Chapter 17: Don’t Disappoint Me
—Magical Weapon: Earthly Valor Tiger
—Divine Crystal: Earthly Valor Star
—Effect: Grants a divine body and divine power for a short period, multiplying physical strength and power. Limited to one use per day.
—Remaining Uses: Four.
Back in his residence, Shi Hao examined the Earthly Valor Tiger again. As expected, the number of remaining uses had decreased by one.
Fortunately, he had relied on this magical weapon’s brute force; otherwise, capturing Du Yuejiao would have been much more difficult.
Putting away the Earthly Valor Tiger, he took out the jade pendant he had snatched from Du Yuejiao’s wrist.
The circular pendant, crystal clear, contained mysterious water patterns intertwined to form a special rune.
He examined it with his divine sense.
—Magical Weapon: Moon Phase Ring
—Divine Crystal: Yin Divergence Star
—Effect: Briefly distorts space, creating multiple layers of diamond-shaped spatial fragments.
—Remaining Uses: Six.
Shi Hao thought to himself, “These divine crystal magical weapons can even distort space?”
He marveled at the power of these weapons. If he hadn’t also possessed a magical weapon, even if he had advanced to the seventh rank, he might have been killed instantly by such a technique if caught off guard.
He looked out the window.
It was now evening, and no one had disturbed him all afternoon.
He didn’t think Ming Kun Monastery would connect Du Yuejiao’s disappearance to him.
After all, the traces of the fight clearly indicated a demonic cultivator using fire techniques, completely different from his style on Red Mountain.
Two days ago, someone had attempted to kidnap County Mistress Li Tong, and today, an attacker had abducted Du Yuejiao.
As long as Ming Kun Monastery wasn’t foolish, they would connect the two incidents and conclude that the attacker who took Du Yuejiao was working with the previous assailants.
And he, having saved Li Tong, was inadvertently cleared of suspicion.
Even so, he had remained in his residence all afternoon, occasionally appearing at the courtyard gate.
Since he had scaled the wall and entered using the Evil Shadow Disguise Technique around noon, even if someone investigated, they would easily conclude he hadn’t left the house.
He hadn’t noticed anyone surveilling him, and no one had come to inquire.
It seemed Ming Kun Monastery hadn’t revealed Du Yuejiao’s abduction.
This was only natural, unless Zhuo Mulan truly didn’t care about her disciple’s life.
As darkness deepened, the crescent moon rose.
Shi Hao buried the Moon Phase Ring under a tree in the courtyard, slipped over the wall, and changed his appearance using the Evil Shadow Disguise Technique.
The girl slowly regained consciousness amidst a hazy daze and unbearable, tearing pain.
Her hands were tied, and she was suspended from a wooden beam in a dark cell.
Her legs were spread apart, each ankle tied to a rope connected to an iron pillar.
The hem of her colorful Daoist robe had been cut open, revealing her grey trousers.
As she woke up, she instinctively struggled, trying to free herself from the restraints.
However, several major acupoints along her meridians were blocked by a mysterious demonic energy, her dantian completely sealed, preventing her from using her internal energy.
If she were an ordinary martial artist, even with her meridians blocked, she would still possess considerable strength.
However, Daoist cultivators focused on internal elixir cultivation and didn’t train their physical bodies.
Although they appeared ethereal and didn’t have to worry about their figures becoming muscular from martial arts training, at this moment, unable to use her internal energy, she was no different from an ordinary girl.
She tried to remain calm. She didn’t know where she was. Faint music drifted down from above, a soft, seductive melody amidst the muffled sounds.
This was a prison cell, at least on the surface.
Various torture instruments lined the left wall: a wooden horse for restraining a person face down with their limbs tied to its legs, a rack for spreading a person’s limbs in a “大” shape, whips, candles, ropes, a furnace, branding irons, and more.
But strangely, red curtains draped from above, and on the right side was a luxurious bed with a dressing table beside it.
Despite the torture instruments, the entire cell, with its overall color scheme, had a strangely elegant, almost bridal chamber-like atmosphere.
