Chapter 1633: Impossible Mission

Mr. Huo abruptly turned around and saw an Embroidered Envoy sitting on the windowsill. His attire was distinctly different from other envoys; upon closer inspection, the patterns on his clothes were dark gold.

"A Golden Embroidered Envoy!" Mr. Huo's pupils constricted. Given his status, he naturally knew the formidable reputation of a Golden Embroidered Envoy.

"I've come to ask you a few questions, and I hope you'll cooperate," Zu'an said as if discussing a trivial matter.

Mr. Huo chuckled, "You ask, and I'm supposed to answer?"

While ordinary people might fear an Embroidered Envoy, someone like him, who operated on the fringes of darkness and had the support of the King of Yan, was not easily intimidated.

"This is merely a notification; you have no right to refuse." Zu'an glanced at the other Embroidered Envoys. Their expressions shifted continuously, but apart from being unconscious, everything else seemed normal. They appeared to be dreaming, or rather, having nightmares.

Mr. Huo burst into laughter, as if he'd heard a great joke. "You should have attacked with them just now; perhaps then I might have truly been defeated."

In a one-on-one confrontation, he feared no one. Moreover, the man before him showed little spiritual energy fluctuation, suggesting he was likely among the weaker Golden Embroidered Envoys.

"No need," Zu'an replied calmly. In truth, he wanted to experience the other party's mental attack to avoid being caught off guard by an expert in the future. He also genuinely wanted to know if this person had the ability to subdue Golden Embroidered Envoy Seven.

"Arrogant!" As Mr. Huo's words fell, the patterns on his forehead instantly came alive, forming a vertical eye that gazed at Zu'an with an eerie glow.

Zu'an's vision blurred. The ancient charm of Ruyi Workshop vanished, replaced by towering skyscrapers. Roads were teeming with all kinds of vehicles, and distant subways and light rails occasionally rumbled past.

Pedestrians jostled shoulder to shoulder. Women were dressed in cool, fashionable attire, while men... well, they seemed less concerned with their appearance.

On a large electronic screen of a shopping mall nearby, advertisements for various celebrities played in rotation. Among them was his favorite character from his previous life, Xiaolongnü.

This dream realm was truly impressive; it could even conjure this?

Zu'an sighed, "This world is truly nostalgic. If I hadn't prepared beforehand, I might have completely lost myself here."

As soon as he finished speaking, he drew his sword and, with a swing, unleashed a torrent of sword energy. The entire world before him began to shatter, and then the antique Ruyi Workshop reappeared.

At the same time, Mr. Huo's eyes were filled with terror. He clutched the eye on his forehead, blood seeping through his fingers, and his other hand trembled as he pointed at Zu'an, "You... who exactly are you?"

The power of that single sword strike had utterly destroyed the dream realm he created. What level of cultivation did this imply? When did Golden Embroidered Envoys gain such ability?

Zu'an flicked his finger, and several streams of energy struck Mr. Huo, completely subduing him. "Now, it's my turn to ask the questions."

Mr. Huo's eyes darted around. "Sir, there must be some misunderstanding. I am a guest elder in the King of Yan's residence. I always abide by the law and have done nothing wrong."

"Don't try to use the King of Yan to intimidate me." Zu'an gave him a faint glance, his gaze so sharp that it made Mr. Huo's eyes sting.

Mr. Huo's heart tightened. The man before him was truly unfathomable. "May I ask what you wish to know, sir? I... I will tell you everything I know, holding nothing back."

Zu'an smiled. "I still prefer your defiant demeanor from earlier."

Mr. Huo hastily offered a conciliatory smile. "How could I dare to be defiant in front of you, sir?"

"How exactly did Golden Embroidered Envoy Seven die?" Zu'an suddenly asked.

Mr. Huo was first startled, then his expression subtly changed before he replied, "I'm curious about that too. In fact, not just me, even the King has been investigating how Golden Embroidered Envoy Seven died."

Zu'an's expression darkened. "It seems you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin."

"Sir, I'm truly not lying to you," Mr. Huo urgently said.

"If you don't speak, I'll resort to torture," Zu'an said coldly.

"What do you want me to say?" Mr. Huo felt like crying but had no tears. At the same time, he subtly scanned his surroundings, clearly believing there were no torture instruments in this environment.

Without further ado, Zu'an directly used the 'Yiku Experience Card' on him.

What stabs you in the back isn't necessarily a knife, and heart-wrenching wails aren't necessarily pain. What one shoulders isn't always responsibility, and what one learns isn't always a lesson! Effective on males, making them experience the perspective of a bullied female, crying out "Yiku, Yiku." Ineffective on those without sexual experience...

The Embroidered Envoys' interrogation methods were more professional, but there wasn't enough time to go back, and there might be spies planted by the King of Yan there.

As for this old man, he deserved it. Since he had such a peculiar fetish, it was only fair to let him experience what it felt like to be bullied.

"Ah!" Mr. Huo shrieked. In his mind, several burly men suddenly appeared, each pinning down his hands before pulling down his trousers...

