C15

It was clear that the other party was after money, so Qin Xiaotian knew he had to part with some of his wealth to avert disaster.

In a situation where one is the prey and the other the predator, provoking the adversary would come at too steep a cost. Anyone would be compelled to back down.

He gave it up, completely and without hesitation!

This included the super illusion-type Soul Jade that Zhang Lieh had set his sights on, resulting in over ten Soul Jades falling into Zhang Lieh's hands.

The Void Realm is an incredibly peculiar world, governed by its own distinct rules and consciousness.

Upon their first entry into the Void Realm, each individual would establish their own Soul Sea under the guidance of the realm's will.

This Soul Sea is where all Genetic Warriors store their Soul Jades.

Cultivation techniques, Soul Jades, Gene Points, and Origin Power constitute the four dimensions of every Genetic Warrior.

Gene Points signify physical prowess, the primary cultivation technique indicates the attributes and potential of one's Origin Power, and gene martial arts techniques represent various energy output formulas.

Soul Jade, on the other hand, symbolizes a diverse array of modular weapons.

The quality of the Soul Jade within the Soul Sea, to some extent, signifies a Genetic Warrior's potential and is their most treasured possession.

Each person's Soul Sea is safeguarded by the will of the void, preventing anyone from taking Soul Jades unless given willingly.

The Soul Jades in Qin Xiaotian's Soul Sea were of exceptional quality, mostly rare Mutated Level Soul Jades, which allowed Zhang Lieh to strike it rich.

"Not bad at all. True to your heritage, Young Master Qin, your Soul Jades are of excellent quality. I'll gladly accept them!" Zhang Lieh said with a sly grin, while still managing to compliment Qin Xiaotian. Internally, Qin Xiaotian cursed him for his shamelessness.

Of course, he only dared to curse inwardly, while outwardly he cautiously said, "Brother Zhang Lieh, now that you have what you wanted, could you perhaps detoxify us first?"

Zhang Lieh laughed heartily, "Haha, Qin Xiaotian, weren't you the one who said we'd be enemies for life? And now you're calling me 'brother'? I don't need a brother like you. Just sit tight and behave!"

"Wang Xiaohua, it's your turn now. Qin Xiaotian used all his Soul Jade to save his life. What will you use to save yours?"

After securing the Soul Jade from Qin Xiaotian's grasp, Zhang Lieh brandished his long spear and turned his attention to Wang Xiaohua at his side.

Witnessing the spear's cold gleam aimed at her, she blurted out anxiously, "Zhang Lieh, please, don't kill me! I'll give you Soul Jade, points, anything you want!"

Wang Xiaohua had come to a stark realization that the man she had long discarded was far from the weak and contemptible waste she thought him to be; he had merely been concealing his true capabilities.

Now filled with regret, she couldn't fathom why she had repeatedly provoked him over such petty pride.

Zhang Lieh, to Wang Xiaohua's surprise, responded with unexpected warmth, "Alright, hand over the Soul Jade first. We'll discuss the points once we're back at the base."

"Okay... okay! Here's my Soul Jade!"

With a flash of brilliance, several pieces of Soul Jade appeared in Wang Xiaohua's hands. She dared not show the slightest hint of disrespect.

Zhang Lieh, without hesitation, swept up the Soul Jade with a flick of his Glazed Armor sleeve, as effortlessly as the Great Belly Devil Frog's tongue snatches its prey.

Of course, the quality of Wang Xiaohua's Soul Jade paled in comparison to Qin Xiaotian's. Aside from one or two Mutated Soul Jade, the majority were common quality.

But Zhang Lieh wasn't choosy; he took them all. Anything less desirable could be traded for points.

In the vast Void Realm, with its hundreds of bases, and the Federation's staggering population, Soul Jade was perpetually in high demand.

The rest was straightforward. Faang Qiong, Zhou Ming, and the other three members of Qin Xiaotian's Team, seeing that both Qin Xiaotian and Wang Xiaohua had complied, offered no resistance.

Together, the five contributed over forty pieces of Soul Jade. As key members of Qin Xiaotian's Team, the caliber of their Soul Jade even surpassed that of Wang Xiaohua, the affluent heiress.

After a bit of a struggle, Zhang Lieh had successfully gathered all the spoils of war, reaping a substantial profit.

"Brother Zhang Lieh, now that you've taken the Soul Jade, isn't it time for you to detoxify us?" Qin Xiaotian inquired cautiously, his body completely numb, his tongue tingling slightly.

The feeling of having his life entirely in someone else's hands was unbearable. He was desperate to escape this state, eager to regain even the slightest bit of mobility.

"Whoosh!"

"Puchi!"

But no sooner had he spoken than a gust of wind and a flash of blood cut him short. Wang Xiaohua, Faang Qiong, and the others saw a blue light flash at the cave's entrance, and Qin Xiaotian's head burst open.

"Ahhh!"

"Young Master Qin! You damned..."

"Puchi!"

"Zhang Lieh, you're not keeping your word..."

"Puchi!"

Wang Xiaohua let out another scream. Faang Qiong and the rest began to curse, but their words were cut short as a barrage of flying knives and swords silenced them at the cave's mouth.

"I never promised to spare you," Zhang Lieh murmured to himself. Now, the only survivor in the pit was Wang Xiaohua.

Her survival wasn't due to Zhang Lieh's mercy but because she had a more significant role to fulfill.

Having dealt with Qin Xiaotian and the others, Zhang Lieh leapt down into the pit.

