"What?"
"You actually want me to submit to you—a useless man on the brink of his end?"
"I am the fourth-ranked genius of the Xuanqing Palace outer sect!"
"How dare you treat me like this?"
…
Hearing Wang Jianqiang's words, Ye Qingxue's heart instantly surged with boundless humiliation.
Her face was filled with unyielding resolve.
"So, you've chosen the path of death?"
Wang Jianqiang's icy voice cut off her furious words.
The Yunshui Coldlight Sword appeared in his hand, thrusting straight toward her heart.
Even before the blade touched her, the chilling aura radiating from it made Ye Qingxue shiver uncontrollably.
In that instant, she snapped awake.
"Wait!"
"I submit…"
"I am willing to submit…"
As if afraid he might not hear clearly, she repeated the words anxiously.
The flying sword in Wang Jianqiang's hand halted instantly, its tip already having pierced her skin.
A frigid aura spread across her body, a thin layer of frost forming upon her delicate white skin.
Fortunately, Wang Jianqiang stopped in time—had he been even a fraction of a second slower, her heart would have been pierced through.
Ye Qingxue's face turned deathly pale.
Once, she had considered herself proud and pure, untouchable by the slightest stain.
But when death loomed so close, she suddenly realized—dignity, chastity…
All of it was nonsense.
The only thing that mattered was staying alive.
Fortunately… she had repented in time.
Wang Jianqiang withdrew his sword and said calmly, "Since you've agreed, then open your mind."
"You want to control me?"
Ye Qingxue's expression changed.
Once her soul was controlled, she would lose her sense of self, reduced to nothing more than a puppet.
If that was the case, she would rather die!
"No, I will only leave a mark within your soul sea." Wang Jianqiang shook his head.
Hearing this, Ye Qingxue let out a long breath of relief.
Having a soul imprint meant her life was in his hands, but at least her mind would remain her own.
"You'd better be telling the truth. Otherwise, I'd rather self-destruct my soul than be toyed with."
"Well, still acting tough? You seem to have forgotten your situation."
Wang Jianqiang slapped her hard across the face, leaving a vivid red mark on her fair skin.
Ye Qingxue's face flushed crimson, humiliation and rage nearly consuming her.
"Open your mind."
With a low shout, Wang Jianqiang sent a wisp of divine sense into her brow, branding her soul with his imprint.
From now on—
With but a thought, he could detonate the mark, causing her soul to shatter into nothingness.
With a wave of his hand, the formation dispersed.
Ye Qingxue's body slackened. She instantly jumped to her feet, instinctively retreating several steps.
The realization that her life and death now lay in this man's hands filled her with a storm of emotions—resentment, shame, but above all, fear and dread.
"Call me Master."
Wang Jianqiang glanced at her lightly.
Her expression flickered through countless changes, but at last, she softly whispered, "Master."
"That's better."
Wang Jianqiang smiled and walked to Wang Yuyao's side.
The pill he had fed her earlier had dissolved on its own. Her injuries had already been contained, though she would still need time to awaken.
With that thought, he lifted Wang Yuyao onto his back. With a wave of his hand, five storage pouches flew into his grasp.
They belonged to the disciples of Xuanqing Palace.
Ye Qingxue opened her mouth as if to speak, but in the end, she did not dare.
Wang Jianqiang looked at her. "Follow me."
With that, he shot off in a certain direction.
Ye Qingxue's body trembled slightly, her face flushing red. She bit down on her lips but did not resist again.
At that moment, it felt as if a towering wall within her heart had collapsed, her dignity utterly crushed, leaving only humiliation and submission.
…
Half an hour later, when he finally released her, Ye Qingxue collapsed weakly onto the ground. Her eyes were filled with shame and panic.
She no longer dared meet Wang Jianqiang's gaze. Lowering her head, she whispered in a trembling voice:
"Yes… Master."
Wang Jianqiang returned to the cave, immediately taking out spirit stones to activate the formation within.
He set Wang Yuyao down and fed her a flawless Earth-Yellow Pill.
Pressing his fingers to her chest, he helped refine the medicinal power before turning his gaze toward the silent Ye Qingxue.
"What stage of the Turning Realm have you reached?"
Ye Qingxue looked at him. "The First Turn."
Wang Jianqiang nodded, then continued, "What about Lin Xian'er and Xiao Wuya?"
"They are both the same as you—Third Turn."
Though from his words Wang Jianqiang didn't sound like a cultivator of the Third Turn, Ye Qingxue could not deny his strength.
His overwhelming power could only be explained if he truly was at that level.
Only Wang Jianqiang knew that his strength came not from his cultivation base, but from the perfected Minor Five Elements Sword Formation.
He had no intention of explaining and simply nodded.
This meant that the first and second ranks of the outer disciples of the four great sects should also be at the Third Turn.
As for the third rank—it was uncertain.
With that thought, a new question arose in Wang Jianqiang's mind. "How does one compress spiritual power?"
Since entering the Cold Pool Secret Realm, even without focusing on cultivation, his occasional practice had steadily advanced his realm. Now, he was very close to reaching the peak of Qi Training.
Now that he knew of the Three Turns, he naturally had to ask about the method of compression.
Ye Qingxue froze, staring at him in disbelief. "Don't tell me… you haven't compressed your spiritual power yet?"
"If I said I hadn't, would you believe me?"
Wang Jianqiang shrugged.
Gulp—
Ye Qingxue swallowed hard.
Before, she might have doubted.
But now, she actually believed him.
Wang Jianqiang shook his head. "You still haven't answered my question."
Ye Qingxue regained her composure and looked at him deeply. "There is no method to compress spiritual power. The only way is through Foundation Establishment Pills."
"Oh?"
Wang Jianqiang raised an eyebrow. "So, each pill allows one compression?"
"How could it be so easy?" Ye Qingxue shook her head. "There is a great risk of failure.
"A rare genius might succeed with one pill per compression—perhaps even build a foundation with just four pills. But that is only the ideal case. Most people cannot achieve it."
Hearing her explanation, Wang Jianqiang nodded in sudden realization—yet also felt a little embarrassed.
Previously, he had worried that if Wang Yuyao took a Foundation Establishment Pill, she would advance too soon and be unable to enter the Cold Pool Secret Realm. He had persuaded her to wait.
But now… it turned out to be a complete misunderstanding.
If Wang Yuyao had taken the pill and completed the First Turn earlier, they might not have been hunted down to this point.
With that thought, he glanced at Wang Yuyao.
At that exact moment, she began to stir awake.
"How are you feeling?"
Wang Jianqiang stepped closer.
"Senior Brother Wang."
Seeing him, Wang Yuyao tried to sit up.
Wang Jianqiang quickly stopped her. "You've just awakened. Your body is still weak. Don't move."
Wang Yuyao nodded softly.
Just then, her gaze fell upon Ye Qingxue walking toward them. Her face changed instantly. "Why… why are you here?"
Before Ye Qingxue could respond, a voice sounded at her ear.
"She bears my soul imprint now—she is my soul slave."