Chapter 342: Paying Respects to the Sect Master

"Clang~~"

The sound of a metal door opening and closing came, and Hogan walked into the interrogation room.

In the dim room, torture implements were arranged all around.

The Cult Leader's Follower, Leiji, was tied to a chair, a True Qi Restrictor on his feet, his clothes tattered and stained with blood.

His entire body was covered in wounds, clearly having endured torture.

The person in charge of the interrogation saw Hogan enter and immediately stood up to salute.

Hogan had a stern expression as he sized up Leiji.

A Martial Artist's body is very sturdy; even if their True Qi is restricted, a body nourished by True Qi is still hundreds or thousands of times stronger than an ordinary person's.

The reason Leiji had been injured to this extent was that these were no ordinary torture implements; they were True Qi torture implements processed with special techniques.

"Have you remembered anything yet, Follower Leiji?"

Hogan asked.

Ever since the Cult Leader died that day, Hogan had captured Leiji and locked him in this place that only he knew about.

There was one thing, just like the throne, that he was also determined to obtain.

Leiji slowly raised his head, looked at Hogan, his expression blank, and shook his head.

Hogan frowned, leaned toward Leiji, and said, "The Cult Leader is already dead; there is no point in you keeping secrets for him anymore."

Leiji also stared at Hogan and said, "General, I truly do not know where those death servants are, and I do not know the method to control those things either."

"But I can be certain that those things are not something you, General, can control. You only see their power, but you do not see their danger."

"Then why don't you tell me, what exactly are those death servants?"

Hogan narrowed his eyes.

Leiji suddenly looked dazed and said slowly, "The dead... the living... they are all the Cult Leader... yet they are not the Cult Leader..."

"Babbling nonsense..."

Hogan stood up and snorted coldly: "Let's stop here for today. I still have to attend the funeral later. You all take him back to his cell."

Hogan left, and two guards escorted Leiji back to his cell.

Walking along the prison corridor, Leiji's steps were unsteady and he was swaying.

He had not eaten for three days, and coupled with the days of torture and the effect of the True Qi Restrictor, his body had reached its limit.

The escorting guards held him on the left and right, dragging him toward the cell with looks of disgust.

Leiji kept his head lowered, a glimmer of spirit flashing in his dazed eyes.

Suddenly, his feet stopped, and both guards were jerked by him, nearly falling over.

"What are you doing—"

Before the guard's angry roar could finish, a flash of white light streaked by.

Leiji pulled the blade from the guard's waist and severed the head of one of them.

The other guard was terrified and quickly pulled out the True Qi Restrictor Remote, about to press the button.

However, Leiji's speed was once again a step ahead.

With a downward slash, the guard's wrist holding the remote fell off, and with a turn and a swing, the second guard was also decapitated.

Leiji's speed was very fast; the entire incident took less than three seconds.

Two heads rolled to his feet, and Leiji let out a contemptuous sneer before his body went limp and he knelt on the ground.

He dropped the scimitar, picked up the True Qi Restrictor Remote from the ground, and pressed the release button, removing his own restriction.

In an instant, True Qi flowed through his meridians, his fatigue and injuries were alleviated, and he recovered some of his strength in a moment.

………

As the first ray of dawn pierced the night, the entire city was shrouded in a solemn and grave atmosphere.

On the streets, people dressed in plain robes, holding lit candles, slowly gathered toward the central square. Their faces were filled with sorrow and reverence, and every step seemed heavy and slow, as if silently expressing their endless longing for the late Cult Leader.

In the center of the square, a huge Altar was decorated with countless flowers and holy white cloth; the Cult Leader's remains were placed on the Altar, surrounded by totems and holy relics symbolizing the doctrine.

Above the Altar, a golden canopy shone brilliantly in the sunlight, as if it were a bridge to the Heavenly Kingdom.

All around, warriors in armor stood guard, their gazes firm, their longswords reflecting a cold light in the sun.

As the morning bell rang, the funeral officially began.

The believer representatives elected by the people wore gorgeous vestments, holding scepters, and slowly stepped into the square. Their pace was solemn and powerful, and every step seemed to be declaring the immortality of the Cult Leader to the world.

They surrounded the Altar and began to chant ancient prayers; the melodious and mysterious hymns echoed over the square, as if they could penetrate the soul and reach the sky.

As the prayer continued, a strange sight suddenly appeared in the sky; a seven-colored halo slowly unfolded in the clouds, like a Divine Miracle, adding a sacred touch to the funeral.

