Chapter 524: Manipulating people's hearts |
"Xiao Liao, it was because you passed my test that I let you go," Du Ge corrected.
"How can I trust you?" Liao Jiulong gritted his teeth and asked.
He had tried his best but couldn't break free from the Dark God power's grasp, not even able to see his opponent's face, and deep down, he was already in a panic.
His strength was average among the second-generation disciples of Dragon and Tiger Mountain, but even he was easily controlled by this Demon Head, unable to resist.
If other senior and junior brothers came, they would only be walking into a trap. Only a Golden Elixir master could deal with this Demon Head. Liao Jiulong felt he should survive to return and report the Demon Head's information to Dragon and Tiger Mountain.
"You could take a gamble," Du Ge said with a smile.
The outside world had no idea what was happening here.
The Dark God power and the night blended perfectly, like three completely sealed small black rooms, isolating Liao Jiulong and his two disciples.
No one could touch anyone, and no one could sense anyone.
Under the control of the Dark God power, all the running and jumping of the three were actually just stepping in place, and the most frantic Liao Jiulong was already unknowingly upside down, without realizing it.
Like the Power of Poseidon, Du Ge's control over the Dark God power was instinctive, requiring no deliberate effort, perfectly controlling it according to his will.
Moreover, the night was to the Dark God power what the sea was to the Power of Poseidon.
The divine power was continuously replenished, and dealing with Liao Jiulong and the other two was almost without any noticeable consumption.
Watching the dazed Liao Jiulong, Du Ge manipulated the Dark God power to pull his flying sword to his side. An ordinary steel blade couldn't deal with a Qi Refiner; he needed a handy weapon.
As the flying sword was drawn to him, Du Ge reached out to grab the hilt, but as soon as his hand touched the sword, it vibrated violently, as if alive, trying to escape his grasp.
A life-bound flying sword, or a recognized master treasure?
Thinking of the two methods of controlling treasures in the cultivation world, Du Ge smiled and attempted to infuse the flying sword with Dark God power.
The Dark God power invaded the flying sword, initially encountering some resistance, but soon, the sword's resistance met the Dark God power and melted away, retreating step by step.
In an instant, Du Ge suppressed the sword's resistance and easily mastered it.
"What... what did you do?" Liao Jiulong was shocked and terrified as his connection with the flying sword was severed.
"Nothing much, just checking the quality of your flying sword," Du Ge toyed with the sword in his hand, feeling the Dark God power circulating within it, and asked, "Xiao Liao, have you thought it over? Will you participate in my test? My patience is limited, and I can't keep wasting time with you."
Having easily severed the connection with the flying sword, it was certain that the Demon Head was a Golden Elixir master. Confirming Du Ge's cultivation level, Liao Jiulong sighed inwardly, "Fine, I accept your test. Tell me, what is the content of the test?"
"You and your two disciples must all recite the cultivation techniques of Dragon and Tiger Mountain," Du Ge smiled and said, "If all three of you match, you can all leave; if two match, the one who doesn't can leave; if none match, then all three of you will stay and become the main souls of my Soul Suppression Bottle... How do you like these game rules?"
"You old thief, you covet the techniques of Dragon and Tiger Mountain?" Liao Jiulong suddenly realized and angrily said.
"Xiao Liao, what are you saying? I've already cultivated my own sect's techniques to such a profound level. Even if I obtain Dragon and Tiger Mountain's techniques, could I possibly switch to practicing them?" Du Ge laughed, "It's just a game.
Didn't you hear the second option I gave you?
Two match, one doesn't, and the one who doesn't can leave. Xiao Liao, your two disciples' mastery of the techniques is certainly not as deep as yours. If you trust your disciples, you can make up something, and I will still let you leave...
You can go back and bring reinforcements to eliminate me, eradicating the risk of technique leakage. The premise is that you trust your two disciples to describe the same technique. In that case, you leave unscathed, the ones leaking the techniques are your two disciples, and since they're dead, you're still the hero who eliminated the Demon Head. Why not?
What a perfect game!"
The skill of ruining others without tiring quietly activated, and Liao Jiulong swallowed hard, "How can I trust you? I don't even know what they will say, and afterward, it's just your word."
"There are two ways to solve this problem. One is to trust that I will absolutely abide by the game rules; the other is we can find a few witnesses. Outside, there is the magistrate of Fancheng, and people from all over. We can randomly select ten people from them to act as judges, and let them announce the final result."
Du Ge laughed, "Afterward, if you win the game, you can also dispose of the ten witnesses as you see fit. You can kill them to prevent the techniques of Dragon and Tiger Mountain from leaking, how about that?"
"Not appropriate," Liao Jiulong blurted out, cursing, "You Demon Head, if I kill ten ordinary people for no reason, I will surely be plagued by inner demons in the future..."
"Ahem!" Du Ge lightly coughed, interrupting him, "Xiao Liao, I only said you could dispose of them as you wish, not that you had to kill them."
