I Rely On The Collapse Of The Character Setting To Survive In The Hands Of The Male Lead Chapter 234

Chapter 234

Lin Qingyang could only temporarily entertain the Saintess in the courtyard, making sure not to let her know that Qi Ci was here. He poured her a cup of hot tea and couldn’t help but say, “In your Kingdom of Tianheng…”

“I’m the only one who knows. After all, you’re still alive, which means Qi Ci must be fine. I’m just worried… I don’t know if I can help,” the Saintess said frankly.

“Now that you know I’m fine, there’s no need to ask further,” Lin Qingyang replied, still not giving a precise answer.

The Saintess heard such a response, simply smiled with relief and didn’t pursue further questions.

It was easy to talk like this, making Lin Qingyang feel somewhat embarrassed. “Your Black Feather Guards have already died in that palace. You should handle it as you see fit. Doing anything else might attract attention.”

The Saintess nodded and smiled. “Alright, I understand. You don’t need to worry. From what I know, the Emperor of the Great Zhou has already shifted all blame onto Prince Baya. He doesn’t suspect anything else.”

Lin Qingyang was somewhat surprised because Yue Chen and the others hadn’t returned yet, and he was unaware of the developments on the imperial side.

“After investigation, it was found that Prince Baya had secretly prepared many oil traps to detain Qi Ci’s palace, leaving behind a lot of evidence. Although it’s unclear why it turned into explosives, without evidence to the contrary, this blame can only be placed on him. The Western Moon Kingdom has shifted from investigator to the investigated. The Emperor of the Great Zhou has sent messengers to the Western Moon Kingdom, and it’s estimated that the Western Moon Kingdom will have to compensate our two countries,” the Saintess said. She also knew there must be some issues in the midst of it all, but at this point, it could only be said that Baya had harmed others and ultimately harmed himself.

Lin Qingyang understood that originally the Emperor intended to shift the blame onto Ning Ziheng, but upon discovering Baya’s involvement and realizing it was more advantageous to exploit, to prevent direct conflict between the Great Zhou and Tianheng, naturally he threw the blame onto Baya, who was already deceased.

After the Saintess finished discussing the key matters, she didn’t linger and stood up to take her leave. “Our Tianheng Kingdom will stay here for another five days. If…” She paused here, smiled, and continued, “I believe you are all capable individuals and shouldn’t need my help. I hope everything goes well for you.”

With that, the Saintess finished speaking, bowed, and Lin Qingyang quickly returned the gesture, preparing to see her off.

As soon as the Saintess turned around, she saw Qi Ci on the steps.

Seeing Qi Ci coming out, Lin Qingyang remained silent on the side.

Qi Ci walked up to the Saintess in silence and knelt down before her.

The Saintess hurried to help Qi Ci up, but Qi Ci insisted on completing the formal bow.

The Saintess spoke up, “Ah Wu, aren’t you coming back with me?”

Qi Ci nodded and said, “I have people to protect and duties to fulfill. Saintess, you rescued me from hell, a debt I can never forget. I hope… someday I’ll have the chance to repay it.”

The Saintess shook her head and said, “It was divine guidance that led me. Perhaps you still have many unfulfilled destinies in this world. I am only following the will of heaven. Now, being able to find your place in this world again is your blessing. Cherish it.” Pausing for a moment, she looked concerned and continued, “I know your identity, perhaps… in the future, there will be opportunities. I hope you can do your best to maintain peace as much as possible, so that the people of the world can suffer less from wars. Naturally, you will suffer less as well.”

Qi Ci’s eyes flickered, “I will do my best.”

The Saintess smiled and didn’t press Qi Ci for assurances. She knew that often, the fate of the world was decided by those at the top, and their convictions were unwavering. She wanted to make a change, but her efforts always seemed futile.

Finally, the Saintess made a blessing gesture to Qi Ci and departed.

Watching the Saintess’s departing figure, Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but sigh. It was true what they said in the books – beauty, wisdom, and kindness all in one; such a woman was indeed pure and perfect. It’s no wonder readers criticized the male lead so harshly when she died.

