The blade made out of brilliance sliced down once again, causing blood to splatter.
Chen Qianhua stared closely at his wound.
Similarly, the second slice was exactly the same as the previous one.
Then came the third slice, the fourth slice…
The slicing method perfectly resembled the previous round.
Chen Qianhua knew where Yan Zhaoge would slice, how deep it would be, and how long the wound would be. In fact, he even knew that when Yan Zhaoge pulled his knife, he would shake his wrist a few times.
Every consecutive slice was being reenacted as if he was going through a cycle of samsara.
After everything ended, Chen Qianhua’s flesh was muddled with blood, and his mind went blank for a moment.
His wounds disappeared once again. Meanwhile, Yan Zhaoge’s fingertips manifested a brilliance once again as he calmly stood in front of him.
Then, the third round began…
As if it wouldn’t end.
“Yan Zhaoge!” Chen Qianhua shrieked.
“Yes?” Yan Zhaoge calmly replied to him. Then, another slice was inflicted on Chen Qianhua’s body.
It was exactly the same as Chen Qianhua remembered.
Only, this time, Yan Zhaoge wasn’t the one doing it. A brilliance hovering by mid-air was moving on its own.
The sequence of its slashes and its tracks were precisely the same as the previous cycles.
As such, a new cycle had started.
“Of course, I wouldn’t have the time to play with you.” Yan Zhaoge said calmly, “But, relax. I used the Aeon Light Heavenly Scripture, the Immortal Trapping Sword, the Hill Light Flying Immortal Scripture, and other martial arts to create this situation.”
“You should’ve sensed it as well that this isn’t an illusion at all. Instead, time is constantly resetting itself.”
Yan Zhaoge looked at Chen Qianhua and coldly said, “Within this confined space, creating a short moment of relapse isn’t all that hard, especially when using it against someone like you, one whose cultivation is in ruins.”
“Otherwise, since you’re already so weak, your life might just be gone from the loss of blood.”
Another wound appeared on Chen Qianhua’s body, causing him to groan in pain.
“I’m aware of how unfearful you are towards death. You don’t even mind it as well. But, believe me. In this world, there are many things much more frightening than death itself.”
Yan Zhaoge chuckled softly, “To a fanatic like you, maybe this would be a fresh amusement?”
Rather than agony, Chen Qianhua was currently filled with anxiousness.
“Is it amusing now?” The smile on Yan Zhaoge’s face disappeared, “I’m only wasting my time on bantering for now. Later on, you shall slowly enjoy your brand new amusement.”
Chen Qianhua gritted his teeth and twisted his body about, struggling to break free. However, he was rendered completely powerless and was unable to do so.
“I’ve thought of many ways to deal with a scum like you.” Yan Zhaoge slowly said, “For example, I planned to create a garderobe [1] and seal you at the bottom. Then, you shall bask in others’ excretions day and night.”
“But, later on, I felt it was inappropriate. After all, if different people were to do so, you’d find it amusing as well, right? That’s inappropriate, really inappropriate. Rather than entrapping you, wouldn’t I be taking care of your humorous needs as well?”
“But, what if you repeatedly become one’s private garderobe? Being in a constant loop of time, with each shape, size, and speed all being the same?”
Yan Zhaoge smiled and looked at Chen Qianhua, “This method, and the one you’re undergoing now. Which do you prefer?”
While he was smiling, Yan Zhaoge’s gaze was ice-cold, with no hints of laughter emitting from within. His gaze was so jarring, a tinge of pain stung through his body.
“There’s another way.” Yan Zhaoge’s ice-cold tone remained, “By sealing your body and preventing any movements at all. Then, I shall pluck your eyes and tongue out, but allow your sense of touch, hearing, and smell to remain.”
“Of course, there’s no need to worry too much. The place you’ll be confined in won’t have any voice nor smell.”
“You just have to remain in that environment until the end of time.” Yan Zhaoge lowered his head once again, staring at Chen Qianhua, “Since you enjoy playing and guessing so much, how about you guess this? How long can you withstand living in such an environment before you finally get tired of it?”
Chen Qianhua shut his eyes, ignoring Yan Zhaoge’s question. His body was trembling slightly as if he was forcefully enduring something. His anxiousness was already written all over his face.
Yan Zhaoge calmly looked at him. Then, he tilted his head forward, “See? I’m still a humane person. Ultimately, I still granted you several choices to choose from. Being bestowed with so many methods of entertainment, shouldn’t you thank me? Where are your basic manners of courtesies?”
“You, you’re angry!” Chen Qianhua twitched the corner of his mouth with difficulty, as if he was smiling, “The reason why you’re so angry is that I spoiled your plan, yet you’re powerless to do anything. Am I right?”
He struggled to look up at Yan Zhaoge, “I’ve always felt a sense of pity. You’re someone so interesting, yet like most people, your emotions would be stirred up from mortal affairs.”
Chen Qianhua smiled, “Now, you’re only torturing me because of your anger and helplessness from these affairs…”
Yan Zhaoge, who was looking at him, suddenly burst with laughter.
The blade of brilliance continued slicing on Chen Qianhua.
Very quickly, another cycle continued.
Chen Qianhua was gasping for air like an enslaved animal.
However, he still used all his strength and lifted his head to look at Yan Zhaoge.
“Stop feeling so good about yourself.” Yan Zhaoge laughed and shook his head, “If I were truly enraged to the point of no return, you would’ve been killed by my slap alone.”
He glanced at Chen Qianhua contemptuously, “You don’t care about death? So what? What does that have to do with me?
“As long as I’m satisfied with killing you instantly, who cares how you would feel?”
Yan Zhaoge spread out his hands, “If I’m worried about other matters, would I have the leisure to think up methods of torturing you?”
Chen Qianhua groaned, and blood started spewing out from him once again.
He already knew every single detail of each cut. Yet, the process just continued on and on. It raised his anxiousness to the maximum, on the verge of going out of control.
This cycle of nightmare continued on and on, with no end to be seen.
However, a new question sprouted in his mind. He forced himself to ask, “The Earth Devil had perished after his revival. However, can you revive the dead?”
“Do you want to know what happened? Do you want to know how I’m settling this problem?” Yan Zhaoge lowered his head to look at Chen Qianhua.
The two looked at each other while Yan Zhaoge continued to remain silent.
Meanwhile, Chen Qianhua was still undergoing the cycle of agony. He gritted his teeth and withstood the pain.
After a long moment of pause, Yan Zhaoge finally smiled and said word by word.
“I, won’t, tell, you.”
Then, he turned around and left. Without stopping his advancement, he disappeared without a trace.
While Chen Qianhua had expected such an outcome, he still decided to ask that question.
He attempted to find a way of diverting his attention, which would soothe his anxiousness.
His anxiousness wouldn’t stop accumulating at all. Ultimately, it upgraded into agony.
“Yan! Zhao! Ge!” Chen Qianhua let out a pained yet furious growl!
All the slothfulness of the past ceased to exist any longer. Even his patience of persisting was fully depleted.
In this prison made of black embers, furious roars that resembled a beast continued resounding from within.
The only thing that answered him was the blade of brilliance.
They came descending once again in a patient manner, without faltering or shaking.
Again and again.
[1] A medieval way of referring to a toilet