The bandit leader's pupils slightly contracted, wanting to dodge, but he met Li Daoyou's warning gaze.

  This made him feel extremely stifled, yet he dared not evade, allowing the Sword Qi to slice off his other ear.

  The remaining seventeen bandits, seeing this, dared not move a muscle.

  Why is Gu Liangyuan not playing by the rules!

  In the past, people from the Holy Land always appeared so righteous!

  They had encountered disciples from the Holy Land before, but those disciples were often arrogant and proud, never using their protectors unless absolutely necessary.

  Because of this, they had managed to escape from the protectors' hands multiple times.

  But Gu Liangyuan, using his protector right from the start, how are they supposed to play this game?

  Seeing the surroundings quiet down, Gu Liangyuan chuckled and slowly spoke to the bandit leader:

  "I know there's a punishment in this world called the Soul Refining Lamp."

  Hearing the name Soul Refining Lamp, confusion clearly flashed across the faces of several people.

  Gu Liangyuan's smile grew even wider:

  "This method is quite simple. You just need to extract a cultivator's Divine Soul, twist it into a wick, and then burn it day and night with Netherfire, covering it with a lampshade, shining brightly."

  "Those subjected to this punishment can only watch helplessly as their Divine Soul dissipates, living in fear day and night."

  "The best part is, if the Soul Lamp is burned too intensely, the soul inside will scream."

  As he spoke, Gu Liangyuan's face showed an expression of enjoyment: "That sound is simply the most beautiful music on earth."

  At this moment, a gentle breeze blew through, causing everyone present to shiver.

  The eighteen bandits looked at Gu Liangyuan's handsome face, feeling as if they had seen something terrifying, their hearts tightening!

  Wait, wasn't Gu Liangyuan supposed to be from the Holy Land?

  Why are his methods more brutal than those of the demonic sects!

  Not only the eighteen bandits, but even Li Daoyou and Wu Jiangtao, imagining the scene of the Soul Lamp being lit, felt a chill in their hearts.

  Gu Liangyuan took two steps forward, getting closer to the bandit leader, and ran the Shen Metal Sword back and forth across his neck:

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  "There's an old saying in Zhongguo, 'A wise man submits to circumstances.' I think the various torture devices at hand can certainly pry open your mouth."

  "Tell me, who sent you!"

  Feeling the chill from the Shen Metal Sword, the bandit leader instinctively swallowed but still stubbornly said:

  "I don't know what you mean."

  Gu Liangyuan suddenly smiled: "Don't want to talk, huh?"

  Without waiting for the bandit leader to reply, Gu Liangyuan instructed Wu Jiangtao:

  "Later, separate them for interrogation. The first one to speak lives."

  "The remaining seventeen, all light the Soul..."

  Before Gu Liangyuan could finish, the bandit leader hurriedly spoke:

  "Wait, I'll talk."

  He knew his eighteen brothers too well; everyone was in it for the profit, and when faced with life and death, no one could withstand it.

  Rather than that, it was better to just say it.

  "It was Di Yun from Taiyi Holy Land who sent us to kill you. We were just doing it for the money."

  Di Yun?

  Gu Liangyuan recalled the Purple Interface he encountered at the auction a few days ago. Alright, so that's how you want to play!

  Gu Liangyuan asked the bandit leader again:

  "Where will you meet after the job is done?"

  The bandit leader was startled: "What do you intend to do?"

  Gu Liangyuan didn't answer but instead twirled the Shen Metal Sword in his hand:

  "I'm asking you to speak..."

  Before he could finish, the bandit leader quickly said: "After the job is done, we'll meet him in Ghost City."

  With that said, he looked visibly relieved.

  Gu Liangyuan's sword-wielding motion paused for a moment, then he swung it fiercely!

  The Sword Qi slashed through the air, striking the bandit leader's chest, blood flowing, faintly revealing white bones!

  "I hate it when people interrupt me."

  Feeling the pain from his chest, the bandit leader was almost in tears.

  Big brother, please don't toy with me anymore.

  Having obtained the information he wanted, Gu Liangyuan looked around and slowly spoke:

  "You wanted to kill me, which is a life-and-death enmity, but I, Gu Liangyuan, am broad-minded and prefer to win people over with virtue..."

  As Gu Liangyuan spoke, the bandit leader's mouth twitched.

  Win people over with virtue?

  How did I lose both my ears!

  Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly felt a chill on his neck and saw Gu Liangyuan's Shen Metal Sword resting on it again:

  "What, you don't seem to appreciate my virtue."

  The bandit leader shook his head repeatedly, then quickly nodded:

  "I appreciate it, absolutely appreciate it."

  Gu Liangyuan was satisfied and continued:

  "Adhering to the principle of winning people over with virtue, I'll give you a chance today."

  "Later, all of you come at me together. If you can defeat me, you live."

  "If you can't defeat me, then die by my sword."

  "What do you all think?"

  Hearing this, the bandit leader's eyes lit up: "Is that true?"

  Gu Liangyuan glanced at the bandit leader: "If you don't believe me, then let your head prove my determination."

  The bandit leader shrank his neck and said no more.

  They were at the mercy of others, with no right to negotiate terms with Gu Liangyuan.

  Gu Liangyuan tilted his neck. With all the rewards he had received from the system recently, he wanted to test his combat strength.

  Not to mention having two senior brothers by his side, he also had the Pseudo-Immortal Strike in hand, with full confidence that no accidents would occur, making it worth a try.

  As for these people in front of him, Gu Liangyuan certainly didn't plan to let them go.

  Defeating him meant death, and not defeating him also meant death.

  The only difference was whether they died by his hand or Li Daoyou's.

  The last time Gu Liangyuan killed Ye Fan, Li Daoyou and Wu Jiangtao had already understood Gu Liangyuan's style.

  Without needing Gu Liangyuan to give a signal, they understood his intention.

  Li Daoyou flipped his hand, and an Array Disk appeared.

  With a flick, the Array Disk expanded in the wind, becoming the size of a millstone in the blink of an eye.

  Then, from the Array Disk, beams of light descended, covering nearly a hundred miles, preventing fish from swimming and birds from flying, completely cutting off any chance of escape.

  Wu Jiangtao also suddenly rose into the air, observing from above, ready to prevent any unexpected situations.

  Gu Liangyuan was satisfied, standing with his sword within the circle of eighteen bandits.

  The eighteen bandits exchanged glances, understanding each other's thoughts with just a look, a tacit understanding formed over hundreds of years.

  They also realized that Gu Liangyuan didn't intend to let them go, but this wasn't a hopeless situation!

  Capture the leader first; if they could capture Gu Liangyuan, they could use him as leverage to survive!

  Among them, an elder with a cane was the first to move!

  With a gesture, a palm-sized black banner appeared in his hand.

  With a shake, it grew to a man's height!

  With a fierce wave, the black banner stirred up a cloud of black smoke, rushing straight at Gu Liangyuan!

  Countless souls flickered in the black smoke, accompanied by ghostly wails and howls, clawing towards Gu Liangyuan.

  Gu Liangyuan instantly recognized the elder's method.

  This peak Nascent Soul cultivator was using the demonic treasure, the Myriad Souls Banner!

  This banner required the sacrifice of living souls; the more and stronger the souls used, the greater its power!

  It erodes the Divine Soul and consumes the flesh, truly formidable!

  But unfortunately, he encountered Gu Liangyuan.

  Gu Liangyuan, who possessed the Hmph Incantation!

  Pawread.