Can you keep your secrets hidden?

Ren looked down at him.

Are you sure?

Li Kui gritted his teeth and said, "I'm sure!"

Even if you kill me, you won't get a single question out of me!

Shisui stood beside Ren, his brows slightly furrowed.

Li Kui's reaction said it all.

This person not only knew Exchange Tower, but also the origins of the Black-and-White Ring.

However, there was clearly someone behind him.

That person's threat was even more terrifying to Li Kui than dying here.

Itachi remained silent.

The crimson Three-Tomoe Sharingan slowly rotated.

He originally thought that Genjutsu would be used next, or that Fugaku would have to use interrogation techniques to pry open Li Kui's mouth.

But Ren didn't ask any more questions.

The Yin-Yang Double Pupils slowly rotated.

The left eye is jet black, and the right eye is pure white.

Before Li Kui could react, he felt an irresistible force rush into his Sea of Consciousness.

What are you doing!

He suddenly looked up.

But the next moment, Li Kui's body froze.

Deep within the Sea of Consciousness.

Those scenes he least wanted to recall surfaced like pages of an account book forcibly turned over.

Iron chain.

Bloodstains.

A broken signboard.

A group of people, their hands and feet bound, were herded into a dark, damp underground warehouse.

Their wrists were all branded with black and white marks.

Then, the scene changes.

West District of Chaotic Star City.

A flag embroidered with blue cloud patterns hung outside the warehouse.

Azure Luo Merchant Guilds.

Several people dressed in luxurious robes stood in front of the cargo boxes, looking through Exchange Tower's account books, pill formulas, and a series of Void Link Ring.

An elderly man with white hair was dragged underground.

The old man struggled incessantly, his fingers gripping the ground tightly, his nails splitting and leaving long trails of blood.

In the end, however, he was still thrown into the iron cage.

Li Kui's face turned deathly pale instantly.

Cold sweat dripped down his chin.

He finally understood that Ren didn't need to force a confession.

No matter how deeply I hid my secrets, they were all laid bare before those eyes.

Ren withdrew his gaze.

The black and white energies in the alleyway subsided.

"The Azure Luo Merchant Guilds took away Exchange Tower's account books, pill formulas, and communication rings."

"They lock up those who refuse to submit and make you collect old items for them on the black market."

"What you're looking for isn't ordinary valuables."

"It's the Void Network that Exchange Tower once established."

Li Kui's pupils contracted sharply.

He opened his mouth, but forgot to even refute it.

Even within the Crimson Fiend Hall, only he and a few trusted confidants knew about this matter.

Ren not only saw it.

They also stated the true purpose of the Azure Luo Merchant Guilds without missing a single word.

Itachi was also somewhat shaken when he saw Li Kui's distraught appearance.

The power of Double Pupils was even more terrifying than he had anticipated.

When facing Ren, even the deepest secrets of an enemy cannot be hidden.

Torture to extract confessions?

There's absolutely no need for that.

He is under a protective spell.

A cold voice came from the alley entrance.

Kaguya was already standing there at some point.

She rolled her Byakugan, her gaze piercing through Li Kui's flesh and blood, landing deep within his Sea of Consciousness.

"The restriction is hidden within the Divine Soul."

"If he forcibly reveals the key name, the restriction will directly tear his Divine Soul apart."

Li Kui's body trembled.

He hadn't expected that even this would be seen through.

Fugaku walked to Ren's side and asked in a deep voice, "Clan Leader, should we take him back first?"

"Since the Azure Luo Merchant Guilds dares to do such a thing, there must be more than one force behind it."

"This person might still be able to continue the investigation."

Ren shook his head.

"Seal his Soul Power, but spare his life."

Fugaku paused slightly.

He didn't understand.

The Crimson Fiend Hall ambushed and killed the merchant caravan, and Li Kui was also investigating the old items of Exchange Tower for the Azure Luo Merchant Guilds. Logically speaking, there was no value in keeping them.

