"Your brain knows you're on land, and it knows this is just a cloth. But with your dantian and spirit abode sealed, leaving you a mortal, adrenaline will make your heart race and consume more air. Your nervous system will tell you that you're drowning..."
Xu Xian watched the girl struggle while controlling the stream water to pour over her face, not forgetting to provide his educational commentary.
After a long while, he withdrew the water and pulled the tattered cloth from her nose and mouth.
The gray-robed girl’s eyes rolled back, her pale face contorted as she gasped for air.
"Urgh! Urgh! Urgh!"
Primal terror forced her entire body into uncontrollable tremors and spasms.
Xu Xian spoke unhurriedly, "Do you know the three most painful ways to die?"
"The first is starvation. The second is pain. The third is suffocation."
"You're currently experiencing the third. I still have the other two ready. But don't worry, you're a cultivator, so you're resilient. I'm a cultivator too, and I'll save you, so you won't die right away. You'll simply be left longing for life but finding no path, and praying for death but finding no end."
"If you still won't talk, in a moment I'll carve the flesh from your body piece by piece so you can experience the second—pain. Then I'll leave you in the mountains to slowly starve to death..."
The youth's words were piercing, constantly stimulating her nerves.
He was like a demon, filling her with dread.
She asked, "You aren't a disciple of the Wendao Sword Sect. Who are you?"
"How can you tell?"
"A disciple of the Wendao Sword Sect could never be this despicable and vile."
This was what people called a reputation. Even a demonic cultivator acknowledged the Wendao Sword Sect's standing. It was clear that the sect's status as a righteous pillar in Fanzhou was well-deserved.
Xu Xian leaned closer and whispered sinisterly, "I can be even more vile... You can experience it slowly. We'll see if they find me first, or if I drive you mad first."
She lowered her eyes, finally compromising. "What do you want to know?"
"What do you think?"
She looked at Xu Xian blankly and asked weakly, "If I tell you what you want to know, will you give me a quick death?"
Xu Xian replied, "Of course. We disciples of the Wendao Sword Sect value honesty above all else."
"Jiang Ying."
"Hmm?"
"That's my name."
"And?" Xu Xian sat down by the side of the stream.
Jiang Ying spoke slowly with her head bowed. "My master is from the Blood Demon Cave. You can't beat them. There are two Venerables at the peak of the nascent soul stage, at least ten core formation cultivators, and more than a hundred in the foundation establishment stage like you."
Xu Xian was inwardly shocked.
Jiang Ying continued, "We even have our people inside Yecheng."
As expected.
"Are you afraid?" Jiang Ying asked with a hint of mockery.
Xu Xian remained unruffled. "Continue."
Under the effects of the spiritual elixir, Jiang Ying’s complexion had recovered slightly, and her voice was no longer as weak as before.
She said, "We stole the infants. It started three years ago. We are a demonic sect from Cangwu. A few months ago, we received word that the Wendao Sword Sect's Supervision Hall was onto us. We captured all of them. Unfortunately, the message had already been sent back. We knew you would come and prepared accordingly. As soon as you arrived, we lured you here... From the moment you stepped into Yecheng, your every move has been under our control. Your other two companions will be captured soon. No one can escape."
Xu Xian fell into thought. This matched his deductions perfectly.
Cangwu. Yecheng. This was no small matter. It wasn't as simple as demonic cultivators kidnapping infants to cultivate, as the mission description suggested.
"So, they're still alive?" Xu Xian asked for the information he wanted most.
Jiang Ying sneered. "Of course. If a person dies, their sword returns. No one can stop that. If that happened, the sword peaks of the Wendao Sword Sect would descend, and we couldn't handle that kind of trouble. Moreover, this is the Northern Borders. Until the Great One’s grand plan is complete, you won't die—though your lives won't be much better than death."
"What is the purpose of all this?"
Jiang Ying's eyes dimmed, and she slowly shook her head. "I don't know. That's all I know. Believe it or not."
Xu Xian was skeptical. "Why kidnap infants? And why only female infants? You don't know that either?"
Jiang Ying said flatly, "Didn't you see? They were turned into blood puppets."
"Is that all?" Xu Xian questioned.
Jiang Ying hesitated for a moment before mocking herself. "That's all I know. Don't think too highly of me. Even if there's more to it, the two Venerables wouldn't let a pawn like me find out."
She slowly turned her head toward the depths of the night and said, "If you want to know the truth before you die, you can go see for yourself."
Xu Xian pondered, probing further, "Nothing else? For example, who are your accomplices in Yecheng?"
"I said it already. I've told you everything I know."
Xu Xian fell silent, his thoughts running deeper than the moonlight.
When a person is about to die, their words are often sincere. He thought she might truly be ignorant. After all, this matter was so significant that it had taken three years for any news to leak. The secrecy must have been extremely tight.
However, it wasn't hard to guess.
Cangwu. Yecheng. Demonic cultivators. When connected, it was clear someone was stirring up trouble in Yecheng. Rebellion was highly likely. Of course, regardless of the process, the ultimate goal was surely to target the Wendao Sword Sect. The water here was deep, and what she spoke of was likely just the surface.
"Now, can you give me a quick death?" Jiang Ying asked.
Xu Xian didn't hesitate. "Sure."
Jiang Ying’s thin brows relaxed as if she were finally being liberated.
Xu Xian stood up, his hand quietly gripping Wait. He looked down at Jiang Ying. "In your next life, remember to be a good person."
Jiang Ying looked up at the youth and grinned savagely. "Easy for you to say. If there were a choice, who would do this dirty work where every day could be your last? Unfortunately, my fate was never my own."
Xu Xian paused for a moment before saying softly, "Safe travels."
The heavy sword swept through the air, a flash of cold light, and a head was cleanly severed, tumbling into the stream. Half a body fell straight onto the ground.
Jiang Ying’s blood had already run dry earlier. Now that she was decapitated, there was no spray or surge of blood as one might expect.
Xu Xian flicked the blade, and the heavy sword flew back into his sleeve.
He didn't spare the corpse a single glance. Instead, he walked to the upper reaches of the stream, washed his face, and vanished into the night.
This was Xu Xian’s first time killing someone. Yet, he didn't feel the discomfort or nausea others often described. It felt ordinary. He even felt a slight sense of gratification.
Firstly, since he had grown up in the mountains after transmigrating, while he hadn't killed a person, he had killed plenty of pigs, dogs, sheep, fish, and beasts. In essence, it was the same.
Secondly, he had killed someone he truly deemed evil. Especially after seeing those infants turned into blood puppets, he had long since viewed these people as animals. He couldn't wait to kill them.
Thus, after the kill, he felt satisfaction.
No choice? Fate wasn't her own? It was all nonsense. To do such things to newborn infants for three years was unforgivable by heaven.
Fine. Even if you had your reasons and were forced to do it, Xu Xian could understand. But then don't complain when I slaughter you. Because you deserve to die.
Speeding through the forest, Xu Xian muttered to himself.
"Killing one breaks even; killing two is a profit. You blocked my path and gave me no way out, so don't blame me for going for broke. No one is getting out of this easily..."
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