Chapter 320 - 161: Bloodthirsty

Chen Qing returned to his small courtyard, bolted the doors and windows, and only then laid out all his spoils.

The silver notes formed a thick stack, all large-denomination bills from the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, redeemable on demand. A quick count revealed a staggering sum of nearly fifteen thousand taels.

There was also a small bag of gold leaves, a few pieces of jewelry inlaid with gemstones, and three white porcelain Elixir Bottles.

He uncorked a bottle and took a light sniff. A rich, medicinal fragrance assailed his nostrils. It was the Truth Condensing Pill, perfect for a Cultivator in the Embrace Pill Realm to advance their Cultivation. Each bottle held ten pills and was worth a small fortune.

Chen Qing’s gaze was serene as he surveyed the valuables.

Including the yet-to-be-processed Treasure Medicines and Weapons he had acquired in the Ten Thousand Poison Swamp, the total value in silver would be substantial.

’Without realizing it, I’ve managed to build up some savings.’

Chen Qing muttered to himself.

These resources were enough that he wouldn’t have to worry about Cultivation Resources for a long time. More importantly, they would allow him to make more thorough preparations for his future breakthrough to the Astral Force realm.

His brow furrowed slightly as scenes from the other courtyard replayed in his mind.

’That man, Zhang Qian... his strength couldn’t be underestimated. That final, desperate palm strike was sinister, cold, and venomous. The Power behind it was insidious—definitely not from any ordinary Righteous Martial Arts. It was remarkably similar to some of the rumored Demon Sect techniques.’

’And then there were the things they mentioned in their conversation: "small meeting," "rules from above," "provisions," "three-month intervals"...’

’When I string those words together, I can’t help but think deeper.’

’It sounds like a secret, organized gathering held at regular intervals!’

’And the word "provisions"... it most likely refers to... Elixirs refined by the Demon Sect using Essence Blood.’

’The Demon Sect has already infiltrated this far?’

’Despite the intense crackdown by the alliance of the Four Great Sects, not only have they failed to lay low, but they’ve actually formed a secret network for regular trades or exchanges in an even more covert way?’

’Bai Qingquan, a Steward of the Liu Family, and Zhang Qian, a master of the Embracing Pill Force with an unknown background, were both involved... The scale of this "small meeting" is probably far more extensive than I imagined!’

’Bai Qingquan was a Steward of the Liu Family, and he had access to secrets like this... What about the Liu Family itself?’

The thought flashed through Chen Qing’s mind.

’The Liu Family is the foremost Noble Family in Yunlin Prefecture. Their roots run deep and their network of connections is vast and complex. If they were colluding with the Demon Sect, the consequences would be unthinkable.’

But after a moment of careful thought, he slowly shook his head, inwardly dismissing the theory.

’The Liu Family’s power is at its peak. Their business guilds span several prefectures, their influence is immense, and their connections run deep. Siding with the Demon Sect would be an extremely high-risk gamble for an uncertain reward.’

’Besides, Liu Han was killed by Zuo Feng. The Liu Family should hate the Demon Sect down to their very bones.’

’The more likely scenario is that Bai Qingquan was blinded by greed, or perhaps someone had leverage over him. He colluded with the Demon Sect in secret, using his position as a Liu Family Steward to provide cover or create channels for them. The Liu Family’s leadership most likely knows nothing about it. It’s perfectly normal for a few scoundrels to emerge from a large family with so many members.’

Although he had reached this conclusion, Chen Qing didn’t let his guard down completely.

Regardless, Bai Qingquan was from the Liu Family. That connection was worth keeping an eye on.

He would need to be extra cautious in all future dealings with people and matters related to the Liu Family.

’If necessary, I could even...’

A cold glint flashed in Chen Qing’s eyes for a fleeting moment. He then pushed the thoughts aside, calmed his Heart and Spirit, and sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion.

’Carrying a priceless treasure like the Azure Wave Profound Flood Dragon Armor, there’s no guarantee it won’t be exposed one day.’

’This would serve as a contingency plan.’

’Caution is always the first principle of survival.’

.....

「Deep within the Xuanjia Sect’s Punishment Hall.」

The damp, cold stone walls were hung with all manner of torture implements, many of which were unidentifiable.

The air was thick with the suffocating stench of blood.

Torches on the walls CRACKLED, their dancing flames making shadows stretch and shrink, adding to the grim atmosphere.

A figure, a mangled mess of blood and flesh, was bound to an iron rack in the center of the room.

His head lolled limply, his breath as faint as a silk thread. Only an occasional twitch proved he was still alive.

Du Lingchuan set down a Reversed Spike Iron Whip caked in bits of flesh and blood, his expression impassive.

It was as if he were not the one who had just administered a round of torture sufficient to make an ordinary person break down completely.

He walked over to a stone table and picked up an earthenware jar as black as ink.

The jar was sealed, yet faint, skin-crawling rustling and scratching sounds emanated from within.

"Speak."

Du Lingchuan said coldly, "Fengyu Town, Xiahe Village, Black Stone Castle... all those hundreds of lives. Where did their Essence Blood go? How many more strongholds do you people have in Yunlin Prefecture? And which Noble Families are you in contact with?"

The Demon Sect master struggled to lift his eyelids, his eyes filled with venomous hatred and terror.

"It seems you still think there’s a sliver of hope for survival."

Du Lingchuan’s gaze didn’t waver in the slightest. "I am not completely ignorant of your background. If you dare to utter a single lie, or try to hide anything..."

He abruptly smashed the jar’s clay seal, and a scraping sound instantly erupted from within.

"These are ’Bone-Eating Centipedes,’ little trinkets ranked seventy-sixth on the list of venomous creatures. They don’t care for flesh and blood; they love only bone marrow. What they love even more is laying their eggs in the crevices of a living person’s bones. Once they burrow inside, you won’t die. In fact, you’ll be perfectly conscious as you feel them gnawing, laying eggs, and hatching inside your very bones... The entire process can last a full month."

Du Lingchuan slowly brought the mouth of the jar toward the Demon Sect master’s cheek, the chilling rustle from within now horribly clear.

Standing not far behind Du Lingchuan, Chang Xing’s face was deathly pale. She instinctively averted her gaze, her stomach churning violently.

Although she had already reached the Embracing Pill Force level of Cultivation and had experienced life-or-death combat, witnessing such a brutal interrogation up close still left her feeling intensely disturbed, her heart pounding in her chest.