"That crazy bastard is actually planning to use his cultivation in order to teach that kid a lesson??" Warden Elric's brows raised. "Is he trying to kill him??"
"This is turning out to be more interesting than I thought it would be, hehe." Warden Anna licked her lips while tracing Nylon's pronounced back muscles with her eyes. "I do wonder if this little cutie will be able to overcome this~"
"There's no way." A couple of Wardens denied the notion. "Even if Sith is limiting himself to the Collection Plane, there's no way a mortal will be capable of contending with someone who can sense and utilize Spiritual Energy to enhance their body. The kid will be dead on the 2nd to 3rd strike."
FWACK!
Coincidentally, Warden Sith lashed out with his third whipping of the day. The full power of the Collection Plane collided against Nylon's back, producing a grating sound that forced many to cringe.
There was no way Nylon could remain as indifferent after receiving a strike like that one!
And yet…
"You can hit harder." Nylon spoke as if he were bored, his back totally undamaged.
Warden Sith was thoroughly incensed. He had no idea how that arrogant brat had suddenly become so tough, but it mattered not, for Nylon's death date had already been solidified in his mind.
OOOM!
Collection Plane Peak!
"Let me see if you can take this!" Warden Sith taunted, whipping out without reprise.
FWACK!
4th whipping!
Yet not even a mark!
"Again!" Warden Sith roared as he took his cultivation into the 2nd Plane—the Enhancement Plane—which further enhanced his already Spiritually-filled physique.
FWACK!
No damage!
"Again!!"
FWACK!
"Again!!!"
FWACK!
"Fucking again!!!!"
What was supposed to be a normal whipping punishment had developed into something that had everyone standing around in dumbfoundment. They watched with apt attention as Warden Sith gradually became more and more disheveled.
It took him 12 whippings and countless curses for a scratch to finally appear on Nylon's back.
Warden Sith took this as a great accomplishment, even in spite of the fact that he had to use Venation Plane cultivation to achieve it.
Smugly, he said, "How's that, maggot!? You terrified yet!?"
No response.
"Huh…?"
It was only now that the Wardens and spectators realized something mind-boggling.
Somehow, Warden Sith's whippings… put Nylon to sleep.
Warden Sith turned redder than a tomato. His anger was reaching volcanic levels, rivaling the confusion of the Wardens.
"Even the power of the Venation Plane was sleep-inducing for that kid…?" Warden Elric mumbled. "How can someone bereft of cultivation possibly be so durable?? It doesn't make sense."
"Wait…" A gruff Warden spoke up, his tall frame quickly being locked onto by the other Wardens. "Have any of you heard of something called 'Body Cultivation'?"
"!!!" "!!!"
"You mean what those Warriors of the East and West sometimes cultivate in place of Energy Cultivation??" Warden Sacro inquired. "Are you trying to say that this nameless boy is a practitioner of the Body Path!?"
The gruff Warden—Warden Yog—nodded.
"But how can that be?? To progress in the Body Path, you need resources provided by Alchemists! There's no way a mere Slave could get his hands on the stuff he'd need to—"
"Is there any other explanation for why this Slave Boy's body is so tough?"
Warden Yog's question silenced the doubts of those around him.
"...So then, what should we do with this information?" Warden Sacro asked quietly.
"Well, if the Slave Boy was able to get his hands on Body Tempering Liquid Potions, it's highly likely that he's already found himself a backer." Warden Anna gave her input. "And as you all should be well aware of, only those in the Mystery Plane and above are capable of becoming Alchemists."
Anna's words shook the hearts of the other Wardens. And for good reason; after all, the Mystery Plane was the 7th Plane of the Awakening Development Realm. They, on the other hand, were limited to the Adamance and Juggernaut Planes.
In layman's terms, this matter had gone beyond their pay grade.
"Now, there's always a chance the boy just happened to find some Body Tempering Liquid Potions in a fortunate encounter of sorts," Warden Anna added. "But if there's something you should know about the Body Path, then it's that advancing… is very, very expensive. This is the trade-off for requiring less talent. This also means that discovering enough Body Tempering Liquid Potions by 'chance' to progress to the Venation Plane equivalent is a ridiculous notion.
There's also the off-chance that a Master not of the Alchemist profession gifted Body Tempering Liquid Potions to the Slave Boy, but that would mean the benefactor is of immense wealth, spelling even worse trouble for us…"
The Wardens had to make a decision here. And they had to make it before Sith completely lost his cool and killed Nylon.
"DIE—!!!"
Warden Sith dashed forward, looking like a bolt of lightning. His dominant arm swung down with the spike-whip, making use of both momentum and his Adamance Plane cultivation to deliver a killer blow.
"Stop!!" The other Wardens only now realized how far Sith had been pushed. They moved at their top speeds in an attempt to prevent him from doing something foolish, but they weren't going to make it in time.
Nylon's skin glistened with a light shade of brown. If one were observing close enough, they'd think him to be protected by a thin layer of armor.
And they wouldn't be too far from the truth.
FWACK!!
Time seemed to freeze for the spectators when the whip touched Nylon's back. They were sure that he was going to be seriously injured from this attack.
*Drip, Drip…*