Even Lin Qingyang felt like knocking Chu Lishu’s head.

Not long after, Yue Chen and Huo Luo returned. They had already arranged everything, and by midnight, Huo Luo would be on duty to lead them out.

The four of them sat in the courtyard, chatting.

“After leaving, let’s go to the separate courtyard, it’s more secluded there. The only thing around is the Liu residence, which is safe,” Lin Qingyang suggested.

“Chu Lishu said before, let’s go to his place instead. It’s more crowded there, and your residence might not be convenient,” Yue Chen interjected.

Lin Qingyang nodded in agreement. Suddenly having a few extra people might startle the residents of his residence, who were mostly ordinary folks.

A strange thought flashed through Lin Qingyang’s mind. It was odd that Chu Lishu had his own territory, a safer and more secure place. Why did he choose to stay at the separate courtyard? Lin Qingyang’s heart began to race, and he couldn’t help but entertain the idea that maybe Chu Lishu wanted to stay with him? Ha ha ha, oh, how embarrassing to think like that. My own shamelessness is really getting thicker and thicker.

“Should we take Mu Huichun with us too? Is he resting now?” Huo Luo asked.

Lin Qingyang nodded. “Yes, he’s with Chu Lishu in my room.”

Yue Chen sprayed tea out in shock and said speechlessly, “You let them sleep in the same bed?”

Lin Qingyang didn’t see anything strange about it. Did they all think Chu Lishu, as the master, shouldn’t share a bed with someone casually?

Yue Chen’s mouth twitched. “I feel sorry for Mu Huichun.”

Huo Luo chuckled. “How about Chu Lishu?”

“He’s sleeping soundly. I already changed his medicine.”

It wasn’t until now that Qi Ci, who had been silently observing them, realized something. These two never mentioned His Highness in front of Lin Qingyang. Could it be that Lin Qingyang didn’t know Chu Lishu’s true identity but still gained their trust? That was indeed strange.

Qi Ci was cautious by nature, avoiding uncertain information.

Then Yue Chen began talking about the situation outside, mentioning that the visit of the Saintess had already been explained.

At this point, Yue Chen’s curiosity was piqued, and since there was still time, he couldn’t help but inquire carefully about Qi Ci’s past, including the Saintess and Yu Suoxi.

“The Saintess indeed saved my life. If it weren’t for her intervention, I would have died at the hands of Yu Suoxi. Yu Suoxi is a cruel madman. I was captured by his men a year ago,” Qi Ci began, recounting his ordeal.

Four years ago, Qi Ci was sent to lead troops in battle against the Tianheng Kingdom, only to fall into a trap and nearly die at the hands of Baya. In that region, there were many wandering tribes who scavenged from the battlefield to earn money. Among them, an old man discovered Qi Ci was still alive and brought him back to the tribe, where he was slowly treated using rudimentary methods. It was fortunate for Qi Ci that he miraculously woke up after three months of lying unconscious. However, by then, he had lost his memory completely, forgetting who he was. Being part of a wandering tribe that moved frequently, those hunting for Qi Ci couldn’t locate him, and he managed to evade the Zhao Cheng’s operation to silence him.

Afterwards, Qi Ci lived with the old man in the tribe. However, wandering tribes were often targeted by larger forces for plunder, killings, and the abduction of women. Despite his regained health, Qi Ci naturally used his martial skills to protect the people. But during one ambush, Qi Ci was captured in an attempt to protect others and was chained up, becoming a slave. He was constantly resold and eventually ended up in the hands of Yu Suoxi’s subordinates.

These subordinates specialized in finding strong slaves to entertain Yu Suoxi.

As Qi Ci recounted this part of his story, the other three were momentarily stunned.

They heard that the Regent of Tianheng Kingdom’s form of entertainment was the arena, and they suddenly realized—Qi Ci… had he been to the arena?

Meanwhile, Lin Qingyang’s expression froze noticeably.

Did Chu Lishu know about this?

