Loving You is My Greatest Sin

46- He Was Punished

⚠️ gruesome content

Jing will not let the assassin to go freely, they must pay for what they did.

"Who was that?" Jing asked angrily, if looks could kill, they would all be dead.

"Stop it." Tao Ru pulls his hanfu, trying to not make the situation worse.

"No, I need to make sure that you are respected." He is holding his sword.

"It was my shifu." She says quietly.

Jing looks at her face, she looks rather sad.

"You are all dismissed." He says not wanting to prolonging this session. But with her shifu, he wants to talk.

_____

Jing, Tao Ru, and her shifu is sitting in a quiet room, far away from any fourth sets of ears.

"What you did earlier was uncalled for, I want you to apologize to Tao Ru. If else.." He touches his sword threatening the old woman.

Although the shifu is surely strong and powerful, she is no match for Huang Ma Jing.

"HAHAHAHAH! Are you trying to bluff me?" The shifu laugh mockingly. "I am the one who deserves an apology." She pierces a stare at Tao Ru.

Tao Ru doesn't dare to look back at her shifu.

"But what you did was out of the line, how could you try to kill her?" Jing continues.

"You are pregnant aren't you?" The shifu asks Tao Ru. She doesn't care that Huang Ma Jing is speaking to her like that.

"H-how do you know?" Her eyes grow shocked.

"Humph!" The shifu scoffed angrily. "Huang Ma Kan, the successor of The Huang Ma Clan, is he your child as well?"

She hesitated for a few seconds, but then nods.

"I don't even know what to say to you Li Tao Ru!" She stands up and walks away.

"It's not her fault!" Jing quickly stated. He will explain everything to her shifu.

"Huang Ma Jing, I honestly don't care whose fault is this. I only know that it happens." She glares back.

"Shifu, I know I am a disappointment, and I am sorry."

"Ck!" She walks pass the both of them, heading to the door.

"I will do it, the punishment for adultery in your sect. I'm willing to do it." Jing says.

Suddenly the shifu's face lights up. Jing respects their sect enough to bear the punishment. It really gives face for them in front of the martial arts world. That even the leader of martial arts world recieved punishment from Tu Gu Sect for his actions.

Although the shifu knows that the gruesome punishment will not kill him, it will probably cripple him for a few days, if not weeks.

"Then come when you are ready. Make sure that you feel alright. Our 1000 burning iron hits is not to take lightly." The shifu says proudly.

"I'll go tomorrow." He just wants to get it over with.

"I will take the beatings with you." Tao Ru says, it is not fully Jing's fault after all.

"You are pregnant." Jing taps her head lightly, not allowing her to get hurt.

The shifu rolls her eyes, clearly disgusted with what she sees. "Then make sure to come tomorrow." She says and left.

________

The next day come, and Jing is ready. They walk together to A-Gu mountain, where the Tu Gu Sect is located.

Once they enter the headquarter, all eyes are staring at them. In the middle of the stage, a single log of wood is placed for him to be tied on.

"Wait, is that Huang Ma Jing? Our supreme leader?"

"What is he doing? Why is he receiving the beating in our sect?"

"I heard that he is marrying Li Tao Ru, so it's serious."

"Are they really soulmate? He gives so much face to our sect! This is unbelievable!"

"We won't get any problem if he's hurt right?"

Jing walks pass the sect members straight to the stage. He doesn't pay attention to the chatter around him.

Meanwhile, the shifu is waiting on the stage with two sect members ready with the burning iron.

After Jing sit and being tied, the shifu gestures to start hitting.

"1!" The first hit already burns his back skin.

Jing bits his lips, it surely is harsh. And he has 999 more.

"100!"

Jing already unable to feel his back.

"Wow, is he okay? This is usually when the strong people die."

"Well, he is the strongest man, so he probably will still be alive. As for if he'll be okay, I guess we just need to wait and see."

"500!" Jing is spitting blood at this stage. His back is nothing but burned skin and blood.

"He is still alive?! That's insane!"

"I guess it better to be weak, at least at the 50th hit you are surely dead. And you don't have to get so much hit!"

"That's true."

"I agree."

"So you think he regrets it?"

"I don't know.. if that's me, I will surely do."

"750!"

Jing feels his internal organ protesting, his view of the world is shaking. His stomach turns and he feels like he is going to faint.

Tao Ru is waiting from the side of the stage, she can clearly see that Jing cannot take it anymore.

She runs to the stage.

"Jing are you okay? I'll take the remaining beatings!" She holds his hand, his hand is limp, no energy left.

"T-Tao Ru...." He voice is hoarse. But hearing her voice really makes him gain extra willpower.

And seeing her makes him able to fight the pain all over his body. Because she is worth the whole pain. She is worth every one of the 1000 hits. If it means that they can finally build a family together.

"I'll take the rest of the beatings!"

"N-NTao Ru, you-u are pregnant. I-I won't let them to hurt you." He says with his last strengths.

"B-but.."

"Hold my hand. We'll get this finished."

For the remaining 250 hits, Jing is holding tightly to Tao Ru's hand.

"1000!"

The very last hit is the hardest. Jing spits another mouthful of blood and cough uncontrollably.

He looks up to Tao Ru weakly.

"It's done Tao Ru." He forces a smile. "Finally, we can be together." And then he falls onto her.