Chapter 309 - 192: Seen Through

Chapter 309: Chapter 192: Seen Through

’Well, now I have one,’ Xu Chongyuan thought.

His face, however, was still plastered with a smile. "Grand General, you wouldn’t want anything to go wrong with the attack on Hujue Pass, would you?"

"Hm?"

A bone-chilling killing intent radiated from the Ox-headed Demon, slamming into the tent and making it flap wildly, as if it might be torn away at any moment.

"This man and the forces behind him have always opposed our Pure Land Sect. Many of them want to assassinate our Sect Leader. If we don’t root them out soon and something happens to our Sect Leader, then we won’t be able to coordinate with you from the inside, Grand General."

Xu Chongyuan said this with a completely straight face.

Even Su Mu was a little impressed by Xu Chongyuan’s quick thinking.

’I have to admit, I’m no match for his talent for spouting utter nonsense with such a straight face.’

Even the Ox-headed Demon was left dumbfounded by Xu Chongyuan’s explanation.

"So, Grand General, we wanted to hand this person over to our Sect Leader to dig out the people behind him and completely eliminate this future threat, lest it affect the Demon Court’s grand plan."

Xu Chongyuan fanned the flames. "However, since you’ve set your sights on him, Grand General, we will naturally defer to you. We just hope you can give us a little time to interrogate him further.

That way, when our Sect Leader or the Demon Court’s National Preceptor asks about it later, we’ll have something to report."

A thoughtful expression appeared on the Ox-headed Demon’s face as its bull-like eyes stared fixedly at Xu Chongyuan.

"I said one thing, and you’ve been rattling on and on. Do you take me for a fool?"

the Ox-headed Demon said coldly. "He’s just one True Essence Realm cultivator. So what if I don’t eat him?

If I don’t eat him, I can eat these ones, can’t I?"

The Ox-headed Demon pointed at Su Mu, Zhong Guizheng, and the others.

"The Pure Land Sect has plenty of people anyway. It won’t matter if I eat a couple of you."

The Ox-headed Demon grinned, its breath a foul stench. The stringy bits of meat caught between its teeth were clearly visible, a nauseating sight.

Xu Chongyuan was dumbstruck. ’This demon’s train of thought is too damn weird.’

’Just because the Pure Land Sect has a lot of members, you think you can just eat them whenever you want?’

’Are allies supposed to be eaten?’

’Though, if we really *were* traitors from the Pure Land Sect, I wouldn’t care if you ate them.’

’The problem is, we’re impostors!’

"Grand General, we’re allies..." Xu Chongyuan started to say.

"I don’t need you to tell me that. I know," the Ox-headed Demon interrupted him. "You’re not even willing to let me eat two of you. What good are you then?"

"You can’t put it that way," Xu Chongyuan argued desperately. "Grand General, you may not know this, but it was incredibly difficult for us to infiltrate Hujue Pass. Although the Pure Land Sect has many members, we are the only ones who can operate openly in Hujue Pass.

If you eat one of us, Grand General, we’ll be one man short. If, by some chance, we can’t open the gates of Hujue Pass then—"

"Are you threatening me?"

The Ox-headed Demon glared, and an invisible pressure slammed into Xu Chongyuan, forcing him to stumble backward.

Su Mu placed a hand on Xu Chongyuan’s back, which finally stopped his retreat.

By this time, Zhong Guizheng and the others had already been forced back to the tent’s entrance by that fierce pressure.

"Calm yourself, Grand General!" Xu Chongyuan shouted. "I’m just telling the truth! If you don’t believe me, Grand General, then we are prepared to die!"

Suddenly, the fierce pressure within the tent vanished completely.

The Ox-headed Demon roared with laughter.

"The method the National Preceptor taught me really works! If I didn’t test you like that, how would I know if you were human spies?"

The Ox-headed Demon said smugly, "If you had let me eat any one of them just now, it would have proven you had something to hide, and I would have eaten you as well."

Xu Chongyuan’s forehead was covered in cold sweat. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

’Fucking hell.’

’That National Preceptor from the Demon Court is a real piece of work. What kind of crap has he been teaching these demons?’

