Chapter 393: Extracting Information
In the study, Yang Haoran looked at the old man's Spirit Body before him, a smile gracing his face.
Yang Haoran had set up a barrier in the study to prevent the old man's soul from escaping. Besides that, a chain as thick as an arm was wrapped around the old man's Spirit Body.
Compared to their first encounter, the old man had long lost his former fiery temper. Facing the smiling Yang Haoran, his Spirit Body trembled slightly, his expression filled with dread.
The old man's Spirit Body was very faint, a significant difference from when Yang Haoran first coalesced his spirit body into a true Spirit. Although Yang Haoran hadn't personally witnessed the old man's experiences during this time, judging from the old man's current emotional reactions, coupled with his faint Spirit Body, it was likely he had a difficult time in the hands of the Spirit Police during this period. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been tortured into this current state.
Yang Haoran had no interest in how the Spirit Police tortured the old man. However, what useful information the Spirit Police had extracted from the old man—that was something he was somewhat interested in.
"Old man, how have you been faring with the Spirit Police? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
The old man's face was already filled with terror. As soon as he heard Yang Haoran's words, the fear on his face instantly intensified, and his Spirit Body began to tremble.
"N-not well," the old man responded, his voice tiny, his tone weak.
At this moment, the old man appeared utterly pitiful and helpless, but Yang Haoran had no intention of showing him any sympathy. This old man wasn't worthy of sympathy in the slightest; his current predicament was entirely self-inflicted.
"The method for refining Resentful Spirits. " The old man didn't hide anything, confessing honestly.
Yang Haoran wasn't surprised by the old man's answer at all. The smile on his face remained unchanged. Just as he was about to speak again, before he could even ask, the old man actually spoke before him.
"If you want to know, I can tell you. I can tell you all the methods for refining Resentful Spirits that I know. Please, don't torture me anymore."
The old man's face was full of pleading. It was obvious that the torture he had endured at the hands of the Spirit Police during this period had greatly traumatized him, which was why he was now like a startled bird.
There were many types of Resentful Spirits, and Ghost Infant was just one of them. Judging from the situation of that battle, the old man could not only refine Ghost Infants but also other Resentful Spirits. After all, that powerful female Resentful Spirit at the time was certainly not a Ghost Infant.
From this, it could be seen that the old man knew how to refine at least two different types of Resentful Spirits.
However, at this moment, the words the old man voluntarily uttered made Yang Haoran think that he probably knew how to refine more than just two types of Resentful Spirits.
Yang Haoran had little interest in refining Resentful Spirits. Not to mention that the process was bloody and cruel, but even if it weren't, the fact that such spirits couldn't increase their power really didn't spark any ideas in him.
However, although he wasn't interested in refining Resentful Spirits, he was interested in gaining a deeper understanding of various types of Resentful Spirits. If he had no such thoughts, why would he have summoned the old man's soul now?
"Tell me everything you know. Speak slowly and in detail, so I can write it down. " Yang Haoran took out paper and pen, saying with a smile.
How could the old man dare to say no? Without Yang Haoran needing to force him, he honestly confessed everything, informing Yang Haoran in detail of all the methods for refining Resentful Spirits that he knew.
Yang Haoran didn't stand on ceremony, meticulously recording everything the old man said.
The old man was an expert in refining Resentful Spirits, but what he was best at was refining Ghost Infants. He knew as many as seven methods just for refining Ghost Infants. Besides the methods for refining Ghost Infants, he also knew quite a few methods for refining other Resentful Spirits.
According to the old man's own confession, he was originally preparing to refine a Ghost Infant that would be stronger than the female Resentful Spirit and easier for him to control. However, while he was still preparing, the Spirit Police launched their operation against him. If not for that, if he had truly managed to refine the Ghost Infant he planned, then the previous operation against him might have had a different outcome.
The reason Yang Haoran meticulously recorded all this information was not only so it could serve as a reference for him, but also so that others in the villa could gain a better understanding of Resentful Spirits.
After everything had been recorded, Yang Haoran organized the recorded information and placed it in the bookcase. Only then did he turn his gaze back to the old man.
Under Yang Haoran's gaze, the old man's Spirit Body trembled slightly.
"I've told you everything I know. The information I gave the Spirit Police is exactly the same as what I told you. If you don't believe me, you can compare this information with what the Spirit Police have. " The old man, worried Yang Haoran wouldn't believe him, quickly vouched for himself.
Yang Haoran, however, didn't doubt the veracity of the old man's words. The old man had been scared into this pathetic state; how would he dare to deceive him now?
"I believe you. However, besides the methods for refining Resentful Spirits, do you have any other useful information you can tell me? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
"I-I don't know what other information you'd like to know," the old man asked, trembling.
