Chapter 528: The Captive Trio

—

At the moment.

“How could this happen…”

The three peak Legendary experts sat on the ground, backs against the wall.

Not only had they mistaken someone for their enemy, but they had also “messed with” two Mythical Realm experts!

After being viciously beaten by the fierce little fox, they fully understood the terrifying strength of the one human and one fox before them.

Bound with their hands behind their backs, their expressions were filled with disbelief and denial—

“Mythical Realm… how could such beings exist in the ancient martial world…”

They had thought their peak Legendary strength, combined with the treasures of their Holy Lands, would make them unstoppable!

Yet the moment they emerged from seclusion, they were taken captive!

“Have things changed so much in the years we’ve been in seclusion…”

—

Across from the three, Wang Haoran sat on a stone, holding the little fox in his arms, glaring at them fiercely:

“Xiang. Shao. Tian, is it!?”

With each word, he slapped each of their left cheeks—”Smack—!”

“Beast, is it!?”

This time, out of respect for his martial aunt and master, he only slapped the first two on their right cheeks.

When it came to the last one, his Grandmaster, he moved his hand lower.

And gave a sharp flick to her chest.

“You!” The Grandmaster gritted her teeth in anger.

Seeing her reaction, Wang Haoran swayed the rope tied around her chest, which accentuated her curves—

“What, you’re not convinced?”

“…No!”

She swallowed her pride and endured.

—

“Alright, you three, one at a time!”

“Explain yourselves properly!”

Wang Haoran approached the one on the far right—

A tall woman dressed in white.

“You’re the flattest, so you go first!”

Bound and with her robes disheveled, revealing her long, jade-like legs.

The woman’s face burned with shame, her almond-shaped eyes glaring in anger.

Yet, there was a distinct coldness in her demeanor.

Her eyes and brows seemed perpetually shrouded in icy frost.

So Wang Haoran “kindly” reminded her:

“Be honest, and you’ll be treated leniently. Resist, and you’ll face severe consequences.”

“Let me warn you now—if you try to pull the ‘I’d rather die than talk’ act.”

“I’ll make it happen. I won’t waste time dragging this out with you!”

“……”

After biting her lip in silence for a moment, the woman finally spoke in a cold tone:

“My name is… Dugu Qingyu.”

“Which Holy Land are you from?”

“Jiu You Holy Land.”

Wang Haoran studied her, trying to match her identity, “Jiu You… you’re the ‘Northern Sword Saint,’ right?”

“…That’s what others call me.”

“You have a grudge against this Xiang Shaotian?”

“…Yes!” At the mention of Xiang Shaotian, Dugu Qingyu’s face grew even colder.

Her previously calm tone turned sharp and intense:

“He’s an ungrateful beast!”

“No, he’s worse than a beast!”

“One day, I’ll take his head to honor my master!”

“……” Seeing her agitation, Wang Haoran sighed and reached out—

“Smack—!”

A heavy slap silenced her immediately.

“Stick to the point! Don’t waste my time with nonsense!”

“You!” Dugu Qingyu glared at him, but seeing the cold look in his eyes—

She quickly realized that any further nonsense would only make her situation worse.

So.

After taking a deep breath, she reluctantly summarized:

“Xiang Shaotian is my junior brother.”

“We were both disciples of the Tianlan Sect.”

Although it was called a “sect,” the entire group consisted of just over twenty disciples and one master.

“During a sect mission, I found Xiang Shaotian severely injured and unconscious.”

At the time, she was new to the martial world, innocent and naive.

“I felt sorry for him and treated his wounds, even recommending him to my master…”

But she hadn’t known that appearances could be deceiving!

She had brought a wolf into the fold, introducing the ambitious and ruthless Xiang Shaotian to their sect, ultimately dooming them all!

To seize the sect’s forbidden sword technique, he slaughtered all his fellow disciples!

Even their master fell victim to his treachery!

That scene was one she could never forget—

“Ha, so this is such a worthless sword technique.”

“All that effort for this garbage!”

“Here, take it!”

“Trash like you deserves trash like this sword technique—it’s a perfect match!”

After kicking their master’s corpse aside, Xiang Shaotian mockingly threw the blood-stained sword manual at her head.

“You can’t avenge them anyway!”

From that moment, she transformed from a lively girl into a cold and ruthless avenger.

With her sword, she carved out the name “Northern Sword Saint.”

But she never forgot her goal—

“So I swore to use this very sword technique to take Xiang Shaotian’s head!”

Even though it had been many years, recalling the event made Dugu Qingyu’s chest heave with anger.

However, after hearing her story, Wang Haoran merely commented, “That Xiang Shaotian really is despicable!”

Then, he turned to the woman in the middle, dressed in light purple.

“You’re the ‘Southern Nameless’ from Qing Yun Holy Land?”

Wang Haoran had heard of the title and guessed her identity.

He hadn’t expected Qing Yun Holy Land’s “Grand Elder” to look like a young girl.

Upon closer inspection, her face still had a hint of baby fat.

“Your eyes are quite unique!”

“They can influence others’ minds!”

Seeing her attempt to use her eyes on him, Wang Haoran showed no mercy.

Curious, he reached out and touched her eyes.

“Start with your name!”

“…I am Nameless.”

“I mean your real name, not your title!”

“…I have no name. I am…”

Wang Haoran applied a bit more pressure with his fingers—

“If you don’t want your eyes, feel free to keep playing this word game with me.”

Seeing Wang Haoran’s cold demeanor, her two companions immediately urged her, “…Just tell him…”

Losing her eyes over pointless stubbornness would be a huge loss!

And “Nameless” realized this too.

So she had no choice but to relent—

“My name is…”

“…Xiang Shaoling.”

“Like Xiang Shaotian, I am also from the Xiang family!”

“Same family… then what’s your grudge?”

“Grudge? Ha, a grudge as deep as the sea!”

At this, Xiang Shaoling’s pupils began to change.

They morphed into a circular pattern with a comma-like mark—

This was the power she awakened on the night her clan was annihilated!