Tang San's body trembled violently as the other three elders took the opportunity to close in and restrain him.
Amid the chilling sounds of his screams, Tang San's bones continued to break until there wasn't a single intact bone left in his body.
Yet, he didn't die. His whole body kept convulsing. The most torturous part was that despite the intense pain coursing through his body, his mind remained unnervingly alert, forcing him to fully endure every bit of the excruciating pain.
In his hazy vision, Tang San saw Tang Yin approaching, squatting down beside him. Tang Yin leaned in close and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Thank you, Tang San. Your Buddha Fury Tang Lotus is truly useful."
Upon hearing this, Tang San felt his blood surge once again. He tried to struggle and speak but found that his neck and limbs were bound tightly by ropes, rendering him speechless.
"All right, Tang Yin, there's no need to waste words on him. This kind of traitor, as a disciple of the Tang Sect, deserves nothing but scorn from everyone."
"Men, hang him over the Peak. Ensure that he survives for seven days and seven nights, and let him die from being pecked by eagles. Apart from the person tasked with keeping him alive, no one is allowed to approach him."
The speaker was the elder who had first attacked Tang San—he was the Tang Sect's Punishment Elder.
The disturbance caused by the Buddha Fury Tang Lotus had long alerted everyone within the sect, and the punishment disciples had arrived immediately.
Upon hearing the elder's command, several disciples swarmed forward and strictly carried out the orders.
In the illusionary world, Tang San was hung for seven full days. By the end, only a faint breath indicated that he was still alive.
During those seven days, the person he thought of most, Tang Yin, never appeared before him again.
As Tang San drifted in and out of consciousness, he vaguely overheard conversations carried by the wind, learning that Tang Yin had successfully risen in rank and become a figure of envy within the Tang Sect.
Another eagle swooped down, viciously pecking at his face. Tang San felt a sharp pain, and finally, he was freed from the dream.
In a familiar room, Tang San suddenly opened his eyes, grabbing the sides of the bed and gasping for air.
The stench of blood and foul odors that had filled his nose disappeared. He collapsed backward onto the bed, his body drenched in sweat, his muscles still involuntarily twitching.
"Damn Tang Yin, damn elders, and damn this dream..."
Tang San punched the bed. Fortunately, the cushioning prevented it from being damaged, but his hand started bleeding again.
In the dream, he had spent many days, but in the real world, only an hour had passed.
His hands were already injured, and the content of the dream had made him clench his fists unconsciously, rendering the previous medicine and simple care useless.
Meanwhile, Han Li had already left Heaven Dou Imperial Academy and could see the outline of his courtyard.
He had left after controlling Tang Yin and finishing the last line of dialogue. Han Li didn't have a taste for watching others suffer punishment.
Of course, he didn't relinquish control but left behind an automatically running thought before quietly leaving.
On his way out, he made sure to give the others in the dorm the same treatment. As comrades, sharing blessings and burdens was only fair, right?
In the illusion he left behind, there was nothing good to be found. How bad it got was up to their responses, but that was none of his concern.
Oh, and by the way, he left Yu Xiaogang with twice the amount of the basic illusion that he gave the others.
As for Oscar, who was unintentionally caught in this, he hadn't fully pledged loyalty to Xue Qinghe yet. And even if he had, he was just a subordinate of the Heaven Dou Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, with a layer of separation between him and Qian Renxue. What did any of that have to do with Han Li?
Of course, Han Li didn't forget to seize this opportunity to grab another bit of fortune for himself. Though at this point, it was hardly significant for him, who would complain about having more?
Unbeknownst to Tang San, his luck had just taken another hit.
Even though he was returning home, Han Li still chose to climb over the wall when he saw the closed gate.
There was no other reason for it—mainly, the idea of not using the front door after doing something bad had been ingrained deep in his mind. Even though he was just returning home after doing something bad, the habit remained.
Spreading his spiritual sense, he noticed that everyone was in a state of cultivation, and he nodded in satisfaction before heading to Zhu Zhuqing's room.
He had promised to help her with her body tonight, and tonight it would be. He wasn't someone who broke promises easily.
