Chapter 79: A Huge Gap and Entering Dragon’s Den

The man in dark robes tried to activate his soul escape technique, a forbidden method that would destroy his body but allow his soul to flee and possess a prepared vessel elsewhere.

The Soul Escape Technique was considered a forbidden method for a reason but the price was heavy.

The process damaged the soul and weakened its connection to the body it would later possess. Even with a prepared vessel, the cultivator could not immediately recover their former strength and would need time to adapt.

There was also the risk of failure. If the vessel rejected the invading soul, both could suffer severe damage. Because of these risks, most cultivators only used the technique when death was already certain.

For the man in dark robes, however, there was no other choice.

It was expensive, but definitely better than being captured.

The old man’s hand touched his forehead. Spiritual energy flooded into the man’s consciousness, disrupting the technique before it could fully activate.

"None of that now." He was still smiling, his tone as pleasant as ever. "A soul technique in front of two Peak Nascent Souls?" He gave a small shake of his head. "That’s just insulting."

The Nascent Soul Realm was already a major step in soul cultivation. By this stage, a cultivator’s soul had become far stronger and more stable than that of lower-realm cultivators. They could sense the soul of others, protect their own, and resist many basic soul techniques with little difficulty.

The technique was still extremely useful against weaker cultivators. It could bypass physical defenses, damage the soul directly, and in some cases end a fight before the opponent could react.

But for someone at the Peak Nascent Soul Realm, an attack like this was hardly worth worrying about.

It wasn’t that soul technique was weak.

The problem was that the gap between them was simply too large.

Immediately afterwards a third presence descended, it was Hei Lang, the bear-kin, his single eye locked on the man with predatory aura. Even though Hei Lang’s a Core Formation Realm cultivator, but his physical strength was monstrous even by cultivator standards.

Years of brutal body refining, combined with the unique bloodline of his clan, had turned him into something closer to a living siege weapon than a man.

"Need me to hold him?" Hei Lang’s voice was low as he was barely containing his violence.

"Please," Yan Ruo said.

Massive hands closed around the man’s arms. The bear-kin’s grip was absolute, even if the man had been at full strength, breaking free would have been impossible.

Two more figures appeared. The twin Nascent Soul brothers, moving in perfect synchronization. They didn’t speak but simply took positions flanking the captive, their combined spiritual pressure created a cage that would alert them to any escape attempt.

Four Nascent Soul cultivators and a Monstrous Body Cultivator. Even injured, and crippled by their years of slavery, the sheer concentrated power was overwhelming.

The man in dark robes finally understood just how badly he underestimated what Yu Liang had planned.

Peak Nascent Soul cultivators working as security?

What kind of restaurant needed that?

"N-No..." he whispered, staring at them. "No one... no one would put this many resources into a restaurant."

A thought slowly formed in the man’s mind.

This restaurant couldn’t possibly be the real purpose behind all of this. No one would gather this many powerful people and spend so many resources simply to run a restaurant. There has to be to be something else happening behind the scenes.

The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became.

If Yu Liang had known what the man was thinking, he probably would have laughed. There was no hidden operation or larger scheme behind the restaurant.

He had built it for one simple reason.

System Cashback.

"Clearly someone does." Yan Ruo crouched to eye level. "Now. You’re going to tell us who sent you, what they want, and who else knows about this place. And you’re going to do it quickly, because my colleague here?" She gestured to the still smiling cultivator. "He used to work in interrogation for the Imperial Army."

The man’s smile slowly widened. "Those were good times."

The captured cultivator felt a chill run through him.

The Imperial Army’s interrogators were known for two things: getting answers and having methods no one wanted to experience firsthand they call it Creativity.

The rumors about what they did to prisoners were already bad enough.

He really didn’t want to find out which ones were true.

"I’ll talk," he said quickly. "I’ll tell you everything."

"Smart man." Yan Ruo stood up. "Hei Lang, bring him."

The bear-kin lifted the prisoner like he weighed nothing. The group moved through the shadows without making a sound, quickly carrying their captive away from the area without attracting the attention of the city guards.

They disappeared into a warehouse three blocks from Heaven’s Table, one of several properties Yu Liang had quietly acquired over the past week.

Inside, in an office overlooking the main floor, Yu Liang was reviewing the accounts. When he sensed the familiar spiritual pressure approaching then stopped at door, he paused and set down his brush.

"Bring him in," he called.

The prisoner was dragged before him, bleeding and broken but alive. Five Nascent Soul cultivators stood in a semi-circle behind the captive, their presence alone making the air feel heavy.

The prisoner was dragged before him, bleeding and broken but still alive. The others spread out around Yu Liang, keeping the captive in front of them while making sure no one could get close to him.

"Good evening," Yu Liang said politely. "I was told you have information for me."

The man in dark robes stared at the young Qi Condensation cultivator giving orders to people far stronger than himself.

He spoke as if this was completely normal, as though he had never considered that the people standing before him could be a threat.

And finally understood.

He hadn’t been hunting prey.

He himself walked into a dragon’s den.

"Start talking," Yu Liang said. "And please, don’t waste my time."