Han Ming's face was not bad to begin with, but at this moment, he suddenly lowered his stance, changing from cold and overbearing to submissive, instantly making one's heart skip a beat.
Under the Iron Han Armor's mask, Ning Zhuo remained as calm as still water.
He took out Han Ming's Magic Artifact, the Soul Capturing Shuttle: "I heard that your Soul Devouring Sect's Cultivation Technique can directly increase one's soul essence by devouring souls."
"If you reverse the technique, you can purify your own soul essence through the Magic Artifact and infuse it into others. Although this has a large loss, it has no negative impact."
"Your sect uses this ability to have elders nearing the end of their lifespan transfer their Soul Power, instantly enhancing the foundation of the junior Cultivators. This is one of the primary reasons why the Soul Devouring Sect has become a major sect in the Demon Path."
"Han Ming, I want to ask for your help in my cultivation."
The Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pill was an Elixir Pill that Ning Zhuo's soul could not bring into the palace.
Even if he took it before entering, its effect would not last long.
Ning Zhuo preferred to get things done in one go, so why not directly increase his soul essence?
When he saw the information about the Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pill and saw Han Ming, he decided to capture Han Ming alive.
Hearing what the Youthful Guest said, Han Ming's eyes widened, and a coldness spread throughout his body: "I understand now, I am your true prey!"
"The attack on Ziyang Courtyard was just a ruse!"
"This was a setup, a vicious trap!"
Han Ming screamed and struggled desperately, causing the heavy chains on his body to rattle.
The other end of the chain was firmly fixed to the wall of the cell, making a clanging sound when it hit the wall.
The Youthful Guest, Ning Zhuo, quietly watched her, waiting until Han Ming calmed down before saying: "You are too agitated. This is bad for your injuries."
Hearing this, Han Ming, who had just calmed down, burst into rage again, shouting curses repeatedly.
Ning Zhuo listened quietly, waiting once more until Han Ming had cursed herself hoarse and stopped.
"Do you want some water?"
Ning Zhuo's fingers moved slightly, extending a string of Mana from his fingertip. Below the string, a puppet carrying a water cup climbed from Han Ming's instep, up her calf, thigh, abdomen, and then stood on her chest, offering the cup to her lips.
Han Ming's breath grew heavier again.
But her earlier struggle and cursing had exhausted her. She stared at Ning Zhuo, finally looking down at the cup of water.
The next moment, she lowered her head to drink.
She was indeed thirsty.
Most importantly, she had already become a prisoner. If the Youthful Guest wanted to harm her, there were various methods; there was no need to poison her indirectly through the water.
After drinking the water, Han Ming calmed down a bit.
"There's one thing I don't understand!" Han Ming raised her head, frowning, and stared at the Youthful Guest's face, "Sun Lingtong is a respected disciple of the Bukong Sect. Why would he team up with you? What is your relationship?"
Ning Zhuo smiled faintly: "Starting from more than ten years ago, I have been purchasing information from him."
"I watched him bit by bit, bit by bit, eventually taking control of the black market in Fire Persimmon Immortal City and establishing a foothold in this Immortal City."
"Our interests are very solidly connected."
Han Ming sneered: "That's all?"
"Just that would make him team up with you to frame me, risking offending the Soul Devouring Sect?"
"If anything goes wrong and I escape, both his foundation in Fire Persimmon Immortal City and you will be finished!"
"We are not like those Righteous Path people who play by the rules."
Ning Zhuo chuckled again: "But did you escape? Did you send out any messages?"
Han Ming: ...
Ning Zhuo continued: "The attack on Ziyang Courtyard wasn't entirely a ruse. At the very least, we did acquire a lot of Elixir Pills."
At this mention, Han Ming became agitated again.
"You two scoundrels, despicable beings! My sect will surely avenge me, strip your bones, flay your skins, grind your souls, and cast you into endless torment!"
Ning Zhuo waved his hand: "Calm down, calm down, okay?"
"Getting angry is bad for your health."
"Didn't you just agree to do anything? Then help me with my cultivation."
"Hehehe, hahaha." Han Ming tipped her head back, letting out a piercing laugh, even laughing to tears.
"Pah." She abruptly stopped laughing and spat, filled with hatred, "In your dreams!"
The spit froze mid-air by Ning Zhuo's Mana, then fell weakly to the ground.
Han Ming's voice was chilling: "I have cultivated painstakingly, accumulating for many years to have today's foundation and essence. You want me to sacrifice my soul essence to aid your cultivation? Hehe, you're so ugly yet have such beautiful dreams!"
"Painstakingly accumulated?" Ning Zhuo questioned, "Your Soul Devouring Sect's Nine Revolutions Soul Devouring Secret allows you to devour other souls to enhance your own essence. It's clearly ruthless plundering, how is it painstakingly accumulated?"
This was the fundamental difference between the Demon Path and the Righteous Path.
The cultivation resources for Righteous Path Cultivators were mostly natural elements like thunder, rain, flowers, birds, insects, and fish.
For Demon Path Cultivators, the resources were often other Cultivators themselves, such as blood, souls, and bodies.
Han Ming retorted: "You outsider, you know only part of it!"
"Do you think the Nine Revolutions Soul Devouring Secret is so easy to practice? That it can devour others' souls and entirely convert them into one's own essence?"
"Hmph! If it were that easy, the Soul Devouring Sect wouldn't just be one of the major Demon Sects, it would have unified the Demon Path long ago!"
"Five-tenths, at most five-tenths!"
"The closer the devoured soul is to the main body, the smaller the difference, the higher the yield."
"It cannot be used frequently either."
"It's like eating. If you eat too much, you'll die of bloating."
"We also need a lot of time and auxiliary resources to help our souls digest."
"If the digestion isn't thorough, the soul will become deformed, resulting in significant side effects."
"Of course, in our Soul Devouring Sect, there are also those who seek quick success and instant benefits. They disregard soul deformation, crazily devour other souls, and their power skyrockets in a short time. But doing so, they definitely have no future."
Han Ming was not short-sighted. She possessed low-grade talent with Yin Corpse Qi. This alone already surpassed most Cultivators.
Han Ming had always emphasized digestion and maintaining the purity of her own soul.
She was very concerned about her future.
It was precisely because of this that she was extremely resistant and had no intention to cooperate. Making her willingly transfer the foundation she had meticulously accumulated for decades to someone else?
Absolutely impossible.
Especially since this person was her enemy!
"You can forget about getting me to cooperate! Kill me, that's the only way!" Han Ming was also very cunning.
She could see that Ning Zhuo needed her, giving her some leverage. She said this on purpose, hoping to gain some advantage.
Ning Zhuo sighed faintly: "I am advising you kindly, hoping you will cooperate obediently."
"If you cooperate well, I can promise you that after a while, I will set you free."