Chapter 166 Su Changqing wasn't in a hurry to back down; he first had Sikong Changfeng double t

"...Stop."

"Please."

When those two words were uttered, even the wind seemed to stop for a moment.

It's not an exaggeration.

Instead, almost everyone who heard these words in front of the Taiji Hall experienced an extremely unreal feeling at the same moment—

It was as if, in that instant, something that had been hanging over all living beings, as hard as cold iron from the sky, finally cracked open with a "crack".

Who is Bai Heng?

The guide.

They are people who come out from behind the Heavenly Gate, who can judge at a glance whether a realm is worth continuing to nurture, and who can decide whether to "close the garden" or not on a whim.

People like Zhao Xuance, Gu Changxuan, and Yue Zhenchuan, upon seeing this, would have their innate sense of discipline compel them to bow their heads first.

He was the one whose mere glance was enough to make all the dignitaries, martial arts masters, and imperial guards in the room feel a chill in their hearts.

But that's exactly the kind of person he is.

Now, standing amidst the cracked white jade bricks, his white robes stained with blood, his Dharma body in disarray, his two guiding bones forcibly pulled out, he finally bowed his head.

It wasn't a forced silence.

It's not about remaining silent in anger.

Instead, he said "Please" to me.

What does this mean?

This means it's not just a physical defeat.

Even the outermost layer of spirit was finally breached.

It was eerily quiet in front of the Taiji Hall.

Many people even forgot to breathe.

Especially those ministers, wealthy merchants, and martial arts figures who originally only had a vague understanding of the "Patrol Hall," "Guide," and "Shepherd" truly realized just how outrageous Su Changqing's actions were from that single "I beg you."

Because often, killing someone isn't necessarily the hardest thing.

The hardest part is getting someone who always stands on high, always looks down on others, and never thinks they'll ever ask for help, to actually bow their head.

Now, Bai Heng bowed his head.

It was a slow, difficult, and unsatisfying decline.

But he was indeed too low.

Sikong Changfeng, holding the account book, was stunned for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up as if something had suddenly opened up his meridians.

Write it down!

He suddenly turned his head and growled at the copyist next to him.

"Write this down quickly!"

"Guide Bai Heng—publicly yielded and personally begged to stop!"

"This sentence must be on its own page! On the first page! In the most prominent position!"

The guy next to me, whose wrist was already aching from writing, was so excited when he heard this that he trembled twice and quickly dipped his brush in ink to write furiously.

"Yes, Third City Lord!"

Lei Wujie watched in stunned silence for a long while before finally uttering in a low voice:

"I...I didn't hear wrong, did I?"

"Did he really beg?"

Wushuang's gaze fell on Bai Heng's face, and she slowly nodded.

"Um."

"Please."

"..."

Lei Wujie swallowed hard, suddenly feeling a tingling sensation in his back.

It's not fear.

It's hot.

It was so hot that his scalp was tingling.

He used to hear those old hands in the martial arts world say things like "Sword Immortals can slay dragons", "Divine Travelers can suppress the world", and "Celestial Beings are high above".

Later, after working with Su Changqing, I saw a lot and got used to how the boss treated everyone like a newbie.

But only today, only after seeing Bai Heng personally beg for a halt, did he belatedly realize—

The boss is no longer fighting against "strong enemies" in the ordinary sense.

He's attacking the very core of what's in other people's hearts.

Xiao Se stood to the side, his fingers slightly loosening inside his sleeve.

Although he didn't make a move just now, he was actually on edge the whole time.

It's not that I'm worried Su Changqing will lose.

Rather, they were worried that the situation might spiral out of control at some point, affecting the entire Tianqi Empire and even disrupting the order of the court, city defenses, and the imperial palace.

But as Bai Heng lowered his head, that string suddenly loosened.

Because Xiao Se knew very well.

If the entity that guides others still stubbornly clings to its shell of "order above all else," then there is still room for change.

But once that shell cracked, it even cried out for "stop"—

That means he has truly been brought into Su Changqing's rhythm.

What happened next was difficult to reverse.

Li Hanyi held Su Xiaonuo in her arms, watching this scene quietly. Her expression was not excited, but extremely steady.

She didn't really care whether Bai Heng bowed his head or not.

They didn't care how many layers of meaning his "please" actually implied.

What she cares about is—

Su Changqing did it.

As she and Nuonuo stood there, looking at this place, they shattered, bit by bit, that thing that dared to oppress the world and even dared to look at her daughter.

This sense of security speaks louder than any words.

