This was actually an unnecessary step for him.
Cultivators at his level no longer needed to breathe like mortals.
Holding his breath was a trivial matter.
But whether it was an illusion or not,
Even though he had temporarily severed his sense of smell, Ling Hefan still felt his nasal cavity filled with an explosive stench...
This tanginess was enough to leave him with a lifelong shadow...
"Holy shit!" Frostmourne wailed, "Couldn't you have just put me back in the ring first, you bastard!"
Unfortunately, Ling Hefan had no time to spare for him; he was desperately swimming.
Afraid to use his true qi, he could only rely on his limbs.
He was paddling with all his might!
The result was that his nose, ears, and eyes were all filled with excrement...
At this moment, Ling Hefan had some regrets...
He felt like dying...
He, the dignified Hall Master of Lingxiao Hall, had fallen into such a state!
Damn it!
It was all Ye Fan's fault!
Huh?
Why did he suddenly think of that guy?
No matter, this was his fault!
If he hadn't destroyed my foundation back then, would I have ended up like this today?!
Ye Fan, you just wait!
One day, I will return all of this tenfold!
Soon.
Ling Hefan abandoned all distracting thoughts and paddled desperately!
At this moment, he unleashed unprecedented potential.
Every single hair on his body was madly swimming through filth!
At this moment.
He had become Sweeney Todd!
He was not alone!
Meanwhile.
The imperial physician had just arrived when Qu Baobao heard a dull thud from the privy.
"Fellow Daoist!"
Qu Baobao cried out in surprise and immediately burrowed in.
He even saw the splash caused by Ling Hefan falling in...
Qu Baobao's whole body trembled!
Fellow Daoist had fallen into the latrine and drowned!
With a heavy heart, he left the privy.
"Lord Wan?" the imperial physician asked cautiously, "Who exactly is feeling unwell?"
This imperial physician had only recently taken up his post in the palace and hadn't yet received the 'baptism' from the two great lords.
Therefore, he was one of the few sober individuals in the entire imperial palace.
This meant that he lived every day in trepidation...
Facing such a group of individuals every day was enough to overwhelm anyone!
But the problem was that he couldn't leave now and could only continue to live his days in fear, each day feeling like a year...
"It's nothing..." Qu Baobao sighed, "You can go back."
The imperial physician felt as if he had been granted a great amnesty!
He vanished instantly!
Then Qu Baobao wriggled away.
In front of the main hall.
When Qu Baobao returned, the mutated demonic beasts were still having a wild time.
However, several surrounding palaces had been affected and collapsed on the spot.
"Lord Wan, what is this?" Liang Dekuai saw him return and casually asked.
"Your Majesty," Qu Baobao said with a mournful expression, "The fellow Daoist who pledged allegiance to us earlier has fallen into the cesspool and drowned... It is my failure to guard him, please punish me, Your Majesty."
"Is that so?" Liang Dekuai was clearly taken aback and his expression also turned sorrowful.
"Never mind," he then instructed his personal eunuch, "Announce that we will have extra dishes later."
The dead cannot be brought back to life.
Only by means of delicious food could they mourn their deceased fellow Daoist.
May he journey well in the netherworld!
A few minutes later.
The mutated demonic beasts finally finished their 'fun'.
They all pulled up their pants and returned.
"These guys are yours now."
The black ape said to Liang Dekuai, then led his subordinates away.
As for Daoming and the others, they lay motionless on the ground, looking utterly devoid of will to live...
Who knew what they had just experienced...
At this moment, not only were they severely injured, but their cultivation had also been sealed...
Each of them was extremely weak.
This situation was far beyond their comprehension!
Given their cultivation levels, even if they were severely injured, their physical defenses would still be in place.
Even if they couldn't fight back, ordinary novices wouldn't be able to harm them in the slightest.
But the reality was that their current physical condition was almost identical to that of mortals!
They even suspected that even an ordinary mortal could kill them with a single strike!
This was not cultivating the Dao at all!
Escaping at this point was obviously out of the question, so they could only...
Upon thinking that their fate was to be at the mercy of a group of mentally unsound individuals, Daoming and the others felt like crawling into a hole and disappearing.
A lifetime of shame!
Unfulfilled regrets!
Meanwhile.
"Your Majesty, how should these people be dealt with?" The Prime Minister immediately inquired.
"Does that even need to be asked?" a military officer said dismissively, "These people attempted to assassinate His Majesty, so it's naturally a capital offense!"
He hadn't eaten enough just now.
If these people didn't die, how could they have more dishes?
"Yes, execute them, and we can continue the feast!"
Other military officers echoed in agreement.
"But these people are enemies." a civil official worried, "If the enemies die, can we still have a feast? That doesn't make sense!"
"That's why you're considered pedantic!" the military officer scoffed, "Don't you know that death is paramount? Once someone is dead, does it matter if they were an enemy? Let's just have the feast!"
...
The two groups argued for a long time without reaching a consensus and all looked towards Liang Dekuai, the emperor.
"I've remembered!"
Liang Dekuai suddenly slapped his thigh, a burst of excited light flashing in his eyes.
"Didn't the two old seniors create a batch of unsuccessful elixirs earlier? We can use them to test their efficacy!"
Upon hearing this, everyone's faces turned ashen!
"Wouldn't that be too cruel?"
"I remember that Lord Li's brain was damaged after accidentally taking a faulty elixir!"
"Now that you mention it, my neighbor, Lord Wang, also suffered the same fate and is still bedridden!"
...
The ministers chattered amongst themselves, patting their chests in feigned fear.
When the old seniors' elixirs worked, they were truly effective.
But when they went wrong, they were truly terrifying!
If one's brain was damaged, wouldn't they become imbeciles? What would be the point of living then...
His Majesty is truly wicked!
But I like it!
Heh heh heh!
They spoke without consciously lowering their voices.
Therefore, Daoming and the others heard everything clearly.
After listening, they were all devastated!
People with mental issues usually don't think they have mental issues.
But now.
A group of mentally unsound individuals said that after taking that stuff, they would become mentally unsound!
This was no longer describable as terrifying!
They had originally thought that death might await them.
But now, it seemed their imagination was too beautiful...
If they took that stuff, at the very least, they would become like them!
If that were the case, they might as well be killed with a single blow...
In their despairing eyes, Liang Dekuai pulled a large pile of small porcelain bottles from his ring.
He distributed them, bottle by bottle, to the surrounding ministers, palace maids, and eunuchs.
Then, these people, carrying this terrifying substance, approached them...
On their faces, smiles even appeared!
However, at this moment, these smiles, in Daoming and the others' eyes, had become death knells...
"You're injured," Liang Dekuai knelt beside Daoming and patted his head kindly, "Here, take your medicine. You'll be fine after taking it."
Daoming naturally refused.
Gritting his teeth, he desperately shook his head!
Thank you!
I don't need it!
"Don't be afraid," Liang Dekuai took out a dark pill and dangled it in front of Daoming, "Although this thing doesn't look very appealing, it tastes really good."
As soon as this pill was brought out, Daoming almost fainted...
He lacked the words.
He truly didn't know what words to use to describe this perverted smell!
This thing didn't even need to be eaten.
Just smelling it would take half a life...
"Thank you, Your Majesty..." Daoming squeezed out of his teeth, "But I feel fine and don't need medicine..."
"No, you need it." Liang Dekuai smiled kindly.
"Your Majesty, I really don't need it..."
"No, you do!"
"I don't..."
"I told you," Liang Dekuai's expression suddenly turned sinister, a strange gleam of excitement flickering in his eyes, "You, need it!"
Daoming simply stopped speaking.
He closed his eyes.
A silent refusal.