The Burning of the City of Iniquity (Part I)
"It's up to you to interrogate him. For the first time, Yu Xuan heard exhaustion and helplessness in his sister Mingyin's voice.
He who is known for his ruthlessness has nothing to do with Shangbai Ze Mingyin, who is the "White Snake Prime Minister" He Yanfang.
He Yanfang...... It took Yu Xuan half a year to capture him with great difficulty. She remembered the excitement of the crowd when they first caught him, and thought they would get a lot of information from him, but it turned out that they were too happy.
He Yanfang is extremely tricky, which is not to say that he refuses to disclose any information - on the contrary, he will smile and answer in detail any questions from the inquirer. It's just that he can always cleverly mislead judgment, and as a result, the information he provides leads the divine army to the predicament of defeat and retreat.
"Interrogation is another kind of battle, and care must be taken. Be careful not to tell him about yourself, and then he will be confused, so don't keep staring into his eyes...... And, most importantly, if you feel that you can't handle it, stop the inquiry immediately. Mingyin told her sister everything she could think of, for fear of making a mistake, "Try to pay attention to his senior brother's problems, no matter what, it is his most cherished existence." β
"I understand, don't worry. "I didn't expect that even if He Yanfang was captured, he couldn't defeat him, Yu Xuan smiled bitterly.
The gloomy dungeon was small and airy, thick with rust and the stench of flesh. The dark red splashed on both sides of the wall and the gloomy atmosphere were very commensurate, making Yu Xuan feel depressed. She thought, that guy is quite out of place with this filth.
While he was still in his trance, there was a scream in front of him, and a jailer fell out of his cell, hitting the stone wall and collapsing to the ground like a broken puppet!
Her guards rushed to inspect it, but the jailer was dead. So their attention immediately turned to the monster in the prisonβ
He Yanfang. It's amazing how a guy with a seal and hands and feet can resist to this point. Yu Xuan ignored the nervousness of the guards and walked directly into the cell.
After countless tortures to extract confessions, even He Yanfang looked quite haggard. But he still tugged at the corner of his broken lips and looked at her with a smile.
"Long time gone, He Jun. She smiled too, staring at the gentle-eyed face.
"You're finally here, Shimo-Shirasawa. He Yanfang responded briskly, his voice was not loud, but it was particularly clear in the prison full of curses and screams, "The clothes are wet, is it raining outside?"
"Ah, yes. Because the battle with him was too fierce, Yu Xuan couldn't remember the real scene of his battle. But as soon as she saw him smiling and his eyes coldly observing her, she was sure that he was as calm as he was in the face of killing and death.
Obviously he was the winner of that battle, but Yu Xuan still felt afraid in front of him. He Yanfang's eyes gave her a bottomless feeling, and the dark eyes that couldn't even light up with a friendly smile seemed to be able to suck out the light of the world, as if it was an endless abyss.
Annoyed by his cowardice, Yu Xuan immediately calmed down, and smiled with strength: "I killed the jailer just by using my qi, and I am in good spirits." β
He Yanfang smiled bitterly: "It's not far from death, and the pawns who are usually timid are not at ease." If I die at the hands of the ants, I am afraid that no one will do justice for me. β
"That's cheaper for you," Yu Xuan sneered, "Thanks to you, we have been hit hard by Yan Yingyuan again." β
"Is it......" raised his eyebrows unexpectedly, and He Yanfang looked quite innocent. But Yu Xuan's sword had already grazed his neck and sunk into the stone wallβ
"Can you please be more serious?"
The blood slowly flowed down the wound, and even so, He Yanfang still smiled distressedly: "I'm serious, I told you everything in detail...... Who knew it would make me suffer more...... So shouldn't I keep my mouth shut?"
"Do you think the punishment is not heavy enough?" Glancing at the blood-soaked torture instrument next to him, Yu Xuan asked flatly.
