Dongfang Xiaoyao could sense that the young man in black robes possessed a strength far exceeding her estimations, especially his spiritual power, which was terrifying. Knowing she was powerless to resist and doomed, she chose to detonate herself when the young man intended to probe her memories for secrets about Jiang Wuming. If she died, her spiritual world would dissipate, and the young man would be unable to obtain any information about Jiang Wuming.
However—
After Dongfang Xiaoyao made her decision, she found herself unable to control her true qi or even her body. This discovery filled her with immense horror. Her eyes widened, and she stared intently at the young man in black robes.
"Want to die? Your life and death are now entirely under my control."
The young man in black robes sneered. Then, the crescent moon mark on his brow glowed even brighter, and another beam of golden light struck Dongfang Xiaoyao's spiritual world, transforming into a golden sword. With a single strike, it shattered the gate of Dongfang Xiaoyao's spiritual will.
Following this, countless fine golden threads surged into the portal, invading the most hidden corners of Dongfang Xiaoyao's spiritual world and seizing her most precious secrets.
"A one-star War God at twenty years old, just like you. Your martial arts talent is excellent; even in the outer realms, you would be considered a prodigy."
Soon, the young man in black robes obtained preliminary information about Jiang Wuming and commented as such.
There was no reply. Dongfang Xiaoyao was unable to speak or move, left to the mercy of the young man in black robes. It felt as if a young woman had been tied up by thugs, utterly helpless and subjected to their brutality.
"Tsk, tsk, you can even fight across realms, killing a two-star War God with the strength of a one-star War God. A bit more formidable than I imagined."
"Hmm... so you're a peak one-star War God. No wonder you can fight across realms."
"Rank eleven? He cultivated to rank eleven of the one-star War God realm? And he fought two opponents alone, killing a peak two-star War God and a ninth-stage two-star War God? How is this possible?!"
As the young man in black robes gathered more information, his understanding of Jiang Wuming deepened. When he learned of Jiang Wuming's achievements in Nan'gang, his face became one of disbelief! Yes. He couldn't believe that a native of this weak world could achieve such earth-shattering feats!
The peak of nine. Rank ten, surpassing limits. Rank eleven, a legend! Even in the outer realms, the most exceptional martial arts prodigies could not cultivate to rank eleven. Only those who had shaken an era, peerless overlords, had ever achieved it.
Hearing the young man's words, Dongfang Xiaoyao's once dim eyes flickered with vibrant light, as if responding to him: How could his excellence be fathomed by you?
The young man in black robes noticed the change in Dongfang Xiaoyao's gaze and understood the implied meaning. He said coldly, "Rank eleven is a legend; he couldn't have achieved it. Either his understanding of rank eleven is flawed, or your information is inaccurate."
A flicker of disdain flashed in Dongfang Xiaoyao's eyes, as if she scorned the young man's ignorance. The young man in black robes deeply felt the contempt in her gaze, his pride as an outer-realm prodigy trampled. His expression darkened, but he said no more, continuing to extract all information about Jiang Wuming. He intended to find irrefutable evidence to prove that Jiang Wuming could not have cultivated to rank eleven of the one-star War God realm after obtaining all the information.
Soon, he obtained information about Jiang Wuming's participation in the Global Martial Arts Conference. Jiang Wuming broke through to the two-star War God realm in a desperate situation, jumping directly to the sixth rank! This information immediately worsened the expression of the young man in black robes! Because, logically, if Jiang Wuming had only cultivated to rank ten of the one-star War God realm, he couldn't have directly advanced to the sixth rank of the two-star War God realm! In his memory, there was no precedent for such a feat in the entire outer realm! Normally, a breakthrough from rank ten would transcend to the early stages of the next realm, usually the first three ranks, but most often the fourth. Only a select few, who had accumulated profound foundations over many years, could potentially reach the fifth rank directly! As for the sixth rank... only those few peerless overlords who had made history in the outer realms had achieved it. They had, without exception, reached the legendary rank eleven domain!
