Duan Rong continued, "Does the County Magistrate remember? In the first half of the year, I was still selling paintings on the street, and one day, Miss Shen almost caused a murder in front of my painting stall."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yanliu looked coldly at Duan Rong. He certainly remembered this incident, but he was unsure why Duan Rong suddenly brought it up now.

"The person Miss Shen almost mistakenly killed that day was this woman."

Shen Yanliu’s gaze shifted slightly.

"I stopped Miss Shen at the time, so you could say I saved this woman’s life. Later, we developed a romantic relationship with each other."

"Now and then, I passed by the antique street and bought many miscellaneous books, some of which mentioned the Filthy Blood Sect. One day, while meeting with this woman, she saw me reading about the Filthy Blood Sect, and started talking to me about it in a probing manner."

"Since then, she often brought up the Filthy Blood Sect in front of me. Initially, I didn’t care, but gradually, I sensed her attitude towards the sect seemed problematic, as if there was an implicit approval in her words... she even repeatedly spoke of the many wonders of the Filthy Blood Divine Skill in front of me..."

"Just today, she finally said she could introduce me to join the Filthy Blood Sect. Moreover, she mentioned that Wei Yutian’s backyard had a secret chamber specifically built for cultivating the Filthy Blood Divine Skill! She also said that tonight Wei Yutian would be in the secret chamber, sacrificing to the Five Unified Deities and cultivating the Filthy Blood Divine Skill! She asked whether I was interested in observing a session."

Duan Rong rehearsed these words in his mind multiple times, layering them seamlessly, and after speaking, he glanced at Shen Yanliu, only to see his gaze flickering thoughtfully, apparently lost in deep contemplation.

Indeed, Duan Rong’s speech had convinced Shen Yanliu somewhat. His mention of the need to sacrifice to the Five Unified Deities for cultivating the Filthy Blood Divine Skill touched upon some core secrets of the Filthy Blood Sect, information not simply obtained by reading some widely circulated miscellaneous books.

Shen Yanliu looked at Duan Rong, his gaze softened considerably, and said, "Escort Master Duan, please stand and speak."

"Yes." Duan Rong had been half kneeling with cupped fists and sleeves hanging. As he stood up, his sleeve naturally swept across the face of the fallen Su Di in front of him.

Faint medicinal powder, colorless and odorless.

As soon as Duan Rong stood up, Su Di groaned softly and awakened.

When Su Di opened her eyes, she immediately recognized Duan Rong standing beside her as the painter who had once saved her life.

Shen Yanliu glanced at Su Di and saw her staring intently at Duan Rong. From her gaze, he could tell Su Di obviously knew Duan Rong and had a significant connection with him, evidenced by her intense focus.

As soon as Duan Rong saw Su Di awake, his expression cooled, and he bluntly asked, "Su Di, is your master Wei Yutian a member of the Filthy Blood Sect?"

Su Di’s breathing halted at the question from Duan Rong, her face went pale instantly, and a heavy fear filled her eyes momentarily. Then, her gaze shifted, and she sat up, angrily retorting, "What... nonsense are you saying..."

But Shen Yanliu had observed her reactions thoroughly.

At that moment, Shen Yanliu was already convinced Duan Rong was telling the truth: Wei Yutian was indeed a member of the Filthy Blood Sect.

Duan Rong deliberately asked Su Di at her moment of awakening to catch her off guard before understanding the situation fully, ensuring her genuine reaction could be seen clearly by Shen Yanliu.

Because Wei Yutian being a member of the Filthy Blood Sect was a fact, Su Di’s reactions were naturally genuine, allowing Shen Yanliu to see everything for what it really was. Why wouldn’t he believe it?

As for whether Shen Yanliu could determine the fact that Wei Yutian was a sect member from Su Di’s reaction, Duan Rong was not worried at all.

Having seen Shen Yanliu’s iron and profound methods before, this was not the first time.

