Chapter 585: Still Prefer Your Previous Unruly and Unyielding Look

Chapter 585: I Still Prefer Your Previous Unruly Self

The Golden Core pressure radiated from Master Xuyang’s body, pressing down upon Yu Xinghan like a physical weight.

Master Xuyang knew that given the absolute disparity in their cultivation realms, he did not need complex interrogation techniques; simply grinding the Foundation Establishment student with this pressure would be enough to break his spirit in time.

Once that happened, the boy would answer whatever he was asked, and with a few additional methods, he would even say exactly what Xuyang wanted to hear.

In Xuyang’s view, with such a vast gap between their levels, there was nothing he couldn't extract if given the chance.

However, this matter was of great importance, and starting with pure interrogation was too easy to be used against him; Xuyang had been reluctant to resort to this.

But things had reached this point, and failing to detect the Dual Cultivation virus in Yu Xinghan meant Xuyang had no way back.

Yet, Yu Xinghan’s mouth was tighter and his will firmer than Xuyang had anticipated.

He realized that without resorting to more drastic measures, he would never pry the boy’s mouth open.

"Yuqing," Master Xuyang said coldly, "disconnect the spiritual boundary covering this room."

Yun Yuqing hesitated, looking at him with uncertainty. "Captain..."

Xuyang frowned. "Are you not going yet?"

After Yun Yuqing left, Xuyang continued to exert his Golden Core pressure, rolling over Yu Xinghan like waves of the sea.

Watching the cold sweat bead on Yu Xinghan’s forehead and his face grow increasingly pale, Xuyang said coldly, "Yu Xinghan, do not harbor any delusions. The Dual Cultivation Sect is a major issue that the school’s three Soul Formation masters are watching. The spread of the virus at the Civil Engineering construction site has long been our primary focus..."

Yu Xinghan replied, "I am waiting for Director Gao to arrive."

Xuyang’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of malice crossing his mind, but no matter what he said next, that was the only answer he received.

He thought to himself, "Why hasn't Yun Yuqing finished yet? What is she doing?"

He sent her several messages, but they vanished like stones into the sea, receiving no response.

Just as Xuyang began to sense that something was wrong, he received a message from his superior, True Monarch Qiming.

True Monarch Qiming: Come to my office.

Master Xuyang: Director, I am currently interrogating Yu Xinghan.

True Monarch Qiming: Stop the interrogation and come here immediately.

True Monarch Qiming: Do not make me come and fetch you myself.

Xuyang let out a long sigh in his heart: "Why is it so difficult to get anything done?"

He cast a deep look at Yu Xinghan, stood up, and left without a word.

Upon entering Qiming’s office, he was shocked to see Zhang Yu sitting opposite the True Monarch.

Seeing this, a dark premonition washed over Xuyang, and he immediately began trying to contact the outside world through his ocular implants.

Meanwhile, True Monarch Qiming was skillfully brewing a cup of spirit liquid tea for Zhang Yu, smiling as he said, "...I am an old acquaintance of your master; we were Golden Cores in the same generation, though she was peerless and brilliant back then, while I was just a transparent nobody among those Golden Cores."

Zhang Yu remarked, "No matter how dazzling or remarkable a Golden Core may be, they are ultimately just Golden Cores. You were hiding your true potential back then; among the Golden Core masters of that era, how many could achieve the heights you and my master have reached today?"

Listening to their conversation, Xuyang’s face grew increasingly grim, his mouth opening, yet he found himself unable to utter a word.

True Monarch Qiming nodded with a smile and asked, "How is the tea?"

Zhang Yu took a sip and exclaimed, "Excellent tea! The quality of the spirit liquid is so high; I have never tasted anything this fine."

Qiming’s smile widened, and he said casually, "It is natural water from my hometown. Young people today take pills all day and don't care much for tea. If you like it, take some with you when you leave."

Zhang Yu thought to himself: Is it that young people don't like tea? It’s that they can’t afford it, you bastard.

As Xuyang listened, he frantically searched for a counter-strategy. To him, the scene clearly indicated that Qiming was siding with True Monarch Magnetic Pole and Zhang Yu.

Thinking that a mere Foundation Establishment student, simply by having a good master, could become a guest of a Nascent Soul True Monarch and even obstruct the inspection team’s duties, Xuyang felt a surge of resentment.

On the other side, True Monarch Qiming was perfectly clear about the situation, having confirmed the school president’s stance during his report to True Monarch Tianyan.

Understanding this, he felt as if he were playing with a walkthrough and a cheat sheet; he had no fear of making a mistake.

"It is not that the president wants to deal with True Monarch Magnetic Pole," Qiming thought. "On the contrary, the president wants to help him."

