"P-please! Let me go! I'll do anything. I'll pay you anything! PLEASE!!" A naked man, burly in physique, shouted in despair. With his feet shackled to the center of this bar-filled cage, his cultivation suppressed to it's absolute lowest, and surrounded by others who've given up on life, this man shook the bars fiercely in rejection of his fate.
Before him, a feminine looking man stood dressed entirely in black, his eyes filled with mockery and contempt. "...And what will you pay me?" A slight evil smile tugged on his lips. He personally enjoyed watching these men suffer, begging for their lives fruitlessly in desperation, and it was somewhat a fetish for him. After this, he'll go and enjoy good wine and women simply to feel superior to all.
"I, I'll...I-" The man tried to think, but he was scared of saying the wrong thing. However, at the end of his words, a figure appeared behind the black-dressed feminine looking man. In this darkness, the one thing that stood out was the figure's vibrant amber-gold eyes that seemed to be filled with lifeforce. However, as he looked into those eyes, he felt his soul shake intensely as if he was looking at a sovereign of the known world.
To the man, his eyes lit up with excitement seeing the man's dumbfounded response. He only relished the feeling more, "Nothing? How pathetic, and here I was thinking of letting you go." Despite his words, the naked, burly man said nothing as if his soul was encapsulated by an unknown force. It was as if the black-dressed man didn't exist, that the cage didn't exist, his despair no longer filled his mind, only sheer reverence and respectful fear.
Yan Zaizen stared at a corner of the cage. Bai Lufeng's aura was weakly emitted somewhere in the pile of exhausted and skeleton-like bodies. His eyes turned towards this black-dressed man, but there was not a single ounce of emotions within, as if looking at a dead man.
"Oh...can't speak? Cat's got you-"
Just as the man wished to taunt more, the palm that seemed as if it could exceed the heavens appeared from the darkness. It lashed violently on his head and all he felt was a sudden pinch. His eyes rolled behind his head, and his body lost its support. Physically, the man was deader than dead. However, in terms of the soul, Yan Zaizen immediately wrapped his soul flame within his silver-blue soul energy.
With the soul flame in hand, Yan Zaizen ruthlessly penetrated it, utilizing the Soul Search Art to view all of his memories, most vulnerable secrets, and sense of self. He could view the perversion that seeped into this man's very bones. If Yan Zaizen's mentality was slightly weaker, he would retch at all of this. Fortunately, he has his own dao, his soul cultivation was exceptional, and his brain was enhanced greatly by the regalia of the soul.
"Guàn Yao…" A stream of vivid information surged through his mind. This man worked for Guàn Yao and was an incredibly trusted man of hers. With his help, she established a Yang Harem to gather primal yang energy to enhance her primal yin, soul and body cultivation. This man was privy to all of her secrets, and they were very, very dark secrets. Secret assassinations, yang harems, schemes and plots against forces, and more.
"Women...they truly are far more cunning than men." Clenching his hand, his soul flame was directly snuffed out. Now, he was truly dead.
Taking a step forward, Yan Zaizen shifted through space, appearing within the cage. As he did, he noted that the cage could conceal someone's aura. Unfortunately for her, Yan Zaizen's spiritual sense was exceptionally powerful with an upper-tier Mortal Dao amplifying its characteristics. Even if Bai Lufeng was sent into a sub-dimensional space, he'll be able to locate its entrance with ease.
The only reason he didn't send his spiritual sense outwards to find Bai Lufeng previously was to avoid offending forces unintentionally, as they were alive, he didn't feel a pressing concern. In truth, if it wasn't for Wu Jin's urging, he would've been here the moment he got the news.
"Bai Lufeng…" Looking at the pile of skeleton-like bodies, Yan Zaizen's eyes suffused with a profound sadness. If Bai Lufeng got into this situation by his own action, even if he was killed because of his own action, Yan Zaizen would only feel that it was unfortunate, but he was targeted due to his lack of backing. They picked rogue cultivators to avoid offending any powers and gaining too much attention.
Because they were rogue cultivators without any stable backing, all they could do was wallow in their own despair, pathetically bargaining with the hidden wealth they may have. As for people looking for them? That was unlikely, and even if they did, what could they do? Unless they could be found, the only assumption was killed by robbery or grudge and body burnt to ashes.
