At various times, even Reese felt a chill run down his spine, which reminded him that he had lied to Zhong Shenxiu not long ago. Fortunately, he had corrected himself and told the truth in time; otherwise, would his fate be the same as this fellow's?
Just thinking about it sent a wave of lingering fear through Reese. It was at this moment that he secretly made a decision: From now on, no matter what Zhong Shenxiu asked, he would tell the absolute truth!
Meanwhile, Wayne, though injured from the last exchange, was still conscious enough to speak. Hearing Zhong Shenxiu question him again caused his heart rate to accelerate sharply! Even an idiot could tell that these two children before him were absolutely not simple!
For some unknown reason, a sliver of dread rose in Wayne's heart; this seemingly ordinary little boy in front of him was definitely a dangerous presence!
Despite this thought, Wayne was a stubborn person. After a moment of hesitation, he changed his answer: "I... I picked it up."
Little did he know that this single sentence would bring him more pain, for Zhong Shenxiu was not someone easily fooled!
"Ah!"
A sharp scream tore from his lips as Robin yanked one of his arms off!
"Let go of my son!" The woman beside him finally showed an expression of fury!
No matter how much trouble Wayne liked to stir up, he was still her son, and she could not just stand by and watch him suffer before her eyes!
Robin glanced up at her but paid her no mind whatsoever!
Zhong Shenxiu, however, was more composed, turning the question back to the woman: "What if we don't let go?"
The woman glared at Zhong Shenxiu, her face taut with anger. Though utterly furious, she had no idea how to answer his question.
Wayne's life was currently in Robin's hands; any sudden move from her could spell disaster for him!
When one is under the eaves of another, one must bow their head!
"What exactly do you want?" After a long silence, the woman finally asked.
"Didn't you see I was asking him a question?" Zhong Shenxiu smiled again, but this time the smile made the woman visibly shudder.
Ignoring the woman, Zhong Shenxiu rose from the stone chair and approached Wayne, asking again in a placid tone, "Where did the jade pendant come from?"
This time, whether Wayne was struck dumb by fear or for some other reason, he chose to remain silent!
He truly should not have tested Zhong Shenxiu's patience again and again!
"Since you don't want to talk, then forget it," Zhong Shenxiu said, revealing another smile that unmistakably carried a chill.
At that moment, Zhong Shenxiu flicked his finger, sending a burst of energy directly into one of Wayne's acupoints.
Wayne's eyes snapped wide open, several times their normal size, his mouth agape but unable to utter a sound. His body began to convulse violently, his entire face twisting and changing color—from red to white, then to blue—a truly bizarre sight!
Robin waved his hand and tossed Wayne onto the ground.
Wayne lay there, unable to rise, his body twitching with increasing intensity. His free hand clawed desperately at the stone pavement, not stopping even as blood seeped out.
"Son..." This time, the woman could hold back no longer, rushing to Wayne's side like a gust of wind.
Just as she was about to bend down to embrace him, a single sentence from Zhong Shenxiu froze her in place.
"If you touch him, he will die!" Zhong Shenxiu said with that persistent smile, though it now brought to mind the image of a demon.
The woman gasped, snatching her outstretched hand back as if burned.
In truth, Zhong Shenxiu was teasing her; Wayne wouldn't actually die from a touch, or he would have perished when Robin threw him down.
But consumed by maternal anxiety, the woman chose to believe the warning rather than risk the alternative!
"What... what did you do to my son?" The woman could no longer treat Zhong Shenxiu as a child. In that moment, she finally understood why the high-level masters of the manor had failed to stop them.
This child was not human!
He was a demon! A demon more demonic than the devil himself!!
"Don't worry, he won't die for now!" Zhong Shenxiu spoke plainly, unaware of the frantic distress consuming the woman.
Watching Wayne writhe in agony was like enduring torture for the mother.
"What do you want?" The woman asked, her voice nearly pleading.
"Since you asked, let's discuss compensation!" Zhong Shenxiu sounded as if he had been waiting precisely for this question.
"What compensation?" the woman urged anxiously, desperate to be rid of this demon before her eyes!
She truly could not fathom how her son had managed to provoke such a perverse individual. She knew Wayne bullied others outside, but he always maintained limits and was extremely discerning about his targets, never bringing trouble home. How could this time have dragged such a perverse—such a crucial link—to their doorstep? What exactly had he done outside?
Not only did she want to know, but Wayne himself wanted to understand!
