"Hong Anguo is determined to climb up the ranks. As long as you don’t block his path, he can turn a blind eye, especially now that you, Yang Xiao, are under Chief Commissioner Gu’s wing. He won’t dare offend you."
"As for Wu Qingcang, his focus is on eradicating the Evil Cultivators. As long as you don’t shelter them, betray your comrades, or set him up behind his back, he can’t be bothered with you."
"That person is special; he’s not particularly close to anyone in the Provincial Bureau. He’s overly aloof. It’s not just you and me; even Hong Anguo isn’t impressive to him. If you want his respect, first face his Instant Gun."
Recalling how Wu Qingcang easily dispatched the Great Protector of the Withered Bone Pavilion and Xuansha Taoist, Yang Xiao suddenly felt that it didn’t matter whether Wu Qingcang respected him.
Yang Xiao isn’t someone who cares about appearances. Mainly, this guy’s strikes hurt too much. Besides, showing off to him is nothing. If he has guts, he should go to Xiang Ma Town to challenge the Second Demon Uncle; only then would I respect him as a man.
Of course, these words couldn’t be said to Professor Cui; they were Yang Xiao’s inner thoughts.
Later, Yang Xiao probed by bringing up his plan to take over the Han Family. Professor Cui, like Vice Commissioner Zhao, thought it was a great opportunity for Yang Xiao.
However, he cautioned that it should not be rushed, emphasizing the need to choose a reliable person for the task. Professor Cui didn’t have a suitable candidate at the moment.
Finally, Yang Xiao asked Professor Cui for a favor, leaving the two survivors from the Han Family’s special operations team in Professor Cui’s care, as they were to be his future leverage against the Han Family.
Before leaving, Professor Cui advised Yang Xiao not to disrupt their structure after taking over the Han Family. The special operations team attached to the Provincial Bureau would continue to exist, but this time, it would be Yang Xiao’s private army.
It’s undeniable that Han Chen and Han Li did him a great favor; it’s just a pity about the old master of the Han Family.
Professor Cui sighed over old master Han De, expressing regret. Such a prominent figure, ending up like this, was indeed lamentable.
After leaving the experimental base, Yang Xiao returned home. He had been busy lately and now finally had the time to attend to the Great Protector from the Withered Bone Pavilion.
In the Mirror Secret Room, Yang Xiao smiled at the Great Protector hanging on the wall. He jabbed him with the Ghost Bamboo Stick, instantly turning the Great Protector’s right shoulder into a pool of flesh and blood.
"Will you speak?! Will you speak?!"
"Still won’t talk, tough enough, I like it. Then... continue!"
"Didn’t see this, quite a man!"
Yang Xiao tortured the Great Protector for half an hour, using every method he could think of. The opponent cried from the pain, fainted several times, but still didn’t say a word.
Seeing it was about time, Yang Xiao stepped forward and tore away the rag stuffed in the Great Protector’s mouth. The Great Protector, with only a half-breath left, hung his head low, his breath weak, but still struggled to plead intermittently: "Don’t... just focus on hitting; shouldn’t you ask something?"
"Are you teaching me how to do things?" Yang Xiao felt disrespected and raised the Ghost Bamboo Stick, giving him another hard hit.
After a brief, shrill scream, the Great Protector’s psychological defense completely collapsed. He begged Yang Xiao to kill him quickly, "Please... please be kind, give me a quick end!"
"You think you can die after falling into my hands?" Yang Xiao sneered, "You beast, how many innocent people have died at your hands over the years? Today, as the Ming Emperor, I will uphold the heavens!"
"What do you actually want me to say?!" the Great Protector wailed in agony.
"Don’t rush; think slowly. You have at least three things to say."
Yang Xiao wasn’t in a hurry; he had all the time to get the secrets out of this guy.
"Your Director in Mingshui City didn’t go missing; I killed him, and sold the body." The Great Protector confessed.
"You beast!" Yang Xiao felt a surge of anger upon hearing this but managed to suppress it, coldly saying: "Not that one."
"Three years ago, the supernatural incident in Qingping County, Huaisuo Province, was caused by me... to divert your Patrol Defense Office’s investigation." The Great Protector confessed again.
"That’s not it either!"
Yang Xiao didn’t want to delay any longer, directly going to the point: "Let me give you a hint, three keywords: first, the map of the Secret Realm where your patron hides, second, how you survived being pierced through the heart without dying, and third, the specific abilities of your Space-type Magical Artifact and how to use it."
"Explain these three things clearly, and confess all the crimes you’ve committed over the years. I promise not to hand you over to the Patrol Defense Office. Otherwise... you know our methods!"
It’s not just Evil Cultivators who torture people; the Patrol Defense Office also has its methods, just usually keeps them low-key.
Realizing it was hopeless, the Great Protector no longer held onto unrealistic hopes, only seeking a quick death.
Facing Yang Xiao’s questions, he answered everything he knew, first handing over the map he had hidden.
Like Yang Xiao, this cautious Great Protector had stored the map in his Magical Artifact space, and without much effort, Yang Xiao obtained the Human Skin Map.
Touching the map, Yang Xiao couldn’t hide his excitement.
With this map in hand, he was one step closer to retrieving the Ghost Lantern handle, a significant boost for him.
First, he photographed the map and sent it to Xiang Ma Town for decoding. Yang Xiao put away the original map and continued the intense interrogation of the Great Protector.
"Speak, obviously I saw your left chest being pierced by that gun, and your heart shattered; how are you still alive?" Angel Envoys are human too; it makes no sense they could survive such a severe injury. The Great Protector must have a mystery.
But the Great Protector’s next answer greatly shocked Yang Xiao, as he revealed his heart wasn’t destroyed.
At the last moment, he used the Magical Artifact ability to accurately predict Wu Qingcang’s shot and transferred his heart from his left chest to his right chest, narrowly avoiding the hit.
"That Space-type Magical Artifact of yours?" Yang Xiao pursued.
"Y-yes." The Great Protector’s throat rolled, struggling to swallow a mouthful of blood, weakly responding.
"Can all Space-type Magical Artifacts do this, or only yours?" Yang Xiao’s expression grew much more serious.
"It should... should be possible with all. I know... know someone with another Space-type Magical Artifact, and he... he can do it too; I’m still... still learning from him." The Great Protector’s voice weakened further, visibly declining in condition.
Worried the Great Protector might suddenly die and cut off the clues, Yang Xiao pulled out an Elixir, hesitated for three seconds before grimacing and had the Mirror Ghost pry open his mouth, feeding him some water and making him swallow the Elixir.
This Elixir was gifted by Cannibal Buddha, known for its potent effects. As the medicine took effect, the Great Protector’s condition noticeably improved, and to avoid provoking him further, even Yang Xiao’s tone softened considerably.
"Was it your patron who taught you to develop this ability?" Yang Xiao asked.
The Great Protector slowly nodded, "Yes, it was... it was him, the patron. He has a powerful Magical Artifact, a... a Brass Scale Rod, that can instantly send a person far away, not just... just one person but many at once."
"Early on, someone spotted the patron, targeting his Scale Rod Magical Artifact. They fought, and the patron was defeated, barely escaping."
"After the battle, to avoid that person’s pursuit, the patron hid in a Secret Realm unknown to anyone, where he could train his body and enhance his spiritual power."
This plot is becoming familiar, and Yang Xiao felt a sudden suspicion, so he tentatively asked: "Could the person your patron was avoiding be the former Sect Master of Yu Yuan Sect?"
"Yes... yes, that’s him."