He should… After all, when Mu Huichun treated Qi Ci’s injuries, he mentioned those strange wounds. Chu Lishu was so intelligent; how could he not know? But since Qi Ci hadn’t regained his memories, it should be okay…

As Lin Qingyang was stunned, Yue Chen and the others began to angrily inquire.

Qi Ci immediately lifted his hair, revealing the back of his neck.

A brand appeared there, resembling a seal, with a single word inside the circle: “Beast.”

Lin Qingyang’s heart raced. He recalled the times he had seen Chu Lishu straighten Qi Ci’s collar. At the time, he hadn’t thought much of it, but now it dawned on him—wasn’t Chu Lishu intentionally covering it up? And every time he did, Chu Lishu’s expression became grim.

Why? Did Chu Lishu remember something? Was he afraid I’d worry, so…

“Every person who enters the arena leaves behind this brand. I spent half a year inside and passed ten levels.” Qi Ci’s expression remained almost unchanged, and his emotions were rarely stirred. However, when he spoke of this period, an aura of hostility couldn’t help but emanate from him.

It was as if he felt danger, causing him to tremble and bristle uncontrollably.

“Ten levels?” Yue Chen asked.

Qi Ci closed his eyes and spoke slowly, “The arena housed various fierce beasts, divided into thirteen levels based on difficulty, including lions, tigers, wild bears, wolf packs, pythons, and more… There were many of them, all untamed. Every time Yu Suoxi wanted to watch a performance, he would starve the beasts for several days beforehand, then release slaves into different enclosures to fight for survival. The goal was to make it from the entrance to the exit alive; success meant receiving medical treatment and delicious food, while failure meant becoming the beasts’ prey.”

The ferocity in Qi Ci’s fighting style was honed during that time. Even his temperament changed significantly, almost turning him into a wild beast. If it weren’t for his memory recovery now, those who knew him might not recognize him solely based on his appearance.

All the slaves were held together, meals were grabbed, and raw meat was torn apart and gnawed on. Everything was about survival, with no dignity or shame to speak of. Sometimes, slaves erupted into deadly battles amongst themselves, as their humanity gradually faded away in the struggle against the beasts.

Watching the constant decrease and increase of people in the same place over that half-year, the shadow of death constantly loomed over Qi Ci, tormenting his mind and soul. He had thought of escaping, but it was impossible. Every escape attempt only led to being thrown back into the arena. Gradually, everyone became tamed, but Qi Ci remained a tough nut to crack. He kept escaping, facing punishment each time, until he eventually had to choose the most difficult path out.

“Those randomly arranged fights were considered performances for Yu Suoxi’s amusement, with only one stage each time. But the trials were an entirely different deception. Yu Suoxi set a rule: anyone who voluntarily signed up and passed all thirteen stages in a row would earn their freedom. After experiencing each of the thirteen stages separately and gaining some experience, I wanted to attempt a solo run to earn my freedom. However, I only made it to the tenth stage, the crocodile pit, where I almost died. That’s when the Saintess appeared. She was on her way to visit the Great Zhou, and for some reason, Yu Suoxi insisted on accompanying her. Seeing that I was on the brink of death, the Saintess made a deal with him, saving my life in exchange for my service as one of her Black Feathers. That’s how I survived and ended up here,” Qi Ci concluded, his entire body tensing up involuntarily. His arms bulged with veins from the exertion, as that period of time had been a nightmare for him. He didn’t even know how he managed to endure it.

Huo Luo’s rage was uncontrollable as he slammed his hand down on the table, shattering a corner of it. “Barbaric! He’s the real savage here.”

“He’s truly deranged!” Yue Chen’s voice was cold. “Such people should be permanently confined to the arena.”

Qi Ci breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled bitterly. “He is indeed deranged. His arenas, they’re all personally vetted by himself.”

Yue Chen and Huo Luo were taken aback, looking at Qi Ci in confusion.

Qi Ci continued, “The Saintess once mentioned that during the early stages of constructing the arena, he personally challenged all thirteen levels, nearly dying inside and sustaining severe injuries for half a year. It’s said that in their records, there are only two people who managed to survive all thirteen levels: him and another lunatic.”

