Chapter Sixty-Two: Forced Confession

“She must have been the one who killed my nephew!”

Lu Wuji snapped at the registrar, “Shut your mouth!”

The registrar instantly fell silent, trembling like a cicada in winter.

Lu Wuji rubbed his temples, his mind weary from the constant analysis and recollection. “Wait here for now. I’ll go find your daughter and bring her back.”

The county constable, realizing there was little hope left for his daughter, could only say, “If you can bring that wretch back, Master Daoist, I will be forever grateful.”

Lu Wuji transformed into a streak of light, flying out of the county office and landing at the inn where Xu Wenshan had once stayed.

He had already retrieved memories from the guards at the city gate and distinctly remembered that the young master from the Xu family, who was actually the constable’s daughter in disguise, had entered the city alongside Xu Wenshan.

So the two were connected.

Xu Wenshan had stayed at this inn for some time yesterday before leaving again. Lu Wuji could sense this through the lingering fragrance of Bone-Piercing Incense.

He suspected the two had already become entangled, perhaps even engaged in illicit acts. Now that the Xu family’s young lady was in trouble, she’d most likely hidden herself with Xu Wenshan.

Fortunately, he could verify this immediately.

Ignoring the cries of those around him, Lu Wuji strode up the stairs and pushed open the door.

There sat Xu Jing, face clouded with distress, now staring in astonishment.

Lu Wuji seized Xu Jing by the collar. “Come with me.”

Still dazed and bewildered, Xu Jing followed the Daoist down the stairs.

The innkeeper watched helplessly from behind the counter, thinking, “Young Master Xu, it’s not that I won’t help you keep your secret… I just hope that Master Xu doesn’t come back asking for his money.”

As Lu Wuji passed the worried innkeeper, his eyes caught sight of a round hole on the counter.

Pointing to the hole made by Xu Wenshan, the Daoist asked, “How did this happen?”

The innkeeper was about to answer when Xu Jing, snapping back to her senses, suddenly shouted, “Who are you? Let go of me!”

Xu Jing had hardly slept the previous night, and now, dragged out by a Daoist for no reason, she was only now realizing what was happening.

Lu Wuji barked, “Quiet!” Irritated, he couldn’t wait for the innkeeper’s reply. He summoned his flying sword, seized Xu Jing, and sped back to the county office.

...

“Xu Jing has been captured. You may interrogate her now,” Lu Wuji announced as he returned, tossing Xu Jing to the ground and dusting off his hands.

The magistrate and registrar stared at each other, then at the dazed and battered Xu Jing on the floor, at a loss for how to proceed.

“How should we conduct the interrogation?” the magistrate asked Lu Wuji.

Lu Wuji could not help but laugh. “You’re the magistrate, and you’re asking me?”

The magistrate glanced at the registrar, then at the constable, who now fully understood the situation.

This was the Daoist’s affair. If it was the Daoist’s affair, it was also the magistrate’s affair. And if it was the magistrate’s affair, it was his own as well.

The constable cupped his hands and declared, “Sir, allow me to atone for my past failings by personally interrogating this wretch.”

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The magistrate, relieved, said, “Very well.”

Xu Zhong strode to Xu Jing and barked, “Kneel!”

In a daze, Xu Jing was forced to the ground by her own father. He paced around her, demanding, “Where were you last night?”

“Father…” Xu Jing whispered.

“Do not call me father! I am now the constable of Shaxian County, and you are nothing but a criminal! Confess honestly, and you may be spared punishment!”

She stared at her father as if seeing him for the first time.

Xu Zhong refused to meet her gaze. “Are you not going to speak? Someone, strike her mouth!”

None of the constables dared to strike the young lady. Xu Zhong snatched a red-lacquered bamboo board from their hands and brought it down hard on Xu Jing’s mouth.

Her lips swelled and the skin around them turned red. Xu Zhong did not stop, striking three more times, then throwing the blood-stained board to the ground, leaving a clear square print.

Xu Jing was in excruciating pain, collapsing to the floor. Xu Zhong bellowed, “I’ll ask one more time: where were you last night?”

“At the Yuelai Inn…”

“The whole night?”

“Yes.”

“Is there anyone who can verify your whereabouts?”

“The innkeeper… should have seen that I never came downstairs.”

The constable nodded, turning to the magistrate. “Sir, the interrogation is complete. I suggest we summon the innkeeper for questioning.”

Lu Wuji spoke. “Was the room you stayed in your own?”

“Yes,” Xu Jing answered, not daring to lie.

“You’re lying,” Lu Wuji said. “Tell the truth, or you’ll suffer for it.”

Xu Jing could only admit, “No… it wasn’t mine.”

“Whose was it?”

“Xu Cong’s…”

“And who is Xu Cong?”

The whole magistrate’s office seemed to spin around Xu Jing as everyone pressed in upon her. Today’s ordeal was more terrifying than any nightmare.

“He’s a fur merchant.”

There was an uproar.

Constable Xu Zhong’s veins bulged with rage. He had never imagined his daughter would behave so shamefully, sneaking into a fur merchant’s room.

Lu Wuji pressed further, “Last night, did you instruct Xu Cong to kill for you?”

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“Kill?” Xu Jing asked blankly. “Kill whom? I haven’t killed anyone, nor did I tell anyone else to kill. Please let me go.”

The registrar ground his teeth. “You act so innocent!”

Lu Wuji continued, “Last night, Song San, who once harassed you, died unexpectedly. Was it you who sent Xu Cong, the fur merchant, to kill him?”

“No, I only just learned he was dead.”

“Do you know that Xu Cong is an evil cultivator?”

Xu Jing was more bewildered than ever. “Evil cultivator? What do you mean?”

Lu Wuji snapped, “Still not telling the truth! Confess, and your life will be spared!”

“I don’t know anything!”

Lu Wuji, out of patience, seized Xu Jing’s chin and used a soul-searching technique. Memories flooded his mind, making his headache even worse.

He struggled to endure it. The soul-searching technique was not to be used too often, or one risked injury, but he needed answers quickly and had already overdone it.

What irritated him further was that, searching all Xu Jing’s memories, he found not a trace linking Xu Cong to evil cultivation.

Lu Wuji flung Xu Jing aside with a cold expression—he had miscalculated. He had expected a closer relationship between the two.

Xu Jing collapsed, overcome by fear and exhaustion, and soon fainted.

The constable asked, “Shall we revive her with water and continue?”

Lu Wuji, rubbing his head, replied, “No need. I’ll go bring Xu Cong in for questioning.”

At that moment, Xu Wenshan sat alone in his room, waiting for the Daoist.

Until his name was cleared, there was nothing else he could do.

As his body grew accustomed to the powers of the spider and wine beetle, he discovered several new abilities. He had developed a resistance to poisons and could secrete a potent venom capable of dissolving flesh and blood. His jumping ability and eyesight had also become extraordinary.

Yet, he had no opportunity to practice these skills.

A flash of sword-light swept through the room, and suddenly Lu Wuji stood there.

“Come with me.”

With that, Lu Wuji grabbed Xu Wenshan and, transforming into a streak of sword-light, whisked him away.