Su Xiaonuo heard it most directly.

The little girl blinked, first tilting her head to look at Bai Heng, then at Su Changqing, before leaning close to Li Hanyi's ear and asking in a soft but very serious voice:

"Mother."

"Is he scared?"

Li Hanyi gave a soft "hmm".

"Yes."

"So he knows how powerful his father is?"

"understood."

"oh."

Su Xiaonuo was immediately satisfied, nodding her little head and summarizing in her childish voice:

"It would be better if he behaved sooner."

"Now I've lost two bones, how stupid of me."

Li Hanyi: "..."

Looking at her daughter's regretful expression, as if she thought, "That bad person is so tactless," she couldn't help but smile slightly.

Yes.

If you had known fear earlier, and had known to follow the rules earlier, things wouldn't have come to this.

Unfortunately, many people who stand too high and too long have to endure until their bones are pulled out before they know what it means to be in the human world.

……

In the center of the field.

After Bai Heng uttered those two words, it was as if a small section of his hardest bone had been removed from his body, and even his posture became imperceptibly sluggish.

This is not adding insult to injury.

Rather, it's what comes from the "opening" itself.

For him, that "please" was heavier than spitting out three mouthfuls of blood.

Because that would mean acknowledgment.

Acknowledge that at this moment, you really need the other party to stop.

I must acknowledge that I can no longer adopt the same superior attitude and place myself in the position of "judge".

He admitted that if he didn't back down, his third, fourth, and tenth connecting bones would really be dismantled one by one.

Bai Heng lowered his eyes, his fingers trembling slightly.

It's not that I'm afraid of the cold.

The Dharma body is too chaotic, the bone structure is too stagnant, and even the most subtle control begins to be affected.

He hadn't felt this way in a very long time, "even his body no longer completely obeyed him."

Su Changqing was standing just three steps away from him.

He wore a blue robe, his hands were empty, but he was still holding the two newly removed ligaments in his hands.

It looks simple and unassuming, without any sense of oppression.

But Bai Heng knew—

If this person wanted to, he could actually pull out a third bone from himself in front of everyone.

Moreover, it is mostly done in the most mundane, skillful, and despair-inducing way.

He is waiting.

Waiting for Su Changqing to give a response.

Even a response that is mocking or condescendingly sarcastic.

But Su Changqing didn't pay him any attention immediately.

He simply looked down at the two bones in his hand.

A lateral spur, thin and straight, with fine bone structure and sharp edges.

A single circular bone, curved like a crescent moon, with spiral patterns inside, is perfectly suited for making locks and latches.

He seemed genuinely trying to discern the truth.

To determine which one is more suitable for what.

After a few breaths, Su Changqing looked up at Sikong Changfeng as if he had finally finished reading.

"Third brother."

"exist!"

Sikong Changfeng immediately perked up.

"Tickets for Bai Heng's special performance are doubled."

As soon as these words were spoken, the square fell silent.

Then, the expressions on many people's faces instantly became fascinating.

Doubled?

Now?

Just as Bai Heng had personally asked to stop, and everyone thought Su Changqing would respond with something—

The first thing Su Changqing did was to have Sikong Changfeng double the ticket price for the "Bai Heng Special Performance"?

The pace changed so fast that many people's brains almost couldn't keep up.

But who is Sikong Changfeng?

He was the operations manager who had been completely corrupted by the atmosphere of Changqinglou.

These words didn't come as a surprise to him.

It's heavenly music.

It was an explosion of inspiration.

It's the kind of clear-headed business acumen that comes straight from the top of your head.

Sikong Changfeng's eyes lit up instantly, and he immediately hugged the account book tightly, raising his voice by half an inch.

"clear!"

"Double it immediately!"

"And I suggest—"

He spoke incredibly fast, as if he had come alive.

"The project has entered a high-value phase; it must be upgraded!"

"Originally the third show of the evening, renamed!"

"Change it to—"

Sikong Changfeng took a deep breath, his gaze intense, as if he were presiding over a major new product launch that would be recorded in the history of Changqinglou.

"Bai Heng Special: Even the Guide Bows His Head, and the Visitor from Heaven Has to Lose Money!"

"Front-row tickets are doubled, middle-row tickets are 70% more expensive, and back-row tickets are 50% more expensive!"

"Additionally, we've added 'Close-up Viewing of Bones Seats,' 'Commemorative Seats for the Guide's Submission,' and 'Limited Edition of Bai Heng's Plea for Suspension'!"

