Book 12: Chapter 62: The Dead Can Speak

True Dragon Mountain naturally had many secrets.

Inside True Dragon Mountain, there were some origins of Changsun Clan, some cultivation methods, as well as many ancient texts that weren’t available in the outside world.

However, there were large secrets and small secrets. For this True Dragon Guard elder who those in the outside world thought had already died, this entire True Dragon Mountain only had three secrets.

These three secrets all had decisive effects on the trajectory of the entire Yunqin Empire.

In his eyes, the half secret he was powerless in stopping Nangogn Weiyang from bringing away was only considered half because Nangong Weiyang couldn’t obtain the complete secret from that half.

Right now, he didn’t know that Di Choufei also saw one of the three secrets.

Meanwhile, in another place within Yunqin Empire, Xu Zhenyan was already close to knowing that complete secret Nangong Weiyang might not be able to deduce.

…

Xu Zhenyan was inside of a black carriage.

Next to him sat a white and round faced middle-aged embroidered dressed man. His expression always all smiles, appearing incredibly friendly.

The extremely cold and gloomy Xu Zhenyan sat next to him, across from the two of them was an individual who was covered in wounds. This fatty sitting across from the wounded individual could still smile in such an amiable way, as if he was looking at a pile of delicious food, so his amiable smile made one completely unable to associate it with any type of kind nature, only feeling like his smile was exceptionally sinister.

The one sitting across from him and Xu Zhenyan was Zhang Qiuxuan.

The teacher of the son of heaven, one of Central Continent City’s most powerful Sacred Experts. Right now, his appearance was extremely miserable, there wasn’t a piece of flesh that was unharmed on his body, even one of his eyeballs a bit popped out of its eyes socket, drooping a bit with many blood vessels behind it, the sight rather horrifying.

However, the expression on Zhang Qiuxuan’s face was still extremely calm.

“You all used up so much energy, not even hesitating to use something like the Divine Elephant Army and Big Black, such a huge display just to capture me, all of this was just to learn about the contents of those three ancient texts?”

He licked his dry and cracking lips. He gave the water sack hung above his head a look, calmly looking at Xu Zhenyan and the other Wen Xuanshu trusted aid, Hong Xianhua. With an expression of slight mockery, he said, “The contents of the ancient texts are really that important for Wen Xuanshu? Hong Xianhua[1], you name is rather special, but I never expected that as a Government Sector civil official, your methods of torture and interrogation are actually not beneath this Xu Family brat’s.”

Hong Xianhua still had an amiable smile on his face as he said, “This means that Grand Secretary Wen has a better eye than you in examining people.”

The corners of Zhang Qiuxuan’s lips produced a hint of ridicule. “His majesty doesn’t even trust Grand Secretary Zhou, why would he trust Wen Xuanshu? By following him, in the end, the only thing that awaits you all is execution of the whole family unto the third generation.”

“You should already understand clearly that what we care about isn’t actually the contents of these three ancient texts.” Xu Zhenyan calmly spoke at this time, looking indifferently at Zhang Qiuxuan and saying, “What we need to do is merely find out what kind of connection these three ancient texts have with Principal Zhang’s disappearance from this world.”

After a pause, Xu Zhenyan looked at Zhang Qiuxuan and continued to calmly say, “In terms of cultivation and status in the royal court, you can be considered Grand Secretary Wen’s senior, so you should naturally understand that for Green Luan Academy to adopt a patient and accommodating attitude is only because they do not wish to make Yunqin experience more troubles. Even if they wish to fight against the emperor, they will restrict themselves within a certain range, adopt some progressive methods with less destructive effects. However, Green Luan Academy’s internal disorder has already been quelled. If Principal Zhang’s disappearance really has something to do with your three ancient texts, if because of the emperor, Green Luan Academy might adopt some intense methods just like Jiang Family… It is just a pity that Green Luan Academy isn’t Jiang Family. If Green Luan Academy disregards some casualties, I reckon perhaps the emperor won’t be able to stop Green Luan Academy’s assassination either.”

Zhang Qiuxuan remained silent.

“What you say is correct.” He lightly shook his head and said, “That is why Principal Zhang’s disappearance naturally doesn’t have anything to do with the three ancient texts and his majesty… I do not know why you all would make this type of association, but apart from some coincidences around the timing, there isn’t a trace of connection otherwise. There is also no way you all will learn about the contents of those three ancient texts from my mouth.”

“That might not necessarily be the case.” When faced with Zhang Qiuxuan’s reply, Xu Zhenyan coldly shook his head.

Zhang Qiuxuan’s expression also became calm, his voice becoming a bit cold. “Even though I’ve ended up in your hands, losing to something like Big Black isn’t anything to be ashamed of. Back then, when Principal Zhang first entered Central Continent City, his soul force cultivation even a bit lower than that Tangcang officer’s, he defeated quite a few opponents even more powerful than myself… The reason I am saying all of this is just to remind you all a bit that regardless of how powerless I am to retaliate right now, having my cultivation crippled, in the end, I am still a Sacred Expert. With cultivations of your level, you all perhaps might not be able to comprehend at all just how much willpower is needed to become a Sacred Expert. That is why this type of torture, this type of pain, for a Sacred Expert, even if it is a hundred times greater, it won’t produce any results.”

“That is not true.”

Xu Zhenyan gave him a deep and cold look, shaking his head again. “Even though I cannot understand the realm of Sacred Expert, I’ve already spent quite the time in Ghost Prison. The number of cultivators I’ve interrogated are more than most Judicial Sector personnel. Your reactions right now, your words can only make me certain that you are feeling fear inside… Just like those cultivators who don’t want to die, it isn’t because of your own fear, but rather the fear of secrets being exposed. Actually, there is a type of method that might allow me to obtain the things I need from your mouth.”

