Yao Qianming, now held by two martial saints, had no chance of escaping.
Orion approached with a sneer. "Hmph! Master of Yaowang Valley, if you had known this would happen, would you still have made the same choices? How does it feel to be my prisoner now?"
If Yao Qianming had agreed to refine the elixirs for him from the beginning, would things have come to this?
However, Yao Qianming showed no fear. His eyes, bloodshot with rage, bore into Orion. "Hmph! You little beast. Go ahead, kill me if you can! Without me, who's going to make your precious elixirs?"
Defiant, Yao Qianming held his head high, a dangerous glint in his eyes as if daring someone to stop him.
Orion chuckled, amused by the absurdity. Is he really trying to use the toughest tone to say the most cowardly thing? If Yao Qianming truly wanted to die, he wouldn't be making such bold declarations.
Yao Qianming's tactic was exactly what Orion suspected. He felt confident that, as long as his alchemy was still needed, they wouldn't dare harm him. A small smirk appeared on Yao Qianming's face, thinking he still had the upper hand.
Just wait, he thought. Orion will come begging me soon enough.
But Yao Qianming didn't know that Orion had already seen through his little game. Orion's smirk faded into a cold sneer.
"Does this guy really think he's untouchable? We'll see about that."
"I bet you've got some eighth-grade elixirs stashed somewhere," Orion said, turning to Yuan Zuozong. "Yuan Zuozong, take the dragon cavalry and search every corner of Yaowang Valley!"
"Yes, sir!" Yuan Zuozong saluted and led his troops into the valley.
Meanwhile, Yao Qianming's smug smile grew wider. "Hahaha... It's useless! You won't find anything," he said mockingly. He was the master of Yaowang Valley, after all. He was sure nothing of value would be found.
But soon enough, Yuan Zuozong returned with a grim expression. "My lord, we searched everywhere but didn't find any healing elixirs. We did find a few other eighth-grade elixirs, though."
Orion's face darkened. Could Yao Qianming have been telling the truth? Or is he hiding the elixirs somewhere else?
Orion's eyes narrowed as he focused on the space ring Yao Qianming wore. Maybe the elixirs are in there, he thought.
"Bring me his space ring," Orion ordered Xu Chu.
Upon hearing that, Yao Qianming's expression changed. Panic flashed across his face.
"No! Don't touch my space ring!" Yao Qianming's voice cracked with desperation. "If you want the healing elixir, I'll refine it for you myself! Please, just don't take my space ring!"
Orion raised an eyebrow. Now he's scared. It must be in there.
"Haha! The elixirs must be in that ring! Xu Chu, take it!"
Xu Chu approached and effortlessly snatched the ring from Yao Qianming's trembling hand. Without it, Yao Qianming collapsed, his face drained of hope.
It's over. Everything's over, he thought, despair washing over him. If only I had fought to the death. At least I wouldn't be humiliated like this!
Orion, grinning, activated his spiritual consciousness to inspect the ring's contents. But his expression quickly shifted into one of surprise and confusion.
He raised his head, staring at Yao Qianming with a strange look. "Well, well, well... You've been hiding something interesting, haven't you?"
What he found inside wasn't just elixirs but hundreds of image stones. Orion counted quickly — at least a thousand. The image stones, much like recording devices, captured moments from daily life.
But as Orion examined them more closely, his curiosity turned into something darker. Many of these image stones contained... explicit scenes. Indescribable scenes involving Yao Qianming, the so-called dignified master of Yaowang Valley, as the protagonist.
Orion chuckled darkly and pulled out several of the stones.
Yao Qianming's face was ashen. His eyes squeezed shut, and tears leaked from the corners. It's all over. My reputation... gone.
The elders and disciples of Yaowang Valley looked at the image stones in shock, unable to process what they were seeing. Their stern, prideful master had such... indulgences?
A cry broke the silence.
"Wait! That's... isn't that my wife?!"
One of the elders, flushed with rage, pointed at one of the stones. His face contorted with fury as he realized that his own spouse was among those recorded.
"Yao Qianming... I'll kill you!!!"
Mad with rage, the elder lunged at the fallen Yao Qianming, ignoring the dragon cavalry trying to stop him.
Yao Qianming, his strength sealed, could only watch in terror. With no power left to defend himself, he braced for the elder's blow.
I'm finished.