Listening to Qi Ci’s account, Lin Qingyang, who had already turned pale from the ordeal, felt like his heart had been firmly gripped, rendering him unable to breathe.

Yue Chen and Huo Luo were shocked by Yu Suoxi’s madness, but it was Lin Qingyang, trembling, who spoke up, asking, “Who is that lunatic…?”

Qi Ci wasn’t surprised and responded directly, “I heard he was continuously sold until he ended up in Yu Suoxi’s hands because he was a lunatic with extremely strong martial arts skills. The first time he entered the arena, he killed all the beasts in one of the arenas, which greatly pleased Yu Suoxi. Because he was too dangerous, he was kept in solitary confinement. But that wasn’t a good form of confinement at all. I saw the place where he was kept. It was a huge iron cage in the courtyard, surrounded by iron chains. It’s not hard to imagine, it was like tying up a wild beast. His neck and limbs were chained up all the time, making him look even less human than us. Although he only stayed there for three months, he spent more time in the arena than me because Yu Suoxi liked watching him. It’s said that because of that, the other slaves who were there at the same time survived three months longer.”

“Did he survive all thirteen levels? Did Yu Suoxi let him go?” Yue Chen couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity.

“How is that possible? He’s a lunatic. How could Yu Suoxi possibly fulfill a promise to a lunatic? We might be called slaves, but in reality, we’re more like pets he’s trained. When he encounters someone who suits his tastes, he’ll keep them around forever for his own enjoyment. That’s why I said it’s a scam. I heard that after the lunatic survived all thirteen levels, barely clinging to life, but still alive, Yu Suoxi’s fondness for him reached an obsessive level. He quickly cured him, and even when the lunatic went crazy and killed one of Yu Suoxi’s women, Yu Suoxi wasn’t angry. Instead, he took him out for hunting and outings. It was during that time that the lunatic escaped.”

“He escaped? Good!” Huo Luo exclaimed angrily. “Yu Suoxi must have been infuriated. He deserved it.”

“Although he’s a lunatic, his martial arts skills are so strong. He must have been a man driven to desperation. I hope he can live well in the future,” Yue Chen said.

Qi Ci nodded, “Escaping is the best outcome. There’s nowhere else in the world closer to death and despair than that place.”

As they spoke, suddenly Lin Qingyang stood up abruptly, leaving the three of them puzzled.

They saw Lin Qingyang’s face drained of color, even the blood on his trembling lips had faded, and his entire being seemed enveloped in extreme grief and indignation, yet he couldn’t even muster a single expression.

“Qingyang?” Yue Chen exclaimed in astonishment.

Lin Qingyang felt as if his soul had left his body, his voice weak and hoarse as he said, “I’ll go… check on them…” With that, he turned and ran.

But as soon as he entered the adjacent courtyard, he came face to face with Chu Lishu standing there.

Chu Lishu stood still, his face expressionless, his gaze unfocused, as if lost in thought. The cold winter wind blew, lifting his clothes and hair. His face was pale, indicating he had been standing in the cold for some time.

Lin Qingyang stood there dumbfounded, staring at Chu Lishu. Suddenly, he saw Chu Lishu slowly twitching the corners of his mouth, attempting to form a smile. His slightly unfocused eyes gradually softened. However, Lin Qingyang felt a piercing pain in his heart as if struck by a sword.

Chu Lishu forced a smile, not wanting Lin Qingyang to worry. But the next moment, his expression froze, and then he hurriedly approached, reaching out to touch Lin Qingyang’s cheek.

Tears were already streaming down Lin Qingyang’s face.

“What’s wrong? Don’t cry, I’m fine… I’m really fine,” Chu Lishu quickly reassured, his voice sounding much firmer, as if he hadn’t just recalled dreadful memories. Right now, he just wanted to stop Lin Qingyang’s tears from falling endlessly.

Lin Qingyang didn’t even realize when he started crying, but it hurt so much, his heart ached, and his whole body felt the pain, rendering him speechless.

He had thought about Chu Lishu’s ordeal in Tianheng Kingdom. He had mentally prepared himself for it.

