"Not satisfied means not satisfied. You're so clever, how can you not know what I truly want to learn?" The black mist seemed quite pleased with Zhang Yiyi's frustration. "As for why? Isn't it obvious? It's because I'm stronger than you. Strength rules. What can you do if you're unhappy about it?"

"You..." Zhang Yiyi swallowed the retort on her lips. Yes, at a time like this, how could she be so foolish? Reason had no place here with someone like this. This so-called question and answer session was nothing more than a game to the black mist, akin to a cat toying with a mouse, playing however it pleased. Her answers didn't matter. What mattered was the pressure and control being imposed upon her.

Nothing could break someone's will more effectively than this kind of mental game. She had been too naive, almost falling for it even though she knew better.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Yiyi forced down the sense of helplessness, quickly adjusting her emotions to remain calm and composed. "You're right. I can't do anything even if I'm not happy. Go ahead with your next question!"

"The third question: Who is your master?"

Sensing Zhang Yiyi's shift in mood, the black mist paused briefly before directly asking its next question without further elaboration.

"When I was young, I happened to have a fortuitous encounter and was guided by a master, which allowed me to embark on the path of cultivation. All I know is that the master's surname is Jiang. After I achieved Foundation Establishment, he traveled to other lands, and I haven't heard from him since," Zhang Yiyi replied without hesitation, her face devoid of expression.

The black mist's true aim was clear now—it sought the truth of her origins and refused to believe her current identity as a mere wandering cultivator. A mixture of truth and lies made her words more believable than an outright truthful answer. With just a surname, she doubted the black mist could deduce or calculate anything concrete.

As expected, this time, the black mist did not immediately kill anyone. Like with the first question, it cleanly let another person go.

"The fourth question: Has this master of yours reached the Great Ascension stage?"

The black mist posed the question with a tone filled with unprecedented fervor.

Zhang Yiyi's heart skipped a beat, instantly grasping the critical significance of this question. Fortunately, she was prepared. Her expression remained unchanged as she sneered, "Are you dreaming? The highest cultivation level in this world is Nascent Soul. Where would a Great Ascension cultivator come from? Don't think you can bully me just because my cultivation is low and I'm inexperienced."

As soon as her voice fell, He Ze, who was hanging upside down from a tree, instantly turned into a bloody mess, spraying his crimson remains all over He Jie, who was standing closest.

Zhang Yiyi didn't utter a single sound. She merely stood there, expressionless, as if the entire world had descended into an eerie silence.

It wasn't that she didn't want to save He Jie and the others. She knew the moment the question about the "Great Ascension stage" was asked, none of them were going to leave alive.

For countless millennia, Lanyu Small World had not produced a single ascendant. The highest realm any cultivator could achieve was Nascent Soul, with no further progression possible. The black mist's fixation on her undoubtedly stemmed from sensing something unusual about her. It wanted to verify its suspicions and use her as a breakthrough point to discover a way to transcend Nascent Soul and potentially achieve ascension once more.

"The fifth question: How can I contact the master you mentioned?"

The black mist's next question laid bare its true intent. Its interest was never in Zhang Yiyi herself but rather the powerful figure behind her.

"Let He Jie and Liu Song go. Free them, and I will tell you."

Zhang Yiyi took a deep breath. Only He Jie and Liu Song remained now, and she wasn't willing to let the last shred of initiative slip entirely into the black mist's control.

Unfortunately, Tang Jin was never the kind to negotiate. Bargaining was futile with someone like him. Within moments, both Liu Song and He Jie exploded without warning into a mess of blood and flesh.

Standing there, Zhang Yiyi's mind went blank, and her body involuntarily trembled. Ultimately, she could only watch helplessly as He Jie and Liu Song died before her eyes.

Even though she had anticipated this outcome, her heart felt an indescribable heaviness and sadness. She was too weak—so weak that she could do nothing, utterly powerless in the face of such cruelty.

"Little girl, don't try to provoke me again. Your answers aren't what matter—it's whether or not I'm satisfied." The black mist's cold, mocking tone was like that of a cat playing with a cornered mouse. "Feeling sad? Angry? Guilty? Do you want revenge for them? Haha, too bad! There's only one question left. If you don't answer well, you'll follow in their footsteps."

Zhang Yiyi didn't respond. She simply glared coldly at the black mist, revealing none of her emotions. Sadness? Yes. Anger? Yes. But guilt? No. She had nothing to feel guilty about—the true culprit was the one standing before her. She wouldn't foolishly take on a burden that didn't belong to her, letting the real killer go unpunished.

