Shen Hong grunted through gritted teeth, sweat dripping down his face as he looked on incredulously.
Pulling together all the strength he had, he tried to push himself up from the ground.
He managed to lift his head and look around, realizing that other than the members of his Sacred Family, none of the other guests were subjected to the soul suppression released by Xiao Ning'er.
A grim expression washed over his face. He realized that their situation was far more dangerous than he had originally thought.
"W-what's the meaning of this, City Lord? How can you allow such behavior in your own mansion? This little girl is far too overbearing in her actions. Not only did she attack Shen Xiu, but she even used her strength to bully others. City Lord, please uphold justice for my Sacred Family."
Every word Shen Hong uttered was laced with barely restrained fury, making it obvious that he was struggling to keep his anger under control.
Despite that, none of the people listening found him as intimidating as before. The current Shen Hong was nothing more than a powerless man under the suppression of someone far stronger than himself.
People had mixed feelings about the scene unfolding before them. Some were stunned beyond words, while others were confused as to why the City Lord was allowing such a thing to play out.
However, those who could see the underlying meaning behind Ye Zong's attitude had their eyes widen in realization, their chests heaving heavily.
"It's really happening," one older expert muttered under his breath, his long white beard trembling as he took a shaky breath.
"Happening? What do you mean by that, Father?" whispered the man beside him anxiously.
The old man closed his eyes as a profound look washed over his face.
"The heavens are about to pass judgment upon Shen Hong and his family for all the crimes they have committed," the old man answered gravely.
Just like Shen Hong, all the experts had their eyes fixed on Ye Zong, waiting to see his stance on the matter. As the City Lord, Ye Zong's words carried tremendous weight. His next words might decide the fate of Shen Hong and his family.
Ye Zong had a stern look on his face as he strode forward, standing by Xiao Ning'er's side.
His eyes lingered on Shen Hong, sending him a cold gaze.
"Xiao Ning'er, please keep Shen Hong and his family restrained. It is time for the public to know the Sacred Family's true face."
Ye Zong's words drew a collective gasp from the crowd. Although they had no idea what he meant by the Sacred Family's "true face," they knew it was something grave.
"Ye Zong, you damnable bastard! What do you mean, keep us restrai-Ack!"
Before Shen Hong could finish his words, the immense pressure pinning him down increased, causing him to grit his teeth from the sheer strain it placed on his body.
"I truly admire your tenacity, Shen Hong. Even after being caught red-handed, you still act as though you've done nothing wrong. Do you really think we're that stupid? Did you truly believe you could collude with the Dark Guild, harm our people, and walk among us as if we would never discover the truth?
How laughable! Our Glory City has endured for many years. We have faced calamities far greater than you and the Dark Guild. Do you really think you and your family are enough to destroy us?
Then you are gravely mistaken. Brother Zhenlong, you may begin."
Ye Zong spoke icily, his voice loud enough to be heard by everyone, leaving the crowd stunned into silence.
Their eyes bulged from their sockets as their jaws hung agape in bewilderment.
Every word Ye Zong uttered was like a bomb exploding in their minds, leaving them utterly dumbfounded.
Chen Zhenlong walked toward the Sacred Family's table with a fierce expression. The heavy sound of his footsteps caused the hearts of the surrounding people to tremble as they stepped aside, opening a path for him.
His sharp glare darted around, looking for someone.
He then stretched out his arm, grabbed the hem of a man's robe, and dragged him to the front, placing him where everyone could see him clearly.
"As you all heard, the Sacred Family has long abandoned its duties as one of the protectors of Glory City. Not only that, Shen Hong and his family have worked hand in hand with the Dark Guild to harm our people and destroy our home.
"To prove this, I, Chen Zhenlong, will personally perform a Truth Detection Soul Technique on the Sacred Family's main affairs elder, Shen Ming, to uncover the truth behind their betrayal."
As he spoke, Chen Zhenlong forced Shen Ming to his knees, making the man crash heavily onto the ground.
Sweating profusely, Shen Ming's body quivered in terror as tears and snot poured down his face. He was as pale as a sheet of paper, with every trace of color drained from his face.
"No! Please, I don't want to die, Patriarch! P-Please save me! I have served the family with unwavering loyalty! I beg you, Patriarch, please save my life!" Shen Ming pleaded.
He was fully aware of what was going to happen to him once he was subjected to the Truth Detection Soul Technique.
