The Legend of the Tightly Bound Witch (aka: The Legend of the Witch Rope Robbery)

"Ji Yuhong, where do you think you can escape to this time!" On the edge of the cliff, clad in red, she stared blankly into the abyss below. Just then, a fierce shout erupted from behind her. Ji Yuhong slowly turned her head, only to see a group of burly men brandishing swords approaching her. They all had ferocious expressions, and some, already envisioning Ji Yuhong captured, couldn't help but reveal lewd smiles. Ji Yuhong's expression turned flustered. She suppressed the tremor in her voice and said, "Gentlemen, must you press me to the bitter end?" Someone, sensing her panic, sneered, "Ji Yuhong, so it's your turn today. You can only blame your demonic cult for its wicked deeds. The imperial court has offered a bounty of ten thousand taels for your head, so we have no reason to let you go. We advise you to surrender obediently and not put up a futile resistance." Seeing the crowd drawing nearer, Ji Yuhong couldn't help but take a few steps back. A few pebbles tumbled into the abyss. With no other choice, Ji Yuhong sighed, "Don't come any closer. I won't fight anymore." With that, she clasped her hands behind her back and walked towards the group. "That's more like it. You're no match for us fighting one by one. Surrendering early would have saved you all this trouble," one of them, holding an iron chain, approached Ji Yuhong. Soon, Ji Yuhong's upper body was tightly bound by the chain, her arms completely immobilized. Looking at the crowd, most of them didn't seem happy that Ji Yuhong had surrendered. Instead, they looked more like... relieved. Yes, relieved. They indeed had reason to be, for the Ji Yuhong standing before them was the leader of the demonic cult, her powers unfathomably deep. If not for their combined effort this time, facing her one by one would have been impossible. Even with so many of them, in a real fight, Ji Yuhong could have taken several of them down. No one wanted to be the cannon fodder. Seeing Ji Yuhong surrender, they naturally breathed a sigh of relief. With Ji Yuhong bound, the group of men couldn't contain themselves any longer. They swarmed forward, grabbing and groping at Ji Yuhong. Ji Yuhong struggled a few times, roaring, "You scoundrels!" Her struggles, however, only ignited their bestial desires further. Someone had already pinned her to the ground. Fortunately, at a critical moment, one of the men in the crowd stopped their actions, saying, "Alright, stop it. We all have reputations to uphold in the martial world. Let's just take her to the capital to claim the bounty. Once we have the money, what kind of woman can't we find?" Regardless, his words had an effect. Those who had been overcome by lust, upon hearing this, gradually calmed down. Next, they divided the tasks clearly. Several people escorted Ji Yuhong into a pre-prepared prisoner cart. The cart was small, barely enough for half a person. Thus, Ji Yuhong was forced to kneel inside, her head exposed. She looked coldly at the group before her and whispered to the person closest to her, "Hey, you, the little follower." The man was taken aback that Ji Yuhong would speak to him and pointed to himself in confusion. Ji Yuhong said impatiently, "Yes, yes, it's you. Let me tell you, I can see you don't have much status among these people. Think about it, they captured me for money. With so many of them, how much will you get? How about this, you let me go, and I'll ensure your prosperity for the rest of your life." He was stunned into silence. Ji Yuhong, growing impatient, was about to speak when a gruff voice suddenly rang out, "Hey, Chen Qiang, are you done?" "Oh, oh, done, done," he quickly replied, locking the prisoner cart with an iron chain. As the cart was about to move, Ji Yuhong whispered again, "Think about it carefully. We're still far from the capital. Pick a quiet night and let me go. I promise to kill them all." For some reason, even though Ji Yuhong was captured, Chen Qiang felt an unease deep in his heart. That killing aura of hers was faintly present, unseen but palpable. Chen Qiang shivered and moved away from Ji Yuhong.

