Chapter 3560: Chen Feng
Chapter 3560: Chen Feng
Zhou Xiulan was ashen. In particular, when he glanced at the golden flames in Chen Shifang’s hands, he struggled to hide the fear in his eyes.
The words “the pain of having his soul refined” already sounded chilling, as that was basically the most brutal torture in the world in Zhou Xiulan’s belief. It was truly a fate even worse than death.
As soon as he thought of the pain he was about to go through, Zhou Xiulan immediately caved in. He did not dare to hide anything any further and confessed everything.
“Elder Nong, you can’t blame me. I didn’t want to do it either. I was threatened by someone else,” Zhou Xiulan said, pleading. In the next moment, his soul floated out from his body and hovered three inches above his head.
Jian Chen, Chen Shifang, and elder Nong subconsciously looked towards Zhou Xiulan’s soul.
Chen Shifang and elder Nong failed to find anything, but Jian Chen’s eyes narrowed. He discovered a strange red speck inside Zhou Xiulan’s soul.
However, the red speck was hidden extremely well. Even when Zhou Xiulan proactively exposed his soul, only Jian Chen managed to pick up an inkling of it.
“Please take a look, elder Nong. Someone has done something to my soul. If I don’t follow their arrangements, only death awaits me. I was forced to do this for the sake of survival,” Zhou Xiulan said in great regret.
“Zhou Xiulan, I haven’t found anything wrong with your soul.” Elder Nong frowned.
Chen Shifang was doubtful as well. He had also failed to find any issues.
“Elder Nong, don’t tell me you can’t see it?” Zhou Xiulan was taken aback.
Elder Nong did not dwell on this for too long. He asked with a sunken expression, “Who threatened you? Who are they?”
“I-I don’t know who they are either- Argh!”
Before Zhou Xiulan could finish what he was saying, he suddenly let out a shrill cry as his soul erupted into flames, burning to a crisp rapidly.
With a thump, Zhou Xiulan collapsed stiffly. His body was untouched, but his soul had already perished.
That immediately made the expressions of Chen Shifang and elder Nong change drastically. They subconsciously looked at Jian Chen.
Jian Chen sat on the throne without an expression as he secretly used the Soul-viewing technique.
Once he used the Soul-viewing technique, the landscape around him immediately darkened as if he had arrived in a space of nothingness.
In this space of nothingness, he saw Zhou Xiulan’s lingering will.
“Zhou Xiulan, you’re probably aware that you’re already dead, so you have nothing to worry about anymore. Tell me everything you know about the person. If the information is valuable, I might even let you enter rebirth, giving you the hope of a second life.” Jian Chen’s voice boomed through the space of nothingness like a bell, forming an invisible pressure that stunned Zhou Xiulan’s lingering will.
“Y-you’re the sect master? No, this is impossible. I’ve clearly died already, so why can I still see you?” Zhou Xiulan’s voice was filled with shock.
After a series of questions, Jian Chen stopped the Soul-viewing technique in disappointment. Zhou Xiulan knew nothing at all. He did not obtain any useful information.
However, there was something that Jian Chen could be certain about. The person behind Zhou Xiulan was definitely an Immortal Exalt.
Afterwards, Chen Shifang collected Zhou Xiulan’s corpse. Very soon, the second core disciple entered the Divine Hall of Violet Heavens under elder Nong’s summoning.
Elder Nong was still responsible for the interrogation. Before the various evidence that Jian Chen had provided, the core disciple that tried everything to deny it was finally left speechless, admitting to his betrayal of the sect in gloomy spirits.
“Elder Nong, please investigate this matter. Apart from being responsible for providing some information, I’ve done nothing else that has let down the sect. Moreover, the information I passed on could not be considered as absolute secrets,” the core disciple said uneasily.
“Who is the person behind you!?” Chen Shifang asked.
“I-I don’t know. I really don’t know who he is. He gave me the opportunity to become a Nine-heavenly Xuan Immortal, which was why I took on the responsibility to pass on information that was not particularly important to him.” The core disciple’s expression changed.
Jian Chen extended a finger. Immediately, a streak of light flew out and pierced the core disciple’s forehead.
“Drag him away. Next!” Jian Chen said emotionlessly.
