The White Moonlight Disdained by the Male Protagonist of Redemption - Chapter 1.2

As she contemplated, the head disciple chattered on:

“Mountain Lord Ning, we’ve arrived. Please take a look. If you require anything, just let me know. Forgive us for the unsightly state of this place—these creatures are of the lowest status, mere playthings.”

By now, he had repeated the words ‘lowly’ and ‘worthless’ at least three times.

Ning Yao’s gaze sharpened. “I’d like to ask—what does the Xuanyue Sect consider lowly, and what is deemed noble?”

“N-no disrespect intended, of course…”

The disciple nervously glanced at her. It was said that the Mountain Lord of Luo Xiang had the face of a Bodhisattva, and indeed, the young woman before him had snow-white skin, raven-black hair, and an otherworldly beauty. A single red cinnabar mark between her brows added an air of ethereal grace.

But when her gaze swept over him, his knees nearly collapsed.

The Bodhi Clan’s leader was always the strongest among them. If they were surpassed, they had to step down. Ning Yao had held her position for years—she was far from weak.

Afraid of offending her, the disciple carefully chose his words. “In the immortal world, the Cangyuan Dragons and Beiming Xuanwu stand at the pinnacle. Wood-type celestial clans follow. Beyond the Four Sects and Twelve Realms, the rest are merely… insignificant.”

Ning Yao replied, “Even the great seas can turn into mulberry fields—rankings are not set in stone. If your sect cannot do more good, at the very least, you should watch your words. Speak less of ‘lowly’ and ‘worthless.’”

“…Yes, of course.”

Ning Yao turned her head, continuing her search.

Her goal was near.

A faint trace of dragon’s bl00d lingered in the air.

Ning Yao’s eyes shifted slightly as she took a light breath, then suddenly walked forward.

“Mountain Lord Ning—” The senior disciple hurried to follow.

After a dozen steps, a strange “hissing” sound echoed ahead. Ning Yao didn’t stop. “What is that sound?”

The senior disciple replied, “The spirit power of the demon slaves here is weak; they have no real abilities. Their only use is their flesh and bones, which can barely be harvested. Up ahead, they are in the process of extracting materials.” He subtly stepped to block her path. “Mountain Lord, you should not go any further. The scene is bloody and filthy—it would sully your eyes.”

A flicker of irritation crossed Ning Yao’s brow as she pushed him aside and rushed forward.

At the end of the narrow passage was a wide, open space. In the center, two thick iron chains hung from above, suspending a pale man in midair. His wrists were locked in shackles at the ends of the chains, hoisting his arms high. His bl00d-soaked clothes clung tightly to his frame, revealing a lean yet powerful build beneath.

Below his waist, a long, pitch-black dragon tail stretched out from beneath his tattered robes, coiling along the ground. It was several meters in length, yet more than half of its scales were missing, leaving behind dull, dark-green patches.

Two servants crouched beside him, each holding a knife. With impatient expressions, they were methodically slicing away at the dragon’s scales. A crisp “crack” rang out with each removal. Every five or six scales they peeled off, they would grab a handful and toss them into a nearby filthy wooden bucket.

The man being stripped of his scales had bl00d staining his face, his gaze lowered, concealing any emotion. Only the involuntary twitching of his dragon tail and the faint tremble of his eyelashes with each cut revealed that he was fully conscious.

Stripping a dragon of its scales while alive?

Unacceptable!

Ning Yao shouted, “Stop!”

Her sudden outburst made the two servants turn their heads in alarm, but the man bound in chains remained utterly motionless—he didn’t even lift his eyes.

The senior disciple waved a hand, signaling the servants to halt.

He turned with a polite smile. “Mountain Lord Ni—”

Ning Yao ignored him and strode forward, crouching down to examine the man.

One look, and rage flared within her.

Not only had his scales been torn away, but his body was riddled with deep wounds, some exposing glimpses of white bone. Compared to the other captives in the dark prison, his condition was a hundred times worse. “Dragon scales are connected to the heart’s meridians. Even losing a single one is a severe injury—you’re torturing him to death!”

The senior disciple hadn’t expected Ning Yao to be so angered. He quickly tried to calm her. “Mountain Lord, please calm down. He’s just some nameless little flood dragon from the waters. There’s no need to trouble yourself over him.”

Ning Yao had no time for nonsense. She pressed two fingers to the man’s wrist, feeling his pulse.

Her fingertips were warm. His skin, ice-cold. The moment they touched, he involuntarily trembled.

This is bad.

His body and spiritual meridians were ruined, his dragon scales ripped away, and even his dragon marrow was undetectable. If he wasn’t treated soon, he wouldn’t survive for more than a few days. Once he died, these heartless bastards would carve up his flesh and bones for their own use.

Ning Yao withdrew her hand and said, “I’m taking him with me.”

The man showed no reaction at all.

The senior disciple blinked in surprise. She wants to take him? Why? Then, it dawned on him. “Mountain Lord Ning… ah, have you recognized Feng Jingzhuo? Could it be that you also want to borrow him for a few days?”

His smile turned strange, making Ning Yao frown.

She rarely paid attention to rumors outside her mountain, so she had no idea about the scandal that had been spreading recently.

It was said that Lady Lianzhen of the Fengxie Dao Sect had taken a liking to a dragon slave from Xuan Yue Sect and had borrowed him for a few days to “serve” her. Lady Lianzhen was well-versed in dual cultivation, and dragons were said to be the best partners for such practices. Afterward, she had boasted publicly about the dragon’s incredible skills and beauty, sparking the curiosity of many other women who secretly inquired about borrowing him as well.

Of course, these women were all aging beauties who sought to maintain their youth through such means. But Ning Yao was still a young girl—what was she trying to do, joining in on this nonsense?

Seeing that she was confused, the senior disciple explained, “Mountain Lord, please don’t misunderstand. Even if Feng Jingzhuo was once exceptionally handsome, he’s worthless now. Just look carefully—ever since he was returned from the Fengxie Dao Sect last month, his face has been ruined. Here—”

Earlier, Ning Yao had only paid attention to his injuries and pulse, completely ignoring his appearance. But just because this man wanted her to look didn’t mean she would obey. She deliberately kept her gaze on the senior disciple instead. “I said, I’m taking him. You may report this to your sect master.”

For the first time, Feng Jingzhuo’s brow moved slightly. He finally lifted his eyes.

She had an extremely deceptive appearance—anyone who saw her at first glance would think they were looking at a bodhisattva.

Then, just as quickly, he lowered his eyes again, his face is empty of any emotion.

Ning Yao finished speaking and reached out to grasp the iron chains binding Feng Jingzhuo.

The senior disciple called out, his face troubled. “W-wait a moment, Mountain Lord Ning. I truly didn’t expect you to choose him… Please forgive me, but Feng Jingzhuo cannot leave with you.”

So, he really is the last hope.

Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy.

That was fine. If the heavens didn’t throw obstacles at the Bodhi Clan, they wouldn’t even know how to function properly.

Ning Yao calmly nodded. “Oh? And why is that?”