"Teach... Teach Master, the chains have been found." Ji Yuhong turned around and saw Chen Qiang standing behind her, timidly holding a perfectly intact chain. "What did you call me?" Ji Yuhong asked as she walked over. "Teach Master..." Chen Qiang was still trembling with fear. Even when he went out to find the chains, he hadn't dared to escape, because Ji Yuhong had told him that if he ran, she would find him and make his life a living hell. Chen Qiang was filled with dread, but Ji Yuhong casually said, "You're not one of my demonic cult members, so you don't have to call me that." She took the chain from Chen Qiang and tugged on it. "Not bad, good quality." "Then... what should I call you?" "Just call me Grandma. Come, here, tie me up." "This... Teach Master... no, Grandma, please spare me, I don't dare..." Seeing Ji Yuhong willing to be bound, Chen Qiang began to beg for mercy. Ji Yuhong was furious and kicked Chen Qiang in the stomach. Chen Qiang flew back several meters, feeling as if he had been hit by a sledgehammer. Before he could get up, Ji Yuhong appeared before him, grabbed his collar, and roared, "I told you to tie me up, why are you so scared?" Ji Yuhong's face was very close to Chen Qiang's. Chen Qiang could even smell her natural fragrance and was stunned for a few seconds. But he quickly realized that this woman was no ordinary woman; she was a woman who could take his life at any moment! "I... I really don't dare..." Chen Qiang stammered. In his eyes, these chains couldn't bind Ji Yuhong at all. He had no idea what Ji Yuhong's intention was. The unknown was the greatest fear, even surpassing the fear of death. Therefore, even though Ji Yuhong threatened to kill him, he was still too terrified to move. As the leader of the demonic cult, with martial arts skills almost unrivaled in the world, Ji Yuhong had never experienced this kind of fear of the unknown that Chen Qiang had. Chen Qiang didn't understand Ji Yuhong, and Ji Yuhong didn't understand Chen Qiang either. Ji Yuhong was very helpless. She couldn't kill him; he was still useful. "What exactly do you want?" Ji Yuhong looked extremely exasperated. Chen Qiang noticed her expression and felt even more like crying without tears, becoming more confused by her. After a long silence, Chen Qiang finally stuttered, "Why... why are you doing this?" "Doing what?" "Why do you want me to tie you up?" "Does it concern you?" "It doesn't! Of course, it doesn't! Please let me go, I have old parents and young children..." Chen Qiang cried, even kowtowing to Ji Yuhong. "I'm really fed up!" Ji Yuhong couldn't take it anymore. True qi flowed through her hands, and she said in a low voice, "I don't want to tell you the reason now. I'll give you one chance. Tie me up. If you disobey, you die. I'll count to three..." A while passed. Chen Qiang had long since woken up from his numbness. He realized that Ji Yuhong was serious this time and quickly knelt down. "Grandma, spare my life, I'll do whatever you say." Ji Yuhong's voice remained low. "Don't just say it, do it. One, two... I'm counting..." Ji Yuhong glared at Chen Qiang with a terrifying look.

But among the many perverted torture devices, Chen Qiang's attention was solely fixed on a pure black garment. He had no idea what this thing was called. Because this item didn't belong to this era. Or rather, someone had invented such a thing, but it had never been known to the world. In today's terms, this was a straitjacket, used to restrain mental patients. "That is..." Chen Qiang pointed to the straitjacket. Ji Yuhong followed his gaze and then took out the straitjacket. "This? I don't know what it is either, but it looks quite fun... What a shame. If he just wanted to play around last night, I would have been willing. But he came for my life, so I had no choice but to resist." As she spoke, Ji Yuhong suddenly looked at Chen Qiang. Chen Qiang was taken aback, not understanding why she was suddenly looking at him. "Do me a favor. I want to try this. The iron chains are making me incredibly uncomfortable. This thing doesn't look like it would chafe. If possible, bind me with this for the journey." Chen Qiang finally saw it clearly. This Ji Yuhong was a complete masochist, but her status prevented her from openly indulging. Thinking back, over the past few years, news of Ji Yuhong being captured would occasionally surface, only