The interrogation personnel looked around in shock, and the lights quickly returned to calm, as if nothing had happened.

Everyone's gaze quickly focused back on Dong Wenshu, though they didn't know what he was doing, they could see something was amiss.

The head of the interrogation gestured with a wave, "Detain him."

Immediately, two more people rushed forward to hold Dong Wenshu down and tied him back to the torture rack.

The head interrogator stepped forward, picked up several broken pieces of the jade token, observed, and sniffed it, then rose and presented it before Dong Wenshu, asking, "Mr. Dong, what is this? What were you doing just now? Were you sending a message to someone?"

Dong Wenshu slightly raised his head to look at the ceiling, his Adam's apple moved as he sighed, "Wang Ping is just a guy hired by my library, he doesn't want me to know, so what can I know? I said I don't know what's behind him, but you didn't believe me, you forced me to give detailed answers. Where is the reasoning? I follow the path of righteousness and morality, but now it's clear that it's ridiculous and has brought harm to my family. Ultimately, it's my fault."

The interrogator held the fragments in his palm, speaking solemnly: "Is that the reason for the hiring? Mr. Dong, we are old acquaintances, I respect you, and you play this game with me? Speak, who have you communicated with? If you don't give an explanation today, the punishment you'll suffer is beyond imagination. Better sooner than later!"

He was somewhat infuriated, indeed if this jade token sent a message resulting in the escape of their target, he would be responsible for allowing it.

Dong Wenshu slowly closed his eyes, for he truly didn't know how to explain. He wasn't aware of Wang Ping's matters, nor the jade token; it was passed down through generations of his ancestors, without mention of its origins.

Whether its origins were lost during transmission or deliberately diluted over generations is unknown.

But he's also part of the Cultivation World, he can deduce from the jade token's use that it should be for communicating a call for help to someone.

Because of an ancestral experience, he vaguely suspected someone, but he wasn't sure.

Given the passage of time, he didn't know if it's still useful, hence couldn't give an explanation.

He also couldn't lie well, unlike the likes of Shi Chunhe or Wu Jinliang, who might fabricate the possible origins of the jade token to avoid punishment and focus on immediate relief before discussing the future.

Seeing his stubbornness, the interrogator grew angry, sneering, "Mr. Dong, in this torture chamber, there's no real toughness, I hope you're an exception. Come on, treat him well first, and then let's chat slowly!"

With a wave of his hand, his men immediately grabbed their tools.

But just then, there seemed to be a sudden rumbling from outside, like thunder.

A bolt from the blue? The few in the torture chamber were bewildered, they remembered it being a sunny day outside.

Without knowing, the sky outside had already darkened.

To be precise, the sky over Dazhi City suddenly dimmed.

First, an unnoticed crack in the void was suddenly etched in the sky, then grey clouds spread out of thin air, gradually obscuring the sunlight, causing everyone to look up.

Only to see the grey clouds rotate like a vortex in the sky, lightning occasionally darting within, overshadowing Dazhi City below.

"It's demonic energy..." someone murmured on the street.

Many were alarmed, such overwhelming demonic energy, who knows what great demon has descended.

The commotion on the street continuously triggered people from inside to come out and look.

On the mountain within the city, many people were also alarmed, including Li Xianghong and Po Yuan from the City Guard Mansion, who were interrogating Bai Qiru and were startled by the reports from below, along with the accompanying jurors from the Extreme Fire Sect.

Qiu Ben's second disciple Zhu Xin personally came.

Actually, the main interrogators were people from the Extreme Fire Sect, the Divine Mountain's power was only cooperating.

At this moment, people from the mountain to the city, inside and outside, all gazed up.

The swirling demonic energy in the sky descended, stirring up dust around the city, dust flew instantly, and within the city, there was also a sense of flying sand and rolling stones.

Unshut windows banged, all drapes fluttered, various demonic insects darted under eaves to hide.

The descending demonic energy, suddenly like a thick fog, blanketed the entire Dazhi City, countless hearts jolted, speechless, fearing to disturb the sacred.

In the misty and swirling streets, a red-clad woman slowly walked, almost unnoticed.

As she reached near Chao Yue Hall, the swirling demonic energy in the city whirled away, quickly spreading outwards, also dispersing the raised dust outside the city.

The anomaly in the sky vanished, the city returned to clear brightness, the red-clad woman's appearance also became clear, her features like a painting, her eyes sparkling like stars, skin fair and beautiful, her face exuding an amusing ambiguity, seemingly treating everyone well, yet appearing to disregard anyone on the streets, striding casually.

A striking red long dress stood out, her hair elegantly tied with a vibrant red flower, it's unsure whether it enhances the flower, or the person is more beautiful.

Though seemingly gaudy, it gives off a refreshing feeling.

This indeed drew some attention from street folks, but they mostly glanced at her a few times, as they're now more focused on the earlier phenomenon.

The red-clad woman walked to the entrance of Chao Yue Hall, saw the seal on the tightly closed door, looked at the sign, then walked to a group of chattering people diagonally across, listening to the gossip.

Meanwhile, at the center of the earlier demonic storm, atop the city's peak, appeared an old man in black, whose black oily hair slightly tilted habitually, arms crossed before the belly, face marked with deep lines, and his scrutinizing gaze was intensely penetrating.

Li Xianghong and others eyed him warily, aware he's extraordinary, absolutely a mighty figure.

Eventually, the old man's sandpaper voice broke the silence, asking, "Are the Dong Family members here?"

