Eternal Life Alliance

"No!"

Zhao Fang shook his head, his face growing even paler.

"The Demon Suppression Bureau is iron-blooded and merciless. If this is truthfully reported to them, not a single member of my Zhao Family will survive.

I hope Lord Shen, for the sake of my twenty years as Lin'an City's magistrate, can spare my Zhao Family. Besides, they know nothing at all about what happened here.

As long as Lord Shen tells the people of the Demon Suppression Bureau that I was killed by demons and evil spirits, and that the others knew nothing, that will be enough!"

Having said that,

Zhao Fang rose to his feet and gave Shen Changqing a deep bow.

Colluding with demons and evil spirits was a crime grave enough to wipe out nine generations under Great Qin law.

His own death did not matter.

After all, from the moment he had begun cooperating with them, Zhao Fang had considered that the truth might one day be exposed. He had already made some mental preparations for what would follow.

But—

He could die.

The Zhao Family could not die alongside him.

Whether the Zhao Family had any hope of survival now rested entirely on Shen Changqing.

As long as Shen Changqing altered the account and said he had not defected to demons and evil spirits, everything could still be discussed.

"You served as magistrate for twenty years, yet in the end you chose the side of demons and evil spirits. If I concealed this for you, how could I face the lives of the people of Ancient Moon Village?"

"I have wronged the people of Ancient Moon Village, but my Zhao Family is innocent—"

"The Zhao Family received your favor and enjoyed your blessings, living freely in Lin'an City for twenty years. Naturally, they must bear the corresponding karma as well. The Demon Suppression Bureau will deliver a fair judgment in this matter."

Shen Changqing directly cut Zhao Fang off. No one was innocent. Everything the Zhao Family possessed now had come from Zhao Fang.

Now that Zhao Fang had fallen into misfortune,

the Zhao Family would have to bear some of the consequences as well.

"Of course, I can give you an opportunity. As long as you answer a few questions, when the Zhao Family falls into hardship, I will lend a hand where I can."

"What do you want to know?" Zhao Fang drew several deep breaths, his chest heaving violently.

If he had not been unable to defeat Shen Changqing,

he would have wanted to rush forward and perish together with him.

But if he truly did that, he would only extinguish the Zhao Family's final sliver of hope.

Shen Changqing's expression remained calm. He sat down across from Zhao Fang and placed the long saber at his waist to one side.

"Very simple. Tell me every detail: your main purpose in cooperating with demons and evil spirits, how you contacted each other, and whether they left behind any other arrangements in Lin'an City.

What you say now may become an opportunity for the Zhao Family to atone for its crimes in the future.

You understand better than I do how important this is."

At those words,

Zhao Fang fell silent.

Now that things had come to this point, he understood that he had no choice but to speak.

After lowering his head in thought for a while, he finally looked up at Shen Changqing.

"Demons and evil spirits have a tremendous advantage over humanity: lifespan. An ordinary human's life passes in a fleeting few decades, and very few truly live beyond a hundred years. Demons and evil spirits, however, are completely different.

My greatest purpose in cooperating with them was to obtain a chance to extend my lifespan.

I am old. Without the help of demons and evil spirits, in another ten or twenty years, my lifespan may be completely exhausted."

Zhao Fang's voice was calm, but when he spoke of lifespan, his eyes clearly grew more fervent.

To him, lifespan held an enormous temptation.

Otherwise,

he would never have chosen to side with demons and evil spirits.

Shen Changqing did not interrupt, silently listening to what Zhao Fang said next.

"My contact with demons and evil spirits was through Zhuang Mingyuan—the man who fought you just now. He was a member of the Eternal Life Alliance. Through him, I came into contact with the Eternal Life Alliance and with demons and evil spirits."

"The Eternal Life Alliance?" Shen Changqing raised a brow. The name was unfamiliar to him.

"The Eternal Life Alliance is an organization of demons and evil spirits. I do not actually know much about it. I only know that many people who side with demons and evil spirits join the Eternal Life Alliance. Beyond that, I know nothing."

Zhao Fang shook his head.

Shen Changqing silently repeated the name Eternal Life Alliance in his heart.

The organization's name was blunt enough.

Eternal life!

Did everyone who sided with demons and evil spirits obtain eternal life?

At that thought, he could not help sneering. "Demons and evil spirits stand opposed to humanity. In their eyes, humans are no different from food. Even if they truly possessed a method of eternal life, they would never bestow it upon you."

"Perhaps." Zhao Fang neither confirmed nor denied it. "But there are already humans in the Eternal Life Alliance who have lived for several centuries. To people like us, whose lifespans amount to only several dozen years, several centuries are already long enough."

"Other than Zhuang Mingyuan, did the Eternal Life Alliance have any other token?"

"Yes."

Zhao Fang nodded, took a silver-white token from his robes, and handed it over. "This is the Eternal Life Alliance's token. Everyone who joins the Eternal Life Alliance receives one.

Did Lord Shen not obtain a token from Zhuang Mingyuan?"

As he spoke,

he was already probing cautiously.

At that,

Shen Changqing's expression did not change. He directly accepted the silver-white token. "No. After I killed him, his body was immediately cremated. I did not see any trace of a token."

His gaze now fell upon the token as well.

On the front of the silver-white token was engraved the image of a wicked, savage demon, making anyone who looked at it feel deeply uncomfortable. On the back were engraved two words: Eternal Life!

On the other side, Zhao Fang understood upon hearing this.

"No wonder Lord Shen did not obtain an Eternal Life Alliance token from Zhuang Mingyuan. This token has no other weakness, only one: when exposed to fire, it is easily burned to ash."

Burned to ash by fire.

Shen Changqing nodded slightly, understanding why he had not found an Eternal Life Alliance token on Zhuang Mingyuan.

After handing over the token,

Zhao Fang paused before continuing, "There should be no other Eternal Life Alliance forces in Lin'an City. Lin'an City is merely a small city, not worth investing too much effort into.

With Zhuang Mingyuan and that Specter-level strange creature, it was more or less enough."

Zhao Fang had given thorough answers to each of those questions. It was clear that he was indeed sincere.

Shen Changqing pondered for a moment. "One final question. Have you received any information about demon essence blood?"

"Demon essence blood?"

A bewildered look appeared in Zhao Fang's eyes.

Seeing this,

Shen Changqing already understood that Zhao Fang knew nothing about demon essence blood. It seemed Zhao Fang's status within the Eternal Life Alliance was limited as well.

As he pondered these matters,

after a moment,

he looked at Zhao Fang, his expression calm. "You have said nearly everything that needed to be said. For what comes next, will you do it yourself, or do you need me to act personally?"

"There is no need to trouble Lord Shen. I can do it myself."

A dagger slid from Zhao Fang's sleeve. He stared directly at Shen Changqing. "I only hope Lord Shen will keep his word and grant my Zhao Family a path to survival!"

The words had barely fallen!

The dagger plunged backward into his chest!

Pfft—