After saying this, he reached out his hand like lightning. With a kacha noise, he unhinged Zhang Qiuxuan’s lower jaw.

Zhang Qiuxuan couldn’t utter complete sounds anymore, only using an expression of humiliation and disdain to glare at Xu Zhenyan.

Xu Zhenyan didn’t seem to be affected by his gaze at all, only producing a colored glaze medicine bottle from within his sleeves.

“By speaking more, it can allow one to alleviate some nervous expressions, also allowing one to relax their will.” Xu Zhenyan removed the cover of the medicine bottle, pouring a slightly pungent black medicinal liquid into Zhang Qiuxuan’s mouth. “Inside Ghost Prison, for the sake of extracting what we need from the mouths of cultivators, we will use some medicines as supplementation. There are some among them which can increase the pain and some that can weaken willpower. However, judging from your tone and from watching your expression, it seems like you understood extremely clearly that not a single medicine in this world can completely relax the willpower of a Sacred Expert.”

“This medicine indeed cannot.”

“It is extremely hard to continue remaining in Ghost Prison. Normal Ghost Prison managers will quickly give up and request to be transferred away, while I can already be considered one of the ones who have lasted the longest there. Moreover, during my period in office, there just happened to be many strong willed Wenren subordinates, so I also accidentally discovered a method that might even make these types of people expose secrets. Ghost Advisor’s cultivation was inferior to yours, but his willpower might not be much inferior to yours. He precisely had his mouth pried open by me like this. The exact whereabouts of Wenren Cangyue’s batch of military equipment was obtained precisely from his mouth.”

“The moment before death, one’s will will becomes blurry. At that time, the strength and weakness of the will actually already doesn’t have much of a connection with whether or not they can keep a secret.”

“In that extremely short instant, together with this medicine, at the very least, I have some time to ask a few questions.”

“I call it… even the dead can speak.”

…

When he heard Xu Zhenyan’s words, Zhang Qiuxuan’s expression instantly completely changed. He cried out, his expression warping, his eyes even revealing a type of pleading expression.

However, Xu Zhenyan still didn’t seem to have noticed this type of expression on his face, only producing a bottle of medicinal liquid from his sleeves again, then slowly pouring it into Zhang Qiuxuan’s mouth.

This bottle’s taste was slightly sweet, but it was poison that was strong enough to make Zhang Qiuxuan die.

Zhang Qiuxuan’s consciousness quickly became blurry.

He quickly began to truly die, his aura fading.

The middle-aged fatty who was always smiling also began to become nervous. With a ss noise, Zhang Qiuxuan’s breathing completely stopped. In that instant, a long golden needle appeared in Xu Zhenyan’s hand. After dipping it in another medicinal bottle, he fiercely pierced it into Zhang Qiuxuan’s heart.

Zhang Qiuxuan’s heart that stopped beating began to beat again, his breathing appearing again.

“Before Principal Zhang went missing, you borrowed three ancient texts. Then, his majesty moved that entire ancient text storeroom into True Dragon Mountain. Just what kind of connection do those three ancient texts have with Principal Zhang’s disappearance?” Xu Zhenyan lowered his body, using his calmest voice to clearly ask this by Zhang Qiuxuan’s face.

“Behind Heaven Ascension Mountain Range… battle between immortals and devils in the ancient past… Green Luan Academy’s origins… we told Principal Zhang…”

Zhang Qiuxuan’s extremely faint voice sounded like thunder by Xu Zhenyan and the middle-aged fatty’s ears, making the two’s breathing couldn’t help but completely stop, as if they were the ones who were about to die.

“Green Luan Academy’s origins, what is strange about it? After you told Principal Zhang, what happened?” Xu Zhenyan couldn’t help but clench his fists, feeling like he was getting closer and closer to Yunqin’s greatest secret.

“Some of the legends might be true, that there are unknown lands with ancient technique inheritances… we guided Principal Zhang there.”

“Guide Principal Zhang there? Where? Green Luan Academy’s land of origin behind Heaven Ascension Mountain Range? Where exactly behind Heaven Ascension Mountain Range?” Xu Zhenyan knew that time was already extremely pressing, so he also began to struggle to control his emotions, asking anxiously.

“Ice Crystal Valley… behind Ice Snow Ancient City… Green Luan Palace…” Zhang Qiuxuan’s voice began to suddenly become low.

Xu Zhenyan’s body shook fiercely, saying with a hoarse voice. “Is Principal Zhang dead or not?!”

“I don’t know…” Zhang Qiuxuan’s voice came to a screeching stop.

“You don’t know? How can you possibly not know?!” Xu Zhenyan’s expression suddenly became snow-white. His hands unconsciously forcefully grabbed Zhang Qiuxuan’s shoulders, shaking him fiercely. However, Zhang Qiuxuan’s aura already completely disappeared. In reality, he also already understood that Zhang Qiuxuan already couldn’t reply to any of his questions. Only, when a heaven shocking secret was suddenly cut off at this type of time, his mind couldn’t endure this type of impact.

“This means… Principal Zhang went missing because of the information you purposely gave Principal Zhang, drawing him behind Heaven Ascension Mountain Range?” Hong Xianhua’s body was also continuously trembling, his white and chubby face starting to tremble like fatty meat. He continuously took deep breaths, in disbelief as he said to himself, “They obtained some clues from the three ancient texts, and then afterwards, through some investigations… proved that in the frozen plains behind Heaven Ascension Mountain Range, there really is a legendary ancient cultivation land? Principal Zhang was set up in entering those places? Principal Zhang’s disappearance… was actually really related to them? It actually really was related to a certain scheme from his majesty?!”

1. Xianhua means fresh flowers

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