But since Ren had given the order, Fugaku didn't ask any further questions.

He raised his hand, Chakra transformed into several black chains, which fell into Li Kui's body.

The Soul Power within Li Kui's body, which was already suppressed by the Yin–Yang Power, was instantly and completely sealed off.

What did you do to me?

"Li Kui cried out in terror."

Fugaku said calmly, "You will be unable to use your Soul Power for three days."

"If someone dares to attempt to break the seal on their own, their Soul Power will backfire and damage their meridians."

Li Kui's expression grew even more grim.

Having lost his Soul Power, he was less than a stray dog in Chaotic Star City.

Moreover, those in the Crimson Fiend Hall who usually obey him might not continue to acknowledge him as their leader once they discover he has become a cripple.

Ren didn't look at him again.

The black and white Pattern ring fell back into my palm.

The ring suddenly became hot.

Immediately afterwards, a faint and weak spiritual fluctuation emanated intermittently from the depths of the ring.

"Exchange Tower..."

"Old warehouse..."

"Lu Ping..."

"Don't believe it..."

"Qingluo..."

The sound was very faint.

Like a light that could go out at any moment.

Ren's expression shifted slightly, and a wisp of gentle True Essence appeared at his fingertips, which he slowly sent into the ring.

He did not forcefully attack the remnant soul in the ring.

This spiritual imprint has been dormant for many years, and any rough action could shatter the last remaining message within it.

The Black-and-White Ring trembled slightly.

The Pattern on the ring face gradually lit up.

A tattered map was projected into the air.

The map marks the western district of Chaotic Star City.

Below an abandoned warehouse, a very faint black mark appeared.

Fugaku stared at the map, lowering his voice.

"West District Underground Warehouse."

"Should we just attack directly?"

"There are old acquaintances from Exchange Tower in the warehouse."

Ren said, "There might also be ordinary people who were captured by the Azure Luo Merchant Guilds."

"Forced entry might win, but it might not save everyone."

Fugaku fell silent.

He knew very well that Ren was right.

The underground warehouse has a complex terrain.

If the Azure Luo Merchant Guilds had set up an array in advance, or used the prisoners as leverage, a direct attack might have killed those who should have been rescued.

Shisui took the initiative to step forward.

"I'll go scout ahead first."

"Brother Shisui, I'll go with you."

Itachi drew a Kunai, his voice steady.

"If there are guards, I can use Genjutsu to cover myself."

Ren looked at the two of them.

"Investigate the situation, don't take action."

"If you discover any former subordinates of Lu Ping or Former Exchange Tower members, immediately send a message via the Void Link."

"Clear."

Shisui and Itachi nodded simultaneously.

Ren raised his hand and loosened some of the restraints on Li Kui's body.

The black and white energies dissipated.

Li Kui awkwardly propped himself up.

He was badly injured; his left arm was pierced by Kunai, and his Soul Power was sealed, making it difficult for him to even stand up straight.

"You..."

Li Kui raised his head, his lips pale.

"You're letting me go?"

"Go back to the Crimson Fiend Hall."

Ren looked at him.

"Tell the Azure Luo Merchant Guilds that the Black-and-White Ring have been found."

Li Kui's body stiffened abruptly.

He finally understood that Ren didn't kill him because he wanted to use him as bait.

The Black-and-White Ring have appeared in the world.

The Azure Luo Merchant Guilds could not possibly remain indifferent.

But if he doesn't go back to deliver the message, the Soul Power seal will kill him in three days.

Li Kui gritted his teeth and staggered out of the alley.

As he reached the alley entrance, he glanced back.

Ren stood still, his expression calm.

There is no threat.

There was no sense of pride.

But it was precisely this calm that sent a chill down Li Kui's spine.

He dared not linger, and with his severely injured body, he disappeared into the night.

No one noticed.

Shisui raised his hand from the shadows, leaving a faint mark on Li Kui's blood-stained clothes.