The Palaces of the Twelve Sacred Beasts

Big pearls of sweat formed on Gu Ting Yu's forehead and the broken rhythm of his breathing echoed off the rundown prison cell.

The mournful screams accompanied with the excruciating pain that made his face distort as he responded. The chains binding him rattled non-stop as he struggled to break free.

Liang Yue did not hesitate as he pulled out the steel needles forcefully making blood drip down Gu Ting Yu's body. The chilling atmosphere was instantly filled with a sweet, metallic scent.

Gu Ting Yu panted heavily with his hands tied above him and his toes barely touching the ground.

Liang Yue then picked up a small ring and fastened it onto the erected nipples on Gu Ting Yu's bloodied chest. The action was swift and experienced as the pure silver ring pinned into the flesh within the chilling atmosphere.

"Hnnn!!"

Liang Yue lightly caressed the chest that was covered with wounds but the seemingly pitying actions further aggravated Gu Ting Yu's pain.

Gu Ting Yu weakly lifted his head. At same the moment, Liang Yue spreaded his gigantic wings; the black feathers blocked off the room's dim lighting as Gu Ting Yu sensed a shadow approaching him from the darkness…

That person's hand pressed against his chest bringing a stinging, sharp pain to his injured chest. Then a mark that resembles a feather formed on skin where the small silver ring was.

Gu Ting Yu slowly lost his resistance under the unbearable torture. That was when he heard a deep, low curse…

"The contract is made… you, are mine."

—

It had been a few days when Huan Sheng met Gu Ting Yu again.

The dark green butterfly carefully approached the prison cell then landed on the window grills as it observed its surrounding for a long time.

The prison cell had no movement. Gu Ting Yu was deep asleep leaning in the corner, his neck was chained with a thick, heavy collar and his body covered with a white bedsheet.

Huan Sheng frowned thinking that something did not seem right. He flew into the prison cell as he transformed into his human form.

"Hey."

But Gu Ting Yu did not respond.

Huan Sheng vigilantly surveyed the surrounding. When he was sure that there was no immediate danger, he stepped towards Gu Ting Yu.

"Hey, wake up." Huan Sheng stretched out his hand and touched the man.

Gu Ting Yu suddenly twitched in response and the bedsheet fell off his body which made Huan sheng took a step back in shock.

"Hm…" Gu Ting Yu opened his eyes and saw Huan Sheng frowning before him. He weakly leaned on the wall then shut his eyes again, "He didn't touch me, you must be disappointed."

"He didn't… touch you?" You call these 'didn't touch you'?! Huan Sheng instantly understood what real torture meant - Gu Ting Yu's pale skin was covered with many purplish whip wounds, as his wrists and neck had marks of getting tightly chained, and what was most haunting, was that tool that pierced through both swollen nipples.

"He… whipped me… but had never violated me…" Gu Ting Yu struggled with his words. After days of physical torture, he now felt more apathetic to everything. But even so… Gu Ting Yu did not hate that abuser who had black wings. On the contrary, he did not want to see Huan Sheng who had humiliated him before.

To a man, he could endure the pain that came in physical form. But he would not accept his dignity being sullied.

What most bothered Gu Ting Yu was how that person with black wings would carefully give him treatment after every session of torture. What was most unusual was how he would cover up Gu Ting Yu's body when he was done as if he understood the shame he felt.

"You're injured…" Huan Sheng said softly as he frowned, forgetting his initial motive for coming here.

Gu Ting Yu opened his eyes and took a glance at Huan Sheng but remained silent.

Guilt started forming out of nowhere as Huan Sheng frustratingly tried to calm his emotions.

Moments later, he emotionlessly said, "The fourth palace in charge - he's Liang Yue, the descendant of the fallen feathered tribe. The feathered tribe is also known as the Crow men.

In the distant past, they faced a mass massacre where they were driven to extinction because of their tribes' greediness that angered the phoenix. The feathered tribe was eccentric and jealous by nature. They also had a unique personality and had something that they were passionate about - the feathered tribe will only have one mate for their entire lifetime. After that massacre, the tribe members that had escaped soon committed suicide after knowing that their mates were dead. That's why…"

"That's why… you want me to pleasure him, beg him to let me pass through this palace, am I right?" Gu Ting Yu's voice was filled with sorrows as he continued, "Huan Sheng… what exactly do you take me as?"

"I did not- "Huan Sheng did not continue his sentence. Instead, he suddenly took a deep glance at Gu Ting Yu and then transformed into a butterfly and flew out of the prison cell.

As if sensing something, Gu Ting Yu pursed his lips tightly as he warily stared at the solidifying darkness. Liang Yue appeared wrapped under the black feathers, holding a whip that was embed with nails as he slowly approached Gu Ting Yu.

"You, are mine…" Liang Yue repeated.

Gu Ting Yu dropped his head in silence. Liang Yue's dark eyes were hard to grasp just like the ocean amidst the darkness. He silently waited for the moment where Gu Ting Yu would give in to him and agree to his promise.

The final step of the contract was for Gu Ting Yu to accept that he belonged to Liang Yue. But for the past few days, Liang Yue was shocked to find that the frail human had this strange stubbornness. No matter what methods he used to torture him, he never once gave

in.

He silently approached Gu Ting Yu as his eyes now raged like the thunderstorm. The whip landed heavily on Gu Ting Yu's swollen chest; each time it contacted with the skin, it would tear the flesh open as Gu Ting Yu groaned painfully. The whip landed accurately every time on the sensitive flesh.

What Liang Yue did not know was that there was another man listening to Gu Ting Yu's sobbing at the other side of the brick wall.

"I am… right." Huan Sheng shut his eyes, "I'm doing this for everyone…" Although he knew this was not the right time to be reacting this way - with the Evil Source watching out for him deep within the palace - Huan Sheng started to panic as the whimpering became clearer to his ears. At this moment, he wasn't sure if he was making the right decision.

However, as Huan Sheng continued debating with himself, what worried him the most finally happened - Gu Ting Yu resisted.

He threw himself towards Liang Yue all of a sudden. The chains tripped them both onto the ground. Liang Yue fell hard on the surface as Gu Ting Yu cupped his chained hands onto Liang Yue's neck and declared:

"I do not belong to anyone."