Seeing Mo Cheng forced to confess under torture, a look of utter despair appeared on the Zhang Family Patriarch's face.
Compared to Mo Cheng, he understood Xiao Yan's identity even better. He knew exactly where this man came from — and precisely because of that, he was utterly terrified of him.
"The Soul Hall is a powerful organization I came into contact with by chance when I was young. I don't even know how strong they truly are, but I once personally saw a Zun Zhe guarding one of their bases.
That's why I pledged allegiance to the Soul Hall early on and began working for them. They were generous, and since I got things done efficiently, they've cultivated me into a Dou Huang over the years.
As for the Zhang Family Patriarch's identity, that's actually another branch of the Soul Hall. From what I've heard, everyone in their line has had their memories erased — only the patriarch of each generation knows the truth.
Because of this, the Zhang Family Patriarch's status is extremely high. Within the Soul Hall, he can even stand on equal footing with a Zun Zhe.
All I know is that the Soul Hall sent people this time to have me help them search for a Heavenly Flame. I completed that mission, and I heard they planned to help me advance to Dou Zong soon after.
Beyond that... I really don't know anything else."
Mo Cheng spilled everything he knew in one breath, while the Zhang Family Patriarch looked on with a hopeless expression.
"That's all?" Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes.
"That's all," Mo Cheng nodded. "Can you at least give me a clean death?"
Xiao Yan looked at him in mild surprise.
"Oh? How do you know I'm going to kill you?"
"I've done my fair share of luring information out of people only to kill them afterward," Mo Cheng said with a bitter smile. "Naturally, I know what you're thinking."
"Not bad. You old bastard have quite the eye for things."
Xiao Yan couldn't help but find this man almost too self-aware. He'd actually planned to let him go — but since Mo Cheng was so eager to die, Xiao Yan might as well grant his wish.
"I'll ask you one more thing," Xiao Yan said with mock embarrassment. "Answer truthfully, and I'll give you that clean death."
"In the Soul Hall, the places where a Zun Zhe personally guards are usually sub-halls, correct? Where is the one you know located?"
"I can't say."
Mo Cheng shook his head.
"You can't say? Do you want to be tortured again?" Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed.
"No, no," Mo Cheng said quickly. "When I joined the Soul Hall, they placed a curse on me. If I even try to reveal the sub-hall's location, the Soul Hall's Curse of Soul Execution will instantly kill me."
As he spoke, his eyes rolled slightly, and he pointed at the Zhang Family Patriarch. "You can ask him."
"Mmph! Mmph!"
The Zhang Family Patriarch's body was still frozen in space, but furious muffled noises came from his throat.
His bloodshot eyes were full of hatred. He wanted nothing more than to tear Mo Cheng to pieces. The organization had spent years cultivating him, and now this coward betrayed them just to escape torture.
Worse yet, that dog had even pointed the finger at him! Was he trying to make him take the punishment in his place?!
For the first time, fear flickered in the Zhang Family Patriarch's heart.
"Sigh... I was planning to leave you a way to live," Xiao Yan said with mock pity, "but since your awareness is so high, I suppose I should grant your wish."
Xiao Yan looked at Mo Cheng with a hint of admiration.
This man was ruthless and decisive in betrayal — that kind of decisiveness, at least, was admirable.
"I actually wanted to—"
Before Mo Cheng could finish his sentence, Xiao Yan opened his mouth and breathed out a wave of flame.
Before the words left his lips, his soul was incinerated into nothingness by the Heavenly Flame.
Xiao Yan truly kept his word — he gave him a swift death.
"Now then, it's your turn," Xiao Yan said with a smile, turning to the Zhang Family Patriarch.
"Even if I die, I won't tell you anything!" the Patriarch roared, his tone unyielding.
"Not bad. A real man." Xiao Yan nodded approvingly — then, under the Patriarch's horrified gaze, reached a hand into his robes.
"You—what are you doing?" the Patriarch's face turned pale.
"What am I doing? Jie jie..."
Xiao Yan's hand rummaged for a moment before pulling out a jade pendant.
"Jie jie jie... I really didn't expect this. The Soul Clan truly lives up to being on the same level as my Xiao Clan — they actually entrusted the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade to a mere Da Dou Shi."
A grin spread across Xiao Yan's lips.
He now had eight Ancient Jades — and the two most crucial pieces were already in his hands.
As for the rest, well, he could just have Xiao Xuan go snatch them.
Of course, if the Clan Ancestor felt that was too ungentlemanly, Xiao Yan could always take the harder route.
He only needed to marry the saintesses of the other six clans one by one — surely each clan would offer a dowry, right? When he demanded the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade as part of it, who would dare refuse?
And even if they did, or if Xiao Xuan refused to step in, Xiao Yan could simply wait until he became a Nine-Star Dou Sheng — then he'd just take them by force.
And by that time, he wouldn't be nearly as polite. Jie jie...
Thinking that, Xiao Yan suddenly slapped his palm on the Zhang Family Patriarch's head.
In the next instant, an immense spiritual power surged into the man's soul.
This was one of the Soul Clan's most secret techniques — Soul Search!
Using this technique, one could directly invade another's soul and read their memories.
However, it was a sinister art, dangerous to both parties — it could even interfere with the caster's own memories and wasn't suitable for use on someone of equal or greater strength.
But the Zhang Family Patriarch was only a Da Dou Shi; he couldn't possibly resist.
As Xiao Yan's spirit delved deeper, the patriarch convulsed violently, his eyes rolling back.
A flood of memories from the man's mind began pouring into Xiao Yan's consciousness.
Xiao Yan felt no guilt whatsoever for using such a cruel method.
If the Soul Clan had won back then, his Xiao Clan would've met an even worse fate. This was war between two forces — mercy had no place here.
If he were merciful, he might be the one having his soul searched today.
Xiao Yan was a cautious man — unlike the Soul Emperor from that other world, he would never leave some "harmless branch" of his clan lingering around.
Uprooting the problem completely was always the safest path.
All villains die from talking too much — or from carelessness.
"Bah... Soul Search really does mess with the mind a bit. I almost felt like the villain for a second."
Xiao Yan rubbed his temples.
Even though the target was only a Da Dou Shi, the Soul Search still had minor aftereffects — but thanks to his Heavenly Flame, which naturally purified the soul, he'd recover quickly.
Thinking that, he casually tossed the lifeless body of the Zhang Family Patriarch aside, flicked a spark of flame, and vanished from the room.
In the dim secret chamber, the green lotus platform was gone. Only two piles of ashes on the ground remained — the only proof that two people had died there.
At this moment, Xiao Yan was already holding Qing Lin in his arms, flying back toward Wu Tan City.
"Young Master, was that Zhang Family Patriarch really a remnant of the Soul Clan?" came the twin voices of Wen and Wu Saints from the unseen space.
"That's right," Xiao Yan replied. "Not only that, their bloodline directly descends from the Soul Emperor himself. Still, they were clever — only each generation's patriarch knew the truth.
That way, while their power couldn't be preserved, at least their secret couldn't leak. That's why, even after a thousand years, my clan never discovered them."
A faint smile crossed Xiao Yan's lips.
"Jie jie jie... Once we eradicate the Soul Hall, it'll be quite the glorious achievement, won't it?"
From within the void, the eerie laughter of the two Saints echoed back.
.....
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