NOVEL NEXT Chapter 161: Torturing the Fool
Wen Ran simply watched the coward collapse onto his butt, trembling violently as if he'd encountered the devil himself. The sight filled Wen Ran with a twisted delight, and his crimson eyes reflected both amusement and disdain. With an intentionally lazy motion, he lifted his sword to rest casually upon his shoulder, regarding the terrified man as if he were nothing more than a pathetic insect.
"Get up. Are you even a man?" Wen Ran's voice dripped with contempt, yet to the shaking youth on the ground, it sounded as though the god of death himself demanded an answer, as if the slightest misstep could spell the end of his worthless life.
"W-we can work this out! My master... h-he's a powerful elder in my sect! What do you want? Riches? Women? Power? Name anything!" the man practically shrieked, panic overtaking reason. "As long as you spare my life, my master will reward you generously!" His desperate pleas filled the air, his voice nearly breaking as he spoke. He knew deep down the ruthless way Wen Ran slaughtered his brother meant this madman would not hesitate to kill him as well. Relying on his powerful background was now meaningless—perhaps even fatal.
Wen Ran only laughed darkly at the pitiful attempt, his cold crimson eyes flashing dangerously. "Do you take me for a fool? The moment I meet your master, I'll die where I stand." His lips curled into a sinister smile, savoring the fear in the man's eyes. "That was your first mistake. One more wrong answer, and you'll be fish food. Am I clear?"
With lightning speed, Wen Ran thrust his sword forward, halting it just in front of the man's face, the razor-sharp tip pressing coldly against the very tip of his nose. The terrified youth's eyes went wide, forced to stare cross-eyed at the blade trembling mere millimeters from piercing his flesh. From Wen Ran's perspective, the sheer horror in the man's expression was almost amusing enough to make him laugh again.
"Y-yes," the man stammered again, voice trembling and unsteady.
"Stop stuttering! Pull yourself together, you worm!" Wen Ran barked sharply, causing Lie Xunyu to flinch as though struck. "Now tell me—where exactly are you from, and what was your purpose in coming here? And I suggest you don't leave out any details, or I'll gladly kill you right here, right now."
Wen Ran pressed his blade forward ever so slightly, its razor-sharp tip puncturing the delicate skin of Lie Xunyu's nose. A thin trickle of blood dripped slowly down, staining the frightened man's once-haughty face. Yet he dared not flinch further or even breathe too heavily. He sat frozen in absolute terror, his earlier arrogance evaporating like morning dew beneath a scorching sun. In his eyes, Wen Ran was no longer human—he had become a devil, an executioner who would mercilessly harvest his soul at the slightest provocation.
"M-my name is Lie Xunyu! I'm here on orders from my sect—the great Scarlet Inferno Pavilion! W-we were sent to hunt down a demon-path cultivator hiding in these mountains!" he blurted out rapidly, voice shaking as if the words might choke him. "We stumbled upon your cave purely by accident, I swear on my life! We had absolutely no intention of harming you or your grandfather!"
Slash!
With ruthless precision, Wen Ran swung his blade swiftly across Lie Xunyu's face, slicing cleanly through flesh and bone. Lie Xunyu's nose fell away in a grotesque manner, tumbling onto the ground with a sickening splatter.
"AAARRRGGGHHH!"
The man's agonized shriek pierced the tranquil air of the mountain, echoing out into the surrounding forests. He fell onto his back, writhing on the dirt as his face erupted with blood, staining his previously elegant robes a vibrant crimson.
"Wrong answer," Wen Ran remarked coldly, his crimson eyes narrowed with cruel amusement. "You came here intending harm, and you know it very well."
He took another deliberate step closer, gaze locked onto the writhing figure of Lie Xunyu. Yet, just as Wen Ran approached, Lie Xunyu's desperation surged, and he channeled all of his remaining spiritual energy into a sudden, explosive burst of flames from his palm. The blazing surge, filled with panic-driven ferocity, raced toward Wen Ran's heart, hoping to claim revenge in one last-ditch effort.
Yet Wen Ran merely sneered in response, sidestepping effortlessly as though dancing through the flickering flames. His sword flashed once again, leaving behind a ghostly afterimage.
"I suppose you won't be needing those anymore either. What a pity," Wen Ran mocked mercilessly.
Lie Xunyu barely registered what happened next before his entire world collapsed into excruciating agony. Both of his hands were sliced cleanly off at the wrists, falling limply onto the ground amidst pools of blood.
The battlefield descended into gruesome chaos. Lie Xunyu howled desperately, writhing and kicking, his proud demeanor utterly shattered. Wen Ran gazed down at the pitiful scene, crimson eyes glinting coldly beneath the sunlight as he watched this arrogant youth reduced to a screaming, helpless mess.
"Enough!"
A sudden shout broke through the air, followed by a flaming arrow that shot swiftly from the cave's direction, piercing cleanly through Lie Xunyu's head. The impact was instantaneous, silencing the man's agonized cries forever as his body slumped lifelessly onto the blood-soaked ground, eyes wide with lingering fear.
Wen Ran turned sharply, his crimson eyes narrowing as he saw his master, Xiao Lingyun, standing unsteadily at the cave entrance. The old man's figure was frail, his body trembling visibly as he clung desperately to the rocks for support.
"The longer you torture him here," Xiao Lingyun spoke, his voice strained and weak, yet carrying undeniable authority, "the less useful information you will gain, and the faster the experts from his sect will descend upon us." He paused briefly, struggling to maintain his balance. "We need to leave immediately—I can feel powerful auras gathering nearby. They've likely tracked us down already."
Wen Ran let out a cold laugh, the adrenaline of battle still coursing through his veins, lending his voice a sharp, mocking edge. "Can you even move in your current condition, old man?" he sneered dismissively. The warmth, the concern he had shown earlier had vanished completely, replaced now by an icy, merciless cruelty. This sudden shift did not escape Xiao Lingyun's experienced eyes, causing a faint flicker of worry to pass over his expression.