When he arrived at the door, Han Li lightly knocked.
It took about half a minute for Zhu Zhuqing to exit her cultivation state and open the door for him.
Without waiting for her to speak, Han Li stepped directly into the room. After all, this was his home.
"How did the medicinal bath work?"
As soon as he entered, Han Li smelled the lingering scent of herbs. It seemed she was still a bit reserved, conducting the bath in her room.
"The effect was very good. I can feel my body has become much lighter, the areas with previous internal injuries are warm, and my soul power is flowing a bit more smoothly."
Zhu Zhuqing closed the door and responded earnestly.
She was dressed as she had been during the day, wrapped up tightly, but her voluptuous figure was impossible to conceal.
"That's good. Give me your hand, and I'll check again to see if the formula for the medicinal bath needs adjusting."
In this area, Han Li was an expert.
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated for a moment, but seeing that his expression and emotions were completely neutral, she extended her hand to him.
"Just escaped the wolf's den, only to enter the tiger's lair"—this phrase perfectly described her current situation, even if this tiger's lair was much more comfortable than the wolf's den.
Seeing her reaction, Han Li smiled but said nothing, focusing instead on carefully checking her condition. After his soul power made a circuit through her body, Han Li withdrew his hand.
"Not bad. The effect is even better than I expected. It seems we can start using the whale glue as well."
Perhaps it was due to her strong foundation, coupled with over a year of inactivity, that her body was absorbing the medicinal effects better than Han Li had anticipated. Hearing this, a hint of joy flashed in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes.
After Han Li had left, Dugu Yan had already explained to her many common practices and methods to accelerate cultivation, leaving Zhu Zhuqing both shocked and eager.
However, just as Zhu Zhuqing was still waiting, she noticed Han Li's playful expression.
"But, are you sure you don't want to change your clothes?"
Zhu Zhuqing was momentarily stunned. She had changed into her casual attire because Han Li was going to help her with body conditioning that evening. But now, with the addition of the whale glue option, her current outfit seemed unsuitable.
She had learned from Dugu Yan that using whale glue to enhance the body would generate a lot of heat. With her tight-fitting clothes, she couldn't imagine what it would be like. Moreover, Han Li's eyes never behaved when facing her. Now that she was under his command and had sworn allegiance with her martial soul, it was as if she was serving herself on a platter to him.
"I'll... go change now."
Zhu Zhuqing stammered, heading toward the bedroom, but forgot to ask Han Li to wait outside. It wasn't until she was halfway through changing that she remembered, but she couldn't very well ask him to leave now, so she hurriedly continued changing.
Meanwhile, Han Li in the living room wasn't thinking about that at all. Instead, he was contemplating the events that had transpired in the illusion, using them to refine the Mysterious Heaven Skill.
The Mysterious Heaven Skill was indeed a proper cultivation technique—balanced and inclusive. In reality, the soul power cultivated through the Mysterious Heaven Skill was not without attributes; it simply took on the attribute you were naturally inclined toward.
As for why it didn't have much effect on Tang San, Han Li could only blame Tang San's weak martial soul before his bloodline awakened. The life attributes it naturally possessed were weakened by the various soul rings he had added, leading to the Mysterious Heaven Skill's underperformance.
Perhaps everyone should fully switch to cultivating the Mysterious Heaven Skill first, and then adjust based on their unique martial souls, upgrading it to the most suitable technique for themselves.
If combined with the inner core version of the soul core they had already condensed, the self-generating speed of internal energy would be incredibly fast, endless even. This wasn't just Mysterious Heaven Skill anymore; it was like the Nine Yang Divine Skill.
Thinking about this, Han Li felt even more satisfied; tonight's venture had been extremely profitable.
He looked up just as Zhu Zhuqing, having changed clothes, approached.
"Wow, a new look," Han Li couldn't help but brighten up.
At this moment, Zhu Zhuqing had shed her previous black tight outfit and donned a white long dress. Under the light, her exposed skin was so fair it almost glowed, and with her curvaceous figure and still somewhat youthful face paired with her black cat-ear hairstyle, she exuded a pure yet alluring aura.
