Chapter 715: Deadly Peril (I)

Within the cave dwelling, wisps of filthy, sinister black smoke streamed endlessly from Kong Yujing's body and dispersed into the air.

Kong Yujing's face was deathly pale. Sweat continuously beaded across her forehead, gathering into droplets that fell to the floor with soft dripping sounds.

Kong Yujing could not suppress a pained moan. "Mmm..."

She quickly gritted her teeth and forced herself to remain completely silent. Before two mighty Nascent Soul realm experts, even making the slightest sound filled her with trepidation, for fear of displeasing them.

Cao Hongchang watched intently as Lin Zheyu purged the yao will from Kong Yujing's body. Eventually, he could no longer contain himself and shot to his feet.

Incredible, truly incredible! Fellow Xiao can actually accomplish something of this magnitude! He isn't forcibly suppressing the yao will. He's using some powerful method to strip away and obliterate the yao will that has permeated her soul! Just how is he doing this?

Cao Hongchang was utterly astounded.

His hands trembled slightly, and his eyes brimmed with unconcealable astonishment and delight. By paying a sufficient price and employing certain extraordinary methods and treasures, Cao Hongchang could also forcibly strip away and purge the yao will within his body. The cost, however, was far too great. Yao will was simply too invasive.

As his cultivation in the Yao Dao advanced, the yao will corroded him ever more deeply until it had nearly fused with his soul and the Nascent Soul within him. They had become inseparable. The moment the yao will was stripped away would also be the moment Cao Hongchang perished.

Yet this mysterious man, a demonic cultivator, had completely overturned his understanding, mercilessly shattering his belief that yao will could only be forcibly suppressed and never purged or separated.

"Huff, huff, huff..."

Heavy panting echoed throughout the cave dwelling. Lin Zheyu kept his right hand pressed against Kong Yujing's brow, his chest heaving as his solemn, focused expression revealed a trace of strain.

He has taken the bait. All my efforts were not in vain, Lin Zheyu thought as he secretly observed Cao Hongchang's expression.

To extract even more benefits from Cao Hongchang while securing more time to study his sea of consciousness and Nascent Soul and uncover further secrets of a Nascent Soul realm cultivator who walked the Yao Dao, Lin Zheyu pretended that the process was extremely taxing.

With his current strength, purging the yao will from Kong Yujing's body was not particularly difficult and could have been completed in less than half an hour. Instead, he had deliberately dragged it out for three entire days. Kong Yujing, in turn, had endured three days of horrific, soul-rending agony that made death seem preferable.

"Hah..."

Lin Zheyu exhaled deeply and withdrew his hand from Kong Yujing's brow, his face filled with profound exhaustion.

The tension in Kong Yujing's mind finally eased, and her consciousness, already pushed nearly to its limit, sank completely into darkness. Her body suddenly went limp, and she collapsed to the floor in a deep sleep.

"Would you like to examine her and see the results for yourself, fellow friend?" Lin Zheyu asked Cao Hongchang with a smile.

"Very well," Cao Hongchang replied solemnly.

Neither man showed her the slightest consideration. In the eyes of mighty Nascent Soul realm demonic cultivators, even Golden Core realm cultivators had no rights, much less Kong Yujing, who had not even reached the Golden Core realm and was merely at the False Core realm.

Cao Hongchang extended his right hand and made a grasping motion toward her. The unconscious Kong Yujing let out a delicate groan as she floated before him. His powerful spiritual sense spread outward, brutally penetrating her brow and forcing its way into her sea of consciousness.

"Mmph!" Kong Yujing moaned in pain but remained unconscious.

"Don't be so rough, fellow friend. You should treat a beautiful woman more gently. More importantly, Little Jing belongs to me. Aren't you going a little too far by handling her so brutally?" Lin Zheyu glanced at Cao Hongchang with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

Cao Hongchang fell silent for a moment before replying calmly, "My apologies. I will be more careful from now on. Let this small item serve as compensation."

Even when beating a dog, one had to consider its master. He had indeed been somewhat too rough. With a turn of his right hand, a green fruit emitting an enticing aura appeared in Cao Hongchang's palm. He placed it in Kong Yujing's mouth, where it dissolved immediately into a stream of cooling energy that merged into her body. As the fruit's energy spread through her, the agonized expression twisting her face eased considerably.

"Are you satisfied now, fellow friend?" Cao Hongchang asked, looking toward Lin Zheyu.

"Haha, I was merely offering you a reminder. There was no need to be so courteous," Lin Zheyu replied with a smile.

Seeing this, Cao Hongchang nodded lightly and continued examining Kong Yujing's condition. This time, his movements were much gentler. One breath passed... then two... then ten.

The astonishment on Cao Hongchang's otherwise impassive face deepened until it finally became outright shock. Once Cao Hongchang withdrew his divine sense, Lin Zheyu waved his right hand lightly, drawing Kong Yujing into his arms.

"Take Little Jing back and let her rest," said Lin Zheyu to Wu Di. He then opened the doors of the cave dwelling and sent Kong Yujing outside.

Wu Di caught Kong Yujing's soft body and answered respectfully, "Yes, my lord!"

The doors of the cave dwelling closed once more. Lin Zheyu smiled at Cao Hongchang. "What do you think?"

"Very powerful! Truly incredible!" Cao Hongchang replied solemnly, a concealed trace of fervor and anticipation flashing deep within his eyes.

There was also a trace of wariness and hesitation. Lin Zheyu watched him quietly without urging him, waiting for Cao Hongchang to decide. He leisurely raised his teacup, but after smelling the inferior spirit tea, discreetly set it back down. Cao Hongchang's eyes twitched slightly at the sight.

Cao Hongchang exhaled deeply and finally made his decision.

"What price must I pay for you to resolve the erosion caused by the yao will within me?"

Cao Hongchang had no other choice. Compared with the escape route he had prepared for himself, revealing some of his secrets and paying a painfully steep price to secure Fellow Xiao Zhe's aid was still the better option.

"Using such a powerful divine ability comes at a considerable cost to me. You may ask those outside. Anyone who seeks my aid must offer up their soul blood and acknowledge me as their master," Lin Zheyu said calmly, looking at Cao Hongchang with a beaming smile as he slowly stated his terms.

Cao Hongchang frowned slightly and suppressed his impatience as he shook his head. "That is impossible. Name another price."

"Of course. That is merely the price those weak ants must pay. You and I became acquainted through battle, and I regret not meeting sooner, so naturally, you don't need to pay such a steep price. I want every technique you cultivate, one thousand high-grade spirit stones, and ownership of the Evilheart Sect from this day onward." Lin Zheyu stated his conditions with a smile.

One thousand high-grade spirit stones represented an immense fortune to him, equivalent to a million mid-grade spirit stones. Throughout his cultivation journey, Lin Zheyu had never possessed such wealth. Even most Nascent Soul realm cultivators could not produce so many spirit stones. However, he believed that Cao Hongchang, as a veteran Nascent Soul realm demonic cultivator, could undoubtedly afford it.