Suddenly, more troubling news arrived. Feng Qingping received confirmation, or rather a reminder, from Li Xianghong, the City Lord of Dazhi City.

News had been sent to Dazhi City to capture Bai Qiru. Li Xianghong hesitated for a long time before acting, instead reminding them that Bai Qiru had already been caught once before. When Bai Qiru was released, it was because someone from the Demon Queen's side had intervened. Is it really appropriate to capture Bai Qiru again now? Are you sure you want to proceed like this?

Feng Qingping, still in front of the mountain gate, looked at the clan leader whose face was as dark as water, handing over the message on the mother-child talisman for him to read.

Feng Xi stared at the fading message on the mother-child talisman, his face tense. On one hand, it was the East Victory Queen who had intervened, on the other, someone from the Demon Queen's side.

After much hesitation, he finally said solemnly, "Capture! It's just capturing them, not harming them in any way. If the Demon Queen's people intervened again, it wouldn't be too late to release them then."

Alright then, Feng Qingping immediately picked up the mother-child talisman and sent this decision to Li Xianghong.

Feng Xi turned back to the mountain, and others followed.

Returning to Beishan Central, Huang Ye dismissed his still bewildered subordinates and went alone to the second floor of his building, pacing unsurely.

He could understand what Situ Gu was saying, to relay the message upwards, yet he didn't know if he was exposed, whether the other side was trying to trick him.

If it wasn't a trick, could he still escape? Would Jiang You'er sell him out?

Now he didn't know what to do, and he didn't dare go down the mountain to make contact, so he could only take out the mother-child talisman to get in touch...

Shi Chun, flying in the sky wrapped within a force, kept staring enviously at the purple-gold gourd in Situ Gu's hand, feeling that this treasure was incredible. A master at the Earth Immortal Realm was easily captured. Fighting couldn't be easier, it really seemed perfect for someone like him, still striving.

He was truly envious, he wanted it.

So he eventually opened his mouth, "Senior, is the person in the gourd still alive?"

Situ Gu: "Won't die for now, but who knows if left too long."

Shi Chun asked curiously, "So this gourd can also kill people?"

Situ Gu gave him a sidelong glance, "Once inside, you can't access any space storage magical artifacts on you. Without air to breathe, how long you last depends entirely on your cultivation. If you want to kill someone quickly, you can activate the treasure to refine and absorb them, their endurance also depends entirely on their cultivation."

Shi Chun further asked, "What level of cultivation can this treasure gourd handle?"

Situ Gu: "Anyone below the Shattering Void realm, once inside, can't come out."

Shi Chun was shocked at these words, his eyes shining brightly. Doesn't this mean it can even handle those below the Heavenly Immortal Great Success realm?

He found this treasure absurdly strong, and immediately probed, "It's a good thing, a good thing. Senior, would you sell it?"

Situ Gu gave him another sidelong glance, "Not for sale, you can't afford it, and I won't give it to you."

Shi Chun chuckled dryly, "Did you make it, Senior?"

Situ Gu: "Who else could have made it but me?"

Shi Chun secretly puckered his lips, realizing this old guy wasn't being honest. Back when he needed help, he didn't talk like this.

He originally wanted to say that in the future, to protect Zhener, he needed some defensive magical treasures at hand, but thinking it over, he realized it wasn't a good time to ask. After all, even rescuing Zhener was in question, so he couldn't be too greedy.

Once Zhener was saved, having her make the request wouldn't be too late; perhaps they could even ask for more magical treasures.

Hmm, the thought of it was delightful, because Zhener seemed better at managing this old guy.

Thinking of this, he almost let slip a smile but quickly suppressed the corners of his mouth to avoid being seen by the old guy.

Having made up his mind, his desire for the treasure was temporarily put aside, but he still didn't want to miss out on the benefits at hand.

Returning to the matter at hand, he said, "Senior, the guy inside the gourd can't die yet, let's find a place to interrogate him, see which sect he's from."