to be followed by news of her killing her captors shortly after. Back then, people thought these rumors were false. Now, it seemed Ji Yuhong was deliberately getting captured, just for the thrill of it. Once she'd had her fill, she'd stop playing along. So that's how it was. So that's how it was. Chen Qiang didn't dare to delay and walked over directly. Ji Yuhong was still fiddling with the straitjacket, not understanding how it could be used to bind someone. It's like a piece of clothing, just put it on. Ji Yuhong slipped into the straitjacket. The sleeves of the straitjacket had no openings, so her hands couldn't come out. Ji Yuhong looked at the straps on her chest and understood how to use this thing. She placed her hands on her chest and said, "Help me, quickly." Chen Qiang grabbed the straps and secured Ji Yuhong's arms across her chest. "That's it?" Ji Yuhong struggled a few times, her face filled with disappointment. Because the restraint was really not strong, incredibly, incredibly weak! "It's not as good as the iron chains. Forget it." Ji Yuhong exerted force with her arms. But the expected snapping of the straps did not occur. Ji Yuhong frowned and increased her strength again. Still no movement, not even a tear. What's going on? Ji Yuhong was getting angry. She even channeled her internal energy and exerted her full strength once more. Unfortunately, there was still no movement. "This..." Ji Yuhong, who had been calm from beginning to end, now showed a hint of panic. She couldn't help but glance at Chen Qiang. Chen Qiang naturally noticed her expression and tentatively asked, "What's wrong? You can't get out?"

Since gaining her formidable powers, Ji Yuhong had never known panic. Until now. She hadn't felt this way in a long time, and the sensation infuriated her, throwing her back to those days of being at the mercy of others, living in constant dread. It wasn't just the fear of Chen Qiang discovering her predicament; there was another reason: the terror of the unknown. What *was* this garment? It looked soft, felt yielding, yet it was harder than iron chains! Worse still, she discovered with horror that the vital energy she’d channeled had simply vanished. In this world, martial artists knew that once the body reached its limit, one could cultivate qi, the legendary inner force. This force was absorbed from the outside, and once inside, it became one's own. Vital energy only accumulated; it never dissipated. Yet, after Ji Yuhong had channeled her qi, it had simply disappeared! It hadn't returned to her body; it had vanished without a trace! Though she was still powerful now, she was a fraction weaker than she had been a minute ago. "What's wrong? Can't you get it off?" Chen Qiang narrowed his eyes. Seeing his expression, Ji Yuhong felt a surge of panic, but her mind raced, faster than light. In less than a second, she sneered, "Of course, I can't get it off. Can't you see?" As she spoke, she jiggled the arm bound in front of her chest. Her words, coupled with her expression, made Chen Qiang falter. He had been about to kick Ji Yuhong just moments ago... No, no. The way she was acting just now, she clearly couldn't get it off! Chen Qiang thought this, his urge to kick her resurfacing, but he hesitated. Ji Yuhong could see his thoughts and gritted her teeth. A surge of vital energy erupted from her body, forming a fist invisible to the naked eye, and struck Chen Qiang's chest. She used only ten percent of her strength, but it was enough to send Chen Qiang flying backward. He landed on the ground, spitting blood. As expected, the released vital energy did not return to her body. Ji Yuhong was terrified, but she had to maintain an air of confidence. "I was just testing you. I didn't expect you to actually dare..." Before Ji Yuhong could finish, the severely injured Chen Qiang quickly stammered, "No! No, no, no! I wasn't thinking anything! I wouldn't dare do anything! I was just asking if you could get it off, and if not, I'd help you!" At this point, Ji Yuhong could have easily played along, claiming a misunderstanding and letting Chen Qiang untie her. But alas... Alas, her prolonged reign as an invincible force had caused the leader of the Demonic Cult, who had overcome countless hardships to reach her current status, to lose her initial sharpness. She was fixated on one thing: not letting Chen Qiang see through her!