"Don't kill me! Zhang Lieh, please, I beg you, don't kill me. I'll do whatever you ask!"

Overwhelmed by terror, Wang Xiaohua had lost control of her bodily functions. The scene before her was horrific and frightening.

She was beside Qin Xiaotian, the direct heir of the Qin family from Jiang City, who was killed without a second thought—as if he were nothing more than an insect!

And his teammates, though not as high-ranking, came from wealthy and influential families. Whether in the Void Realm or the present world, they all possessed significant strength.

Zhang Lieh had killed all six of them without a moment's hesitation. What chance did she have?

In that moment, Wang Xiaohua completely broke down.

"Sob... I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have left you. I shouldn't have looked down on you. I shouldn't have caused trouble at your home! It's all on me! Sob... Zhang Lieh... Please, don't kill me!"

"Oh, isn't this the Miss Wang who had me kneeling at the base entrance, slapping my own face in apology? What's this? Now you realize your mistake?"

"Honestly, whether you left or not didn't really matter to me. I could even overlook your snooping around for information about my father and his so-called legacy!"

"I don't care about these things, and I don't want to hold a grudge against you. But make no mistake, this doesn't mean I'm afraid of you or the Wang family!"

"You should never have repeatedly provoked my siblings and me, and you definitely shouldn't have involved Qin Xiaotian, dragging both yourself and the entire Wang family into a dire situation!"

"But rest assured, since I didn't kill you before, I naturally have no intention of doing so now. Not only will I not kill you, but I'll also ensure you're returned safely!"

Zhang Lieh looked at Wang Xiaohua with a hint of melancholy, his voice devoid of any intent to harm.

Yet the gentler he spoke, the more Wang Xiaohua's heart chilled.

She realized that Zhang Lieh sparing her life was not out of kindness, but what choice did she have? None at all!

It's better to cling to life, however desperate, for there's always hope in living. Death would put an end to all possibilities.

"Really? You're truly not going to kill me?"

Zhang Lieh didn't indulge in further talk. He reached into the Great Belly Devil Frog Pouch and pulled out an enormous purple flower, releasing a cloud of purple pollen.

The flower's delicate fragrance enveloped Wang Xiaohua, and she could immediately feel sensation returning to her previously numb body.

This was the Soul Suppressing Flower, a rare auxiliary herb that Zhang Lieh had casually picked while gathering ingredients for a primary medicinal concoction.

It was the pollen from this unique flower that caused the Purple Poison Nether Scorpion to disregard Zhang Lieh, granting him temporary immunity to the creature's toxic mist.

The subsequent events unfolded with ease. After collecting the loot from defeating Qin Xiaotian and his companions, Zhang Lieh instructed Wang Xiaohua to stay put once her physical strength was restored. He then soared out of the cave and set about harvesting the spiritual herbs within the Purple Poison Forest. Zhang Lieh harbored no concerns about Wang Xiaohua fleeing; he was well aware of her lack of both the strength and the courage required.

Given his intention to allow Wang Xiaohua to return alive, the secrecy of the Purple Poison Forest was destined to be short-lived. His current focus was on gathering spiritual herbs and hunting Gene Life to enhance his own abilities. The Purple Poison Nether Scorpion was incredibly versatile, useful in both medicine and poison crafting. The Mutated Level Purple Poison Nether Scorpion Soul Jade was particularly valuable, and once discovered, the area was sure to become a hot spot for mid-level gene hunting at the base.

For three intense days, Zhang Lieh toiled in the Purple Poison Forest, finally reaching a milestone. Zhang Lieh was a Common Level Life, practicing the Ultimate Basic Cultivation Method and the Fish Dragon Nine Changes at the mid-stage of the first transformation. His gene tally stood at 130 basic genes, 80 mutated genes, and 10 super genes. His collection of Soul Jade comprised the Super Silver Liquid Jade Worm King Soul Jade, Mutated Gale Wolf Soul Jade, Bloodthirsty Ant Soul Jade, Mutated Great Belly Devil Frog Soul Jade, and Mutated Purple Poison Nether Scorpion Soul Jade.

The delay was due to the meticulous gathering of Spiritual Herbs needed for the Limit Medicine and the arduous task of hunting for the Mutated Purple Poison Nether Scorpion Soul Jade. Finding a Mutated Level Purple Poison Nether Scorpion during their dormant phase was particularly challenging, and without Zhang Lieh's extensive knowledge of their behavior and vulnerabilities, it would have taken even longer.

As for Wang Xiaohua, she behaved exactly as Zhang Lieh had predicted. Over the past three days, she had been remarkably compliant. Not only did she refrain from escaping, but she also used her Origin Power to bury Qin Xiaotian and the others, remaining motionless thereafter.

Standing before the weathered black gate of the Black Iron Base, the adventure continued.

Many eager gamblers were anxiously waiting, their voices a cacophony of anticipation.

"It's been three days, three whole days. Qin Xiaotian and his team should have returned by now, right?"

"Only three days? Given the combat strength of Qin Xiaotian's team, it would be normal for them to return after a month-long hunt!"

"Exactly. For Qin Xiaotian, that last-place king is nothing but a minor blip!"

"A minor blip? You're not telling me you bet on the last-place king, are you?"

"Of course not. Betting on the last-place king is like asking to lose."

"True. What's the betting ratio now, 1 to 120?"

Unbeknownst to the crowd, as they were caught up in their heated discussions, two ghostlike figures silently glided through the noisy throng and slipped back into the base.

These spectral presences were none other than Zhang Lieh and Wang Xiaohua.