This was indeed a serious matter. Situ Gu didn't say much, his eyes scanning the surroundings, finally flying towards a mountain peak visible on the horizon with him.

After landing on the mountain peak, Situ Gu pulled open the gourd's mouth, flipping it over and casting a spell. Instantly, swirling nebula-like mist spewed out, ejecting a rapidly expanding black dot, which was Jiang You'er.

Jiang You'er landed, clutching his chest and gasping for air, feeling almost suffocated. He looked up, saw Situ Gu holding the treasure gourd, and trembled with fear, looking frantically around and realized he was no longer at Divine Mountain. Divine Mountain didn't save him, what was going on?

He quickly clasped his hands in a plea, "Senior Situ, this junior bears no grudge against you, why do this?"

Situ Gu spoke, scaring him into a shiver, "Are you one of the Demon Path?"

"…" Jiang You'er's pupils shrank sharply, starting to retreat step by step, then gradually showed a look of determination, suddenly bursting into a surge of demonic qi, covering himself, and the demonic qi burst out in all directions like flying dragons, and there was no one in sight.

"Not good!" Shi Chun was shocked.

Situ Gu, however, calmly waved his large sleeve, the air rippling between heaven and earth. The flying dragon demonic qi that shot in all directions suddenly shattered, one among them revealing a true dragon.

No, Shi Chun looked carefully and found it was actually a three-zhang-long Big Flower Snake, twisting its body, struggling as it hovered in the air.

Glancing sideways, he saw Situ Gu holding his hand out in the air, pulling with an invisible thread.

Then the Big Flower Snake swooshed back, flying in front of the two, caught by Situ Gu's hand grasping its spine, the creature's head and tail going limp.

This spectacle made Shi Chun grimace, though Situ Gu wasn't skilled in combat, the crushing power of such a huge cultivation gap was undisputable.

Situ Gu casually slammed the limp Big Flower Snake onto the ground, questioning, "Speak, which sect of the Demon Path are you from?"

The Big Flower Snake spoke human words, letting out a grim laugh, "What's the difference if I say it or not? If I'm exposed, can I still survive?"

Situ Gu's eyes turned cold and was about to act, but Shi Chun hurriedly intervened, "Senior, don't dirty your sacred hands in refining treasures, it would damage your reputation. I am of low status, it doesn't matter for me. Let me handle this dirty work."

Hearing the voice seemed somewhat familiar, the limp Big Flower Snake barely raised its head to scrutinize Shi Chun's appearance. This red-clothed person had clearly disguised their features. Seeing the eyes and brows of the other, in the next moment, he exclaimed, "Shi Chun, is that you?"

He then looked towards Situ Gu, his gaze flickering between the two, recalling the rumors about them.

Shi Chun chuckled and maintained a polite demeanor in front of Situ Gu, cupping his hands towards the Big Flower Snake, "Indeed, it is I."

He then turned his head to look at Situ Gu, showing a questioning expression.

Situ Gu responded with a hum, "Interrogate."

Shi Chun chuckled, "Well, my interrogation methods are rather unsightly, it might taint Senior's eyes, and I'm afraid the Demon Path might get wind of it and catch us off guard. It would be better to have Senior keep watch from above. I'll take him to a cave midway up the mountain, how about that?"

As long as the interrogation is effective, it doesn't matter. Situ Gu neither agreed nor objected, guessing that the boy might have overestimated his so-called number one Artifact Refining Master of the world image.

That was as good as agreeing, Shi Chun immediately grabbed the Big Flower Snake's tail and dragged it down, hopping all the way. The scene wasn't pretty.

Once at the middle of the mountainside, Shi Chun immediately got to work digging a hole.

Situ Gu, on the mountain peak, frowned, unable to understand. With such little strength, how dare he mess around in the Cultivation World? Among the people he interacted with, even those around him didn't have cultivation this poor, not even comparable to Zhener.

He couldn't stand it any longer and stomped his foot.

Boom, there was a blast-like rumble.

Next to where Shi Chun was digging, a dirt dragon "spewed" out, directly forming a cave.