"But if I don't kill them, abandoning my disciples to escape alone..." Liao Jiulong's voice abruptly stopped, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, "You Demon Head, how can your mind be so vicious?"
"Xiao Liao, have you never thought that all three of you could recite the techniques and leave together?" Du Ge teased with a smile, "If I told you that was a test of your humanity, you've already lost!"
Pfft!
Liao Jiulong spat out another mouthful of blood, his face pale, and said in despair, "Demon Head, just kill me!"
"Xiao Liao, so you don't trust your two disciples either, do you?" Du Ge continued, "If the game rules remain unchanged, and I give you three a chance to say one sentence, would you trust them?"
Liao Jiulong's spirit lifted, "You can let me say one sentence to them?"
"Of course, I am keen on conducting any tests related to humanity," Du Ge said, "Only by discovering the evil in human nature can I force out the ultimate resentful souls to enhance the power of my treasure.
However, Liao Jiulong, don't have too much confidence in yourself. Leaking techniques is a serious crime.
Without leaking techniques, if one person leaves alive and kills me, he might become a hero of Dragon and Tiger Mountain, after all, the truth would be in his hands then."
"..." Liao Jiulong fell silent again.
Du Ge quietly waited. Everything he had set up was for this moment.
The real game was between him and Liao Jiulong, not between Liao Jiulong and his two disciples.
At this point, under his guidance, Liao Jiulong was no longer considering resisting him but was thinking about how to convince his two disciples with one sentence to recite the same technique so that all three could leave together.
With this premise, the technique he obtained would be genuine, easier than getting it through torture.
As for all three reciting the same fake technique, the odds were too small to consider.
When Ouyang Feng forced Guo Jing to write down the Nine Yin Manual, if he had asked for several copies, he probably wouldn't have gotten a fake manual. After all, with Guo Jing's intelligence, it was impossible for him to write two identical fake techniques in a short time.
...
Liao Jiulong's eyes showed a struggle, but thinking of his two disciples' nature, he finally made up his mind, "Fine, I agree. Let me say one sentence."
"Good," Du Ge smiled, "First, tell me the names of your two disciples."
"Du Ziming and Liu Ziyun." Having had his psychological defenses breached by Du Ge, Liao Jiulong had nothing left to insist on regarding trivial matters like names.
"Wait for me a moment."
Du Ge used the Dark God power to isolate Liao Jiulong, found Du Ziming and Liu Ziyun separately, and repeated the process. But with the two young disciples, there was no need to spend so much effort. Showing them Liao Jiulong's flying sword and explaining the game rules was enough to intimidate the inexperienced disciples of Dragon and Tiger Mountain.
After dealing with Du Ziming and Liu Ziyun, Du Ge returned to Liao Jiulong and asked, "Xiao Liao, do you need the magistrate over there to witness?"
"No need," Liao Jiulong said with reddened eyes, "I trust the senior's character, and I also ask the senior to keep his word."
"Of course," Du Ge nodded with a smile, "Xiao Liao, I will now open a channel for you three to speak. Remember, you can only say one sentence. If you break the rules, you will have no chance of survival."
"Alright," Liao Jiulong agreed.
Du Ge snapped his fingers, opening a channel within the Dark God power for them to transmit their voices.
"Master, is that you?" Du Ziming and Liu Ziyun's panicked voices immediately came through, with a hint of sobbing in Liu Ziyun's voice, "Master, I saw your flying sword. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Whatever that Demon Head asks you to do, just do it truthfully. We all need to leave alive," Liao Jiulong quickly said, and before he finished speaking, he lost the connection with Du Ziming.
He twitched his mouth, sighing inwardly, "Senior, we can start now."
"Wait a moment, I still need to guide them a bit," Du Ge smiled, continuing to apply pressure on Liao Jiulong, "After all, if one person lies, they can leave unscathed. What if someone doesn't want to betray Dragon and Tiger Mountain and wants to be a hero?"
"..." Liao Jiulong choked, choosing to close his eyes, out of sight, out of mind. He was at the mercy of others, and at this point, he could only leave it to fate.
Du Ge didn't actually converse with the two on the other side, but waited a moment before saying to all three, "I now know your thoughts, you can start reciting the techniques."
Liao Jiulong exhaled deeply and slowly said, "The technique practiced on Tianlan Peak is called 'Nine Transformations of the Universe Technique.' The technique is divided into nine levels, the first transformation is Foundation Establishment, sitting cross-legged to calm the mind, relaxed and natural..."
Three voices simultaneously sounded in Du Ge's ears, saying exactly the same thing, without any mistakes.
Du Ge smiled slightly, memorizing the technique, feeling proud. Who said you must join an immortal sect to learn immortal arts? He managed to obtain a cultivation technique without it.
About half an hour later.
Liao Jiulong recited the heart method of the 'Nine Transformations of the Universe Technique' up to the third level and then stopped, "Senior, how is it?"
