Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 969

Chapter 969: 641 Chapter 969: 641 Here's the translated text with all specified formatting and stylistic adjustments applied:
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Gu Changhuai pointed his finger, a Wind Blade slashed and severed Jia Ren's right hand tendon.

Jia Ren's right hand hung limply, a few Pills slipping to the ground.

The Pills were an eerie shade of green.

Gu Changhuai, experienced as he was, immediately recognized them as deadly Poison Pills.

“Trying to kill yourself?”

Gu Changhuai's gaze narrowed, sensing that something was off. He looked up just in time to see Jia Ren biting down on a tooth, intending to swallow it.

*A tooth laced with poison?*
Gu Changhuai's eyes flashed with cold light. His right hand swiftly gripped Jia Ren's neck, while his left hand delivered a fierce punch to Jia Ren's abdomen.

Jia Ren groaned in pain, spitting the poisoned tooth from his mouth.

He tried to resist, struggled even, but his methods were exhausted. Even his attempts to end his own life had been thwarted.

Meanwhile, the anesthetic from the shackles had already spread through his bloodstream.

*Jia Ren sensed danger, but his Divine Sense was gradually clouded. His eyelids drooped shut, and he lost consciousness.*
Gu Changhuai took out a chain and locked all of Jia Ren's limbs. Then, he removed Jia Ren's teeth, hoisted him up, and tossed him behind a concealed mountain stone.

With that, Jia Ren was subdued.

Mo Hua stood by in momentary astonishment.

*This Uncle Gu, somehow, felt different from the person she had imagined.*
*He seemed self-absorbed, as if he disregarded others entirely.*
*Yet his methods were astoundingly meticulous.*
*Even as a Golden Core Steward, capturing a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, he was extraordinarily cautious and methodical–leaving not a shred of room for mishap.*
*He gave no chance for escape.*
*Not even for suicide.*
Mo Hua felt she had learned a great deal.

Throughout the ordeal, Mo Hua had obediently listened to Gu Changhuai and refrained from intervening rashly.

Now that Jia Ren had been subdued, Mo Hua emerged from her hiding spot, sprinted over to Gu Changhuai, and staring at the unconscious Jia Ren, exclaimed:
“This Jia Ren wanted to kill himself?”

She'd never encountered a Sin Cultivator who, upon being caught, immediately viewed their situation as hopeless and sought death.

Gu Changhuai frowned and said gravely, “I was merely being cautious, doing everything necessary to prevent such outcomes. But to think that Jia Ren would genuinely prefer death over falling into my hands…”

“Which means…”

Gu Changhuai's gaze sharpened slightly.

Mo Hua chimed in, “…this guy knows plenty, and harbors significant secrets!”

He might truly be connected to the Xie family's annihilation or even hold clues about the Fire Buddha's whereabouts.

Perhaps he even knew more…

“Should we interrogate him now?” Mo Hua asked.

“We should,”
Gu Changhuai nodded.

But first, they needed to search his Storage Bags as a matter of routine.

Gu Changhuai opened all four or five Storage Bags that Jia Ren had intended to discard.

A stench of blood wafted out.

Sure enough, the bags were filled with “spoils of crime.”

Inside were several Spiritual Artifacts: a Ghost-head Blade, a Bone-picking Sword, and other instruments of slaughter, all stained with blood.

Mo Hua caught sight of the blood, and her mind instantly buzzed–the world before her turned crimson.

*Amidst flames, the Xie family's cultivators perished miserably, their anguished cries haunting her memories as the twisted forms of karmic mutations resurfaced.*
“This is… the blood of Xie family cultivators,” Mo Hua remarked in a steely voice.

Gu Changhuai froze. “How do you know?”

“I can tell,” Mo Hua replied.

Gu Changhuai sighed helplessly. “Fine. Pretend I didn't ask.”

Beyond those blood-streaked weapons, there were also several “spotless” Spiritual Artifacts.

None bore any trace of bloodshed or karmic stains.

They were ordinary tools, ones not intended for combat.

Lighting tools, ventilation devices, fire-repellent artifacts, dust-cleansing tools, incense burners for meditation… just the everyday necessities of cultivator life.

Both Mo Hua and Gu Changhuai were visibly puzzled.

“Are these items from the Xie family?”

“Did they kill the Xie family and loot their belongings?”

But if so, why discard them afterward?

If they simply wanted to dispose of evidence, why bother robbing in the first place?

Wasn't that doubly pointless?

Could it simply have been an impulsive act, slaughtering and looting in a fit of frenzy?

