Chapter 286: Whipping Wang Shaojie

  "Martial Uncle, was it really you who killed that Soul Emperor-level powerhouse?"

  Juzi stared at the two corpses on the ground, her expression dazed as she asked.

  Rather than immediately feeling relieved at her rescue, she was instead shocked by Qin Xiao's ability to single-handedly defeat a Soul Emperor.

  Terrifying beyond words.

  "You saw everything that happened with your own eyes, so there's no need for me to expin further."

  As Qin Xiao spoke, he casually flicked two throwing knives, cutting through the ropes that bound Juzi.

  Only then did Juzi realize her ck of manners. She quickly expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, Martial Uncle, for saving me. I will never forget this kindness for the rest of my life."

  "Save your gratitude for ter."

  Qin Xiao waved his hand dismissively. "Right now, the most important thing for you to do is leave this pce."

  "Martial Uncle, you're right." Juzi nodded in agreement. "Normally, Zimu would never dare to do anything excessive to me.

  But he still went through with it this time, which makes me believe there must be someone else pulling the strings behind this.

  Especially that Soul Emperor you just killed—I have a feeling he was nothing more than a disposable pawn."

  Qin Xiao nodded. "Your suspicion is likely not wrong. This man probably had some significant backing, but we'll need to investigate further.

  For now, you should go back."

  Once again, Qin Xiao gestured for Juzi to leave.

  "And what about you, Martial Uncle?"

  Juzi asked, puzzled.

  "I have other matters to attend to."

  "What kind of matters?"

  Juzi asked curiously.

  Qin Xiao frowned. "Don't pry into things you shouldn't."

  "...Alright then."

  Juzi obediently nodded. She had never refused Qin Xiao's words before and wouldn't start now.

  After Juzi left, Qin Xiao sprang into action once again.

  He approached the corpse of the Soul Emperor he had killed with a single strike and tore open the clothing on its chest.

  Of course, it wasn’t because he had any strange interest in the corpse.

  He simply wanted to confirm his suspicion.

  Rip.

  As the sound of fabric tearing echoed, Qin Xiao discovered a suit of armor hidden beneath the bck nightwear.

  "This is the battle armor worn exclusively by the royal pace guards..."

  "So it was him. The person who targeted Juzi to lure me here—it was Wang Shaojie!"

  Qin Xiao's brows furrowed deeply.

  He had already suspected Wang Shaojie before, and now, his suspicions had been confirmed.

  After all, very few people had the authority to mobilize experts from the royal pace.

  Among those he knew, only Wang Shaojie had that power.

  Moreover, Wang Shaojie had repeatedly tried to recruit him, only to be rejected each time.

  Damn it.

  So just because I refused to join him, he decided to kill me instead?

  Qin Xiao silently cursed in his heart.

  Without another word, he stood up.

  "Brother, can you hear me? Brother?"

  At that moment, a voice echoed in Qin Xiao's mind—the voice of the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm.

  Come to think of it, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm had been silent for quite a long time.

  "I can hear you. If you have something to say, just say it directly—no need to beat around the bush."

  "Brother, it's like this. I noticed that you've already reached level 20. Isn’t it time to hunt for your first spirit ring?"

  Hearing this, Qin Xiao's expression shifted slightly.

  Indeed, it was time to obtain a spirit ring.

  Sensing his interest, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm quickly continued, "Brother, listen to me—I have a great idea! You can obtain a second martial soul along with your spirit ring, and it would be none other than the supreme Extreme Ice Martial Soul!"

  Qin Xiao's heart stirred—he instantly realized that the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm was referring to the Ice Empress.

  In truth, even if the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm hadn't mentioned it, Qin Xiao had already pnned to head to the Extreme North.

  After all, a second martial soul was extremely important to him. And thanks to the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm’s presence, acquiring it wouldn't be too difficult.

  "Alright, tell me your pn."

  "Hehe, in the Extreme North, there are two dominant spirit beast rulers—the Ice Empress and the Snow Empress. Either one of them would be an excellent choice for your second martial soul.

  I can’t guarantee the Snow Empress, but as for the Ice Empress, I’m about 70–80% confident I can persuade her to become your spirit ring.

  All you have to do is promise to help us reincarnate once your cultivation reaches its peak."

  "Are you bargaining with me?"

  "No!"

  The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm hurriedly crified, "I’m begging you, pleading with you! Please, help us!"

  In truth, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm had a grand pn in mind all along—one that he called "God-Making!"

  His original intention was to join forces with the Ice Empress to create a powerhouse that could surpass the peak of the Douluo Continent.

  In the original timeline, this was exactly what he did—seeking rebirth and escaping the constraints of Douluo Continent’s ws.

  However…

  After meeting Qin Xiao, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm abandoned that pn.

