Master of Strange Dao

The simplicity with which Yang explained things belied the depth of knowledge, insight, and accumulated experience required to reach a level where one could handle matters as effortlessly as he did.

Before Yang had finished speaking, he had almost entirely uncovered the secrets of these two individuals.

Yang did not continue; instead, he glanced at Yu Ziqing, giving him a meaningful look.

Yu Ziqing's thoughts raced, realizing it was his turn to intervene.

Yang mentioned South Qian repeatedly; he wasn't a fool, he understood that they wanted to implicate the people of South Qian.

Of all the people from South Qian he knew, only Song Chengyue was notorious enough to be named.

"I'll ask just once, giving you a chance, are you people under Song Chengyue?"

"Yes." The guy with a hole in his chest was already on the edge of breaking down, and without thinking, he nodded in agreement at once.

"So, you're Old Dog Song's people."

The moment he finished speaking, Yu Ziqing struck the man's forehead with a palm, killing him instantly.

The other person next to him was nearly dumbfounded.

Shocked by Yu Ziqing's decisiveness, he wondered if there was no point in asking more questions before killing.

Yu Ziqing turned to the other person, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

"Are you one of Song Chengyue's people?"

"I... I..." The remaining person was suddenly unsure whether he should admit it.

"Yes or no, give me a straightforward answer, I'll count to three, and if you don't speak, you might as well die; it seems you all don't want to say anything anyway."

"One..."

"Two..."

"I'll say it, I'm also under Lord Song." The remaining person responded in terror, gritting his teeth.

Unexpectedly, Yu Ziqing smiled, squatted in front of him, and patted his shoulder, looking kind.

"So, you really are Old Song's person. I thought you were trying to implicate Old Song.

Though Old Song doesn't have the greatest reputation, what relationship do we have? He definitely wouldn't screw me.

Don't worry, I'll send a message to Old Song shortly, and have you sent back.

Once you return, pass a message for me: this time, I'm not too pleased, his scheming against others accidentally involved me."

The person's face was filled with despair.

Initially, he confessed to being under Song Chengyue with a resolve just to die quickly and avoid torment.

Who would have thought such a twist would come?

Listen to how casually he referred to Old Song, only a truly familiar person would dare to call Song Chengyue, that mad dog, like that.

If he fell into Song Chengyue's hands, it would truly be a fate worse than death.

With tactics more devilish than a Devil's, that guy could easily torment him for a hundred years without killing him or driving him mad.

He lay sprawled on the ground in utter despair, resigning himself to his fate.

"Master, whatever you wish to ask, just ask, I will surely tell you everything I know."

"What would I ask? People like you would usually have the Silence Spell cast on you, wouldn't you?"

"No, with my position, I'm just peripheral, knowing very little, not worthy of having someone important cast a Silence Spell on me."

"Oh, then tell me how you got here."

"I always received tasks that directed me to act, and completing them would earn me substantial resources. I traded for a Cultivation Technique; someone contacted me earlier, claiming there was a big thing in the making, and if successful, I'd receive resources, giving me a chance to hit the eighth tier.

I'd always been at the East Sea. A few days ago, someone brought me through an Abyssal Rift to this place."

"Where is that Abyssal Rift?" Yu Ziqing immediately asked.

So it seemed this guy came later, yet there had always been people around that lake.

If this guy entered the Abyss through the Abyssal Rift in the lake, it seemed impossible for no one to have noticed him.

"I don't know exactly where it is, probably not far from Yinkong Island. From there, it took just half a day. When I reopened my eyes, I was already seeing the Abyssal Rift."

Yu Ziqing narrowed his eyes.

Others' expressions subtly shifted too.

Well, who would have thought there was another Abyssal Rift leading into these mountain ranges?

Moreover, those guys, after things went awry on this side, immediately started standing guard near the Yin Family's base on Yinkong Island, waiting for them to return.

Logically speaking, the Yin Family people would naturally be safer returning to their base; it's their fortified ground honed over generations.

Unfortunately, those people didn't anticipate Yu Ziqing didn't plan to treat the Yin Family people immediately.

Keeping them poisoned first might be wise. Until ensuring everyone's trustworthiness, Yu Ziqing couldn't trust anyone.

If someone among them was a snitch, it would be all too easy to cause havoc once they got back.

For instance, should the Yin Family people want to seal off a minor Abyssal Rift, it wouldn't be difficult.

Severing their escape route, combined with the strange nature of these mountain ranges, meant retreat wasn't easy for them.

And the people here knew too well; knowing of another Abyssal Rift gave them a means of escape.

"Go on."

"After arriving here, it didn't seem right. This wasn't like the usual assignments.

Someone merely instructed me to watch from afar, ensure we weren't discovered, and confirm the ones following jumped into that dark pit is all.

I don't know much more than that."

"Think clearly, whether it's truly not much or whether you don't know at all." Yu Ziqing wore a slight smile, appearing quite sincere.