Chapter 317: Human Sentiments and Worldly Ways

Qin Feng's words, "Take these two disgusting things away, don't dirty the place," acted like the final judgment, utterly shattering the psychological defenses of Lady Venomblade and Mephisto. The instant annihilation of the Blazing Sky Lord and the Annihilation Envoy had made them understand that this seemingly ordinary man possessed absolute power beyond their comprehension or resistance.

Resistance? It was no different from suicide.

The seductive smile on Lady Venomblade's face had vanished entirely, replaced by utter terror and pallor. Her hand gripping the dagger trembled slightly; the predatory gaze she once held toward Xia Wan was now filled with panic, as if she herself were the lamb about to be slaughtered.

Mephisto was slightly more composed, but the sweat on his temple and the faint twitch of his lips betrayed the storm within. His mind raced, scrambling for any possible chance of survival.

Xia Wan, having received Qin Feng's order, no longer hesitated. She stepped forward, her body wreathed in a soft golden energy glow, her aura locking onto the two. After the Trial of Miao Fa Xuan Zhou and Qin Feng's resource infusion, her strength was no longer what it had been; facing these two terrified intruders, she had full confidence.

"Wait!" At the very moment Xia Wan was about to act, Mephisto suddenly raised both hands in a non-threatening gesture and shouted rapidly, "Beautiful Madam! And Esteemed Lord! Please, let me speak!"

Xia Wan paused, turning to Qin Feng.

Qin Feng remained expressionless, neither approving nor stopping her, as if waiting for his next words.

Seeing a glimmer of hope, Mephisto took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his fear, and forced a professional but now stiff smile onto his face:

"Lord, Madam, we were blind and foolish to offend Your Honors—truly deserving of death!" He bowed deeply, lowering himself completely, "The Blazing Sky Lord and Nether Bone were fools who brought their own doom—deserved their fate! But I and Lady Venomblade have caused no real harm to this Madam or the Temple; please, Lord, show mercy!"

He spoke rapidly, giving Xia Wan no chance to interrupt, continuing: "I know empty pleas are meaningless. To express our remorse and sincerity, we are willing to pay a price! Compensation!"

As he spoke, he swiftly pulled several items from a simple-looking ring on his finger—clearly a space-storage device.

A fist-sized silver ore, its interior swirling like a nebula—"Void Star Marrow," a top-tier material for forging space artifacts.

A small vial containing three drops of golden liquid, radiating immense life energy—"Fountain of Life," capable of reviving the dead and regenerating flesh.

An ancient book bound in unknown beast hide, its cover stamped with flame runes—"Blazing Heaven Body Tempering Art" (clearly the signature technique of the recently slain Blazing Sky Lord).

"These are a few personal treasures of mine," Mephisto said, using energy to float the three items before Xia Wan, his eyes filled with hope, "though unworthy of Your Lordship's gaze, they may offer slight benefit to this Madam's cultivation. We beg only for our lives!"

Seeing this, Lady Venomblade snapped to attention, hastily sheathing her dagger and pulling out several vials of top-grade poisons, a strange body-movement secret manual, and a necklace capable of concealing aura—all of which she placed before Xia Wan, bowing her head, not daring to meet his gaze.

Xia Wan stared at the treasures floating before her, each radiating powerful energy signatures—clearly extraordinary items. She hesitated, glancing again at Qin Feng. How to handle these intruders, and whether to accept their "compensation," required Qin Feng's instruction.

Qin Feng's gaze swept over the items, his expression unchanging, as if they were mere ordinary stones.

He did not look at Mephisto or Lady Venomblade, but turned his eyes toward the tear in the energy curtain beyond the Temple—a tear slowly healing itself—as if gazing at something far deeper.

A moment of silence made Mephisto and Lady Venomblade's hearts rise to their throats.

Finally, Qin Feng spoke slowly, his voice still calm, yet no longer carrying its earlier icy killing intent:

"Keep the items."

Hearing this, Mephisto and Lady Venomblade instantly relaxed, as if hearing celestial music! Their lives were spared!

"Thank you, Lord! Thank you for sparing our lives!" They bowed deeply, nearly weeping with relief.

"People, leave." Qin Feng continued.

"Yes yes yes! We're leaving! Vanishing immediately!" Mephisto grabbed the still dazed Lady Venomblade and turned to sprint toward the space rift, not daring to linger a moment longer.

"Wait." Qin Feng's voice rang out again.

Both froze, nearly falling, and turned back trembling.

Qin Feng's gaze fell upon Mephisto for the first time—deep, as if piercing through all his pretenses and thoughts.

"Return, and tell the one who sent you."

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable, rule-like force, etching itself directly into their souls:

"This place—I protect."

"If you want to do business, follow my rules."

"If you want to reach out—"

Qin Feng paused. His tone did not change, but Mephisto and Lady Venomblade felt a chill rise from the depths of their souls.

"Cut off the hand."

Mephisto shuddered, bowing deeply: "Yes! I will deliver Your Lordship's words! I will deliver them!"

He dared not stay another instant, dragging Lady Venomblade away like a stray dog, sprinting at full speed into the space rift and vanishing.

With their departure, the rift sealed swiftly, the seven-colored energy curtain resuming its flow as if nothing had happened. Only the few "compensation" items floating before Xia Wan proved the brief, heart-stopping conflict had occurred.

Xia Wan looked at Qin Feng, filled with reflection. The Master's way of handling matters was always this… direct and effective. He crushed the stubborn with thunderous force, yet when opponents yielded and offered compensation, he showed mercy—and even used them to deliver a crystal-clear warning.

This was not merely overwhelming power—it was also… precise control over the situation.

Qin Feng turned his gaze back to Xia Wan and the items before her.

"These things," he pointed, "are still somewhat useful for your current stage. Keep them."

"Thank you, Master," Xia Wan gathered the treasures, her heart full of gratitude. She knew that without the Master, she would not only have failed to obtain these items—she might not even have survived.

Qin Feng gave a slight nod and turned toward the interior of the Temple.

Xia Wan watched his back and could not help asking the question weighing on her mind: "Master, why did you spare those two just now? Why let them carry a message back?"

In her view, these intruders coveted the Temple and her Origin Contract—killing them outright to eliminate future threats seemed more logical.

Qin Feng did not stop walking. His calm voice drifted on the wind, carrying a detached wisdom of worldly affairs:

"If I killed them all, who would carry the message?"

"Some troubles cannot be killed away."

"Let them feel pain, feel fear, understand the rules here—"

He paused, then spoke four words:

"Human Sentiments and Worldly Ways."

As his words faded, his figure vanished into the glow of the Temple.

Xia Wan stood where she was, savoring the four words: "Human Sentiments and Worldly Ways."

Against the backdrop of absolute power, "Human Sentiments and Worldly Ways" was not surrender—it was a more efficient, less exhausting form of wisdom: subduing enemies without battle, using their strength against them, drawing clear boundaries, and reducing unnecessary conflict and trouble.

The Master did not fail to understand these things.

He simply usually found them too tiresome to use.

But when he chose to, he could wield them just as effortlessly.

Xia Wan gazed at the tranquil Sacred Hall Plaza, then looked at the new treasures in her hand, gaining a deeper understanding of power, of rules, and of the way of conduct.

She took a deep breath and stepped toward the open gates of the Temple.

The final Trial was still waiting for her.