At this time, Du Ziming and Liu Ziyun also recited the technique up to the third level and stopped, "Senior, we have finished reciting our technique. Can we leave now?"
Du Ge pondered the technique, falling into silence.
The third level ended at Golden Elixir, obviously, Du Ziming and Liu Ziyun only knew this much of the heart method, and Liao Jiulong, knowing his two disciples' progress, naturally wouldn't say another word.
But Liao Jiulong's cultivation level was far higher than his two disciples, so he must have the subsequent techniques.
He still needed to find a way to trick the later techniques out of him, otherwise, with only three levels, he wouldn't even reach Golden Elixir, and there would be no fun in the future!
...
"Xiao Liao, congratulations, you have passed this game's test," Du Ge lightly applauded, "I must say, the disciples of Dragon and Tiger Mountain have truly impressed me."
"So, can we leave now?" Liao Jiulong showed a look of joy.
"Of course," Du Ge said, "Xiao Liao, when you return to Dragon and Tiger Mountain, you will bring people to deal with me, won't you?"
"..." Liao Jiulong remained silent.
"Can you tell me, what are the consequences of leaking the techniques of Dragon and Tiger Mountain to save your life? I imagine the consequences must be severe!" Du Ge asked with a smile, "Three people encountering a Demon Head, returning to Dragon and Tiger Mountain almost unscathed because of a game, would such a frivolous story be believed by the people of Dragon and Tiger Mountain?"
"..." Liao Jiulong's breath caught, his brow furrowed intensely, "You..."
"Xiao Liao, actually, what happened here, besides you three, no one else knows," Du Ge's skill of ruining others without tiring quietly activated, "Your two disciples are no match for you. If they don't return, no one in the world will know what happened at Longliu Manor. By the time you bring people back, I will have already left.
Encountering a Golden Elixir demon cultivator, you three were no match, and your two disciples were unfortunately killed by the demon cultivator. You fought with all your might, severely injured, and fled back to Dragon and Tiger Mountain for help. I think such a story is more convincing."
"Stop, don't say any more. Even if I risk being punished by my master, I won't do the filthy things you suggest," Liao Jiulong angrily interrupted Du Ge, coldly saying, "Since we have passed the test, I ask the senior to keep his promise and let us leave."
"Talking is one thing, why get so worked up?" Du Ge chuckled, "You know I enjoy playing with people's minds. I was merely offering a more reasonable suggestion. You can follow your own heart, why get angry?"
"..." Liao Jiulong said in a deep voice, clasping his hands, "I ask the senior to keep his promise."
"Just now, you kept calling me Demon Head, but now that you can live, you call me senior. Brother Liao, your mind is really flexible!" Du Ge teased with a laugh.
With one sentence, Liao Jiulong's face turned beet red, frozen in place, unable to call him Demon Head or senior.
"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. I'll let you leave. Thank you three for bringing me a joyful night," Du Ge laughed heartily, retracting the Dark God power that trapped them, and shrank back into Liao Jiulong's shadow.
"Master, did that Demon Head really let us go?" Du Ziming, holding his flying sword, nervously looked around, full of disbelief, "I thought we were doomed, but I didn't expect that Demon Head to really keep his word."
"Master, are you injured?" Liu Ziyun noticed the blood on Liao Jiulong's chest and asked nervously.
"It's nothing," Liao Jiulong waved his hand, looking around, feeling no trace of anything unusual, and sighed again, "Let's go!"
"Where to?" Du Ziming asked.
"Back to Dragon and Tiger Mountain," Liao Jiulong glared at him, saying irritably, "To find the master to eliminate the demon."
"Master, what should we say when we return to Dragon and Tiger Mountain?" Du Ziming asked, "Although we did it to survive, leaking techniques is a serious crime, isn't it?"
A serious crime?
Du Ge's devil-like words echoed in Liao Jiulong's mind again. Looking at his two disciples, he reached out to Du Ziming, "Ziming, my flying sword was taken by the Demon Head. Give me your sword. I will personally plead guilty to the master when we return to Dragon and Tiger Mountain."
Du Ziming, unsuspecting, obediently handed his flying sword to his master.
Liao Jiulong turned back, taking another look at the corpses strewn across Longliu Manor, and said to Liu Ziyun, "Ziyun, your escape light is too slow. The matter of Longliu Manor is of great importance and cannot be delayed. Let me take you!"
"Alright," Liu Ziyun also put away his flying sword.
Liao Jiulong took a deep breath, performed a sword gesture, and with his two disciples, transformed into a beam of light, soaring into the sky, heading straight for the east.
As Liao Jiulong transformed into a beam of light, Du Ge was thrown out, but without hesitation, he manipulated the Dark God power to follow beneath Liao Jiulong's light. The speed of the Dark God power was equal to or greater than the light.
He firmly believed.
Under the influence of the skill, Liao Jiulong would act against his two disciples.
Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. He had the duty to save those two innocent young men.