Fantasy: Immortality Begins with Absorbing Demons

Chapter 268 Interrogation (Part 3)

Boom!

Then, a loud tapping sound of a cane rang out.

"You two... why are you still acting like two three-year-olds? Gambling, what are you gambling on?"

In the corner, Granny Ding, the caretaker of the library, stood up shakily, leaning on her cane and shouting loudly.

Granny Ding is the caretaker of the library. She is an old woman with wrinkled skin and white hair, and a strange temperament. She is quite old and has a long service record. She even joined the sect earlier than the sect leader, Ao Yang, and the deputy sect leader, Qu Jingxian. Therefore, she does not have much respect for the sect leader and elders.

"He's just a kid in the Blood Refinement stage, whether there's a problem or not... just call him over and we'll understand... what kind of behavior is this, arguing and bickering like this!"

After speaking to Aoyang and Qu Jingxian, Granny Ding turned around and scolded Huang Ze and Li Chengfeng without any politeness: "And you two, you're both so old, yet you're still here shirking responsibility for petty gains. Such a big thing has happened, and you still can't work together to come up with a solution, instead you're just passing the buck and being lazy. You've really wasted your lives!"

After scolding everyone, she slowly adjusted her breathing, took a breath, and then said to Ao Yang and Qu Jingxian, "The matter of that little Han Yi is ultimately an internal matter of our sect. Internal matters of the sect are not a big deal! The most urgent task now... is to eliminate the aftermath of the black market fire as soon as possible!"

"For example, we need to let outside forces know that our Crimson Flame Sect is not to be trifled with, and that those who created the Black Market will pay a bloody price! We also need to let our sect disciples know that our Crimson Flame Sect will avenge all wrongs and repay all kindnesses; those who died in the Black Market will be generously compensated, and those who made contributions will be richly rewarded..." "Sigh, each generation is worse than the last. At a time like this, they still need this old hag to come up with ideas..."

After saying this, Granny Ding sighed, hunched over, leaned on her cane, and quietly left.

The lobby fell silent for a moment.

"Alright, alright, did you all hear what the senior said?"

Aoyang picked his nose, breaking the silence.

"In that case, let's discuss the details further, as Granny Ding wishes," Ao Yang said. Qu Jingxian also raised his head slightly and gave instructions to the elders.

Inside the lobby, a sudden commotion arose again.

Qu Jingxian and Aoyang exchanged a glance and smiled at each other.

The conflict between him and Aoyang wasn't due to a bad relationship; rather, it stemmed from differing values, approaches to interpersonal relationships, and methods of handling matters. However, this arrangement was actually beneficial, with one playing the stern role and the other the benevolent one, making sect management easier.

The art of managing people, governing a sect, and striking a balance between leniency and relaxation—all of these require the cooperation of the two even during arguments…

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"Master Han".

As soon as Han Yi left the black market and arrived at the headquarters of the Crimson Flame Sect, he saw an outer disciple dressed in black robes with a small flame embroidered on his chest walking from the direction of his meditation room.

"Ok?"

Han Yi was somewhat puzzled. He stopped and stood still. In the sect, apart from Pan Sheng and Li Feng, who had not yet returned, he didn't know anyone else.

"Master Han, Elder Huang Ze is looking for you. Should we go now, or...?"

Elder Huang…

Han Yi breathed a sigh of relief. Since Huang Ze had time to see him now, it meant that a preliminary conclusion had been reached regarding the black market matter.

'It seems the outcome isn't a big problem. If there really were something wrong, they wouldn't be reacting like this...'

A thought flashed through his mind.

"You go back first, I'll be right back."

Then, Han Yi turned to Shen San and instructed him that he could not neglect Huang Ze's side and needed to go there as soon as possible.

"Yes."

Shen San bowed and left on his own.

…....

…....

At Huang Ze's home. Huang Jiu'er was behind Huang Ze, gently massaging his shoulders and back.

She was wearing a light yellow satin dress and had her hair tied up in a bun, looking delicate and cute.

Huang Ze, meanwhile, didn't even glance at the table full of snacks to accompany his drinks, and instead gulped down large mouthfuls of wine from the copper wine pot.

Slightly tipsy, he raised the wine jug in his hand and said, "Han Yi, you've arrived? Have a seat!"

"Elder Huang, what's the sect's explanation?"

Han Yi didn't stand on ceremony. After pulling out a chair and sitting down, he got straight to the point.

"Oh dear, Brother Han Yi, your injuries?!"

But before Huang Ze could speak, Jiu'er, who was behind him, saw Han Yi and exclaimed in surprise, quickly walking up to Han Yi.

She immediately noticed the bandages wrapped around Han Yi's body—his chest, shoulders, abdomen, arms, and thighs—he was covered in wounds, almost his entire body. Jiu'er, who had been all smiles, suddenly looked worried: "Are you...are you alright?"

"It's nothing, just superficial wounds. No internal damage, it's nothing serious, nothing serious..."

Han Yi turned around to cover up his several conspicuous large wounds.

"How could he be alright with such serious injuries... It must hurt a lot..." Huang Jiu'er looked at his injuries, tears welling up in her eyes.

