Son-in-law Heaven Emperor Xiao Yi

"It's your turn now!"

Xiao Yi's gaze fell upon Zhang Ze, his icy eyes sharp like the edge of a knife, making it unbearable to meet his stare.

Thump!

Zhang Ze's body trembled as he knelt to the ground, the arrogance and fierceness previously etched on his pale face replaced by abjection and terror, "Mercy, Xiao, have mercy! This was all Fang Ao and Lei Bao's doing, leading me astray... it has nothing to do with me..."

Before this.

Zhang Ze's greatest support was the Zhang Family.

But now...

The strongest warrior of the Zhang Family, Zhang Yong, had been killed by Xiao Yi with the force of thunder, leaving him with no backbone. All he could hope for now was to save his own life, to survive and wait until he joined the Royal Martial Arts Academy, then find a way to seek revenge!

However.

Xiao Yi remained unmoved, his gaze towards Zhang Ze devoid of sympathy, only coldness, "I just counted, there are three hundred seventy-five whip marks on Qingzhu's body!"

"Ah?"

Zhang Ze was stunned, not understanding Xiao Yi's meaning.

Xiao Yi said indifferently, "I once said, for whoever dares to harm even a single hair on her, I would repay it tenfold. Three hundred seventy-five whip marks, I'll repay you with three thousand seven hundred fifty sword strikes, and the two bamboo tubes used to bleed her feet will count for a thousand strikes, making a total of five thousand seven hundred fifty strikes. You have no objections, right?"

Thump!

Zhang Ze's body shook violently, collapsing to the ground.

Five thousand plus sword strikes to the body?

Wasn't this the same as being smashed to pieces?

"No, don't... Xiao, I realize my mistake, I truly do... I'm willing to be your ox and horse, please spare me, please show me mercy just this once..." Zhang Ze crawled and rolled, desperately clutching Xiao Yi's legs, wailing bitterly.

Forget five thousand strikes—being poked with an embroidery needle five thousand times would leave one riddled with holes!

"Show mercy?"

Xiao Yi let out a cold laugh, his deep voice laced with icy murderous intent, "When you sent men to kill me in the Southern Desolate Mountain Range, why didn't you show mercy? When you captured Qingzhu and tortured her so harshly, why didn't you think to show mercy? And now you're begging me to save you? Don't you see this is pure delusion?"

Ever since his mother's death, Fang Qingzhu was the first person to give Xiao Yi a sense of home's warmth.

How could he tolerate her being persecuted in such a way?

Seeing Xiao Yi's ice-cold and resolute face, Zhang Ze's face filled with despair. In the face of imminent death, he mustered his viciousness, a flash of savagery in his eyes, "If you won't let me live, then you'll die with me!"

Whoosh!

From within Zhang Ze's sleeve, a black dagger shot out, the blade smeared with a deadly poison, aimed straight at Xiao Yi.

"A dog can't change its habit of eating shit!"

Xiao Yi snorted coldly as the Blazing Wind Pursuit Sword flicked upwards.

Thwack! Thwack!

Zhang Ze's hands were chopped off at the wrists, the hand holding the dagger falling to the ground with a smack, pain distorting Zhang Ze's entire face; "Ahh… Xiao Yi, I won't let you off even if I become a ghost..."

"You can talk about that when you become a ghost!"

Xiao Yi responded indifferently, lifting Zhang Ze by one hand and hanging him up on the rack.

Snap!

With a casual slap, he dislocated Zhang Ze's jaw, making it impossible for him to even bite his own tongue and commit suicide.

Xiao Yi turned towards Fang Qingzhu, his fierce expression softening, "Qingzhu, turn your head away, don't look!"

"Okay!"

Fang Qingzhu obediently turned away.

Whoosh!

The Blazing Wind Pursuit Sword in Xiao Yi's hand turned into countless petals descending colorfully, each streak of the sword light removing a piece of flesh from Zhang Ze's body. Amid the blood and flying flesh, unbearable pain engulfed him, but all the jawless Zhang Ze could manage were choked breathing sounds.

