Chapter 1608: Long Time No Hear Such a Request

After her initial panic, Zhao Xiaodie gradually calmed down, and her face regained its former arrogance. "You wouldn't dare kill me, would you? I am the daughter of the Prince of Qi, Princess Caidie, officially conferred by the imperial court. If you truly harm me, it would be a capital crime punishable by the extermination of your entire clan!"

Zu'an nodded. "If the imperial court found out, I would indeed be in a lot of trouble."

"Knowing that, why haven't you released me?" Sensing the softening in his tone, Zhao Xiaodie felt a surge of triumph. She instinctively tried to shake off his hand, but she didn't know what trick he had used; she was completely weak and couldn't move a muscle.

Zu'an smiled slightly, reaching out and taking her hand. He held her hand, using her bright red fingernail to gesture at her neck. "Your poison is quite potent, but you can't be immune to your own poison, can you? If I were to lightly scratch your tender white neck with this, you'd turn into a puddle of blood. Who would know I did it? This alley is very secluded, and no one will come here anytime soon. Then I could take your head and simply toss it into a random latrine, wouldn't that destroy all evidence?"

"Oh, right. Didn't you tell me that this poison dissolves the whole body but leaves the head intact?"

Hearing these eerily familiar words, Zhao Xiaodie was on the verge of tears. She never imagined karma would strike so swiftly.

She was of noble status, and her cultivation was high. How could she normally allow a man to get so close to her? She could still feel the warmth of his palm on her hand. She had often fantasized about various scenarios of her future lover holding her hand, but she never expected her first such intimate touch to be in this situation.

But at this moment, there was no hint of romance in her heart, nor any anger. All that remained was pure terror.

She knew all too well how terrifying her poison was. The process of watching her own body dissolve from the inside out while fully conscious was simply worse than death. She naturally had an antidote, but with her vital pressure points sealed, she couldn't retrieve it. And he wasn't likely to give it to her.

"No!" Zhao Xiaodie cried out in alarm. She knew that by speaking, she had lost the upper hand, but she dared not take the risk. After all, this was the person who had dared to break her elder brother's leg. Who knew if he would act impulsively? Her life, like a blossoming flower, had barely begun. How could she die here?

"Oh?" A hint of playfulness appeared on Zu'an's face. "Then kneel and kowtow to me three hundred times. Maybe if I'm in a good mood, I'll spare your life."

"I only just told you to kowtow a hundred times!" Zhao Xiaodie immediately became flustered.

Zu'an's expression turned serious. "What? Is it wrong for me to want you to kowtow three hundred times?"

Zhao Xiaodie bit her lip and turned her head away.

"What, you won't kowtow? Then don't blame me for being cruel to a beautiful woman." Zu'an feigned to take her hand and gesture at her neck again.

Zhao Xiaodie took a deep breath, but her chest still heaved rapidly. Clearly, she was still very frightened. However, she forced herself to calm down and said, "If you want to kill me, then do it. As a member of the imperial family, if I have to endure such humiliation to live, I'd rather die!"

"However, what is done in the dark will come to light. If you truly kill me today, clues will certainly be found afterwards. At that time, neither my father, the imperial court, nor Lihantian will ever let you go!"

"Threatening me?" Zu'an's expression turned cold. He directly used her fingernail to scratch her neck.

Feeling a sharp sting and smelling the faint scent of blood, Zhao Xiaodie instantly panicked. "No! The antidote! Quickly, give me the antidote!"

"Kowtow or not?" Zu'an said coldly.

"I'll kowtow!" Zhao Xiaodie couldn't help but cry. This guy was truly like a demon.

"Wouldn't it have been better to just do it earlier, instead of needing to be taught a lesson?" Zu'an said coldly. "Where is the antidote?"

"It's in my embrace, the green porcelain bottle," Zhao Xiaodie quickly replied. She could feel the poison spreading from the wound. If she hadn't frequently handled poisons, developing an unusual resistance, by now, perhaps half of her neck would have melted away.

Zu'an wasn't afraid of any traps she might set. He reached directly into her embrace and fumbled around for a moment, and after finding the antidote, he made her drink it.

