Chapter 1495: Lian Hou
Inside the Extreme Pleasure Underground Palace, imprisoned were proud daughters of heavens from various races and great worlds, a vast number, each extremely beautiful, all at least at the Half-Saint level of cultivation.
Some were locked inside Nether Iron cages, others confined in prison cells, like pieces of merchandise offered for selection by visiting distinguished guests.
Outside the iron cages and prison cells, jade stone plaques were embedded, inscribed with text introducing various aspects of the imprisoned proud daughters of heavens: age, race, identity, cultivation realm, physique... and so on.
Zhang Ruochen followed behind Chang Fengxu, walking past one iron cage after another, one prison cell after another, observing those enslaved women. He noticed that on their brows, there was a blood-red slave mark, sealing their Saint Qi and cultivation.
Their eyes, however, were dim and lifeless. Only when they stared at Zhang Ruochen and Chang Fengxu did they reveal hostility and murderous intent.
Once, they were exceptionally graceful and charming. Some were princesses of an empire, some were holy maidens of an ancient sect, some were even daughters of Great Saints. Countless cultivators pursued them, regarding them as lofty goddesses. But now... they were merely lowly slaves.
One could imagine the resentment, the anger, and the... despair in their hearts.
Zhang Ruochen sighed inwardly, but on his face, he revealed a smile and said, "Such heavy resentment."
"No matter how heavy the resentment, what can they do? With the slave mark suppressing them, their cultivation and power are all sealed. They can't even die if they want to. They can only obey the commands of the slave mark controller." Chang Fengxu said with a cold laugh.
Hearing the words "slave mark controller," the women in several nearby prison cells trembled slightly, showing expressions of fear.
Ji Fanxin, walking behind Zhang Ruochen, had eyes as cold as the extreme cold, brewing a monstrous killing intent within her. Along the way, she had already seen seven proud daughters of heavens from the Thousand Petal Realm.
As the leader of this generation of the Thousand Petal Realm, Ji Fanxin wanted desperately to rescue them, regardless of the consequences.
"Stay calm. Don't reveal your identity. The formation sealing the underground palace is extremely powerful. Even with your cultivation realm, I doubt you could break out by force." Zhang Ruochen secretly transmitted his voice, worried that Ji Fanxin couldn't suppress the anger in her heart.
The deeper they went into the underground palace, Zhang Ruochen finally saw a proud daughter of heavens at the Saint King realm, imprisoned inside a tower-shaped structure.
Outside the tower-shaped structure, her information was written: "Ruler Realm, Snake Clan's Queen, Green Luo King, cultivated for one thousand two hundred years, cultivation reached Third Step Saint King, price forty million Saint Stones."
That Snake Clan Queen had a human head and snake body, with a slave mark also engraved on her brow.
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen noticed that Ji Fanxin had gone alone to another tower-shaped structure.
"This fairy is really troublesome. As a maidservant, she doesn't obediently follow her master but runs around everywhere. Isn't she afraid that the evil path experts of the Yin Yang Hall will see through her?"
Zhang Ruochen quickly followed, his eyes widening as he transmitted a spiritual power: "Do you want to get me killed?"
Ji Fanxin stood motionless outside the tower-shaped structure, as if she hadn't heard Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power transmission at all.
Sensing something was wrong, Zhang Ruochen followed Ji Fanxin's gaze and looked into the tower-shaped structure.
Inside, a woman at the Saint King realm was imprisoned, her hands and feet bound with red iron chains. Because she was lying on the ground, her face couldn't be seen clearly.
However, detailed information about her was recorded outside the tower-shaped structure:
"Thousand Petal Realm, Peony Clan's Imperial Daughter, Dan Ling King, age unknown, cultivation reached Fourth Step Saint King realm."
"Is she Ji Fanxin's senior sister?"
Just as Zhang Ruochen made this guess, he saw that the tips of Ji Fanxin's fingers were glowing with Saint light, as if she was about to attack the tower-shaped structure.
Concern clouds judgment.
Any cultivator seeing their close senior sister suffering such abuse would definitely lose control of their emotions and want to immediately rescue her.
"Not good."
Zhang Ruochen sensed Chang Fengxu approaching in this direction, so he moved like lightning, grabbing Ji Fanxin's wrist and pulling her into his embrace. His other hand pressed against her back, tightly restraining her.
Ji Fanxin never expected Zhang Ruochen to be so bold as to attack her and hold her tightly. This was simply asking for death!
Just as Ji Fanxin was about to break free from Zhang Ruochen's restraint, she heard Chang Fengxu's voice in her ear: "Sir, are you interested in that Peony Clan's Imperial Daughter?"
Beside Chang Fengxu was another person.
The two of them had already walked to within ten steps of Zhang Ruochen and Ji Fanxin.
Ji Fanxin was greatly shocked. In an instant, she regained her rationality and quickly withdrew her Saint power, allowing Zhang Ruochen to hold her in his arms.
It was precisely because Zhang Ruochen's body was tall enough to completely block her that the two people walking from behind didn't notice anything unusual.
