: The Divine Constable's Interrogation

"Speak! Why did you kill Yuan Dasheng?" Zhu Xuanji's voice was cold as iron, devoid of any warmth.

"Ah?" Ning Zhuo showed a startled expression.

"Speak!" Zhu Xuanji shouted sharply, simultaneously unleashing a tremendous pressure that fell upon Ning Zhuo like an invisible mountain.

The pressure was so immense that Ning Zhuo, caught off guard, nearly buckled at the knees. He staggered, his back inevitably bending, but he did not kneel. Instead, he struggled to maintain his stance, a flicker of stubbornness in his eyes as he looked at Zhu Xuanji.

Zhu Xuanji's eyes blazed with a golden light, scrutinizing Ning Zhuo with unprecedented intensity. The sharp gaze made Ning Zhuo feel as if he were stripped naked and left in a frozen wasteland.

Ning Zhuo frantically channeled his peak ninth-layer cultivation base, pouring his energy into the Yunying Hidden Bud beneath his tongue root. The Yunying Hidden Bud activated, barely managing to resist Zhu Xuanji's probing, but it was clear that the resistance had its limits.

Sweating profusely and clenching his teeth, Ning Zhuo spoke with difficulty, "Yes, I had selfish motives. I wanted to monopolize the business of the Mechanical Blast Monkeys. I wanted to expand the business, and the Monkey Head Gang was my biggest obstacle. Yuan Dasheng’s existence blocked my path to profit. So, when I saw him severely injured and on the verge of death during the Fire Persimmon Festival, I secretly decided to kill him. I actively sought a token from Lord Feisi. Using this identity token, I entered the Monkey Head Gang and persuaded Yuan Er to abandon treatment for Yuan Dasheng. Yuan Dasheng ultimately died from his injuries, and I am the true culprit!"

Zhu Xuanji let out three cold laughs. "And what else?"

His questioning was like a cold blade pressed against Ning Zhuo’s neck. Ning Zhuo looked at Zhu Xuanji with difficulty, his expression filled with shock and panic.

Zhu Xuanji’s gaze, sharp as an eagle’s, locked firmly onto Ning Zhuo. "Don’t tell me that killing Yuan Dasheng was your only reason! Speak properly. Leniency for confession, severity for resistance. You should understand the consequences of continuing to conceal the truth. You must know that I am a member of the Southern Bean Royal Family, a constable of the Divine Constable Bureau. If we truly settle accounts, your Ning Family is nothing more than a mantis before a cartwheel. Even the Meng Family is insignificant!"

Ning Zhuo was drenched in cold sweat, his face deathly pale, his body swaying unsteadily. His mind raced with countless thoughts and questions.

"What has Zhu Xuanji discovered that he suddenly came to interrogate me? What should I say? What do I need to say? How far can I gamble?!"

Seeing Ning Zhuo hesitate, Zhu Xuanji snorted displeasedly and abruptly increased the pressure. Ning Zhuo could no longer hold on. Under the immense invisible pressure, he fell to one knee.

Observing Ning Zhuo’s stubborn demeanor, Zhu Xuanji pressed further, "Where is the Demonic Scripture?"

Ning Zhuo looked up with difficulty, his confusion genuine. He truly had no idea what Demonic Scripture was! "I don’t know. What Demonic Scripture are you referring to?" Ning Zhuo immediately replied, "I have never seen any scripture, nor have I heard of any."

This was the truth! Zhu Xuanji possessed a strong ability to detect lies and could distinguish truth from falsehood.

Zhu Xuanji frowned. "If you don’t have the scripture, how did you cultivate demonic arts? How did you collect the flesh and blood of your clansmen?"

Ning Zhuo hurriedly explained, "Sir, I have been researching substitute puppets. Collecting the flesh and blood of my clansmen for this purpose is perfectly normal. You can check my research records; they are right here."

Zhu Xuanji’s gaze swept around, and the next moment, he used his spiritual power to retrieve numerous blueprints and several jade slips. Among them were indeed records of research and experiments on substitute puppets, as well as many small directions and achievements Ning Zhuo had envisioned.

Ning Zhuo, being cautious by nature, had prepared these pieces of evidence when he publicly announced his intention to develop substitute puppets.

Zhu Xuanji examined the evidence, remaining silent.

*Pfft.*

Ning Zhuo, having reached his limit under the pressure, spat out a mouthful of blood. He let out a bitter laugh and changed his posture, sitting directly on the ground. He looked at Zhu Xuanji, panting heavily, adopting an attitude of admitting guilt and accepting punishment.

"This day has finally come," he said miserably. "I knew it would happen. I knew it…"

Seeing Ning Zhuo’s defeated and cooperative demeanor, Zhu Xuanji slowly eased some of the pressure, giving Ning Zhuo a bit of breathing room. "So, you’re finally willing to talk?"

However, this small action triggered a profound reaction in Ning Zhuo’s heart, allowing him to gather the most critical piece of information. Secretly gritting his teeth, Ning Zhuo decided to gamble.

He swallowed hard with difficulty and shook his head at Zhu Xuanji. "Divine Constable, you know the inside story, and I’ve been exposed, but I still can’t say anything. I’m just a small figure. If I speak the truth, I will surely die!"

"Hmm?!" Zhu Xuanji raised an eyebrow. "You still dare to resist?!" He scrutinized Ning Zhuo from head to toe. "Ning Zhuo, you’ve come a long way with great difficulty. Cherish it."

