After glancing at Shang Tianjing, Lang Lang went to the outpost's main hall and informed Qin Chu of the situation.
"She's softened up now, but she won't talk to me, only to you. She's probably looking to negotiate," Lang Lang said.
"If she can reveal the hiding place of the White Tiger Sacred Clan, giving her some conditions is acceptable," Qin Chu said to Lang Lang, but his gaze was on Su Mu, wanting to hear Su Mu's opinion.
Su Mu put down his teacup. "She was captured by you; she is your prisoner. It's best if you can get information from her. If not, this Seat has no objection. As for how to deal with her, everything is up to you."
Qin Chu nodded and followed Lang Lang into the secret chamber.
After looking at Qin Chu, Shang Tianjing tilted her chin, pointing at Lang Lang. "I don't hate you, but I hate him. Give him a good beating, then we can talk."
"Damn it..." Lang Lang's eyes were filled with anger. Shang Tianjing's words infuriated him; this woman was trying to set him up.
"Shang Tianjing, you've got some things wrong. If you want to speak, then speak. If not, then endure it. Beat him? He's my friend, my brother. Asking me to harm him, you truly underestimate Qin Chu." Qin Chu turned and walked out. He believed that given Shang Tianjing's current state, she couldn't withstand Lang Lang's harsh interrogation. Although Cultivators have firm wills, it depends on what kind of interrogator they encounter.
Qin Chu stayed outside the secret chamber for a while, then Lang Lang came out. "She's willing to talk, but she still wants to negotiate conditions."
Qin Chu nodded at Lang Lang, then entered the secret chamber.
"I want to live, otherwise, there's no need for me to betray my clansmen!" Seeing Qin Chu, Shang Tianjing stated her demand.
Qin Chu pondered for a moment. "If the information is reliable, and our Saint Martial Continent people find the White Tiger Sacred Clan's hiding place, I'll let you go!"
"I hope you can keep your promise. They are hidden in Tianlang Mountain Valley!" Shang Tianjing told Qin Chu.
"Alright, once confirmed, I will let you leave. Lang Lang, keep her locked up, but no more beatings!" Qin Chu nodded at Lang Lang and left the secret chamber.
As Qin Chu exited the secret chamber, intense energy fluctuations appeared in the front courtyard.
By the time Qin Chu arrived, the battle had already ended. A man's right arm was severed, but he punched his own head with his left hand, committing suicide. It was Shang Tianyu!
Su Mu sheathed his sword. "He's dead! Qin Chu, this Seat is not as good as you. You can capture someone alive, but this Seat cannot, leaving only a corpse."
"It's different. He was prepared. Before coming to battle, he had already decided to fight to the death, so capturing him alive was somewhat unrealistic. However, we have news now. That woman said the White Tiger Sacred Clan is hidden in Tianlang Mountain Valley," Qin Chu told Su Mu.
"Good! They have been plundering and causing destruction everywhere, which has kept our Saint Martial Continent busy. Now we finally know where they are. Be careful." After Su Mu finished speaking, his body flickered twice and he left the Vermilion Bird Sacred Clan's outpost.
Tianjian City was still under lockdown, prohibiting the transmission of messages. Of course, this prohibition on message transmission referred to the White Tiger Sacred Clan. Su Mu had already sent a message through the Demon Castle and had also left Tianjian City.
Qin Chu stayed at the Vermilion Bird Sacred Clan's outpost. Lang Lang and Qian Xun also came to the Vermilion Bird Sacred Clan's outpost, mainly because Qin Chu was no longer staying at the inn, and they would be bored staying at the inn alone.
Shang Tianjing was still imprisoned in the secret chamber, but she was no longer being mistreated.
"Qin Chu, that woman is quite ruthless. If you let her go, it's easy for trouble to arise again," Lang Lang said to Qin Chu.
"Opportunities are rare. I hope she cherishes this chance to live. If she doesn't, I can't do anything about it. Your interrogation technique, however, is quite something," Qin Chu said, looking at Lang Lang.
"Haha! I know where it hurts, and I know what she can't stand, so I pried her mouth open. I'll have to be careful in the future. This woman hates me, wishes she could kill me. It's all your fault for making me interrogate her!" Lang Lang gave Qin Chu a disdainful look.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have made you do that," Qin Chu said with some apology, looking at Lang Lang.
Lang Lang punched Qin Chu's arm. "Qin Chu, talking like that is no fun. I'm just joking with you. Do I, Lang Lang, fear others holding grudges? This time I could whip her, next time I can whip her again."
"Haha! Next time she falls into your hands, I won't stop you from doing whatever you want," Qin Chu said with a laugh.
"Oh, you should've said so earlier! This woman's chance to live must be given, she must be released," Lang Lang said loudly, with an air of righteousness. In reality, Qin Chu and Qian Xun both knew that this guy was waiting for Shang Tianjing to make a move again, so he could 'punish' her again.
Life continued as before. Qin Chu refined Medicinal Pills and Cultivated daily, while Lang Lang and Qian Xun dealt with Medicinal Pills and Cultivation. The three of them were quite busy.
Qin Chu reminded Qian Xun not to learn from Lang Lang. Lang Lang was very arrogant yet still alive because he had strength. If Qian Xun messed around, he might wake up with his head gone, so he needed to work hard to improve his cultivation.
In Qian Xun's words, he and Lang Lang were not the same kind of people, but Qin Chu knew that was nonsense; they were two of a kind.
Every time Qin Chu saw Lang Lang and Qian Xun, he would think of Bai Yu and Er Pang. It had been a long time since they last met, and he didn't know how Bai Yu and Er Pang were living now.
Half a month later, news came that the Saint Martial Enforcement and the White Tiger Sacred Clan had a great battle in Tianlang Mountain Valley. The White Tiger Sacred Clan suffered heavy losses; a seventh-stage Venerable Realm Cultivator, Shang Zhengtian, was slain, and the White Tiger Sacred Clan Chief, Shang Tianhua, was also slain. Other members of the White Tiger Sacred Clan also suffered heavy casualties.
Qin Chu felt this was good news. The White Tiger Sacred Clan had been greatly weakened in Origin Qi this time and would be very well-behaved for a while.
Since he knew the information was true, Qin Chu had to keep his promise. He went to the secret chamber.
"You haven't been to the secret chamber for so long, and now you're here, which means you can confirm that the information I provided is true," Shang Tianjing said, looking at Qin Chu.
Qin Chu nodded. "White Tiger Sacred Clan's Shang Zhengtian was slain, Shang Tianhua died in battle, and countless others were killed or injured. This is the price for betraying the Saint Martial Continent."
"Then you should let me go, right?" A light appeared in Shang Tianjing's eyes, because she had a chance to live.
"Yes, but next, I have a few words to say. What is most precious in life? Opportunity, especially the opportunity to live. This time I'm letting you go, and I hope you cherish this opportunity. Now, unbind your Storage Ring, and then you can leave!" Qin Chu reached out and unlocked her chains.
"Are you going to rob me?" Shang Tianjing's expression changed.
"It's not robbery. I promised to let you leave alive, but I still want the spoils of war." Qin Chu hadn't thought about war spoils before. When he came in this time, he inadvertently noticed the Storage Ring on Shang Tianjing's hand, and he felt that he might find some secrets of the White Tiger Sacred Clan inside.
