As soon as Ling Menghan emerged from the Myriad Phenomena Diagram, she whipped her hand across Lin Da’niao’s face.
Slap!
Lin Da’niao’s cheek swelled instantly. Because the Wuji Heavenly Venerable had locked him in place, the blow did not send him flying.
“Dead fatty, I’ve been putting up with you for far too long.”
Boom!
Ling Menghan lashed out with a kick to his face. Blood poured from Lin Da’niao’s nose at once.
“Filthy bitch. If I survive this, I swear I’ll kill you,” Lin Da’niao snarled inwardly, glaring at her with pure hatred.
Catching his murderous stare, Ling Menghan flew into an even greater rage. “You still dare look at me? I’ll gouge your eyes out!”
Her two fingers stabbed straight toward his eyes.
“Stop!”
The Wuji Heavenly Venerable’s stern shout rang out. Ling Menghan froze as though struck by a body-binding spell; her fingers could not advance another fraction.
“Cult Master!” Ling Menghan cried. “This dead fatty and his accomplices sealed me inside that rotten scroll. He humiliated me. I must kill him!”
The Wuji Heavenly Venerable replied coldly, “Did you not hear my words? If you dare kill him, I will destroy you first.”
Ling Menghan turned and met his utterly glacial gaze.
“Cult Master…” She was both furious and wronged. Thinking of everything Lin Da’niao had done to her, tears welled up in her eyes.
“Menghan, be at ease. You have suffered grievance, and I will personally see justice done,” the Wuji Heavenly Venerable said in a soothing tone.
Only then did Ling Menghan feel slightly better. “Heavenly Venerable, there is also his accomplice Ye Changsheng…”
Before she could finish, a severe glance from the Wuji Heavenly Venerable silenced her instantly.
“I already know everything about Ye Changsheng. You need say no more. Stand aside.”
The Wuji Heavenly Venerable feared that if Ling Menghan spoke too much she might reveal that Ye Qiu had obtained the supreme opportunity of the Undying Mountain and the Demon-Refining Pot. Should the other Saints learn Ye Qiu carried so many treasures, they would certainly fight to seize them. Although he did not fear those present, if word reached the true peak experts of the three Holy Lands or the Heaven-Mending Sect, the situation would become troublesome.
Ling Menghan seemed to grasp his intention. She retreated quickly, stood to one side, and said nothing more, merely glaring at Lin Da’niao with eyes that could kill, wishing she could tear him limb from limb.
“Boy, you have quite some nerve, daring to imprison the holy maiden of our Yin-Yang Cult,” the Wuji Heavenly Venerable said icily.
Lin Da’niao hurriedly explained, “Senior, it is all a misunderstanding. Please allow me to explain…”
“There is nothing to explain,” the Wuji Heavenly Venerable cut in. “For your father’s sake, I will spare your life once more.”
With that, he released the restrictions on Lin Da’niao.
All Lin Da’niao wanted was to flee. The moment the bindings lifted, he said, “Many thanks, senior! This junior will now return to search for divine beasts. When the time comes I will visit the Yin-Yang Cult together with my father to pay respects.”
He turned to leave.
“Did I permit you to go?” the Wuji Heavenly Venerable said coldly. “Stay here obediently. Once I have finished my business, I will personally escort you to the Beast Tamer Clan.”
As he spoke, the Wuji Heavenly Venerable flicked his right hand lightly. Lin Da’niao’s plump body crashed from the void to the ground with a boom, coughing up blood.
Still, it was clear the Venerable had held back. Otherwise, a single glance from a Saint would have been enough to obliterate him.
The Wuji Heavenly Venerable kept Lin Da’niao alive because he intended to extract benefits from the Beast Tamer Clan.
“That hurts so much…” Lin Da’niao lay on the ground, feeling as though every bone in his body had shattered.
“You alright?” A familiar voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.
Lin Da’niao turned his head and saw Wu Qianfan lying nearby, asking weakly.
“Didn’t you leave ages ago? Why are you still here?” Lin Da’niao asked, puzzled.
Wu Qianfan gave a bitter laugh. “I’m cursed with bad luck. The moment I stepped out, I ran into them.”
Lin Da’niao understood that “them” referred to the several Saints.
Suddenly, realisation dawned.
“Wu Qianfan, you fucking sold me out?” Lin Da’niao glared at him furiously.
Wu Qianfan denied it at once. “I did not.”
“Bullshit! If you didn’t sell me out, how did they know Ling Menghan was imprisoned in the Myriad Phenomena Diagram?”
Lin Da’niao refused to believe him and continued, “Did you sell out Big Brother too?”
“You ungrateful bastard! Without Big Brother you would have died inside long ago. Have you no conscience at all?”
Wu Qianfan protested, “I really didn’t betray you.”
“You think I’ll believe your nonsense?” Lin Da’niao pointed at him and bellowed, “A servant who betrays his master, repays kindness with enmity. Unforgivable!”
“Today I’ll teach you a proper lesson on Big Brother’s behalf, you white-eyed wolf!”
Lin Da’niao scrambled up from the ground and charged at Wu Qianfan, pummelling him with fists and feet.
Normally, even if Lin Da’niao advanced another realm he would still be no match for Wu Qianfan.
But circumstances were different now.
After the soul-searching, Wu Qianfan was gravely injured and completely drained of strength. Let alone Lin Da’niao, even an ordinary mortal could beat him without resistance.
While enduring the blows, Wu Qianfan roared inwardly, “Heavens, why is it always me who gets hurt?”
“Being bullied by Saints is bad enough, but now I’m getting thrashed by this dead fatty too?”
“I’m suffering so much. I want to cry. I… I just want to die!”
Wu Qianfan genuinely wished for death.
He could not understand why he was so catastrophically unlucky.
Lin Da’niao finally stopped when he grew tired, panting heavily. “Wu Qianfan, your cultivation is higher than mine yet you didn’t fight back. Clearly you feel guilty for betraying us.”
Wu Qianfan snapped, “Guilty my arse! If I had any strength left I would have beaten you flat long ago.”
Lin Da’niao paused, looked more closely, and realised something was indeed wrong with Wu Qianfan’s condition. “What happened?”
Wu Qianfan explained, “The Wuji Heavenly Venerable used the Soul-Searching Art on me. My vitality is severely damaged.”
So that was it!
Lin Da’niao asked, “Then they know everything about me and Big Brother?”
“Mm,” Wu Qianfan gave a soft grunt, then added, “You hit really hard, you know. Weren’t you afraid of killing me?”
“Dead would be better,” Lin Da’niao said. “If not for the fact you’re already half-dead, I would have beaten you to death.”
“You’re a prince, for heaven’s sake. How did you let someone search your soul? Where is your princely dignity?”
“Why didn’t you just commit suicide?”
“If you had died honourably, how would they know what happened inside?”
“Wu Qianfan, oh Wu Qianfan, you’ve completely screwed me over. Big Brother is doomed because of you too.”
Hearing this, Wu Qianfan nearly coughed up blood in fury. He wanted to shout: I’m the real victim here, alright?
I didn’t get a single treasure, and I almost lost my life. Who can I complain to?
“Things have already come to this. Now I only hope Big Brother doesn’t come out, or we’re finished.” While Lin Da’niao was quietly praying, he suddenly saw a head poke out from the spatial rift.
Mo Tianji!
