< Chapter 16: Dungeon Interrogation >
In the Huoshi Immortal Mountain, high above where clouds veiled the peaks, the lord of Puppet Immortal City was seated in meditation, summoning his Golden Core subordinate, Chi Dun. Chi Dun was a middle-aged man with one blind eye, short in stature but robust, with muscles bulging like a walking boulder.
“Chi Dun, I command you to pursue the Shadow Demon Cultivator with all your might,” the lord commanded from his meditation cushion, surrounded by a swirling mix of white smoke and dark clouds, mirroring the turbulent emotions of anger and gloom in his heart.
Chi Dun showed a troubled expression, “My lord, at your command, I would traverse fire and water without hesitation. However, as you know, I primarily practice the ‘Stone Heart Delaying Tactics’. I fear this task might be too challenging for me.”
“It does not matter.” The lord waved his hand slightly, and from his sleeve, a magical instrument flew out. It was a delicate, tender yellow bell.
Chi Dun hurriedly reached out to catch the bell. The lord then ordered, “With this Alert Heart Bell, you will have the capability to track down the demon cultivator. Go forth with all your might!”
After receiving his orders, Chi Dun first headed to the dungeon. “Start with the easy tasks first. These Ning Family cultivators were involved. I’ll interrogate them first. Otherwise, if the Ning Family comes to take them away later, it will complicate matters.”
“Previously, the Shadow Demon Cultivator used them as a disguise to divert Zheng Shuanggou’s attention. Perhaps there is an accomplice among them?” Although he considered this, Chi Dun knew the likelihood was quite slim.
Nonetheless, it was a good opportunity to use the Alert Heart Bell and familiarize himself with its power.
Ning Zhuo and his companions were originally rescued by Zheng Shuanggou and were not detained. However, when the Immortal Palace emerged and the transmission bell echoed throughout the city, the situation escalated.
The city lord personally ordered the arrest of all surviving cultivators, including them. The purpose was twofold: to interrogate them for clues and to use authority to compel them to keep the secret of the Immortal Palace’s emergence.
At this point, the city lord was doing everything possible to remedy the situation and cover up the secret of the Immortal Palace.
Chi Dun first picked the Foundation Establishment stage cultivators from the Ning family, and soon it was the turn of those in the Qi Cultivation stage.
Ning Zhuo, being among them, was quickly taken into a single room to face Chi Dun alone.
Chi Dun, flipping through the notes in his hand without looking up, enveloped Ning Zhuo with his spiritual sense, “You aren’t a member of the Monster Hunting Society? How did you suddenly end up in the Red Flame Demon Molten Cave?”
Ning Zhuo swallowed nervously, casting a respectful glance at Chi Dun before quickly lowering his head, only daring to look at the ground.
He stuttered through his explanation, recounting his encounters with Ning Chen and Ning Yong, and the provocations they had uttered, along with a great deal more.
Chi Dun listened with a frown.
He had no interest in young cultivators like Ning Zhuo.
“This young fellow, with merely the third layer of Qi Cultivation, encounters such events on his first descent into the molten cave; his luck is truly terrible.”
“No, his survival is fortunate indeed. Many stronger cultivators have lost their lives.”
If Ning Zhuo had been the only one to survive, he would have been quite conspicuous at this moment.
But the truth was different; three Qi Refining stage newcomers had survived. Both Ning Chen and Ning Yong were among them.
“The shadow demon cultivator first used the corpses of demonic beasts to lure the Ning family members,” they explained. “Then he incited a demonic beast tide, all to conceal his own aura.”
“He’s merely using the Ning family cultivators as cannon fodder. It’s very unlikely that he has an inside man among them.”
“If I were him, even if I were looking for an inside man, I wouldn’t choose these small fry at the third level of Qi Refining.”
Of course, Chi Dun was not so careless.
In fact, he had been continuously ringing the Alert Heart Bell and had also activated the Heart Questioning Formation in the interrogation room.
The Alert Heart Bell could keenly sense any malice nearby. If someone in the Ning family harbored ill will towards Chi Dun, the bell would sound an alarm.
The Heart Questioning Formation could determine if someone was being insincere.
Whenever someone’s words did not match their intentions, the formation would emit red and yellow light.
During the entire interrogation of Ning Zhuo, neither the Alert Heart Bell nor the Heart Questioning Formation showed any signs of activity.
Initially, Chi Dun had few suspicions about Ning Zhuo, a minor figure. Based on the Alert Heart Bell and the Heart Questioning Formation, he completely eliminated any doubts.
“You may leave,” Chi Dun instructed Ning Zhuo. “Hm?”
He was slightly surprised.
Ning Zhuo had blood streaming from his nostrils.
Ning Zhuo was taken aback for a moment, then he wiped under his nostrils with the back of his hand, looking at the blood on it.
