so hard they nearly cracked.

But she knew she had no choice…

She couldn’t bear to imagine the consequences if those photos and footage were seen by people she knew.

Just the thought was… unbearable.

“Ah, by the way, my little underlings have made some progress…”

“Let me guess where our idol’s hometown is-Hidden Dragon Town… yes, and next… Carp Village, right?” Chu Tian continued his threats.

Beyond the photos, his second leverage was Su Nian’s family.

In that moment, fully aware of his grip on her, Su Nian felt defeated once more…

And this time.

Unlike her defeat on the battlefield, this humiliation was far worse-and the price, far greater.

Wuuu…

Su Nian reached into the box again and pulled out a long, flat object.

What… was this?

“An upgraded version of the communication crystal-a magic slate. More compact, easier to carry around.”

“I’ll contact you through this. And you’re not allowed to ignore the calls-er, the connections. Any further demands will be relayed via the slate,” Chu Tian commanded.

The magical device named the Communication Slate would become one of his future tools for amassing wealth to resist the invasion of the demon army. 

There was ample space within Shadowmoon Manor to construct a magic workshop.

“Of course, you could choose to ignore all this and report me to the Academy City,” Chu Tian said with full confidence, mustering an imposing tone.

“But you know the consequences!” he added with a theatrical threat.

“Miss Su Nian, surely you wouldn’t want those photos and recordings to be shown to Magic Feather Fantasy colleagues, or the students of the Magic Academy, would you? Or perhaps to your parents or even the devoted fans of those idol ladies?”