Chapter 82: In Peril

"Bing Xiao, it's time to act!" Lin Yanghao could not be bothered with further words to Wang Shaohui and issued the order directly.

Before Wang Shaohui and his two companions could react, they were already captured alive by Lin Yanghao and Bing Xiao. Only in that instant of capture did Wang Shaohui finally realize that this so-called Lord Heaven Tiger was nothing but a ruse—this bastard was actually working with Lin Yanghao. What’s more, Lin Yanghao was not only alive but had grown even stronger, surpassing his own strength, and had the aid of a superior spirit beast.

The more he thought about it, the more alarmed he became. Could Lin Yanghao’s fortune really be so extraordinary?

Now cold sweat streamed down Wang Shaohui’s face. He had placed Lin Yanghao in peril so many times before; now that he’d fallen into Lin Yanghao’s hands, there was no way Lin Yanghao would let him off lightly.

"Wang Shaohui, answer me: Wasn’t the Seven Luminaries Sect already annihilated by the beast tribe? How are you all still alive?" Lin Yanghao asked the question that had been troubling him.

Wang Shaohui had anticipated this inquiry. He realized that now, with the situation as it was, hiding the truth would do him no good and might only bring him more suffering. Yet, even if he confessed, it likely wouldn’t save his life; death awaited him either way, so why say anything at all?

"If you promise not to kill me, I’ll tell you everything I know. What do you think? We have no real enmity, and after all, it was you who killed my brother. True, I have made things difficult for you, but you’ve survived, haven’t you?" Fear of death is universal, and Wang Shaohui was no exception. If Lin Yanghao refused, then he would rather die than reveal anything. Even if Lin Yanghao agreed, who could guarantee he wouldn’t make things worse after learning the truth?

Lin Yanghao had long expected this response. His lips curled in a wicked smile as he drew a dagger from his sleeve.

Yes, Lin Yanghao intended to use the same method as before—the ancient torture devised by their ancestors, which he had once threatened Zhang Heng and Li Xuan with, to terrify Wang Shaohui. The effect was immediate: upon learning what this torture truly entailed, Wang Shaohui abandoned all his prior conditions and, trembling, confessed everything.

"Before the beast tribe invaded the Spirit Realm, I had already contacted Heaven Tiger. He promised me that, if I helped them destroy the Seven Luminaries Sect from within, not only would I receive a Beast Transformation Pill, but I would also be granted control over the sect after its fall. Soon after, they did indeed attack. That night, I led them inside, and in utter secrecy, the entire Seven Luminaries Sect was wiped out with barely any casualties on their side. My loyal followers and I then took control of the vast sect," Wang Shaohui said, hanging his head, unable to meet Lin Yanghao’s gaze.

As expected, Lin Yanghao was furious. So, the thousand-year foundation of the Seven Luminaries Sect had been undone by a traitor like Wang Shaohui. The riddle that had haunted Lin Yanghao’s heart was finally solved. He had always found it odd—even if the sect was no match for the beast tribe, it shouldn’t have been destroyed so swiftly and silently. Now he understood: it was Wang Shaohui’s betrayal that had brought about their doom.

"I, Lin Yanghao, am a man of my word. I said I would let you die quickly, but Bing Xiao made no such promise. I’ll leave what follows to you, Bing Xiao." Simply killing him would not be enough to vent his wrath, so he handed the honor to Bing Xiao. While Lin Yanghao did not have a deep attachment to the Seven Luminaries Sect, he had lived there for a time, and there was still some sentiment left in his heart.

Naturally, Lin Yanghao didn’t forget to take Wang Shaohui’s storage pouch. Wang Shaohui felt a pang of pain, but facing death, he had no mind to worry about his possessions.

"Beast Grandpa here despises traitors like you the most. Today, I’ll tear you apart with my own claws!" Bing Xiao let out a chilling, ghastly laugh as he slowly approached the now-trembling Wang Shaohui.

"Stay back… stay back!" Wang Shaohui still believed Bing Xiao was a superior spirit beast. It wasn’t his fault; after all, unless one was familiar with Bing Xiao, his manner of speech could fool anyone into thinking he was nothing but a beast, and so Wang Shaohui’s mind conjured visions of being flattened with a single paw.

Without thinking further, Wang Shaohui leapt to his feet and bolted for the door. But in his panic, there was no way he could outrun Bing Xiao, who caught up with him in moments.

"Lord Heaven Tiger, save me! Save me!" he cried desperately. And at that crucial moment, an unexpected guest arrived—none other than the very Heaven Tiger Wang Shaohui had been waiting for.

Lin Yanghao and Bing Xiao were both dumbstruck at the sight, rendered speechless not just by Heaven Tiger’s sudden appearance but by the shocking discovery that Heaven Tiger looked exactly like Bing Xiao—as if cast from the same mold.

It wasn’t just Lin Yanghao and Bing Xiao who were stunned; Heaven Tiger stared back at Bing Xiao, equally at a loss. For a long moment, neither side could utter a word.

"Who are you? How can you look exactly like me?" Bing Xiao and Heaven Tiger asked the question almost simultaneously, breaking the impasse.

"Bing Xiao, is this Heaven Tiger your twin brother or perhaps a relative?" Lin Yanghao sent a mental message, thinking that could be the only possible explanation.

"Impossible. One of us is from the Immortal Realm, the other from the Spirit Realm—how could we be related?" Bing Xiao could only attribute it to the mysterious workings of the world.

"I don’t care who you are. Anyone who opposes the beast tribe deserves death—especially a traitor like you. Your crime is even greater!" Heaven Tiger roared in fury and lunged at Lin Yanghao.

The entire situation spun around in an instant, a complete reversal. Cold sweat broke out all over Lin Yanghao. He could not rely on Bing Xiao; others might not know, but Lin Yanghao was well aware that Bing Xiao was now but an empty shell with battle strength only on par with his own—no match for this superior low-rank spirit beast.

"You—" Lin Yanghao didn’t even finish before he was struck by Heaven Tiger’s paw. He knew this was but a casual swipe; had it been full force, he would no longer be standing. Even so, the light blow was more than he could withstand—his vision immediately blurred as the world spun around him.

"I thought you’d be formidable, but you’re just a mere Foundation Establishment brat who can’t take a single light blow from me. Pathetic," Heaven Tiger sneered, then unleashed his full strength, his claws slashing toward Lin Yanghao once more.