Difficult Survival

She really couldn't imagine it.

The female cultivator named Lü Shenliang was currently using various methods to torment her junior brother, Wang Li!

It was just like real torture and interrogation.

She had previously suspected that this female cultivator from the Profound Heaven Sect was faking her madness, but now it seemed she was genuinely quite unwell.

This Wang Li... life was truly difficult for him.

For a moment, seeing the scene, she couldn't help but pity Wang Li.

At the same time, she felt a sense of relief. No wonder this Qi Refining stage cultivator's spiritual sense was so tenacious, unfazed even by the spiritual pressure of a Golden Core cultivator. It turned out he was subjected to such torment regularly.

"Are you going to talk or not?"

Lü Shenliang's Soul Searching Technique failed. She hadn't found any clues and didn't want to give up, so she resorted to other methods.

Dozens of wisps of light, thinner than a strand of hair, flowed from her fingertips and pierced into Wang Li's blood vessels.

Wang Li's whole body was filled with an unbearable itch and numbness. His body twisted and writhed in the air, his face contorted. "Senior Sister, what am I supposed to say? You ask me, but I want to ask you too."

"Hmph, you still dare to be stubborn!"

Lü Shenliang glared at him. Streaks of dazzling lightning descended from the sky, following the light threads into Wang Li's body. Wang Li was immediately electrocuted, trembling violently, his hair standing on end.

Wang Li's tongue felt numb from the electric shock, his mouth twitching. He truly felt like crying but had no tears.

He had previously considered whether he should torture his senior sister, but he never had the opportunity. Now, why was his senior sister suddenly torturing him for real?

"Let's see how long you can keep this up." Lü Shenliang saw that these methods seemed to have no effect on Wang Li. She took a deep breath, frowned, and the shoes on Wang Li's feet, who was hanging upside down, flew off. His bare feet were exposed to the sky. At the same time, several soft, feather-like white wisps of Vital Energy appeared at the soles of Wang Li's feet, gently brushing against them.

Wang Li's eyes widened.

"Senior Sister, you can't be this vicious!"

He barely managed to utter this complete sentence before an unbearable itch overwhelmed him. His body was bound by the Vital Energy and couldn't move. He immediately burst into laughter and wails.

"..." He Lingxiu watched, goosebumps rising on her arms.

Such a terrifying scene even made her consider retreating.

She felt as if the soles of her own feet were starting to itch.

"You really don't know?" Lü Shenliang tortured Wang Li for a moment, then suddenly stopped and asked seriously.

"If I knew, I would have told you long ago! I've been asking you for half the day, trying to find the reason from you, and you're asking me!" Wang Li shouted, his face contorted.

"Strange! You truly don't know?"

Lü Shenliang pondered for a moment, helpless. She finally decided to stop. She turned Wang Li upright and set him down on the ground.

But in the next moment, she couldn't help but say, "It seems like that torture earlier was quite fun."

"Don't..." Wang Li's face turned pale.

But in the blink of an eye, the itching and numbness in his body subsided slightly, and he found it rather comfortable.

"I can't have such thoughts." He immediately slapped his own face, feeling that his thoughts were somewhat evil and perverted.

"Someone's coming. We've met this person before." Just then, Lü Shenliang seemed to have completely regained her composure and said to him.

He Lingxiu, who was still hesitating at the foot of the isolated peak whether to meet the two of them, was startled again. She felt a palpable spiritual sense sweep over her.

In the next instant, a dark golden sword light descended from above her head like a falling meteor.

Her expression immediately turned serious.

This female cultivator's spiritual sense was far stronger than she had anticipated, and the speed of this sword light... even if she wanted to escape, there wouldn't be enough time.

The dark golden sword light, which fell like a meteor, suddenly changed direction a few dozen feet above the ground. It then landed very gently, and just as it was about to touch the ground, this Profound Heaven Sword Qi quietly disappeared. Lü Shenliang and Wang Li stepped onto the ground without any impact.

