Zhu Yan was poisoned by his own wine; he collapsed on the floor while tackling an excruciating pain.

Wang Ke had already figured out what was happening.

“Zhu Yan? You tried to poison me, but you failed? And now you got yourself poisoned? Hahaha! You are ruthlessly scheming as usual! We were reminiscing about our past, and you tried to poison me?” Wang Ke said coldly.

“Why, why did nothing happen to you? Pffftt!” Zhu Yan vomited another mouthful of poisoned blood.

But Wang Ke remained silent and indifferent.

Instead, he took off the beaded bracelet on Zhu Yan’s wrist.

“Why weren’t you poisoned?” Zhu Yan persistently cried out while staring at Wang Ke.

That poisonous wine could even kill Innate Stage cultivators, but Zhu Yan was already at the pinnacle of that stage, and he had turned into a demon. Demons used poisons to cultivate, which gave most of them a fairly strong immunity to poisons. Zhu Yan just had to hang in there a little longer before expelling all the poison from his body.

“Pfff—”

Zhu Yan vomited blood a third time; a great portion of poison had already been cleared from his body.

But then Wang Ke had taken off Zhu Yan’s bead bracelet.

“What are you doing? Give it back!” Zhu Yan cried out in horror.

“Baaaam!”

Wang Ke stomped him onto the ground.

“Humph, you had yet to reach the Innate Stage when I left. Now that a few decades have passed, your bodily functions should have deteriorated; it would be even harder to break through to the Innate Stage. You tried to bring me harm by poisoning me? It seems like you’re not confident in your cultivation. Surely you haven’t reached the Innate Stage, right? How dare you attack me?” Wang Ke said mockingly.

“Kraak”

Wang Ke stomped Zhu Yan on the ground again. Another arrow of blood came out of his mouth.

Zhu Yan had almost expelled all the poison in his body after jetting another mouthful of poisonous blood out.

He turned and looked up. “Wang Ke, you want to die?” Zhu Yan threatened.

“I want to die? You want to die! You bastard. How dare you give me poisoned wine? I might have been killed by you just now if I hadn’t realized it! Zhu Yan, you are testing my patience!” Wang Ke said with an icy voice.

Zhu Yan dourly said, “You didn’t drink the wine just now? No wonder!”

Did Wang Ke not drink it? Of course, he drank it! He said that to mislead Zhu Yan from realizing his secret immunity against all poisons.

“Zhu Yan! Don’t blame me for being heartless since you want me dead! Tell me, how did you get this bracelet?” Wang Ke threatened.

He kicked and overturned the table beside them as he spoke to intimidate the other; the table slammed to the ground with a loud noise.

Wang Ke thought that Zhu Yan could no longer retaliate because the latter had yet to reach the Innate Stage and was poisoned. That was why he didn’t want to waste any words, so he quickly started his interrogation.

But was Zhu Yan really weak? He had consumed a lot of blood and essence of the righteous sects’ disciples after becoming a demon, so much so that he had already reached the pinnacle of the Innate Stage. That was why he had been able to expel all the poisoned blood. Dealing with Wang Ke was a piece of cake with his current cultivation.

“Whooooosh—”

Zhu Yan waved his hand as though he was going to slam Wang Ke with his palm.

“Cough!”

At this moment, a woman’s cough came from outside the room. Zhu Yan—who was about to make an explosive attack—was instantly awakened by the cough.

Soldiers had just approached at that moment and were outside the residence. One of them asked with a stutter, “My Emperor, Immortal Qing is back. She heard the crashing noise in the Empress' Residence and wants to know if anything is amiss. Do you need help?”

Wang Ke was shocked. Did I make too much noise when I overturned the table?People were alerted by it?

Wang Ke’s face turned grim. He quickly took out a long sword and pressed it against Zhu Yan’s throat, threatening him to not speak rashly.

“I’m okay. Tell Immortal Qing that the empress and I are enjoying ourselves and we made some noise!” Zhu Yan shouted in reply.

“Will do!” That guard ran away in fear almost instantly.

Outside—The guard ran quickly to a building nearby and bowed before the person standing on the rooftop.

“Reporting, Immortal Qing. The emperor said he was okay. Also, this is not the first time; this has been happening for a month already. The emperor and the empress always make a lot of noise while enjoying themselves... There were shrieks of pain sometimes too!” The soldier reported respectfully.

A lady stood on the roof. She was no other than She Miejue, who went after Zhang Zhengdao to claim his life.

She had just returned, but the anger was still obvious on her face; Zhang Zhengdao had really infuriated her. She then heard loud crashing sounds coming from the Empress' Residence when she returned. Why is there such a loud noise in the middle of the night? The guards around her showed no reactions. Are they deaf? And so she asked them about it.

But the guards said it was normal.

The guards are already used to it. Why should I care then?The noises of the couple enjoying themselves?That noise must be from their lovemaking...Tsk!

The already angered She Miejue’s face became flushed after hearing the explanation; she chose not to go over to investigate.

Back in the Empress' Residence—Wang Ke was satisfied by Zhu Yan’s response to the soldier. “It’s good that you understand the situation. Humph!”

