Cruel Probe

Apparently sensing an ill-intentioned gaze, Protector Wu felt a chill run down his back. Before he could utter a word, he found himself completely unable to speak. He couldn't tell how formidable the restriction was; simply looking at it from afar filled him with fear. Hall Master Mo, whose cultivation was far deeper than his, saw things differently.

After observing it for a long while, Hall Master Mo couldn't help growing suspicious. On the surface, the restriction looked no different from one set up by an ordinary Dou Zun expert. It was merely a spatial restriction that obscured part of one's vision, making everything inside the mountain gate blurry. Yet by his estimation, it was far inferior to something created by a Dou Sheng Expert. As far as he knew, a Dou Sheng Expert could open up a space of his own—a small world. If you could have a home of your own, who would want to stay outside, exposed to the elements and disturbed by strangers?

Hall Master Mo's analysis was right on the mark, but he'd reached a major misconception. Zhang Nian hadn't opened up a small world for two reasons. First, he hadn't had enough time. What's more, opening a small world and entering it consumed too much of the "key" he'd created. If he couldn't get back out for a while, that would pose a serious problem.

Second, having this world here could help the residents of the Jia Ma Empire learn about the Dou Sheng Expert, while also attracting more people to seek his allegiance. The later goodwill shown by Miteer, the Misty Cloud Sect, and the Jia Ma Imperial Family had all been within his expectations. If he'd created a small world, they would have assumed Zhang Nian had simply chosen a place to settle, where he didn't want to be disturbed. It would have been much harder to win any benefits from him.

Third, he had absolute confidence in this restriction. Anyone who wasn't a Dou Sheng Expert would be unable to break it. And with Nanming Li Fire poured into it as well, even the most formidable Dou Sheng Expert would likely feel wary.

But how could Hall Master Mo have figured any of that out? At that moment, he was thinking of using Protector Wu, whose mouth and body he had sealed, as a test subject. He could also gauge the strength of Saint Qinglian and use what he learned to claim credit with the Soul Hall headquarters in the Central Plains.

He picked Protector Wu up with one hand, as though he were a chick, and headed toward the restriction. A ruthless glint showed in his dark eyes. Then he said, "Protector Wu, it's time to do something for the organization, don't you think?"

The icy tone made Protector Wu feel as if he'd fallen into an ice cellar. He had a vague idea of what the other man was about to do. But with his mouth sealed and his hands and feet bound, he couldn't speak or struggle.

"Mm! Mm!"

His muffled whimpers revealed his powerful will to survive. Unfortunately, Protector Wu was dealing with Hall Master Mo. What leader who'd risen to this position hadn't made his way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood? Would he let his resolve waver just because a discarded dog wagged its tail and begged for mercy?

The closer they got to the restriction, the more he felt the threat posed by the flames above. This only strengthened Hall Master Mo's resolve to test it. When he was less than twenty meters away, his right arm jerked. Dou Qi surged out of him, accompanied by spatial power, and Protector Wu traced a graceful arc through the air as he hurtled toward the restriction.

As soon as he'd done this, Hall Master Mo swiftly fled in the opposite direction. He had taken a high-grade pill that concealed his aura, but if he got too close, he might still be detected. If his opponent was a Dou Sheng Expert, Hall Master Mo would flee at once. He'd made two preparations, even Protector Wu knew nothing about them: a high-grade concealment pill, and an artifact on his person that hid his aura. Together, they meant that even an ordinary Dou Sheng Expert couldn't detect him right away.

Up in the sky, Protector Wu took one look at the clear blue above him, then closed his eyes in despair. The next moment, there was a "boom!" as his body slammed into the restriction, sending ripples across it. The white flame at the very top triggered a chain reaction, surging downward in layers along the waves of energy. In an instant, the entire restriction was covered in white fire. The flames washed over Protector Wu, and he let out a heartrending whimper.

Inside the mountain gate

"Boom!"

Zhang Nian noticed the disturbance at once and looked toward the affected area. He saw a black-robed figure outside the restriction. He didn't know who it was, but on second thought, it had to be someone from outside the Jia Ma Empire. Anyone brazen enough to charge straight into the restriction couldn't be here with good intentions!

With a wave of his hand, he reduced the power of Nanming Li Fire. If the man burned to death in an instant, wouldn't he lose his chance to learn anything? He wanted to know who had the nerve to target him.

Then Zhang Nian shot into the sky. A faint glimmer flashed from the Storage Ring on his finger, and a diamond-shaped insignia appeared in his palm. He discreetly hid it behind his back. The restriction opened a small gate, and Zhang Nian appeared outside. He also saw Protector Wu, who was being washed by the flames. Black smoke poured from his body; it looked as though Nanming Li Fire was constantly burning him. His heartrending whimpers made one's scalp prickle.

Who was this man?

As far as he remembered, there was no one like him in the Jia Ma Empire. And from what Zhang Nian could sense, the man was no weakling—he had already reached the level of a One-Star Dou Zong. The Jia Ma Empire had no such expert now, nor would it have one for more than a decade.

Looking closer, Zhang Nian saw that the man's mouth, hands, and feet were bound by spatial energy. Someone had restrained a Dou Zong to use him to test Zhang Nian. Was there someone else behind this?

He turned toward the distant woods. Everything seemed as usual: flying magical beasts soared freely into the blue sky, the trees swayed gently in the wind, and leaves occasionally rustled against one another. Even with his cultivation at the level of a Three-Turn Dou Zun, he couldn't detect a thing.

Hidden among the trees, Hall Master Mo was drenched in sweat. His life and death hung on this single moment. He was gambling: if he won, he'd gain untold wealth and opportunity; if he lost, he'd die without a burial, and his fate would be little better than Protector Wu's. When Zhang Nian's gaze swept past him, Hall Master Mo finally let down his guard. He didn't dare move, but the slight loosening of his hands and the relaxation of his brow revealed his flicker of relief.

Zhang Nian waved his hand, undoing the Space Lock around Protector Wu. The very next instant, a wail of agony rang out.

"Ah!"

"Ah!"

"Stop yelling."

Zhang Nian had no interest in dealing with Protector Wu, so he coaxed him into answering. "Who are you, and why did you trespass into my mountain gate? Tell me the truth, and I might consider sparing you."

The look of despair in Protector Wu's eyes said it all. He glanced at Zhang Nian, then kept his mouth shut. He could move now, but so what? If he said nothing, he'd die. If he spoke, he'd wish he were dead. From the moment he'd been thrown, he'd known what would happen to him. No matter how powerful this man was, he could never be a match for the Soul Hall. Better to die being burned by the flames; he already felt as though he was nearly there.