Relentless Torment

Yue Qianchou slightly opened his arms. A terrifying aura surged into his body like a tide. The surrounding temperature slowly returned to normal, and those who had been lying on the ground gradually regained their senses, letting out weak groans, appearing somewhat feeble.

Yu Landu and Guan Zhongkai, being of higher cultivation levels, looked somewhat pale but were otherwise unharmed. After all, the death energy that had invaded their bodies had been absorbed back by Yue Qianchou. This was only Yue Qianchou didn't want to escalate the situation too much; otherwise, those present would have been in serious trouble.

Even so, the fear still lingered in everyone's eyes as they looked at Yue Qianchou. Those who could still move scattered, their interest in watching the spectacle gone. If they had known something like this would happen, none of them would have come to join the fun.

Guan Zhongkai was the most frustrated; probably no one here was more unlucky than him. This was the third time he had experienced this terrifying torment. Calling it torment was no exaggeration. Once the terrifying aura invaded his body, it continuously dissipated his life force, making him feel like a walking corpse, his weak consciousness completely unable to control his body. It felt like struggling on the edge of death, each second an agonizing ordeal, worse than an eternity. It was extremely uncomfortable.

Yu Landu, who had been tricked twice at the Treasure Gathering Basin, was equally amused and exasperated. The two exchanged a glance, looked around, and found that the bustling street had been cleared out; most people had disappeared. Occasionally, someone would peek out from the shops on both sides of the street to check things out.

The disciples of the Azure Palace looked at Lan Feng's mangled body on the ground with complicated expressions. They dared not do anything to Niu Youde, and didn't even dare to utter any harsh words. Yue Qianchou, however, glanced at the group and said calmly, "Listen up, disciples of the Azure Palace, go back and tell Fatty Pei that I, Niu Youde, killed him. If he has any objections, let him come at me."

Guan Zhongkai and Yu Landu exchanged a glance; Niu Youde was indeed unafraid of Pei Fang. Throughout the entire street, whether present or overheard in the shadows, everyone now unequivocally regarded Niu Youde as someone on par with the top ten masters.

"From today onwards, the three of you are my subordinates. If you have any trouble, just say my name, Niu Youde. Let's go!" After Yue Qianchou finished speaking to Tian Ye and the other two, he turned and left. Tian Ye and the other two followed behind excitedly, feeling as if they had been elevated to the heavens in one step. Happiness had come too suddenly, and they even felt light as a feather.

From the shops on both sides, many people craned their necks, diligently memorizing the appearances of Tian Ye and his companions. They were the men of the Ruthless Judge, Niu Youde. They needed to remember them well, lest they misjudge someone and cause some unmanageable trouble later.

Even Guan Zhongkai and Yu Landu looked at Tian Ye and the other two with a hint of envy. The two then turned and followed them...

"Tian Ye, wait!" A woman's voice came from behind.

The group turned around at the same time. It was the woman who had argued with Tian Ye earlier. She was walking slowly towards them, clearly affected by what had just happened, her steps somewhat labored. Yue Qianchou frowned and asked, "What is this woman's relationship with you?"

Tian Ye lowered his head in pain. A man with a short beard beside him bowed and said, "Senior, her name is Li Qiuxiang. She was originally our elder brother's dao companion. Later, she was taken in by a disciple of the Azure Palace and left with him. Recently, we heard that she was making a living at the Spring Sleep Tower in the Treasure Gathering Basin. At first, we didn't believe it, so we rushed here to verify it. We didn't expect it to really be her. Our elder brother wanted to take her away, but she refused to leave. You saw what happened after that, Senior..."

Yue Qianchou said "Oh", and then said, "I only know Tian Ye's name, but I don't know what the two of you are called."

The man with a short beard bowed and said, "Hai Wei." The one who seemed rather quiet replied, "Mo Shaojun." Yue Qianchou looked at the three of them and nodded slightly, saying, "Tian Ye, Hai Wei, Mo Shaojun, I've got it."

Not only did he remember them. Guan Zhongkai, Yu Landu, and the people in the shops on both sides of the street all silently memorized these three names. Of course, it's natural for someone as skilled as Niu Youde to have his subordinates remember them.

"Greetings, Senior Niu." Li Qiuxiang, dressed in a pink gauze dress and possessing a rather beautiful appearance, bowed to Yue Qianchou. Yue Qianchou glanced at her impassively, wondering what she wanted. He neither liked nor disliked women in this line of work, always treating them with indifference. After all, no woman is born liking this; most are forced into it by life. Of course, Yue Qianchou never had much interest in those who did it out of laziness.

Li Qiuxiang turned to Tian Ye and said, "Tian Ye, you said you would take me away. Do you still keep your word?"

Tian Ye suddenly looked up, his eyes wide, and asked excitedly, "Qiuxiang, are you really willing to come with me?"

"I'll go with you." Li Qiuxiang nodded very seriously. Tian Ye grabbed her hand and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Okay, I'll take you away, we'll never be apart again."

Even though the street wasn't crowded, whispers could be heard coming from the shops on both sides. Guan Zhongkai and Yu Landu bewildered glances. This woman really knew how to pick her timing; they couldn't even snatch her away before, and now that Tian Ye was with Niu Youde, she immediately changed her mind. While this might be considered common sense in the Cultivation World, she was being far too blatant!

