Chapter 195: Beat Her Until She Submits

"I disagree!"

"My own time is already insufficient. How could I spare any to lecture on divine arts and supernatural powers? If I don’t focus on cultivation now, what will the Jiang family use to stop Lu Ye when he comes? Who can stop him?"

Jiang Die’s voice rose, her emotions growing agitated.

"Jiang Die, this isn’t my opinion—it’s the Patriarch’s command. You are a member of the Jiang family, so you should know the family’s rules. The Patriarch holds the highest authority in the Jiang family. No matter how strong or talented you are, once the Patriarch gives an order, you must obey."

"Only requiring you to explain one divine art or supernatural power every thirty days—how much time could that possibly delay you?"

"I hope you won’t make this difficult for me!"

Jiang Die’s temper flared.

"I won’t do it. I don’t have the time. Our family’s greatest enemy is growing stronger at a terrifying rate, yet you want me to waste my time on something like this? Ridiculous!"

"Jiang Die, if you contribute nothing to the Jiang family, the family won’t provide you with vast resources for cultivation without reason. If you want resources, you must prove your worth. Everyone in the Jiang family follows this rule!"

"I’m not like the rest of you!" Jiang Die snapped irritably.

She was an Emperor reborn. She had already walked every path in her past life. In this life, she only needed to refine her steps as she progressed, allowing her to advance at an astonishing speed.

Hadn’t it been proof enough that she had already reached the third level of Heavenly Mandate so soon after ascending to the Third Heaven?

Jiang Yuan’s smile vanished instantly.

"By the Patriarch’s decree: If Jiang Die refuses to comply, the interval for lecturing on divine arts and supernatural powers shall be reduced from thirty days to twenty."

"Now, I ask you a second time—are you still unwilling?" A cold glint surfaced in Jiang Yuan’s eyes.

Jiang Die fell silent for a moment.

What did this mean?

If she refused again, would the next demand be once every ten days?

Truthfully, she had plenty of knowledge to share. The divine arts and supernatural powers she had stolen from Lu Ye could be endlessly repackaged—she could lecture for ten or twenty years without running dry.

But she couldn’t accept being forced like this.

She was an Emperor!

In her past life, no one had ever dared to pressure her—at most, Lu Ye had forced her to join in certain… activities with others. But aside from him, who would dare?

In her previous life, it was only by her request that the Jiang family had been spared from destruction.

"I refuse!"

Jiang Die enunciated each word with absolute clarity.

"Once every ten days—will you comply?" Jiang Yuan’s expression grew even colder.

"No!"

Jiang Yuan nodded.

"Very well. Jiang Die has defied the Patriarch’s command and violated clan law. She shall be punished—take her to the Punishment Hall immediately. If she resists, the penalty shall be increased!"

Jiang Yuan struck without hesitation.

Jiang Die's face changed drastically, "How dare you!"

Her aura erupted violently, but Jiang Yuan was a seventh-level Karma Realm expert. If she had Lu Ye's Avenue, Jiang Die might not have feared him.

Now, she lacked Lu Ye's Avenue.

The moment her aura surged, Jiang Yuan's hand was already on her shoulder, pressing down with immense force.

The rapidly rising aura was brutally suppressed by a terrifying power.

"Pfft!"

Jiang Die spat out a mouthful of blood, her aura swiftly weakening.

"Stubborn and unyielding, daring to resist still! The Punishment Hall will make you see reality!"

Jiang Yuan grabbed Jiang Die and swiftly headed toward the Punishment Hall.

The Punishment Hall was filled with fierce and ruthless experts. Upon hearing Jiang Yu recount Jiang Die's offenses:

"Defying the Patriarch's order—thirty Soul Lashes and one hundred Body Rods!"

"Resisting arrest—punishment doubled!"

"Total: sixty Soul Lashes and two hundred Body Rods!"

"If still unrepentant after punishment, seal her cultivation and cast her into the Ten Thousand Insect Pit. Only upon repentance shall she be released!"

"Carry out the punishment!"

Jiang Die was immediately restrained.

Her face still bore defiance and resentment as she shouted:

"You have no idea how formidable Lu Ye is! Treating me like this, hindering my cultivation—when Lu Ye ascends, it will be the downfall of the Jiang Family! You'll regret this!"

"CRACK!"

"AH!"

As the Soul Lash struck Jiang Die's body.

She let out a piercing scream.

Her soul endured the lashing, the excruciating pain forcing her to grit her teeth after the scream.

She was an Emperor!

What could mere Soul Lashes do to her?

"CRACK!"

The intense pain caused cold sweat to pour down Jiang Die's forehead.

By the thirtieth lash.

Jiang Die could no longer endure and screamed again.

The Soul Lash directly tormented the soul—this was how the so-called thirty lashes shattered the invincible dream of a reborn Emperor.

Jiang Die's soul was covered in wounds under the lashes of the soul whip.

The intense and continuous pain of the soul made Jiang Die scream incessantly. In her previous life, she had never endured such agony.

No, she wouldn’t back down.

She would cultivate madly, she would...

Jiang Die was beaten unconscious, only to be awakened again by the excruciating pain.

The soul whip didn’t deal fatal damage to the soul, but the pain was unbearable.

A searing, burning pain.

Finally, Jiang Die endured the soul whip.

Next came the body rods.

When the iron rods coated with red medicine were brought out,

Jiang Die had a very bad feeling.

"Thud!"

A rod struck Jiang Die’s back.

Her entire body trembled violently.

But this was only the beginning. When the flesh split open and the medicine seeped into her wounds, that was when one truly understood what it meant to wish for death.

Rod after rod came crashing down.

The red medicine mingled with the blood-soaked clothes.

"Ah!!!"

Jiang Die tasted pain again—though naturally lighter than the Primordial Morning Mist, it was still excruciating.

Incidentally, the red medicine was actually a healing agent, but its properties were too potent, creating a fiery, burning sensation.

Jiang Die suddenly realized.

If she didn’t comply, the Jiang family would never let her off so easily.

Enduring such torment would only make cultivation even more impossible for her.

She had agreed only to cultivate better.

It definitely wasn’t because the pain was too much to bear.

"Even if you agree, the punishment must be completed."

The people of the Punishment Hall gave Jiang Die a somewhat despairing answer.

After two hundred body rods, Jiang Die was once again on the verge of passing out from the pain.

She felt as if she had developed a fear of pain.

Pain!

It hurts so much!

Jiang Yuan let out a soft sigh, his face once again breaking into a warm and kindly smile.

"Look at you, why must you be like this? Having you teach magical techniques is for the sake of the Jiang family's growth. As for whether Lu Ye is strong or not, is that really something for you to consider? You're no longer the Patriarch now—you should understand your current status and position."

"Remember, teach one magical technique every three days. Don’t be foolish again, or else you’ll have to teach one every single day. By then, you’ll have no time left for cultivation at all."

"Understood?"

Jiang Die was utterly despairing.

"Why... why has it changed to teaching every three days again?"

"Because you refused me three times. If only you had agreed from the start, things would have been so much better. But consider this a lesson—next time will be better!"

"Got it?"