C14 Cut off His Lower Body!

Soong Yuan furrowed his brow at the one-eyed giant. Suddenly, a golden sword mark appeared on his forehead, a sign of the Spirit Sword Intent that Hsiao Yan had enhanced him with back in Multicolored City. A brilliant flash of golden sword intent shot out with deadly accuracy.

The cyclops was cautious, holding the Ghost Fire Blade with both hands. The moment he detected Soong Yuan's movement, he infused his Vital Spirit into the blade, unleashing a thick gray ghost fire to meet the oncoming Spirit Sword Intent.

In a silent, instantaneous moment, the Spirit Sword Intent pierced through the ghost fire and embedded itself into the cyclops's forehead, leaving no trace of a scar or blood. The giant's body froze, his solitary eye bulging like that of a dead fish, and then blood began to flow from his orifices. The cyclops was dead.

Soong Yuan let out a long breath. With Zero Cultivation, he had been up against two formidable opponents at the Foundation Stage Level Two and Level Four. The overwhelming pressure had made him anxious, feeling the situation was perilous. Fortunately, he had emerged victorious.

He hurriedly collected his prizes: Sunn Liang's Samadhi True Fire Fan, the cyclops's Ghost Fire Blade, and the essential Universe Compass—all of which were now his. Lifting the still unconscious Hsiao Yan onto his back, he retreated.

As the traumatic, cruel, and bloody night faded, dawn broke over Multicolored City, heralding a new day.

In a dimly lit room somewhere, a graceful woman struggled to find peace.

This was the most secluded, smallest, and least successful inn in Multicolored City, secretly purchased three months prior by the Thousand Thunder Sect to serve as a clandestine base. Qian Xiaoruo was there, holding an "Image Viewing Mirror," watching as the scenes within it flickered and changed: Xiaocui abruptly leaving the cabin, returning with the one-eyed man and Sunn Liang, speaking a few words, then departing through the Teleportation Magic Array, the cabin beginning to collapse, and finally, the two men lying on the ground covered with lightning-protection cloaks... The images ceased.

Clearly, the "Image Remaining Talisman" that had been discreetly attached inside the cabin had exhausted its power, and these were the only images transmitted.

It was enough, however, to confirm Qian Xiaoruo's suspicions: Xiaocui was the traitor.

Zhao Mingli entered, quietly pushing the door open, and reported in a low voice, "She has confessed, and the issue has been resolved."

Qian Xiaoruo nodded silently.

Everything had been meticulously planned. Xiaocui was deliberately left to guard the Universe Compass, giving her a chance to reveal herself. Once she did, her actions were captured by the Image Remaining Talisman and the footage was sent back to the mirror. Afterward, when Xiaocui arrived at the inn via the Teleportation Magic Array, she was immediately restrained by Zhao Mingli, Zhuge Ming, Zhou Li, and others, and forced to confess.

Her confession made, her fate was sealed.

With the mole eliminated and the trap's purpose achieved, Qian Xiaoruo let out a sigh of relief. Now, all she had to do was wait quietly for Yin Yang Day to arrive.

Zhao Mingli was dismissed to rest, but he hesitated, prompting Qian Xiaoruo to ask, "Is there something else?"

It wasn't a major concern, but it did involve Qian Xiaoruo, which explained Zhao Mingli's hesitation. Upon her inquiry, he revealed, "Last night, Soong Yuan and Hsiao Yan entered the Thousand Thunder Inn. They were using Shape Transforming Talismans to conceal their identities, and at first, I didn't recognize them. But later, due to the one-eyed man from the Blazing Fire Sect and Sunn Liang causing a commotion and trying to take over the Hundred-plate House, a cultivator who looked like a middle-aged man drew a Golden Cauldron Sword. That's when I knew it was Hsiao Yan. Therefore, the other person, who also looked middle-aged but had no cultivation, must have been Soong Yuan."