Tears, mingled with sweat, fell ceaselessly.

Regret and despair took over his entire face.

Thud!

Thud!

The silver gleam of the sword flickered in the dungeon; with each appearance, flesh was sliced and sent flying.

"One thousand and eighty!"

"One thousand and eighty-one!"

"One thousand and eighty-two..."

Xiao Yi's voice sounded like a demonic chant that reaped souls, both of Zhang Ze's arms had been whittled down to bone, and he had fainted several times from the pain, only to be revived by Xiao Yi.

It was a pain so intense that life itself seemed undesirable.

Zhang Ze had never thought that he would one day yearn for death's arrival.

Bang!

The dungeon's door was suddenly blown open, causing Xiao Yi's sword to pause slightly, as a group of powerful individuals rushed in from outside. Leading them was Elder Yan, the Pavilion Master of the Treasure Pavilion, followed closely by Sikong Nan, the Nanhuang City Lord, and Zhao Yu, the head of the Zhao Family.

"Quick, find Xiao!"

"Zhang Yong, if you dare harm a hair on Xiao's head, I will eradicate the Zhang Family!"

However...

When Elder Yan and the others saw the situation inside the dungeon, the words they had ready died on their lips.

Hisss!

A collective gasp of shock went through the crowd.

Elder Yan spat out a mouthful of saliva, "Xiao, Xiao, are you alright?"

Xiao Yi didn't turn around, "You're here? Wait a moment, four thousand more swords!"

"Four thousand swords?"

"What does that mean?"

Everyone was momentarily stunned.

Soon...

They understood.

"One thousand and eighty-three!"

"One thousand and eighty-four..."

With each sword stroke by Xiao Yi, a chilling number was uttered, and with each number, a piece of flesh was sliced from Zhang Ze.

Hisss!

The crowd gasped again.

Watching Zhang Ze's agonized face, unable to speak, with only the white of bone remaining in his two arms and legs, some of the weaker-strong individuals began to retch violently at the sight.

"This, this is death by a thousand cuts! It's too, too cruel..."

"So, so terrifying... one must never cross Xiao Yi..."

"Don't talk... blargh..."

Even Elder Yan and Sikong Nan, who were worldly and well-informed, looked at each other with pale faces at that moment.

Sikong Nan murmured softly, "Even though I've been through hundreds of battles in the military, I've never seen someone execute a lingchi with such calm."

Elder Yan nodded somberly, glancing deeply at Xiao Yi and gesturing towards Fang Qingzhu, "Look at her, and you won't find Xiao cruel anymore!"

Sikong Nan glanced at Fang Qingzhu, and although she was covered by Xiao Yi's coat, her body was still visibly battered and bruised.

Whoosh!

Sikong Nan exhaled a long breath, silently reminding himself, "This young man is someone to befriend, not to be made an enemy of!"

If these words were to spread, they would certainly cause a huge stir.

He was, after all, the Nanhuang City Lord, the top expert of Nanhuang, and yet he did not wish to make an enemy of Xiao Yi?

The pungent odor of blood permeated the dungeon; those unable to withstand the shocking sight before them had long since retreated, but the memory Xiao Yi left them with was nightmare-like, and they would likely never be able to forget it for the rest of their lives.

Within the crowd.

Zhao Xian was pale as a ghost, he had just been one of the most frantic vomiters, and he looked up blankly at Zhao Yu beside him, "Father, father, I'm so glad I heeded your advice and never crossed Xiao!"

"Indeed!"

Zhao Yu nodded gravely, "Once we return, immediately sever all ties with the Fang Family and the Black Tiger Gang, understand?"

Zhao Xian hummed in agreement, puzzled, "Father, what about our collaboration with the Zhang Family?"

"The Zhang Family?"

Zhao Yu's expression turned strange as he looked at the vast Zhang family estate, "After today, will there even be a Zhang Family in Nanhuang City?"