Survival comes first. Without survival, all thoughts and emotions are meaningless. You can't take revenge if you're dead. You can't promise to get stronger if you're dead. You can't plan to avoid situations like these in the future if you're dead. Gen knew all too well that face and honor were worthless when one's life was on the line. Only idiots believed dying was better than losing their face.
He ignored the stinging pain of his forehead along with the blood dripping from it as he kept his head bowed down to the demon. He could feel his heart beating like a drum from his throat. In one moment, his life could be taken, and he wouldn't even know how it would have happened. He could barely react when she killed Lok. That sort of speed wasn't something he could hope to beat. That qi that made him feel like he was facing against the heavens themselves... She was something outside his realm of understanding.
"Lotus. Share." Jing ordered.
Ears walked over to youth and crouched down to his level. The lotus pulsated on top of Ears and then blew out many white spores directly onto the young man. The spores dug into the pores on his skin and entered inside his body. Jing watched as he clawed at his skin in terrible pain crying out for mercy.
"Please spare me! I wouldn't ever betray you! I would follow all your commands! I! I..! I have a family..." Tears started falling down his face.
Jing giggled in amus.e.m.e.nt at the little fool. He thought he was dying right now because of the pain but all that was happening was he was gaining a lotus of his own. Seeing him in such a vulnerable and pathetic state made her want to play with him a little but that would have to wait. Li Li just solved the puzzle and the disk in the center of the room was now glowing.
He looked towards her with such a bright and happy look on his face. She couldn't help but praise him and give him plenty of petting as a reward. He cooed and happily accepted her reward. It wasn't easy figuring out how to solve it. He had to think very hard!
Jing sucked the disk into her storage ring as Ears and the boy stood in front of her with their lotuses blooming on their heads. Li Li perched on her shoulder and they all left the room by opening the door. Ears and the boy were leading in front while Jing took stage in the back. Once they entered the new room, Jing looked around for any familiar faces.
None of them were from the Wolfeng Gang. The blood on their clothes and weapons probably explained the reason for that. But this was good. She could use this to her advantage...
Ears and Peasant got out of the way and allowed her to move up front. The other cultivators came from 3 other rooms which Jing guessed was similar to the room she just came from. They had bronze disks just like she had in her spirit ring and it looked like they noticed that she was the only unfamiliar face inside the room. Jing only smiled as if she was looking at her new set of toys as a response to their glares.
Ignoring the hostile looks and killing intent, there were 5 rods floating upright in the middle of the room. They were above a small stone pillar and all held a different type of qi within them. From what Jing could sense with her qi, there was fire, lightning, ice, yin, and wind within those 5 stone rods. Maybe those were the rewards this time around.
"Who the h.e.l.l are you b.i.t.c.h?" Someone asked her.
"Yeah, I know a frail little thing like you couldn���t have possibly survived against one of ours."
"Even our weakest member wouldn't lose to a 4th stage Qi Gatherer."
Jing wanted to know if they were purposely ignoring the 9th stage Qi Gatherer, the 9th stage spirit beast on her shoulder, and the 6th stage Qi Gatherer behind her. Stupidity and ignorance did have its limits. Too bad for these ten disciples, they revoked their rights to remain alive when they insulted her. She twisted SCP-109's cap loose and a large amount of water shot out from behind her. Li Li used this time to investigate the rods and try and solve this room just like the last one.
"What the h.e.l.l?!"
"Kill her before she tries something!"
"Ignore the two behind her! She looks like their leader!"
They charged for her and she could only lick her lips in antic.i.p.ation for the sweet screams that will come after. A slender and familiar whip made of water was in her hands. A single swing of her whip took the head of a single disciple. He didn't even realize he was dead while the upper half of his head slowly slid off and fell to the ground.
She could have done that to every single one of them but what would be the fun in that? Seeing how her whip can slice most things in half, it's not that fun to use against weaklings. There's not much suffering she can enjoy if they die in one swipe. She'll save the whip for those strong enough to deserve being tamed by her.
The water whip splashed onto Jing's body and coated itself around her legs. The men in front of her didn't even realize that one of their own were dead yet. They were still charging at her. Jing couldn't help but laugh loudly at their lacking abilities. Seeing her laugh at them despite outnumbering her and being at a higher realm made them think she was crazy.
They all attacked at once and Jing grinned. With a flawless twirl of her body, Jing avoided their attacks and with a terrifying amount of strength, drove her foot straight through the chest of a disciple. The men didn't even get the chance to react to the absurd sight before being attacked by Jing's deadly kicks. Three of the men used the disc they got from the previous room to aid them in defeating Jing. The disc split into 4 smaller pieces of itself and defended against Jing's attacks.
"Don't be scared... I just used too much strength on that first worm. I promise I won't let you all die so easily..." Arousal and excitement glowed on Jing's face.
Jing landed several bone-breaking kicks on the cultivators to have them scream at just the right pitch. Even if the shield protected them, Jing's kicks were lightning fast. For every four blows defended by the shield, six more would land where they weren't defending. She made sure to regulate her strength after accidentally killing the first cultivator so that even if they wanted to die from internal injuries it would be impossible. Seeing their agony and terror only made her even more turned on. A few seconds ago, they planned to kill her without even giving it a second thought but now, they are completely at her mercy. Those arrogant smiles and mocking eyes from earlier are nowhere to be seen anymore.
Her cultivation martial art, Empress of Pain's Tome, was being advanced at a rapid rate. The more they suffered, the more physical energy she was absorbing from them. And since she's already reached the intermediate rank for it, she also absorbed their qi when she caused physical pain to her enemies. If she could drag this on for a bit longer, she could possibly even reach the advanced stage for it. It was said that once she reaches this stage causing others physical pain would increase her mental energy and give her Qi a commanding presence. If her mental will is stronger than her opponent's, she could force them under her will with just her qi alone.
And if her will isn't stronger then it could at the least pressure her opponent even more and cause them into making mistakes during battle. Having her qi being able to do that would make taking over the sect a much easier task. What better cultivation technique would there be for someone like her other than this one? It just fit so perfectly with the person she is at her core.
The 'fight' didn't take long. In only 10 minutes, the toys were all broken and barely any fun to play with. Even when she stomped onto the t.e.s.t.i.c.l.es of one of them, all he did was foam at the mouth and faint rather than screaming. He was the liveliest one too. If something as painful as that wasn't enough to yell about then nothing was. Jing figured it was time to give them the end they craved. They wouldn't hold anymore use to her in this state.
The water coating her legs shot out water tendrils that pierced into the hearts of all 9 barely living men. She collected their discs and placed them into her spirit ring along with any other valuables they held before walking over to Li Li who was still trying to figure out the trick with these 5 rods. He even had 10 of the souls he can store trying to help him figure it out. Jing innocently smiled at the cute little owlet.
She grabbed each of the rods and stuck each one into each other, creating a long rock staff that held 5 elements within its 5 segments. Li Li and his beast souls looked at her in awe. As if she just solved the biggest mystery plaguing the world. She could only helplessly smile at how cute he was. Once she connected the staff, she placed it inside her spirit ring.
After solving the trick of this room, the floor below her started to split open. Down below, she could sense people fighting and knew that the next treasure must be down there. She willingly let herself fall into the darkness with Ears and Peasant next to her. Li Li flew down because he had wings and thought it was stupid to fall when he could fly.
