Inside a sealed chamber at the Spirit Pagoda Headquarters, shielded from all outside detection.
The light was dim, and the air carried a mingled stench of blood.
A petite girl with twin ponytails, dressed in a black Gothic-style bustle dress, sat leisurely in a high-backed chair, gently swinging her legs in white stockings.
She had a sweet face, big eyes, and naturally upturned lips, making her look like an innocent girl next door.
Yet Qiangu Zhangting, standing opposite her, didn't dare show the slightest disrespect. He even lowered his head a little, his respectful posture edged with an almost imperceptible hint of wariness.
Because this seemingly harmless "little girl" was Na Nali, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Holy Spirit Cult, renowned for her cruelty, cunning, and bizarre methods!
Anyone fooled by her appearance wouldn't even know how they'd died.
"Long time no see, young master Qiangu~"
Na Nali tilted her head. Her voice was syrupy sweet, but her gaze slid over Qiangu Zhangting like the flick of a viper's tongue.
"Looks like... your cultivation hasn't improved much lately. Still so... ordinary."
Qiangu Zhangting's face instantly darkened, and he clenched his fist inside his sleeve.
His slow progress in cultivation was his greatest sore spot. Having someone from the Holy Spirit Cult call him out on it to his face made it all the more humiliating.
But he didn't dare lash out. He could only force out a smile. "You jest, Lady Na Nali. Cultivation can't be rushed..."
"Can't be rushed?"
Na Nali giggled.
"I'd say you're just limited by your talent. No matter how many resources you pile on, this is as far as you'll get, right? Why not consider joining our Holy Spirit Cult? We have plenty of little 'tricks' to 'quickly' improve your cultivation~"
"I guarantee you'll progress much faster than if you stay in the Spirit Pagoda and follow the usual steps~"
Her tone was full of temptation, as if she were inviting him to taste some delicious candy.
Qiangu Zhangting's heart gave several traitorous leaps.
To be honest, he really was... a little tempted.
Over the years, the Spirit Pagoda had poured countless rare treasures and top-tier resources into him, yet his cultivation had crawled along like an old ox stuck in a muddy bog.
Rumors that the Holy Spirit Cult used evil methods like plunder and sacrifice to rapidly increase its members' cultivation had a fatal allure for someone like him, trapped at a bottleneck and desperate for power to wash away his humiliation.
Especially when he thought of how Leng Yaozhu had mocked him in front of everyone not long ago, accusing him of "wasting a Soul Spirit"; how that little bastard named Luo Yang had stolen his Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff; and how badly he himself had been beaten.
In the end, even his grandfather had been forced to bow his head and apologize...
That unprecedented humiliation burned in his heart day and night like poisoned fire!
He swore he would make Luo Yang pay, a hundredfold, a thousandfold!
"So you really are tempted?"
Na Nali seemed to see right through him. Her smile grew sweeter, while her eyes turned even more mocking.
Qiangu Zhangting shuddered and hurriedly suppressed that dangerous thought.
Making a pact with a tiger could bring ruin at the slightest mistake, and the Holy Spirit Cult was full of madmen.
"I want to ask you... no, the Holy Spirit Cult to help me kill someone." Qiangu Zhangting drew a deep breath. No longer hiding the venom in his eyes, he spoke through clenched teeth.
"Kill someone?"
Na Nali raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised.
"You're the dignified young master of the Spirit Pagoda. Wouldn't killing someone be simple? Use the power of the Qiangu Family, or the Spirit Pagoda's covert guards. It'd be a piece of cake. Why come all the way to us 'people who can't show our faces'?"
"That person has a somewhat special status. I can't act against him directly."
Qiangu Zhangting's expression darkened.
"He's under the protection of that bitch Leng Yaozhu. If I use the Qiangu Family's or the Spirit Pagoda's public forces, it'll be easy to trace back to me. Then even my grandfather won't be able to protect me."
"Leng Yaozhu?"
Na Nali's sweet smile briefly faded.
Leng Yaozhu... Leng Yulai's "good older sister."