He quickly waved his hand, “Sir, it’s nothing, really nothing! It might be a lingering injury from the molten cave, I’m perfectly fine. I feel great now!”
Chi Dun grunted noncommittally, no longer speaking but merely gesturing with a wave of his hand.
Ning Zhuo bowed to Chi Dun and quickly left, gently opening and then quietly closing the door behind him.
As Chi Dun was about to interrogate the next prisoner, he paused, spreading his spiritual sense to communicate with the guard outside: “Tell them to treat the Ning family cultivators well. Have they been negligent? Why are there still hidden injuries? Make sure they are all treated!”
The Ning family was one of the three great families of Puppet Immortal City, and Chi Dun did not wish to offend them.
Of course, if it turned out that any Ning family cultivator was colluding with the shadow demon cultivators, that would be a different matter altogether.
Having been taken down, Ning Zhuo immediately received a new round of treatment.
His nosebleed was naturally the result of him secretly activating the Buddha Heart Demon Seal.
This precious seal could imprint on the heart, influencing the thoughts of others while protecting the user, suppressing and clearing various thoughts and emotions.
It was indeed about converting others to demons and converting oneself to a Buddha.
Ning Zhuo was led back to the prison cell.
Before he even entered, he could hear the loud arguments inside.
The Ning family cultivators were engaged in a heated debate over the teachings transmitted by the bell.
Ning Zhuo entered the cell, and many Ning family cultivators turned to look at him. Seeing that Ning Zhuo was unharmed, some nodded slightly at him before returning to their discussions and debates.
This trip to the Red Flame Demon Molten Cave had significantly strengthened their bonds, having faced life and death together.
Ning Chen and Ning Yong stood up and approached Ning Zhuo, concernedly asking about his condition.
They had been classmates, sharing a foundational relationship.
Although Ning Chen and Ning Yong were acting under the orders of Ning Zhanji, Ning Zhuo had indeed nearly lost his life, causing them to feel a deep sense of guilt.
It was more than just guilt.
During the perilous journey in the Red Flame Demon Molten Cave, despite his fear, Ning Zhuo had shown true courage. At the brink of death, he had also inspired bravery in Ning Chen and Ning Yong.
Such actions had not only brought them closer but also earned Ning Zhuo their respect and admiration.
These complex emotions had fundamentally changed their relationship with Ning Zhuo.
“How are you doing? Are you alright?” they asked, one after the other.
“We are cultivators of the Ning family, and our ancestor is a Golden Core. If anyone tries to use soul-searching techniques on us, the family will surely support us!” they reassured him.
Ning Zhuo nodded. “I was a bit nervous when I first went in.”
“But throughout, I wasn’t mistreated.”
“I found it quite straightforward, just speaking the truth was enough,” he reassured Ning Chen and Ning Yong in turn.
“Okay,” Ning Chen and Ning Yong responded simultaneously.
The next moment, a guard called for them, and both were taken away.
Ning Zhuo entered the cell and found his spot in the corner.
He had a small stool and a little table in front of him, which was laid with fruits, nuts, and hot tea.
The other Ning family cultivators received similar treatment.
This was certainly not the norm and was a privilege due to their status as members of the Ning family.
Ning Zhuo’s place was in a corner of the dungeon.
In the corner of the wall not far away, a pile of foul-smelling broken thatch was stacked, the brick wall was covered with large patches of dried blood, and the surface of the prison bars bore the marks of finger imprints forcefully etched into them. Being in such a place, it felt as if one could hear the wails and pleas for mercy from the prisoners.
Ning Zhuo was acutely aware that once the truth was exposed, his fate would be far more miserable and terrifying than that of these prisoners. The first to not spare him might not even be the city lord’s side, but rather his own Ning family! At that time, the friendly Ning family cultivators around him would turn their faces in anger and hatred, pursuing him with all their might.
Ning Zhuo harbored no regrets.
Destroying the Lava Immortal Palace had been his determined resolve for a long time, risking his life for it—so what?
He slowly sat down and reached out to grab a roasted chestnut.
The shell of the chestnut, between his two fingers, was easily crushed, making a crisp cracking sound.
He took the nut out, chewed it, and swallowed it into his stomach.
The current state of the Lava Immortal Palace was just like this tough nut—its outer shell had been ruthlessly crushed by Ning Zhuo, lowering its defenses.
But how to reach the nut inside still required careful consideration and utmost caution.
If the matter escalated too much, Ning Zhuo, with his mere third level of Qi cultivation, was literally walking on thin ice. A slight carelessness would reveal flaws, like stepping on thin ice and falling into an icy lake, swallowed by the undercurrents and losing his life.
Years ago, Ning Zhuo’s mother had met such a fate.
Ning Zhuo quietly chewed on the nut, savoring the delicacy on his tongue, as if he was also savoring the perilous situation he was in.
Nobody would have expected that this seemingly ordinary youth was the true culprit behind the explosion of the Immortal Palace!