"You’re joking, Grand General. How could we possibly be spies?" Xu Chongyuan said with a wry smile.

"I believe you’re men who belong to that brat, Sha Tongtian."

The Ox-headed Demon waved a massive hand. "Your... ’demeanor’—yes, that’s the word the National Preceptor used—is exactly the same as that brat Sha Tongtian’s.

Alright, you can go."

Hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Grand General," Xu Chongyuan said with a bow.

He then turned and shot the others a meaningful look.

Zhong Guizheng and the other Taiping Captain hauled Shi Ziran to his feet, and the group headed for the tent’s exit.

"Wait."

Just as they were about to leave the tent, the Ox-headed Demon suddenly spoke.

"The one calling the shots in your group... it’s not you. It’s him, isn’t it?"

The group stopped. They had just turned back when they saw the Ox-headed Demon raise its hand and point a finger at Su Mu.

Everyone’s heart sank.

"Grand General, we—" Xu Chongyuan hurriedly began to explain.

"Don’t tell me I’m mistaken," the Ox-headed Demon sneered.

"You have a keen eye, Grand General. We didn’t mean to deceive you..." Xu Chongyuan said with a wry smile.

"I don’t care about you humans and your little tricks," the Ox-headed Demon said dismissively. "But if you think your little ploys can fool me, you’re dreaming.

My eyes are like torches; nothing escapes my sight!"

"Yes, you are wise, Grand General," Xu Chongyuan said quickly.

"Do you know how I figured it out?" the Ox-headed Demon asked smugly.

Before Xu Chongyuan could ask, it answered its own question, "You’re too weak. He’s much stronger than you."

"The National Preceptor’s methods really are useful."

The Ox-headed Demon was completely unaware that Su Mu and the others’ hearts were in their throats. It laughed loudly and said, "Alright, you can go. When you see Sha Tongtian, tell him to act according to the plan. If he can’t get the city gates open, I’ll swallow him whole!"

Xu Chongyuan cursed inwardly. ’Is this damn demon using us to test all the random crap he’s learned?’

’He almost scared me to death!’

Su Mu also loosened his grip on his saber hilt, his back already drenched in cold sweat.

Just a moment ago, he thought their cover was about to be blown.

If a fight had really broken out, he had no confidence at all in facing a Tier Five Demon.

"We’ll be sure to deliver your message, Grand General," Xu Chongyuan said quickly.

"Go on. Once you’ve set a time to open the city gates, remember to inform me," the Minotaur said.

Xu Chongyuan casually agreed, urging the others with his eyes to head out.

Just as the group, with Shi Ziran in tow, had walked out of the tent and were about to leave the military camp...

Suddenly, a person led by a demon walked over from outside, coming face-to-face with them.

Both parties stared at each other, eyes wide, and subconsciously swallowed.

Just as they saw the newcomer’s mouth begin to open, about to let out a cry,

Su Mu’s figure flickered, and he was already by the person’s side, clamping a hand over their mouth.

CLATTER!

The surrounding demons instantly raised a motley assortment of weapons, completely encircling them.

"What are you doing?!" the demon escort bellowed. "Let go!"

"If you don’t want to die, don’t scream!" Su Mu whispered quickly in the person’s ear, then slowly released his hand.

"A misunderstanding! It’s a misunderstanding!"

Xu Chongyuan broke out in a cold sweat. "We’re friends, he’s one of us," he said hurriedly.

He pointed to himself, then to the person the demon had brought in.

"Isn’t that right... Brother Wu!" Xu Chongyuan called out, practically through gritted teeth.

Wu Qiuyuan was scared stiff. He never imagined he would run into *these* people in a Demon Court military camp!

’Taiping Captains!’

’Why are they here?’

Wu Qiuyuan screamed in his mind.

’I already fled all the way to Hujue Pass! Why do I have to see these faces again?’

’These are the two faces I hate more than any other.’

Wu Qiuyuan knew full well that if he shouted right now, Su Mu and Xu Chongyuan would be annihilated, their bodies left unburied.

But he was equally aware that with Su Mu standing right beside him, if he dared to make a sound, Su Mu would surely take him down with them.

Wu Qiuyuan had absolutely no doubt that Su Mu had the strength to do it!