I am very curious

Chu Xingchen managed to pacify Chen Baiqing with a single sugar painting.

Originally coming in aggressively, Chen Baiqing hadn't even had the chance to interrogate her master before seamlessly transitioning into his subordinate worker.

The Heavenly Dao Map was also temporarily handed over to Chen Baiqing. She was instructed not to let anyone else see it and to record the changes in the spirit veins in detail every day. If there were ever any issues or changes with the spirit veins, she was to contact Chu Xingchen immediately.

Moreover, since Chen Baiqing was here, there was another matter perfectly suited for her to handle: dealing with Donggua's secret slacking off.

Although Donggua had explained the effects of the ritual and sincerely promised to work hard, it was obvious that Donggua had learned the art of empty promises.

When someone treats their own words like hot air, all the reasoning in the world is useless. It was akin to the classic saying: I am but a savage.

Naturally, Donggua did not dare to slack off openly. After all, blatantly malicious slacking would easily get it locked in the dark room. Nowadays, it was probably replicating what it had learned from Cui Hao: appearing busy, but only doing useless things.

From time to time, it would observe and study the rituals sent over. A single observation would take ten days to half a month. After finishing its research, when asked what it had gained, the answer was always: not enough samples, no significant findings.

When they asked Donggua to deduce the hiding spots, secret signals, and interrogation methods of its former accomplices based on past experience, it did provide answers, but when cross-checked, they were as good as nothing.

When asked why, Donggua's response was extremely self-righteous: since it had already defected, Xu Linglong would naturally change all the secret signals and codes it knew. It was perfectly normal that they didn't match.

Naturally, during subsequent investigations into this claim, they discovered that Donggua was not being honest, and even its previous honest answers weren't that truthful either.

This half-heartedness, failing to even be a pure traitor, and attempting to resist with a lazy attitude meant that it was eighty percent likely still trying to return to the dead end that was Xu Linglong.

Obviously, Chu Xingchen's heart-to-heart talk had only managed to move Donggua temporarily. Once Donggua calmed down, it returned to its usual mindset of "as long as I can survive, anything goes."

Sometimes, slacking off was more frustrating than active sabotage.

With Donggua slacking off to this extent, it was hard to even spread fake news through it.

Chu Xingchen still harbored some hope that at a critical moment, Donggua could actually pass on some key information. Therefore, the task of having a good talk with Donggua was naturally handed over to Chen Baiqing to try.

Moreover, with the purging of the Dongsheng Divine Continent, this critical juncture would certainly not be too far off.

Because the flaws—whether intentionally left by Xu Linglong or not—were becoming increasingly obvious, pointing directly towards the Central Province, seemingly aiming to draw suspicion toward the Eighteen Immortal Sects.

The situation would indeed become completely different as both sides revealed their trump cards.

If Xu Linglong's ultimate move was truly that terrifying, then they had to prevent her from smoothly achieving her goals; thus, the advantage of time would not belong to Chu Xingchen.

Chen Baiqing knowingly accepted the task, ready to beat some sense into this Donggua.

Dongsheng Divine Continent, Wanfang Screen, the temporary hub of Yunxiao Hall.

Having completed her daily drawing task, Chen Baiqing came to handle her newly arrived daily assignment.

She stepped into the specially cleared small side hall, her gaze naturally falling upon Donggua, who stood to the side looking somewhat restrained.

"Donggua?" Chen Baiqing looked it over and asked.

Donggua took a couple of glances at Chen Baiqing, recalled for a moment, and recognized the person in front of it.

Back then, it had barely escaped with its life from her hands. Looking back now, there was an eighty percent chance that the Chen Baiqing before it had let it go on purpose.

Donggua's expression revealed a hint of humility:

"It is I. May I ask if Senior Chu summoned me this time for some instructions?"

Chen Baiqing acted as if she had forgotten Donggua, as if they had never met. Holding a jade token in her hand, she appeared to be reading. After waiting a moment, she slowly spat out two names.

"Cui Hao... Wukong."

Hearing this, Donggua's face instantly stiffened, and dead memories began to surge forward like ocean waves.

Chen Baiqing ignored Donggua's expression. She put away the jade token in her hand and threw a new one into Donggua's hands.

"Take a look first. Tell me what you want to say after you finish reading."

Donggua took a deep breath and sent its divine sense inside.

The good news was that the contents were completely different from what it had imagined. There was no mention of the names of those two damned bastards, Cui Hao and Wukong, and the contents had nothing to do with them.

The bad news was that the contents were even worse than mentioning those two, even worse than being immediately escorted to Cui Hao to work as a beast of burden!

Inside was a complete record of its own spouted nonsense, fabricated intelligence, dishonest answers, and fooling excuses.

At the end, this intelligence report even made a judgment on Donggua: for such an unreliable thing, immediate disposal on the spot would yield the best results.

Furthermore, it detailed the judgments and reasoning with extreme precision, presenting evidence and facts as solid as a mountain.

Donggua's lips moved for a long time, but it couldn't spit out a single word of defense.

Chen Baiqing didn't speak either, just continuously staring at Donggua with an icy gaze.

She let the atmosphere drop straight to the freezing point. Inside the side hall, even the slightest sound of breathing seemed extremely heavy.

Donggua couldn't bear it. Feeling that it might truly meet its end here today, it struggled to speak:

"This... I... He... No... This..."

The five words were dragged out into long syllables; Donggua hadn't even figured out how to start the very first word.

"Master said that you seemed quite sincere the last time he saw you. He feels that perhaps there's a misunderstanding here," Chen Baiqing shifted her gaze to the teacup on the side, interrupting Donggua's terrified facial expressions.

Donggua hurriedly added, "Yes, yes, yes, there must be a misunderstanding."

Chen Baiqing gently fiddled with the teacup, not looking back at Donggua, as if she didn't care about it at all. Nor did she follow Donggua's words to reply, but continued:

"I think so too. Master misunderstood your sincerity. In truth, your heart still lies with Xu Linglong. After all, you are a demon, and demons are family with other demons. We are nothing but lowly pests meant to be wiped out, the stumbling blocks preventing you from reaching a beautiful future."

"Donggua, wouldn't you say that's right?"

Hearing this, Donggua's expression once again began to display standard terror.

Chen Baiqing closed the tea lid properly, her gaze leisurely drifting back to Donggua:

"The fact that it isn't Cui Hao who came today means my master has softened his heart. My master is good at everything, except that he is too soft-hearted."

"I'm a bit different. My heart is even softer."

"I've thought of a way for you to clear your name in front of Xu Linglong. For example, you understand the great righteousness, believing the life and death of your kin is more important than the heavens. Seeing that lingering on with your last breath is no longer of any use, you die a heroic death, slitting your own throat right in front of me."

"I will spread this news to Xu Linglong on your behalf. It will surely allow your statue to stand tall above all your fellow demons."

"I heard you used to be afraid of death, but later you weren't anymore."

"Besides, I am a curious person. If you say you aren't afraid of death, I definitely have to find out if it's true or false."

"Donggua, answer me."

"Are you afraid of death?"