Four Lingxu disciples were guarding outside the room where Jian Wushuan and Su Lianhua were… busy discussing what their next step was. Two disciples were Jian Wushuan's and the other two were from Bewitching Lotus Peak.
When the first signs of… 'discussion' were heard, the Azure Mist Peak's disciple were looking at each other and mumbled, "They're at it again." The ones from Bewitching Lotus Peak however, looked at each other with sparkle and amusement in their eyes.
They turned to the young men, and teasingly said, "You two want to know why your Shengzun is 'at it' again?"
The young men looked shocked and the next beat, they were excited.
"Really? We can too?"
The young ladies let out giggly laughs, "Of course! We can do it after our shifts."
The young men nodded enthusiastically.
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The room became quiet. Only the occasional sound of wind and the flickering of candles could be heard. Han Zhaofeng didn't realize it. He was deep in his mind.
Xuan Tian stayed quiet. He knew the news about Crown Prince hit Han Zhaofeng hard. That man had been doing everything to protect the Royal Family, not just their safety, but their dignity too. And now, there might be a chance that his efforts had not been enough—or worse, that he missed it. It happened right under his nose and he never even realized it.
Gu Tianzhu stayed quiet because Xuan Tian stayed quiet. He took his pledge of allegiance seriously. Five years filled with regret was more than enough for him. Gu Tianzhu didn't come to Mu Xuanyan and asked for his advice. Not really. He had been so distracted and unfocused that Mu Xuanyan noticed. It was hard not to. Even the rest of Ziyu were already talking about how he had mistakenly taught a Mid Immortal cultivation technique to Low Immortal disciples. Luckily no one was injured.
When Mu Xuanyan gave his blessings, Gu Tianzhu was so relieved, he cried.
He still felt a little embarrassed remembering it.
Now, being in the same room with Xuan Tian, sitting at the same table, talking about the same topic, made him feel alive. The feeling was so strong that he was afraid he was imagining it. He stayed quiet, absorbing it, inhaling it, living for it. I must be insane. If anyone found out, they'll think I'm in love with Shengzun. Gu Tianzhu rolled his eyes inwardly.
While the top brass stayed quiet, the little brasses didn't dare make a noise. They didn't understand the silence, but they understood that if they disturbed it, they'd suffer. So, they opted to stay quiet, only dared to glance at each other.
Xuan Tian exhaled—the sound loud in the otherwise silent room.
Everyone's focus snapped to him. Shengzun is finally going to break the silence! Everyone but Han Zhaofeng.
"Han Shengzun," Xuan Tian started.
The little brasses did a little victory dance in their minds. Thank you, Shengzun!
Han Zhaofeng came out of his thoughts and looked at Xuan Tian.
"I need to inform you about another thing I found tonight."
Han Zhaofeng gulped. It couldn't be good. There was something ominous in Xuan Tian's tone.
"Do you know that Eastern Palace has a prison building?"
Han Zhaofeng nodded slowly. "I do, Shengzun. Every building in the Palace has some makeshift prison. It's not weird." He didn't want to feel relieved, it was still early. He knew Xuan Tian was trying to break it slowly. And he appreciated it very much.
"This wasn't a makeshift prison, Han Shengzun. It was a proper prison dungeon. The ground level floor was a little maze, enough to make someone who just escaped from the dungeon, feel disoriented and unable to find the exit."
Han Zhaofeng paled a little.
Xuan Tian continued, "And in the dungeon, there were three floors. Each floor has rows of cells. First floor has the most cells. Second floor has fewer cells, but it has a torture room. It was filled with a variety of torture devices."
"The lowest floor, only has a few cells. I guess this is where they kept the most 'dangerous' prisoners. Each floor had spirit stone–activated formations."
Xuan Tian paused, giving Han Zhaofeng and the rest of the Enforcers time to process. Because of what he was going to say next, would shatter them even more.
"There were more than one formations. Each was put for a specific purpose. Mainly, it was to stop prisoners from escaping and people from breaking in. But.."
Xuan Tian paused for a beat, and continued slowly, "When I entered the second floor, I felt traces of a High Immortal 1 formation that had recently been used. It was a formation that enhances pain."
The rest of the room gasped loudly.
A High Immortal 1 formation holds the same power as a High Immortal 1 cultivator. One can only imagine the pain if it was used during torture. It was clearly deliberate and extremely cruel.
"I… It's not… I… " Han Zhaofeng couldn't say anything. His mind was blank, but he felt the necessity to say something. But he also knew Xuan Tian wouldn't lie or exaggerate.
"Maybe… Maybe the Crown Prince didn't know. It was all Jian Wushuan's doing. A High Immortal 1 formation requires at least a High Immortal 1 cultivator to draw it. His Highness is not a cultivator, he… he couldn't be the one drawing it." Wu Zhenhai blurted out his defense.
Xuan Tian nodded, "True."
"That's got to be it." Yan Zhen who was silent the whole time, suddenly spoke.
Han Zhaofeng didn't say anything. He couldn't say anything.
"While what Enforcer Yan Zhen said could be true and I believe it is true, that the Crown Prince couldn't be the one drawing them, there's another matter that I find it hard to believe if the Crown Prince also ignorant about it." Xuan Tian mercilessly crushed ICEB's last hope.
"It was the state of the prison cells."
Xuan Tian continued to describe the stench, the dark blood splatters, the way flesh was still attached to the torture devices.
"Stop!"
"Please stop, Shengzun."
"Please…"