Chapter 467: Chapter 467: Let Senior Brother Zhao Suffer a Little More

’Senior Brother Zhao, you really are unlucky.’

In an interrogation room of the All Heaven Department, Lü Yang looked at Zhao Xuhe, who was dangling in the air, barely breathing. He had clearly been beaten countless times. Lü Yang sighed.

To be fair, Zhao Xuhe was a pitiful man.

After he and Lü Yang had gone their separate ways, he had been doing just fine in the Dao Court. But during a routine drill, he accidentally revealed the Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis he was cultivating.

Then, everything changed. The All Heaven Department arrested him that same day, sought instructions, and then various experts took turns with him. They would come in, use the Great Memory Recovery Technique, and start with, "Are you going to talk or not?" Before Zhao Xuhe could even process what was happening, he was beaten into a daze. ’You haven’t even asked me any questions!’

But he was a Holy Sect Disciple, after all.

Upon learning that the Dao Court was after his Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis, but hadn’t resorted to Soul Searching—as if they were wary of something—he stubbornly held his ground.

No matter how they tried to "restore his memory," he just couldn’t remember.

His reasoning was simple:

’If I talk, I’m dead for sure! If I don’t, they won’t get what they want, and I might still have a chance... After all, only I know the Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis!’

Just then, the cell door opened.

Zhao Xuhe lifted his head and saw a striking young man enter. His Qi trace was as vast and powerful as the sea, seeming even more terrifying than Zhao Xuhe’s own master.

But similar people had come and gone over the past few days. Zhao Xuhe took a deep breath and said weakly, "You can stop wasting your energy. I’m not going to say anything... And I’m not afraid to tell you, no one knows this Foundation Method but me. If I die, you get nothing!"

’So hurry up and make me an offer.’

Zhao Xuhe’s heart burned with excitement. He keenly sensed that while this was a crisis, it was also an opportunity. After all, he could be loyal to the Dao Court, too!

The Dao Court desperately wanted his Cultivation Technique.

If they couldn’t get it, they would surely try to recruit him. Then, with the Dao Court’s resources, it might be even easier for him to become a Foundation-Stage Cultivator in the future!

At this thought, Zhao Xuhe’s resolve hardened. Holy Sect Disciples never lacked the ambition to climb higher. As long as there was a chance at Foundation Establishment, he could endure any hardship. What was a little torture? Back in the Holy Sect, countless people would kill for this kind of "opportunity" and never get it!

"All of you, leave us."

Looking at Zhao Xuhe’s determined face, Lü Yang waved his hand, dismissing the All Heaven Department Warriors who had accompanied him. He then sat down in front of Zhao Xuhe.

Within his Spiritual Space, the Profound City Blessed Land trembled slightly.

’Good, no one is watching.’

Lü Yang nodded in satisfaction. Then, under Zhao Xuhe’s bewildered gaze, he didn’t ask a single question. Instead, he took out a Jade Scroll and began to write.

’The Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis? I know that one!’

’Not only that, I even know the more advanced Imperial Dragonrise Scroll! I can even write down all the little cultivation tricks and key points!’

In Lü Yang’s eyes, this was a golden opportunity for merit, dropped right into his lap.

Thus, he didn’t bother with an interrogation. He simply wrote down the Cultivation Technique from memory and then used his Puppet skill to make Zhao Xuhe sign and add his thumbprint to the document.

Mission accomplished!

As for Zhao Xuhe? Lü Yang, being the kind soul that he was, simply couldn’t bear to watch the man suffer any longer. So, with a clean and decisive stroke, he sent Zhao Xuhe on to his next life.

........

「Celestial Wu Hall」

The current Daoist Court Emperor, titled the Emperor of Nurturing All Things and ruling under the reign name Jia You, sat upon his Dao Platform, reviewing the memorials submitted by various departments.

Just then, Eunuch An came running in.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Good news!"

"Oh? And what good news is that?"

Emperor Jia You opened his eyes. With a turn of his thoughts, he had already guessed what the eunuch’s "good news" was. "So, that little dragon actually managed to extract the Cultivation Technique?"

"Your Majesty is truly perceptive!"

Eunuch An hurriedly proclaimed, "The entire world is in Your Majesty’s grasp, and your heart is brighter than the sun and moon! Indeed, it was Du Huan who performed this meritorious service."

