Chapter 691: The Past of Pei Jiuye

Pei Jiuye walked over with long, swift strides, raised his hand, and made a clawing motion with his five fingers.

Ye Lin felt as if the air around him had instantly solidified; his entire body flew up uncontrollably, and he found it difficult to even move a single finger.

"All of you, disperse."

No sooner had Pei Jiuye finished speaking than the disciples who had been watching the commotion scattered in a rush, none daring to linger for even a moment, as if avoiding snakes and scorpions.

After dispersing the disciples, Pei Jiuye brought Ye Lin to the Punishment Hall.

The Punishment Hall was inconspicuous within the Joyous Union Sect; at first glance, one might mistake it for the cave dwelling of some ordinary cultivator.

But only after opening the door and heading down would one discover that there was a whole other world beneath the ground.

Slippery, moss-covered steps led all the way down, with faint candlelight flickering on the walls.

Beneath the ground was a vast space; a stench of blood mixed with rot assaulted the nostrils, and the foul air was nauseating.

The first things to catch the eye were a series of bizarre torture devices, and one could even see some terrifying Gu insects.

Like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered, Ye Lin was hung up on a torture rack by Pei Jiuye.

Afterward, Pei Jiuye washed his hands thoroughly before slowly walking over to Ye Lin and casting a glance at him.

"Tender skin and soft flesh—I love torturing cultivators like you the most. Don't worry, since the Hall Master has spoken, I will certainly leave you with a breath of life."

"Wait a moment, please wait a moment! Could you please release one of my hands first?" Ye Lin said hurriedly.

"What is it? What are you trying to do?"

Pei Jiuye snapped his fingers, and one of Ye Lin's hands regained its ability to move.

Ye Lin hurriedly took out a storage ring and handed it to Pei Jiuye.

"Well, Elder Pei, could you please be a little flexible?"

Although he possessed an undying body, who would want to be tortured if they had nothing better to do?

Unexpectedly, upon seeing this, a look of disappointment flashed in the depths of Pei Jiuye's eyes.

"I thought you might have some clever trick up your sleeve, but it turns out to be bribery again. I've seen this tactic too many times. The pittance you disciples offer is simply not enough for me to..."

Pei Jiuye suddenly widened his eyes!

Because it was only at this moment that he finally discovered how staggering the contents of the storage ring Ye Lin had given him were.

Inside, they were all top-grade Immortal Source Stones! And there were at least a full thousand of them!

This was a thousand top-grade Immortal Source Stones; this amount was not insignificant, even for a Punishment Elder like him!

It was because Ye Lin's Joyful Zoo had been expanding, accumulating a massive amount of wealth for him over the past few years.

Ordinary Heaven-Tier cultivators, let alone a thousand top-grade Immortal Source Stones, would find it difficult to scrape together even a hundred if they emptied their entire bodies.

"Ahem, ahem."

Pei Jiuye coughed twice, a smile appearing on his face.

However, coupled with his half-rotted face, this smile looked rather sinister no matter how one viewed it.

"Being flexible isn't impossible, but you certainly cannot walk out of here unscathed; otherwise, I won't be able to account for it."

Pei Jiuye flipped his palm, and a medicinal pill appeared in it.

"Come, eat this. This is a Numbing Pill; once consumed, it can temporarily make you immune to pain."

After Ye Lin took the pill, a sharp dagger appeared in Pei Jiuye's hand.

"Don't be afraid. This Elder's blade is very fast, and with the Numbing Pill, I guarantee you won't feel a thing."

Swish, swish, swish, swish!

A flash of blade light flickered, and countless wounds appeared on Ye Lin's body.

Fresh blood seeped continuously from the wounds, instantly staining Ye Lin's robes red; he looked just like a blood-soaked gourd.

Yet, despite the miserable appearance, Ye Lin had actually only suffered superficial wounds. For a cultivator, this level of injury would fully recover after a night of rest, even without any pills.

It had to be said that Pei Jiuye, as the Punishment Elder, truly possessed some genuine skill.

"Alright, stay here a while longer. In a moment, just go out looking like this."

Pei Jiuye put away the dagger.

"By the way, after you go out, don't go around talking nonsense! Otherwise, even bribery won't work next time!"

"Don't worry, Elder, this disciple understands!" Ye Lin nodded repeatedly.

"Hmm."

Pei Jiuye waved his hand, and the restrictions on Ye Lin's body vanished. He climbed down from the torture rack and regained his freedom of movement.

"You're a new face, kid. How did you join the No-Thought Hall?"

With nothing better to do, Pei Jiuye became interested in Ye Lin; he hadn't been present when Ye Lin took the No-Thought Hall Master's assessment earlier.

"By talent," Ye Lin replied truthfully.

"Oh? Since you were able to join the No-Thought Hall as a male disciple, it seems your talent is indeed very strong. Heaven-Tier single spiritual root? Or a Saint Body?"

"Neither. I have a Forbidden Spiritual Root."

Ye Lin saw no need to hide it; if Pei Jiuye were willing to inquire, he could find out from Elder Xi and the others at any time.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Pei Jiuye stood up with a start, his eyes filled with excitement.

"A Forbidden Spiritual Root?! Are you truly a Forbidden Spiritual Root? Then how did you avoid the Heavenly Tribulation?"

"I relied on my clansmen," Ye Lin said.

"Oh? You were born into a prominent family with great cultivators?" Pei Jiuye raised an eyebrow.

"No, I used them as sacrifices," Ye Lin said, spreading his hands.

Pei Jiuye: "..."

He finally understood why this kid would join a demonic sect like the Joyous Union Sect.

"Besides sacrificing your clansmen, is there no other way?"

"Are you out of clansmen too?" Ye Lin asked in surprise.

"Hmm."

A look of sorrow appeared in Pei Jiuye's eyes.

"I originally had some, but unfortunately, I was young and frivolous back then and offended someone I shouldn't have. That person wiped out my entire family and snatched away my wife."

"I fell into the demonic path because of this, because I needed power! Power to take revenge!"

"In the end, I achieved success in my cultivation, defeated my enemy, and snatched my wife back, but unfortunately, he managed to escape."

"He also chose to cultivate the demonic path, defeated me in turn, and snatched my wife away again. I barely managed to escape with my life."

"Afterward, I snatched my wife back several more times, only for her to be snatched away by my enemy several more times."

Hearing this, Ye Lin couldn't help himself and asked.

"Are you two playing 'Pass the Wife'?"

"Listen to me finish. The time I stepped into the Cave-Abyss Realm, my wife was determined to stay with my enemy. She said she was already carrying his child and urged me to let go of my hatred."

"I was utterly devastated at the time. It was also on that day that I completely turned to the demonic path and blood-sacrificed my enemy, my wife, and everyone in the entire city! Since then, I have been alone in this world."

After hearing Pei Jiuye's story, Ye Lin couldn't help but feel a multitude of emotions.

"Sigh, Elder Pei, you are a tragic soul. But fortunately, you are clear-headed enough to know that one's own strength is what matters most—refining an entire city of people in a single day."

Pei Jiuye nodded, a look of secret pride appearing on his face.

Unlike the righteous path, those on the demonic path naturally compete over who is more wicked.

The act of blood-sacrificing a city had greatly boosted Pei Jiuye's reputation and allowed him to firmly establish his footing in the demonic path; it was also the thing he was most proud of.

"By the way, Elder Pei, what about the second day? How many cities did you blood-sacrifice on the second day?" Ye Lin asked with a look of curiosity.

"?"

"What do you mean by how many cities I blood-sacrificed on the second day?"