Given that they were alone, and remembering how she had forgotten to send Han Li out before changing, a faint blush lingered on her cheeks, making her even more enticing.
"Very beautiful, and it suits you well."
Han Li didn't hide his gaze or his praise. Oddly enough, his reaction made Zhu Zhuqing relax, suppressing her complex emotions, and even lessening her nervousness and shyness.
All the rooms in this mansion were laid out the same. Seeing that she had calmed down, Han Li headed toward the bathroom, where there was a bed prepared.
"Let's do it here; it'll be more convenient afterward."
Han Li pointed to the bed in the bathroom, indicating for her to lie down. This time, Zhu Zhuqing didn't hesitate. She took off her shoes and lay down, though her slightly rapid breathing, her head turned to one side, and her nervous fidgeting betrayed her unease.
"Relax, I'm not going to eat you...at least not now."
Han Li chuckled, making a playful comment as he approached her.
Upon hearing his words, Zhu Zhuqing first tensed up before slowly relaxing. However, her ears and the back of her neck were flushed red.
"You're lucky; you happen to be here just as I've leveled up."
As he finished speaking, Han Li established a mental link between himself and Zhu Zhuqing, activating a function that allowed him to see the flow of soul power in others.
"Relax, don't be so tense. After you take the whale glue, I'll guide you through refining it and teach you a new cultivation technique. Remember its soul power circulation route and follow it in the future."
Han Li's voice echoed in Zhu Zhuqing's mind, and the soul power circulation route appeared in her mental space.
"Mm."
She responded softly and then fell silent. After all the shocking things she had learned today, she quickly adapted to the situation.
"Don't just say 'Mm,' turn your head, or how will you take the whale glue?"
Han Li, seeing that her head was still turned to the side, reminded her with a hint of amusement.
In the shared mental space, Zhu Zhuqing's spiritual energy fluctuated slightly, but she said nothing more, slowly turning her head. At this moment, her eyes were tightly closed, her eyelashes trembling slightly, and her face was tinged with a strange blush.
Han Li smiled silently. Flames rose from his hand, and the prepared whale glue melted into a consumable gel, which he then placed into Zhu Zhuqing's mouth.
At the same time, Han Li gently grasped her hand, using his domain to transform his soul power into an attribute matching Zhu Zhuqing's, carefully channeling it into her body to activate the Mysterious Heaven Skill.
"Remember this circulation route; using it will increase your cultivation speed by at least forty percent. It'll also greatly benefit the development and evolution of your martial soul."
Han Li, satisfied, glanced at the Evil God soul crystal in Zhu Zhuqing's chest, which was faintly glowing with black and gray light. Unfortunately, given their shared sensory link, he couldn't bear to look any longer, especially since Zhu Zhuqing was still in the process of refining the whale glue, causing her clothes to become damp.
Just one look and Zhu Zhuqing's breath became unstable, almost causing her soul power to misfire. While Han Li enjoyed the view, he didn't dare to continue.
There would be plenty of chances to look into the future, but there was no room for error in cultivation.
Due to the need to readjust the cultivation route, this session took significantly longer than the others. It wasn't until a full hour later that Zhu Zhuqing had fully absorbed the whale glue's benefits.
Of course, after she had gained initial proficiency, Han Li disengaged the mental link. He continued to monitor her cultivation, correcting any mistakes, but avoided the earlier awkwardness.
He was thoroughly enjoying himself.
Gradually calming her soul power, Zhu Zhuqing opened her eyes and, feeling the changes within herself, clenched her fists in delight and sat up. Then she noticed Han Li's gaze.
Realizing something, Zhu Zhuqing glanced down at her clothes, and her face instantly turned crimson. She quickly crossed her arms over her chest and buried her head in them.
"Alright, I'm heading back. Clean up and get some rest."
Seeing her reaction, Han Li chuckled, stood up, and headed for the door.
"Oh, and we'll continue tomorrow night."
Han Li paused for a moment to add, then walked out.
It wasn't until she heard the door open and close again that Zhu Zhuqing finally lifted her head and exhaled, though her face remained bright red.