"Then how are you sure she's dead?" Zang Xu asked, confused. Without even seeing a body, how could they be certain she was dead?
"Those who pursued us said that if we dared to kill Xiao Qin, we would pay the price."
Zang Xu was silent for a moment. "So, the seven sects are certain Xiao Qin is dead, and that's why they're hunting you?"
"Reporting to the sect master, yes."
Zang Xu nodded slowly. "It seems necessary to capture a disciple from the seven sects and interrogate them. Wait here, I'll go find someone to ask."
Zang Xu's figure instantly moved beyond the ice plain, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Qi Hong's body went limp, and he collapsed onto the ground. "Why would the sect master be here?"
The few people exchanged glances and shook their heads. None of them had heard that the sect master would be waiting in this place. It was said that the sect master's cultivation had reached the peak of the Golden Core stage, and he could break through to the Nascent Soul stage at any moment, making it impossible for him to enter the secret realm. But who dared to impersonate the sect master of the Five Poisons Sect so boldly?
"Senior Brother Qi Hong, now that the sect master is here, are we safe?" a disciple suddenly asked. "After all, the strongest cultivation within this place is only at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage."
Just as Qi Hong felt they were safe and let down his guard, Zang Xu returned, holding someone. When Qi Hong saw the person Zang Xu was holding, he screamed in terror and scrambled away, rolling and crawling to the side. The others did the same.
Zang Xu was bewildered by their extreme reaction. "What are you doing?"
"A ghost... a ghost... a ghost..."
Xiao Man touched her nose. When had she become a ghost?
"Do you know her?"
The group nodded in unison, especially Qi Hong, who nodded so vigorously he feared Zang Xu wouldn't believe him.
"I ask you, do you know Xiao Qin?" Zang Xu ignored the noisy group and asked Xiao Man.
Xiao Man thought for a moment. "I suppose I do."
"Then let me ask you again, is she alive or dead?"
"Alive, I think," Xiao Man said, blinking uncertainly. With her standing alive and well before him, he dared to ask if she was dead or alive. Was he planning to kill her?
"Then why did the seven sects say she was dead?" Su Dan novel website
"I don't know about that either. I just heard about it," Xiao Man said with an innocent expression. She was alive and well, yet the seven sects were spreading rumors of her death everywhere. She was even starting to doubt if she was truly alive.
"Sect Master, she..."
"What about me?" Xiao Man turned to Qi Hong, a smile on her lips, which made Qi Hong swallow his words. His fear of Xiao Man was deeply ingrained. Even though he was now a direct disciple of the Five Poisons Sect, he still feared Xiao Man.
"Boy, which sect do you belong to?"
"I suppose I'm with the Hundred Herbs Hall," Xiao Man replied after some thought. "But I haven't officially joined yet."
"Since you're from the Hundred Herbs Hall, you must have seen Xiao Qin, right?"
"Yes," Xiao Man nodded affirmatively.
"What does she look like?"
Qi Hong and the others looked as if they had been struck by lightning. They didn't know whether to say their sect master was too powerful or too foolish. He had casually captured someone outside, only to apprehend Xiao Man herself, and foolishly, he didn't even know who she was.
"A nose, two eyes, a mouth. Just like an ordinary person," Xiao Man said with mock seriousness.
"Are there any distinguishing features?" Zang Xu asked, frowning, very dissatisfied with Xiao Man's flat description.
Xiao Man knitted her brows, carefully considering how to give a more vivid explanation. She then recounted what others thought of her. "People outside say she is ruthless and merciless, killing without batting an eye. Recently, she's even gotten a nickname: the 'Child-Bearing Guardian'."
"Child-Bearing Guardian? What does that mean?"
"It means she has a child with her."
Zang Xu's gaze at Xiao Man became peculiar. "A child? How many people in the secret realm have children with them?"
"Only her."
Zang Xu tried to recall the scene when he captured Xiao Man. It seemed this young fellow had been with a child at the time. However, that child had been given away to someone else. He had only intended to capture someone for questioning back then and hadn't paid much attention to the child. But now, Zang Xu was starting to get angry. After all this, he had captured Xiao Qin herself!
"So, you are Xiao Qin," Zang Xu gritted his teeth. He never imagined that by casually capturing someone, he would apprehend the person herself. What was even more infuriating was that this Xiao Qin dared to toy with him!
"Yes, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Xiao Qin, nicknamed the Child-Bearing Guardian. May I ask why you captured me?"
"You killed Luo Ke?"
"No," Xiao Man said calmly. "I didn't kill him. With my abilities, I still couldn't kill him."
Zang Xu nodded in agreement. "Then do you know who killed Luo Ke?"
"No," Xiao Man replied coolly.
"You don't know?" Zang Xu's face immediately turned cold. Not only did Xiao Man not reveal her identity immediately after being captured, but she also dared to deceive him. This added another capital offense to his mental list for Xiao Man. "Then why are people outside spreading rumors that Luo Ke killed you?"
"When a senior brother from the Thousand Mechanism Sect escaped, I was being pursued by Luo Ke. Later, he couldn't find me, so he assumed Luo Ke had killed me. In reality, I escaped by chance."
"By chance?" Zang Xu sneered. "Unfortunately, this time, you might not escape by chance."
Xiao Man's expression remained unchanged. "Senior, are you from the seven sects?"
"Yes and no."
"If you are from the seven sects, then we are of the same spirit. We have no deep enmity and no conflict of interest. Why are you making things difficult for me? After all, the seven sects share a common enemy, prosper together, and suffer together. Why engage in infighting?"
"You're quite eloquent, boy. Unfortunately, even with your silver tongue, you can't save your own life!"
Xiao Man looked at Qi Hong. "So, you wanted my life from the very beginning?"
"I didn't!" Qi Hong quickly denied. "I never thought of killing you."
Xiao Man scoffed. "You didn't, but they intended to take your life from the very beginning!"
Zang Xu was startled and immediately attacked. However, Xiao Man was faster, instantly grabbing Qi Hong and using him as a shield. To avoid harming Qi Hong, Zang Xu had to retract his power.
"Boy, release him, and I can spare your life."
"Do you take me for a three-year-old? Spare my life? I'm afraid you don't intend to let anyone who entered this secret realm leave alive!" Xiao Man retreated, holding Qi Hong hostage. "Senior, please don't act rashly, or I might get agitated, and his life will be forfeit. Then your plans will be ruined, which would be unfortunate."
Zang Xu gritted his teeth. He never thought he would be outsmarted by a young brat one day.