Chapter 16: I Have One Condition

Everyone’s attention was drawn by that voice.

Outside the main hall, two figures slowly approached, one after the other.

The man in front was young. He wore a black robe, and a terrifying mask covered his face.

Behind him was a middle-aged man.

That was Old Wu, the one responsible for Jiang Xie’s safety.

At that moment, everyone wore a different expression.

When Jiang Fengliu and the elders of the Jiang Family saw Jiang Xie, smiles appeared on their faces.

Xue Tian remained expressionless, while Xue Li looked openly disdainful.

Hong Xiu kept sizing Jiang Xie up, while a look of surprise showed in Leng Ya’s eyes.

He could not help but wonder how the widely famed Young Master of the Jiang Family only had the cultivation of the Body Tempering Realm.

He was not the only one who was puzzled.

Aside from the Jiang Family, most of the people present were confused.

Very few had actually seen Jiang Xie. Other than Xue Tu and Xue Li, the rest had only heard endless praise about him from the people of the Jiang Family.

Because of that, they had always been curious about him.

Yet to their surprise, he only seemed to be at the Body Tempering Realm.

Of course, no one truly regarded him as someone at the Body Tempering Realm.

In their eyes, if Jiang Xie really were only at that level, the elders of the Jiang Family would never be wearing such expressions.

So this was most likely just a smokescreen.

A method so convincing was rarely seen.

The Jiang Family truly had some ability.

They had almost managed to fool everyone.

A look of “we’ve already seen through you” appeared in everyone’s eyes.

If Jiang Xie and the elders of the Jiang Family knew what they were thinking, they would probably laugh until they could not close their mouths.

Jiang Xie really was in the Body Tempering Realm.

“Young Master Jiang, long time no see,” Xue Li said with a grin.

Jiang Xie did not even look at him. Instead, he looked at Hong Xiu and asked, “Sect Master Hong, what exactly is the explanation you want from me?”

“Young Master Jiang should understand the stakes involved,” Leng Ya said. Hong Xiu himself remained silent.

“Then how do you intend to prove that she is Ji Wushuang’s daughter?” Jiang Xie asked, his gaze dark and unreadable.

“Simple. We torture the answer out of her,” Xue Li said, the corners of his mouth curling upward.

What should have been a discussion among the leaders of the great powers had now become a direct clash between three young juniors.

Jiang Xie laughed loudly. “What a joke. Just because you say so, you want to torture my person? That makes no sense.”

“Young Master Jiang, I advise you to think carefully,” Leng Ya said in a cold voice. “If you insist on protecting her, then when the Haoran Sect sets its sights on your Jiang Family, do not blame us for refusing to help.”

As the backbone of the demonic factions in Dongzhou, the three great demonic powers might fight among themselves constantly, but if a force of the righteous path attacked, they would still resist together.

Jiang Xie understood this as well.

Even if he had not treated Ji Wuyue too badly, would Ji Wushuang really let this matter rest?

After all, he had taken Ji Wushuang’s daughter away for more than two years...

It was hard to imagine what Ji Wushuang would do if he found out.

Without the help of the other demonic factions, the situation would be extremely unfavorable for the Jiang Family.

“And what is it that you want?” Jiang Xie asked.

He already understood everything. Rather, all of this had been within his calculations from the start.

“It’s simple. Hand her over, lock her in the dungeon, and torture her harshly!” Xue Li said with a wicked smile.

As for what he was truly thinking, how could Jiang Xie possibly fail to see through it?

There were rumors outside that Xue Li was extremely lustful and especially fond of righteous path cultivators.

Strangely enough, up until now, none of the experts from the three great factions had spoken.

It was as though they had tacitly accepted the exchange between the younger generation.

Only then did Jiang Xie understand why his father had called him over.

So this whole stage had been prepared for him after all.

After speaking, Xue Li kept his eyes fixed on Jiang Xie, as if he had already prepared himself for Jiang Xie to refute him.

The others were the same.