Shi Chun, looking up, immediately understood, saluted from afar, and then dragged the snake's tail into the cave. Afterwards, he collapsed part of the cave entrance to seal it.

Returning to the Big Flower Snake's side, he focused on the location of its Demon Essence, sat cross-legged, placed a hand on the Demon Essence area, and began to use the 'Bath Demon Skill' to absorb it directly, also questioning, "Speak, which branch of the Demon Path are you from?"

Feeling his hard-earned Demon Essence rapidly depleting, the Big Flower Snake looked shocked, shivering with fear, "You... you... what are you doing?"

With his mind concentrated on his work, Shi Chun absentmindedly replied, "You're stupid, haven't you ever seen interrogation by torture? Not on Divine Mountain, right? Even a jail cell there has it."

Then both sides fell silent for a while. Seeing Shi Chun not asking questions, solely focusing on absorbing his Demon Essence, fear spread throughout the Big Flower Snake's body until it couldn't help but speak up, "Shi Chun, have you considered the consequences of offending our Demon Path?"

Shi Chun, who was happily absorbing, lazily replied, "I've already offended, it's too late to say these now."

The Demon Essence disappearing, meaning his cultivation was fading. The Big Flower Snake's breathing became more rapid, feeling like he had met someone more demonic than the Demon Path itself, he trembled, "Even if I confess, you won't spare me."

Shi Chun hummed, "How do you know unless you confess? You can choose not to confess, I won't force you."

By now, he wasn't even bothered to respond. Instead, he worried that the other's Demonic Qi was too vast, and worried whether with his current cultivation, he could suppress it after intake.

Earlier, absorbing Xia Fuli's Human Immortal Realm Demon Essence was already pushing it, and it took ages to refine. Now, this Earth Immortal Realm's difference in vastness of Demon Essence wasn't just minor, but worlds apart.

If not for this, how would he have stopped Situ Gu from capturing Huang Ye? It would have been a waste, and finding them again would be troublesome. Having one exposed there is ideal, just wasn't sure if it would run away, uncertain if the Red-clothed Woman could keep an eye on it.

The Demon Essence of the Heavenly Immortal Realm didn't know how much his cultivation could be advanced by absorbing it. He had no experience, couldn't figure it out even if he counted on his fingers, so better focus on the current Earth Immortal Realm first.

Don't know if Li Hongjiu is still in the library.

While wandering in his thoughts, he avoided considering Jiang You'er's feelings, still cautiously dividing his senses to watch outside, concerned that Situ Gu might burst in suddenly and notice any clues.

The Big Flower Snake noticed he wasn't taking the interrogation seriously at all, frequently being silent without uttering a word. Where's there a style of interrogation like this—it's frightening.

As time passed, clearly sensing his cultivation vanishing, he gradually couldn't hold it in any longer and suddenly spoke, "Fine, as long as you guarantee my survival, I can join you."

Shi Chun had closed his eyes, he hummed in response, "I promise."

The Big Flower Snake said, "We are from the 'Gui Cang' branch of the Demon Path."

He was preparing to reveal bit by bit to negotiate.

Unexpectedly, Shi Chun dreamily muttered, "I don't believe you."

The Big Flower Snake became anxious, "I'm not lying, I really am from the 'Gui Cang' branch."

Shi Chun muttered again, "I don't believe you."

The Demon Essence continued vanishing, the Big Flower Snake grew more anxious, "I'm really not lying, Sacred Mountain's North Mountain Order Master Huang Ye is my superior, you can ask him after capturing him."

But Shi Chun kept repeating that phrase, "I don't believe you."

"..." The Big Flower Snake grew so anxious it kept sticking out its tongue, "What will make you believe?"

Shi Chun, as if in a reverie, mumbled, "Of course, say the truth."

The Big Flower Snake bared its fangs repeatedly, finally forced to change its wording, "Fine, I'm telling the truth, I'm from the 'Lianshan' branch."

Shi Chun continued muttering, "I don't believe you."

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