"Bring it to me."

As Emperor Jia You spoke, Eunuch An immediately presented the secret scroll containing the Cultivation Technique Lü Yang had "interrogated" out of the prisoner. Emperor Jia You swept his Divine Sense over it, a look of satisfaction instantly appearing on his face. With his level of Cultivation, he could tell at a glance that the technique was authentic. But more important than that was something else:

’It didn’t trigger any karmic links!’ 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

If they had obtained the Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis through Soul Searching, it would have inevitably triggered the Great Net of Karma Links and attracted the Pure Land’s attention. That would not only be a failure but a grave error.

Extracting it through interrogation, however, was different.

Because Zhao Xuhe had "voluntarily" handed it over, any karmic fluctuations were minor enough for a Foundation-Stage Cultivator to easily conceal, not nearly enough to alarm the Pure Land.

Thinking of this, Emperor Jia You grew even more pleased.

With a single thought, Lü Yang’s records within the Immortal Dao Law appeared before him, including the fact that he had chosen to receive his stipend in the form of Enlightenment.

Emperor Jia You wasn’t surprised by this.

After all, while the boons from the Immortal Dao Law were useless to most officials who relied solely on their Official Position, they were a Supreme Treasure to those who could cultivate on their own.

Lü Yang’s choice was well within his expectations.

’Is he trying to quickly digest the Wu Fire Cultivation?’ Emperor Jia You mused, then chuckled softly. ’If that’s the case, why not help him along?’

"Relay my decree."

The Emperor’s words were law. He stated calmly, "True Dragon Du Huan has rendered a great service to the nation. Reward him with three units of stipend."

In the Dao Court, one unit represented a hundred years, and stipends were paid out once per century. With a single sentence, Emperor Jia You had just granted Lü Yang three full stipend payments at once!

Almost at that very moment, Lü Yang, back in the All Heaven Department, felt it.

Splendid Light descended from the Immortal Dao Law, delivering Emperor Jia You’s verbal decree and adding the right to claim three stipends to his official ledger.

"I thank Your Majesty for your immense grace!"

Without a moment’s hesitation, Lü Yang stood his ground, flicked his right sleeve, and with a firm expression and a voice ringing with passion, declared, "Loyalty! Service!"

Emperor Jia You withdrew his gaze, satisfied.

At that same moment, Lü Yang saw something on his Centome’s interface. The Golden Talent, [Ambition], had suddenly lit up, suffusing with light.

’The Talent Skill activated...’

[Ambition: The more exceptional your superior finds you, and the more they value you, the greater the bonus you will receive when you backstab them.]

Lü Yang instantly understood. The fact that this Talent Skill had lit up meant he had truly caught Emperor Jia You’s eye. If he chose to backstab him now, he would already receive the minimum bonus... At this thought, he immediately realized something else: it was also a tool for monitoring his superior’s trust!

’The brighter the Talent Skill glows, the more Emperor Jia You trusts me.’

’Conversely, if it dims, it means he’s become wary of me, and I’ll need to make plans in advance... I never expected it would have a use like this!’

As Lü Yang was lost in thought, a sudden warmth spread from within his robes. Frowning, he pulled out the source—a brightly glowing, fluorescent scale.

’This is... a scale from the Dragon Monarch!’

Lü Yang’s heart skipped a beat. This was clearly something the Dragon Monarch, far away Overseas, had given to Du Huan to keep track of the True Dragon Race’s situation in the East.

And now, the Dragon Monarch was making contact.

’But... perfect timing!’

Lü Yang was surprised but not panicked. After all, thanks to his Cuckoo’s Nest Talent Skill, he was, for all intents and purposes, the genuine Dragon King Du Huan.

With that in mind, he immediately activated the scale.

Immediately, layers of white mist billowed out from the scale, coalescing into an auspicious-looking cloud. From within this cloud, a pair of golden eyes, as large as Copper Bells, opened.

"Hm?"

In the next second, a flicker of confusion appeared in the golden eyes.

In the Dragon Monarch’s imagination, his dear grandson should be in a sorry state right now—miserable, full of grievances he couldn’t voice, and perhaps even resentful toward him.

And yet, what was the reality?

What met his eyes was a heroic, striking young man dressed in an Official Robe. Where was the down-and-out look he expected? This young man was clearly flushed with success!