Chapter 246: Real Reactions

Duan Rong continued, "Does the Magistrate remember? In the first half of the year, when I was still selling paintings on the street, one day, Miss Shen nearly caused a death right in front of my stall."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yanliu looked at Duan Rong with a cold face. He naturally remembered this incident, but he did not understand why Duan Rong would suddenly bring it up at this moment.

"The person Miss Shen nearly killed that day is this woman."

Shen Yanliu's gaze flickered slightly.

"I intercepted Miss Shen at the time, which could be considered saving this woman's life. Later, through back-and-forth interactions, she and I developed into lovers."

"I would occasionally pass by Antique Street and buy many miscellaneous books, some of which mentioned the Filthy Blood Sect. One day, while meeting with her, she saw me reading books related to the Filthy Blood Sect and began to probe me with questions about it."

"Since then, she would often take the initiative to bring up the topic of the Filthy Blood Sect in front of me. At first, I didn't pay it any mind, but gradually, I felt that her attitude toward the Filthy Blood Sect seemed problematic; her words seemed to carry a subtle tacit approval... she even spoke to me several times about the many miraculous aspects of the Filthy Blood Divine Art..."

"And just today, she finally said she could introduce me to join the Filthy Blood Sect. Furthermore, she said there is a Secret Chamber in the Back Courtyard of Wei Yutian's residence, built specifically for practicing the Filthy Blood Divine Art! She also said that tonight, Wei Yutian would be in the Secret Chamber, offering sacrifices to the Five-Passage God and practicing the Filthy Blood Divine Art! She asked if I was interested in going to observe it."

Duan Rong had already rehearsed these words in his mind several times; they were seamless and tightly woven. After finishing, he glanced at Shen Yanliu, only to see his gaze flickering and lost in thought, clearly deep in contemplation.

Duan Rong's words had indeed made Shen Yanliu believe him to a certain extent. The mention of needing to offer sacrifices to the Five-Passage God to practice the Filthy Blood Divine Art touched upon some core secrets of the Filthy Blood Sect, which could never be known so clearly just by reading miscellaneous books circulating on the market.

Shen Yanliu looked at Duan Rong, his gaze having softened significantly, and said, "Escort Duan Rong, get up and speak."

"Yes." Duan Rong had been kneeling with his fists cupped, and at this moment, he lowered his sleeves and rose. Just as he stood up, his sleeve naturally brushed against the face of Su Di, who was lying before him.

A faint Medicine Powder, colorless and odorless.

The moment Duan Rong stood up, Su Di let out a muffled groan and regained consciousness.

As soon as Su Di opened her eyes, she saw Duan Rong standing beside her, and in an instant, she recognized who he was—the painter who had once saved her life.

Shen Yanliu looked at Su Di and saw her staring intently at Duan Rong. He could tell from her gaze that she clearly knew Duan Rong, and that this person had a significant connection to her, which was why she was staring so intently.

Seeing Su Di wake up, Duan Rong's gaze turned cold, and he immediately asked, "Su Di, is your master, Wei Yutian, a member of the Filthy Blood Sect?"

Su Di's breath hitched at Duan Rong's question, and her face turned deathly pale in an instant. A look of deep panic appeared in her eyes for that moment, and then, with a flicker in her gaze, she sat up and snapped, "You... what nonsense are you talking about..."

But Shen Yanliu had seen her reactions from beginning to end.

At that very moment, Shen Yanliu was convinced that what Duan Rong said was true; Wei Yutian was indeed a member of the Filthy Blood Sect.

Duan Rong had asked her point-blank the moment she woke up precisely so that she would be caught off guard before she could grasp the situation, allowing Shen Yanliu to see her true reaction.

Because Wei Yutian being a member of the Filthy Blood Sect was a fact, Su Di's reaction was naturally authentic, and thus what Shen Yanliu saw was entirely real. How could he not believe it?

As for whether Shen Yanliu could confirm the fact that Wei Yutian was a member of the Filthy Blood Sect from Su Di's reaction, Duan Rong was not worried at all.

He had seen Shen Yanliu's iron-blooded and profound methods more than once.

