Back at the Anping Evil Suppression Department, the tension finally eased a bit.
Chu Bai wasted no time. He immediately dismissed the assembled Demon-slaying Team, ordering only Feng Qin to lead his men in setting up a tight perimeter.
Inside the duty room, agarwood smoldered in the incense burner. Han Xingmo sat to one side, his face pale, while two capable deputies pinned down Qii Pan, who was limp as a dead dog.
Zhang Cheng sat at the head of the room, placing the Stream Water God Seal—which was covered in cracks yet still emitted a faint golden glow—upon the desk.
The golden light flickered in the dim room, illuminating their grim faces.
Chu Bai recounted every detail of what had transpired at Threadline Gorge, from the black fog that had locked the river and Qii Pan’s dive to destroy evidence, to Wei Chuan brandishing a Hand Order to forcibly seize the Seal. He left nothing out.
After hearing the report, Zhang Cheng’s brow furrowed into a tight knot, and he let out a deep sigh.
"Master."
Chu Bai looked up, his gaze sharp as he faced Zhang Cheng. "That Wei Chuan from the Inspection Department arrived ready to kill and seize the Seal. His behavior was so tyrannical, and for the Lord Commander to remotely activate his decree’s oppressive power... they were clearly prepared."
"In your opinion, could the assassination of the Water Uncle be the handiwork of that Lord Commander from the Inspection Department?"
The air in the duty room grew still. Han Xingmo held his breath, his eyes fixed on Zhang Cheng.
However, after a long moment of contemplation, Zhang Cheng slowly shook his head.
"Assassinating a Regular Eighth-Grade Water Uncle is tantamount to treason. The Lord Commander of the Inspection Department is likely not the true culprit."
Zhang Cheng picked up his now-cold teacup and explained in a heavy tone, "Logically, he has no motive to do such a thing.
The Stream Water Spirit was a direct appointee from Dayuan Prefecture. There was no conflict of jurisdiction with his Inspection Department. Assassinating a True God who was about to take office would bring him nothing but harm."
"More importantly..."
A sharp glint flashed in Zhang Cheng’s eyes. "If a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator had truly acted personally, the power of their Divine Thought would have been enough to erase all traces in an instant. If it was his handiwork, he never would have left this Divine Seal at the bottom of the river, let alone waited for you and your men to arrive on the scene, Chu Bai."
Chu Bai nodded slightly. The words did indeed make sense.
If a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator wanted to silence someone and destroy evidence, they would never leave a mere Petty Official any room to maneuver.
"Then why did Wei Chuan try to seize the Seal today?"
Han Xingmo couldn’t help but speak up, pointing in disgust at Qii Pan, who was slumped on the floor. "And what about him? As my deputy in the Water Department, why would he risk death to get in the water and destroy evidence?"
Zhang Cheng looked at Qii Pan, his gaze cold and appraising. "That is the strangest part of this case. The assassin is someone else, but the Inspection Department’s desperate attempt to take over the scene and seize the Divine Seal was likely a spur-of-the-moment decision."
"Perhaps, in the moments after the Water Uncle’s assassination, the Lord Commander became aware of some threat to himself—or some new temptation—which made him decide to intervene and steer the case in a direction he could control."
"As for Qii Pan..." Zhang Cheng’s gaze seemed as if it could pierce a person’s very soul. "This man was likely compromised by some other power long ago. He wanted to get into the water to destroy the Divine Seal before it could record the final truth."
At this, Zhang Cheng turned, his gaze falling back upon Chu Bai, now filled with an unprecedented level of scrutiny and shock.
"Setting that aside for the moment... you..."
Zhang Cheng lowered his voice, a note of incredulous surprise in his tone. "Today at Threadline Gorge, when you faced the Foundation Establishment Divine Thought decree sent from afar by the Lord Commander, you didn’t retreat a single step? You even fought the Qi Cultivation Perfection Wei Chuan to a standstill?"
Though it was only a wisp of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator’s Divine Thought embedded in a Token, its power was still as crushing as a mountain.
Han Xingmo, a Water School at the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer, had been forced back three steps, unable to resist it.
Yet Chu Bai had not only withstood it, but had remained rooted to the spot at the very center of that oppressive power, like a steel spike. Such condensed mental will and Spiritual Power were simply inconceivable.
Chu Bai’s expression remained impassive, showing no hint of pride. He simply gave a slight bow and flatly uttered eight words:
"A Secret Technique from the Daoist School; cannot be shared."
’The main reason was indeed true. The enhancement to my Divine Thought from the Guardian Scripture naturally set me apart from ordinary Qi Cultivation cultivators.’
’Of course, if his opponent had been there in person, I wasn’t so sure I could have resisted.’
Zhang Cheng froze for a second, then his face showed a look of sudden understanding.
"I see." Zhang Cheng nodded, not pressing the matter further. "The Daoist School has a profound heritage. It’s your good fortune to possess such a protective Secret Technique."
Then, all eyes turned to Qii Pan.
Zhang Cheng snorted, and his Foundation Establishment Stage Divine Thought crashed down like a tangible, monstrous wave.
He used no torture. The absolute oppressive power from a higher state of existence alone was enough to make the heavily injured Qii Pan feel like his soul was being torn apart, his eyes nearly bulging from their sockets.
"Qii Pan, my patience is limited. Under the Law Net, no one can keep secrets."
Zhang Cheng’s voice was deep, each word a heavy hammer blow against Qii Pan’s shattered Dao Foundation. "Speak. Who ordered you to tamper with that Seal and Ribbon?"
Qii Pan’s mouth hung open, his body wracked with violent convulsions born of pure terror.
Under the gaze of the Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator, his pathetic will melted away like lingering snow under a blazing sun. At last, he let out a despairing shriek and began to speak, his voice raw and hoarse.
"It was... the Wild Cultivators..." Qii Pan confessed, his words broken. "Two years ago... I was gravely injured on patrol, and my Dao Foundation nearly collapsed. They saved me outside the borders, gave me a life-saving Pill and a Cultivation Technique... From that moment on, I had to obey them."
He coughed violently, spitting up bloody foam. "This time... they taught me a Secret Technique called Erosion God Transformation Qi. They ordered me to destroy the Divine Seal before the Prefecture City could take possession of it. If I destroyed the Seal, they would help me escape across the border... Who could’ve known that Chu Bai would show up out of nowhere..."

Comments

Loading...