Demon Slaying, Gaining 60 Years of Cultivation From the Start

Tiandu, inner city, Mingjing Department prison.

Unlike the Jing Tian Department, which has branches in various provinces of Da Xia and even the outer city, the Mingjing Department only has one location, situated within the inner city of Tiandu.

The prison of the Mingjing Department is divided into several layers, all underground, dark and damp. Staying for long easily leads to various diseases. Even without applying any torture, an ordinary person would not survive for long in this place.

At this moment, in an interrogation room of the first level of the Mingjing Department prison, Gu Chengfeng's hair was disheveled, wearing prison clothes, with handcuffs and shackles, locked onto an execution rack. His face was deathly pale, and his body was covered in thick bloodstains; some parts had even become a blur of blood and flesh after being subjected to severe torture for a long time.

On either side of him stood a prison guard, each looking at him with a cold face, their instruments of torture covered in fresh blood, dripping drop by drop to the floor.

In front of Gu Chengfeng, Liu Ningyuan's mouth curled into a cold smile as he sat there calmly, enjoying the sight of Gu Chengfeng's misery.

On the desk, a sheet of paper was placed—it was the confession Liu Ningyuan had drafted earlier.

"Gu Chengfeng, now you have two choices laid before you," said Liu Ningyuan offhandedly. "Either you obediently confess and sign your name, or after being tortured, I will help you confess and sign your name. The first option, well, you get to suffer less. The second option, you know the consequences."

Gu Chengfeng had been severely tortured for a long time and had no strength left. If not for the torture device binding him, he would have fallen long ago.

Hearing Liu Ningyuan's words, Gu Chengfeng let out a cold laugh. He had been an official for many years and knew all the ins and outs; after entering here, whether or not he confessed or signed his name had become irrelevant. The Mingjing Department had a hundred, even a thousand methods to make him sign.

Liu Ningyuan's words were nothing more than an attempt to torment him further and break down his last line of defense.

Liu Ningyuan wanted to see Gu Chengfeng beg for mercy, groveling for his life—the moment he did, Liu Ningyuan's purpose would be achieved.

Seeing Gu Chengfeng's unyielding attitude, Liu Ningyuan snorted coldly and said, "I didn't expect you, a mere leader of the Royal Sword Guard from the outer city of Tiandu, a minor official of the seventh rank, to have such backbone. Too bad, this is the prison of the Mingjing Department, and no one who enters leaves alive."

Then, Liu Ningyuan shook his head slightly and let out a sigh, continuing theatrically, "Do you realize that someone like you is but a grain of sand in the desert, easily overlooked? Every year, the Mingjing Department prison executes countless people like you. Moreover, you're guilty of buying and selling official posts, a serious crime.

Even if you were a high-ranking noble, you couldn't escape the fate of beheading. You're just a seventh rank officer; it'd be best for you to simply confess and accept your fate. Of course, you could choose to beg for mercy. I'm quite reasonable. Who knows, I might be in a good mood and allow you to suffer a bit less."

Gu Chengfeng remained silent, knowing what Liu Ningyuan's words meant. He was telling him that if Gu Chengfeng died there today, no one would ask any questions. Aside from a very few people, no one would know what was happening here because, after all, Gu Chengfeng was indeed insignificant and no one would seek justice for him.

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Actually, from the moment he entered the Mingjing Department prison, Gu Chengfeng had no thoughts of living to get out. All he hoped for now was that he could spare his wife, daughter, and nephew from any further harm.

Liu Ningyuan sat there leisurely, looking down at Gu Chengfeng with an expressionless face and said, "What's wrong? Still holding on? Refusing to confess, unwilling to beg for mercy?"

Gu Chengfeng's face was resolute as he said, "Why should I confess to something I didn't do?"

"Tsk, tsk."

Liu Ningyuan shook his head. He waved for the two prison guards to withdraw. Once the two men left the interrogation room, he stood up, approached Gu Chengfeng, and whispered in his ear, "Of course, I know you're innocent."

Hearing these words, Gu Chengfeng's eyes sharpened instantly as he turned his head quickly to look at Liu Ningyuan.

Liu Ningyuan met Gu Chengfeng's gaze and said nonchalantly, "This all is a trap I set, but it's not just aimed at you—it's aimed at the entire Gu Family."

At this point, Liu Ningyuan's face darkened, and he glared at Gu Chengfeng ferociously, saying viciously, "Your nephew severely injured my only son, who's still lying unconscious in bed up to this moment. My son's martial arts path is nearly destroyed. Tell me, shouldn't I seek revenge? I will not just take revenge on you but on the entire Gu Family, especially your nephew.

I will make him wish he were dead. Don't worry, it won't be long before he joins you here."

"You!"

Upon hearing these words, Gu Chengfeng exploded with rage. He struggled violently, the handcuffs and shackles clanking, while Liu Ningyuan stood to the side, watching him with cold eyes.

"If anyone's to blame, blame your damned nephew. If it weren't for him, why would I, a second-class holder of the mirror, go to such lengths to target you, a mere seventh-rank commander of the Royal Sword Guard?"

"Pah!"

Gu Chengfeng spat a mouthful of blood right onto Liu Ningyuan's face and shouted angrily, "Looking at you, I can tell what kind of person your son is. Like father, like son. Dalang did well. If it were me, I would have been even harsher and more merciless. Your son got what he deserved!"