  Or rather, his pn had lost all meaning.

  Because his host… was already a god!

  What need was there to create another one?

  That would be completely redundant!

  He had realized that the best path for him was simply to lie back, go with the flow, and take life easy while riding Qin Xiao’s coattails.

  So now, he just followed Qin Xiao’s lead without question.

  However…

  Now that Qin Xiao had reached level 20, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm's thoughts had become active once again.

  He had already secured his own future by attaching himself to Qin Xiao.

  But his beloved Ice Empress was still suffering in the Extreme North, constantly facing the threat of heavenly tributions.

  How could he possibly bear to let her go through that alone?

  Besides, if I truly ascend to the Divine Realm with Qin Xiao in the future, wouldn't I be unbearably lonely without the Ice Empress?

  After much deliberation, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm finally made up his mind. He needed to discuss this with Qin Xiao—convince him to head to the Extreme North, persuade the Ice Empress to join their group, and then… just lie ft and enjoy life together.

  "Brother, do you trust me?"

  "If you do, then go to the Extreme North. With me around, you'll be in no danger. I can definitely persuade the Ice Empress to willingly sacrifice herself for you."

  "Besides, having an Extreme Ice Martial Soul will greatly enhance your cultivation speed. Not to mention, it will significantly boost your combat power as well."

  Seeing that Qin Xiao did not immediately respond, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm grew anxious and quickly added.

  He had no choice.

  Whether the Ice Empress could also 'lie ft' depended entirely on Qin Xiao’s decision.

  If Qin Xiao refused, there was nothing the Silkworm could do.

  After all, things were different from the original story—Qin Xiao, as the one in control, was not as easy to manipute as Huo Yuhao had been.

  After a brief moment, Qin Xiao nodded. "Alright, I’ll make a trip to the Extreme North."

  The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm wasn’t wrong—the Ice Empress would indeed be a great help to Qin Xiao.

  Meanwhile, in the distant Extreme North, amidst the vast snowy pins, a crystal-clear Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion, about one and a half meters long, stood silently.

  It was like an exquisite piece of art, carved entirely from ice.

  "Strange… why do I have this uneasy feeling?"

  "It’s as if something bad is about to happen."

  "Could it be that the heavenly tribution is approaching?"

  A cold and ethereal voice rang out.

  One could hear the doubt in her tone.

  Elsewhere, after returning to the academy, Juzi rushed straight to the boratory.

  Coincidentally, just as she reached the entrance, she nearly collided with Xuan Ziwen, who was also in a hurry.

  "Teacher."

  "Juzi."

  "Where are you going?"

  "Are you alright?"

  The two of them spoke at the same time.

  It was clear that both were filled with questions, yet they chose to remain silent for a moment.

  "You first, Teacher," Juzi said, then fell silent.

  "Look at this letter."

  Xuan Ziwen handed her a letter—one that Qin Xiao had previously discarded on the ground.

  Juzi took it, scanned its contents, and turned pale. She nodded. "Teacher, it's true. I was kidnapped, but Martial Uncle saved me."

  "What?"

  Xuan Ziwen was stunned. His expression grew tense as he looked behind Juzi. "Then where is your Martial Uncle? Why don’t I see him?"

  Juzi lowered her head. "Martial Uncle told me to come back first. He’s probably staying behind to cover my retreat."

  "But Teacher, Martial Uncle is really incredible. He killed a Soul Emperor—instantly, no less!"

  "A Soul Emperor?"

  Xuan Ziwen's eyes flickered, and he grabbed Juzi’s arm. "Tell me everything while we walk."

  Moments ter, Xuan Ziwen led Juzi to an abandoned warehouse.

  By then, he had already pieced together what had happened.

  Zimu had kidnapped Juzi.

  On the surface, it seemed like a case of love turning into obsession—Zimu wanted to force himself on Juzi while eliminating Qin Xiao, whom he saw as an obstacle in his way.

  However…

  Upon arriving at the warehouse, Xuan Ziwen realized that things were not as simple as they seemed.

  Qin Xiao was nowhere to be found.

  And more importantly, there was a corpse cd in royal armor.

  "A royal pace guard?"

  Xuan Ziwen narrowed his eyes.

  Zimu didn’t have the power to command the royal guards.

  Which meant that there was someone backing him—someone with significant influence.

  Unconsciously, a certain figure surfaced in his mind—Wang Shaojie.

  "Teacher, Teacher, Martial Uncle isn't here."

  At that moment, Juzi softly called out beside him.

  She was deeply worried that something might have happened to Qin Xiao.

  "Yes, Qin Xiao has disappeared."

  "What should we do now?"

  "Don't panic. I think there's one person who might have the answers we need."

  "Who?"

  "Wang Shaojie."