Su Di’s initial heavy fear and later frantic denial were nearly conclusive evidence.

If someone is being falsely accused, their first emotional response from the heart would definitely be anger.

Only when the truth is exposed does the person fall into instantaneous fear and panic.

Suddenly, Shen Yanliu grasped with an iron claw, seized Su Di’s neck, and lifted her off the ground.

Su Di’s feet left the ground, choking slightly due to pressure on her neck.

"Speak! Is Wei Yutian a member of the Filthy Blood Sect?" Shen Yanliu’s gaze was as cold as frost.

Su Di stubbornly declared, "No! He’s lying!"

Shen Yanliu wrinkled his nose and gripped Su Di’s upper arm, twisting and pulling as if tearing a chicken leg, and with the sound of bones and meat cracking apart, he ripped off Su Di’s arm!

Immediately, blood gushed out; half of Su Di’s clothes were splattered with blood, with strips of flesh at her shoulder and the exposed white bone intermittently visible amidst the blood flow...

Su Di screamed in pain, sweat instantly making her forehead moist.

Shen Yanliu threw Su Di’s severed arm to the ground; the guards nearby jumped back in terror.

Looking at Su Di’s pain-twisted face, Shen Yanliu coldly said, "If you persist in lying, I will tear off your other arm, strip you naked, and parade you on a wooden donkey through the streets. Your skin will be flayed and used for Xuan grass. Your flesh will be sliced piece by piece by execution masters... Lastly, your corpse will be exposed for three days at Xianggu city gates... Meat fed to dogs, bones turned to ash, skin wrapped with straw..."

Shen Yanliu’s voice was so cold that everyone present shivered, even Duan Rong felt a chill in his heart.

Su Di looked into Shen Yanliu’s eyes, trembling in fear, realizing the hellish chill in his gaze meant he wasn’t trying to scare her.

Su Di initially felt fear, but then, inexplicably, her gaze shifted and she began laughing maniacally. She laughed so hard, tears nearly streamed down her face...

She was laughing at herself; at that moment she realized she had lived her entire life in fear.

She didn’t dare speak because she feared Wei Yutian and the Filthy Blood Sect.

Yet, she was equally afraid of Shen Yanliu before her, terrified of the wooden donkey parade, of being flayed for Xuan grass, of execution, being exposed for three days.

But suddenly, she saw her own stupidity; it was death either way, so what else was there to fear?

Her gaze turned cold abruptly; she hated Wei Yutian more. Wei Yutian only treated her as a plaything and servant...

Once fear dissipated, the hatred within her surged forth...

Su Di’s manic laughing ceased.

She suddenly became exceptionally calm, looked at Shen Yanliu, and said evenly, "Yes, Wei Yutian is a member of the Filthy Blood Sect. Right now, he’s in the secret chamber in the backyard of the courtyard in Stone Monkey Lane, cultivating Filthy Blood Divine Skill."

Shen Yanliu’s gaze flickered, asking, "Who else is in the backyard in Stone Monkey Lane?"

Su Di’s gaze became intensely crazed, saying, "Only Wei Yutian and two vulgar women whose martial arts are inferior to mine. Go, kill them all... parade them naked on a wooden donkey... flay them for Xuan grass... execute them... feed their flesh to dogs, wrap skin with straw... go... let them all die..."

At this moment, Su Di’s heart was filled with aversion...

She appeared deranged, laughing loudly, though tears continued rolling down her cheeks...

After asking, Shen Yanliu discarded Su Di like a dog on the ground, gazing ruthlessly at a guard and commanding, "Wang Tai, lock her in the dungeon."

The guard called upon frowned and approached the crawling Su Di.

"Li Chong, take your men to the warehouse and retrieve some crossbows, then come with me to Stone Monkey Lane!"

"Yes!" The leader of the guards replied with a fierce look, clasping his fists, then turning away towards the warehouse.