第134章 "Blood Betrays Blood"

**Chapter 134: The Betrayal of Blood**

Chen Beixuan's eyes burned with an intense fury as he stared at Xuan Yuchen. The latter's words had confirmed his worst fears - the Shangguan family, once his closest allies, had been involved in the conspiracy that had nearly destroyed his life.

"You knew about this?" Chen Beixuan's voice was low and deadly. "You knew and you still chose to keep it from me?"

Xuan Yuchen's face was deathly pale, his eyes pleading for mercy. "Beixuan, please... I was under pressure from my family. They threatened to expose my affair with your fiancée if I didn't cooperate."

Chen Beixuan's grip on Xuan Yuchen's collar tightened. "And what about our friendship, Xuan Yuchen? Did that mean nothing to you?"

Xuan Yuchen's eyes welled up with tears. "Beixuan, I'm sorry... I was wrong to betray your trust. But please, try to understand - I was trapped."

Chen Beixuan's face twisted in a mixture of anger and sadness. "You're right, Xuan Yuchen. You were trapped. Trapped in a web of deceit and betrayal. And now, it's too late to turn back."

As he spoke, the air around them seemed to thicken with tension. The sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway, growing louder with each passing moment.

Chen Beixuan's eyes flicked towards the door, his gaze cold and calculating. "It seems we're about to have some visitors," he muttered to himself.

Xuan Yuchen's eyes followed his, and his face paled further at the sight of the Shangguan family members, led by his mother, Shan Yichen, approaching them with an air of superiority.

"Beixuan, dear brother," Shan Yichen's voice was laced with condescension. "I see you're still as foolish as ever, loyal to the end, no matter how much you're hurt."

Chen Beixuan's eyes narrowed. "And what do you want, Shan Yichen? Other than to rub salt in my wounds, of course."

Shan Yichen's smile was like a razor's edge. "Oh, Beixuan, we've come to offer you a deal. Join us, and we'll make sure your fiancée is returned to you. Refuse, and... let's just say it won't be pleasant."

Chen Beixuan's laughter was like thunder. "You think I'm that desperate? You think I'll trade my dignity for the sake of my fiancée's return?"

Shan Yichen's eyes glinted with annoyance. "We'll see about that, Beixuan. We'll see about that."

As the standoff continued, Chen Beixuan's eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire, a flame of determination and resolve. And Xuan Yuchen, sensing the danger, knew that he had to make a choice - stand with Chen Beixuan, or abandon him to the mercy of the Shangguan family.

But as the clock ticked away, the fate of their friendship, and the future of their world, hung precariously in the balance, waiting to be decided...