But to everyone’s surprise, Jiang Xie did not argue.

He merely nodded faintly.

“Fine. But I have one condition. No matter how you choose to torture her afterward, the first three days must be left to me. As for where she is imprisoned, you may decide that yourselves.”

Jiang Xie spoke with a calm expression.

The moment those words were spoken, quite a few people looked at him strangely.

Their expressions turned odd.

If not for that last sentence, they might have thought he intended to use the opportunity to let Ji Wuyue go.

But if the place of imprisonment was to be decided by them...

Then what was the point of demanding the first three days for himself?

Could it be... that he wanted to savor the Haoran Sect’s Saintess one last time?

An indescribable light flickered in Xue Li’s eyes, and he could not help but laugh. “So Young Master Jiang is one of our kind after all. I have no objections.”

He did not care in the least whether those first three days belonged to Jiang Xie.

In his view, Ji Wuyue had probably already been defiled by Jiang Xie countless times over the past two years.

A few more times would make no difference. As long as he got to have a taste himself, that was enough.

He also knew that he could not push Jiang Xie too far. This was likely already the greatest concession he would get.

Leng Ya also spoke up. “In that case, let her be imprisoned in the dungeon of our Tiansha Sect. Our sect has a dungeon outside Heiyun City. It is not too far from any of the three great factions, and all of you may also send people to stand guard there. What do you think?”

No one objected to that proposal.

Throughout the entire process, the experts of the three great factions had been little more than decorations...

Jiang Xie had originally thought he would have to debate everyone present.

Who would have thought they were all just there to serve as background scenery?

When Ji Wuyue woke up early that morning and discovered that Jiang Xie was nowhere to be seen, she could not help but grow worried when she thought back to what had happened the day before.

Creak.

It was the sound of the small courtyard gate being opened.

Ji Wuyue’s heart leaped with joy, and she hurried over.

“You scoundrel...”

But before she could finish, it was as though her throat had suddenly been seized.

She froze where she stood.

The one who had come was indeed Jiang Xie, but he was not alone.

There were also two unfamiliar men with him.

Of course, that was not what made Ji Wuyue freeze.

The real reason was Jiang Xie.

To be precise, it was Jiang Xie’s eyes.

That gaze was incomparably cold, devoid of even a trace of emotion, as if he did not know her at all...

At that moment, for some reason, Ji Wuyue felt unbearably disappointed.

“Take her away.”

Jiang Xie spoke indifferently.

The two men behind him immediately stepped forward and reached for Ji Wuyue.

They had already prepared themselves for the possibility that she would resist.

But strangely, she seemed to have resigned herself to her fate.

She did not resist in the slightest.

Ji Wuyue no longer wanted to resist. Jiang Xie’s gaze was like a thorn that pierced straight into her heart.

She stared at Jiang Xie without blinking, as if she wanted to find something in his eyes.

But unfortunately, there was only the same cold indifference as always.

Jiang Xie saw Ji Wuyue’s reaction from beginning to end.

A trace of reluctance flashed through his eyes.

Yet he still forced himself to maintain that cold expression.

Soon...

Just a little more...

If I do not make you give up completely, how will you ever be willing to leave?

How could Jiang Xie fail to see that Ji Wuyue had already developed inexplicable feelings for him?

And he, too, had feelings for Ji Wuyue...

All of this was for the sake of letting her return safely to the Haoran Sect...

And so Ji Wuyue was taken away, as though her soul had already left her body...

In truth, Jiang Xie could have used the Mortal Dust Sword to save her directly, but he could not use it.

Right now, he is the Young Master of a demonic faction.

Once the identity of the master of the Mortal Dust Sword was exposed, then not only Dongzhou, but righteous path forces from every region would probably move against him.

They would never allow such a person to appear within the demonic path.

As the saying goes, two fists cannot contend against four hands.

He might not be afraid, but that did not mean the Jiang Family was not.

So for now, he could only let Ji Wuyue suffer this grievance for a little while longer...