Qiming wasn't sure why, but he guessed it had something to do with the Soul Formation Dharma Remains project.

"Is the president planning to copy True Monarch Nectar?" he wondered.

Just then, Qiming seemed to remember Xuyang was there, glanced at him, and said flatly, "Xuyang, have the test results for Yu Xinghan come out yet?"

Xuyang quickly replied, "The results are out, but there are still many issues he needs to account for..."

Qiming asked, puzzled, "If there is no Dual Cultivation virus, what else is there to account for?"

Xuyang said, "Although he personally tested negative, many people who have been in contact with him have been found to carry the virus..."

Qiming’s gaze sharpened, and his Nascent Soul pressure surged forward, forcing Xuyang to retreat step by step. "What nonsense are you spouting? If people he contacts have the virus, does he have to be investigated?"

"If that were the case, I have met so many suspects with the virus—should I be investigated too?"

Feeling the crushing weight of the Nascent Soul pressure, Xuyang struggled to speak. "Director, that is not what I meant..."

Qiming snorted, suddenly pointing a finger as if catching something in the spiritual realm, shattering all the messages Xuyang had attempted to send.

"Stop calling for help," Qiming said coldly. "You are no longer responsible for this matter."

"Yun Yuqing, come in."

At his call, Yun Yuqing appeared from outside the office.

Qiming looked at her and said, "Take student Zhang Yu to collect the prisoner and help Yu Xinghan finish the paperwork."

Xuyang stared daggers at Yun Yuqing, but his subordinate acted as if she didn't know him, obediently leading Zhang Yu away.

Xuyang looked at Qiming and said, "Director, there is definitely something wrong with Yu Xinghan and this Zhang Yu. Give me three more days—no, just one more day—and I will surely uncover it for you."

Qiming said flatly, "My dear Captain Xuyang, I dare not ask you to investigate for me. Our small Fourth Division has no room for a great hero like you."

Xuyang’s face turned pale. "Director! Regardless of whether you think I have ulterior motives, this Zhang Yu is linked to the Demonic Sect! Leaving him be will be a great harm to the school in the future! We cannot just ignore this..."

Qiming flicked his finger, and Xuyang felt a great force fling him out of the office.

"Director!" Xuyang clenched his fists, wanting to speak, but found a seal had been placed on him, silencing him.

He roared in his heart: "You will regret this!"

"You will definitely regret this!"

...

On the other side, Zhang Yu patted Yu Xinghan on the shoulder, surprised at how quickly he had managed to see him.

The key to this was True Monarch Qiming’s attitude.

Zhang Yu thought, "According to my teacher, Qiming’s stance represents the attitude of the president, True Monarch Tianyan."

Fu Ji said, "Soul Formation masters rarely take a public stance; they usually let their subordinates do it. Once they take a side, they cannot easily change it, leaving little room for maneuver. Especially in this internal conflict at Wanfa University, if a Soul Formation master gets involved directly and things escalate... it wouldn't be long before a civil war breaks out."

Meanwhile, having been led out of the interrogation room, Yu Xinghan asked in surprise, "I can leave?"

Yun Yuqing replied with forced politeness, "After our investigation, we found no issues with you, student. You are free to go."

She escorted them to the main gate, waving repeatedly until the figures of Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan disappeared from her sight.

Watching her polite demeanor, Zhang Yu really wanted to say, "I still prefer your previous unruly self."

Turning his head, he looked at Yu Xinghan, who was still clutching his head, and asked, "Still not feeling well?"

Yu Xinghan gave a slight nod, sensing the state of the third eye within his mind and reflecting on its metamorphosis, a fresh wave of shock and anxiety surging through him.

Having completed the ritual of the Evil God and become a devotee of Lady Fu, his latent potential had been ignited, triggering a profound sublimation of the third eye lodged in his skull.

Though the transformation was recent, he had already grasped the nature of his newfound abilities.

"Beyond merely mirroring an opponent's strikes or elevating my martial prowess through observation, I can now perceive the flow of their internal energy, allowing me to master their techniques in their entirety."

"Damn it... if only I had been born in an ancient era; this modern world stifles the true expression of my gifts."

"Should I accidentally witness some forbidden art and inadvertently reveal it, I would be in deep trouble—the copyright lawsuits alone would bankrupt me."

"I must never let anyone discover this ability, or there is no telling how many individuals or corporations would set their sights on me."

On his way back, Yu Xinghan kept his head bowed low, not daring to meet the gaze of a single passerby, terrified that a lingering look might reveal the flow of their essence and leave him inexplicably burdened with a dozen new martial arts.

(End of chapter)