"If it can indeed be caged later, then we'll open up pre-sales for deluxe nighttime viewing sessions and VIP feeding sessions!"

"..."

The entire room fell silent.

Then, even though the scene should have been extremely solemn, many people couldn't help but tremble.

ruthless.

It's too cruel.

Bai Heng had just lowered his head when Sikong Changfeng actually finished upgrading the project system.

This is hardly business.

This is a complete business loop completed overnight, with the face of the guide being trampled on.

Looking at Sikong Changfeng, Xiao Se finally gave up all hope that "this person can still be saved".

"You really have absolutely nothing on your mind right now."

Sikong Changfeng, however, had a serious expression on his face.

"How could there not be?"

"I still have service quality, project depth, customer segmentation, and subsequent word-of-mouth marketing in mind."

Xiao Se: "..."

Row.

You won.

Lei Wujie, already thrilled, couldn't help but interject.

"Can I go to the door and shout it out?"

"What are you shouting for?" Sikong Changfeng looked at him with shining eyes.

Lei Wujie puffed out his chest, raised his head, and began to speak:

"The guide personally requested a halt! Limited seats added for Bai Heng's special performance! First come, first served, prices will increase after the show ends!"

Sikong Changfeng was stunned for a moment, then slapped his thigh hard.

"Brilliant!"

"Lei Wujie, you've finally come to your senses!"

"Go quickly! Shout it this way!"

Lei Wujie was immediately invigorated, feeling that he was no longer just Changqinglou's top waiter and security manager, but had begun to participate in core operations.

Wushuang stood aside and calmly added a sentence.

"Don't forget to add: If Bai Heng is officially admitted to the cage tonight, regular viewers can have priority for an encore."

Sikong Changfeng's eyes lit up.

"You're not bad either!"

"Okay, add them all!"

The waiters and Snow Moon City disciples standing nearby twitched at the corners of their mouths as they listened, but their hands were already busy taking notes.

Standing in the arena, listening to these words, Bai Heng felt the humiliation that had been somewhat suppressed by his plea for a stop was instantly pushed back up.

He begged to stop.

They raised prices.

He had two bones removed.

They've started selling "commemorative seats."

This unprecedented humiliation even drove Bai Heng to a moment of extreme madness—

Rather than continue living like this and being demolished, it's better to destroy yourself on the spot.

But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he suddenly felt a chill in his chest.

Unbeknownst to Su Changqing, he had already tucked the two bones into his sleeve and looked at him again.

That look wasn't fierce.

It could even be described as peaceful.

But Bai Heng clearly saw two words in that one glance:

Don't even think about it.

That's not a guess.

It's not about suppressing someone with an imposing manner.

Rather, it is a near-affirmative perception.

Bai Heng knew that if he dared to destroy his skeleton on the spot, Su Changqing would most likely cut off the most valuable part the moment he "destroyed" it.

Even death may not be a pleasant one.

Thinking of this, the madness in Bai Heng's heart suddenly cooled down.

It turned into an even deeper chill.

This person can even calculate the exact moment you want to die.

Is there anything he can't arrange?

……

After Su Changqing finished explaining the plan to double the ticket prices for the "Bai Heng Special Performance" to Sikong Changfeng, he finally turned his attention back to Bai Heng.

He looked at Bai Heng, as if he had just remembered the other party's request to stop earlier.

"What did you just say?"

Bai Heng's breath hitched.

He knew that Su Changqing hadn't missed it.

It's just being deliberately left out.

But right now, everyone's eyes are still on him.

Zhao Xuance, Gu Changxuan, and Yue Zhenchuan in the Immortal Cage are watching.

The powerful, the wandering heroes, the court officials, and the imperial guards were watching in front of the Taiji Hall.

People queuing outside, waiting for news, for extra seats, or for evening tickets, were also watching.

Perhaps, behind that not-yet-completely-closed crack in the sky, there are even higher gazes watching.

Bai Heng's Adam's apple bobbed, and the taste of blood in his mouth became even stronger.

But he still had to say it.

Because Su Changqing didn't ask, he could still pretend for a moment.

Su Changqing asked a question, and that moment was gone.

a long time.

Bai Hengcai repeated it with difficulty in a low, hoarse voice.

I said…

Stop.

Su Changqing looked at him without saying a word.

Bai Heng's eyes grew even darker, and his fingertips trembled slightly as he finally uttered the last two words again.

"Please."

This time, the feeling in the arena was even more different.

The first time, everyone was shocked that "the guide really asked for help."