But no amount of mental preparation could withstand the harsh reality revealed by Qi Ci just now.

The cherished treasure in his hands had actually experienced such a thing. He felt like his heart was about to split open from the pain.

Why?! Why?! Why?! Why should someone so good, so noble as the Crown Prince, have to endure such suffering beyond what was described in the original plot? Why?!

Lin Qingyang even began to fantasize, feeling pained, about what would have happened if he had died earlier. Would he have arrived here sooner, before Chu Lishu had experienced everything, found him, taken him away, and protected him?

Why couldn’t he have come earlier?

Why did Chu Lishu have to go through all this alone?

He should… He should just kill Yu Suoxi now!

With these thoughts in mind, Lin Qingyang actually turned around and started to leave, but he was immediately stopped by Chu Lishu, who had seen the killing intent in his eyes and understood his impulse. Chu Lishu quickly reached out and embraced Lin Qingyang.

“Qingyang, don’t be impulsive, everything’s fine, trust me. I won’t let any enemies go, but let’s take it slow, okay? Don’t get upset like this, you’ll hurt yourself.” Chu Lishu held Lin Qingyang tightly, unexpectedly finding comfort himself as if, with his words, he could also ease everything.

Chu Lishu, on the contrary, began to feel sorry for Lin Qingyang, making the embrace even tighter. But the next moment, Lin Qingyang started crying while holding him, as if his emotions had completely collapsed.

“But… he… you… Lishu, Lishu…”

“I’m here, I’m perfectly fine now. No pain, no scars left. Isn’t it as if it never happened?” Chu Lishu listened to Lin Qingyang calling his name repeatedly, soothing him gently. But at the same time, he felt his heart being stuffed full, as if with warm cotton basked in the sun, warm and comforting.

However, these words only intensified Lin Qingyang’s pain. There were no traces on Chu Lishu’s body, whether it was due to the protagonist’s halo or the side effects of some elixir, scars would fade away, leaving only flawless skin. So, initially, Chu Lishu wouldn’t even think he had experienced anything. Perhaps there had been a brand on his neck, but it had disappeared. To have gone through everything without any proof, how ironic.

Lin Qingyang’s tears flowed uncontrollably, like a broken dam. He buried his head in Chu Lishu’s shoulder, whimpering with grievance, his body shaking with sobs and coughs.

Chu Lishu, worried that Lin Qingyang might be holding his breath, gently pulled him back to create some distance. He lifted Lin Qingyang’s head, gazing at his tear-streaked face, which seemed almost crumpled with distress. In that moment, Chu Lishu felt more uncomfortable than recalling his past in Tianheng Kingdom.

Yu Suoxi deserved to die for causing Lin Qingyang so much pain.

Chu Lishu could only wipe away Lin Qingyang’s tears with his hand, offering even more gentle comfort. However, Lin Qingyang’s tears couldn’t be stopped. His eyes were red and swollen from crying, and due to lack of oxygen, he was starting to lose his balance.

Watching Lin Qingyang’s eyelashes, soaked and sticking together, trembling gently, his brows furrowed with distress, Chu Lishu couldn’t bear it any longer. He leaned in abruptly.

In that instant, Lin Qingyang’s crying stopped.

Lin Qingyang was stunned, his tear-filled eyes widening as he dumbly gazed at the handsome face so close to him.

Chu Lishu withdrew his touch with a light tap and smiled at him. “Still crying?”

Lin Qingyang’s brain went blank, unable to process what was happening. His mind buzzed, overwhelmed by the intense crying earlier. Now, everything seemed surreal, with his vision blurring in and out. Yet, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Chu Lishu, even as tears continued to fall unexpectedly.

Chu Lishu couldn’t help but chuckle at Lin Qingyang’s reaction. “Still crying?”

And then, the second kiss fell.

This time, it wasn’t brief; it was filled with the bittersweetness of tears and the sweetness of love, a gentle embrace.

Chu Lishu held Lin Qingyang close, kissing him tenderly in the winter night. Perhaps, this beautiful memory could replace any painful ones from the past.

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