Having made up his mind, Chu Bai no longer hesitated. He changed into plain clothes and left the Government Office.
...
The study in the Zhang Mansion was simple and elegant.
A burner of fine sandalwood incense sent up curling wisps of smoke, its fragrance unconsciously calming the mind.
Daoist Zhang sat in a Master’s Chair, a Dao Scripture cradled in his hands. As he listened to Chu Bai’s account, his expression remained calm and composed. Only occasionally, when a key point was mentioned, would a sharp glint flash in his eyes.
"...So, that’s what happened."
Chu Bai laid out the entire sequence of events in detail: Pang Song’s visit last night, the Sanmu River Wild God case, Team Two’s suspected extortion, and Pang Song’s intention to use him as a borrowed knife to kill his enemies.
After speaking, he looked at Daoist Zhang respectfully. "Although I have some thoughts on the matter, I am ultimately inexperienced with the ways of the world and do not understand the depths of this situation. I ask for your guidance, Teacher."
Daoist Zhang set down the Dao Scripture, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. Then, looking at Chu Bai, he stroked his beard and smiled.
"You, my boy, are just a bit too cautious. But caution is a good thing. The court is a battlefield. Thinking one step ahead grants you a better chance of survival."
"That question you were just worried about—was this Pang Song’s own opportunism, or was it done on Zhang Cheng’s orders?"
Daoist Zhang’s gaze was profound as he revealed the heart of the matter. "Actually, that isn’t important. Because this was always inevitable."
"Oh?" Chu Bai was slightly taken aback.
"The merger of the Evil Suppression Department’s two divisions may seem like a move by the County Yamen to consolidate resources, but in reality, it’s a necessary step for Zhang Cheng to fully seize power. After all, he has been a figurehead for a long time."
"And the biggest obstacle in his way is the deeply entrenched Noble Faction, which controls vast resources—in other words, Team Two."
Daoist Zhang analyzed, "How can one tolerate another sleeping beside one’s own bed? If Zhang Cheng truly wants to control the Evil Suppression Department, he will have to move against Team Two sooner or later. It’s the inevitable course of events, an open gambit."
"Pang Song is a smart man. He saw this clearly, which is why he dared to come to you. Even if his actions weren’t explicitly ordered by Zhang Cheng, they absolutely have his tacit approval."
"Think about it. If you were Zhang Cheng and you saw your trusted lieutenant team up with your sharpest blade to deal with a disobedient thorn in your side, what would you think?"
A flash of realization crossed Chu Bai’s eyes. "He would be happy to see it happen?"
"Exactly!"
Daoist Zhang said with approval, "Therefore, not only must you lend this blade, you must do so magnificently!"
"As for your worry about a backlash from the Noble Race..."
Daoist Zhang sneered, his tone laced with disdain. "If it were about anything else, you might need to be somewhat wary."
"But on a matter of absolute right and wrong like ’illicit worship of a Wild God,’ as long as you have irrefutable evidence proving they’ve been empowering bandits to increase their own standing, extorting the common folk, and allowing the Wild God to grow in power..."
"That is a capital crime that shakes the very foundations of the state! In the face of such an accusation, forget a few mere Noble Races in the County—even the Noble Families of Dayuan Prefecture wouldn’t dare to openly shield them!"
"This gives you the moral high ground, and it is the ultimate authority in your hands."
After hearing this analysis, Chu Bai felt a sense of sudden enlightenment. The fog of uncertainty that had clouded his mind instantly dissipated.
"I understand now."
Chu Bai cupped his fist and said, "Since this is the inevitable course of events, and a righteous cause at that, I will not shirk my duty."
"However..."
Daoist Zhang’s tone shifted, becoming earnest and sincere. "Since you’ve decided to act, you must be strategic. Remember one principle: investigate the case, don’t pick a side."
"Investigate the case, don’t pick a side?" Chu Bai mulled over those seven words.
"Correct."
Daoist Zhang nodded. "You must position yourself purely as an ’Inspector.’ You are investigating Team Two not because you want to help Pang Song attack his rivals, nor to help Zhang Cheng in his power struggle. You are investigating them because they broke the rules and violated the laws of the nation!"
"This way, no matter the final outcome, you will be in an invincible position. Others can only say you are upright and impartial; they won’t be able to accuse you of forming a clique for personal gain."
"As for the specifics of how to do it..."
Daoist Zhang instructed, "The evidence must be ironclad, and your methods must be ruthless. But when it comes to the final resolution, you must know how to follow procedure."