"I have endured the punishment of Master before, and I can still endure this level of punishment," He Yanfang smiled, "Moreover, the previous cell was even more humid. β
Yu Xuan couldn't help but wonder if it was the "master's" education method that made him what he is now. With the craziest combat power and immoral personality, and a false smile that ignores the outside world, this man at the top of the food chain exudes a strange aura even today, which is not what a dying person should be.
Feeling distraught, Yu Xuan exerted his strength slightly, and the sword slowly rubbed against the wound, and then He Yanfang finally hissed: "I didn't think you were so cruel......"
"I don't want to do that either, so please be honest. β
"I have nothing to say. β
Yu Xuan didn't ask any more questions, and directly put away his sword and exited the cell: "Let's go to punishment." β
"This is too ruthless, isn't it?" He Yanfang protested with a wry smile, "You can at least tell me what you can do to spare me." β
"Tell me everything you need to know about your senior brother, Hundred Miles of Light. β
"I see, have you been cornered by him?" He Yanfang's smile was cold, "I refuse." β
"Are you waiting for him to save you?"
He Yanfang sneered at this: "He won't come, he hates the weak." β
Yu Xuan glanced at him and gritted his teeth: "Punishment." β
Not in the mood to watch the execution, she turned and walked out.
"I don't think he can reveal anything, so he should be beheaded for public show. Qin Yuan, the guard who followed her, said slowly.
"Can you forget the tragic scene when the Hundred Miles of Hazy Light appeared? tens of thousands of living elites burned and exploded in an instant............ In any case, we have to stop that wild beast through He Yanfang, and stop the gas technique 'Wind Medium Flower' that has not been able to be cracked until now......" Yu Xuan was still thinking hard about what he had to say in order to influence He Yanfang.
"With all due respect, He Yanfang was raised by Baili Haoguang, since he can survive under Baili Haoguang's hands, he is also a twisted and brutal monster......" Qin Yuan's voice trembled a little, "I have been standing behind you, I can feel his killing intent......"
Yu Xuan smiled bitterly: "I understand, but the funny thing is that even so, I want to do my best to convince him ......"
"Xia Bai Ze, you are too young!" Qin Yuan reminded her eagerly, "You may not know how many people he deceived with that look...... Smiling is his murderous etiquette, and the brighter he smiles, the harder it will be for you to escape his clutches......"
Yu Xuan took a deep breath: "I understand, really." β
Coming to He Yanfang again, she stared at the other party's suppressed smile and was silent for a while.
β...... Are you still going to pry my mouth open?" he said, indifferent.
"You'll be tormented until you can tell you useful information. Feeling tired of smiling at him, Yu Xuan simply restrained his smile.
"The heavier the punishment, the stronger my strength will be, haven't you seen through this?" He Yanfang asked softly, his puzzled look a bit like that of a child, "You don't seem to have told anyone about this." β
"Yes, I don't want them to know that you are stronger than you think, so instead of letting them concentrate on dealing with you, it is better for them to continue to do their best to defeat Yan Yingyuan. "Yu Xuan is quite straightforward.
He Yanfang laughed out loud: "Is it stronger than you imagined......
"But what a humble ability I have," he said, with a wistful expression, "it is because of this humility that I have survived the battle until now...... Thinking about it, this may be the credit of my senior brother. β
"Your senior brother...... Do you want to hurt you recklessly because of this ability?" Hearing him mention Baili Haoguang, Yu Xuan forcibly suppressed his nervousness and slowly spoke.
"It's true that he often asks me to practice because of this, but it's not a harm to him, it's just a game," there was a faint killing intent, and he smiled deeper, "He only has playthings in his eyes, and in his opinion, fighting is just a game, and he will die in his hands just because he is too weak to play...... The weak have no value for survival, that's what he taught me. β
"You...... Hate him?"
He Yanfang looked at her amusedly: "This is the question you want to ask, are you interested in my business?"
"No ......" seemed to be sucked into his world as soon as he was watched, and Yu Xuan looked away.
"I like your straightforwardness, though. It's not fair for you to ask, and if you can answer my question, I can consider giving you information of equal value. With a hint of malice in his attitude, He Yanfang gave in for the first time.
