I couldn't help but tighten the hold on my dagger even as I looked at the unconscious man in front of me, feeling conflicted about what to do. I wasn't feeling merciful, as the glee he showed while he planned to kill me, just because of my disrespect of resisting his attack, would have destroyed it even if I was inclined to do so.

However, that didn't solve my problem. I was still reluctant to kill him.

"Well, it's a problem for later," I thought even as I moved toward the downed spiritual boat and forced it to miniaturize, lamenting the damage it took. It didn't look like it could handle another journey.

Luckily, it was not my only tool. I had summoned my other boat from my dantian before I had tightened the formation around my prisoner, and carried him to the boat before I traveled back. Regardless of my decision about his ultimate fate, a Foundation Establishment cultivator was a source I wasn't willing to let go. I wanted to interrogate him first.

However, I wasn't stupid enough to do so in the middle of misty mountains, famous for its danger. Not to mention, the amount of Qi I could use for formations was limited, and I didn't trust myself to keep him a prisoner here.

Markas was a different question. Luckily, with my Black Grade flying boat, I could carry him along. Otherwise, I wouldn't have dared to drag him with me while walking. Such a journey would last a month, making it too much of a risk.

I didn't even search for him while we traveled back, and I made sure to take a wide detour to avoid any itinerant cultivator. An hour later, I was back on the outskirts of Markas. I didn't bring the prisoner to the spirit vein, or my hiding spot. Instead, I found another cave before building several formations that prevented anything I could think of from summoning artifacts to soul attacks, until I was reasonably confident to imprison even a Golden Core prisoner.

Only then, did I dare to search him.

The first thing I had paid attention to was his sword, which was far stronger than any artifact I had ever used. If it wasn't for the spirit vein, I could never ever dare to touch it, but under the constant flood, I slowly erased his ownership mark.

When it was completely erased, he spat blood, showing that it damaged his cultivation somewhat. I wasn't torn up about it. Instead, I started examining the sword, feeling its structure. It was far more robust than any artifact I touched, including the Black Grade Verdant Sword I had used. The reason was simple.

It was a Foundation Establishment artifact. Unlike Qi Gathering artifacts, they were made for cultivators who could leverage far more Qi with ease. For that reason, I didn't dare to use it.

My next target was his storage ring, which, to my fortune, was still a Qi Gathering grade artifact. It was bigger than my System-provided ring, but not considerably so. I decided to give it to Aisnam.

The contents, on the other hand, were a different issue.

Erasing his imprint on the ring and forcing the contents to spill was even easier. The first thing I noticed was the riches. A nice pile of spirit stones, more than ten thousand. Several talismans, including some I hadn't seen, increasing my potential abilities, a few broken artifacts…

But, most importantly, several technique manuals, including a complete one about gate construction and the Foundation Establishment method. I tried to read it, but once again, it was more complicated than I could comprehend.

I decided to wake my prisoner up, but before doing so, I added a little illusion of a mist filling the cave entrance. It was better for him to believe that he was imprisoned at Misty Mountains. It would make his situation more believable. I even put a fake formation plate at the entrance of the cave, giving a clear weakness to the formation.

That way, he would have the hope of escaping. Hopefully, that would be enough to convince him. "Good morning," I said with an excess cheer as he woke up.

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He blinked as he woke up, then noticed me. "You!" he said as he tried to flare his Qi. Remembering the last time someone had tried that, I adjusted the formation to actually let his Qi infect me, while I made a show of stumbling back. Admittedly, it was only partially a show. His Qi, even when imprisoned, hit hard, trying to overwhelm my Qi.

But, it was worth it.

[Cultivation Difference Bonus - 140; Insult Bonus - 240 (Capped)]

[380x Return - 4,291 Qi Strand]

Just like that, I almost doubled my Qi reserves in my inventory. An excellent source.

I made a show of stumbling back and activating the formation plate again, which weakened his Qi attack temporarily. Still, he chose to repeat the trick. This time, I resisted it far more easily.

