Confession

Qiao and Ding greedily pounced on the immobilized Grandma Hong.

Shi Lingqing smiled as she looked around, gazed up at Ox Hero's massive body for a moment, and then struck out with a palm strike.

A palm print formed from bloody flames shot out, heavily impacting Nine Palm Commander. Nine Palm Commander's broken body was blasted flying. Shi Lingqing let out a soft cry, her slender fingers dancing rapidly like playing a zither.

Countless thumb-sized fireballs whistled out, striking Nine Palm Commander like a torrential downpour.

Nine Palm Commander's thick black carapace was shattered, flames erupted, the carapace crumbled, and large amounts of flesh and blood splattered. Nine Palm Commander's body twisted and flew through the air. After a full cup of tea's worth of time, his body was blasted into pieces.

"Tough indeed, worthy of a master who has cultivated Divine Abilities," Shi Lingqing said with a smile as she stopped, proudly looking at her fair and tender hands, from which a captivating radiance continuously flowed.

"But what good is strength?" Shi Lingqing smiled brilliantly. She spun around once in place, completely engrossed, and took a deep, satisfied breath. "Wisdom is true power... Killing doesn't require you to do it yourself."

Wu Tie endured the waves of weakness and discomfort surging within him, propped himself up with his spear, and slowly stood up.

While Shi Lingqing's heavy strike was indeed terrifying, the defensive power of his close-fitting armor was also remarkably strong.

The heavy blow had only caused some minor tremors in his internal organs. Instead, the shattered bones had absorbed half his blood, causing him greater harm. His eyes widened, and he shook his head forcefully, clearing some of the black mist before his eyes. Wu Tie stared intently at Shi Lingqing.

"So, you convinced Qiao and Ding long ago?"

"Nine Palm Commander and Grandma Hong, you lured them here on purpose?"

Wu Tie voiced his greatest doubt. It seemed now that everything was Shi Lingqing's scheme. But she looked only a few years older than Wu Tie, and her ability to possess such cunning sent a chill to his very core.

Shi Lingqing spread her arms, deliberately showcasing her alluring and beautiful body to Wu Tie. She spun around twice more, smiling as she proudly presented herself to Wu Tie. "Of course, everything that has happened is because of my plan."

She took two steps towards Wu Tie with a smile, and Shi Lingqing, her face blooming like a flower, pointed at Wu Tie.

"Grandma Hong, I've wanted to deal with her for a long time. I didn't dare to do it outside; the Longevity Cult's laws are strict. If anyone found out I had harmed an elder of the cult, even with my backing, I would surely die."

"Moreover, my strength is limited. Although I obtained the Essence Stealing Secret Art through other means, I am no match for Grandma Hong."

"But here, in this secret realm, so hidden... If I hadn't been pursued by Luolin and the others, left with no other choice, and forced to flee desperately with people through the hidden river next to Thousand Fish City, how could I have found this place?"

"Such a hidden secret realm is perfect for ambushing someone."

"Most perfectly, Luolin and the others are Mist Blades assassins. Luring the strong fighters of Mist Blades to ensure they and Grandma Hong destroy each other... I had about a sixty percent chance of success with this plan."

"Sixty percent is already worth taking a gamble."

Shi Lingqing walked step by step to Wu Tie, reaching out to gently caress the smooth armor on his chest. She licked her red lips with the tip of her scarlet tongue, and Shi Lingqing smiled at Wu Tie, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Excited, exhilarated, Shi Lingqing's eyes were filled with an extremely greedy ferocity.

"A sixty percent chance of taking Grandma Hong's cultivation... that alone was worth gambling on."

"Not to mention, little young master, the secrets you possess make my mouth water."

"Armor suspected to be an Ancient Treasure, a spear suspected to be an Ancient Treasure, and a legacy suspected to be from an ancient powerful being."

"Oh, oh, the even bigger surprise is, this Ancient Sage's body, and the Ancient Treasure in that hall... I, Shi Lingqing, am truly favored by destiny... All of this is mine, all mine."

Shi Lingqing laughed, her eyes narrowing into slits. "Young master, could you possibly take off that armor you're wearing so Lingqing can have a good look?"

Wu Tie suddenly thrust his spear at Shi Lingqing.

Shi Lingqing's body erupted in flames. She 'swished' and turned into several afterimages, retreating dozens of meters. Before Wu Tie could even see her movement, she suddenly lunged forward again, her uppercut slamming into Wu Tie's jaw.

Shi Lingqing's speed was too great. Amidst the surging flames, her explosive power was astonishingly strong. A casual strike carried tens of thousands of jin of force. Her cultivation had clearly surpassed the Foundation Establishment realm, reaching a higher level.