The believers knelt down one after another, hands clasped, their eyes filled with tears and hope, believing this to be a sign of the Cult Leader's soul ascending to heaven.

Finally, when the prayer ended, the believers slowly placed the Cult Leader's remains into the prepared Stone Coffin.

Afterward, the believers lifted it, passed through the crowd, and walked slowly toward the cemetery.

King Abdullah, standing on a high building in the palace, witnessed all of this, not knowing what he was thinking.

Hogan stood in the square, looking at the King from afar, a dangerous light flashing in his eyes.

"General, we did not find any sign of Follower Leiji."

A subordinate approached and reported to Hogan.

Hogan nodded and said, "Be on guard at the cemetery later as well; there is no guarantee he won't appear."

"Yes."

"How is the preparation for that matter going?"

Hogan asked again.

"The armory has already been taken over by our men. Once needed, not a single one of the firearms and other True Qi thermal weapons inside will go missing."

"Furthermore, the guards inside the imperial palace have all been replaced. Commander Yuri did ask a few questions, but once he heard it was your intention, General, he didn't inquire any further."

Hogan nodded in satisfaction, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes: "Very good. Regardless of whether we can catch Leiji today and find those death-sworn, this Ansili throne will be mine!"

………

The graveyard was in a secluded forest in the capital of Ansili.

Walking in along the straight stone-slab path, one could see a stone platform that had been specially renovated.

The shape and size of the stone platform fit the Stone Coffin perfectly, and it was surrounded by clusters of flowers.

The Cult Leader was glorious in life, so he naturally could not be destitute in death; this unique graveyard was a special grace from King Abdullah.

The believers carefully placed the Stone Coffin onto the stone platform, and as the stone slabs closed, the physical body of a generation's Cult Leader finally found rest.

The funeral ended there, but the believers were still unwilling to leave; they kept watch here, wanting to spend a little more time with the Cult Leader.

By evening, the believers had left one after another, while Hogan's subordinates stayed a while longer, only leaving after confirming that there was indeed no sign of Leiji.

However, when all was silent, two black shadows darted out from the forest.

They were none other than Chen Che and Xie Wanning.

"Isn't it a bit immoral to come and dig up someone's grave right after they've been buried?"

Xie Wanning looked at the Stone Coffin on the stone platform and spoke.

Chen Che walked slowly toward the Stone Coffin: "This bastard was a piece of trash to begin with; he doesn't deserve such a high-standard funeral at all.

Never mind digging up the grave, even scattering his ashes would be acting on behalf of Heaven. Besides, with this method of burial, where is there even a grave?"

Xie Wanning shrugged and said nothing.

Chen Che arrived before the Stone Coffin and vigilantly pushed it open bit by bit, revealing the Cult Leader's serene face inside.

Chen Che immediately inserted several Ghost Gate Needles into his heart and several other acupoints.

With True Qi swirling, the Ghost Gate Needles emitted a pleasant humming sound in the silent night.

"Hoo—"

Chen Che exhaled, withdrew the Ghost Gate Needles, and looked at Xie Wanning, "He is truly dead."

"Then this is strange."

Xie Wanning frowned and walked over, "Could it really be an accident? It's not like he could have sought his own death, right?"

"He was just an ordinary person. In that situation, it's not impossible that he was afraid and did something that caused him to lose his judgment."

Chen Che restored the stone slab to its original state, "It's just that the trail is broken now; not to mention the Taiyi Sect, I can't even investigate the relationship between the Due Sect and the Six Harmonies Divine Sect."

Xie Wanning added, "And we've become wanted criminals."

Chen Che shrugged noncommittally.

"What do we do next?" Xie Wanning asked, "Are we really going back to Xia?"

"Let's find a place to sleep first; I need to properly sort out my thoughts."

Chen Che walked off the stone platform and stepped onto the bluestone path, but suddenly stopped, staring sharply into the forest, "Come out!"

Xie Wanning's expression stiffened, and she also stared vigilantly at the forest.

The sound of rustling leaves arose, and Leiji walked out from the forest.

"So it was you..."

Chen Che let out a scoff, but before he could finish speaking, Leiji's actions took him completely by surprise.

Seeing this, Leiji walked straight toward Chen Che, holding the Taiyi Sect Leader Token in both hands, knelt on one knee, and said with a face full of piety:

"Taiyi Sect Disciple Adili, pays respects to the Sect Master!"