Did they relax post-killing, regret their actions, then hurriedly jettison the stolen goods for fear of the Taoist Court?

The Fire Buddha's crew of Sin Cultivators–known for their merciless killings–never seemed the type for such behavior…

Gu Changhuai's gaze remained wary, his brows furrowed in thought.

Mo Hua's eyes lit up, “Could they be… searching for something?”

Gu Changhuai stared at her. “Searching for something?”

“Mm.” Mo Hua deliberated, “They exterminated the Xie family hoping to recover something from them…”

“This Jia Ren came to the Xie family initially to steal this item…”

“But he didn't succeed in getting it…”

“And this item was obviously crucial–something they wouldn't give up on acquiring.”

“So the Fire Buddha's crew annihilated the Xie family entirely.”

“They gathered all of the Xie family's possessions to search for the object thoroughly, burning the Xie estate afterward to destroy evidence…”

“As for these discarded items…”

“It's because they've already checked them, didn't find what they wanted, and discarded the excess…”

“Plus, the blood-stained Spiritual Artifacts–bearing traces of having killed the Xie family–are also being thrown away…”

“For fear of leaving incriminating evidence that Taoist Court officials might track…”

“Or worse yet–leaving karmic imprints that someone could later trace back to them…”

Disposing of such “spoils” using an Artifact Furnace might create significant disruptions and take too long.

Instead, utilizing Bishan City's rugged geography, they intended to cast these “spoils” off into a deep ravine–silent, untraceable.

Even if discovered later, it'd likely be many years down the line.

Gu Changhuai was taken aback.

*This kid… her little mind worked fast–and frankly, her deductions were plausible.*
After some consideration, he nodded. “That's a possibility, but only a possibility. Be careful not to jump to conclusions.”

“Preconceived notions risk leading investigations astray…”

Gu Changhuai advised.

“Understood.”

Mo Hua nodded.

Yet even with his advice, Mo Hua felt there might be merit to her theory.

*At the very least, it offered a path worth exploring.*
Gu Changhuai rummaged further through Jia Ren's Storage Bags.

Jia Ren's Storage Bags were mundane.

Like any ordinary cultivator's–filled with Spirit Stones, Pills, Spiritual Artifacts, and several Secret Manuals and Jade Slips.

But Mo Hua combed through it all without finding anything out of the ordinary.

Nothing on the Jade Slips appeared sealed, encrypted, or erased.

Clearly, Jia Ren was cautious; he hadn't carried anything significant on his person.

Mo Hua scrutinized everything they'd found.

There was evidence but few clues.

It proved Jia Ren's involvement in the Xie family's massacre–likely as someone aiding in reconnaissance before the act and disposing of stolen goods afterward. He appeared deeply intertwined in the crime.

Beyond that, though, no other leads emerged.

Especially nothing regarding the Fire Buddha.

Given that, interrogating Jia Ren became their only option.

Gu Changhuai took out a Pill and fed it to Jia Ren. Within half an hour, Jia Ren began to stir.

He slowly opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was Gu Changhuai's face: handsome yet “utterly detestable.”

Gu Changhuai asked coldly, “Are you one of the Fire Buddha's men?”

Jia Ren laughed bitterly, his expression one of resigned death. He remained silent.

Gu Changhuai fired off question after question:
“Where is the Fire Buddha?”

“Why did they wipe out the Xie family?”

“What's your connection to the Fire Buddha?”

Jia Ren remained unresponsive–a Walking Dead, unmoved even by threats to his life.

Gu Changhuai frowned, patience wearing thin.

In this scenario, torture became inevitable.

He brought out a Second Grade branding iron, inscribed with a Fire-series Formation. Glowing red-hot, it seared flesh to the bone.

The branding iron burned Jia Ren's skin. Though he winced in pain, muscles twitching uncontrollably, he still refused to say a word.

Mo Hua, watching from the side, felt conflicted.

“Uncle Gu, it seems your method isn't working…”

Mo Hua quietly pulled out her own “iron plate.” “Want to try mine instead?”

Gu Changhuai froze, staring at the blood-splattered iron plate, completely dumbfounded.

Meanwhile, Jia Ren–hearing the crisp clunk of metal–suddenly realized someone else was present.

But why did this voice sound so familiar?

And why did it resemble the voice of that little brat he longed to cut into pieces?

Jia Ren shifted his head with difficulty, taking a glance.

What he saw was a fair, delicate face, features like a masterwork painting.

The Walking Dead Jia Ren–almost lifeless moments ago–suddenly sprang to life, his eyes blazing with fury and disbelief.

“It's… YOU?!”

Chapter end

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