Chapter 203: Torment

The secluded chamber.

Layer upon layer of arrays surrounded Jiang Die, trapping her tightly.

A woman, covered in wounds, her face twisted with fury and rage, glared fiercely at the black-robed man.

The black-robed man remained calm.

Even hearing the chime of the heavenly bell, he did not stir.

Because at this moment, the shock in his heart was simply too great.

This woman held far more secrets than he had ever imagined.

"You sanctimonious old dog, someone’s looking for you. Aren’t you going out to see?" Jiang Die sneered.

Jiang Dingtian had long grown accustomed to such insults.

"It must be the three elders failing to negotiate with Lu Ye. Useless as always, but no matter—we can talk again."

"Now, listening to your *Infinite Void Scripture*, it’s truly profound. At the peak of the Unity Realm now, I owe it all to you!"

"You vile traitor, you weren’t like this before. How could you turn into such a disgusting creature?"

What was Jiang Dingtian like in her past life?

A refined gentleman, courteous and dignified.

Like the kindest elder, when Lu Ye waged war against the demons of the void, the Jiang Clan actively participated and treated her exceptionally well.

How could he have become like this now?

That gentle man who once patted her head and told her, *"Don’t be afraid of that brat Lu. Though he’s now the strongest in the Third Heaven, my Jiang Clan isn’t to be trifled with. If he dares bully you, come back and tell us. As your family, we’ll stand up for you!"*

How blissful she had been back then.

But how had things turned out like this?

Hearing her words, Jiang Dingtian raised an eyebrow.

"You’ve said such things several times now. We’ve never met before, yet you seem to know me intimately."

"You also inexplicably possess knowledge of so many powerful scriptures, techniques, and divine abilities."

"Just what is your origin?"

Jiang Dingtian asked curiously.

Jiang Die sneered.

"You want to know? Come closer!"

As Jiang Dingtian leaned in, Jiang Die suddenly spat a mouthful of blood-tinged saliva at him.

But the moment it left her lips, Jiang Dingtian struck.

*"Smack!"*

Jiang Die’s head was violently flung to the side.

"We are both cultivators, no need to resort to the vulgar act of spitting like ordinary people. It's too weak."

Jiang Die turned her face away, her twisted features swelling even more grotesquely.

"If you don’t want to talk, I won’t force you—as long as you can endure the pain!"

Jiang Dingtian let out a sharp whistle, and instantly, Jiang Die let out a piercing scream as her soul was gnawed at by a terrifying entity.

The rustling sound resembled a silkworm devouring mulberry leaves.

Jiang Dingtian had already attempted a soul-searching technique on Jiang Die, but to his surprise, her resistance was unprecedented, causing the technique to fail outright.

Left with no choice, he resorted to this method of memory extraction.

The agony inflicted upon her soul drove Jiang Die into frenzied shrieks. She was now deeply terrified of the pain—enduring it, suffering it endlessly.

But the matter of her rebirth was far too significant.

If she revealed it, she would lose all hope of escape.

So she absolutely could not speak.

Even if the pain reached its limit.

"Hmm?"

Jiang Dingtian was somewhat surprised. Previously, Jiang Die had never held out, yet now she endured. This meant the secret was indeed monumental.

He halted the futile torment. This punishment severely damaged the soul, and if he accidentally killed Jiang Die, the loss would outweigh the gain.

But what then?

If he couldn’t break her through the soul, he would have to resort to physical means.

Jiang Dingtian stood up, gripping Jiang Die’s face with his hand.

Jiang Die’s gaze was clear, filled with mockery. "Heh... go on, do it!"

She had already thrown caution to the wind. She was certain that if Jiang Dingtian truly violated her, he would undoubtedly meet his end.

Lu Ye despised nothing more than betrayal.

Even if in this life, she and Lu Ye were only enemies, the moment Jiang Dingtian dared to act, Lu Ye would surely kill him.

That look in her eyes unsettled Jiang Dingtian deeply.

It was the gaze of someone looking at a dead man.

This was the first time such an expression had appeared.

Jiang Dingtian’s hand hovered, not yet touching Jiang Die’s body.

Those eyes...

Those eyes...

Jiang Dingtian was a cunning old fox, and his ability to read expressions was second to none.

Though Jiang Die’s glare was baffling, and there seemed no imminent threat to his life, he decided to play it safe.

The hand withdrew.

"Ahhhh..."

The agony of the soul returned, and this time, Jiang Dingtian no longer feared Jiang Die's death.

He refused to believe that under such torment, Jiang Die would not break. If she didn’t, he would subject her to endless suffering—he was certain she would crack eventually.

The heavenly bell chimed.

While Jiang Dingtian was preoccupied with torture, he ignored the outsiders for the moment.

The elders of the Jiang family gathered to deliberate.

"Should we hunt this bastard down? Our family extended an olive branch, offering him a way out, yet not only did he refuse it, he stomped it to pieces. If we don’t act, the Jiang family will become the laughingstock of the Third Heaven!"

"Exactly! Just ascending and already slaughtering our people so brazenly—if we give him time to grow stronger, won’t he wipe out our entire clan? I say we pursue him!"

"No! The Patriarch’s stance is to avoid hostility with Lu Ye. Though he’s in seclusion, we cannot defy his decree!"

"Ridiculous! The Patriarch’s attempt at reconciliation has failed. The other side not only rejected it but also struck with lethal force. Are we to sit idle while they slaughter our kin?"

The debate raged on.

Soon, those in favor of taking action against Lu Ye formed the majority.

"If we act, we must hold nothing back. The deaths of three Karma Realm elders prove his combat prowess has surpassed that level."

"I suggest dispatching two Unity Realm experts and three Triple Life Realm experts as a team, leaving Lu Ye no chance of survival and ensuring his complete annihilation."

"What does everyone think?"

"Agreed!"

"Agreed!"

"If we're mobilizing Unity Realm experts, then I agree. My reluctance to act against Lu Ye stemmed from concerns that the family might continue sending Causality Realm or newly advanced Triple Life Realm cultivators, essentially delivering treasures and experience to him. But if we're sending peak Triple Life Realm and Unity Realm powerhouses, I have no objections!"

"Agreed!"

A Unity Realm expert hunting down a Destiny Realm cultivator—spanning three major realms in one go. No matter how prodigious Lu Ye is, he stands no chance, right?

Geniuses often meet such fates—withering into bones in their graves before ever reaching their full potential.

Tall trees catch much wind; piles above the bank invite turbulent currents; those who stand above others will inevitably face envy.

"Count me in for the hunt against Lu Ye!"

The Fourth Elder, Jiang Benchu, declared.

"Count me in too!"

The Eighth Elder, Jiang Jiu, added.

Three more peak Triple Life Realm experts volunteered, bringing the total to five top-tier powerhouses.

Hunt down Lu Ye!