The heavy blow sent Wu Tie flying. He cried out as he soared over a hundred meters into the sky. He shook his head forcefully, and his body suddenly stopped in mid-air.

The invisible force field activated to its fullest, lifting Wu Tie's body.

Shi Lingqing exclaimed with envy, "Is this... a legendary bloodline talent? You're truly fortunate. To possess Divine Abilities while still in the Foundation Establishment realm, Lingqing is both envious and jealous."

After a few laughs, Shi Lingqing said softly, "Young master, why don't we stop fighting? Just like Qiao and Ding, why don't you yield to me? Everything Lingqing has can be yours to enjoy... In the future, if Lingqing wants to attain a higher position in the Longevity Cult, of course, she'll need a few confidants."

Qiao and Ding, who were both lying on Grandma Hong, clumsily using the recently learned Essence Stealing Secret Art to absorb Grandma Hong's life essence, simultaneously raised their heads. With both anger and apprehension, they looked towards Wu Tie.

On the wounds of Qiao's two legs, which had been shattered by Nine Palm Commander, large patches of flesh were rapidly wriggling. Half of his thigh was already growing back. Grandma Hong's internal life energy was too vast. Qiao's cultivation was significantly weaker than Grandma Hong's, and even a little life energy was enough for Qiao's body to recover quickly.

With his leg regenerating, Qiao also regained his energy. He couldn't help but shout loudly, "Lingqing... What's so good about this brat... Why are you treating him like this?"

Shi Lingqing turned her head and glared coldly at Qiao.

Qiao immediately shut his mouth, obediently lowered his head, and continued to lie on Grandma Hong's neck.

Shi Lingqing smiled lightly at Wu Tie, speaking softly in a voice full of charm, "Little young master, perhaps you don't know the delights of a woman... Why don't you come down and try it out with Lingqing properly? Perhaps then you'll understand why Qiao and Ding willingly betrayed Mist Blades and willingly serve me?"

Wu Tie did not reply to Shi Lingqing.

The invisible force field churned violently. Wu Tie swooped down from high in the sky like a meteor, his spear creating a sharp whistling sound as it stabbed directly at Shi Lingqing.

Shi Lingqing sneered, cursed softly under her breath, and struck out with both hands in rapid succession like a pinwheel.

Palm prints formed from bloody flames heavily impacted Wu Tie's spear. The wild, explosive force, like a hurricane, repeatedly sent Wu Tie flying hundreds of meters into the air. Then Wu Tie would repeatedly dive down, constantly stabbing wildly at Shi Lingqing.

Having absorbed part of Grandma Hong's life essence, Shi Lingqing's strength was slightly superior to Wu Tie's. In a head-on confrontation, Wu Tie was not Shi Lingqing's match.

However, the defensive power of Wu Tie's armor was astonishing. No matter how Shi Lingqing attacked, she couldn't harm Wu Tie in the slightest.

Bloody flames churned and rose, and the surrounding temperature continuously increased. But Wu Tie, inside his armor, only felt a slight stuffiness.

The dull and monotonous collision lasted for a full quarter of an hour. Neither Wu Tie nor Shi Lingqing could gain the upper hand. Suddenly, Old Tie's voice echoed from the hall: "Little fellow, do you know now what a terrifying creature a woman is?"

Wu Tie thrust his spear down. Shi Lingqing caught the spearhead with her palm and violently slammed Wu Tie to the ground.

Great chunks of blue brick shattered, and a human-shaped crater was smashed into the ground. Wu Tie collapsed in the pit, utterly disheveled. After taking a breath, he leaped up, jumped back over ten meters, and stood in a sorry state next to Old Tie.

Old Tie had just been sent flying by a saber strike from the Nine Palm Commander. That strike hadn't left a single mark on him.

Old Tie, looking completely unperturbed, walked out of the great hall step by step, shaking his head as he examined Shi Lingqing from head to toe.

"Are all girls these days as scary as you?" Old Tie's eyes flickered with a bloody light, and countless rays of light, invisible to the naked eye, enveloped Shi Lingqing. "Grandpa remembers, the young girls back then, though some were indeed a bit spoiled and willful, they were nowhere near as… as you are."

After a moment of silence, Old Tie said gravely, "I don't see any of the beauty a young girl should possess in you."

Shi Lingqing clapped her hands, her eyes narrowing into a smile. "The kind of beautiful young girls you're talking about… Oh, I think I understand. Luolin's sister must be the type you like…"

She pursed her lips with a strange smile, and Shi Lingqing's expression suddenly turned grim. "When I ordered her killed, she was still begging for mercy for those other little girls… Utterly stupid, beyond words. The beauty you speak of, is that the so-called 'kindness,' 'purity'?"

