Chapter 16: Interrogation in the Dungeon

Fire Persimmon Immortal Mountain.

At the mountaintop, deep within the clouds.

The Lord of Fire Persimmon Immortal City sat cross-legged in midair, summoning his subordinate, Chi Dun, a cultivator of the Golden Core realm.

Chi Dun was a middle-aged man, blind in one eye, short in stature but robust and muscular, resembling a walking stone pillar.

“Chi Dun, I command you to pursue the shadow demon cultivator with all your strength,” the city lord spoke, seated on a meditation cushion, shrouded in swirling white smoke and black clouds—a reflection of the anger and gloom in his heart.

Chi Dun’s face showed hesitation. “My lord, your command is absolute, and I will risk life and limb without question. Yet you know my main cultivation technique is ‘Stone Heart Delayed Strategy,’ and I fear I may not be equal to the task.”

“No matter,” the city lord replied, waving his hand. A magical treasure flew from his sleeve.

It was entirely pale yellow, exquisite and petite—a bell.

The bell soared toward Chi Dun, who hurriedly reached out and caught it.

“With this Vigilance Bell,” ordered the city lord, “you will have the ability to track demon cultivators. Do it with all your might!”

Chi Dun took his leave, carrying the Vigilance Bell. His first step was to the prison.

“Start with the easy, then move to the difficult. These Ning family cultivators were directly involved. I’ll interrogate them first. Otherwise, before long, the Ning family will come to take them away, and things will get complicated.”

“That shadow demon cultivator borrowed their presence to disguise himself, drawing Zheng Shuangou’s attention. Perhaps there’s an insider among the Ning family cultivators?”

Though he considered this, Chi Dun knew the possibility was slim.

Still, it was a good opportunity to practice with the Vigilance Bell and become familiar with its functions.

Ning Zhuo and the others had originally been rescued by Zheng Shuangou and were not detained. But then the Immortal Palace emerged, and the bell of transmission echoed throughout the city, causing an uproar.

The city lord personally ordered that all surviving cultivators, including them, be locked up.

Partly to interrogate them for clues, partly to leverage his authority and force them to keep the Immortal Palace’s emergence a secret.

At this point, the city lord was doing his utmost to remedy the situation, desperately trying to conceal the secret of the Immortal Palace.

Chi Dun first selected the Ning family cultivators in the Foundation Establishment stage, then moved on to the Qi Refining stage.

Ning Zhuo, being among them, was soon led into a solitary room, facing Chi Dun alone.

Chi Dun flipped through his notebook, not looking up as his spiritual sense enveloped Ning Zhuo’s entire body. “You’re not a member of the Monster Hunters’ Association? Why, all of a sudden, did you enter the Crimson Flame Monster Melt Cave?”

Ning Zhuo swallowed nervously, glanced at Chi Dun with reverence, then lowered his gaze to the floor.

He stammered his explanation, recounting how he met Ning Chen and Ning Yong and was provoked by their words, then continued with a lengthy account.

Chi Dun frowned throughout.

He had little interest in young cultivators like Ning Zhuo.

“This boy is only at the third stage of Qi Refining. His first time entering the cave and encountering such trouble—his luck is truly abysmal.”

“No, surviving such calamity is fortunate. Most cultivators, stronger than him, lost their lives.”

Had Ning Zhuo been the only survivor, he would have stood out immediately.

But that wasn’t the case. Three newcomers in the Qi Refining stage survived: Ning Chen and Ning Yong among them.

“That shadow demon cultivator first used the corpses of monster beasts to lure the Ning family, then incited a tide of beasts—all to mask his own presence.”

“He simply used the Ning family cultivators as cannon fodder. The likelihood of an insider among them is small.”

If I were him, I wouldn't choose such a young cultivator at the third stage of Qi Refining as an accomplice.

Nevertheless, Chi Dun was not so careless.

In fact, he had kept the Vigilance Bell active, and also activated the Heart Question Array within the interrogation chamber.

The Vigilance Bell could sharply sense malice in the surroundings; if anyone from the Ning family harbored ill intent toward Chi Dun, it would ring in warning.

The Heart Question Array could distinguish whether a person's words matched their true feelings.

If their speech conflicted with their heart, the array would emit a red-yellow glow.

Throughout Ning Zhuo’s interrogation, neither the Vigilance Bell nor the Heart Question Array showed any reaction.

Chi Dun had little suspicion toward minor figures like Ning Zhuo, and now, with the confirmation from the Vigilance Bell and Heart Question Array, he dispelled all doubts.

