Ears on the Hook

If they alerted the other side, things would be terrible. After all, Salas had warned him before that they were highly vigilant!

"Why didn't Salas come himself? Where is he?"

Shui Feng looked at the messenger again and asked slowly.

"Lord Salas should be following them. I notified Lord Salas first, and he told me to come inform you!"

The messenger answered with remarkable calm.

"News came from Yun Ying's side. Salas only left not long ago, so he should be telling the truth!"

A Soul Master came to Shui Feng's side and whispered.

Clearly, the Water Cloud Sect did not fully trust Spirit Hall either. They had sent people to watch Salas!

"Go tell the Grand Elder that Spirit Hall has sent word about the Heaven and Earth Commerce Association's Soul Tool manufacturing site.

I'll go investigate. If I haven't returned within an hour, tell the Grand Elder and the others to be wary of Spirit Hall!"

Shui Feng gave the order in a low voice, then looked at the messenger and said,

"In that case, let's hurry over. Lead the way!"

Before he had even finished speaking, Shui Feng hurried after the messenger and left the estate.

As they traveled through the city, they could not move very quickly because of the pedestrians, and they did not want to draw attention.

After the two entered South City, before Shui Feng could even breathe a sigh of relief, a voice suddenly sounded behind him.

"You finally came!"

Shui Feng jolted and swiftly turned toward the source of the voice, while rapidly circulating his Soul Power.

But the instant his Soul Power surged, an overwhelming aura appeared and enveloped him.

That aura was far too powerful. Shui Feng could not resist it at all. He was suppressed so completely that he could not move, like an uncannily lifelike statue!

His face was filled with shock, his eyes brimming with disbelief, followed by terror!

As a member of the Water Cloud Sect, Shui Feng was naturally well-informed. He knew perfectly well what it meant for someone to render a Soul Douluo like him utterly helpless with aura alone!

Before Shui Feng could think any further, the messenger struck him on the neck, and he fell unconscious.

When Shui Feng woke again, he saw a young man and three stunningly beautiful women silently watching him, their eyes filled with coldness and killing intent!

"Who are you? Release me at once!"

Shui Feng tried to resist, only to find himself tightly bound. The rope was extremely tough!

"Don't you know perfectly well who we are? Didn't you leave the estate this time to come after us?"

Lin Hao shook his head at Shui Feng's act of playing dumb and asked,

"You're Shui Feng, right? From the Water Cloud Sect?"

Shui Feng naturally knew Lin Hao, but it was highly abnormal for Lin Hao to know him.

A thought immediately surfaced in his mind: Spirit Hall had betrayed them!

After a brief moment of consideration, Shui Feng still admitted his identity.

"That's me. You must be Lin Hao of the Heaven and Earth Commerce Association.

I don't think there is any grudge between us. Why have you kidnapped me?"

He hoped the other party would be wary of his identity. Perhaps then, he might have a chance to escape.

"So it is you. We found the right person!"

Lin Hao ignored him. Instead, he took a dagger from his Soul Tool and skillfully slashed Shui Feng several times!

Fresh wounds appeared on Shui Feng's limbs and abdomen, each one streaming with blood!

"Argh! Lin Hao, what exactly are you trying to do? Does your Heaven and Earth Commerce Association want to go to war with my Water Cloud Sect?"

Shui Feng screamed. Lin Hao's sudden attack hurt so badly that he clenched his teeth and broke out in a cold sweat.

Logically, he was someone with extensive combat experience, yet the dagger's stab had brought him excruciating pain!

"Heh, still playing dumb? Tell me, why has your Water Cloud Sect set its sights on my Heaven and Earth Commerce Association?

And why have you gotten involved with Spirit Hall? What exactly does your cooperation entail?"

Lin Hao smiled faintly, moving the dagger back and forth across Shui Feng's body before stopping beside his left ear.

"You have three seconds to gather your thoughts. After three seconds, I want to hear an answer that makes logical sense!"

Before his words had even faded, Lin Hao began counting down, while Shui Feng remained in shock, preoccupied with other thoughts.

From Lin Hao's words, it seemed Spirit Hall had not betrayed him.

Then how had the Heaven and Earth Commerce Association discovered him?

"Argh!"

While Shui Feng was thinking, Lin Hao finished his countdown. With a flick of the dagger, Shui Feng's left ear instantly fell off!

Though a Soul Douluo's body was incredibly resilient, with the rank-six Soul Tool dagger Xian Lin'er had specially made for him, cutting off an ear was effortless!

Lin Hao had cut off Shui Feng's left ear in one stroke. The pain twisted Shui Feng's face.

Lin Hao then tapped him lightly with a finger to stop the bleeding, preventing him from bleeding to death.

He placed the dagger beside Shui Feng's right ear again and said,

"Those same two questions. Three~"

This time, if Shui Feng still did not answer, it would be his right ear that fell next!

Originally, Lin Hao had not intended to be so bloody. He had planned to let Yan Lingji control the captive and interrogate him!

But they had not expected Shui Feng to come out personally. This man was a Soul Douluo.

With Yan Lingji's current strength, she could not control him while he was at his peak.

So, to ensure the information was accurate, Lin Hao could only trouble Shui Feng to suffer a little.

"Treat me like this, and the Water Cloud Sect will never let you go. The Heaven and Earth Commerce Association can't protect you at all!"

Shui Feng still held onto hope as he threatened viciously.

"Heh!"

Before Lin Hao had even counted to three, the dagger swung. Shui Feng screamed again, and his right ear fell off as well!

"I don't know whether the Water Cloud Sect will let me go, but if you keep being this stubborn, I definitely won't let you go!

Think it over carefully. If you answer my questions truthfully, I might let you go and give you a chance to return and call for help!

But if you refuse to cooperate, I can only dismember you piece by piece until you are willing to talk!

Don't even think about killing yourself. There's a healing Soul Master here at the Titled Douluo level. Even if you die, they can bring you back!

I hope you can hold out a little longer. After all, I rather admire people like you with such firm resolve!"

Lin Hao glanced expressionlessly at Shui Feng, then slowly moved the dagger until it stopped at Shui Feng's right wrist!

"Three~ Two~"

"Let me think! Let me think!"

Shui Feng was utterly panicked. He stared at the dagger in terror. He was truly frightened!

But once Lin Hao gave his word, not even four horses could pull it back. If he said three seconds, then it was three seconds.

When the countdown ended and Shui Feng still had not spoken, Lin Hao struck again and directly chopped off his right hand!

"Argh!!!"

Shui Feng screamed again. This was far worse, and far more painful, than losing both ears!

"Such firm resolve!"

Lin Hao glanced at Yan Lingji and saw her shake her head.

He then placed the blade at Shui Feng's left wrist. The countdown, like the whisper of death, sounded beside Shui Feng's ear once more!