But he didn't know that Immortal Qing was actually She Miejue, or he wouldn't have been in the mood to continue his interrogation.

Zhu Yan had an extremely unpleasant face at that moment

He believed that he could kill Wang Ke with one strike! He was at the peak of the Innate Stage; how could Wang Ke stand against him?

But he no longer dared to attack; Wang Ke had snatched the string of beads. His demonic Qi would be exposed the moment he made a move.

He heard from other demons that Immortal Qing was an extremely powerful cultivator from the righteous sects; she was totally intolerant against anything related to demons. She killed whoever had demonic Qi on sight.

Immortal Qing had often stayed in the emperor’s compound during that period. Zhu Yan only dared to cultivate demonic techniques because he had the authority as the emperor to dig a dungeon in secret and use the empress as his cover.

But once he attacked, his demonic Qi would leak, and he would be killed by Immortal Qing! Drawing her attention as he confronted Wang Ke, would put him at risk of being discovered. So, he had to do everything in his power to prevent Immortal Qing from knowing what was happening inside.

Damn. I have the power of a peak Innate Stage cultivator, but I can’t use it?

“Tell me, where did you get the bracelet from? Where’s the previous owner right now?” Wang Ke questioned.

“Humph, Wang Ke, do you think you can threaten me?” Zhu Yan said disdainfully.

“So, you’re not going to tell me?” Wang Ke continued to press his sword against the emperor’s neck.

“Kill me! Kill me now! You will never find out if you do!” Zhu Yan replied without a care.

Wang Ke’s face turned grave. Zhu Yan, this old scum. Did he realize that I’m concerned about Princess Youyue’s safety? Is that why he’s unwilling to tell?You’re asking me to kill you? You're certain that I wouldn’t dare to hit you, huh?

Wang Ke put away the sword in his hand with a stern face, then he took out a long whip.

“Piak!”

He whipped Zhu Yan and left the emperor’s face with a bloodstain. “Tell me! Tell me now!” Wang Ke stared at him and demanded.

“Ahhh!” Zhu Yan yelped as he looked at Wang Ke in disbelief.

“I’ll keep on whipping if you don’t tell me! I’ll whip until you speak!” Wang Ke threatened.

“Piak! Piak! Piak!”

“Ahh, ah, ah! How dare... ahh!”

Zhu Yan screamed in great pain. He really wanted to kill Wang Ke on the spot. But, damn it! Immortal Qing is outside. He couldn't use his essence Qi! The emperor could only squirm and be whipped.

Leave the residence? If I do, then people outside will see what’s inside! If Immortal Qing sees me running out, she will surely want to investigate what happened. I haven’t even shut the door to my dungeon! My secrets will be exposed if Immortal Qing does a mind sweep over the place!

“Enough! Ahh, stop it, ahh! Give me back those beads!” Zhu Yan could only grit his teeth and endure.

“Still keeping things to yourself? I will keep on whipping until you speak!” Wang Ke continued.

Zhu Yan’s hands were tied, and Wang Ke still had the option of using his essence Qi! He was at Innate Stage Level Two, which was more than enough to bully Zhu Yan. Screams of pain continued to permeate to the exterior of the residence.

She Miejue was perplexed by those screams.

“The whipping sounds from the Empress' Residence... Is it a part of their enjoyment?” She Miejue looked at one of the guards as she wondered.

“Ah? Yes, it’s been a month since all kinds of noises have been heard coming from the Empress' Residence. As to the whipping... We can take it as something less serious,” the soldier replied.

A picture of the empress whipping Zhu Yan with a small leather whip appeared in She Miejue’s mind; she then looked toward the Empress' Residence in disdain and decried, “Zhu’s descendants are getting worse with every generation. Instead of governing the empire properly, their minds are filled with despicable things!”

She turned her head away as she spoke.

But then she just so happened to hear Wang Ke’s voice coming from the Empress' Residence.

“You’re still not going to tell me? I will continue whipping, then!” Wang Ke said with a deep and coarse voice.

She Miejue was stunned by this. “Why is another man’s voice coming from the Empress' Residence?”

She heard Zhu Yan’s screams but there was no request for help; if not, she would have already barged into the residence.

“Immortal Qing, that’s part of the usual. For a month, our Emperor has often brought a bunch of people into the Empress' Residence. I’ve seen it many times before, and I saw it today with my own eyes; a guard actually entered the residence!” the soldier reported respectfully.

She Miejue was bewildered. Her mind could still not comprehend what was happening.

Zhu Yan and his wife, playing a torture game during their love rounds... They even invite others to join them?And this happens often?They invited a guard just today?Zhu Yan, he must be a pervert!How can he invite other people to join him in such activities?Doesn’t he feel disgusted by it?

“Ahhh!” Zhu Yan’s howls from the whipping continued.

And the soldiers were fearful, yet they stood in position. She Miejue filled in the blanks with her own mind. Could that be the cry of a perverted pleasure?

She Miejue’s face increasingly showed her distaste. What a pervert! Worst than a beast!