Old Tie remained silent, standing at the entrance of the great hall, gazing at Shi Lingqing with a profound look.

Shi Lingqing looked at Old Tie with great interest. "I'm so lucky. What are you? A human head? A wolf's body?"

Old Tie quickly said, "Human head, dog body. This is a dog's body, you absolutely cannot get it wrong… Otherwise, the dog thing will be unhappy… That fellow has strong opinions about his distant relatives."

Shi Lingqing nodded. "Whatever you are… a strange thing like you can fetch a good price… The lady behind me, she also likes to collect oddities like you. Presenting you to her will surely make her even happier."

Shi Lingqing's small face was flushed red, as if blood was about to seep from her pores. "Grandma Hong is dead. If I also present you to her, my contribution this time, hee hee… it's truly not small."

Old Tie lunged forward without a sound, treating himself as a battering ram and forcefully charging at Shi Lingqing.

Shi Lingqing chuckled and waved her hand. Flames surged, radiating intense heat. She struck Old Tie on the forehead with her palm. Old Tie let out a muffled cry and was sent flying far away, crashing into a cluster of crystals. The bloody light in his eyes suddenly dimmed, and he collapsed on the ground, utterly still.

"Old Tie!" Wu Tie shouted.

Old Tie didn't move, lying on the ground as if dead.

Wu Tie's heart immediately filled with anxiety. He roared and leaped up, thrusting his spear towards Shi Lingqing.

For some reason, Wu Tie recalled a phrase Master Hui had particularly admired back then and shouted it loudly at Shi Lingqing: "A beautiful woman, why become a thief?"

Shi Lingqing, who had been smiling, suddenly stiffened upon hearing Wu Tie's words. Then her face contorted, and her arms spewed forth blazing blood flames, her clothes instantly burning to ashes, revealing a body as clear and translucent as blood jade.

"Why become a thief? I want to live!" Shi Lingqing's eyes blazed like fire, and she charged at Wu Tie like a madwoman. She slapped away the spear in Wu Tie's hand, grabbed him by the neck, and slammed him violently to the ground, her palms incessantly striking his chest.

Muffled impacts continued unceasingly. Wu Tie's body trembled violently, and the ground shook intensely. The ground was forcefully blasted into a crater several meters deep. Wu Tie lay in the pit, utterly defenseless, as Shi Lingqing beat and smashed him.

"I… I just want to live, to live beautifully, prettily, and gloriously. Am I wrong?" Shi Lingqing stomped fiercely on Wu Tie's head, trampling him with force.

"I don't want to be involved with the Longevity Cult either… My grandfather made that decision. The first year the Longevity Cult entered the Azure Flame Domain, he pledged allegiance to them. I wasn't even born then!" Shi Lingqing shouted sternly. "The person backing me fancied me, what could I do?"

"I'm just a little woman, I just want to live well. Am I wrong?"

"Killing Luolin's sister was a task given to me by the Longevity Cult. If I didn't do it, I would die… I'm not some legendary saint, why should I sacrifice myself for women I've never even met?"

"I just want to live… I was so desperate, being chased, that I didn't care about the danger and rushed into the Yin River, getting washed here… A group of men relentlessly pursued me. I just wanted to live… To survive, I even let these two men I couldn't stand toy with me for an entire day!"

Tiny crystals had also grown underground here, making the ground extremely hard.

Wu Tie's helmet scraped against the ground, emitting a piercing sound.

Shi Lingqing madly stomped on Wu Tie's head, screaming at the top of her lungs, "You never gave me a real, free choice… Can you blame me for all of this?"

"You call me a thief?"

"Then a few days ago, when I asked you for help, if you had wholeheartedly protected me from Luolin and the others, I wouldn't have made this decision…" Shi Lingqing shrieked with immense venom. "Do you think it's fun to strip naked and seduce a man every time you meet one?"

"I'm not much older than you!"

Shi Lingqing screamed hysterically, desperately trying to stomp on Wu Tie's head with her foot.

On the ground, Shi Dian, with his entire left shoulder gone and a large chunk of his left chest caved in, slowly shuffled forward.

Qiao and Ding were frantically devouring Grandma Hong's life essence, lost in the pleasure and thrill of the Essence Stealing Secret Art. Their cultivation was rapidly increasing, their strength growing at an astonishing rate, and they were overwhelmed with ecstasy…

They didn't even hear Shi Lingqing's screams.

Shi Dian gripped his wooden staff and walked forward step by step. Still dozens of meters away from Qiao and Ding, he swung his staff, and a mass of dark purple smoke flew out, engulfing Qiao and Ding.