"I... I warn you, don't go too far. Otherwise, after we get out, I'll make you understand what regret means." Ji Fanxin seemed to have compromised, her delicate body leaning against Zhang Ruochen's chest.
Zhang Ruochen, with one arm around her slender waist, turned around and looked at Chang Fengxu with a smile, asking, "This Peony Clan's Imperial Daughter doesn't seem to have a price marked."
Chang Fengxu said, "This woman once cultivated under the Mandala Flower God. Her spiritual will is extremely strong. Even with the slave mark engraved, it's somewhat unable to suppress her. She's still in the taming stage, continuing to wear down her will. Only when the slave mark can completely control her can she be formally sold."
"Ah..."
Just then, a miserable scream came from inside the tower-shaped structure.
Everyone immediately looked inside.
That Peony Clan's Imperial Daughter, bound hand and foot, had awakened. But as soon as she moved her delicate body slightly, the iron chains released a large amount of flames and lightning, continuously striking her body.
That Peony Clan's Imperial Daughter immediately let out a long, miserable scream. After a moment, she fainted again.
This was an inhuman torture. Every time she woke up, lightning and flames would strike her. This had been repeated continuously for several months.
If this continued, even a Saint King would be tormented into a daze, all spiritual will and sharpness worn away clean, eventually becoming a piece of merchandise, a slave.
Zhang Ruochen sensed Ji Fanxin trembling slightly, a layer of mist covering her eyes.
After all, this holy and dignified Hundred Flowers Fairy had always lived in a fairy-tale-like world, receiving countless praises, interacting only with cultivators who pursued and revered her. How could she know that the world had such a dark side?
What she had seen and heard in the Yin Yang Hall was even more cruel than she had imagined.
A golden-robed man standing beside Chang Fengxu suddenly spoke, "What's the point of a Saint King realm beauty being tormented into a walking corpse? I'm very interested in this Imperial Daughter. Name a price!"
Chang Fengxu showed a troubled expression and said, "I can't make this decision. I must report to Lady Lian Hou."
Chang Fengxu headed toward the lower levels of the Extreme Pleasure Underground Palace, leaving only Zhang Ruochen, the golden-robed man, and Ji Fanxin outside the tower-shaped structure.
That golden-robed man wore a mask on his face and carried treasures that concealed his aura and cultivation.
Zhang Ruochen couldn't see through his cultivation, but he vaguely sensed that this person's cultivation was definitely at the Saint King realm.
"Are you also interested in this Peony Clan's Imperial Daughter?" The golden-robed man stared at Zhang Ruochen, a hint of contemptuous smile in his tone.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Beautiful slaves at the Saint King level aren't something you can buy just anywhere. Of course, I'm interested."
The golden-robed man was somewhat displeased and said, "I... I advise you not to compete with me. Whether in wealth or strength, you're far inferior."
"Heh."
Zhang Ruochen rarely encountered such an arrogant and self-important being. He just smiled coldly and didn't say more.
However, when he locked eyes with the golden-robed man, Zhang Ruochen had a rather strange thought. The other's gaze seemed quite familiar. Had he seen him somewhere before?
A moment later, the temperature in the Extreme Pleasure Underground Palace became bitterly cold, making even Zhang Ruochen shiver slightly.
What surprised Zhang Ruochen even more was that, not far from him, an extremely enchanting beautiful woman had appeared out of nowhere. In terms of beauty alone, she was only half a step behind Ji Fanxin.
Even the golden-robed man hadn't noticed when that enchanting woman had appeared beside him. He was clearly startled as well, involuntarily stepping back half a step.
"Lian Hou." The golden-robed man said solemnly.
Was she one of the leaders of the Yin Yang Realm, Lian Hou?
Zhang Ruochen couldn't help but carefully examine her. But this famously formidable Lady Lian Hou, aside from being breathtakingly beautiful, had no other extraordinary features. No powerful Saint might, no imposing gaze. She was like a delicate, enchanting woman without the strength to truss a chicken.
If one didn't know her identity, many men would probably madly rush forward, wanting to possess her.
Since he knew her identity, Zhang Ruochen was naturally very cautious, maintaining high vigilance. How could he dare to have any evil thoughts?
Plotting against her would probably result in dying without even a trace left.
However, Lian Hou seemed very interested in Zhang Ruochen. After arriving, her ink-black phoenix eyes fixed on him, staring so intently that Zhang Ruochen felt a chill in his heart. He even suspected that she had already seen through his transformation technique.
After a long while, Lian Hou shifted her gaze to the golden-robed man and said, "Sir is also an old customer of the Yin Yang Hall. I won't overcharge. Give me sixty million Saint Stones, and you can take her away now."
This was indeed a shockingly high price, not easily affordable even for a Nine-Step Saint King.
This price exceeded the golden-robed man's budget, so he hesitated.
Ji Fanxin's fingers fiercely pinched Zhang Ruochen's waist, almost tearing off a piece of his flesh.
Enduring the pain, Zhang Ruochen quickly spoke up, "Sixty million Saint Stones, I'll take her."