Ceilia realized that every time he spoke, he somehow managed to roast her in one way or another, leaving her both amused and perplexed by this complex man before her.

As the conversation continued, Xia Tian was far from done.

With a smug smirk, he continued to elaborate on his observations, "You do that because you expect others to chase after you. In reality, you place them beneath you and anticipate them to be your slaves."

Ceilia's eyes twitched at his audacious claim. "Daddy, have you hit your head? How could you even imagine such a thing? Wouldn't you break my leg if I engaged in such nonsense? When have I ever not clarified what I want when I am with you?"

Her response was genuine and sincere.

While she could somewhat understand his assessment of her behavior with others, she couldn't recall ever treating him that way.

She couldn't even fathom daring to treat him with such arrogance.

Xia Tian nodded, seemingly unfazed by her reaction. "Oh, about that, it's because you already know it wouldn't work on me, and it would only lead to a harsh backlash instead," he explained casually, as if it were a matter of fact.

Ceilia was on the verge of retorting again, but her words slipped away from her, lost in the heat of the moment. Finally, she unconsciously blurted out, "You are right!"

Aware that she had already capitulated, she added with a hint of concealed irritation, "We treat others like slaves! We expect them to worship us like gods, thinking they are weak. Yet, when faced with someone powerful, we dare not put on airs! If I were to adopt a haughty attitude towards you, wouldn't you just kick me to the curb? I am well aware of that, so why would I even consider it?" Her words spilled out in a torrent, sounding unlike her usual self.

This was Xia Tian's gift, his ability to provoke people with his words, causing them to veer from rationality to an emotional state, inevitably exposing their true feelings.

Ceilia pressed on, her voice dripping with irony, "So tell me, my powerful husband, what is the real reason behind your anger?"

Xia Tian arched an eyebrow, a flicker of amusement in his eyes, and replied, "I don't seem to recall marrying you...?"

Cecilia shot back, her words laced with bitterness,"Consider it as this one-sided, slave-like marriage. But no matter what, you will never find a true wife in your life, as no one can ever be equal to you. So why bother with it in the first place? And why the hell do you even ask me this, when you didn't even care about your other toys calling you their husband? You really hold some deep grudge against me."

Xia Tian nodded briefly, but a gentle smile played on his lips as he corrected her, "It's not hatred, Cecilia. It's disappointment."

"...."

The place fell into a heavy silence, as Cecilia found herself at a loss for words.

In the end, as she let out a deep, weary sigh, she mustered the courage to ask, her voice trembling, "... Was it because I dared to try to kill them before?" Her words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of her past. Memories resurfaced as he seemed to maliciously unearth every painful detail.

"... I have already changed, Dad. What more do I need to do to prove it?" Her eyes searched his, her gaze intense and earnest. "Should I be willing to sacrifice myself just to prove that I won't repeat my past mistakes?" Her words carried a grave seriousness, leaving no doubt about the depth of her commitment.

Ceilia remained unaware of how, throughout this entire conversation, she had unwittingly yielded to his demands and consistently sought to understand his desires.

It was a subtle shift in power dynamics, reminiscent of the desperate pleas of a helpless boyfriend trying to appease an enraged girlfriend.

But why had the roles reversed? The answer lay in the cunning tactics of the old fox, who possessed an intricate understanding of women's behavior, surpassing even their own comprehension.

He skillfully exploited their occasional temper tantrums as a means to gain control, nothing more.

Once he successfully asserted his dominance, it became a never-ending cycle.

Their behavior, learned through his manipulative tactics, gradually morphed into an accepted norm.

It mirrored the societal expectation that a boy would incessantly pester his irate girlfriend, even if she harbored unwarranted resentment.

He wielded their vulnerabilities against them, always staying one step ahead, expertly molding them to his liking.

It was a sinister manipulation, akin to raw social engineering.

His actions had become so instinctive and unconsciously ingraved in his behaviour that he no longer needed to consciously orchestrate them; they effortlessly aimed to provoke and seize power from those around him.

Right now, Ceilia lay gently on his chest, her gaze fixed upon his eyes, eagerly awaiting his answer. Her determination shone through her eyes, revealing that she had no intention of leaving until she received a response today.

However, little did she realize that she was unwittingly digging her own grave with each passing moment.

A harsh lesson loomed on the horizon, a lesson about why one should never pry into Xia Tian's secrets, the things he deliberately chose not to share. For the consequences that would follow, she would soon discover, were far more severe than she could ever imagine.

Xia Tian tilted his head slightly, his eyes unyielding as they met hers. With a sharp glint in his gaze, he spoke, his words cutting through the air. "You want to know what you did wrong?" His voice carried a weight of accusation, and Qin Yueling found herself momentarily taken aback, her uncertainty evident in her hesitant nod.

A faint smile played on Xia Tian's lips, as if he had been anticipating her inquiry. "Then listen closely," he began, his voice laced with a mix of authority and reprimand. "First and foremost, even in your second life, you made the conscious choice not to cultivate, to live among mortals. And now, when your daughter was kidnapped, you come begging to me? Whose fault do you think it was?"

His words crashed upon her like a tidal wave, exposing the consequences of her own weakness. Did she not linger in its embrace, hoping for someone to pull her out of the depths? His question cut to the core of her being, challenging the very foundation on which she had built her life.

"I never remember teaching you to embrace weakness," Xia Tian continued, his tone filled with a mix of disappointment and frustration. The weight of his words stirred a turbulent storm of emotions within Qin Yueling. She had long accepted her daughter's demise, yet now her eyes welled with tears as she faced his outrage.

"But... I-I was helpless," she managed to utter weakly, her voice trembling as she recalled that fateful day.

Xia Tian's laughter filled the room, but there was no mirth behind it. It held a note of bitter irony, amplifying the harsh reality that she had come to face. "Helpless, or did you choose to surrender to helplessness?" His words hung in the air, heavy with the truth she had been reluctant to confront.

What infuriated Xia Tian the most was when people claimed helplessness or weakness, or when they protested after being mercilessly suppressed by those in power.

So, some ancient monster managed to kill us?

Or was it a government entity or a formidable cultivator who had oppressed us?

Then why in the fuck didn't we put up a damn fight?

Because, let's be real, we were fucking weak and content with remaining in that pathetic state!

Oh, someone died in some tragic accident, did they?"

Well, that's because they were fucking weak, and some heartless bastard, a god, the universe, or even destiny itself could snuff them out with a mere thought!

They afraid of not worshiping a god or daring to offend them?"

And they tremble at the mere thought of criticizing them?

Well, let me spell it out for them: that's nothing but sheer fucking weakness.

Even with the gift of free will, if you choose to remain weak and cry when faced with consequences, Xia Tian will show no mercy, treating you as he would his toys - with disdain and disregard.

He always made sure his toys understood their place - they were his toys because he saw them as weak and pitiful.

And now, his own daughter willingly embraces this pathetic state. It's as if a small part of him is slowly being consumed by a malignant tumor.

He believes it would be better for her to perish and continue to perish until she finally grasps the lesson at hand.

The only reason she can even hold a conversation with him now is because of her cultivation, reaching the pinnacle of the divine overload realm in this life.

Though it was not Ceilia's decision but Qin Yueling's, as Ceilia had sealed her memories before her previous demise.

Yet, her unconscious act inadvertently did him a favor; otherwise, she would never have known when, or if, she would ever be able to reunite with Xia Tian.

His unmatched ability to detach from things and people astounds others.

Thus, he might as well condemn her to an eternal loop of rebirth if she remains oblivious to her plight.