"Yiku, Yiku!"

Soon, Mr. Huo lay trembling on the ground, uttering various incoherent words.

Zu'an was momentarily stunned. Was this guy so easily affected? Did he give in so quickly?

He then deactivated the skill and looked at the old man curled up on the ground. "Can you speak now?"

Mr. Huo tremblingly touched his backside, then quickly recoiled as if burned, a flush of abnormal redness on his face. "Sir, I'm truly not lying to you."

Zu'an's expression hardened. "It seems you haven't had enough yet."

So, he activated the 'Yiku Experience Card' again.

"No... ah!"

Another shriek followed.

Zu'an glanced at him, finding the sight quite unbearable, so he moved to the window to get some fresh air. After a moment, he asked again, "Can you speak now?"

"I don't know what to say."

"Yiku Experience Card!"

...

After a while longer, Zu'an asked again, "How about now?"

"No, absolutely not!" To Zu'an's surprise, Mr. Huo's attitude grew increasingly stubborn. "If you're so capable, do it again!"

Zu'an's expression became exceedingly strange. Looking at the man's gradually enjoying expression, was he truly holding out, or was he seeking... that?

Thinking of what he usually did to those young girls, a flicker of disgust crossed Zu'an's face.

He stopped using the 'Yiku Experience Card'. Instead, he raised his hand, and a small black hole faintly appeared in his palm. "Last chance. If you don't speak, I'll drain all your cultivation and throw you onto the street."

Feeling the suction from his palm, a hint of terror flashed across Mr. Huo's face. "I'll talk, I'll talk!"

In this world, nothing was more important than cultivation. Cultivation brought wealth, cultivation brought beauty...

If he became a cripple, the King of Yan would surely abandon him. Coupled with the enemies he had made over the years, death would be preferable to life.

More importantly, once a person had experienced the view from the mountaintop, they would be unwilling to remain at the foot of the mountain.

Seeing the man's cold stare, Mr. Huo swallowed hard and quickly said, "Golden Embroidered Envoy Seven was investigating the King of Yan's residence's military supplies. The King of Yan couldn't wait to get rid of him."

"The King of Yan's military supplies?" Zu'an's heart jolted. No wonder Golden Embroidered Envoy Seven had been so solemn then; it concerned a vassal king, and he wouldn't dare report it without evidence. "Be more specific!"

Once he started talking, Mr. Huo shed all his previous reservations. "Over the years, the King of Yan has secretly raised private soldiers and recruited many masters. To fund this, he needs vast sums of money, so he's been secretly trading with the demon race. He smuggles imperial military supplies and some controlled items to the demon race, earning money and acquiring valuable ores, medicinal herbs, and other goods from them. Some time ago, Golden Embroidered Envoy Seven seemed to have uncovered some clues. The King of Yan was furious about this in private, vowing to eliminate him."

Zu'an suddenly understood. Back in Yunzhong Commandery, they had discovered traces of the King of Yan within the Flying Horse Merchant Association.

Now, combining all the intelligence, it appeared that the smuggling operations in Yunzhong Commandery at that time belonged to the lineage of the King of Qi. The King of Yan had intended to use a proxy to eliminate the King of Qi's influence and replace it with his own. He was on the verge of success, but Zu'an had thwarted him, which explained why the King of Yan harbored such resentment.

As for Golden Embroidered Envoy Seven, discovering this must have been horrifying. After all, a vassal king colluding with a foreign race and raising private armies clearly indicated an intent to rebel. Therefore, he dared not publicize his findings before gathering concrete evidence, lest a false accusation against a vassal king lead to the calamity of his entire family being executed and their property confiscated.

Unfortunately, no one could have predicted that the King of Yan would strike first!

"How many private soldiers has the King of Yan raised?" Zu'an continued to ask.

Mr. Huo shook his head. "I don't know. These are top secrets, and as a guest elder, I don't have access to much information."

"Are you truly ignorant, or pretending to be?" Zu'an activated the Gluttony Devouring Heaven Art and moved closer to Mr. Huo's head.

Feeling his cultivation faintly threatening to burst from his body, Mr. Huo was terrified. "I'll talk, I'll talk!"

In this world, nothing was more important than cultivation. Cultivation brought wealth, cultivation brought beauty...

If he became a cripple, the King of Yan would surely abandon him. Coupled with the enemies he had made over the years, death would be preferable to life.

More importantly, once a person had experienced the view from the mountaintop, they would be unwilling to remain at the foot of the mountain.

Seeing the man's cold stare, Mr. Huo swallowed hard and quickly said, "Golden Embroidered Envoy Seven was investigating the King of Yan's residence's military supplies. The King of Yan couldn't wait to get rid of him."

"The King of Yan's military supplies?" Zu'an's heart jolted. No wonder Golden Embroidered Envoy Seven had been so solemn then; it concerned a vassal king, and he wouldn't dare report it without evidence. "Be more specific!"

"Where is the ledger?"

"In a secret room behind the King of Yan's study. It's filled with traps, so no outsider could possibly get to it."