In this moment, within the dreamscape. Ji Yuhong was being tormented to the brink of death by Chen Qiang. Who knew how many bones had been broken! Only half a day had passed in reality, but in the dream, Ji Yuhong felt as though several years had gone by. And Chen Qiang had tormented her for years, without food or drink! At this very moment, Ji Yuhong had transformed into an obedient little bitch. Her body was covered in scars, but Chen Qiang thought, if he didn't let her feel the pain, she wouldn't feel it. In truth, if Chen Qiang willed it, he could make Ji Yuhong completely unharmed, but Chen Qiang suddenly discovered that this bloody, mangled appearance possessed a tragic beauty. So, there was no need for that; he would just make sure she didn't feel the pain. Ji Yuhong lay on the ground, wearing the clothes Chen Qiang had given her. These were clothes that didn't belong to this era; to put it plainly, they were... a dog slave's restraint suit. This contraption was made entirely of plastic, and Ji Yuhong didn't recognize it, but it was quite effective at humiliating a person, treating them like a dog. For instance, at this very moment, Ji Yuhong was being reprimanded like a dog by Chen Qiang. "Have you ever raised a dog? If the master spits on the ground, you have to lick it clean!" Ji Yuhong had long since lost her former pride and could only comply. Ji Yuhong's arms were folded back, and her legs were bent at the knees and hips, forcing her to walk on her elbows and knees. On her head, she wore a dog-like muzzle, but it was designed to leave her mouth exposed. In this place, she had no dignity whatsoever. "Good girl, Xiao Ji." Chen Qiang patted Ji Yuhong's head and threw a frisbee high into the air. He had done this before, so Ji Yuhong knew what to do and immediately set off to retrieve the frisbee. But before she could take a few steps, the frisbee landed on the ground. Ji Yuhong, finding it all perfectly normal, continued to move forward. Suddenly, Chen Qiang's large foot landed on her back, kicking her to the ground. "Run! You're so slow! How are you supposed to catch it?!" Ji Yuhong felt an immense wave of injustice. Catch what? How could she run? It was already a feat to retrieve it with her mouth. "You're such a useless piece of trash. Look at how Xiao Ji catches it..." Chen Qiang casually imagined, and suddenly Ji Yuyan appeared beside him, looking exactly like Ji Yuhong did now. "Huh?" Ji Yuhong blinked in surprise, then realized it was a dream. In dreams, Chen Qiang could do whatever he pleased. The difference was that other characters, including Chen Qiang, were fake; only she, herself, was truly present, and she could feel every torment inflicted upon her. "Xiao Ji, come here..." Chen Qiang called to Ji Yuyan as if calling a dog. Ji Yuyan obediently went over. Chen Qiang then patted Ji Yuyan's head and threw the frisbee. It was absurd, but it happened. The bound Ji Yuyan ran faster than a dog, leaped, and caught the frisbee before it hit the ground. She then "happily" trotted back to Chen Qiang's side. Chen Qiang rolled his eyes at Ji Yuhong, "See? This is how it should be done." Ji Yuhong's mind was overwhelmed by a stampede of a million alpacas. This Ji Yuyan was clearly fake! She couldn't possibly be Ji Yuyan! But she herself was real! How could a normal human being do this?! Right, this Ji Yuyan, this Chen Qiang, this frisbee, this entire scene, were all figments of Chen Qiang's imagination. With a mere thought, he could make Ji Yuhong wish she were dead. Which bastard invented this dream-manufacturing thing? "What are you thinking about!" Chen Qiang smacked Ji Yuhong hard on the head. "Go, fetch it for me! Run and get it!" Helpless, trapped in this place, she had no choice but to obey, or else... Chen Qiang could make her temporarily numb to pain, or he could amplify normal pain by ten times. Even a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand times! And no matter how much it hurt, she couldn't pass out, because Chen Qiang wouldn't allow it. The moment Chen Qiang threw the frisbee, Ji Yuhong had no choice but to run, jump, and try to catch it with all her might. Chen Qiang could see everything in the dream. He knew his objective had been achieved. The important thing wasn't for Ji Yuhong to retrieve the frisbee, but to make her obedient. Now that she was willing to do even this, it was time to wake her up. Yes, the time was that short. Don't forget, although only half a day had passed in reality, Chen Qiang had been training Ji Yuhong for years in the dream. The Ji Yuhong of today was a dog, a dog that obeyed only Chen Qiang.