Chapter 36: The Grand Xia Emperor

This was a dark secret chamber, filled with many instruments of torture. In the center stood a rack, to which was bound a panicked, disheveled young man in white.

"Th-this..." Dong Qi's face turned pale at the sight of the torture devices in the chamber.

"Who is it? Who have I offended?" Dong Qi trembled in fear. "They even destroyed my Snow Dragon Mountain." His former arrogance was gone, replaced by nothing but terror.

Soldiers in the corner of the chamber stood guard in silence.

Suddenly—

With a rumble, the stone door opened. A woman and a youth in beast hide entered, leaving Dong Qi even more confused and uneasy. He did not recognize them at all.

"Princess." The guarding soldier spoke respectfully.

"You may leave." Yuchi Xiyue ordered.

"Yes." The soldier immediately departed, and the stone door closed again.

Yuchi Xiyue and Ji Ning both stared at the terrified, disheveled man bound to the rack. The siblings had long since reviewed the intelligence on 'Dong Qi' multiple times; his features were deeply etched into their memories.

"Dong Qi!" Ji Ning's eyes flashed with cold light.

"It was you, you, you who destroyed my home, killed my father, and drove my mother to die of grief." Yuchi Xiyue's eyes reddened instantly. She grabbed a ladle, scooped up the flowing silvery molten liquid from a basin, and flung it directly at Dong Qi.

Whoosh~~~ The scorching silvery liquid splashed onto Dong Qi, who let out a piercing scream. His neck stretched long, his cries unbearably wretched, his face as pale as paper.

When he regained a bit of clarity, he screamed repeatedly, "Mercy, mercy!"

Ji Ning's eyes also reddened.

Everything, the root of everything, was this profligate son before him, this despicable wretch, this insignificant villain he had never deigned to notice! Yet this vile little role had caused his own parents and his cousin's parents to die early. The enmity of parents was irreconcilable!

"It hurts, it hurts! Mercy!" Dong Qi shrieked.

"Hurts?" Ji Ning picked up a branding-iron-like magic treasure and walked over. "This is just the beginning, Dong Qi. Don't rush. Enjoy it slowly."

"No, no, no—" Dong Qi's heart trembled, and he screamed in agony. But the torture chamber was sealed with formations and restrictions; the outside world could not detect anything.

Ji Ning pressed the branding-iron-like treasure directly onto him, channeling primal energy into it. Instantly, sizzling sounds arose as it seared Dong Qi's tattered skin, smoke rising. When the iron was lifted, a flame pattern appeared on his skin, faintly drawing upon the power of heaven and earth.

"Ah, ah, ah! It hurts, it hurts!" Dong Qi's whole body convulsed. The flame pattern seemed to scorch him all over, the repeated sensation of being burned alive driving him to the brink of collapse.

Beside him, Yuchi Xiyue said coldly, "Rest assured, these are just some of the torture methods of the Grand Xia royal clan. You've only tasted two. I won't let you die easily. I'll prepare elixirs and heal you again and again. I'll make you experience all ten thousand-plus tortures of the Grand Xia Dynasty. You'll know what pain is, what regret is!"

Hearing this, Dong Qi broke down. Ten thousand-plus tortures? Just two had already driven him mad.

"How have I offended you? How have I wronged you? You must have the wrong person!" Dong Qi was on the verge of tears.

With a rumble, the stone door opened again.

A large snow-white dog walked in, and the stone door closed.

"Do you still recognize me?" The Whitewater Hound's eyes were also filled with murderous light as he stared at Dong Qi.

"Whitewater Hound?" Dong Qi was stunned. Deep in his memory, a scene from decades ago surfaced: a tall, sturdy man and a loving couple. The pregnant wife was truly beautiful, with a rare aura, and her pregnancy added a strange charm that had captivated Dong Qi back then.

So he had given the order; Yu Tong and Shui Yi had acted.

"Remember?" Ji Ning said coldly. "That couple back then were my parents."

"The man you killed was my father." Yuchi Xiyue was nearly insane. Her father, who had doted on her in her childhood, with his broad, mountain-like shoulders and hearty laughter, appeared in her dreams again and again. He was the father she loved most, and her gentle mother too.

Ji Ning and Yuchi Xiyue both stared at Dong Qi.

A chill ran down Dong Qi's spine.

"Did you kill Yu Tong and Shui Yi too?" Dong Qi asked, trembling.

"Yes." Ji Ning nodded. "Now it's your turn, the mastermind."

"My brother's methods were too light—just torturing those two with Heartburn Art." Yuchi Xiyue gnashed her teeth. "Those two died, and that's that. But you, the mastermind? You'll taste all ten thousand-plus tortures of Grand Xia. By then, you'll be nearly dead, and I'll collect your soul into the 'Heart-Tugging Brazier' to suffer day and night, tormenting you for a thousand or ten thousand years."

Dong Qi's eyes went blank.

Ji Ning glanced at his cousin. Though he too was filled with hatred and wanted to torture Dong Qi to death and scatter his soul, compared to his cousin, he was far behind.

