Take Down This Lunatic

After taking in that unprecedented, mind-blowing bombshell about Han Zhongjin, Tang Yan finally quieted down and turned his attention to the disciples forging artifacts in the arena.

It was his first time watching anyone forge artifacts.

Back when he had been the Tang Family's young master, the family had supported master artificers and supplied him with whatever magical treasures and spirit artifacts he needed.

Time ticked by, and at first, Tang Yan watched with keen interest.

But the longer he watched, the more bored he became. He even yawned, growing drowsy.

He had no interest in artifact forging. Aside from appreciating their fluid techniques, he understood none of it.

Although Xiao Jixue's attention was on the arena, he kept an eye on the person beside him.

Seeing that Tang Yan was about to fall asleep, he spoke up.

"Sleepy? Why don't we head back? It'll be ages before their competition ends."

Tang Yan looked at him. "You're not watching either? Why don't you stay here? I can go back myself."

Xiao Jixue smiled faintly. "You want to walk back? Purple Dawn Peak is a long way from here. On those two legs of yours, you might not make it even by nightfall."

As he finished speaking, it suddenly occurred to him that he ought to get Tang Yan a flying spirit artifact that needed only spirit stones to operate.

"Come on. Let's go home."

Xiao Jixue stood up. "Watching this sort of competition is optional. I only brought you here today because I thought it would be lively."

Otherwise, given his dislike of crowds, he would certainly have stayed on Purple Dawn Peak to practice his swordsmanship or cultivate.

Tang Yan stood up with him. "All right, let's head back, then."

[I've had more than enough juicy gossip today. That was way too shocking, way too outrageous. I need to get back and recover.]

After Xiao Jixue and Tang Yan left.

In the void, Fu Shouci could no longer hold himself back and took Wei Lianyi somewhere exceptionally safe.

Then, with Bai Wuxia, Xu You, Jiang Mei, and the others, he stepped out of the void and appeared before Han Zhongjin.

"Junior Brother Han, Junior Brother Ye isn't on Artifact Peak. I have some matters concerning Artifact Peak to discuss with you. Come with me to the Artifact Peak Hall."

Seeing Fu Shouci's serious expression, as though something important had come up, Han Zhongjin thought nothing of it.

"Yes. Senior Brother Sect Leader, please follow me."

Once they vanished, the disciples present exchanged glances.

The same thought crossed their minds.

The Sect Leader and the venerables were going to deal with that lunatic Han Zhongjin.

Liu Yunsheng and Jiang Xiao exchanged a look, silently praying that they could keep that devil Han Zhongjin under control and stop him from ever coming out to do evil again.

The two had only become Han Zhongjin's disciples six months ago, so their bond with their master was barely more than half a year old.

And just now, that shallow bond had already gone up in smoke.

The Artifact Peak Hall.

Han Zhongjin smiled with gentle refinement. "Senior Brother Sect Leader, what is it?"

Fu Shouci smiled faintly, his expression warm, as though they were merely chatting.

"It's nothing major. I just came to ask whether you have any ideas or leads concerning that exceptionally talented disciple who disappeared from Artifact Peak some time ago."

With that, Fu Shouci glanced discreetly at Bai Wuxia.

Bai Wuxia gave a slight nod to show he understood.

Han Zhongjin did not notice the exchange of looks between them.

For the moment, Fu Shouci's mild manner had deceived him.

"As you know, Senior Brother Sect Leader, I'm rarely in the sect. Much of the time, I'm out gaining experience wherever the mood takes me.

I've heard about that disciple too. Since he was a disciple of Artifact Peak, I do keep an eye out for him."

As he spoke, he glanced at Fu Shouci.

Only to see the latter's expression turn abruptly cold and vicious.

Han Zhongjin's heart clenched, and a powerful sense of danger rose within him.

He instinctively activated his escape technique and tried to flee out of the hall.

To his shock, however, he discovered that Bai Wuxia, Xu You, Jiang Mei, and the others had already sealed off the surrounding space.

Han Zhongjin was horrified!

He raised a hand to meet Fu Shouci's attack, roaring furiously as he fought him off.

