This was the fundamental principle of the Great Zhou Immortal Dynasty. The common people needed a visible guardian deity to bring them solace, and the Immortal Dynasty needed this superficial tranquility to solidify the power of faith within the Law Net.
Chu Bai was not among those in the welcoming procession.
He was standing atop a teahouse far from the riverbank, his dark aquamarine official robes snapping in the wind.
Within the two-hundred-zhang range of his Divine Thought, he could clearly sense it. Each time a wisp of incense smoke entered the Divine Seal, the remnant soul of the once-demented Water Uncle would emit an extremely faint cry of joy, one tinged with confusion.
The incense smoke was mending its remnant soul, but it was also painting over its Divine Soul, which was like a blank sheet of paper.
’The Divine Dao is, after all, a product of mortal thoughts.’
’I wonder if it can regain some semblance of its former self.’
Chu Bai withdrew his Divine Thought, unconsciously stroking the Jade Treasure Gourd at his waist as he lamented internally.
After today, the Sanmu River would indeed have a Water Uncle in name.
But only he, Zhang Cheng, and a select few others knew that the being on the divine throne was nothing but a hollow spiritual shell—one with no past, no memory, and only the faintest flicker of self-awareness.
A deity like this might be even more diligent in its duties than its predecessor, for it had nothing but the prayers of the people.
"Lord Chu, the Director requests your return to the department for the handover." A Demon-slaying Guard ascended the stairs quietly, reporting in a low voice.
Chu Bai nodded, casting one last glance at the golden divine palanquin slowly entering the city amidst the cheers.
’Farce or grand spectacle, it makes no difference. As long as Anping County remains stable for the next year, that will be enough.’
He turned and descended the stairs with resolute steps.
With the successful conclusion of the Welcoming Rite, the second investigation team sent by Dayuan Prefecture formally took charge of the case.
Because Zhang Cheng had given them advance notice and had secured the Divine Seal, the officials from the Prefecture City became exceedingly polite. The harassment from Wei Chuan and his men was ultimately reduced to a mere bureaucratic formality.
Inside the duty office of the Evil Suppression Department, sandalwood incense curled in the air, dispelling the damp chill that had lingered for days.
Zhang Cheng sat upright in the seat of honor, the official documents in his hands already properly sealed. For once, a relaxed smile eased the tension in his brow.
Seeing Chu Bai enter, he beckoned him over and motioned for him to sit.
"This matter is behind us, for now."
Zhang Cheng’s voice was filled with palpable relief. "The Prefecture City’s stance is clear. Dayuan Prefecture has taken over the Sanmu River assassination case, but since the trail went cold in the black fog, the true culprit cannot be identified for the time being."
"But because you saved the Divine Dao Seal and Ribbon, our Evil Suppression Department has earned merit for protecting it. All suspicion and blame have been cleared from our name."
Chu Bai nodded slightly. The case was monumental; that the true culprit could not be found was only to be expected.
Escaping this political storm unscathed was the best possible outcome.
"However, there is one thing related to your little gambit on the riverbank."
Zhang Cheng set down his teacup, a hint of amusement in his voice. "The Prefecture Inspection Department is being officially censured by the Merit Department for ’procedural impropriety,’ ’unauthorized use of a Foundation Establishment Decree,’ and ’violent interference with a local government office’s duties’ during their investigation."
"That high-and-mighty Lord Commander is now facing a barrage of accusations. As for Wei Chuan, he’s been directly demoted and put on standby, sent back to the Prefecture City to contemplate his transgressions."
Chu Bai’s expression remained as placid as a still well.
Whether the men from the Inspection Department were punished or not was of no importance to him.
"Merely... procedural impropriety?"
Chu Bai astutely caught the key phrase in Zhang Cheng’s statement and looked up to ask.
"Judging by the outcome, yes."
Zhang Cheng gave a cold laugh and explained patiently, "In his defense at the Prefecture City, Wei Chuan claimed he was acting out of ’an eagerness to perform a meritorious service and a fear that the Divine Seal might be damaged.’"
"From a legal standpoint, he was justified in taking over the scene with a Foundation Establishment Hand Order. The issue was that his methods were just too brazen. Without ironclad proof that he was colluding with the assassins, the Merit Department could only fault him on ’procedure’ and couldn’t truly punish him for a major crime."
Chu Bai fell silent for a moment before voicing the question that had been troubling him for so long. "Then why were they so frantic to seize the Seal that day? What was their true objective? Master, what are your thoughts?"
Hearing this, Zhang Cheng let out a long sigh. He rose and walked to the window, gazing toward the distant Sanmu River. After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice low and heavy.
"The assassination of the Water Uncle had nothing to do with that Commander from the Inspection Department. He wouldn’t have the audacity to challenge the Immortal Dynasty’s Law Net at such a critical juncture. But his actions... they’re a classic maneuver, one all too common among high-ranking officials."
"My guess is that he intended to use taking over the scene as a pretext to have the Seal and Ribbon change hands."
"Change hands?"
Chu Bai’s heart lurched, and his eyes narrowed.
"Precisely."
Zhang Cheng turned his head, a look of cynical, world-weary absurdity in his eyes. "The Stream Water Spirit was dead, and its Seal and Ribbon was damaged."
"At that moment, the Seal and Ribbon was effectively a masterless, vacant position in the Divine Dao. If Wei Chuan had successfully snatched it and, under the cover of experts from the Prefecture City, forcibly sealed the Divine Soul of a pre-selected Cultivator into it, using a Secret Technique to replace the original, damaged Spirituality..."
Zhang Cheng paused, his voice dropping to a low, grave tone. "Then, by the time the dust settled, the Seal would still be a Regular Eighth-Grade Stream Water God Seal. But the ’divinity’ inside would have been replaced by one of the Lord Commander’s own cronies whom he wished to promote, or perhaps even one of his own children."
Realization dawned on Chu Bai, and a fine chill ran down his spine.
’I never knew such a scheme was even possible.’
In the Great Zhou Immortal Dynasty, a divine position was an incredibly precious resource—something countless people vied for but could never obtain.

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