Su Di's initial deep fear and the panic in her eyes when she realized and immediately denied it were already near-definitive proof.

If a person is being slandered, the first emotion to rise in their heart must be anger.

Only when something true is exposed will they instantly fall into fear and panic.

Shen Yanliu suddenly reached out with an iron claw, grabbed Su Di by the neck, and hoisted her up.

With both feet off the ground, Su Di found it difficult to breathe as her neck was gripped.

"Speak! Is Wei Yutian a member of the Filthy Blood Sect?" Shen Yanliu's eyes were as cold as frost.

Su Di stubbornly said, "No! He is spouting nonsense!"

Shen Yanliu's nose wrinkled slightly. He grabbed Su Di's upper arm with his right hand and, as if pulling off a chicken leg, twisted and yanked. With the *crack* of bone and flesh tearing, he forcibly ripped off one of Su Di's arms!

Blood gushed out instantly, splashing half of Su Di's clothes. The flesh at the severed shoulder hung in strips, and the white bone was visible intermittently beneath the flowing blood...

Su Di screamed in pain, and sweat instantly broke out on her forehead.

Shen Yanliu threw Su Di's severed arm onto the ground. Where the blood splashed, several Guards nearby jumped away in terror.

Looking at Su Di, whose face was twisted in pain, Shen Yanliu said in a chilling voice, "If you remain stubborn, I will twist off your other arm, then strip you naked and parade you through the streets on a wooden donkey. As for your skin, I will use the Skinning Daylily. As for your flesh, I will have a master of live-flaying slice it off piece by piece... Finally, your corpse will be left to rot on the walls of Xiangu City for three days... your flesh fed to dogs, your bones turned to ash, your skin wrapped in grass..."

Shen Yanliu's voice was chilling, making everyone present shiver, and even Duan Rong felt a chill in his heart.

Looking at Shen Yanliu, Su Di trembled in fear, for she could feel the hellish, chilling power in his eyes; Shen Yanliu was not trying to scare her.

Su Di was initially terrified, but for some reason, her gaze suddenly went blank, and she began to laugh wildly. She laughed for a long while, almost to the point of tears...

She was laughing at herself; just a moment ago, she realized she had lived her whole life in fear.

She dared not speak because she feared Wei Yutian and feared the Filthy Blood Sect.

But she was equally afraid of the Shen Yanliu before her; she feared being paraded on a wooden donkey, feared the Skinning Daylily, feared being flayed alive, and feared being left to rot for three days.

However, at this moment, she suddenly saw her own stupidity; she was going to die anyway, so what was there to fear?

Her gaze suddenly turned cold; she hated Wei Yutian even more, for Wei Yutian had only treated her as a plaything and a slave...

Once the fear dissipated, the hatred in her heart immediately surged up...

Su Di stopped her wild laughter.

She was suddenly unusually calm, looked at Shen Yanliu, and said peacefully, "Yes, Wei Yutian is a member of the Filthy Blood Sect. He is currently in the Secret Chamber in the Back Courtyard of the residence in Stone Monkey Alley, practicing the Filthy Blood Divine Art."

Shen Yanliu's gaze shifted, and he asked, "In the Back Courtyard of Stone Monkey Alley, who else is there?"

Su Di's gaze suddenly turned manic, and she said, "Only Wei Yutian, and two slutty bitches whose martial arts are even worse than mine. Go, kill them all... parade them on a wooden donkey... Skinning Daylily... flay them alive... feed their flesh to dogs, wrap their skin in grass... go on... let them all die..."

At this moment, Su Di's heart was filled with loathing...

She appeared as if insane, laughing loudly, yet clear tears rolled down the corners of her eyes incessantly...

After finishing his questioning, Shen Yanliu threw Su Di onto the ground like a dog and, looking at a Guard with a fierce gaze, said, "Wang Tai, lock her in the Dungeon."

The Guard who had been called frowned and walked toward Su Di, who was crawling on the ground.

"Li Chong, take your men, go to the warehouse to collect a batch of crossbows, and come with me to Stone Monkey Alley!"

"Yes!" The leader of the Guards replied with a sharp gaze and cupped fists, then turned and led his men toward the warehouse.

(End of chapter)