Well done, Tang family. Well done, Tang Jin. Unless she truly died here today, she vowed to avenge He Jie and the others in the future!

Yes, it was Tang Jin. She was now certain that the master of this domain was none other than Tang Family's Third Master, Tang Jin. And the final proof lay before her.

"The final question..." The black mist began, but Zhang Yiyi interrupted it directly.

"Enough! Don't bother with more questions." Her voice was icy as she sneered, "Tang Family's Third Master, having achieved Nascent Soul and established your Dao, why do you hide in the shadows before a mere junior like me? In your own domain, no less. What are you afraid of? Don't tell me you're worried a Foundation Establishment junior might outwit you?"

She boldly revealed his identity, making no effort to hide her disdain. "Tang Xi should be here too, right? If you want secrets from me, then come out and speak plainly. Let's see if I have the leverage to bargain!"

"Well, well, clever girl. But don't you worry that revealing my identity and greatest secret might make me kill you to silence you?"

The black mist vanished instantly. Soon, Tang Jin and Tang Xi materialized, seated leisurely by an ancient tree, sipping tea and watching the show unfold.

"So, it really is you two." Zhang Yiyi's gaze darkened, but she remained unflustered. "Before I outlive my usefulness, I imagine you won't be in a hurry to kill me. And once I'm no longer useful, knowing your identity and secrets won't save me anyway."

"Zhang Yiyi, you know too much," Tang Xi said with a cruel smile. "But death isn't the worst thing. The worst thing is living a life where you can't die even if you want to. So, why don't you just share your biggest secret? Do that, and we might spare your soul, allowing you a chance at reincarnation. Refuse, and your soul will endure eternal torment in flames."

They weren't afraid of Zhang Yiyi spreading rumors. No one would believe her anyway, and they wouldn't give her the chance.

"So confident," Zhang Yiyi scoffed, her mocking gaze fixed on Tang Xi. "But you're still nothing more than my defeated opponent."

"Arrogant!" Tang Xi's tone was scornful, but he wasn't overly provoked. "Here, in Third Master's domain, you dare to act so bold?"

"Yes, I do." Zhang Yiyi fired back, her gaze shifting to Tang Jin. "You think you can uncover my secrets so easily? Don't get your hopes up. This domain is bound by the laws of Heaven—no ascension to higher realms is possible. Third Master, you know this better than anyone, yet you still refuse to give up. Running to a junior like me for answers is laughable!"

"Sharp-tongued, aren't you? Seems like you need to be taught a lesson," Tang Jin said coldly. With a casual wave of his hand, an immense pressure descended on Zhang Yiyi, threatening to crush her completely.

The mountain-like force was unbearable, and Zhang Yiyi felt as though she was on the brink of explosion, entirely out of her own control. The overwhelming might of a Nascent Soul cultivator made death feel imminent.

"Pfft!" Within seconds, the force dissipated, and Zhang Yiyi spat out a mouthful of blood, her face pale as death.

If Tang Jin hadn't held back, intending only to teach her a lesson, she would already be dead like He Jie and Liu Song.

For the first time, Zhang Yiyi truly understood what it meant to have one's life entirely in someone else's hands.

She quickly swallowed a healing pill, her mind racing to formulate a desperate plan.

"Well? Was that lesson enlightening? Would you like to try something else?" Tang Xi taunted, his voice dripping with smugness. "Just give up your secret. Otherwise, I'll ensure you endure increasingly agonizing bouts of near-death experiences!"

Ignoring his taunts, Zhang Yiyi took out a protective amulet crafted by her master.

"You're right," she said, smiling faintly. "I know what you want, and I don't want to suffer anymore."

She held the amulet up, addressing Tang Jin. "The secret lies here. This amulet, left by that high master, is likely what caught your attention."

The moment she produced the amulet, the unmistakable aura of her master's Great Ascension stage power filled the air. Tang Jin's eyes gleamed with greed and desire as he reached for it.

But he was a step too late. Zhang Yiyi activated the amulet immediately, its protective energy forming a barrier around her.

"You dare!" Tang Jin realized too late that he had been tricked. The amulet's protective aura was not only impenetrable but also operated beyond his domain's control.

"I dare. And now, you can neither kill nor torture me," Zhang Yiyi said, her expression calm. She sat cross-legged within the barrier, focusing on healing and preparing to escape.

Today, she would flee as far as possible. But before that, she intended to exact a small measure of revenge for He Jie and the others.