Hearing Ye Qingxue's words, both Lin Xian'er and Su Su showed expressions of shock.
Then, suddenly, it all became clear.
They finally understood.
No wonder Ye Qingxue had deliberately targeted Yang Yun, even going so far as to strike ruthlessly without caring about the consequences.
From the very beginning, her true aim had been only one—to stir conflict between Xuánqīng Palace and Zhengyang Sect, shattering the fragile alliance of the three sects.
"You betrayed your own sect. Aren't you afraid of the punishment of the sect's laws?" Lin Xian'er glared coldly at Ye Qingxue, her voice harsh.
"Of course I am afraid," Ye Qingxue replied calmly."That's why I must finish the matter with you before leaving this secret realm."
But the one who spoke next was not Ye Qingxue.
It was Wang Jianqiang.
As his words fell, he cast a glance toward the strange little bird and Bai Xiruo.
At once, one person and one beast surged forward.
Lin Xian'er and Su Su were already exhausted, their strength consumed, and worse, both had suffered heavy wounds from Ye Qingxue's sudden betrayal.
Within moments, the two of them were struck down, crashing heavily to the ground, unable to resist further.
Wang Jianqiang descended slowly before them, his gaze settling on Lin Xian'er.
"Now, I will give you two choices."
"Either submit to me and accept a soul-mark, becoming my soul slave… or end up like her."
As his voice fell, his sword flashed.
Su Su's head was severed in an instant, her tall body collapsing with a dull thud.
Her head rolled to the ground, her lifeless eyes still filled with shock and confusion.
If she could live again, she would certainly scream:
Didn't you say there were two choices?
Why didn't you even let me choose?!
Standing with his sword, Wang Jianqiang glanced back at Mu Lingxi, Wang Yuyao, Ye Qingxue, and the little bird, all of whom looked stunned.
He shrugged."Ahem. I simply didn't like her. It's not because she wasn't pretty enough."
"As for Lin Xian'er… she has her uses."
The three women and one bird exchanged odd looks.
Seeing the deepening misunderstanding in their eyes, Wang Jianqiang could only shake his head helplessly.
But so what?
A gentleman acts with a clear conscience—why should I care about their thoughts?
His gaze returned to Lin Xian'er, his voice chilling."Well? Have you made your choice?"
Lin Xian'er's face twisted with inner struggle, but she said nothing.
"It seems you prefer death," Wang Jianqiang sneered. "Truly worthy of being Xuánqīng Palace's foremost outer disciple—so much backbone."
He raised a thumb mockingly, then thrust his sword downward.
Lin Xian'er's complexion drained of all color. Desperate, she cried out:"Wait! I… I will submit! I'll be your soul slave!"
The sword halted, mere inches from her chest.
"Tsk, tsk. And here I thought you were so proud. In the end, you fear death just like anyone else."
Wang Jianqiang's lips curved into a mocking smile.
Lin Xian'er flushed crimson with shame, her heart seething with humiliation.
"Enough. Drop your soul's defenses."
At his command, a wisp of spiritual sense shot into her brow.
With her cultivation at mid Foundation Establishment, if she resisted, his divine sense would never penetrate her soul sea, let alone plant a mark.
But at this moment, having surrendered all defenses, she was completely exposed. His will slid easily into her soul sea, branding her spirit with his mark.
After planting the soul mark, Wang Jianqiang casually swept up the many storage bags scattered on the ground—the remnants of the fallen disciples of the four sects.
Each one held the entirety of their secret realm harvest. Individually they were small gains, but gathered together—over a hundred in number—the haul was immense.
Returning to the five women, Wang Jianqiang considered briefly, then handed out five storage bags each.
Wang Yuyao and Ye Qingxue accepted them happily.
Mu Lingxi, however, shook her head, refusing to take them. She said she had contributed little in the battle, and would not accept reward without merit.
Wang Jianqiang didn't press her, simply pocketed the bags again, then said evenly:"You three may leave first. I have a private matter to discuss with Lin Xian'er."
Mu Lingxi glanced at the exit. The spatial force around it was already wavering.
"The time is nearly up. The exit will hold no more than twenty minutes before it collapses. You must hurry."
"I know," Wang Jianqiang replied with a nod.
Hearing this, the three women didn't delay further, vanishing into the exit.
Wang Jianqiang turned back, his eyes roaming over Lin Xian'er.
"Do you know why I spared you?"
Lin Xian'er glared at him coldly, silent.
"Have you heard the name Luo Yunshang?" Wang Jianqiang asked after a pause, his gaze sharp.
Lin Xian'er's expression flickered. "How do you know that name?"
Her reaction gave him his answer. She knew something.
Excitement flashed in his eyes. "You know her?"
Lin Xian'er shook her head. "Only that I once heard a sect elder mention her."
"Do you know what became of her?" His tone grew urgent.
He had asked Ye Qingxue before, but she had never heard of Luo Yunshang. Finally, here was a lead.
Luo Yunshang—an irreplaceable name in his life.
Back then, when he had first transmigrated, he was only six years old, an orphan, weak and starving. Even with an adult's mind, survival in this brutal, alien world had been nearly impossible.
Then he met Luo Yunshang.
She was only three years older—frail, malnourished, yet possessed uncanny strength and resilience. Together they endured seven long years. Without her, he would have died countless times of hunger or sickness.
One day, an old woman appeared, claiming to be an immortal from Xuánqīng Palace. Upon seeing Luo Yunshang, she took her away by force.
From that moment, Wang Jianqiang learned of the existence of cultivators, and his heart yearned for the Dao.
He tried to join Xuánqīng Palace, but his aptitude was too poor; he was rejected.
Later, by chance, he saved an old man, who repaid him with a token—an heirloom said to be gifted by a master of the Hehuan Sect. With it, anyone with even the faintest spiritual root could join the sect.
Thus Wang Jianqiang entered Hehuan Sect, and from then on he cultivated with relentless fervor—not only out of the innate human longing for longevity, but also to one day find Luo Yunshang again.
Lin Xian'er finally answered. "I only know that she was once a once-in-a-millennium genius of Xuánqīng Palace, so gifted she even alarmed a Nascent Soul patriarch. But later… she vanished. No one knows how."
A chill gripped Wang Jianqiang's heart. Yet he suppressed it, his eyes hardening.
"I want you to return to Xuánqīng Palace and investigate everything about her."
Under his command, Lin Xian'er dared not refuse, nodding quickly.
"Do not think to deceive me," Wang Jianqiang warned coldly. "It will not end well for you."
Then his tone shifted.
"The exit has about ten minutes left. That's enough time."
He leaned closer, his voice like ice.
"Didn't you once claim that I had ruined your purity?"
"Then allow me to show you… what true humiliation really means."
His fingertips pressed slightly harder, and Lin Xian'er's jaw ached from the pressure. Her eyes involuntarily reddened. She wanted to resist, to berate him for his shamelessness, but the soul brand that had just been planted deep in her soul was faintly burning — it was the bond between a soul slave and their master. With just a single thought from Wang Jianqiang, she would have to endure the excruciating pain of having her soul torn apart. These invisible shackles made all her resistance in vain.Then Wang Jianqiang held her head down, and she obediently knelt down. After a few breaths, she opened her small, cherry-like mouth. . .A few minutes later, Wang Jianqiang patted Lin Xian'er, who was retching beside him, on the back, and said to her, "baby Be obedient from now on."