Ning Zhuo laughed bitterly. "Of course I know—I’ve come a long way with great difficulty! No one understands that better than I do. I was born at the bottom, on the fringes of a branch family, just a small figure. I’m like a blade of grass emerging from the mud, rooted in filth and dung. I must exert all my effort to absorb every bit of nourishment I can obtain so that I can grow. Just like when I took control of the black market, I knew the work was dirty, something righteous cultivators wouldn’t stoop to. But what could I do? Even if the dung stinks, as long as it nourishes me, I must seize it with all my might."

At this point, Ning Zhuo looked up at Zhu Xuanji, a trace of envy in his eyes. "Sir Zhu, you will never understand me! You are royalty, born superior. Your cultivation is at the Golden Core level, easily able to crush me. Like now, you only need to lift a foot to crush me as easily as an ant by the roadside. But why would someone as noble as you trouble yourself with me? You already know the truth, so why torment a small figure like me?!"

Ning Zhuo grew more aggrieved and angry as he spoke. His face twisted with terrifying hatred. "I just wanted to live well and cultivate properly! I had no choice. At critical moments, I was too weak, with no one to rely on. I had to do some unsavory things to gain support from others. Today, you’ve come to arrest me. I expected this. As long as you present my evidence of guilt, I will admit to everything. But if you want me to testify, to become the breakthrough in the entire case, I absolutely cannot do it. Just kill me. Because I am not alone; I have my family, my friends and loved ones. I don’t want to implicate them. I take full responsibility for my actions!"

With that, Ning Zhuo showed a resolute expression, ready to face death.

Zhu Xuanji fell silent.

The Longyuan Fire Spirit had been watching the spectacle, but now it wore a puzzled expression. It couldn’t understand what Ning Zhuo was saying. Although it didn’t comprehend, it sensed an unfavorable trend because Zhu Xuanji was slowly retracting his aura, no longer pressuring Ning Zhuo.

The Longyuan Fire Spirit couldn’t help but growl softly, "Zhu Xuanji, what are you doing? You’ve already found him! That’s right, the young cultivator before you is the culprit, the one who blew up the Immortal Palace!"

However, Zhu Xuanji now looked down at Ning Zhuo with a trace of pity in his eyes. He was Zhu Xuanji, known as the Observer of the Hidden and Protector of the People. He had always held great sympathy and compassion for low-level cultivators. In Xuanlin City, he had risked danger to investigate the Su Family’s corruption for the sake of a village elder’s bowl of sugar water. In the royal capital, he had openly advised the Southern Bean Monarch to curb the influence of major cultivation families and actively support talented low-level cultivators. When tricked by Li Leifeng on his deathbed, he felt not anger but sorrow, willingly playing along to select the most suitable director for the Ciyou Orphanage. He was naturally wary of the deeply entrenched powerful forces in the Southern Bean Kingdom, while feeling genuine pity for low and mid-level cultivators from the bottom of his heart.

Looking at Ning Zhuo, who was slumped on the ground, drenched in sweat and utterly disheveled, Zhu Xuanji sighed, his expression showing fluctuation for the first time. "You little brat, you’re too shrewd. Such cunning will only lead you to your doom. You clearly have talent, so why are you so impatient for success?"

His tone carried a sense of frustration, like disappointment in someone failing to meet expectations.

Ning Zhuo smiled bitterly. "Sir, it was only after my soul entered the Immortal Palace and I discovered the large head of the puppet body that I realized I had talent."

Zhu Xuanji fell silent. In his eyes, Ning Zhuo now appeared as a pitiable, laughable figure toyed with by fate.

"Ning Zhuo, you have talent. You are an outstanding young man. I will give you one chance. Think carefully. Within three days, give me an explanation! Remember, the explanation you provide will determine your future."

Zhu Xuanji clasped his hands behind his back, rose into the air, transformed into a beam of light, and soared away.

Ning Zhuo remained seated on the ground, motionless for a long time. The noise grew louder as the cultivator guards near his residence rushed over. But what use was that? Faced with Zhu Xuanji, the forces Ning Zhuo had built up were as fragile as paper, utterly unreliable.

"Too weak, too weak! My strength is still too weak." Ning Zhuo clenched his fists tightly, his fingers digging deep into his palms.

Main Hall of the Molten Immortal Palace.

The Longyuan Fire Spirit was dumbfounded! Even after Zhu Xuanji flew away, it stared eagerly, deeply hoping he would come to his senses, turn back, and capture or kill Ning Zhuo.

"What? You’re just leaving? He’s the culprit, the real culprit! But why do I feel like you’re starting to pity him?" The Longyuan Fire Spirit was utterly perplexed, finding it all quite absurd. It had wanted to see Ning Zhuo captured, but instead witnessed him survive another deadly crisis. The esteemed Divine Constable Zhu Xuanji had been deceived by Ning Zhuo.

"Are you even a Divine Constable? You must be a fake!" The Longyuan Fire Spirit fumed with frustration.

It shifted its gaze back to Ning Zhuo, who was being helped up and surrounded by many cultivators. "He’s too good at acting! He’s just too good!" Watching Ning Zhuo being comforted and reassured, the Longyuan Fire Spirit felt a chill. "This youth is truly cunning, truly terrifying! Is he really only sixteen? Could he be an old monster who has cultivated for five hundred years, reborn?" The Longyuan Fire Spirit grew increasingly wary of Ning Zhuo. It warned itself that in future interactions with this young cultivator, it must be cautious and prudent! Extremely cautious and prudent!

(End of )