After the Beauty Lantern Became a Prisoner

Xie Ye, the formidable and feared Pavilion Master of Mingyuan Pavilion, is captured by Li Jingci, the Second Prince, after a brutal assault on his stronghold. Xie Ye, who has spent three years shielding the current Emperor from political assassinations, is betrayed and imprisoned. Rather than revealing the location of a crucial imperial edict hidden in his mind, Xie Ye shatters his own spiritual core, appearing to die. However, Li Jingci secretly saves him, faking Xie Ye's death to the court while keeping him imprisoned in a dungeon. The two share a complex history; Li Jingci once served as Xie Ye's guard for four years, during which Xie Ye taught him martial arts and the ruthless principles of survival. Their relationship is fraught with tension, as Li Jingci harbors deep hatred for Xie Ye, who was responsible for the death of Li Jingci's beloved sister ten years prior.

Life in captivity is brutal for Xie Ye. He is subjected to torture and humiliation, including having his legs broken by Long Li, the sister of a man Xie Ye killed. Li Jingci intervenes to stop the torture but keeps Xie Ye confined, torn between his desire for revenge and his inability to let him die. The dynamic shifts when Li Jingci begins visiting Xie Ye nightly, revealing a possessive and obsessive attachment that transcends simple hatred. Xie Ye, recognizing Li Jingci's conflicted feelings, manipulates the situation to secure his survival, eventually agreeing to become Li Jingci's personal companion in exchange for better treatment. This arrangement allows Xie Ye to recover physically, though his meridians remain severed, leaving him dependent on Li Jingci's inner energy.

Xie Ye devises a cunning plan to regain his strength and potentially escape his fate. He requests a rare herb called Qianhun Grass from the court physician, Jiang Huaiyuan, claiming it is for pain relief. In reality, the herb, when consumed with blood, acts as a conduit to drain the internal energy of anyone in close proximity. Xie Ye intends to use this to siphon Li Jingci's vital energy during their nightly encounters, slowly weakening the Prince while restoring his own martial abilities. His servant, Zhao Ming, assists in this dangerous scheme, aware that failure would result in the extermination of their families.

Meanwhile, the martial arts world is in turmoil. The destruction of Mingyuan Pavilion has not gone unnoticed. Pei Xuanming, the current Alliance Leader of the Martial Arts Alliance and a former disciple of the renowned Fu Zhaochuan, is determined to uncover the truth. Pei Xuanming recalls his first encounter with Xie Ye years ago, a meeting that marked the beginning of a complicated history between them. He sends his disciples to search the ruins of Mingyuan Pavilion, seeking any sign that Xie Ye might still be alive. The narrative weaves between the political intrigue within the capital and the growing unrest in the martial world, setting the stage for a confrontation that could reshape the balance of power.

As Xie Ye continues his recovery under Li Jingci's roof, the emotional and physical tension between them intensifies. Li Jingci's internal conflict deepens as he struggles with his duty to the throne and his obsession with the man he hates. Xie Ye, ever the strategist, navigates this precarious situation with calculated charm and ruthlessness. The story explores themes of power, betrayal, and the blurred lines between love and hate. With the Emperor's edict still a mystery and Pei Xuanming closing in, Xie Ye must balance his quest for revenge and restoration against the growing dependency on his captor. The narrative sets the stage for a dramatic clash between the imprisoned Pavilion Master and the forces seeking his destruction, both within the court and the martial world.