  After saying this, Xuan Ziwen took Juzi and headed back to Mingdu.

  Xuan Ziwen was furious. He hadn't expected that in just the short time he left to meet his teacher, such a major incident would occur.

  To make matters worse, he hadn't even managed to meet his teacher yet, and now Qin Xiao was missing.

  This was beyond frustrating.

  Back at Sun Moon Academy, Xuan Ziwen stormed into Wang Shaojie's luxurious dormitory and dragged him out without hesitation.

  "Teacher, what are you doing?"

  The moment Wang Shaojie saw Juzi standing beside Xuan Ziwen, he immediately understood—his involvement had been exposed.

  But for the sake of self-preservation, he had no choice but to feign ignorance.

  "I'm not your teacher," Xuan Ziwen said coldly, denying their previous retionship. He then asked, "Where is Qin Xiao?"

  "Qin Xiao?"

  "Isn't Martial Uncle Qin always in your boratory? Teacher, if even you don't know where he went, how would I?"

  Wang Shaojie was genuinely confused.

  Could it be that the people he sent had succeeded?

  But if they had, why hadn't he received any updates?

  So in truth, he really had no idea where Qin Xiao was.

  Juzi, filled with anger, snapped, "Wang Shaojie, stop pying dumb. We saw the armor on that Soul Emperor’s body. Only your royal family has the power to command such an expert."

  "I really don't know anything!"

  Wang Shaojie was still unwilling to admit it.

  "Teacher, I don't think he'll talk unless we make him," Juzi said, growing impatient. "We should use some… persuasion. Otherwise, I doubt he'll ever open his mouth."

  Xuan Ziwen's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "That is indeed a good idea. But there are too many people around here. This isn’t the right pce—we should take him to the b first."

  By now, a crowd of students had gathered outside the dormitory, watching the commotion.

  With so many witnesses, Xuan Ziwen couldn’t openly resort to violence.

  As soon as Xuan Ziwen dragged Wang Shaojie away, the bystanders finally reacted. Some of Wang Shaojie's usual ckeys, who had always fawned over him, panicked when they saw their master being dragged away like a helpless chick. In their panic, they quickly ran off to inform the academy’s higher-ups to stop the raging Xuan Ziwen.

  Meanwhile, Xuan Ziwen had already taken Wang Shaojie to the boratory.

  With a loud cng, he secured Wang Shaojie's hands with thick metal chains—each as thick as a baby's arm—and suspended him in the air.

  "Teacher, what are you doing?"

  Now, Wang Shaojie was truly terrified. "I really don't know where Martial Uncle Qin went! When you found me, I was already half asleep.

  I swear, I have no idea!"

  Despite his fear, Wang Shaojie knew that now, more than ever, he couldn't admit to targeting Qin Xiao.

  If he did, he wasn’t sure whether Xuan Ziwen would beat him to death.

  "Still denying it?"

  Xuan Ziwen's expression darkened.

  He had long known about Wang Shaojie’s attempts to recruit Qin Xiao.

  And he was very pleased with Qin Xiao’s response and attitude.

  "I will dedicate my limited life to infinite scientific research."

  When Qin Xiao had said this, Xuan Ziwen had been so moved that he had nearly cried.

  What a true kindred spirit.

  They shared the same dreams and ambitions.

  "Wang Shaojie, I never thought that just because Qin Xiao rejected you twice, you would hold such a deep grudge against him."

  Xuan Ziwen looked at Wang Shaojie with disappointment.

  "Teacher, I didn’t! I really didn’t!"

  Wang Shaojie had a strong mental fortitude. Even in this crisis, he did not utter a single word of truth.

  "Then don’t bme me."

  Xuan Ziwen had no choice but to resort to force.

  He took a long whip from his spatial soul tool, dipped it in cold water, and shed it across Wang Shaojie’s body.

  With a loud snap, Wang Shaojie's skin was torn open.

  For someone who had lived a pampered life, he had never suffered such pain before.

  "Aaah!"

  He let out a blood-curdling scream.

  "Will you talk now?"

  "Xuan Ziwen, if you do this to me, aren't you afraid of angering the royal family?"

  Wang Shaojie had never expected Xuan Ziwen to actually hit him.

  Dipping the whip in cold water first—that was real torture.

  So he had no choice but to bring up his royal status as a shield.

  However…

  What he didn’t expect was that bringing up the royal family only made Xuan Ziwen even angrier.

  "You good-for-nothing fool, aren't you just relying on your royal status to do as you please?

  Without the royal family, what are you even worth?"

  The more Xuan Ziwen spoke, the angrier he became. The whip in his hand shed out furiously.

  Snap! Snap! Snap!

  Three consecutive strikes left Wang Shaojie in agony.

  (End of Chapter)

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