Interrogation

Times are changing very quickly.

The abolition of corporal punishment is a recent phenomenon; the severity of punishments a thousand years ago was beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

For example, punishments such as tattooing the face, cutting off the nose, chopping off the feet, and castration were considered inhumane during the Great Han Dynasty and did not give offenders a chance to repent, so they were abolished.

But in the era that Lao Tong experienced, these forms of corporal punishment were utterly inadequate.

Only through methods such as branding with red-hot copper pillars, prying open skulls and throwing in ants and mercury, cutting off flesh to make jerky, chopping the whole person into mincemeat, throwing them into boiling water or hot oil to kill them, gouging out eyes and hearts, can one force a person to submit.

Although Guan Fu was devastated and thus willing to sign the document and accept the punishment, Lao Tong didn't feel anything.

A few hundred lashes with a salt-soaked whip only caused some pain; having his collarbone nailed down only temporarily prevented him from using his magic and weakened him; holding his breath underwater was meaningless; being stoned by children and spat on while being paraded through the streets in a prison cart was at most an insult.

Old Tong thought the executioners in the Great Han Dynasty were only so-so.

Having gone through numerous criminal cases, Lao Tong still protests his innocence when meeting with higher-ranking officials.

"My lord, I am here on a mission carrying out the Emperor's decree. You must distinguish the truth clearly and not wrong the innocent while letting the guilty go free!"

Old Tong listened to the screams coming from the main hall, and tried his best to express his demands in Great Han, so as not to be beaten again during the second trial.

"You're right!"

Zhang Xuezhou nodded, then shrugged at the new emperor.

Fighting and killing are nothing to Zhang Xuezhou, but he won't accept being smeared. Once he's accused of stealing some heavenly materials and earthly treasures, his troubles will be endless.

"Tell me about that elixir of immortality. What is that?"

The new emperor glanced at the main hall and casually asked a question.

"The elixir of immortality isn't anything special; it's a precious medicine that can maintain the physical body for a thousand years without decay," Old Tong earnestly corrected. "Don't let my short stature fool you; my physical body has also been maintained for a thousand years. If I hadn't taken the elixir of immortality in the past, I would have been dead for hundreds of years!"

"So you've lived for a thousand years?" the new emperor asked doubtfully.

"That's right," Old Tong said with satisfaction, "According to the calendar provided by the Emperor, my exact age right now should be 1,313!"

"Great age!"

The new emperor gave a praise and then glanced at Zhang Xuezhou.

"Tell me, how did Dongfang Shuo steal the elixir of immortality?" Zhang Xuezhou asked dejectedly.

"He sneaked into Kunlun's inner treasury, opened it, and took the secret medicine," Old Tong said confidently.

"Is there no one guarding the inner treasury?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"The Willow Goddess and the Demon King are guarding the inner treasury!"

"How did Dongfang Shuo manage to open the inner treasury and take away the secret medicine?"

"He... he just walked in and took it!"

When Zhang Xuezhou asked a few more questions, the new emperor felt as if he had encountered a madman who had lost his mind.

Whenever Lao Tong mentions that he comes from the Northern Kuru Continent, the new emperor will not hesitate to eliminate him and extract his elixir, but he also worries about the one in ten thousand chance of encountering him.

He has already broken ties with the lords of Sacred Land such as Zhu Jiuyin and Daojun, and the new emperor does not want to provoke any more factions. Moreover, he has no enmity with Western Kunlun, and even asked Sima Xiangru to restrain Tang Meng to prevent him from wreaking havoc in countries like Yelang that believe in Western Kunlun.

The new emperor's perspective is now quite broad; he doesn't have the fear that ordinary people have of demons, nor does he show any intense hatred or hatred towards them.

As long as they don't threaten the court's rule, the new emperor will turn a blind eye. If they can provide him with some usefulness, he might even become temporary friends with them.

"Do you have any accomplices?" Zhang Xuezhou asked casually.

"That's it," Old Tong said dejectedly. "I'm considered a very fast cultivator; the other cultivators can't keep up with my speed, so I have no companions!"

"Do I look like Dongfang Shuo to you?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"Sir, please don't joke. I've only come to retrieve my lost item from Dongfang Shuo. I won't ask you for it back!"

Old Tong shook his head repeatedly at Zhang Xuezhou in front of him.

He was immobilized by the Demon-Revealing Mirror and unable to escape, thus being captured. He had to admit to this shameful thing, but Old Tong wouldn't make unwarranted accusations.

"Many people in this world share the same name. You can be called Dongfang Shuo, I can be called Dongfang Shuo, and he can be called Dongfang Shuo. It's perfectly normal for someone to use your name to do bad things and smear you!"

Having cleared himself of suspicion from Lao Tong, Zhang Xuezhou shrugged at the new emperor.

"Oh, I understand!"

The new emperor pointed several fingers at each other.

Zhang Xuezhou reported many things to the new emperor, including accompanying the Buddha Son Shigong to Kunlun to seek fortuitous opportunity.

The new emperor genuinely suspected that Zhang Xuezhou had taken something.

When Lao Tong didn't even recognize the person, and Zhang Xuezhou made a pointed remark, the new emperor felt that Zhang Xuezhou had become a scapegoat.

Either the Buddha Son Shigong stole something and framed Zhang Xuezhou, or someone else did something wrong and shifted the blame to Zhang Xuezhou Zhang Xuezhou, thus making him bear the guilt.

"Keep him locked up," the new emperor ordered Zheng Dangshi. "Just don't let him escape and do anything evil!"

"Here you go!"

Zheng bowed his head and agreed.

"This demon mentioned that he originated from Kunlun, so he must know something, or perhaps he has some methods. Why not let him try?"

Zhang Xuezhou whispered to the new emperor, occasionally pointing at Lao Tong.

Daojun originated from Western Kunlun, and so did Western Kunlun. Laotong's understanding of Daojun would surpass that of others, and he might also know some of the secrets of Daojun's flying knives.

Whether it's treating illness or preventing risks brought by Daojun, any useful information will be beneficial.

"Well said!"

The new emperor nodded.

He didn't covet any elixir of immortality, but if what Old Tong said was true, the other party, having lived for a thousand years, must know Dao Jun and might even know Dao Jun's background.

"You arrested people without the court's permission, and we originally intended to imprison you until death by locking your collarbone, but you now have a chance to redeem yourself through meritorious service!"

After a couple of seconds of deliberation, the new emperor spoke in a low voice.

"If you originated from Kunlun and have lived for a thousand years, you should know Daojun," the new emperor said.

"Is Lu Ya quite famous around here?" Old Tong asked curiously. "You can send Lu Ya to see me. He should recognize me, so there won't be any misunderstandings between us. Maybe he can even help me capture Dongfang Shuo!"

"Oh, do you know anything about Lu Ya's throwing knives?" the new emperor asked again.

"Lu Ya obtained the Immortal Gourd from Kunlun, and forged a sword from cold iron. He then sacrificed his own soul to the gourd. Whenever he takes out the gourd and releases the sword, he can slay the soul of his opponent," the old boy said immediately. "This sword is specifically designed to kill souls; even a body as strong as iron cannot withstand a single blow from it!"

"Why didn't I see him using any gourd?"

The new emperor narrowed his eyes, feeling that Old Tong was really talking nonsense.

Zhang Xuezhou was right in front of him, and it was one thing if the other party didn't recognize him, but when he asked about Daojun Lu Ya, the other party just spouted nonsense.

If he hadn't witnessed Daojun using a flying knife to injure someone without a gourd, he might have actually believed the other party's nonsense.