Chapter Seventy-Five: Forced Confession-The Last Demon-Slaying Immortal(Jesting with ease, commanding every conversation)

Previously, we mentioned that a demon general discovered a suspicious man and ordered his soldiers to seize him.

The demon soldiers approached from both sides, ready to bind the man.

The man’s eyes reddened with urgency, and he threw a punch!

Bang!

Two sharp sounds—

the blows landed squarely on the chins of the two demon soldiers!

Unable to withstand the force,

Thud!

…

They staggered back several steps,

Crash!

With two heavy falls, they collapsed to the ground!

But the man dared not linger, and seizing the opportunity,

he turned to flee!

“You brat, you’re courting death!” roared the demon general, snatching up a long spear from nearby.

He shouted, “Strike!”

The spear swung out, and its shaft smashed into the man’s ankle bone.

A crisp crack resounded,

drawing the attention of all nearby!

Immediately after,

a wretched scream escaped the man’s lips as he crumpled to the ground, clutching his ankle in agony.

“Tie him up!” the demon general barked, and the soldiers swarmed forward, binding the man tightly.

“Drag him to the interrogation chamber and torture a confession from him!” the general declared, his voice dripping with menace.

After the soldiers hauled the man away, the general pointed his whip at another soldier, saying, “You, go report to Chancellor Tuo and Chief Miao. Tell them we’ve caught a spy and ask if they wish to interrogate him personally.”

The soldier hurried off in a panic!

Only then did the demon general’s face break into a smile; he straightened his back and swaggered toward the interrogation chamber.

Before long, Tuo the Leopard arrived in person.

He held a handkerchief to his nose, closely followed by Lang the Wolf and Miao the Clever.

In the interrogation room, the man was shackled by four iron chains, spread out in the shape of a cross, his body stained with blood, spirit utterly crushed.

Tuo the Leopard approached slowly and stroked the man’s face with the back of his hand.

“Who are you, boy? Why have you come to Falling Goose Ridge to spy on our army? When does your force plan to attack?” he demanded.

The man barely opened his eyes, glanced at Tuo the Leopard, and replied weakly, “Great Immortal, I beg you, spare me! I’m just a merchant—I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Hmph!” Tuo the Leopard’s face darkened. His voice dripped with irony. “So, you refuse to speak the truth? Very well! I’ll take my time with you!”

He turned and ordered the guards, “Let him taste some chili water first!”

The demon soldiers pried open the man’s mouth and forced a bucket of fiery chili water down his throat. The man struggled desperately, but soon lost consciousness.

Tuo the Leopard watched with a smile, then commanded, “Wake him up with cold water.”

Splash!

At the sound, the man shivered violently and awoke again.

Now, his insides burned like fire while the outside chilled him like ice—a torment of fire and frost!

Unable to endure it any longer, he pleaded, “Great Immortals, please, spare me! I’m no spy. I hate the rebel army as much as you do—I would never serve them!”

But Tuo the Leopard was not in a hurry. Still smiling, he brought his scented handkerchief to his nose, masking the thick stench of blood, sweat, and filth in the interrogation room.

It was as if the scene before him was a comedy performed solely for his delight, so utterly captivating, so intoxicating.

“My boy, don’t be so quick to beg. There’s much more fun ahead! Skinning—have you tried it? Quite the amusement,” Tuo the Leopard sneered.

“Great Immortals, please, I submit! Let me go, I’ll tell you everything!” the man finally bowed his head, voice faint with exhaustion.

“A wise man knows when to yield! Good. Speak! You, record everything he says and draw up the confession for the court.”

Relieved, Tuo the Leopard turned, sat on a grand armchair, and listened closely to the man’s account.

“My name is Xu Zhihui, known as ‘Fire Thunderbolt’ in the martial world, son of Xu Yaozu…”

Hearing this, Tuo the Leopard was overjoyed—he had never imagined his men would, by a stroke of luck, capture Xu Yaozu’s son, sworn enemy of Ye Feng.

He had long heard of Xu Yaozu’s reputation. Though the old man’s skills were unremarkable, he was wily, and the Fierce Beast had suffered losses at his hands more than once. At the naval battle of Hongtong City, it was rumored that Xu Yaozu released the flood, grounding Tuo the Leopard’s warships and ruining his plans.

If he could use the son to subdue Xu Yaozu, and by virtue of Xu Yaozu’s connection as Murong Yan’s master, win over Murong Yan and Ye Feng as well, victory would be within reach.

With this thought, Tuo the Leopard burst into laughter, sprang to his feet, and hurried over to Xu Zhihui, personally unshackling him and helping him up.

“Hero Xu, please rise! My men were blind to capture such a young hero—how foolish! General Biao, come here and apologize at once!”

