At this moment, her situation was dire.
Her magic had been completely drained, and she was almost out of strength.
Little Violet was curled up on a distant rock, her faint breathing barely noticeable, gravely wounded and unconscious.
Big Mountain had been thrown by that chaotic spatial force to who knows which end of the world.
Even Little Green had been tightly bound by that damned Undead Knight with pitch-black chains burning with runes.
Every struggle brought a low, pained growl, and Little Green’s blue dragon scales were covered in wounds and blood.
Mmph.
Su Nian’s silver teeth bit down hard on her lower lip.
Her beautiful sky-blue eyes were filled with unwillingness and fury, as well as a trace of fear she couldn’t even admit to herself, stubbornly glaring at the man not far away who seemed to be strolling leisurely as if in his own backyard.
‘Is it going to be like before— Defeated again?’
The very thought of the word “defeat” involuntarily brought up some extremely “unpleasant” memories in Su Nian’s mind.
Those scenes where she was pinned down and unable to move.
The humiliating postures that made her wish for death, and the shameful, enraged sounds spilling from her throat.
If only she had a sliver of magic left now.
Just a sliver.
She could activate the Eye of Temporal Reversal and return to the Temporal Anchor she’d secretly set before the battle began, starting over.
But the cold touch of metal on her neck was painfully clear.
The Lover’s Prison Collar had drained her of all magic—right now, she truly couldn’t do a thing.
Utterly, hopelessly defeated.
Could she—
A ridiculous thought flashed by.
What if she just pretended nothing had happened today?
She initiated this decisive battle…
Everyone just went their separate ways, as if nothing had occurred.
But, obviously, that was nothing more than a naive and unrealistic fantasy born from a maiden’s desperation.
Reality was cold and cruel.
“What’s wrong?”
Chu Tian spoke unhurriedly, his voice carrying a hoarse hint of amusement.
He raised his hand, lightning swirling dazzlingly around his fingertips, crackling menacingly.
That Thunderlight danced, filled with destructive power.
“Is that look in your eyes telling me you still want to fight?”
He took two steps forward, stopping neither too close nor too far from Su Nian, looking down at her from above.
“Just admit defeat, my little wildcat.”
That tyrannical and pure lightning power was a naked demonstration of his overflowing magic.
And within that strength, there was even a faint trace of Holy Aura that belonged to Su Nian herself.
The source of all this magic—
It had been forcefully stolen from her, through that collar!
He was using her power to defeat her, and then to humiliate her!
“Mmph… Hah… Hah…” Su Nian gasped for breath, her chest rising and falling violently.
Sweat had long soaked her golden bangs, plastering messily to her fair, delicate skin, itchy yet too weak to brush away.
Her face and body were smeared with dust and dried blood from battle, as well as scorch marks from energy burns.
The once holy and magnificent silver-white Saint Radiance Knight Armor (Female) was now dull and covered in hideous scratches and dents.
Such a battered, ruined appearance paired with her stunning, breathtaking beauty, and those eyes filled with humiliation and defiance yet still glaring at him—
It all became a shocking, broken, yet tragic kind of beauty.
Admit defeat?
Those two words stabbed into Su Nian’s heart like icy needles.
A voice inside her screamed madly.
‘Admit defeat! Pretend to admit defeat first! Yes, stall for time! Act as sincere as possible! Make the demon Master drop his guard… Make him think you’ve truly been conquered! Then find an opening and escape, as far away as possible. Never see this bastard again!’
Right now Su Nian even felt that running away was the more sensible plan; the revenge she’d so firmly sworn now seemed… maybe… not so certain after all.
She even started making excuses for herself, out of her own control.
Was this grudge… really so necessary to avenge?
Thinking it over carefully…
She herself… truly had been bullied terribly by this bastard…
In every possible sense…
Physically, mentally…
Even— even her most precious purity as a girl… had been stolen by this bastard…
But it seemed… Chu Tian hadn’t ever truly harmed her parents or friends.
She’d never heard of him rampaging, burning, killing, and looting, bringing wrath upon the world.
At most—
He was just a bit nasty?
A bit underhanded?
And… well, very perverted.
Extremely perverted!
Especially fond of… bullying her!
As long as she… as long as she could just put up with it.
Swallow her pride… treat it as… having paid for a not-so-skilled… heh heh heh.
Pah! Pah!
Su Nian shook her head fiercely, trying to fling out those humiliating, ridiculous thoughts.
Her cheeks burned furiously.
What on earth was she thinking?!
How could she let herself sink to such self-abandonment!
One wrong step, every step after is wrong!
It’s all her fault!
She’d been too impatient, too reckless!
She thought summoning Big Mountain would clinch victory in one move!
And the result?
She’d been played like a fiddle by this bastard demon!
If… if only she’d stayed calmer then…
When she realized the collar was upgraded and her magic started draining… if she’d immediately commanded Little Green and Little Violet to retreat strategically…
That would’ve been better.