Dongfang Xiaoyao perceived the change in the young man's expression and continued to watch him with an expression like watching a monkey's performance. The young man in black robes no longer paid attention to Dongfang Xiaoyao's gaze, nor did he question the accuracy of the information or continue to belittle Jiang Wuming. Instead, with a dark face, he proceeded to gather more information about Jiang Wuming. The result made his face even darker! Because the subsequent information stated: after breaking through to the sixth rank of the two-star War God realm, Jiang Wuming killed Sean, who had broken through to the fifth rank of the three-star War God realm!
"He's also a spiritual power cultivator, and he defeated a spiritual power cultivator at the peak of the two-star War God realm with his spiritual power?!"
When the young man in black robes acquired the final piece of information, learning that Jiang Wuming had killed a peak two-star War God spiritual power cultivator at the Global Martial Arts Conference, his mental state began to collapse. This was because he himself held the dual identities of a spiritual power cultivator and a martial artist, just like Jiang Wuming. Unlike Jiang Wuming, his primary focus was spiritual power, with martial arts cultivation serving as a supplement.
Twenty years old. His martial arts cultivation had once reached the domain of rank eleven of the one-star War God realm, and now he was a sixth-rank two-star War God, with spiritual power cultivation no weaker than a ninth-rank two-star War God! This delivered a significant blow to the young man in black robes! Even in the outer realms, at Jiang Wuming's age, he had never accomplished such a feat!
"No, according to your memories, the spiritual power cultivator he last killed, a peak two-star, was defeated by martial arts, not spiritual attacks. This means his spiritual will is as strong as yours, able to withstand the spiritual assault from that peak two-star War God spiritual power cultivator! Yes, it must be like this!!"
Then, the young man in black robes forcefully stabilized his mental state and carefully reread the information obtained from Dongfang Xiaoyao, making a new judgment. This time, Dongfang Xiaoyao's gaze no longer showed disdain. Although she didn't know the exact level of Jiang Wuming's spiritual power cultivation, she knew that Jiang Wuming's primary cultivation was martial arts, and his spiritual power cultivation couldn't surpass his martial arts cultivation!
"You are very honest." Sensing Dongfang Xiaoyao's gaze, the young man in black robes became even more certain of his judgment. "According to the information in your memory, that native is indeed extraordinary, and in your world, he can be considered the strongest of the younger generation!"
"Even though you wanted to detonate yourself earlier, deep down, you still wish to live and continue to stay by his side, right?" By the end, a sinister smile appeared on the lips of the young man in black robes.
A jolt went through Dongfang Xiaoyao. Hearing the young man's words and seeing the sinister smile on his lips, her heart trembled, and a profound sense of unease suddenly surged within her!
"Don't worry, I will not only spare you but also fulfill your wish and let you continue to stay by his side." The young man in black robes continued to smile, his smile giving a chilling sensation. "However, you will no longer be yourself—you will become my puppet, or rather, my substitute!"
Hearing the young man's words again, a deep fear appeared in Dongfang Xiaoyao's eyes! She was not afraid of death, but she feared becoming the young man's puppet and substitute, living by Jiang Wuming's side. She could not accept this! She could not even imagine what it would be like if, one day, the young man in black robes manipulated her into harming Jiang Wuming!
Amidst her terror, Dongfang Xiaoyao again desperately tried to break free from the young man's spiritual restraint with her own mental will. But she couldn't. This drove her to despair! In her despair, her eyes turned bloodshot, and tears welled up, shining in her eyes. The tears were crimson. Tears of blood flowed from her eyes, tracing down her pale and beautiful face. At this moment, her heart was being cut by a knife, and life was worse than death!
"Using a substitute to hide beside the world's strongest genius, what a wonderful plan!" The young man in black robes was lost in his own scheme. Seeing Dongfang Xiaoyao shedding bloody tears, he laughed. "Don't cry. Being a puppet to me, Mu Ming, is your honor. When you complete your mission, I will reward you—allowing your body and spirit to reach unprecedented pleasure!"
As his voice fell, the golden crescent moon mark on his brow once again blazed with light. He was about to use a supreme secret art from the outer realms to control Dongfang Xiaoyao!
However—
The next moment. His expression abruptly changed! Because he clearly sensed an aura of a sixth-rank two-star War God rapidly approaching.
Outside the ancestral home, under the setting sun. A blood-soaked figure swept through the ancient city streets like a crimson whirlwind. Faster. Faster! The youth told himself, his entire being like a madman, his killing intent soaring!
...