"Oh," Qian Xiaoruo responded nonchalantly. Soong Yuan, a man of no consequence who had sought his own end by entering the Celestial Thunder Killing Array, was simply reaping what he had sown.

"Oh," Qian Xiaoruo responded nonchalantly. She didn't care about Soong Yuan, a worthless man who sought his own death by entering the Celestial Thunder Killing Array.

On the other hand, Xiaoqing, the maid who had been attending to them, looked worried and asked urgently, "Elder Zhao, did Soong Yuan manage to come out alive afterward?"

"I doubt it," Zhao Mingli said. "Back at the Hundred-plate House, the young lady warned everyone, which led many to withdraw. However, a small group led by Soong Yuan and Hsiao Yan chose to continue searching for the Universe Compass. Additionally, this morning, fragments of the Golden Cauldron Sword were found among the ruins. The bodies destroyed by Tian Leizi were charred beyond recognition. Since Hsiao Yan's Golden Cauldron Sword was destroyed, one can only imagine the grim fate that befell him and Soong Yuan."

"Poor guy," Xiaoqing, with her flat nose and small eyes, sighed. "It's such a pity. Soong Yuan was quite handsome... and now he's just gone."

Zhao Mingli was indifferent to Soong Yuan's fate, but seeing Xiaoqing's expression, he found it amusing and teased her, "Girl, you seem to have spring fever, so concerned about Mr. Soong."

Xiaoqing's face turned red with embarrassment.

Suddenly, Qian Xiaoruo erupted in anger, slamming her hand on the table. "That despicable Soong Yuan, dying in the Celestial Thunder Killing Array was too lenient. If he hadn't died and had fallen into my hands, I would have made him wish for death, ensuring he'd never be a man again... I'd cut him into pieces..."

Realizing that Zhao Mingli and Xiaoqing were still present, the Eldest Miss quickly regained her composure and fell silent.

Zhao Mingli and Xiaoqing were puzzled. Why did Qian Xiaoruo suddenly harbor such intense animosity toward Soong Yuan? It seemed unlikely that Soong Yuan had any opportunity to offend the Eldest Miss. She kept mentioning cutting him into pieces... What exactly was the Eldest Miss planning to cut?

Zhao Mingli, an old hand at navigating complex situations, paused to consider the implications of the phrase, "I will torture him until he wishes he were dead, until he's no longer a man, with one swift cut..."

It wasn't hard to deduce what would be cut with such a swift action.

Xiaoqing, the naive young girl, hadn't thought that far ahead. She innocently pressed on with her questioning, "Miss, what exactly are you planning to cut off Soong Yuan with one swift cut?"

Qian Xiaoruo's cheeks flushed slightly, and she naturally chose not to respond.

In a flash of insight, Xiaoqing's face lit up with realization, and she blurted out in surprise, "I know, I know! Miss, you mean to cut off Soong Yuan's... his little rooster!"

Qian Xiaoruo's face turned an even deeper red at the outburst.

Xiaoqing, too, became aware of the inappropriateness of her exclamation. A young lady should not be speaking of such things, and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Zhao Mingli, barely containing his laughter, quickly made his excuses and left the room. Once out of earshot, he couldn't hold back any longer and burst into raucous laughter.

What had caused such a commotion?

Qian Xiaoruo, who had seemed indifferent towards Soong Yuan, now harbored intense animosity towards him. The reason was simple: she felt deeply harassed by him the night before.

Zhao Mingli's words had triggered her memory. The previous evening, two middle-aged men had been the first to find the nondescript cabin where the Universe Compass was hidden. One of them, who had zero cultivation, turned out to be Soong Yuan.

What was utterly despicable was that Soong Yuan had spewed a stream of nonsense at Qian Xiaoruo. He had spoken of them both using the Boiling Spring together, how he would try not to look at her, though he might not be able to help himself, and that he would at least ensure not to touch her. It was clear he was harassing her.

"A worthless wretch," she thought. In that moment, Soong Yuan's image in Qian Xiaoruo's mind couldn't have been more contemptible.