"Cough, cough," Zhao Xiaodie coughed violently. Sensing that he had released her, she hastily took the antidote and poured some more onto the wound on her neck. This person was truly a devil. He actually dared to be so audacious as to try to kill her!

Zu'an quietly watched her finish all this. "Now, can you kowtow?"

Zhao Xiaodie gritted her teeth, and with her head held high, said, "I apologize for what happened earlier. I truly wronged you."

Zu'an snorted coldly. "If apologies were enough, what would be the point of officials and laws in this world?"

"You're also taking the law into your own hands now," Zhao Xiaodie muttered. "If you're so capable, send me to the authorities and let them judge me."

Zu'an chuckled. "You wish!" How many officials in this world would truly dare to make things difficult for the Prince of Qi's daughter?

Zhao Xiaodie took a deep breath, looking at him with a complicated expression. "I've already apologized to you. What more do you want?"

"Kowtow," Zu'an replied straightforwardly.

Zhao Xiaodie gritted her teeth. "After all, I am a princess. I have my pride."

He looked at her coldly, showing no intention of backing down.

She braced herself and said, "I think I understand now; you don't actually dare to kill me. So, let's both take a step back. I'll apologize to you, and afterwards, I'll prepare a generous gift for you. You can choose any rare treasures, divine materials, or sharp weapons you wish."

"Oh, choose anything? Do you have 'Heavenly Origin Water' and 'Subtle Jade Marrow'?" Zu'an asked.

If he could find the materials needed for Empress Sister to reshape her body, he would not only release her but also treat her with the utmost respect.

Zhao Xiaodie looked utterly bewildered. "What are those?" She was born into the imperial family and belonged to a top sect like Lihantian. She considered her knowledge to be extraordinary. Yet, she had never even heard of these names.

Zu'an's expression darkened. "Then find me a divine-grade weapon."

Zhao Xiaodie immediately became anxious. "There are only a few divine-grade weapons in the entire world. They are either in the hands of the Demon Emperor or the Human Emperor, or other such powerful figures. Where am I supposed to find one for you?"

Zu'an sneered. "This won't do, that's not available, yet you told me to choose anything I wish? Forget it, just kowtow."

"You're clearly making things difficult for me!" Zhao Xiaodie was also getting angry. "At worst, I'll find a celestial-grade weapon for you, and some top-grade spirit herbs. That's already a very generous offer. Don't go too far. Anyway, you wouldn't dare actually kill me!"

(Zhao Xiaodie's rage value: 555555555...)

Although celestial-grade weapons were rare, with her father's power, there was likely a chance to obtain one. However, her father would definitely ask her for the reason. If she told him what happened, wouldn't her father skin this guy alive? "Hmph, hmph, this princess is indeed incomparably clever. When the time comes, I'll definitely make this scoundrel kneel at my feet and beg for forgiveness."

"I wouldn't dare kill you?" Zu'an's expression turned cold, and the surrounding air noticeably chilled.

Zhao Xiaodie felt the hairs on her entire body stand on end. Although he made no movement, she sensed the aura of death. She never imagined that a seemingly harmless person could possess such terrifying oppressive power. Little did she know that after Zu'an had killed the Demon Emperor in the secret realm and executed the Grandmaster in the royal court, his aura had condensed to its peak. How could she possibly resist it?

"I was wrong..." She couldn't help but cry. "But I truly cannot kowtow. How about you slap me three hundred times instead?"

"'Slap?'" Zu'an's expression was strange. "You wish!"

Zhao Xiaodie looked utterly bewildered. "I mean, hit me to vent your anger."

Zu'an flushed and cleared his throat to cover his embarrassment. "I don't hit women!"

"Please hit me, I'm begging you. As long as you can vent your anger," Zhao Xiaodie pleaded, tears streaming down her face. Kneeling and kowtowing would be utterly humiliating for her. But being hit was completely different; that would be because of inferior skill, which would not harm her dignity in any way.

Zu'an's expression was peculiar. "I've lived this long, and I've never heard such a request in my life."