Han Ming's face, already attractive, softened her stance, shedding her cold, imposing aura and adopting a meek, subdued demeanor that stirred a strange sensation in one's heart.
Under the mask of his Azure Iron Armor, Ning Zhuo remained as calm as an undisturbed pool.
He took out Han Ming's magical artifact, the Soul Capturing Shuttle: "I’ve heard that your Soul Devouring Sect's techniques allow one to increase the essence of their soul directly by devouring other souls."
"If you reverse the technique, you can purify the essence of your own soul through the artifact and then transfer it to another."
"Though there is considerable loss in the process, it bears no adverse effects."
"Your sect's mastery over this ability has allowed elder cultivators nearing the end of their lifespans to impart their soul essence to younger disciples, greatly enhancing their strength in a short time. This is one of the primary reasons the Soul Devouring Sect has become a major power within the Demonic Gate."
"Han Ming, I would like you to help me cultivate."
The Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pill was a mere pill, which Ning Zhuo couldn't bring into the Lava Immortal Palace with his soul.
Even if he consumed it beforehand, the effects would be short-lived.
Ning Zhuo preferred a direct increase in soul essence.
When he first saw information about the Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pill and laid eyes on Han Ming, he decided to capture her alive.
Hearing the Mysterious Puppet Master’s words, Han Ming's eyes widened, a chill flooding her entire being: "I understand now—I am your true prey!"
"This whole attack on the Purple Sun Courtyard was just a ruse!"
"This was all a trap, a vicious snare!"
Han Ming screamed, struggling against the heavy chains binding her.
The chains were secured tightly to the prison wall, and the impact against the wall resounded in clanging echoes.
The Mysterious Puppet Master, Ning Zhuo, quietly watched her until she calmed down before saying, "You're too agitated; it’s bad for your wounds."
At this, Han Ming’s brief calm was quickly replaced by fury as she unleashed another tirade of curses.
Ning Zhuo patiently listened, waiting until Han Ming’s voice was hoarse and she fell silent again.
"Thirsty?"
With a small movement of his fingers, Ning Zhuo extended a thin thread of spiritual power.
Along the thread, a puppet bearing a cup of water crawled from Han Ming's toes up her shin, thigh, abdomen, and then onto her chest, holding the cup to her mouth.
Han Ming's breathing grew heavy again.
But after her recent struggle and outburst, she had used up much of her strength.
Glaring at Ning Zhuo, she finally glanced at the water cup.
The next moment, she lowered her head and drank.
She was indeed thirsty.
More importantly, she knew she was already a prisoner; if the Mysterious Puppet Master wished to harm her, he had plenty of methods and didn't need to poison her through the water.
After drinking, Han Ming calmed down a bit.
"There's one thing I can't understand!"
Han Ming looked up, her brow furrowed, gaze fixed on the Mysterious Puppet Master’s face.
"Sun Lingtong is a distinguished disciple of the Void Sect. Why did he join forces with you? What’s your relationship?"
Ning Zhuo gave a faint smile: "I've been purchasing information from him for over ten years."
"I watched him slowly, bit by bit, establish himself, ultimately seizing control of the black market within Fire Persimmon Immortal City."
"Our interests are deeply intertwined."
Han Ming sneered, "Just that?"
"And yet, with just that, he joined forces with you to set me up, risking offense to the Soul Devouring Sect?"
"If anything goes wrong and I escape, his entire foundation in Fire Persimmon Immortal City—and yours—will be doomed!"
"We're not like those righteous cultivators, bound by rules."
Ning Zhuo smiled again, "Did you escape? Did you manage to send out a message?"
Han Ming: ...
Ning Zhuo continued, "The attack on the Purple Sun Courtyard wasn't entirely a ruse. After all, we did manage to gather plenty of pills."
At the mention of this, Han Ming grew agitated once more.
"You two scoundrels, despicable villains! My sect will avenge me; they'll flay and grind your bones, shred your souls, and cast you into unending torment!"
Ning Zhuo raised a hand, "Calm down, calm down, alright?"
"Anger isn’t good for your health."
"Weren't you the one who said you'd agree to anything I ask? Then help me with my cultivation."
Han Ming threw her head back and laughed sharply, so hard that tears sprang to her eyes.
"Spit." She abruptly stopped laughing, spat toward Ning Zhuo with intense hatred, and said, "Dream on!"
The spit flew mid-air, halted by Ning Zhuo’s spiritual power, and fell to the ground.
Han Ming’s voice was cold as ice: "I've spent painstaking years cultivating, slowly amassing my current foundation and essence."
"You expect me to drain my soul essence to help you cultivate? Hah, you’re so ugly, but your dreams are beautiful!"
"Painstakingly amass?"
Ning Zhuo questioned, perplexed, "Your Soul Devouring Sect’s Nine Turns Soul Devouring Art can devour others’ souls to increase your essence."
"That’s pure plunder, not hard-earned accumulation, isn’t it?"
The primary difference between demonic and righteous cultivators lay in their resources.
For righteous cultivators, resources were mostly things like the essence of nature, flora, and fauna.
For demonic cultivators, their resources were other cultivators themselves—such as blood, soul, and physical body.
Han Ming retorted, "You ignorant outsider! You know only half the truth!"
"Do you think the Nine Turns Soul Devouring Art is so easy to cultivate? That you can simply devour others' souls and absorb all of it as your own?"
"Hmph! If it were that easy, my Soul Devouring Sect wouldn’t be just one of the Demonic Gate’s major sects; it would have long dominated the Demonic Path!"
"At most, we can absorb fifty percent!"
"The closer the devoured soul’s essence is to one’s own, the higher the yield."
"It can't be overused either."
"It's like eating; overeat, and you’ll burst."
"We also need a lot of time and auxiliary resources to help digest the soul essence."
"If digestion is incomplete, soul deformation can occur, with severe repercussions."
"Of course, my sect does have those who act recklessly, madly devouring others’ souls without regard for deformities. Their strength surges in a short time, but they’ll have no future."
Han Ming was not short-sighted. She possessed the lower-grade innate talent of Ghost Corpse Qi, a significant edge over most cultivators.
She had always valued thorough digestion, maintaining the purity of her own soul essence.
She cherished her future.
Precisely because of this, she was staunchly opposed to cooperating.
To have her hand over the soul foundation she had painstakingly built up over decades for someone else?
Absolutely impossible.
Especially if that person was her enemy!
"You’ll never make me cooperate! Just kill me; that would be simpler!" Han Ming, too, was cunning.
She sensed that Ning Zhuo needed something from her, giving her confidence.
She intentionally spoke this way, trying to regain some control.
Ning Zhuo sighed softly, "I asked you nicely, hoping you’d cooperate willingly."
"If you cooperate, I can promise you that, in time, I’ll let you go free."