Chen Shifang immediately collected the corpse. Very soon, the third core disciple entered the Divine Hall of Violet Heaven’s under elder Nong’s summoning.
“Greetings, sect master, elder Nong, and elder Chen!” Zhou Buyue was a middle-aged man. He had stayed with the Sword Sect of Violet Heavens for almost two hundred thousand years, having cultivated his way to Nine-heavenly Xuan Immortal step by step. He could be regarded as one of the senior members of the sect, as well as Chen Shifang’s senior.
Looking at Zhou Buyue, Chen Shifang’s expression was mixed. He understood that since Zhou Buyue had appeared here, there was definitely something wrong with his identity.
“Zhou Buyue, you should belong to the mix-blooded branch of the Immortal Sect of Colossal Elephants.” Jian Chen looked at Zhou Buyue.
Zhou Buyue’s expression did not change. He clasped his fist and said, “Sect master, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Stop trying to hide it. Chen Shifang hid even better than you, while Xiang Shi’s methods were so great that you could only look up to them. Despite that, they were still exposed, let alone a mere Nine-heavenly Xuan Immortal like you. Do you think the puny tricks and illusions you used when you sent out messages were truly flawless?” Jian Chen said calmly.
Zhou Buyue sighed and said, “You’re right. Even the great elder has been caught. How am I supposed to escape the eyes of certain supreme experts with my cultivation as a Nine-heavenly Xuan Immortal? Jian Chen, you’re right. I am indeed from the Immortal Sect of Colossal Elephants. Do whatever you want to me.” Zhou Buyue’s gaze was calm. There was no fear at all.
Jian Chen did not show any mercy. A streak of light immediately pierced Zhou Buyue’s forehead.
Afterwards, core disciples entered the hall one after another. In just half a day, the Sword Sect of Violet Heavens had lost seven core disciples.
The loss of the seven core disciples left elder Nong even more gloomy. He felt grief and despondence.
The Sword Sect of Violet Heavens only had twenty-odd core disciples in total. Each and every one of them could be regarded as a senior member of the sect, yet so many of them had either been bought out or were downright spies planted in the sect.
“Sect master, there’s only Chen Feng left on the list of core disciples you provided.” Elder Nong cupped his fist towards Jian Chen in dejection.
“Let him in,” said Jian Chen.
Very soon, the core disciple of the Sword Sect of Violet Heavens, Chen Feng, entered the Divine Hall of Violet Heavens. He was a young man who seemed to be in his twenties. There was nothing peculiar about his appearance, as it was the kind that could be easily ignored and forgotten if he stood in a crowd.
After revealing the evidence provided by Jian Chen, Chen Feng was left speechless.
“I never thought that someone could approach me silently and record all that without me noticing.” Although he was exposed, Chen Feng did not panic at all. Instead, he stared at Jian Chen with interest. He no longer demonstrated the same respect as before either, directly referring to Jian Chen by his name. “Jian Chen, this should be something that the organisation behind you is responsible for. No wonder a great elder of the Immortal Sect of Colossal Elephants would be caught too. If I’ve guessed correctly, the person who recorded the memory crystal is an Immortal Exalt at the very least.”
“I feel more and more curious about what exactly the organisation behind you is, considering you could get a mighty Immortal Exalt to do something like this.”
“Chen Feng, you are the oldest member in the Sword Sect of Violet Heavens in terms of seniority apart from me. Over all these years, you were basically equivalent to the elder of guidance and education. You directed the cultivation of lower disciples diligently and guided these disciples through the mysteries of cultivation. You’ve made a colossal contribution to the sect. I truly struggle to believe that you’re one of the people who have betrayed the sect. Don’t tell me you were also coerced, forced to work against the sect?” elder Nong said painfully.
Chen Feng bowed towards elder Nong in an orderly manner and said, “Elder Nong, you are a senior member of the sect. From beginning to end, I have always respected you very much. However, there is something that you don’t have to worry about. I will never do anything that lets the sect down, nor have I been coerced. There is probably no one that’s actually bold enough to threaten me.”
As he said that, Chen Feng suddenly raised his hand and pointed at Jian Chen. “Instead, with this person, do you really trust him this much, elder Nong? Aren’t you worried that this person is hiding some unspeakable secrets for why he’s come to our Sword Sect of Violet Heavens?”