The second time, however, everyone could clearly feel it—

Bai Heng is giving in.

It wasn't a complete surrender.

But that bone that was holding on has indeed bent down a little more.

After listening, Su Changqing finally nodded.

"Okay, I heard you."

Just as a very subtle, almost uncertain wave of relief washed over Bai Heng, he heard Su Changqing continue:

"But right now, I don't really want to stop."

"..."

Bai Heng froze for a moment.

What does it mean to say that you don't really want to stop right now?

When you asked me, weren't you just asking me to repeat myself?

I told you twice, and you're telling me you don't really want to stop?

This is no longer just a humiliation.

This is like writing "I did it on purpose" on your face with a knife.

Bai Heng felt a tightness in his chest, his blood rushed to his head again, and he almost vomited.

Su Changqing, however, spoke in a calm and indifferent tone, as if he were genuinely explaining something.

"You begged too late."

"I'm starting to get interested."

"Stop now, or you'll lose money."

The room fell silent once again.

Then, countless people simultaneously had the same thought:

What a "loss".

You've gotten really into disassembling the connector.

If I tell you to stop now, you'll feel like you're losing out.

What level of monster is this?

Even Li Hanyi couldn't help but glance at him, a hint of helplessness mixed with a smile flashing in her eyes.

To onlookers, it all seemed absurd.

But she was all too familiar with Su Changqing's tone.

He wasn't joking.

That's really what he thought.

Upon hearing the word "loss," Su Xiaonuo immediately perked up her ears and whispered to Li Hanyi:

"Mother, does losing money mean losing money?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Then we can't afford to lose money!"

The little girl immediately drew a serious conclusion, turned her head and shouted at Su Changqing:

"Father, don't lose out!"

Su Changqing smiled.

"Yes, we can't afford to lose money."

Sikong Changfeng, standing to the side, was almost moved to tears.

My little ancestor's realization is absolutely right!

Bai Heng: "..."

He suddenly realized that he might be afraid of more than just Su Changqing.

It's this family.

It is this whole set of Changqinglou's ideas that makes people completely unable to follow the logic, yet can drive people to their doom.

……

However, Su Changqing ultimately did not make another move immediately.

It's not that I'm soft-hearted.

Instead, he suddenly felt that it wasn't quite appropriate to let Bai Heng just stand there.

So he raised his hand and beckoned to the side.

Not far away, a high-backed wooden chair, originally reserved for VIPs, flew silently over and landed behind him.

Su Changqing sat down leisurely.

He relaxed his posture and even leaned back a little.

Like I'm preparing to watch a longer program.

Then, he looked at Bai Heng and said calmly:

"How about this?"

I'll give you a chance.

Bai Heng's breathing became slightly tense.

Su Changqing continued:

"You tell me yourself."

"Of all the bones in your body, which ones are the most valuable, which ones would hurt the most if removed, and which ones can be kept so you can stand a little longer?"

"Well said, I'll dismantle it slowly."

"It's hard to say—"

He paused, looked up, and spoke calmly.

I'll do it according to my own interests.

Upon hearing those words, Bai Heng felt a jolt of numbness.

Let him tell us which bones are the most valuable, the most painful, and the most worth keeping.

What kind of crazy question is this?!

This is even worse than directly asking him, "Which leg do you want to break first?"

What's even more outrageous is that Bai Heng knows Su Changqing wasn't just making empty threats.

He really would do that.

Sikong Changfeng listened with wide eyes.

high!

That's too high!

This is not just about demolition.

This is a high-end disassembly segment with audience interaction!

He's even started mentally adding new segments to the third round of the evening show:

[Bai Heng's Self-Description of the Bone Structure - Special Q&A Session]

[VIPs can guess where the next chip will be removed]

[Guess correctly and receive a limited edition copy]

Thinking of this, Sikong Changfeng almost burst out laughing.

But Bai Heng finally understood something at this moment.

If I don't want to be completely torn apart, stripped bare, and stripped of all my dignity today, I'm afraid I'll really have to bow my head again.

It went even lower than before.

The wind swept past the Taiji Hall.

Bai Heng stood there, his white clothes stained with blood, his figure thin, yet it seemed as if he had suddenly shouldered something heavier than before.

That wasn't intimidation.

It is a choice.

It was an incredibly humiliating choice, yet one that had no other option.

Su Changqing leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingertips lightly on the armrest, patiently waiting for him to speak.

Like a shopkeeper, waiting for a customer who finally realizes fear to reveal their most valuable possession.