The young lady distributed the pills.
Some of the girls who took the pills immediately felt their injuries improve. Their eyes lit up, and their cheeks filled with emotion, "I never expected this pill to be so effective!"
"Yes, after taking it, my hand doesn't hurt anymore, and I can move it now!"
"I want to go home quickly! Tell my parents I'm still alive!"
The girls eagerly crowded forward, their faces beaming with smiles.
Feng Ninghe quietly observed everyone, her clear, crisp voice slowly descending, "Everyone, I know you are eager to return home, but I still hope you will stay in the palace for three more days. Because three days later, the High Priest's accomplice will appear."
"Accomplice?"
Bai Niannian's face showed surprise, and she quickly looked at Feng Ninghe, "This corpulent and greasy High Priest actually has an accomplice?"
Feng Ninghe nodded slightly and simply stated what she knew, "Indeed, the High Priest took souls to hand over to others. They abetted evil and are all unforgivable. In three days, someone will come specifically to collect the souls, and we should capture them all."
The girls exchanged glances, seemingly pondering how to proceed.
"But... the High Priest is very powerful, we are probably no match for him..."
"The High Priest is a Nascent Soul cultivator. If he just snaps his fingers, we will instantly perish!"
After deliberation, the girls spoke.
In response, Bai Niannian nonchalantly patted her chest, her face showing a hint of fearlessness, "What is there to fear from a mere Nascent Soul cultivator? The fact that we could enter this place is enough to prove our capabilities. As for that High Priest, he is probably already in deep trouble."
Xiao Zhao is not to be trifled with. Given Xiao Zhao's temperament, anyone who dared to lay a hand on him would face dire consequences.
The girls felt her words were reasonable, and their emotions immediately shifted. Their eyes filled with anger, "The High Priest has harmed me so terribly! He broke one of my fingers, how can I let this go?"
"Many girls have already died because of them. I couldn't even protect my own sister, I can't let more people get hurt!"
"We must capture them all and bring them before our elders and fellow villagers!"
The girls spoke with impatience.
The girl whose leg was injured pointed towards the depths of the prison, her face filled with emotion and regret, "There are many people there too, all girls whose souls were absorbed. After their souls were taken, they were no longer of use, so they were left there to fend for themselves."
The depths of the prison were very dark, as if one could not see the bottom.
Feng Ninghe thought of Xiao Ya.
After their souls were absorbed, they would become walking corpses, devoid of consciousness.
She casually picked up a torch and lit the way ahead.
Not far away, something seemed to be lying haphazardly on the ground.
As they approached and looked, they instantly saw the scene before them.
A hundred or so girls lay on the ground, devoid of consciousness. They lay there with bewildered eyes.
Even more had died, emitting a foul odor, their limbs stiff, covered in lividity.
"This..."
Even Feng Ninghe froze for a moment, stunned in place, upon seeing this scene.
Young girls were casually discarded here.
Some were even in rags, lying naked, their bodies covered in wounds, clearly having suffered humiliation before death.
"Sister!"
Suddenly, a figure rushed out, heading towards a corpse covered in lividity.
The woman's hands trembled, and she covered her face, weeping, "Sister... how did you become like this! High Priest, I will kill you!"
The heart-wrenching female voice echoed repeatedly in the prison.
Seeing this scene, Feng Ninghe's eyes instantly turned cold. A chilling light flashed in her thin, indifferent eyes. She lowered her voice and reminded, "Xiao Zhao, don't kill them. Remember to interrogate them and find out where he put those people's souls."
Elsewhere.
Xiao Zhao's large claw was pressing down on the High Priest.
It still held a fruit in its hand, leisurely nibbling on it.
The High Priest, already bruised and swollen, lay there weakly begging for mercy, "G-great hero... please spare me. I promise I will reform and be a good person from now on!"
Xiao Zhao ignored the High Priest and casually took out a pill and stuffed it into his mouth, "This medicine was refined by me, the great master. It has miraculous effects in healing injuries. As long as you have the medicine, no matter how severe your injuries, it won't kill you."
Giving medicine while torturing was the most painful.
The expression on the High Priest's face immediately changed, "Great hero, what exactly do you want?"
Feng Ninghe's voice reached Xiao Zhao's ears. It nodded seriously, indicating understanding, and replied in a low voice, "Master, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Xiao Zhao released its leg from pressing on the High Priest.
The High Priest was bound tightly and could not break free at all.
Xiao Zhao transformed into the appearance of a child, its young face showing a hint of innocence.
It blinked its azure eyes, its clean and clear gaze seemingly devoid of any extraneous emotion, "High Priest, do you want to live?"
The High Priest nodded frantically, his eyes filled with terror as he looked at Xiao Zhao, "I want to live! Please spare me. I'll do anything to live."
The High Priest could not discern what Xiao Zhao in front of him was.
It could transform into a beast, and it could transform into a human, with varying forms.
It could become a woman, and it could become a child.
Even though the person in front of him was small and had an innocent face, the High Priest dared not be negligent.
Xiao Zhao quietly gazed at the High Priest, its childish voice slowly descending, "What did you use to lock the souls of those girls? Where did you keep their souls?"
"If I tell you, will you let me go?" the High Priest swallowed, looking at it somewhat timidly.
Xiao Zhao grunted, raised its small hand, and slapped his cheek fiercely, "Still dare to bargain with me? Take this beating!"
*Slap!*
The sound of the slap fell.
The High Priest's already bruised and swollen face became even redder and more hideous.
Xiao Zhao, in its human form, had small hands but considerable strength.
With this blow, the High Priest's mouth ached so much that half of his teeth were broken. He immediately begged for mercy, "Great hero! I'll tell you, I'll tell you! The gourd hanging from my waist is the item that collects souls, and this thing is almost a divine artifact!"
Xiao Zhao grunted and casually took the gourd from him and put it away.
It tugged at the rope binding the High Priest and unceremoniously dragged him out of the house.
*Bang!*
Xiao Zhao kicked open the door.
The High Priest wailed and begged, "Great hero, I've already given you the gourd, what else do you want from me!"
Xiao Zhao ignored him and strode forward.
The two girls guarding the door were stunned.
The High Priest had always been aloof and imposing. When had he ever been beaten into such a bruised state?