"Xia Bai Ze!" Qin Yuan hurriedly dissuaded, "This is a trap-"
"There's no way, if I can get information about Baili Haoguang, I have to exchange it no matter what!" Yu Xuan resolutely agreed.
"Then, let's get started," He Yanfang closed his eyes tiredly, "First of all, what do you want to ask?"
β...... Is the 'Flower of Wind Medium' really as we understand it?"
"So, my question is, is Kamihakuzawa good for you?"
Stunned for a moment, Yu Xuan nodded: "Of course it's good!"
Seeing that He Yanfang didn't mean to answer, she could only add: "Her affairs are very complicated, but she still does her best to take care of me......"
"Deal," He Yanfang opened his eyes, "The Wind Medium Flower is indeed a poisonous gas technique, it can make the 'qi' burn and explode, that's all." We are in the midst of qi, so there is little escape from it. β
Feeling a little relieved by his serious answer, Yu Xuan exhaled softly: "...... So, how can you compete with the Hundred Miles of Light?"
"Don't you think your questions are all quite important, I'm worried that you won't be able to give me a corresponding return," He Yanfang gently induced her, "Aren't you going to use small questions to piece together a goal little by little? Besides, you have a question you really want to ask, right?"
Sensing that this might be a trap, Yu Xuan's heart sank.
However, this is really the best way to do it. She hesitated: "...... Tell me, what's your reason for fighting so far?"
"So, as Shimo-Shirasawa, do you feel tired?" the monster stared silently into her young eyes, her soft voice bewitching.
"Don't fall for the trick, go down to Bai Ze!" Realizing the danger, Qin Yuan directly pulled out a black iron fan from his back and threw it over-
But Yu Xuan took the huge and heavy black iron fan.
"It's really tiring, just because we are Bai Ze, so we must know all kinds of weapons and identify demons...... No matter how fearful we are, we must devote our lives to the eradication of demons...... However, I don't regret it. Calmly answering, Yu Xuan responded calmly to He Yanfang's gaze.
"You know that I am a ghost, I can peer into the human heart, and look for the weakness of the human heart," he replied with a slight nodding, "because weakness is the temptation to degenerate oneself, to lead people into darkness on obscure lines, and then to eat them...... That's how you know how many rotten and useless pieces of meat there are in this world. I just want them to be completely destroyed. β
"And then, is your purpose just to destroy?"
"Then tell me, what does your divine realm think of the government in today's world?"
Feeling tricky by the question he raised, Yu Xuan hesitated for a moment: "The divine realm cannot interfere with the human world at will, and rule by doing nothing......"
"In that case, do you know that the discipline is disordered?" sneering at this, He Yanfang continued to answer, "Even if the evil of the human heart is the foundation of survival, I don't like this kind of world. So I have to guide out the darkness until the whole world disappears into ignorance. β
"If you don't like this kind of world, shouldn't you change it? You're just making yourself what you despise!" Having forgotten his purpose, Yu Xuan was simply angry.
"Xia Bai Ze, don't argue about this!" Qin Yuan was terrified, she knew that talking about this was already He Yanfang's realm, and this was the dim boundary where the dragon led people to fall.
From the reign of Yizong to the present, he has indulged in amusement and does not think about the government, and he has collected rare treasures and many kinds of tricks. Such a feast-free king is the king of men that you recognize, and you serve such a son of heaven, don't you approve of this style from the beginning?" Still calmly responding, He Yan's snake-like dark eyes stared at her fixedly, "If the darkness is generated by the imperial capital, and the darkness of the imperial capital comes from your connivance, then you can tell me, where did you start to change? What is the reason for your fight so far?"
Speechless for a moment, Yu Xuan was trembling slightly.
No, his words were flawed. But she couldn't refute it? Could it be her faith that was really flawed......
(To be continued)
ββΒ·ββNote
The emperor He Yanfang said was Tang Yizong, and the story took place in the later years of Yizong's reign.