Du Yuejiao couldn’t understand why a prison cell, clearly designed for interrogation and torture, would be decorated so lavishly.
She continued looking to the right and suddenly froze, struggling against her restraints.
In the right corner, the villain with the hooked nose sat calmly on a red sandalwood chair, watching her wake up and struggle.
“Miss Du!” The villain casually crossed his left leg over his right, gently swinging his foot.
His voice was cold and emotionless, “There’s no animosity between us, and I don’t want to make things difficult for you. I just need you to answer one question. If you answer, I’ll let you go and won’t harm you.”
He paused, and his voice, like a blade scraping against a whetstone, continued, “Otherwise, I have plenty of tools, and plenty of time. You’re a beautiful and virtuous young lady, a precious daughter. Why suffer such torment in this place?”
Du Yuejiao spat angrily, “I won’t tell you anything, no matter what you ask. Let me go! The Chongxian Sect won’t let you get away with this!”
Ignoring her desperate outburst, the young man stood up and approached her, his shadow stretching across the floor towards her.
He stopped before her, grabbed her chin, and smiled, his expression even more sinister and menacing, “I understand that your Ming Kun Monastery is conducting a certain experiment with the Yue Ke Tai clan, a prominent barbarian family. This experiment is called ‘God-Sealing.’
“I just need you to tell me what kind of experiment it is, and what conclusions you have reached.”
He slightly loosened his grip on her chin.
“Ptoo!” The girl tried to spit in his face, but he easily dodged it.
“It seems you’re unwilling to cooperate,” the young man said, reaching for the intricately tied sash around her waist.
“What are you doing? Let me go!” the girl shouted, her voice echoing through the cell.
“Even if you scream your lungs out, it’s useless,” the young man whispered in her ear, sneering. “Don’t worry, I’m not particularly interested in your precious body. But to encourage your cooperation, let’s play a game.
“Starting tonight, I will torture you. For every night you refuse to talk, I’ll carve a mark on your thigh. Let’s see how many marks it takes before you tell me what I want to know.
“Don’t disappoint me, Miss Du.”
He untied the sash. The girl’s sharp, terrified scream echoed through the cell, “Let me go!”
…
The next morning, Shi Hao returned to his residence, took a cold bath, and sat cross-legged in the courtyard, cultivating his internal energy.
His actions last night made him feel like a villain.
But he had to force himself to continue, his resolve unwavering.
He had to find out what this “God-Sealing Experiment” was.
According to the information from Dark Thunder, this experiment could potentially reshape the martial world, giving the barbarian court and the Chongxian Sect true control.
And deep down, the very name “God-Sealing” filled him with unease.
A light rain began to fall, bringing a touch of moisture to the courtyard.
Circulating both the Immortal Ice Technique and the Mysterious Charm Technique within him, Shi Hao felt a significant improvement in his power.
Yesterday’s fight with Du Yuejiao had greatly benefited his Mysterious Charm Technique.
And as the Mysterious Charm Technique improved, his Immortal Ice Technique also seemed to be stimulated, its power increasing in response, rising in tandem with the demonic art.
Cultivation was supposed to be a long and arduous process, requiring unwavering determination and constant effort.
Even without visible progress, one had to persevere, rain or shine, never giving up.
His rapid progress, feeling the increase in power almost constantly, was unusual.
Many people gave up on cultivation because they couldn’t experience this immediate “feedback.”
They trained diligently but felt no improvement. Over time, they began to doubt their abilities, leading to frustration and ultimately, giving up.
After all, cultivation was often a tedious and monotonous process.
Shi Hao’s experience was completely different. He didn’t know if it was because he was cultivating both Daoist and demonic arts simultaneously.
At noon, after having lunch, he went out for a stroll in the market.
As he returned to his residence, a luxurious carriage arrived. A steward from the Marquis’ residence invited him to the mansion.
Shi Hao naturally didn’t refuse the invitation. Or rather, with Small Han Mountain City’s status, he didn’t have the “right” to refuse.