“Go on,” Chi Dun instructed Ning Zhuo. “Hmm?”

He was slightly surprised.

Ning Zhuo’s nose began to bleed.

Ning Zhuo was startled, wiped his nose with the back of his hand, and saw blood.

He waved his hand hastily. “My lord, it’s nothing, truly! It’s probably a lingering injury from the cave. I’m perfectly fine. I feel great right now!”

Chi Dun grunted, saying no more, and simply waved his hand.

Ning Zhuo bowed to him, then quickly left, opening and closing the door softly.

Chi Dun was about to interrogate the next person, but paused, extending his spiritual sense to communicate with the guards outside. “Go tell them to treat the Ning family cultivators well. Are they neglecting their duties? How can someone still have hidden injuries? Heal them all!”

The Ning family was one of the three great clans of Fire Persimmon Immortal City. Chi Dun had no wish to offend them.

Of course, if any Ning family cultivator was found to be colluding with the shadow demon cultivator, that would be another matter.

Ning Zhuo was taken away and immediately received another round of treatment.

The nosebleed had been caused by his secret activation of the Buddha Heart Demon Seal.

This precious seal could imprint the mind, influence others’ thoughts externally, and protect oneself internally, suppressing and cleansing all kinds of thoughts and emotions.

To turn others into demons, to turn oneself into Buddha.

Led by attendants, Ning Zhuo returned to the cell.

Before entering, he heard heated voices inside.

The Ning family cultivators were fiercely discussing the contents of the bell’s transmission.

Ning Zhuo entered; several cultivators turned to look at him. Seeing he was unharmed, some nodded lightly before returning to their debate.

Having shared life and death in the cave, Ning Zhuo’s relationship with them had grown much closer.

Ning Chen and Ning Yong rose and approached Ning Zhuo, concerned.

They were classmates to begin with, sharing a basic bond.

Though both acted on Ning Zhanji’s orders, Ning Zhuo had nearly lost his life, and they felt guilty.

It was more than guilt.

During the cave ordeal, though Ning Zhuo was afraid, he still showed courage in the face of death, inspiring bravery in Ning Yong and Ning Chen as well.

Such conduct made Ning Chen and Ning Yong feel both close and respectful toward him.

All those emotions and sentiments had transformed their relationship with Ning Zhuo.

“How are you? Are you alright?”

“We are Ning family cultivators; our ancestor is a Golden Core master. If anyone tries to use some soul-searching technique on us, the clan will stand up for us!”

Ning Chen and Ning Yong each spoke in turn.

Ning Zhuo nodded. “I was a bit nervous at first.”

“But from start to finish, I was not given a hard time.”

“I found it simple enough; just tell the truth.”

He comforted Ning Chen and Ning Yong in return.

“Good,” they replied in unison.

At that moment, the guard called both away.

Ning Zhuo walked to his corner in the cell, finding his assigned spot.

He had a small bench and a little table. On the table were fruits, nuts, and hot tea.

Other Ning family cultivators enjoyed the same treatment.

Naturally, this was not normal, but owed entirely to their family status.

Ning Zhuo’s seat was in a corner of the dungeon.

Not far away, a pile of foul-smelling straw lay against the wall; dried blood stained the bricks; the cell bars bore the marks of fingers gouged into the metal. In such surroundings, one could almost hear the cries and pleas of prisoners.

Ning Zhuo knew well: if the truth were exposed, his fate would be worse than any prisoner’s—more tragic, more terrifying. The first to come for him might not even be the city lord, but the Ning family itself. Then, these friendly faces around him would turn to anger and hatred, hunting him without mercy.

Yet Ning Zhuo felt no regret.

He had long resolved to blow up the Immortal Palace, risking himself as he pleased.

He sat slowly and picked up a roasted chestnut.

With two fingers, he easily crushed the shell, which broke with a crisp snap.

He took the kernel, chewed it, and swallowed.

The current Lava Immortal Palace was like this chestnut: its shell had been shattered by Ning Zhuo’s bold move, lowering the standard.

But to taste the kernel within would require careful consideration and extreme caution.

The incident had grown too large. Ning Zhuo, at the mere third stage of Qi Refining, was treading on thin ice. Any misstep would expose him, as if breaking through the ice and plunging into the lake, his life swallowed by dark currents.

His mother had met her end in just such a way.

Ning Zhuo quietly chewed the chestnut kernel, savoring its flavor—much as he savored the peril of his own predicament.

No one would ever suspect that this unremarkable youth was the true culprit behind the explosion of the Immortal Palace.