Only after unifying the world did I realize that immortals existed in this world.

The sect elders are gone! My fellow disciples are gone!

The people from Taihua have all left!

It seems that Shiyu has been forgotten!

Why should an elite disciple, an elite cultivator, someone who deserves the respect of even emperors, be forced to live a life worse than that of pigs and dogs here?

How can a monk be kept in prison?!

Two more days passed in a daze of hard labor.

"Looks like you've figured it out?"

In the flickering candlelight, a cunning face appeared and disappeared in the shadows. Ji Qu sat in a chair, smiling at the person before him: "This is your last chance~ Don't say anything more useless!"

"Otherwise, if you call me again, I won't come."

Now that the cultivator has left, the easiest target to deal with is not the weak and isolated Lu Junfeng.

Instead, it was Shi Yu who was imprisoned.

The reason he remained arrogant and dared to provoke the officials was because he still held onto hope and clung to a lifeline: Xiao Zheng and his party who had crossed the sea.

Xiao Zheng's status is far higher than that of ordinary monarchs, so he would never allow his disciples to suffer in prison.

The sense of superiority that cultivators hold is a poison that can never be shaken off. He was just waiting for reinforcements and never imagined that he would be imprisoned for two years as a mortal.

However, once he learns that Taihua has left, this hope will be completely shattered. The enormous fall from grace will drive him to despair, and this despair will cause him to lose his mind.

In particular, he was an arrogant person.

With all paths ahead blocked, Shi Yu's mental fortitude at this point was even weaker than that of an average person.

Then he would have no choice but to sell what he knows in exchange for the right to freedom.

Meeting Ji Qu's gaze, Shi Yu let out a soft sigh: "Ask away. If I know, I will tell you."

Ji chuckled and said to him, "Shi Yu, whether you tell us what's in your head is up to you, but how much value it has is up to us."

If you're in a cage and want to beg for mercy and confess, then confess properly.

Don't put on airs like a monk.

If you want to absolve yourself of your sins, then don't hold back.

This is Ji Qu's subtext.

Shi Yu twitched the corner of his mouth, and finally sighed, "Ask away."

Ji Qu asked, "Can you refine pills? Can you forge weapons? What can you make? What spells do you know?"

Shi Yu paused for a moment, then replied, "I know a little about alchemy and can make some talismans, but I can't forge weapons. I'm skilled in water magic..."

"Tell me in detail, how do you refine elixirs? How do you make talismans?"

"The so-called alchemy requires celestial herbs and spiritual plants..."

"Does the Great Xia have any immortal herbs? How can one identify them? Does it possess any rare and precious herbs? How are they formed? Do they require spiritual seeds for cultivation?"

"Ordinary spiritual herbs require the assistance of spiritual stones and spiritual energy, and must be cultivated using specific formations. I presume the Great Xia Dynasty doesn't have that..."

"Can you cultivate spirit herbs?"

"I know a little..."

Tell me!

"..."

……

Time flowed slowly, and Shi Yu's eyes seemed somewhat vacant.

He didn't know how much he said or what he said; he only watched as the official with the pen wrote down the record page by page.

He poured out all the knowledge and insights in his mind, and he went from being flustered, nervous and regretful at the beginning to being numb, and finally even gradually felt a sense of vengeful pleasure.

Why didn't the sect save him? Why didn't his senior brothers save him? Why didn't the elders save him?

What did he do wrong?

The chains binding his wrists and ankles came off, and he stepped out the door. The blinding sunlight streamed in, and he swayed, somewhat bewildered. He had clearly escaped his cage, yet inexplicably felt as if he had entered an even larger one.

"The sun is shining so brightly! It's such a beautiful day!"

Beside him, Ji Qu squinted and smiled at him: "Envoy Shi, you no longer need to serve your sentence!"

"I don't know how to break the curse on you, but according to Lord Qi, it will disappear after some time."

"You can go back to the inn now. Your senior brother is there. Don't cause any more trouble!"

Shi Yu was jolted, his eyes widening as he instantly snapped out of his daze: "What? Didn't you say the Taihua Sect members were all gone?"

"Um?"

Ji Qu frowned: "When did I say that to you? Your elders left with most of the disciples, but Envoy Lu and four Taihua disciples remained..."

"No!"

Before he could finish speaking, Shi Yu interrupted him abruptly. He maintained a calm expression, but his unfocused eyes betrayed his nervousness: "I'm not going back!"

Damn!

I thought everyone from Taihua had left, but a few people are still here!

He didn't want to be imprisoned anymore, so he provided Da Xia with a lot of knowledge and intelligence. Now that he has been released, how should he face Lu Junfeng?

He can't go back now!

Lu Junfeng could beat him to death!

"I see... That's fine then."

Ji Qu seemed completely unsurprised by his reaction, simply smiling and saying, "I have already prepared accommodations for Envoy Shi, and all expenses will be covered by Great Xia!"

"Rest assured, Stone Messenger!"

His voice was enigmatic: "Your old friends are still there~"

……

Disheartened, Shi Yu arrived at his residence accompanied by his guards and, as expected, met two acquaintances.

He opened his mouth, his throat tightened, but he didn't know what to say. He simply raised his hand and greeted him woodenly, "Junior Brother..."

"Senior brother."

The two of them chuckled dryly.

The three people were none other than his companions from the trouble they had caused back then. One was missing; perhaps that person hadn't been summoned for questioning yet and was still persisting.

At this moment, the three of them had lost their former high spirits and remained silent as they looked at each other.

They both knew perfectly well why the other was there.

They are all traitors.

As the sun sets, the golden afterglow paints the sky.

The three stood together, utterly dejected, staring blankly at the vast center of the world, at the imperial capital, shrouded in purple mist, a scene of unparalleled prosperity and grandeur.

However, they felt that this blessed land was like an abyss that devoured people without spitting out their bones. As long as there was even the slightest chance, they would be caught and trapped inside... never to come out again.

……

"The three were interrogated separately, and I have compared the evidence to confirm its authenticity."

"I seem to be a villain~"

In the palace, Xie Cangrong looked at the three intelligence reports with great interest, and couldn't help but sigh.

Of course, this sentiment is not tinged with any shame.

Ji Qu raised an eyebrow, his usual insincere smile on his face: "Your Majesty is joking. What is there to good or evil in this world? We didn't force them; they told us voluntarily."

"Tsk~"

Xie Cangrong casually flipped through a few pages and shook his head slightly: "Refining weapons, refining pills, making talismans, planting spirits... after all, they are just disciples, they still know too little."

"Send these to the Ordnance Bureau so that the scholars can take a look and at least get a basic understanding."

"yes!"

"Since those three people don't dare to see Lu Junfeng, we can make them work. If necessary, we can let them demonstrate themselves. If they have any questions, they can ask directly. We should make the best use of them."

"yes!"