It could even be said that as long as this Seal remained, it would faithfully record the last wisp of lingering aura within a hundred-zhang radius from the moment before its master fell.
’No wonder Qi Pan is so anxious.’
Chu Bai withdrew his Divine Thought and slowly opened his eyes, a glint of understanding flashing within them.
The assassin had erased all traces of aura from the scene, but had failed to instantly and completely obliterate this Seal, which contained the very Origin of the Law Net.
The black fog likely lingered not only to conceal the scene but also as a backup plan, attempting to use its corrupting aura to slowly erode and assimilate the Seal.
And Qi Pan’s mission was to find an opportunity before the experts from the Prefecture City arrived, get inside, and either carry away or completely destroy this broken Seal that could hold the key to the truth.
The mist over the Sanmu River grew denser, and the black fog roiled at the river’s heart, like a great beast lying in wait to devour its prey.
Qi Pan darted through the jumble of rocks on the riverbank, directing the Warriors under his command.
He appeared to be diligently sealing off the river, but in reality, every step brought him closer to the weakest edge of the black fog.
During a gap in the patrol rotation, a vicious glint flashed in Qi Pan’s eyes. He seized the momentary blind spot, pushed off a reef with the tip of his foot, and channeled his Spiritual Power into his legs in a volcanic eruption.
SPLASH!
He transformed into a streak of cyan light, shooting downward at incredible speed, using the force of his entry to execute a Water Escape and plunge directly into the river’s depths.
The surrounding River Patrol Warriors didn’t even have time to register what had happened; all they saw was a blur before their deputy captain vanished from the river’s surface.
However, under the 220-zhang coverage of Chu Bai’s Divine Thought, this "secret dive" was as clear as a man running under the midday sun.
"Bind!"
Without even rising, Chu Bai simply brought two fingers of his right hand together, and a dark gold rune materialized at his fingertips.
Mystic Curse!
After Chu Bai reached Late-stage Qi Cultivation and achieved Microscopic-level control, the power of this confining Secret Technique had undergone a fundamental transformation.
The river’s surface where Qi Pan had dived suddenly shuddered. Countless threads of Magical Power, as fine as hair yet as tough as iron, materialized from thin air and formed an invisible net. Before Qi Pan had dived even three zhang, the net ensnared him and yanked him back to the surface!
Qi Pan felt a sudden constriction around his body. For a brief moment, the flow of Spiritual Power within him seized up, leaving him floating helplessly on the surface, unable to move a muscle.
"Lord Chu? What are you doing?!" the surrounding Water Department Warriors cried out in alarm. Some even subconsciously tightened their grip on their water-forks, their faces a mixture of confusion and suspicion.
Chu Bai offered no explanation. His figure blurred as he dove from the cliff’s edge, plunging into the water like a tiger descending from a mountain.
KERSPLASH!
The moment Chu Bai hit the water, he didn’t cast a Water-Repelling Spell like an ordinary Cultivator. Instead, he relied on his formidable physique to forcibly part the waves, generating a massive white wake as he charged straight for Qi Pan.
Qi Pan was both stunned and terrified; he had never imagined Chu Bai could react so quickly.
Seeing Chu Bai bearing down on him, a look of grim resolve flashed in Qi Pan’s eyes. He snarled, "Chu, you’ve gone too far! I am a Regular Ninth Grade River Patrol Warrior of the Great Zhou! This river is my domain!"
He abruptly yanked a bronze River Patrol Order from his waist. With a savage expression, he channeled his Divine Thought, attempting to use the Water Department authority contained within the Token to suppress Chu Bai.
However, on the cliffside, Han Xingmo had already taken his position. He saw Qi Pan’s move, and his eyes flashed with a cold light as he abruptly raised the Water School Command Banner in his hand.
"Qi Pan of the River Patrol! For attempting to tamper with the site of a divine demise, your crime is tantamount to treason! All members of the Water Department, heed my command—Freeze!"
His booming cry was like a Dharma Decree descending.
The Token in Qi Pan’s hand let out a mournful whine, and the Water-Repelling Light Curtain that had enveloped him instantly shattered.
The authority of his Token was forcibly frozen by Han Xingmo, who used his higher rank as a River Patrol Officer.
"Han Xingmo, you treacherous, backstabbing coward!" Qi Pan let out a desperate roar. With his Token rendered useless, he was forced to fight like a cornered beast.
He unleashed the full power of his Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer, his hands moving frantically in the water, whipping the surrounding river into several vicious whirlpools to block Chu Bai’s advance.
"I’m at the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer and I grew up on the banks of the Sanmu River! Even without my Token, you can’t possibly hope to capture me underwater!" Qi Pan yelled, using the currents to dive deeper in a frenzy.
However, he had sorely underestimated Chu Bai.
Facing whirlpools strong enough to shred Refined Iron, Chu Bai didn’t dodge or evade. He didn’t even cast a Defense Technique.
He pushed the Iron Bone Casting Body Technique to its absolute limit, a faint, dark gold luster flowing beneath his skin.
The water blades, sharp enough to maim an ordinary Cultivator, struck Chu Bai’s body with nothing more than the muffled clang of metal on a great bell.
"Get over here!"
Chu Bai strode through the churning water, his eyes like crackling lightning.
His Divine Thought precisely pinpointed the nodes in Qi Pan’s Magical Power circulation. As Qi Pan watched in horror, Chu Bai shot his hand out, parting the raging currents and locking his grip directly around Qi Pan’s neck.
"You... what is your body made of?!" Qi Pan struggled frantically, forming several ice daggers at his fingertips and stabbing them viciously into Chu Bai’s arm.
The ice daggers shattered on impact, not even leaving a white mark on Chu Bai’s arm.
Chu Bai wasted no words. He tightened his grip, and the immense force instantly robbed Qi Pan of his ability to resist, the Spiritual Power inside him collapsing like a receding tide.
"Up!"
With a powerful upward heave, Chu Bai launched them both out of the river.

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