At the bottom of the Sanmu River, the inky-black water churned like boiling lead, stirred by an eerie black mist.
Chu Bai was enveloped in a five-colored radiance. The Five Elements Spiritual Power erupting from his acupoints fueled the Guardian Shield, forming an incredibly durable, transparent barrier around him.
The black mist, like countless tiny vipers, gnawed madly at the barrier with a sizzle. But against the self-perpetuating cycle of Chu Bai’s Five Elements Spiritual Power, it couldn’t advance a single inch.
He dove to the deepest part of the Divine Ship’s wreckage. The collapsed cabin within had become a Forbidden Land of death.
’Found it.’
’Is this the Stream Water God Seal?’
Chu Bai’s gaze sharpened, and he reached for the sliver of golden light.
The instant his fingertips touched the Seal and Ribbon, a grand and solemn repulsive force erupted!
Such was the Divine Dao Authority; even a shattered Seal was not something a mere mortal could easily touch.
Chu Bai felt his arms grow heavy. The force tore open the skin between his thumb and forefinger, and it felt as if a great mountain had slammed into his organs.
With a low grunt, the dark gold sheen beneath his skin began to flow wildly. He pushed the Iron Bone Casting Body Technique to its absolute limit, forcibly enduring the remnant of Divine Dao might—enough to shatter an ordinary Cultivator into dust—with his physical body alone.
"Seize!"
With his fingers like a claw, Chu Bai forcibly broke through the Divine Light’s resistance, snatching the Bronze Seal—which was covered in web-like cracks yet still warm and trembling—and tucking it into his robes.
SPLASH!
The calm surface of Threadline Gorge’s water suddenly erupted in a massive splash.
Like a Flood Dragon bursting from the waves, Chu Bai landed steadily on the jagged rocks of the riverbank.
With a jolt of his Magical Power, he vaporized the clinging river water and residual black mist into white steam. Then, with a grave expression, he pressed the hard object in his robes—still emitting a faint golden glow—to confirm the Seal and Ribbon was secure. Only then did he stride toward the restrained Qii Pan.
Qii Pan’s limbs were bound tight by a Demon-slaying Rope. Several Demon-slaying Guards pinned him down by the shoulders, rendering him immobile. His once-decent face was now shoved into the mud, making him look both savage and pathetic.
Chu Bai stopped before him. His gaze was as cold as a blade, his voice devoid of any warmth. "Qii Pan, the Divine Seal is in my hands. Things have come to this; are you still not going to talk?"
Qii Pan struggled to lift his head and spat out a mouthful of bloody froth mixed with mud.
He stared at the golden light filtering through Chu Bai’s robes, an incredibly complex expression flickering in his eyes—a mixture of fear and a kind of twisted fanaticism.
"Chu Bai... what do you think you’ve found? That’s a Life-ending Talisman!"
Qii Pan’s voice was hoarse and low, laced with a bone-chilling tremor. "I didn’t do this for something as petty as greed, nor for some achievement. The waters here are ten thousand times deeper than you can imagine. This... thing... it’s not for you to touch. And it’s certainly not something your handful of men can protect..."
"Don’t throw away your future for a paltry accomplishment."
"Silence!"
Han Xingmo hurried forward, his face pale as death, and sharply cut Qii Pan off.
His brow was deeply furrowed, his eyes filled with caution and apprehension. He didn’t even dare to look Qii Pan directly in the eye.
"Junior Brother Chu, don’t ask any more questions."
Han Xingmo’s voice trembled slightly as he shook his head at Chu Bai. "Assassinating a Regular Eighth-Grade Divine Spirit, and getting entangled with this kind of unknown power... this affair has already blown up into something huge.
"For Qii Pan to say such a thing means the Cause and Effect behind this is terrifyingly immense. If we learn something we aren’t supposed to know, I’m afraid we’ll meet a mysterious end long before anyone from the Prefecture City arrives."
He took a deep breath, his tone becoming strictly professional. "Junior Brother Chu, let’s follow procedure."
"Secure the scene. Keep him locked up and under heavy guard. When Director Zhang arrives, we’ll hand the prisoner over for joint interrogation by the Evil Suppression Department and the Water Department. Let the bigwigs up top worry about it. We... we’re just the Officials guarding the scene."
Chu Bai looked at Han Xingmo’s cautious demeanor, like he was treading on thin ice, and knew his Senior Brother was trying to protect everyone’s lives. ’In the Great Zhou Immortal Dynasty, some truths are indeed more lethal than any Demon, killing without a trace.’
"Alright, we’ll do as you say, Senior Brother Han," Chu Bai nodded, the sharp, inquisitive glint in his eyes gradually fading.
He turned and ordered several of his trusted Demon-slaying Guards, "Take Qii Pan to that open area and place a Restriction on him. Senior Brother Han, dispatch your most elite River Patrol Warriors to secure the perimeter. Don’t let anyone near, and more importantly, prevent Qii Pan from killing himself to destroy evidence."
Chu Bai glanced again at the black mist over the river’s center—thinning, but still chillingly cold. His tone was steady. "The underwater scene is secure for the time being. The situation is under control. Now, we wait for Director Zhang to grace us with his presence."
The river wind swept through Threadline Gorge. As Chu Bai stood among the jagged rocks, the Divine Seal in his robes seemed to react.
Above Threadline Gorge, the overcast sky was suddenly torn asunder as if by a great, invisible hand.
A bird’s cry, sharp enough to pierce the clouds and shatter stone, echoed through the heavens. The shriek was jarring, carrying a Slaughter Qi like clashing metal, and the force of it alone dispersed the last remnants of black mist on the river.
Chu Bai snapped his head up to see a colossal Mechanical Golden Falcon descending from the depths of the clouds.
The falcon was forged entirely from an unknown Dark Gold alloy. As its wings beat, the clang of interlocking gears echoed, and countless arcane runes flowed with light across its metallic surface.
BOOM!
A crushing wave of orthodox Official Qi descended from the sky, blanketing all of Threadline Gorge like a heavy mountain.
This was the authority of Dayuan Prefecture, a superior suppression that overrode the County-level Law Net.
The Demon-slaying Guards and River Patrol Warriors on the perimeter felt their spirits tremble under the crushing weight of the Official Qi, and the weapons in their hands drooped involuntarily.

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