Though one was human and the other's true form was a Soul Beast, perhaps because they were both female,—
Seeing Xiao Wu's predicament now, Qian Renxue couldn't help but feel a hint of sympathy and pity.
Who knew what she was thinking? She had no filter and suddenly blurted out:
"Jiang Xuan, are all the Soul Beasts in this world destined to die?"
At her words, Jiang Xuan was dumbstruck.
Did she even hear herself?
You're the young mistress of Spirit Hall. Is that really something you should be saying?
Could the Soul-Gathering Pill have some major side effect he didn't know about?
Like affecting the user's brain to some degree...
But he couldn't jump to conclusions just yet. He'd observe her for a while first...
After taking a deep breath and quickly steadying his emotions, Jiang Xuan asked coolly:
"Heh, if Soul Beasts don't deserve to die, then are we humans the ones who do?"
His question left Qian Renxue completely dumbfounded.
When she didn't respond, Jiang Xuan simply continued to state his position:
"Don't be fooled by her human appearance right now! In my eyes, if she was a Soul Beast for even a single day, then she'll be a Soul Beast for her entire life. No matter what method she uses, it can't change the fact that her true form is a Soul Beast. And Soul Beasts are the natural enemies of us Soul Masters. Either we Soul Masters hunt Soul Beasts for Soul Rings and grow stronger, or the Soul Beasts hunt us in turn, devouring our flesh and blood to rapidly increase their cultivation! There's no middle ground!"
Once a Soul Beast, a Soul Beast for life!
Natural enemies from birth, with no middle ground...
After silently repeating those two lines several times, a glimmer of understanding appeared in Qian Renxue's previously confused eyes:
"I see. It seems my thinking just now was a little naïve. You're right. Soul Beasts and Soul Masters should be enemies. Feeling pointless emotions toward Soul Beasts will only harm others and yourself!"
Jiang Xuan nodded. A quick study.
It seemed Qian Renxue's head was still more or less in working order.
Although the original story's main theme had loudly advocated peace between humans and Soul Beasts,
Jiang Xuan thought that was pure nonsense.
Unless the Soul Master cultivation system underwent a fundamental change, any calls for peace between humans and Soul Beasts were meaningless.
In the original story, Tang San had once solemnly promised Xiao Wu that he would never hunt kind Soul Beasts. But after Xiao Wu sacrificed herself and died, wasn't it all up to him to decide whether a Soul Beast was good or evil?
Jiang Xuan had no desire to mate with a Soul Beast, so he naturally wouldn't go softhearted!
At the same time, Xiao Wu, now too weak to struggle or fight back, had completely fallen into despair after hearing Jiang Xuan's views.
There was no doubt about it. This man would never spare her.
Was her life as a beast really going to end here?
No, she wasn't willing to accept it. She still had a reason she had to live—the blood feud over her mother's death had yet to be avenged...
But just then, Jiang Xuan spoke directly to her:
"If you don't want to suffer, then give me some of your blood essence willingly. Don't make me use force!"
For both Soul Masters and Soul Beasts, their blood essence was of utmost importance!
Even losing a single drop required a long period of rest and nourishment to recover. Losing a little more would leave one severely weakened, and it was quite common for it to damage one's foundation.
Hearing Jiang Xuan's demand, Xiao Wu, whose heart had turned to ashes, couldn't even be bothered to react.
She was going to die anyway. Why care about anything else?
Make her suffer?
Could anything in this world be more terrifying than death?
Seeing Xiao Wu's complete lack of cooperation, Jiang Xuan lost his temper too:
"Fine! So you don't know what's good for you? Then don't blame me for being ruthless!"
After speaking, he saw Xiao Wu still looking lifeless. Jiang Xuan summoned the Eight Trigrams Furnace Martial Soul again and enlarged it. He opened the furnace door right in front of Xiao Wu, then tossed her and her cage inside, while Qian Renxue watched in utter confusion.
Unable to make sense of what Jiang Xuan was doing, Qian Renxue simply asked him outright:
"What are you doing?"
Jiang Xuan turned to her with a warm smile:
"I need this Soul Beast's blood essence. Since she refuses to cooperate willingly, I'll just have to refine it out myself."
Jiang Xuan didn't bother to lower his voice. When Xiao Wu, locked inside the Eight Trigrams Furnace, heard him, her body immediately began to tremble uncontrollably.
This despicable human actually wanted to burn her alive!
There were few living creatures that weren't afraid of fire, especially weak herbivorous Soul Beasts like rabbits.
Thinking of the horror her body was about to endure, Xiao Wu was truly terrified.
She could just barely accept a death that came in an instant, without much pain.
But the thought of her frail body enduring an unending agony as the fire refined her was simply more terrifying than death!
Her instinct to survive made her beg for mercy without thinking:
"No! Don't burn me alive! I know I was wrong. I'll cooperate! I'll give you my blood essence! Please, let me out! Waaaaah!"
It was clear from her voice that the little rabbit was truly afraid now.
But Jiang Xuan had no intention of sparing her just like that.
If he didn't teach her a harsh lesson and establish his authority now, who knew what kind of trouble this rabbit might cause him in the future?
So Jiang Xuan refused her without the slightest mercy:
"You're only admitting your mistake now? Too late! Since you didn't treasure the chance I gave you earlier, then you'd better experience my methods properly. I hope you can hold out and won't get roasted by my flames... Otherwise, little sister Xue'er and I will have no choice but to make you an extra meal."
Qian Renxue, watching from the side, heard Jiang Xuan suddenly bring her up—and, with no one else around, even call her little sister.
For a moment, her feelings turned rather complicated.
She couldn't say she disliked it, but she couldn't say she was pleased either...
All in all... she didn't mind the way he addressed her.
"Whatever. It's just a form of address. He can call me whatever he wants..."
Jiang Xuan used his Soul Power to control the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, extending the cage to gag Xiao Wu. Then he activated his second Soul Skill and controlled the Six-Ding Divine Flame inside the Eight Trigrams Furnace to begin refining her.
Under his deliberate control, the Six-Ding Divine Flame only burned certain vital parts of Xiao Wu's body. It didn't touch the cage restraining her movements at all.
Even so, the unprecedented agony was more than Xiao Wu could bear.
She wanted to scream and vent her anguish, but now she had even been robbed of the right to beg for mercy. All she could do was endure almost endless pain in despair.
Before long, her entire left arm had been burned into blood, and a full ten drops of blood essence were refined out!
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