It Is Philosophy...

"Ah..."

In a little thatched cottage hastily built less than an hour ago, three members of the Dugu Demonic Sect were bound to chairs with Tortoise Shell Binding, screaming miserably without pause.

Niannian, who was playing on the neighboring Spirit Bird Peak, heard the screams and adorably tilted her little head. She tugged at the feathers of the owl sister beside her, her big eyes filled with worry:

"Sister Tou Ying, will Daddy be all right?"

"Niannian, don't worry. Anyone else might get into trouble, but that fellow Jiang Lin is absolutely impossible to hurt."

The owl demon named Tou Ying gently rubbed Niannian's little head.

Fang Ruo had something urgent to attend to, so Tou Ying was helping look after the child.

"What is Daddy doing...? Why did he send Niannian out? Does Daddy not like Niannian anymore?"

"Niannian is so adorable. That little rascal Jiang Lin barely has enough time to dote on you—how could he hate you? Jiang Lin sent you out to protect you."

"Protect Niannian?"

"Mm." After rubbing Little Dragon Girl's collagen-rich cheek, Tou Ying looked toward Twin Pearl Peak, where the screams continued without pause. "Your daddy said he was discussing philosophy..."

"Flower-Picking Thief Jiang Lin, even if you kill us, we won't say a word!"

"That's right! We are villains with principles!"

"Don't even think about making us betray the Dugu Demonic Sect!"

"..."

Inside the thatched cottage, Jiang Lin sat somewhat speechlessly on the wooden stool he had made himself. The stool was a little crooked, so he had to pay attention to keeping his balance.

Standing to Jiang Lin's left were Diao Da and the bald Wu Ke, while Jiji Bo and Fang Chaoqun stood to his right.

"I haven't even started yet. What are you screaming for?" Jiang Lin poured himself a cup of tea and spoke calmly. "Relax. We people of the Sun Moon Sect never use torture. When it comes to treating hostages, our Sun Moon Sect is very decent, right?"

"That's right. We never use torture."

"Exactly. We are proper members of a Demon Sect."

Jiji Bo and Fang Chaoqun chimed in from the other side.

"Who are you trying to fool?! What are those things in your hands?"

The scene shifted. At Jiang Lin's feet lay a Pig Slaughtering Knife, Wolf Tooth Club, Branding Iron, Nail Clippers, rubber bands, and all sorts of other torture implements.

The scene moved lower. Resting on Jiang Lin's thigh was a "Ten-Finger Interlocking Clamp," while Diao Da, Fang Chaoqun, and the others were holding Bone Needles and Pipa Skewers...

"Ahem, ahem. These are things discarded by the Sun Moon Sect's Punishment Hall. We don't use them anymore."

Jiang Lin tossed the "Ten-Finger Interlocking Clamp" from his knee.

"Come on, Diao Da. Tell them what I, Jiang Lin, the sole heir of the Sun Moon Sect's Twin Pearl Peak, usually use."

Diao Da plucked a feather from his own body. "This feather is the finest hair on my body! Delicate and soft, with many more hairs within a single feather. It is perfect for scratching the soles of their feet..."

Then he snapped his fingers. "Jiji Bo, what do you think I should use?"

Jiji Bo took out two bowls of tofu pudding. "Some people like sweet tofu pudding, while others like salty tofu pudding. What do the three of you prefer?"

"Salty."

"Me too."

"I like sweet."

"Excellent." Jiji Bo hauled two enormous vats of tofu pudding out of his Storage Bag. "Those who like salty, I'll feed them sweet. Those who like sweet, I'll feed them salty, until you confess."

The moment they saw the two enormous vats of tofu pudding, the three men's faces changed dramatically. They struggled frantically in their chairs, spittle flying everywhere.

"Jiang Lin! You shameless bastard!"

"Jiang Lin! If you've got the guts, kill me!"

"You're a damn member of a Demon Sect! If you've got the guts, kill me!"

"Jiang Lin! @#￥...!"

Seeing the three cultivators of the Dugu Demonic Sect turn into Zuan Persons, reduced to nothing but impotent rage, Jiang Lin hurriedly grabbed Diao Da's wing to shield himself from their flying saliva.

A streak of icy sword energy flashed past, sealing all three men's mouths with their own frozen saliva.

"I haven't even told you the next method yet. Why are you in such a hurry?"

Jiang Lin rose to his feet and straightened his sleeves. Then he whispered before them:

"I just remembered a method recently. I'll throw each of you into a cramped room that can barely accommodate one person. There will be nothing in the room—no windows, not the slightest sound, not even a sliver of sunlight. Only endless darkness. You'll stay there forever, forgetting time, forgetting light, with not even a rat..."

When Jiang Lin finished speaking, the three men imagined what it would be like to truly enter such a room. Tears immediately streamed down their faces, and their bodies began to tremble.

With a snap of his fingers, the three could speak again.

The man in the middle looked at Jiang Lin trembling. "Jiang Lin! You're a devil!"

"No..." Jiang Lin bent over and looked down at them. "Please call me... the venomous snake... a very, very venomous snake... Si Neike~~~~"

"I'll give you one night to think it over. I'll come back tomorrow. Oh, right—before that, I have a gift prepared for you." With that, Jiang Lin turned and left. Diao Da, Fang Chaoqun, and the others gave the three men deeply sympathetic looks before turning and following him out.

"Little Brother Jiang~~~~"

Outside Twin Pearl Peak, just after Jiang Lin and the others left the little thatched cottage, a "muscular man" with muscles all over, makeup on his face, and a soft, delicate voice arrived at Twin Pearl Peak.

"Brother Jia Baoli, please go easy on them."

"Oh, Little Brother Jiang, what are you saying?" The fellow called Jia Baoli handed Jiang Lin three Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and lightly bumped his shoulder against him. "Actually, to tell the truth, I prefer Little Brother Jiang even more~~~~ How about one High-Grade Spirit Stone?"

"Well... I still have something to do. Goodbye, Brother Jia Baoli!"

Jiang Lin hurriedly clasped his hands in farewell and went to Spirit Bird Peak to fetch Little Niannian.

"Daddy..."

Seeing that her daddy had come to pick her up, Little Niannian jumped out of Tou Ying's arms, spread her little arms, and ran toward Jiang Lin on her short legs, pattering all the way.

"Did Niannian miss Daddy?"

Jiang Lin picked Niannian up and spoke cheerfully.

"Mm!"

Little Niannian kissed Daddy. Her chubby little tail wagged happily back and forth, but then she seemed to remember something unpleasant. She lowered her little head and poked her two adorable index fingers together.

"Daddy, I'm sorry. Niannian fell asleep this morning... I didn't go out with Daddy..."

"It's all right. Daddy doesn't blame Niannian."

Hearing his "daughter's" warm words, Jiang Lin's heart grew warm.

"Come on. Daddy made lots and lots of money today. Daddy will take Niannian to eat something delicious."

"Really?"

"Really."

Jiang Lin rubbed the girl's little head, placed Little Niannian on a horse formed from spiritual energy, and hurriedly flew toward the Sun Moon Sect's town, shouting, "Giddyap!"

"No! Don't come over! Don't come over!"

"Oh! Yeah!"

Not long after they left Spirit Bird Peak, a strange sound faintly drifted over from behind them.

"Daddy, what was that sound just now?"

Little Niannian lifted her little head and looked at Jiang Lin innocently.

"Well..." Jiang Lin thought for a moment, then stroked Little Niannian's silvery-white hair. "It was philosophy..."