"I am an Underworld Official. What I truly like, of course, are entities like ghosts. You were a master of refining Resentful Spirits during your lifetime; you shouldn't be unfamiliar with ghosts at all, am I right? " Yang Haoran asked, his eyes crinkling in a smile.
"During that slaughter, I used all the Resentful Spirits I had refined. And all of them were taken away by you; not a single one was left behind."
The smile on Yang Haoran's face didn't change. He continued to smile and say, "Don't be so quick to draw conclusions. Think carefully first. I know you shouldn't disappoint me."
Yang Haoran's smile was very kind and amiable. However, the old man sensed a deep threat. He knew that if he couldn't give Yang Haoran a satisfactory answer, his nightmare would likely begin anew.
Although he didn't know what methods Yang Haoran would use to torture him, he believed Yang Haoran's methods wouldn't be any worse than the Spirit Police's. This person before him was an Underworld Official, a bane to ghosts.
He had already suffered immensely at the Spirit Police's hands. Now, any torture would bring him terror, and might even cause his soul to be completely dispersed. How could he not be afraid?
Therefore, he didn't dare to speak again, honestly closing his mouth and racking his brain, hoping to think of some useful information to satisfy Yang Haoran.
Yang Haoran was rather satisfied with the old man's reaction. He didn't press him step by step, but instead, seemingly kindly, reminded the old man.
"Think carefully. Do you have any peers? Where do they live, and what is their strength like?"
The old man shook his head, saying, "I've always lived in Lecheng. I haven't met any colleagues in Lecheng yet. So, unless something unforeseen happened, I should be the only one in Lecheng who can refine Resentful Spirits."
"Then, do you know where there are powerful Evil Spirits or Evil Spirits (evil Spirits)? " Yang Haoran continued to ask.
The old man thought for a moment, then timidly shook his head again.
The smile on Yang Haoran's face became a little forced. He paused, then took a deep breath, and continued to ask with a smile: "Then, do you know any information about Spirit Mediums? If you can provide me with some information about Spirit Mediums, I should be very happy."
The reason Yang Haoran brought up Spirit Mediums was because the souls of Spirit Mediums could be exchanged for benefits far exceeding those of ordinary Wánglíng in the Underworld Office.
Furthermore, the Guardian Spirits of Spirit Mediums were almost always powerful ghostly entities. These ghostly entities were quite excellent for use as materials for refining Soul Pills.
Currently, Yang Haoran only had the soul of one Spirit Medium in his possession: Du Xiao, whom he encountered earlier at Nine Dragons Slope cemetery.
At that time, Du Xiao didn't even have his own Guardian Spirit. This meant he was just an ordinary Spirit Medium, not even counting as a Spirit Master. After he died, his soul was handed over to Deng Feng by Yang Haoran.
After Deng Feng died, Yang Haoran discovered five Soul-Gathering Beads filled with souls in Deng Feng's villa. One of these Soul-Gathering Beads was entirely filled with "hard goods" like Evil Spirits. However, Yang Haoran hadn't dealt with these five Soul-Gathering Beads. He also hadn't touched them when he went to the Underworld to submit souls at the end of last year because he had other considerations. So, he merely found Du Xiao's soul and collected it separately, and then never bothered with the other five Soul-Gathering Beads again.
Du Xiao was a Spirit Medium, and his soul held different value for the Underworld Office. That was why Yang Haoran collected him in a separate Soul-Gathering Bead, so he was fortunate enough not to be crowded with other ghostly entities.
Of course, as a Spirit Medium, once his soul fell into the hands of the Underworld Office, his fate would be incredibly miserable.
At the end of last year, Yang Haoran hadn't submitted Du Xiao's soul. This was because he considered one soul to be too few. Besides that, he also wanted to conduct more research on the souls of Spirit Mediums to see if he could make new discoveries.
At this moment, he mentioned Spirit Mediums to the old man simply with a "give it a try" mindset, to see if the old man had any information about Spirit Mediums. After all, Spirit Mediums did exist in Lecheng, but they were deeply hidden. Just because he didn't know their whereabouts didn't mean the old man didn't either, so he wanted to give it a try.
But what he hadn't expected was that as soon as he mentioned Spirit Mediums, the old man's expression changed. He saw all this and rejoiced inwardly.
After the old man heard Yang Haoran mention Spirit Mediums, he first froze for a moment, then under Yang Haoran's gaze, he actually nodded softly.
"I do know some information about a Spirit Medium, but I can't be sure if he's still there now," the old man said.
Upon hearing the old man's words, the smile on Yang Haoran's face deepened a few shades.
"You don't need to worry about whether he's still there or not. You just need to tell me everything you know."
Since Yang Haoran had said so, the old man naturally didn't dare to say more, and honestly told Yang Haoran everything he knew.
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