"Cousin, torturing his soul for ten days and nights is enough." Ji Ning's eyes were red as he transmitted. "There's no need to let a wretch like him keep you mired in hatred for a thousand or ten thousand years."

Torturing Dong Qi for millennia would also mean Yuchi Xiyue remained immersed in hatred for millennia.

Torturing others is also torturing oneself.

"My hatred is already deeply rooted, brother. Don't worry about me." Yuchi Xiyue's eyes were wild and twisted.

During Ji Ning's growth, he had his parents' guidance for over a decade, then the teachings of Immortal Diancai, and his good brother Mu Zishuo. Thus, Ji Ning's heart had not become twisted.

But Yuchi Xiyue, after her parents' death, had endured countless hardships alone. She didn't even want to recall those sufferings. Even after being brought back to the Grand Xia capital by her grandfather, she remained aloof. Only when facing her cousin could her heart warm a little.

...

Dong Qi died a miserable death.

After three months of torture, he finally died. His soul was collected into the 'Heart-Tugging Brazier' and tormented for another month. In the end, King Yan intervened. Though Yuchi Xiyue carried the brazier with her, and ordinary people couldn't kill the soul inside through the treasure, King Yan could. He annihilated Dong Qi's soul.

"Ji Ning, spend more time with Xiyue. After nearly half a year of venting, her hatred has mostly been released. If she continues like this, she'll fall completely into demonic obsession. Accompany her more, and help her gradually emerge from hatred." King Yan spoke to Ji Ning personally, and Ji Ning naturally took it to heart.

...

Late autumn.

High above the Grand Xia capital, in the deepest reaches of the sky, was a hazy gray void. Whoosh~~~ The gray void suddenly split open into a massive passage, faintly glowing with golden light. Rows of black-armored soldiers flew through the air. Behind them came groups of black-armored cavalry riding heavenly horses. Further back was a coiled, massive black dragon, its aura overwhelming and mighty, pulling a huge golden immortal carriage. On the carriage hung golden lanterns, and seated upon it was a man in black robes.

This black-robed man had an ancient countenance, his eyes like lightning. Wherever his gaze fell, heaven and earth seemed to split apart.

His majesty made the surrounding soldiers tremble in submission.

Behind the carriage followed batches of black-armored soldiers aboard war vessels, each a hundred zhang long. But compared to the carriage, they were far inferior. The black dragon alone was ten thousand zhang long, and the carriage was nearly as large.

"Whoosh."

The emperor's procession: nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine guards.

The formation flew downward, heading straight for the Heavenly芒 Hall. On the clouds atop the hall, large groups of celestial maidens and soldiers knelt. The weakest among them were at the Nascent Soul level. To serve the 'Grand Xia Emperor' up close was their great fortune.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." A burly two-headed divine demon knelt first, shouting loudly.

Immediately, the many celestial maidens and soldiers behind knelt: "Greetings, Your Majesty."

The black dragon pulled the carriage down.

The black-armored soldiers surrounding the carriage quickly dispersed, taking positions.

"Hmm." The black-robed man stepped down from the carriage, took two strides, and reached the imperial throne not far away. He sat high on the throne, looking down, and commanded, "Summon King Qi."

"Yes." The two-headed divine demon acknowledged.

The black-robed man sat high on the throne, his gaze piercing through layers of clouds, surveying the entire Grand Xia capital.

He was exalted, the emperor of this major world, the true absolute ruler!

But his vision had long since extended to the Three Realms, and he rarely stayed in the Grand Xia Dynasty world.

"Decades ago, the Netherworld underworld of the Three Realms was suddenly attacked, and the Six Paths of Reincarnation collapsed and was destroyed. Then the attackers vanished without a trace." The black-robed emperor murmured to himself. "The Netherworld, where souls of the Three Realms go, is of utmost importance, and its defenses were tight. The Ten Kings of Hell and Lord Cui are all Pure Yang True Immortals, each formidable. The Buddha Kṣitigarbha also guards there, along with other old fellows in the Netherworld—all extremely powerful. Yet when attacked, they had no power to resist, and the Six Paths of Reincarnation was destroyed in an extremely short time. Even who destroyed it, which side they belong to, cannot be traced. Even my master and beings of that level cannot discern."

"This hidden force is terrifyingly strong. Their first strike targeted the Six Paths of Reincarnation."

"It seems the Three Realms are about to fall into chaos." The black-robed emperor's eyes held deep worry.

A great upheaval in the Three Realms is terrifying.

In the ancient past, Pangu split heaven and earth, giving rise to the Primordial World. Later, due to a great war, the Primordial World shattered, giving birth to the Three Thousand Major Worlds and the countless minor worlds. This shows how dreadful such upheavals can be.

"Every great upheaval gives birth to true peerless heroes." The black-robed emperor looked down at the Grand Xia capital. As they say, chaos breeds heroes. The powerful beings of the Three Realms are often born during great upheavals and calamities.

"This time, it's the first Immortal Gathering since the Six Paths of Reincarnation was broken. Some of the heroes to be born may appear in this Gathering." The black-robed emperor pondered.