However, the Marquis’ residence had sent a luxurious carriage to pick him up, instead of simply sending a messenger.
This was considered a sign of “respect” from the Marquis’ residence.
Shi Hao boarded the carriage, which traveled down the wide, official road, lined with willow trees, a road forbidden to ordinary people.
The carriage arrived at the Marquis’ residence, but instead of stopping at the main gate, it entered through a side gate.
After reaching the inner gardens, Shi Hao disembarked, and two maidservants greeted him.
He followed them into the garden, arriving at a pavilion over the lake.
County Mistress Li Tong, dressed in a green skirt, sat inside the pavilion and called out softly, “Master Shi!”
Shi Hao bowed, “Greetings, County Mistress.”
County Mistress Li Tong returned the gesture, her voice gentle, “There’s no need for such formalities, Master Shi. You are my savior. I have prepared a small banquet today to express my gratitude for saving my life on Red Mountain. Please, have a seat.”
Shi Hao said, “You’re too kind, County Mistress. I wouldn’t dare trouble you.”
County Mistress Li Tong smiled, “How can a small banquet repay the debt of saving my life? Please!”
Shi Hao entered the pavilion and sat down, looking around. The scenery was beautiful, with the lake shimmering in the distance.
Maidservants brought food and wine, but there were no guards in sight.
Shi Hao quickly assessed the situation. On the one hand, he knew the Marquis’ residence must have investigated Small Han Mountain City but hadn’t found anything suspicious… which was only natural.
After all, before this, he, the young master of Small Han Mountain City, had rarely left.
There was nothing unusual about his life so far, and Small Han Mountain City wasn’t a martial arts sect.
If they had found anything suspicious, even if County Mistress Li Tong wanted to hold a banquet for him in the Marquis’ residence gardens, the Marquis wouldn’t have allowed it.
On the other hand, County Mistress Li Tong probably didn’t know about Du Yuejiao’s disappearance yet.
The food and wine were served, and a maidservant poured him wine. County Mistress Li Tong raised her cup and said apologetically, “That day on Red Mountain, although you were present at the banquet, I didn’t attend to you properly. Please forgive me.”
Shi Hao said, “I’m just a simple man from the mountains. There’s no need for you to worry, County Mistress.”
They drank a few cups. County Mistress Li Tong’s eyes sparkled, and she said cheerfully, “I heard you were just a scholar, but you’ve hidden your martial arts skills well. It’s a good thing you did, otherwise I would have been in real trouble.”
Shi Hao smiled, “I am indeed a scholar. My martial arts training was just a chance encounter with a skilled master, a mere…” He suddenly turned his head.
A gust of wind swept through the garden gate.
More than a dozen tall, burly figures, clearly trained in external martial arts, entered in two rows, quickly taking positions that subtly surrounded the pavilion.
Shi Hao gripped his cup, his expression changing slightly.
He quickly turned back, his gaze fixed on County Mistress Li Tong’s neck, almost ready to strike and restrain her.
But she also looked surprised and asked a maidservant, “Who are those people?”
A giggle echoed, “Sister Li Tong, I’ve come to see you.”
Shi Hao looked over and saw a girl wearing a garland of flowers and a pleated dress, a flower-patterned whip around her waist.
She was delicate and petite, her laughter like tinkling bells as she floated in like a gentle breeze.
Since the Jin clan’s invasion, influenced by Chinese culture, most Jin girls wore similar clothing to Chinese girls, either wrap-around robes or jackets and skirts.
This girl, however, with flowers in her hair, flower ornaments all over her body, and a flower-patterned woolen dress, looked like a flower herself.
For a Jin girl, this attire was more “retro” than “traditional.”
As the flower-clad girl approached, County Mistress Li Tong hurriedly stood up, not daring to show any disrespect, “Sister Yue, when did you arrive in Jin Prefecture?”
Although she addressed her as “sister,” she quickly descended the pavilion steps to greet her.
Leave a Reply to Void Slayer Cancel reply