"Senior Brother Sect Leader, what are you doing? May I ask what I've done wrong?"

"Hah!" Fu Shouci gave a cold laugh and said nothing.

As his broad sleeves swept through the air, the surging spiritual energy rushed wildly toward him, instantly gathering beneath his hands into a lethal attack.

Han Zhongjin's cultivation was on par with Fu Shouci's.

He was no pushover either. With their sleeves whipping, they exchanged two or three rounds of blows.

But Fu Shouci was the Sect Leader, after all, and his strength surpassed Han Zhongjin's by a notch.

Unable to use his escape technique, Han Zhongjin was no longer much of a threat to Fu Shouci.

Before long.

"Aaargh!" Han Zhongjin screamed as Fu Shouci sent him flying.

He hurtled backward more than ten meters, his lower back slamming into a massive pillar that would take three people to encircle.

"Urgh!" Han Zhongjin spat out two great mouthfuls of blood. Just as he tried to rise, Bai Wuxia seized the opportunity to throw a glittering golden net over him.

It was one of the Law Enforcement Hall's magical treasures, which he had specifically commissioned Ye Sheng to forge.

It could ensnare anything below the Tribulation Transcendence stage.

Like a skinny pig awaiting slaughter, Han Zhongjin was caught firmly in the net.

Deep hatred flashed through his downcast eyes.

When he raised his head again, he wore a puzzled expression and spoke in a somewhat aggrieved voice.

"Senior Brother Sect Leader, even if you're going to condemn me, you should at least let me know why I'm dying. I am, after all, an elder in charge of Artifact Peak.

What will the other elders and disciples think if they learn you've restrained me so rashly?"

Fu Shouci's gaze was dangerous. "What, you don't know what beastly things you've done? Do you want me to spell them out?"

"Fine. I'll let you die knowing why. That disciple of Artifact Peak who mysteriously disappeared..."

Han Zhongjin's composed expression froze, and shock surged through his heart like a towering tidal wave.

How? How could they know?

I was so thorough.

Unsure whether Fu Shouci was bluffing, Han Zhongjin could only steel himself and argue.

"I don't know where you heard these rumors, Senior Brother, that made you think I had anything to do with that disciple's disappearance."

"I've worked diligently on Artifact Peak all these years and have never done anything improper. Everyone on Artifact Peak knows that. Senior Brother, I've been wronged!"

A cold smile appeared on Fu Shouci's lips.

If not for Little Five, they would indeed have continued to be deceived by this beast in human skin, allowing him to raise that Evil Being and bring disaster upon the Ten Thousand Swords Sect.

Fu Shouci did not want to hear any more of his nonsense.

Everything they should know, and even what they should not, they had already heard from Little Five.

"Since you feel you've been wronged, why don't I personally use the Soul-Searching Technique? One attempt will prove whether you're innocent."

Han Zhongjin instantly paled in terror.

The Soul-Searching Technique was hardly a benign technique. In less severe cases, the person subjected to it would suffer devastating damage to their divine sense and a regression in cultivation, requiring centuries of recuperation to recover.

In severe cases, they would become witless, never regain their faculties, and never make any further progress.

"Fu Shouci! You're the Sect Leader, yet you intend to torture a confession out of me?"

Han Zhongjin rebuked him harshly.

Bai Wuxia suddenly spoke up to stop him. "Wait, Senior Brother. Your cultivation is on par with Han Zhongjin's. If you search his soul and he secretly pulls something, it could backfire."

"Since Grandmaster Xu Yi happens to be here, let's take this beast to him and have him perform the soul search."

Xu You, Jiang Mei, and the others also urged him, "Yes, Senior Brother. Senior Brother Bai is right."

Fu Shouci said, "Very well."

They discussed it among themselves, none of them paying any attention to Han Zhongjin, who lay on the floor trussed up like a pig.

Han Zhongjin gritted his teeth in hatred.

Even so, he did not forget to secretly think of ways to escape.

No matter how he struggled, Fu Shouci and the others kept him under tight guard and took him to Pill Peak.