"Miss Qian, whatever you're planning to do, I think we should discuss this more thoroughly. This is hardly proper behavior for a lady!" Feng Fan protested as Qian Xiaoli firmly dragged him along by the hand.
He tried again, his voice tinged with desperation. "How about I repay you those middle-grade qi stones with interest? We can do, uh, 2% a year! How does that sound?"
Qian Xiaoli didn't slow her pace. She glanced back at him with a playful smile that sent chills down his spine. "Do you think I'm short on money? Stop whining. You can't escape today."
Feng Fan quickly realized she was dragging him toward her room, and his mind spiraled into panic. 'Is she planning to molest me in her own room? Is this girl not afraid of what people will say?'
Before he could think of a way to escape, they reached her room. Qian Xiaoli opened the door with confident ease and ushered him inside.
Once inside, she closed the door behind them with a soft click. Releasing Feng Fan's hand, she walked toward the wall next to her closet, leaving him standing beside the door.
Feng Fan watched, confused, as she pressed an inconspicuous spot on the wall near the closet. 'What is she up to now?' he wondered.
The moment Qian Xiaoli pressed the hidden button, the wall began to shift. Slowly, it faded away, revealing a secret passage with a staircase leading downward.
Feng Fan's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected sight. He activated his spiritual qi vision and quickly noticed the faint glow of an activated array.
"Let's go. Follow me," Qian Xiaoli said, stepping into the tunnel and starting her descent without offering any further explanation.
With no other option, Feng Fan reluctantly followed her into the tunnel, descending the smooth stone stairs behind Qian Xiaoli.
At the bottom of the staircase, Qian Xiaoli stood waiting in front of a wooden red door. As Feng Fan reached the last step, she turned to him with a smile and slowly pushed the door open.
The sight of her calm smile paired with the ominous red door sent a wave of unease through Feng Fan. He couldn't help but gulp nervously, his throat dry despite his attempts to stay composed.
Inside the room, Feng Fan's worst fears materialized. 'Did I just walk into the wrong movie?!' he thought in disbelief.
The room was decorated in a mix of black and red, with a variety of equipment that seemed plucked straight from the imagination of someone with eccentric, and highly questionable, tastes.
The setup was unsettlingly reminiscent of a certain infamous room belonging to a guy with a fondness for grey ties.
Feng Fan's jaw dropped as he slowly observed inside the room. Turning his head stiffly toward Qian Xiaoli, he found her grinning with a mischievous, almost gleeful expression.
"How the hell did you even set this up without anyone noticing?!" he blurted, utterly flabbergasted.
Qian Xiaoli shrugged, her smile widening. "I just ordered the construction of the room. As for the... items, I acquired them discreetly from the black market and brought them here myself."
Feng Fan stared at her, his brain struggling to process her matter-of-fact tone.
"Okay, stop overthinking. Let's go inside," Qian Xiaoli said with a grin, grabbing Feng Fan's hand and pulling him forward. "And don't resist."
Before Feng Fan could protest, Qian Xiaoli dragged him to a black X-shaped panel adorned with red handcuffs.
With ease, she secured his hands first, then moved to his feet, locking them in place and lifting them just enough off the ground to rob him of any leverage.
"Miss Qian, please! This is completely inappropriate behavior!" he shouted, his voice ringing with desperation.
Unfazed, Qian Xiaoli walked over to a nearby table, her fingers delicately selecting a small whip.
"Yell all you want," she said with a smirk. "This room is soundproof. You should feel honored—you're the very first person I'm using this room with."
As she turned back toward him, her eyes gleamed with excitement, and for a moment, it looked like she might start drooling. Feng Fan's face drained of color.
She stepped in front of him, her fingers lightly tracing the whip as she infused it with spiritual qi. In that instant, Feng Fan's eyes widened in shock.
This wasn't just any whip—it was a low Profound grade artifact!
'What the hell?! Why is she using an artifact just to whip someone?!' Feng Fan's thoughts screamed as his mind struggled to comprehend the absurdity.
Noticing his incredulous expression, Qian Xiaoli chuckled and tilted her head slightly. "Oh, don't look at me like that. I saw you fighting earlier; I know your body is strong enough to withstand a proper beating. Ordinary tools wouldn't do the job."
Her nonchalant explanation only added to Feng Fan's growing despair. 'I'm doomed.'
She swung the whip infused with spiritual qi, and a sharp whoosh cut through the air like a blade.
It struck Feng Fan's chest mercilessly, shredding his clothes and leaving a shallow cut that drew a small trickle of blood.
The moment the whip hit, Feng Fan instinctively activated his cultivation technique. A familiar, soothing energy surged through his chest, instantly healing the wound and, to his horror, filling him with an almost euphoric sensation.
"Ah!" The unexpected pleasure caught him off guard, and a small, involuntary moan escaped his lips.
Qian Xiaoli's cheeks flushed a deep red as she stared at him, her eyes wide with surprise and her lips curling into a delighted smile.
Her gaze lingered on his face, which was still tinged with the aftereffects of unexpected bliss.
"I knew it! You're just like me!" she exclaimed, her tone filled with excitement and something far more unnerving.
Feng Fan's expression twisted in panic as the realization of what had just happened hit him. He quickly shook his head, desperation creeping into his voice. "Wait, Qian Xiaoli, this is a misunderstanding!"
Despite his protests, Qian Xiaoli swung the whip again!