At these words, those knowing Dong Wenshu's family was captured were shocked, such a grand entrance, all for the Dong Family?

Zhu Xin's throat bobbed once.

Po Yuan cupped his hands and said, "This is the City Lord Mansion of Dazhi City, may I ask who the visitor is?"

The old man in black waved his hand, casting a white light like a lightning flash.

Bang! The ground shook and cracked.

A Command Arrow, four feet long and entirely silver frost in color, appeared, planted right in front of Po Yuan and the others.

The arrow was adorned with countless reliefs of various blooming flowers and vines. Under the appearance of a profusion of flowers, various animals, humans, or skeletons seemed to faintly coil, giving a vivid and striking visual impact, or perhaps it could be called soul-stirring.

What was even more astonishing was the strange sound that seemed to reverberate from the arrow after it struck the ground, as if a woman was softly humming.

Upon seeing this Command Arrow, whether Li Xianghong or Po Yuan, or even Zhu Xin, they all paled in shock, hurriedly lifted their robes, and swiftly kneeled on one knee, bowed their heads in reverence, all kneeling before the Command Arrow.

Even the City Guard troops not far away who hadn't seen the arrow knew someone incredible had arrived and knelt down as well.

In an instant, the entire mountaintop was in submission.

Those kneeling before the arrow didn't dare to breathe. Anyone with some knowledge knew what this arrow was; it was the Command Arrow of the Demon Queen of the Western Continent, named: Flower Appearance Order.

Seeing this Command Arrow was akin to seeing the Demon Queen herself.

The old man specifically named the Chao Yue Hall's Dong Family. Those present who had heard some legend about the Dong Family's ancestors felt a shiver in their hearts. It was rumored that the Dong Family's ancestors were once the Demon Queen's teacher, and it was unexpected that such a long-standing connection still existed.

Wasn't this terrifying?

Those kneeling before the Command Arrow didn't know how to bring things to an end, or what fate awaited them.

Especially Zhu Xin, whose heart was filled with overwhelming fear. He had already investigated; the poor state of the broken library didn't seem like it had such significant connections. Even if there were some slight ties, it should not escape the attention of the keen-minded, nor should it possibly endure such conditions.

Po Yuan and Li Xianghong also regretted; if they were going to take action against Mrs. Bai, they should have just done that. Why did they agree to Zhu Xin's proposal to apprehend the people from Chao Yue Hall as well?

Both of them wanted to ask Dong Wenshu what was going on. Last time, when something happened at Chao Yue Hall, Fan Wuzhe was bloodied and crippled, without using this connection. Could the nephew not count as family?

The problem lay there; it was precisely because last time, after making such a mess of the Chao Yue Hall people without incident, the two of them agreed to cooperate with Zhu Xin. And Zhu Xin, because of the last incident at Chao Yue Hall, believed the Dong Family's old connections were nothing significant, thus aiming to thoroughly investigate even the Dong Family.

The old man in black lifted his hand, and the Command Arrow rose from the ground and was instantly retrieved. He asked again, "Are the Dong Family's people from Chao Yue Hall here?"

Li Xianghong looked up and replied, "They are."

The old man in black scanned the scene and saw no one fitting, immediately questioning, "Where are they?"

Li Xianghong quickly turned around and shouted, "Quickly bring the Dong Family people here."

The maid behind her immediately got up and sprinted away.

Shortly, all five members of Dong Wenshu's family were brought in, including the servant woman, making it six from the library, all packed up and brought over.

The six of them looked, five were intact, obviously only Dong Wenshu had suffered, bloodstained all over due to his disobedience, receiving over a dozen lashes.

The others were unharmed merely because they hadn't been interrogated yet. If Chao Yue Hall was to be tried, Dong Wenshu would naturally be the first.

His four children, some weeping, some enraged, didn't know what fate awaited them.

The woman following them was also apprehensive.

Upon reaching the mountaintop and seeing Li Xianghong and others kneeling in submission, most of them were stunned, realizing the old man in black was a significant figure.

Dong Wenshu vaguely had a guess, which was confirmed as soon as the old man in black spoke, "Are you people of the Chao Yue Hall Dong Family?"

Having been released from the restrictions, Dong Wenshu cupped his hands and replied, "Indeed."

The old man in black glanced at his injuries and asked, "What happened? Explain everything clearly."

"Yes." Dong Wenshu agreed and naturally did not hide anything, detailing the entire incident.

Li Xianghong and the others remained half-kneeling because they weren't given permission to rise...

Listening to the gossip among the neighbors, not knowing what affair had occurred at the library, a red-clad woman entered the alley beside Chao Yue Hall, walking silently alone, while a magical cat on the wall watched coldly.

Suddenly, the magical cat bristled and arched its back, as if the red-clad woman in the alley had vanished into thin air.

The cat let out a muffled growl on the wall, remaining vigilant.

The red-clad woman had already appeared in the old courtyard of Chao Yue Hall, wandering and glancing around, moving by the window, passing the old eaves, touching the pillar railing, attempting to feel with her fingertips everywhere.

When she paused by the kitchen, seeing the obvious traces of human life, she surprisingly fell into a daze for quite some time.

After walking across a stream over a small bridge, she stood by a rockery, staring at the four large characters worn by time, "Purple Qi Eastward," reaching out to touch the obvious worn spots at the bottom corner.

Beside the four large characters, there were originally two small characters, a person's inscription. From the sedimented marks of time on the wear, it was apparent someone had erased that name ages ago.

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