"I've seen you."

Lü Shenliang wasted no words. Looking at He Lingxiu, she said, "You are the female cultivator behind True Person Wu Yang. You are a disciple of the Huayang Sect."

He Lingxiu's brows furrowed slightly.

She was still in the appearance she had in the Scorched Wood Market. Her disguise technique was incredibly profound, and ordinary Golden Core cultivators couldn't see through it. Yet, this crippled Golden Core cultivator from the Profound Heaven Sect saw through her at a glance.

Looking at Lü Shenliang opposite her, the strange feeling in her heart grew stronger.

She felt that Lü Shenliang seemed to be in her normal state now, but why had she seemed so crazy moments ago, cruelly torturing her junior brother, with whom she seemed to share a deep bond?

With this thought, she couldn't help but glance at Wang Li.

What surprised her and made her lips curve slightly was that she saw Wang Li was still barefoot.

"What, you came all the way from the Huayang Sect just to look at my junior brother's feet?" Lü Shenliang noticed her gaze and her tone immediately became unfriendly.

"I didn't come from the Huayang Sect. I came from the Scorched Wood Market." He Lingxiu had seen her fair share of storms. She nonchalantly shifted her gaze away from Wang Li's bare feet and continued, "I'm not here to see you about the Yin Thunder Umbrella. There's a business matter in the Scorched Wood Market, and I wanted to ask if you two fellow cultivators would take it."

Lü Shenliang looked at her seriously. Without further ado, she asked, "What business?"

"Lead the way to the Seven Treasures Ancient Domain and search for several cultivators who might be trapped there." He Lingxiu said calmly, looking into her eyes.

Lü Shenliang glanced at Wang Li.

Wang Li, who had been obediently listening and sizing up He Lingxiu, was suddenly stunned.

He was quite surprised.

Normally, Lü Shenliang would be the one making decisions, but judging by her expression at that moment, it seemed she wanted him to decide this time.

"No!" he immediately refused, saying with utter finality.

He knew exactly what kind of place the Scorched Wood Market was, and any business associated with it was definitely not simple.

What's more, in his opinion, this female cultivator from the Huayang Sect also seemed rather peculiar.

Although he knew almost nothing about He Lingxiu, he did recall seeing her behind True Person Wu Yang that day.

How could such a young female disciple from the Huayang Sect be so deeply involved with the Scorched Wood Market?

The more he thought about it, the more he felt there were many potential troubles.

Seeing his decisive refusal, He Lingxiu smiled and said, "Seven million spirit sand."

Wang Li immediately became serious and said, "It's not impossible to negotiate."

This outcome didn't seem to surprise He Lingxiu at all. Her smile grew even brighter as she said, "Honestly, I think you should seriously consider it. The value of what you obtained by braving Old Ancestor Tong Hui's Heavenly Tribulation for the Yin Thunder Umbrella is only around seven million spirit sand. Moreover, this business is quite simple. You just need to escort several cultivators into the Seven Treasures Ancient Domain. As long as you bring them near the Burial Bone Pagoda, your task will be considered complete. From what I know, you've entered the Seven Treasures Ancient Domain at least twice. While others turn pale at the mere mention of the chaotic continent, for you, this should be effortless."

Wang Li sneered, "If it's effortless, how can it be worth seven million spirit sand?"

He Lingxiu wasn't angry. She chuckled, looked at his feet, and deliberately asked, "Is it cool?"

"It's alright."

Wang Li's expression remained unchanged. "At least sixty percent upfront."

He Lingxiu scoffed, "The rule is forty percent."

Wang Li countered, "At least fifty percent. You specifically came all the way here to find us, so you must believe that my participation is the most likely to succeed. Furthermore, the most crucial point is that this matter is likely urgent. If we go late, even if we can successfully enter the depths of the Seven Treasures Ancient Domain, those cultivators you're looking for might not even have bones left."

He Lingxiu raised an eyebrow. "Deal."