Waving his hand, the pile of bodies was pushed aside as a single one floated towards him slowly. A quick inspection revealed his body and soul cultivation was thoroughly crippled. His physical body was like bones with a layer of overly dried skin, as if he was a mummy with blood coursing through his veins. He was bordering death. In truth, perhaps one more extraction could've snuffed out his existence. This…
Pinaka solemnly analyzed him, "his psyche is in a mess. Bits of his soul flame was extracted crudely with his primal yang, his body has already lost all trace of vital energy. A vast majority of his body is in necrosis. He's only alive by a single thread, but in truth...this isn't considered alive."
Every word pounded Yan Zaizen's heart. "Can he recover?"
"...theoretically, yes. His body could be reconstructed, before then, his soul flame needs to be recovered so that a proper body can be extracted to house it. Then, his soul form needs to be repaired, his psyche will likely take hundreds of years to properly recover as his soul flame will be in disorder for quite some time after all this is finished. If nothing goes wrong during this entire process, perhaps. It'll all be fine if he has the will to continue."
Her words were like stabs into Yan Zaizen's heart. This state was very consistent with months of primal yang extraction, and it was already a miracle Bai Lufeng was even alive. With each passing moment, Yan Zaizen's eyes became darker and darker, containing an inkling of savageness. Observing the change in his mental state, Pinaka continued, "There might be another way. Using your life law to produce lifeforce and soulforce, you could recover him in a few years, but...it's not a guarantee."
To be honest, she wasn't sure if it'll help. Personally, she never saw someone who's been in such a state before. This was essentially death. A large reason why she felt it wasn't a guarantee was that...his primal yang was severely damaged. How could he recover this?
Wait!
"There is a third method," Pinaka's voice was filled with tyrannical ferocity and ice-cold decisiveness. Yan Zaizen's Mortal Dao was riled up, causing her words to be influenced greatly in tone.
"Third method?"
"Yes...all you have to do is obtain his primal yang that was extracted. To do that, you just need to completely extract the primal yin from the one who refined it. With that, your soulforce and lifeforce, his recovery would be all but assured."
"..."
Yan Zaizen was having a fierce internal conflict at the moment. It wasn't whether he should obtain the primal yin of Guàn Yao — that was a given — the conflict had to do with his actions towards the White Crane Sect.
Give them a choice: give up Guàn Yao or else?
OR.
Kill?
In truth, the majority of the White Crane Sect was innocent of this matter, thus giving them a choice was far more suitable, but his current emotions were incredibly turbulent as he looked at Bai Lufeng's desiccated body. However, if he was to kill Guàn Yao, then he'll be forming a lifetime grudge with the White Crane Sect, and his friends, families, and more may be in danger as a result. Either now or perhaps in the future.
He closed his eyes. Even if he gave them a choice, they'll still fight. They had the Mortal Dao of Unyielding Pride after all, they wouldn't capitulate to any lone person after a few words. Therefore, there was very little reason to give them a choice. Furthermore, it'll only give them time to prepare against him.
Pinaka could sense Yan Zaizen's conflict, and she silently waited. However, with his Mortal Dao, she already knew his choice. This contemplation was simply going through the motions. With this decision, he'll never have to contemplate a similar matter again. However, this decision wasn't an easy one.
Firstly, the concept of killing an entire sect was theoretically impossible. There were likely many members of the White Crane Sect in the Xiantu Empire stationed outside of the territory, outside the continent, or even traveling to neighboring realms, both important and unimportant.
Secondly, you'll have to be cold-blooded to slay toddlers in their cribs and children in their ignorance. Even if you did make such a decision, you'll still be brought back at the struggle of who to kill. Not everyone in the territory belongs to the White Crane Sect and the myriad of alliances that were created would lead to unintentional offense.
Thirdly, the vast area. The moment news of your slaughter spreads, everyone will depart at their quickest speeds, and even Yan Zaizen wouldn't be able to keep track of them all if he was delayed in combat.
With all these frustrating factors, the main one of keeping your identity a secret to protect your weaker loved ones was also incredibly difficult. In short, there was no clear way to perform the deed. As for the Earthly Titan Sect and Soaring Cloud Sect, no one knew that he was a part of the Yan Clan, even if they assumed, his strength in relation to the Yan Clan would suggest otherwise.
Thinking of all these things, he felt further frustrated.
After several minutes passed, Yan Zaizen's eyes opened revealing its amber-gold luster.
"I've made my decision."