Wayne never imagined that merely beating up a rustic peasant would lead to such severe consequences, especially one whose backing was so strong that he could barge right into their home!
However, Wayne currently lacked the energy to ponder this problem, as he was enduring torment beyond ordinary comprehension!
That agonizing sensation of ten thousand ants devouring his heart, that scorching heat like being immersed in a sea of fire, drove him to the brink of madness! He desperately wished to end it all himself, but he discovered with horror that beyond feeling the pain, he couldn't sense his own body, let alone control it.
The saying "living death" was something Wayne now experienced firsthand!
Compared to the woman's panic, Zhong Shenxiu remained unhurried. He actually sat back down on the stone chair, pondered for a moment, and then stated, "Given your good attitude, I won't ask for too much. For property damage, medical expenses, emotional distress, and appearance fees... one million Diamond Coins should suffice!"
"How much?" The woman's eyes nearly popped out of her head.
Reese, standing nearby, almost collapsed onto the ground. One million Diamond Coins was no small sum!
"One million Diamond Coins!" Zhong Shenxiu repeated.
To outsiders, "one million Diamond Coins" was a massive amount, but to Zhong Shenxiu at this moment, he genuinely did not consider it significant. His potions alone brought in nearly ten million Diamond Coins daily, and that revenue was only set to increase!
Zhong Shenxiu was only showing leniency because of the woman's deep concern for her son; otherwise, his original demand was five million Diamond Coins!
The woman looked at Zhong Shenxiu, then back at Wayne convulsing on the ground, and finally made her decision: "Fine, I agree to your terms."
She could produce one million Diamond Coins. Material possessions were external things; money could be earned again, but she only had one son—once lost, he was gone forever!
"Then you can go retrieve the funds," Zhong Shenxiu said lightly. "My time is precious; I hope you won't make me wait long!"
Using the transfer function on her storage card, the woman transferred one million Diamond Coins to Zhong Shenxiu's account.
"Can you let my son go now?" the woman immediately asked. She was frantic; if not for the fear instilled by Zhong Shenxiu's previous words, she would have already rushed her son to a doctor.
"No rush," Zhong Shenxiu replied, nearly driving the woman to a breakdown.
Now the woman felt murderous toward Zhong Shenxiu, yet dared not act, forced only to glare at him furiously.
Zhong Shenxiu ignored her and gently walked over to Wayne, crouching down to ask in a soft, gentle voice, "Kid, are you willing to talk now?"
Wayne managed a nod, a movement so slight it would be missed by the inattentive.
At this moment, Wayne wished only for death. This excruciating torment made every second feel like a century!
Zhong Shenxiu flipped his wrist, sending another pulse of energy into Wayne’s body. Miraculously, Wayne stopped convulsing, and the color slowly began to return to his face!
"Alright, now tell me everything you did today!" Zhong Shenxiu smiled, adding as a final reminder, "My patience is limited!"
Wayne looked at Zhong Shenxiu with utter terror. Only then did he use a raspy voice to recount how the conflict with Reese began and how he came to possess the jade pendant.
This account satisfied Zhong Shenxiu, and he ceased tormenting Wayne, turning instead to the woman: "I have finished my questions!"
The woman was rendered speechless!
With the matter concluded, Zhong Shenxiu and his party stood up to leave. However, before departing, Zhong Shenxiu instructed Robin to reattach Wayne's arm.
Watching Zhong Shenxiu and the others finally depart, the woman let out a long sigh of relief.
Yet, she would never have imagined that after her son was sent to the "Homebound Demon-Martial Academy," Zhong Shenxiu would become one of the instructing teachers!
Inside the manor grounds.
As soon as Zhong Shenxiu entered the courtyard, Xia Luo and the others came out to greet him.
"Reese, how was it? Did you teach that brat a lesson?" Xia Luo couldn't help but ask.
Reese nodded faintly. In his eyes, it was far more than just teaching; Zhong Shenxiu had nearly tortured the boy to death!
Despite his shock, Reese felt deeply moved. He hadn't expected Zhong Shenxiu to intervene on his behalf while so busy!
This incident could be considered concluded, merely an interlude, but it gave Reese an entirely new perspective on Zhong Shenxiu!
Zhong Shenxiu, who expected to return to studying the "Teleportation Array," did not foresee that a new group of people was already rushing toward them—with the sole purpose of capturing him and Robin!
And this group was none other than members of the Loris family!