The demon general, realizing his grave error, rushed over, bowing and apologizing profusely.

Seeing Xu Zhihui’s many injuries, Tuo the Leopard raised his hand—

Smack!

He slapped the general across the face. “You dog! How dare you lay hands on Hero Xu so cruelly? Are you courting death?!”

He then comforted Xu Zhihui: “You’ve suffered, Hero Xu. I will have the finest physicians tend to your wounds!”

With that, he ordered, “Hurry and help Hero Xu down to recover!”

After the underlings escorted Xu Zhihui away, Tuo the Leopard beckoned Lang the Wolf and Miao the Clever over and whispered, “Who would have thought Xu Yaozu, such a hero, would raise a cowardly son? To capture him today is heaven’s gift. When the enemy attacks, we shall simply…”

His voice dropped as he explained his plan, and Lang and Miao nodded eagerly.

At last, the three demons revealed sinister, ugly grins.

In a flash, three days passed, when suddenly three cannon shots thundered outside the stronghold.

Tuo the Leopard, fully armored, rushed out, climbed the ramparts, and saw the rebel army had arrived.

This time, Tuo the Leopard felt confident. Calmly, he descended the wall and ordered, “Bring my horse and weapons!”

The demon soldiers hurried to bring out the unicorn steed and various weapons.

Mounting his horse, Tuo the Leopard strapped the weapons around his waist, and, satisfied, urged the steed forward—

Clip-clop!

The unicorn’s hooves pounded as he sped toward the gate.

At the entrance, he found Lang the Wolf and Miao the Clever waiting with their men.

Tuo the Leopard asked, “Has Xu Zhihui arrived?”

Lang exchanged a glance and replied in a low voice, “Rest assured, brother, I brought him out early.”

Tuo the Leopard nodded, then shouted, “Open the gates! We ride out to battle!”

With a clang,

the gates rose high, and Tuo the Leopard charged out at the fore!

Soon, he led his force to the rebel camp. Soldiers lined up on both sides as Tuo the Leopard brandished his steel-tipped spear and shouted, “Murong Yan! Ye Feng! I, Tuo the Leopard, am here! Will you not come out and face death?!”

His first shout received no response from the rebel camp.

“Murong Yan, little girl! Ye Feng, you wretch! Didn’t you want to capture me? Come out and settle this once and for all!” he shouted a second time, but still, the soldiers only peeked out—none answered.

“You fools! You call yourselves righteous? Hiding behind your walls, what sort of heroes are you? Come out and meet your doom!”

Tuo the Leopard’s curses grew more venomous, but still, the rebel camp remained silent.

Impatient, Tuo the Leopard was about to charge forward when the camp gate opened a crack.

Delighted, he gripped his spear and looked up.

Through the half-open gate, a soldier stuck out half his body, hung a placard reading “No Battle Today,” then glanced back, rolled his eyes, and ducked in.

Bang!

The gate slammed shut.

Tuo the Leopard fumed—after all that waiting, this was the result?!

“Murong Yan! Ye Feng! Cowards! You only know tricks and plots. When faced with real combat, you shrink back—what kind of heroes are you?! Still want to hide like turtles? I won’t let you!”

Swearing all the while, he spurred his horse—

Clip-clop!

—intent on breaking down the camp gate and charging in!

“Loose the arrows!”

A sharp drumbeat sounded, and a volley of ten thousand arrows rained from the camp!

Tuo the Leopard’s arms whirled, transforming into three heads and six arms!

He unleashed his magical treasures, swatting away the feathered shafts.

Arrows fell like rain, but none could touch him.

Yet behind him, his demon soldiers suffered grievously—many struck down, their bodies strewn like straw before the camp.

“Retreat! Retreat, brother!” Lang the Wolf, seeing their losses, hastened to call him back.

Glancing back and seeing so many dead, Tuo the Leopard quickly wheeled his unicorn steed around and withdrew.

Back to their lines, Tuo the Leopard seethed with frustration and called out, “Where is Hero Xu?!”

“Here, sir!” Xu Zhihui answered at once, hurrying up obsequiously.

“These fools refuse to surrender. Go persuade your father to yield! If you succeed, you’ll have earned great merit.”

“But… but… I fear my father would rather die than surrender, and I…” Xu Zhihui hesitated, troubled.

“Idiot! If you can’t even do this, what use are you to me?!” Tuo the Leopard’s glance was enough to instill terror.

Xu Zhihui trembled, cold sweat pouring down his back, and hurriedly agreed, “Yes, yes! I’ll go at once to persuade him.”

Little did he know, this attempt would not only fail to win his father’s surrender, but would also reveal a great secret of his own.

What secret is that? The next chapter will reveal all.