"Once you have ironclad proof, don’t jump out and confront Team Two head-on yourself. Instead, present it to Zhang Cheng and let him decide."
"Let the Director decide how to use this evidence—whether to launch a thunderous strike for a complete purge, or to hold it back as a bargaining chip to keep the Noble Race in line. That will no longer be your concern."
"You just need to be the blade. As for where the blade swings, let the one holding it decide."
Chu Bai nodded repeatedly, filled with utter admiration for his mentor’s political acumen.
This guidance not only helped him clarify the situation but also taught him how to protect himself in a complex struggle and, from there, secure the greatest advantage.
"Thank you for your teachings, Teacher! I have learned a great deal!" Chu Bai stood and gave a deep bow.
"Sit, sit."
Daoist Zhang waved his hand, a gentle smile on his face. "Aside from all this scheming and plotting, I happen to have some other leads regarding the Sanmu River."
"Oh?" Chu Bai asked curiously.
"Did you know that my eldest disciple, your senior brother Han Xingmo, is currently stationed on the Sanmu River?"
Chu Bai was taken aback. "My senior brother?"
He knew he had a senior brother who had started his training many years before him and was also one of Daoist Zhang’s prize students. However, this senior brother was always busy with official duties and rarely returned to the County, so the two had never met.
"That’s right."
Daoist Zhang smiled. "That boy, Xingmo, has a calm and steady temperament. While his aptitude isn’t as monstrously talented as yours, it is quite solid. He currently serves in the Water Department as a Regular Ninth Grade River Patrol Warrior, stationed in the Sanmu River area, where he is responsible for monitoring the waterways and dredging the river."
"With this Wild God affair happening on the Sanmu River, since it has alarmed even the Evil Suppression Department, the Water Department certainly won’t sit idly by. Xingmo is in the middle of it all; he should know a lot of the inside story."
"If you happen to run into him during your investigation, you should ask him about the situation. You both hail from the same master. Even though you’ve never met, the bond of your shared tutelage exists. You should naturally look out for each other."
Chu Bai was overjoyed to hear this.
This was a godsend.
He had been worrying about being completely in the dark regarding the situation on the Sanmu River. Although he had information from Pang Song, it was ultimately just one side of the story from Team Three.
If he could get a contact within the Water Department, and a senior brother at that, the accuracy of his intelligence would be vastly improved.
"I will remember that, Teacher. If I am fated to meet my senior brother, I will certainly ask for his guidance."
With the official business concluded, Daoist Zhang looked at the high-spirited student before him. He swept his Divine Thought over Chu Bai, and a trace of surprise and gratification flashed in his eyes.
"Your aura... it’s perfectly harmonious, and seems to be on the verge of overflowing."
Daoist Zhang stroked his beard and smiled. "It seems you’re only a day or two away from breaking through to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer, aren’t you?"
Chu Bai didn’t hide it, nodding. "Just as you say, Teacher. I can feel the bottleneck has loosened. I just need to accumulate a bit more Spiritual Power over the next few days, and the breakthrough should come naturally."
"Good! Good! Good!"
Daoist Zhang said "Good" three times in a row, then took a small, exquisite white jade bottle from his sleeve and handed it to Chu Bai.
"This is a bottle of Yuan Condensing Pills. Although it’s only a Low-Tier Pill, it’s remarkably effective for assisting breakthroughs into new Small Realms and stabilizing one’s foundation. This is a little something I had left over from my younger days. I have no use for it now, so I’m giving it to you."
"This... Teacher, this is too precious!"
Chu Bai hastily tried to refuse. Yuan Condensing Pills were incredibly valuable on the market, a rare and excellent aid for any Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivator.
"Take it!"
Daoist Zhang said with feigned displeasure, "A gift from an elder cannot be refused. On your trip to the Sanmu River, you won’t just be facing the treacherous hearts of men, but also unknown Wild Gods and Demons. Every bit of Cultivation you have is another tool for self-preservation."
"Go after you’ve made your breakthrough. It will put my mind at ease."
Chu Bai was deeply moved. He stopped refusing and accepted the jade bottle with both hands, saying solemnly, "Thank you for the pill, Teacher! I will not disappoint your high hopes!"
After bidding farewell to his esteemed mentor, Chu Bai walked out of the Zhang Mansion.
It was now noon, and the sun was bright.
Chu Bai felt the cool jade bottle in his robes. He thought about the senior brother he was about to meet and the baffling Sanmu River case, and his heart was free of any trace of confusion.
’I’ll just have to deal with whatever comes my way.’

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