Although she doesn't go out much, Huang Ze has been busy these past few days, drinking alone all day. He vaguely knows that a major event has occurred within the Crimson Flame Sect, and that this event is related to Han Yi.

Therefore, although she was mentally prepared for Han Yi to be injured, she really did not expect him to be injured so badly.

Huang Jiu'er reached out, wanting to touch Han Yi's wound.

"It's really nothing." Han Yi blocked his hand. "It's just a minor injury, it'll heal quickly and won't leave a scar." "Hmph, Master Huang, you said you would take good care of Brother Han Yi, but look at his injury!" Huang Jiu'er turned around and lashed out at Huang Ze.

"Huh?" Huang Ze, who was drinking in silence, was stunned. He had just suffered an undeserved disaster. He had just argued with Li Chengfeng in the council hall, and now he was being blamed after returning home.

It's like being at home when trouble falls from the sky.

"What do you mean 'ah'? Look at Han Yi's injury... He might suffer from it for a long time..." Huang Jiu'er's eyes were red, and she couldn't hold back her tears, so she quickly covered them with her hands.

"Oh my, my dear lady, I've already checked Han Yi out. He's very healthy and fine..."

Huang Ze couldn't sit still any longer and stepped forward to comfort her. After a while, Huang Jiu'er finally stopped crying and smiled as she left.

"Sigh, daughters really are a case of 'once they grow up, they're gone forever'..."

Huang Ze sighed, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and then looked at Han Yi with an unfriendly expression, saying, "Han kid, look at the trouble you've caused. It's one thing to deal with things at the black market, but now you're causing trouble for me at my house. From now on, you'll have to handle your own affairs!"

"Don't be angry, Elder Huang, look, what is this?"

Han Yi smiled and took out two jars of fine wine from behind him.

He knew Huang Ze was a good person, cold on the outside but warm on the inside, and had taken good care of him. He guessed that Huang Ze must have said a lot of good things about him within the sect.

"That's more like it. I knew you'd bring some good wine."

Huang Ze then turned his anger into a smile, beaming with joy. He had only complained a little earlier; how could he possibly ignore Han Yi? Not to mention Bai Sanren's loyalty, he had to take care of Han Yi for Jiu'er's sake.

"Elder Huang, how should the sect handle this matter?"

After Huang Jiu'er left, the two were finally able to continue discussing some serious matters.

Although Han Yi didn't specify what he was referring to, Huang Ze naturally knew he was referring to the black market.

Huang Ze was silent for a moment, then said after a short pause, "That black market... it's gone now..."

"The black market is gone?"

Han Yi was startled. The black market was a veritable golden goose; most of the Crimson Flame Sect's profits in the city came from it. To just disappear like that seemed a bit too hasty…

"It's not that the black market is gone, it's that the black market is being relocated, and the land where it was located is being abandoned."

Huang Ze began to explain.

"That piece of land is temporarily abandoned, which is understandable..."

Han Yi's expression remained calm. He had just gone to the black market and found that no one was cleaning up the wreckage. This outcome was within his expectations. With so many people dead and such a major incident, cleaning up and rebuilding would definitely not be possible in the short term.

"It's not temporary... that place has been designated as a forbidden area, and no further development or use is allowed. It's permanently abandoned."

Huang Ze continued.

"Designated as a forbidden area, we must take a detour?"

This seemingly harsh outcome was indeed beyond Han Yi's expectations.

The land where the black market is located is in an excellent location, covers a huge area, and happens to be on the territory of the Crimson Flame Sect. Such a large place, and they just decide not to use it anymore.

Even if we don't rebuild the black market there, but construct other buildings for other purposes, wouldn't that also reduce the losses?

"Is it really necessary to permanently abandon such a large territory just because it's only an unformed ghost domain, or even one that he's already dealt with?" "Yes, this is an order personally given by the sect leader. Although many elders objected, he still decided to do it."

Huang Ze sighed. It seemed that he was also somewhat dissatisfied with the order. After all, he had managed the territory for his entire life, and now it was gone just like that. He was still a little sad.

"Why is that?" Han Yi felt he had every reason to get to the bottom of it, because the whole thing had developed very strangely.

The black market was almost turned into a ghost realm through a blood sacrifice, but in the end, it didn't. Does the presence of traces of a ghost realm within a region mean it can never be used again?

Huang Ze paused, then hesitated before saying, "The Yin energy has invaded, and the land has been corrupted by demons. This place will inevitably encounter many complications and unexpected troubles... This is what the sect leader said himself. That piece of land is completely ruined..."

'Yin energy, corrupted by demons?'

Han Yi felt his heart skip a beat; the very words he heard made him uneasy. "Elder Huang, is there no way to deal with, or rather, purify, this kind of place?"

He suppressed his discomfort and asked with a frown.

Huang Ze's expression was extremely solemn. His Adam's apple bobbed as he said, "The sect leader only said to seal that place off, and given enough time... things might be fine..."

"As for purification and treatment, the sect leader didn't say, but since it's just a blockade, there's probably nothing we can do... I'm telling you this, don't overthink it, just stay away from that place in the future."

“Okay… but… if we just seal it off like this, we need to give some explanation to the public…” Han Yi’s face also became serious. If it’s sealed off and no one is allowed to enter or leave, how can we convince the public without a reason?