A group of beautiful women Spring Sleep Tower looked at Li Qiuxiang with envy, envying her sudden rise to prominence and the ease with which she had climbed the social ladder. She would no longer have to live a life where everyone could bully and humiliate her. Perhaps she would even become a renowned figure in the Cultivation World someday.

Hai Wei and Mo Shaojun secretly observed the astonished Niu Youde. Yue Qianchou raised his hand and said, "Wait!" Then he asked Li Qiuxiang, "Didn't you say before that you had nothing to do with Tian Ye anymore? Why are you going with him now?"

"Senior, you are wise!" Li Qiuxiang bowed gracefully and said, "The Cultivation World is a dog-eat-dog world. I am just a weak woman, suffering bullying everywhere, and I long for someone to protect me. In the past, Tian Ye couldn't even protect himself, so how could he protect me? Following him would not only make me feel unsafe, but I would also become a burden to him, so what was the point? Now it's very different. With your protection, senior, how many people in Tian Ye world would dare to touch Tianye? This is exactly what I've been looking for. Given this opportunity, even if others call me a shameless whore who has been ridden by thousands, I will still shamelessly give it a try."

The group of women Spring Sleep Tower all looked dejected upon hearing this. Yue Qianchou paused for a moment, then shook his head and said, "You're really direct; you don't mince words at all."

"Soaring freely on my sword, the world is vast, white bones piled high, birds startled into flight. The mortal world is like a tide, people like water, alas, how many return from the martial world? Senior, to compose such a poem, I know you are a master who has seen through the illusions of the world. Any lie told before you would surely not escape your discerning eyes, so why should I knowingly commit such a transgression?" Li Qiuxiang said, bowing gracefully again, "My life has been difficult, I regret stepping into the Cultivation World. If I had known this would happen, I would have been an ordinary mortal's wife. But looking back, the tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease; I am no longer in control of my own destiny. I beg you, senior, to grant my request!"

The flattery pleased Yue Qianchou, and her words, delivered with politeness and restraint, made him look at her in a new light. Yue Qianchou looked at her seriously with great surprise. Beneath her face, which was covered by makeup, lay a sense of helplessness, and the intelligence in her eyes was faintly visible, mostly obscured by vicissitudes and numbness.

Looking at Tian Ye's pleading eyes, Yue Qianchou paused, then narrowed his eyes and sneered, "Li Qiuxiang. You say you want to follow Tian Ye, but really you just want to follow me. But don't you think about what you did at Spring Sleep Tower? No matter how eloquently you speak, do you think I'd keep a woman like you around?"

These harsh words immediately turned Li Qiuxiang's face deathly pale. The women of Spring Sleep Tower were all utterly dejected; what difference did it make from talking to them? Their small dreams had been shattered. The beautiful proprietress, biting her lip, stared intently at Yue Qianchou.

"Senior!" Tian Ye pleaded almost desperately. Yue Qianchou stared coldly at him, and the surrounding air grew chilly once more. Hai Wei and Mo Shaojun quickly tugged at him, signaling him not to provoke the senior's anger.

"Tian Ye, you know perfectly well what kind of despicable business she's engaged in now, don't you really care at all?" Yue Qianchou then turned to Li Qiuxiang and said, "Li Qiuxiang, a person should know their place. Like you said, you're already a whore ridden by thousands. Tian Ye may have accepted you on impulse now, but do you really think he can endure the ridicule and sarcasm from others in the future? Can he withstand the torment day after day, year after year? Aren't you afraid that he'll dump you again like the Azure Palace disciple? How many more times do you want to be dumped by men in your life?"

Every word was a gem! Li Qiuxiang's face turned pale, and she stared blankly at Tian Ye, asking with a trembling voice, "Would you care? Would you..." Tian Ye quickly covered her mouth and shook his head, saying, "The only person I care about is you, you should know that."

"Heh heh! What a joke." Yue Qianchou sneered, "Tian Ye, even if you don't care, ask her, if one day I, Niu Youde, am gone, and you, Tian Ye, lose my protection... Hmph! If she meets a Bi Changchun of Bi Changchun, the Number One Expert Under Heaven, who is even more powerful than Azure Palace, will she abandon you again? She has already said that what she needs is a sense of security, not you, Tian Ye. Think it through."

The man and woman stared blankly at each other, thoroughly irritated by Yue Qianchou's relentless and relentless provocations. It was as if Yue Qianchou had stabbed their hearts, then kneaded them, then trampled on them. They were driven to utter despair, even contemplating suicide.

That's ruthless! Even seasoned veterans like Guan Zhongkai and Yu Landu felt it went too far, exchanging a glance and secretly shaking their heads. They thought to themselves, "If you can't stand it, just kill him. You're a master, is this really necessary? And you call Lan Feng foul-mouthed? You're even more foul-mouthed than Lan Feng. And far more hurtful."

"Can you?" Tian Ye asked with difficulty, his voice hoarse.

"Would I?" Li Qiuxiang murmured to herself, her eyes filled with confusion, as if she had just remembered something. After a long while, her eyes regained their clarity, but a miserable smile appeared on her face as she pulled away from Tian Ye's hand that was holding her.

Tian Ye slowly shook his head, his eyes filled with despair as he looked at Li Qiuxiang. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open... He saw Li Qiuxiang's hands forming claws as she frantically clawed at her own face. Deep, bloody gashes appeared beneath her grotesque fingers, her skin torn open, revealing bone, and blood streamed down her chest...

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