Shen Hong could only curse under his breath as he helplessly listened to Shen Ming's desperate pleas. He didn't care if Shen Ming died. The problem was that once all of their secrets were exposed to the public, Ye Zong and Chen Zhenlong would absolutely kill him, as there would no longer be anything stopping them.
What he was most worried about was whether the Demon Lord would come to their rescue quickly enough, or if he would end up dead before help arrived.
Ignoring Shen Ming's pathetic cries, Chen Zhenlong formed a hand seal. A burst of spiritual energy escaped his body before condensing into a long, thin thread.
It snaked through the air before shooting toward Shen Ming's temple and piercing it.
Shen Ming let out a miserable shriek as the Truth Detection Soul Technique invaded his mind.
The sight alone was enough to make some people step backward in fear.
While they had all heard rumors about how ruthless the Truth Detection Soul Technique was, they had never expected it to be far worse than they had imagined.
It didn't take long before the Truth Detection Soul Technique completely overtook Shen Ming's mind.
Gone was his fearful expression. Shen Ming remained on his knees with a blank look in his eyes as saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth.
"My Divine Family's Truth Detection Soul Technique can be used in two ways. The first is to determine whether the person under its effects is telling the truth. The second is to force the target into a mindless state, making them incapable of resisting and susceptible to answering any questions truthfully.
"I am using the latter function of the Truth Detection Soul Technique on Shen Ming."
Chen Zhenlong explained in a booming voice, making sure everyone could hear him.
His eyes shifted toward Xue Hui, giving him a meaningful look.
"Xiao Hui, go and perform the interrogation."
Xue Hui nodded before strolling over to where Shen Ming knelt. His eyebrows rose in curiosity as he looked at the vacant-eyed man. Then his lips curled into a mischievous grin.
"Wow, so this is what the Truth Detection Soul Technique looks like while it's being used, huh? Fascinating. Despite being part of the Divine Family for so many years, this is actually the first time I've seen it cast on a person."
Chen Zhenlong did his best not to roll his eyes at Xue Hui's remarks, remembering the day the young man had awakened.
Xue Hui cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention, before asking,
"Shen Ming, answer me truthfully. Among Shen Hong's women, who is your favorite, and why?"
His question drew some interesting reactions.
People gasped, coughed, and even spat out their drinks, having chosen the absolute worst moment to take a sip.
Shen Hong's body shook as his face turned red with rage.
"Among all of the Patriarch's women, my favorite is Shen Cai. She sometimes sneaks behind the Patriarch's back to service me at night in exchange for plenty of Demon Spirit Coins."
Shen Ming's answer caused the entire banquet hall to fall into an awkward silence.
Everyone stared at him as though he were a god of madness. He had actually dared to sleep with one of his lord's concubines. How crazy was that?
"Hmm, if I recall correctly, this Shen Cai is one of Shen Hong's mistresses, right? Someone whose status in Shen Hong's inner court is quite low. Even so, to actually sleep with her behind Shen Hong's back, you're quite daring, Shen Ming, why did you do it anyway?" Xue Hui asked amusedly.
"I did it because others did too. The Patriarch is too busy cultivating, so he ignores all of his women."
Shen Hong trembled with fury, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as he struggled against the soul suppression. However, his attempts failed, causing his body to suffer backlash.
But he couldn't help it.
He was furious. Extremely furious.
Subduing him wasn't enough; they were even going so far as to make a mockery of him.
He wanted to kill everyone, especially Xue Hui and Shen Ming.
"Okay, that's enough. I believe that question was sufficient to confirm the validity of the Truth Detection Soul Technique. Now, let's ask the most important question."
Like a switch had been flipped, Xue Hui's demeanor turned serious. The grin on his face vanished, replaced by a sharp expression that caused the air around him to grow heavy.
Everyone gulped nervously.
"Shen Ming, answer my question truthfully. When exactly did the Sacred Family start working with the Dark Guild?"
It was a question that went straight to the point, causing everyone to hold their breath in tense anticipation.
Shen Ming's glassy eyes trembled before meeting Xue Hui's gaze. He opened his mouth several times before finally answering.
"The Sacred Family has been working with the Dark Guild since the time of the first Housemaster."
Shen Hong, sprawled on the floor, could do nothing but listen in despair as the people around him erupted into an uproar.
End of Chapter 110
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