She naturally knew something about this Heavenly Phoenix Douluo, who had a complicated connection with their Dark Phoenix.
"Tell me, how did you come to have a deadly grudge with the little fellow Leng Yaozhu is protecting?" Na Nali's smile returned, and she asked with interest.
Swallowing his humiliation, Qiangu Zhangting recounted what had happened in the Soul Spirit Testing Chamber that day. Naturally, he made himself out to be an innocent victim who'd been humiliated and robbed of his treasure, while portraying Luo Yang and Leng Yaozhu as arrogant bullies who abused their power.
As Na Nali listened, a trace of undisguised disdain showed in her eyes.
All this over a Soul Spirit he hadn't been capable of subduing, but someone else had won through their own ability—and after he'd been the one to provoke them first and then lost because he wasn't strong enough? And now he held a grudge so deep he wanted to hire an assassin?
Even they, the Evil Soul Masters, sometimes had to admit they couldn't match that kind of pettiness and malice.
At least many Evil Soul Masters killed for profit or to advance their cultivation. To take someone's life over nothing but jealousy and wounded pride...
Tsk, tsk, tsk...
Na Nali's gaze made Qiangu Zhangting feel humiliated and angry, but he forced down his temper.
He knew his grandfather, Qiangu Dongfeng, had sternly warned him afterward never to provoke Luo Yang again, because a colossal power stood behind him: the Blood God Legion.
But how could he swallow this humiliation?
As long as he made a clean job of it and left no evidence, who could prove he was responsible? Then he could simply pin the blame on the Holy Spirit Cult!
Besides, did Evil Soul Masters need a reason to kill?
"Go on, what's the name of the person you want dead?" Na Nali asked lazily.
"Luo Yang."
Qiangu Zhangting ground the two words out through his teeth, his hatred almost tangible.
"Luo Yang... A pretty ordinary name."
Na Nali nodded, as if committing it to memory.
"Fine. But you know the rules. The usual price won't be enough. Leng Yaozhu is personally protecting this target, so the risk isn't small. You'll have to add three hundred live Soul Beasts."
"What?! Three hundred?!"
Qiangu Zhangting's face changed drastically.
"Don't get greedy, Holy Spirit Cult! We already secretly supply you with more than enough Soul Beasts every month! A full thousand! Killing one brat should be a simple matter. And you still want to charge extra?!"
The Holy Spirit Cult had demanded huge numbers of live Soul Beasts for years.
What on earth did they need so many Soul Beasts for? Even if their followers needed Soul Rings, they couldn't possibly use such an enormous quantity.
Could they be using some even more evil and bloody ritual to raise their cultivation in batches?
The Spirit Pagoda had tried to probe them many times, but the Holy Spirit Cult always kept its lips sealed.
"Suit yourself~"
Na Nali replied indifferently. She hopped down from the chair, brushed off nonexistent dust, and turned as if to leave.
"Business is business. Our Holy Spirit Cult has always demanded payment upfront and delivered on the job. If you think we're too expensive, you can find someone else, or do it yourself. Let's see if Leng Yaozhu tears you to pieces~"
Her tone was light, but every word struck home.
Qiangu Zhangting watched Na Nali's petite figure from behind. Thinking of Luo Yang's face and the humiliation he'd suffered, a burst of Evil Fire shot straight to his head.
Three hundred Soul Beasts was a hefty number, and arranging it would carry risks. But compared with getting rid of the hatred in his heart, it was worth it!
"Wait!" Qiangu Zhangting practically growled, his face livid. "Fine! Three hundred it is! But I want you to act as soon as possible! Make it clean. Absolutely nothing can lead back to me!"
Na Nali stopped and turned around, her face blooming once again with an innocent, guileless smile.
"Deal~"
"Don't worry. The Holy Spirit Cult always handles things cleanly. Once your goods arrive, we'll arrange an accident. Then, happy cooperation~"
She held out her fair hand.
Looking at her sweet smile, Qiangu Zhangting felt a chill. He reluctantly reached out and shook her hand.