Chapter 574 | I Really Don't Want to Cultivate Immortality!

"The events in the Emperor's Tomb?"

Chi Ji subconsciously repeated the phrase, her mind naturally replaying various scenes.

The look in her eyes shifted quietly; amidst her confusion, a sense of wariness and vigilance began to sprout.

Jin Qing caught Chi Ji's alertness and comforted her, "You do not need to overthink it. I am just asking casually. Like you, I would never harm him."

Chi Ji guiltily hid her gaze, then took a deep breath. "What does the High Priest wish to know? Just ask."

Jin Qing got straight to the point.

Chi Ji spoke truthfully.

Initially, Jin Qing only asked about the events in the Emperor's Tomb.

It was a familiar story.

What Chi Ji recounted was already known to others: the Eight-Direction Platforms, the grey-robed phantom, the blood locust, and the Ten-Day Slaughter.

Naturally, she also described the various experiences during the Ten-Day Slaughter.

It was not difficult to talk about.

Bai Mang borrowing people, sweeping through three tribes, making an enemy of the world, and slaughtering in all directions...

Finally, Jin Qing asked Chi Ji if Bai Mang had shown any abnormal behavior.

Chi Ji played dumb, pretending not to know.

Jin Qing continued to press her.

She said that in the Emperor's Tomb, Chi Ji was the only one who had been following Bai Mang the entire time, so there must be things others did not know. Chi Ji still acted as if she did not understand.

Her eyes were innocent and simple.

Jin Qing specifically gave her a reminder regarding the matter of the corpses.

She said that some demons had seen Bai Mang searching through corpses on the Eight-Direction Platforms at the very beginning, and he had even run around everywhere with a corpse on his back.

Seeing that she could no longer hide it, Chi Ji acted as if she had just realized. "Yes, that did happen."

"Did those corpses have any defining features?" Jin Qing continued to inquire, her gaze toward Chi Ji filled with scrutiny.

Although Chi Ji wanted to hide the truth, she feared it would backfire, so she spoke plainly.

"Those corpses were all disciples of the Wendao Sword Sect."

Jin Qing thought to herself that it was as she expected. "Then do you know what use the demon son had for those remains?"

Chi Ji first shook her head and then said, "The demon son did not say, but I think they were probably used to make money."

"Make money?" Jin Qing was full of questions.

Chi Ji explained, "I heard that disciples of the Wendao Sword Sect who die in the line of duty can be buried on Guidao Slope. The Wendao Sword Sect has always cared deeply for its disciples, so I imagine they would be quite willing to spend money to buy back these bodies."

A forced reason, yet it was also quite logical.

Jin Qing said half-believingly, "But... I did not see him selling them?"

Chi Ji analyzed, "Well... the demon son probably earned so much that he no longer cared for it. How much could a few corpses be worth?"

Searching for corpses was to make money.

Because he earned a lot, he did not sell them.

It was self-contradictory, yet it made sense in its own way.

At the very least, selling corpses was something others would not do, but Bai Mang certainly would.

However, Jin Qing knew that things could never be that simple.

There was definitely a hidden story.

And Chi Ji's deliberate concealment only served to further validate her guesses and suspicions.

She chatted with Chi Ji for a while longer, testing her multiple times, but Chi Ji's wariness ensured her gains were minimal.

Realizing it was fruitless, she ended the inquiry and sent Chi Ji away.

Leaving the courtyard, Chi Ji looked back several times, her eyes dark. She felt that the High Priest seemed to know something.

Just like her.

Her guesses and deductions had grown stronger following the series of events that played out outside the Blazing Fortress.

In her subconscious, she was already certain that it was so.

Bai Mang could turn Chi Ji into Bai Mang.

He could naturally turn others into Bai Mang as well, including himself.

This was a terrifying guess and a terrifying answer.

If it were truly so, she could not even imagine what kind of trouble Bai Mang would face.

The Demon Abyss feared losing Bai Mang, and she similarly feared losing him, which was why she deliberately hid the truth.

Many things, she chose to forget...

Unfortunately, Chi Ji's cultivation was too shallow and she was too young. How could her little schemes possibly hide from Jin Qing?

Once suspicion took root again, many questions would be brought back to the table, and any tiny detail would be infinitely magnified.

After sending Chi Ji away, one figure after another entered the small courtyard under the lead of the Nether Guards.

These people were all heavenly demon race members who had returned alive from this trip to the Emperor's Tomb.

They originally belonged to the Nether Hall and took orders from the High and Small Priests.

Facing Jin Qing's questions, they were naturally different from Chi Ji.

They told her everything they knew without reservation.

Demon A said, "The demon son was very strange. At the beginning, I even thought he was not the demon son. During the struggle on the platforms, he acted very weak and was consistently unwilling to take action. It was we who protected him as he fought his way out. Moreover, after the boundary wall opened, he refused to speak and kept himself hidden inside a black robe the entire time..."

Demon B said, "I cannot quite put it into words, but at the time, I felt as if the demon son had become a different person..."

Demon C said, "On the first day, I stayed around the demon son to protect him according to your orders. I clearly remember that the demon son killed no more than a dozen people, but when he took off his robe, I accidentally caught a glimpse of his hand. There was a four-digit number on the back of it. Of course, it is also possible that my eyes were playing tricks on me..."

Demon D said, "There are some things I dare not say recklessly, but I do not dare hide them from you. I suspect the demon son and the Crimson Demon's daughter, Chi Ji, did... well, that... because when they came out, their clothes were not even put on properly... Of course, this is just my guess and not something I saw with my own eyes..."

"..."

There were those who knew nothing, those who observed details, and of course, those who spread slander and rumors. There were many different stories.

After listening, Jin Qing's suspicions only grew stronger.

From asking about the demon son, she moved to asking about the Wendao Sword Sect, and finally to asking about Xu Xian...

Xu Xian was already a frequent subject in the intelligence system of the Wendao Sword Sect.

Regarding his matters, they had been paying attention and deliberately inquiring about him during their time in the Emperor's Tomb.

Their accounts were highly consistent.

On the first day, Xu Xian had fought his way in and out seven times on the platforms. Then, starting from the second day, the entire Wendao Sword Sect seemed to suddenly vanish, never appearing in anyone's sight again.

Until the final day, when the four members of the Golden Generation fought their way out and were eventually captured alive by the demon son. Then Xu Xian appeared, and the two of them had a great battle.

Neither side won.

Then, there was nothing else.

Jin Qing asked repeatedly, confirming if it was four people who were captured.

They were very certain.

Jin Qing then asked if the four captured were Yao Xiaoxiao, Tu Kongkong, Xia Chu Yi, and Niu Batian.

They denied it.

They did not know who Niu Batian was.

The one captured was the auspicious beast Lu Yuan.

Jin Qing confirmed again and again: it was Lu Yuan, not Niu Batian?

They said yes.

Jin Qing muttered to herself, "There clearly was no auspicious beast, only Niu Batian... something must have happened in between."

Niu Batian's talent was ordinary.