Chapter 42: Taking Control of Sovereignty

The situation in the guest room underwent a world-shaking reversal in the blink of an eye.

The Grand Princess of the Great Desolation, who not long ago stood high above others and controlled everything, was now like a helpless mortal, clutching her head and rolling in agony on the cold floor.

Lu Ning had originally been prepared to use her life-saving trump card.

Now, she stared blankly at the scene, her heart trembling with shock.

Her “good disciple’s” calculating mind had reached such a terrifying depth.

Each link was connected, every step carefully calculated.

From destroying the Phoenix Palace and deliberately leaving clues, to using the Nine Yang Blood-Melting Flower to set a trap, and finally to this desperate counter-kill.

Everything was within her calculations.

Lu Ning looked at Gu Qinghuan, who was looking down from above, and for the first time, a sliver of genuine fear for this wayward disciple arose in her heart.

The little tricks she had played in front of her before had likely been seen through long ago.

The girl was merely playing along, enjoying a game of cat and mouse.

“Master…”

Gu Qinghuan’s voice pulled Lu Ning back from her shock.

“Are you alright? I didn’t frighten you just now, did I?”

She walked to the bedside and reached out her hand, intending to stroke Lu Ning’s cheek.

Lu Ning’s body subconsciously shrank back, avoiding her touch.

Gu Qinghuan’s hand froze in mid-air.

Watching the fleeting fear in Lu Ning’s eyes, the smile on her face stiffened slightly.

“Master, are you afraid of me?”

There was a hint of grievance in her voice.

Lu Ning thought to herself that things were looking bad, knowing her reaction just now had been a bit too extreme.

She still had to rely on this wayward disciple to get her out of here; she couldn’t afford to offend her now.

Otherwise, the other party would likely find more ways to “care” for her.

“No… no,” Lu Ning shook her head quickly.

“I was just… just startled by the scene just now.”

“Is that so?”

A flash of suspicion crossed Gu Qinghuan’s eyes, but she did not press further.

She turned her gaze back to Ji Linglong, who was still struggling in pain on the ground.

“Master, how do you think we should deal with this Grand Princess?”

Gu Qinghuan’s voice turned ice-cold again, and her clear eyes flickered with unabashed murderous intent.

“She imprisoned you and humiliated you in every possible way…”

“Why don’t I tie her up as well and let you ‘interrogate’ her properly, Master? What do you think?”

“Or, once she has no more use, I’ll just…”

The corners of Gu Qinghuan’s mouth curled into a demonic arc.

She wanted Ji Linglong to taste the same humiliations her Master had endured, and perhaps even eliminate this threat entirely.

Lu Ning was stunned when she heard this.

“No… there’s no need,” Lu Ning waved her hand hurriedly.

“Qinghuan, we should leave quickly. It’s not safe to stay here for long.”

All she wanted now was to leave this den of trouble as soon as possible.

“Leave?”

Gu Qinghuan arched an eyebrow.

“Master, you’re just going to let her go like this?”

“She almost…”

“When will the cycle of vengeance end?”

Lu Ning interrupted her.

“She was in the wrong, but her crimes don’t warrant death. Moreover, she saved me once before…”

Lu Ning was telling the truth.

If Ji Linglong hadn’t blocked that assassin’s blade for her, she would be a corpse by now.

Gu Qinghuan fell silent for a moment after hearing Lu Ning’s words.

Looking at Lu Ning’s face, which was full of “mercy” and “forgiveness,” she felt somewhat unwilling, but she eventually nodded.

“Fine.”

“Since you have spoken, Master, I will spare her life.”

Gu Qinghuan’s tone carried a hint of helplessness and indulgence.

“However, while she may escape the death penalty, she cannot avoid punishment.”

A glint of craftiness flashed in Gu Qinghuan’s eyes.

“I’ve heard the bloodline power of the Great Desolation’s Imperial Family is quite unique. If it can be refined, it would be of great benefit to one’s cultivation.”

“Especially for someone like the Grand Princess, who possesses the Nine Heavens Divine Phoenix bloodline—it’s the highest grade.”

“Master, you have only just returned to the Golden Core stage and your foundation is unstable. You happen to need some external force to consolidate your cultivation.”

“Why don’t I suck her cultivation and bloodline out and give them to you?”

Hearing this, Lu Ning’s eyelid couldn’t help but twitch.

Suck… suck them out?

This wayward disciple’s ideas were always so unconventional and demonic; it certainly fit her status as the Saintess of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

“That… isn’t that a bit much?”

Lu Ning hesitated.

“What’s so bad about it?”

Gu Qinghuan spoke dismissively, “We are a demonic sect. The law of the jungle is only natural.”

“Besides, this is what she owes you.”

As Gu Qinghuan spoke, she walked toward Ji Linglong on the floor.

“Ah—!”

Ji Linglong was still struggling in pain.

The divine fire within her had completely gone berserk, and her consciousness was beginning to blur.

Gu Qinghuan walked up to her, knelt down, and pressed a fair, slender finger against Ji Linglong’s brow.

A surge of cold Lunar Power instantly flooded into Ji Linglong’s body.

It temporarily suppressed the rampaging Nine Heavens Divine Phoenix fire while simultaneously binding her soul.

At that moment, Ji Linglong’s pain eased significantly, and a trace of clarity returned to her mind.

She opened her bloodshot phoenix eyes and saw the woman looking down at her.

“You…”

Ji Linglong’s voice was hoarse and dry.

“Grand Princess, I hope you’ve been well,” Gu Qinghuan said with a smile.

“How are you feeling now?”

“Does it feel like your soul is being gnawed on by ten thousand ants?”

Ji Linglong stared at her fixedly, offering no response.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

Gu Qinghuan chuckled.

“If you want to blame someone, blame your own greed and arrogance.”

“You thought you were the hunter, but you didn’t realize that from the very beginning, you were the prey in my net.”

Gu Qinghuan stood up and ignored her, turning back to Lu Ning’s side.

“Master.”

She took Lu Ning’s hand and led her down from the bed.

“Come, let’s begin.”

She brought Lu Ning in front of Ji Linglong.

“Now, she is your servant.”

“You can do anything you want to her.”

“You can drain her cultivation, refine her bloodline, or even…”

“You can ‘interrogate’ her properly, just like she did to you before.”

Lu Ning felt her scalp tingle as she listened to these words.

At this moment, Ji Linglong forced herself up, her gaze toward Lu Ning remaining tender.

“A-Ning, is that really how you see me?”

“If… if you truly want to take revenge on me, to pay me back for what I did to you, I will have no complaints.”

“I… I only have one request. When A-Ning ‘interrogates’ me, I hope you are the only one present.”

Lu Ning: “?????”

What on earth is going on!

Seeing Ji Linglong’s pitiful appearance, Lu Ning was completely bewildered.

She hadn’t expected the woman to actually agree with Gu Qinghuan’s suggestion.

As for Lu Ning, all she wanted now was to get out of the Imperial City as fast as possible!