"You're asking for it!"

Liu Ningyuan's face turned vicious as he swung his hand, delivering a slap to Gu Chengfeng's side. There was a crack as this slap broke several of Gu Chengfeng's ribs.

Gu Chengfeng, with a resolute face, bit his teeth in fury, glaring at Liu Ningyuan without making a sound.

Liu Ningyuan wiped the blood from his face, his expression darkening as he said coldly, "Keep up the act. I hope that in the end, you can maintain this stubbornness. Rest assured, after you die, it won't be long before your nephew joins you. And as for your wife and daughter, hmph, I'll make sure to 'take good care' of them."

At the end, a cold smile emerged on Liu Ningyuan's face.

"You scum, I'll fight you to the death!"

Hearing Liu Ningyuan's words, Gu Chengfeng's eyes immediately turned bloodshot, teeth clenched, he strained with all his might to break free of his restraints to fight Liu Ningyuan to the death.

Liu Ningyuan watched the scene with cold indifference and said, "I've already told your wife and daughter that as long as they are willing to comply with my demands, your life can be spared. Tell me, do you think your wife and daughter would agree?"

"Ah — I'm going to kill you!"

Gu Chengfeng kept roaring, his brain congested with blood, and as he struggled incessantly, many of the wounds on his body that had stopped bleeding began to burst open again, with fresh blood spattering out.

Liu Ningyuan, expressionless, paid no attention to Gu Chengfeng and turned away to leave.

...

Outer City, Gu Mansion.

By now it was nearing dusk, dinner time, but not a single person in the Gu Family felt like eating; the atmosphere inside the house was exceptionally oppressive.

Xu Qinge sat there, having become significantly more haggard in just a day, her complexion lacking color. Since waking up, she had been sitting there in silence, not having had a drop to eat.

Gu Qingyan sat beside Xu Qinge. Seeing her mother in such a state, and thinking that her father might be suffering, she pressed her lips tightly together. After a long silence, she seemed to have made a decision and said softly, "Mother, what if… I..."

Xu Qinge knew exactly what her daughter was thinking and immediately interrupted Gu Qingyan with an extremely firm tone, "No, I won't let you do that, I cannot sacrifice you no matter what. If it really comes to that point, I still have…"

As she spoke, Xu Qinge's palms began to tremble slightly.

"Mother…"

Gu Qingyan bit her red lips tightly, and seeing her mother in such a state, she could no longer hold back her emotions. Tears, like pearls, started to roll down in large drops from her eyes.

In that moment, Xu Qinge found herself unable to maintain a façade of strength any longer. Tears began to slide down her own cheeks as mother and daughter embraced each other, sobbing continuously.

The maids and servants nearby, having served in the Gu Mansion for many years and been treated well by the Gu family, were also standing there, secretly wiping away tears, sharing the family's grief.

The entire Gu Mansion was engulfed in an atmosphere of sadness.

It was hard to tell how much time had passed before the crying eventually subsided.

"Don't worry, Qinyan, everything will pass, everything will get better," Xu Qinge said softly, caressing Gu Qingyan's long hair to comfort her.

"Mother, is it true? Everything will get better? Will Father come back?" Gu Qingyan lifted her head from her mother's embrace, looking teary-eyed at Xu Qinge.

"Yes, it will get better," Xu Qinge said with tears in her eyes, continually nodding as if to reassure herself as well.

"Right, and big brother, should we tell big brother? He might have a way to solve this, right, mother?" Gu Qingyan's eyes suddenly brightened as she thought of Gu Chen, who was serving in the Jing Tian Department.

Xu Qinge shook her head. Having been by Gu Chengfeng's side for a long time, she knew some things. Not to mention that the Jing Tian Department and the Mingjing Department were two different agencies. Gu Chen was only a junior patrol officer of the Jing Tian Department, while that Liu Ningyuan, Xu Qinge had seen his uniform *and knew he was a second-ranked Mirror Holder from the Mingjing Department.

She was very clear about the influence of a second-ranked Mirror Holder, and this matter was not something Gu Chen could resolve.

Moreover, Xu Qinge thought, given Gu Chen's stubborn nature, if he knew about this matter, he might lose control of his temper and forcibly seek revenge against Liu Ningyuan, which would be like an egg hitting a rock. Furthermore, this would play right into Liu Ningyuan's hands.

Now that Gu Chengfeng had already run into trouble, Xu Qinge did not want Gu Chen to be in trouble as well. If possible, she would rather Gu Chen never learn of this affair.

Upon hearing this, Gu Qingyan's eyes immediately dimmed again.

"Qinyan, remember, you must not tell your brother about this matter. He must not know about it, understand?" Xu Qinge said with a heavy expression.

"I understand," Gu Qingyan replied softly.

Just then, the door of the Gu Mansion was pushed open. Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan heard the noise, and, like startled rabbits, stared at the doorway with great anxiety, thinking Liu Ningyuan might have returned.

But the next second, when they saw a familiar figure appear at the door, their hearts settled back down.

Gu Chen entered the Gu Mansion, his keen senses immediately detecting that the atmosphere inside was amiss, especially seeing that the eyes of his aunt Xu Qinge and his sister Gu Qingyan were red. He frowned at once.

"What's happened since I've been out? Did something occur?"