How could things have ended up like this, a situation where the heavens ignore her cries and the earth turns a deaf ear!
But could she really do it?
Say those words— “I admit defeat”—right in front of this bastard demon?
Admit her failure?
Admit that all her careful planning was just a joke?
Her body trembled uncontrollably.
A flood of boundless humiliation drowned her.
As a Chosen Transmigrator carrying the System, how could she… how could she lower that once incomparably proud head before her enemy?
Ugh…
Her eyes grew hot, and her nose stung with the urge to cry.
She really wanted to cry.
Really wanted to just let it all out.
Too embarrassing.
Utterly humiliating!
How could she, Su Nian, be so useless!
Bullied to this extent by a perverted demon!
Not only was vengeance out of reach, even the courage to resist was being worn away!
At the same time, Chu Tian walked toward her at an unhurried pace, a mocking smile on his lips.
In those deep eyes, there was undisguised amusement and playfulness.
As if appreciating a piece of art on the verge of shattering—yet so beautiful it stole his breath away.
He was waiting.
Waiting for her to speak.
Waiting for her to swallow all her pride and resentment, and spit out those words he’d waited so long for… surrender and defeat.
“Tsk tsk, look at you now, so pathetic and pitiful.”
He reached out, the back of his calloused finger gently brushing the dust- and sweat-stained softness of Su Nian’s cheek.
Su Nian clenched her teeth, letting the humiliating touch spread across her face.
He paused, his gaze like a tangible thing, wandering wantonly along the maiden’s delicate, tempting curves.
The Saint Radiance Knight Armor (Female), though sturdy, was now battered and broken after the fierce battle.
The skin left uncovered at her joints—snow-white and delicate—drew the eye even more.
Wrapped up tighter than ever, yet it somehow made her seem all the more alluring.
Chu Tian’s Adam’s apple bobbed.
Even though he had possessed this girl many times already, he still couldn’t get enough.
Today’s battle, the strength and tenacity Su Nian had shown, only made his desire to conquer her burn all the hotter.
Such a powerful, beautiful maiden—if he could truly conquer both her body and heart, and make her love him willingly, it would all be worth it for him to have crossed worlds and lived again.
At this moment Su Nian’s stamina had long since run dry after the prolonged, intense battle.
Even her Holy Knight Physique was at its limit, her legs so heavy they felt filled with lead, barely able to remain standing.
All she could do was keep silent, using every last ounce of strength to maintain her posture and not collapse.
“Tsk tsk, daring to attack your Master—how bold. But, this Master is not without mercy for a disobedient little slave.”
His voice was not loud, but it reached Su Nian’s ears with crystal clarity.
“As long as you kneel now, sincerely bow your head and admit defeat to your Master, then…”
Chu Tian withdrew his hand, his tone arrogant as if bestowing charity, and drew out his words deliberately.
“Obediently accept half a year of punishment and ‘training’ from your Master. Then perhaps, I might… consider showing some leniency for your audacious crime of assaulting your Master.”
He deliberately lowered his voice, his tone ambiguous, filled with hints that made Su Nian’s face burn.
Those implications made her skin crawl with discomfort.
Her cheeks flushed bright red, unsure if it was anger, shame, or both.
This bastard!
Pervert!
Shameless, lecherous demon!
Doesn’t he have anything but filth in that brain of his?
They’d just been locked in a life-and-death struggle, and in the blink of an eye, he’s thinking about such shameless things.
Half a year of punishment—way too long.
A month would be more reasonable!
And, talking about ‘training’…
No way…
Hmph!
She, Su Nian—dignified Archmage, Holy Knight, Magic Girl Idol, Academy Mentor—how could she endure such a monstrous humiliation!
No way.
Su Nian forced herself to ignore her fatigue and pain, struggling to straighten her back and shooting a look of utter disdain at the bastard demon, her eyes silently protesting.
In those sky-blue eyes, flames still flickered, as well as a trace of panic she herself hadn’t noticed.
“What’s this?” Chu Tian raised his brow, apparently quite interested in her unyielding attitude.
“Unhappy that I want you to surrender and accept your Master’s punishment?”
He let out a low laugh, his tone dripping with mockery.
“If I recall, this isn’t the first time you’ve knelt and begged for mercy before your Master, right? Shouldn’t you… be used to it by now?”
His words stabbed like knives at Su Nian’s heart.
Her little face went redder still, nearly dripping blood.
Damn it!
That may be true, but did he have to keep bringing it up!
Doesn’t she have any dignity left?
…Although, this situation wasn’t much different from before.
For a moment.
That familiar sense of dread and fear welled up again inside Su Nian.
But she couldn’t bring herself to say the words of surrender.
Lose the person but not the spirit—that was her final bit of stubborn pride.
“Dream on.”
Her voice was hoarse from exhaustion, but still carried a hint of chill.
“If you have the guts, then kill me!” Su Nian lifted her chin slightly, putting on a look of heroic sacrifice, as if prepared to die unflinchingly.