[Cultivation Difference Bonus - 140; Insult Bonus - 240 (Capped)]

[380x Return - 928 Qi Strand]

I was happy with the result, as it gave me another way to renew my Qi reserves. "If you stopped acting pointlessly, how about if you answer a few questions of mine. That way, I might let you go," I said.

"Never," he answered.

"Really?" I said. "Even if I promise to let you go afterward," I said. "After all, you're a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator. Hardly a threat to me," I said. He looked at me angrily, but said nothing. "How about if you teach me how to use this?" I said as I raised his sword.

That earned a mocking laugh. "Like you can even process the true complexity of a Foundation Establishment technique," he mocked.

"Oh, really. Why don't you try me?" I said, goading him further. "Are you afraid that I'm going to turn your sword into my toy?"

"Arrogant little worm," he said mockingly. "Try to listen then. The truth of the sword starts with the …" he started, which turned into a sermon. Soon, I could feel my brain getting overwhelmed, almost like it was an attack. He hadn't been joking.

I used the formations to weaken his voice immediately, while at the same time, I bit my tongue to act like I was overwhelmed. Still, I looked at him blankly while he continued to deliver the sermon, occasionally trembling like it was affecting me. His method of imparting a technique was certainly not friendly.

Too bad it was also limited. He paused merely ten minutes later, exhausted. "How was it, little worm," he mocked.

It was excellent.

[Cultivation Difference Bonus - 140; Insult Bonus - 240 (Capped)]

[380x Return - Blue Wave Sword Control Technique - Beginner, Major Immersion]

"I … I will come for another lesson," I stumbled away, acting like I was drunk, making a show of collapsing where he could see … and, if that body was an illusion, he wouldn't know. As I walked away, I listened to his mocking laughter, happy with his victory.

As I left him behind, I couldn't help but smile widely. His sudden appearance forced me into a dangerous situation, but that didn't mean that I didn't benefit. Just one technique lesson, and I already received a Foundation Establishment technique to Immersion Realm.

Still, I didn't trigger it, keeping it for Aisnam. I could trigger it while she was training her sword techniques, and it would give her even more benefit.

Before leaving, I made a few changes in the formation defending the cell, adding some fake weaknesses. I wanted him to believe that I was careless, and that he could get away once he struggled enough.

After all, I needed him to stay confident and arrogant so he could continue to insult me.

I went back to the hidden valley, and used the formation to transfer all the technique manuals I had acquired to Aisnam, including the foundation establishment technique, and the flying sword technique. I only kept the flying sword for me, knowing that Aisnam wouldn't gift it back to me, mostly because it would be worthless for a martial artist.

I watched Aisnam from behind the formation as she went through the technique manuals, trying to see if there was anything for her own use. However, after she had gone through about twenty of them, she stopped going through them. "They are all useless," she muttered, not even reaching the Foundation Establishment technique.

Instead, she returned to practicing Tsunami Palm, which was a correct choice. Normally, learning a new technique should have taken weeks for her. And, here, just a few hours later, she had already managed to reach Major Accomplishment, moving four stages successfully.

Not only that, but I could also see that she had leveraged the abundance of Qi to break through, reaching to ninth stage of Qi Gathering.

I still waited an hour before I changed to my martial artist look and entered, carrying a tray of food. "Madam. Your loyal servant is here," I said as I brought her some food.

"You're here," she gasped as she threw herself into my arms, immediately stopping her training. Her arms were even tighter than I expected, showing just how unsettled she was about her current location. Then, she stopped. "Do you know where we are?" she added.

I shrugged. "No madam. They have just told me that you're going to fight in Queen's place, and you might need my assistance. I just followed them when I learned I could help you," I explained, giving her a readymade excuse about why she was the one working hard to improve rather than the Queen.

It earned me a kiss in the process. From her expression, it was clear that she wouldn't have limited herself to a kiss if she wasn't under the impression that others were watching us … but one couldn't have everything.