“Name?”
“Su Bai.”
“Affiliation?”
“Three Mountains Sect.”
“Gender?”
“Male.”
“Gender?!”
“Male.”
“……”
The Law Enforcement Cultivator stared at the stunning female cultivator before him, a look of ‘are you kidding me?’ flashing across his face.
The breathtaking female cultivator simply shrugged lightly, then opened her palms and said, “I was originally a Qi Refining cultivator, but something went wrong during my training.”
“If you Daoist Friend doubts, you may retrieve the information on all cultivators who participated in the Thousand Souls Yin City operation.”
Upon hearing this, the Law Enforcement Cultivator took out a Projection Artifact and tapped a few times on the glowing screen.
Soon enough, all sorts of information about Su Bai was retrieved. The handsome male cultivator on the screen bore some resemblance to the female cultivator before him, and the covert Soul Jade detection instrument did not sound any alarms.
The Law Enforcement Cultivator silently ruled out the possibility that this person was a Demonic Cultivator in disguise.
“So it is Daoist Friend Su,” the Law Enforcement Cultivator said as he put away the Projection Artifact.
Then, producing a piece of Spirit Paper from somewhere, he smiled.
“Daoist Friend has accomplished a great feat this time, protecting an important Immortal Alliance asset from the Demonic Cultivators. But duty is duty, reward is reward. The Immortal Alliance strictly prohibits cultivators from privately using the Tongyu Ling Mirror. Are you aware of this?”
“Aware,” Su Bai nodded.
Seeing this, the Law Enforcement Cultivator brushed two strokes on the Spirit Paper.
“In that case, the Immortal Alliance has decided to reward Foundation Establishment cultivator Su Bai with ten thousand Soul Jades and sentence him to fifty years of duty guarding the Abyss of Ghosts. Any objections?”
Golden Core pressure surged forth like a raging tide, deep as an abyss, instantly filling the entire room.
The air around seemed to solidify under this oppressive force, making it almost suffocating.
Su Bai merely furrowed her brows slightly, but quickly regained composure, nodding gently. “What you say is correct, but I have one thing to add.”
The next moment, she stood up straight.
A luminous projection of Qingyang rose from behind her, dazzlingly bright, instantly illuminating the space like a newborn morning sun!
Vibrant and lively life energy gushed out from her body like endless waves, enveloping the room.
In an instant, the suffocating pressure was dispelled, replaced by a refreshing, comfortable warmth!
“I am a Golden Core.”
The Law Enforcement Cultivator’s expression shifted slightly.
But the next instant, he returned to normal.
He stood up and gave a slight bow to the radiant Qingyang.
“So it is Daoist Friend.”
“If you are a Daoist Friend,” the Law Enforcement Cultivator said, pinching the Spirit Paper filled with crimes and rewards, and with a flash of fire in his hand, the paper turned to ash, drifting away in the wind.
“Then all of this can be dismissed.”
Su Bai: ???
Wait, buddy.
What happened to the Immortal Alliance’s impartial law enforcement? You just casually altered the trial outcome like a minor clerk?
I revealed my Golden Core cultivation not to defect, but only to explain why I survived under the Demonic Cultivators and to correct this error.
When the Law Enforcement Cultivator met Su Bai’s beautiful eyes filled with three parts doubt, three parts suspicion, and four parts thoughtful contemplation, it seemed he realized something and couldn’t help but chuckle while shaking his head.
“Daoist Friend Su, no need to worry. This procedure fully complies with Immortal Alliance regulations. There is no suspicion of favoritism.”
He then took something from his robe—something neither jade nor not jade—shaped like a jade plate: the Tongyu Ling Mirror.
“We Golden Core cultivators differ from those Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining juniors. It is almost a capital offense for ordinary cultivators to possess this item, but among us Golden Core cultivators, nearly everyone owns one.”
Su Bai immediately understood.
If the Immortal Alliance were likened to a country, then Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators would be the commoners, while Golden Core cultivators were officials—no matter how low-ranking.
Under Immortal Alliance law, all cultivators are equal, but Golden Core cultivators are more equal.
“Punishment does not reach the great, rites do not reach the common.”
No, more precisely, the Jindan True Persons have their own standards of discipline.
“May I ask your name, Daoist Friend?” Su Bai cupped his hands respectfully.
The Law Enforcement Cultivator smiled slightly.
“Heavenly River Sect, disciple of Xuanming Heavenly Venerable, surname Zhang, courtesy name San Hong.”
“So it is Daoist Friend Zhang under Xuanming Heavenly Venerable of the noble Heavenly River Sect. An honor long sought.”
“Ha ha ha, Daoist Friend Su is quite amusing. Come, come, this is no place for idle chat. Please follow me.”
“And the verdict for this trial?”
“What trial? Daoist Friend Su singlehandedly repelled invading Demonic Cultivators and protected an important Immortal Alliance asset. This is a great merit! I will report it to the Immortal Alliance later! A heavy reward is certain!!”
“Daoist Friend Zhang is most righteous!”
Politics, after all, is just an ornate structure upheld by many; favors and rituals exchanged. Not to gain more friends, but to have fewer enemies.
Born into four generations of officials, Su Bai could not say he was unfamiliar with such maneuvering, handling it with practiced ease.
“I wonder how Mother is doing now?”
In the room, Little Su Hei sat on the bed, staring straight at the door, eyes filled with worry and longing.
Several hours had passed since Su Bai was taken away by the so-called Law Enforcement Cultivator Golden Core True Person, yet no news had returned.
He knew about the Tongyu Ling Mirror matter.
He had seen Foundation Establishment cultivators publicly executed in Dao Tian more than once.
So that means… Mother wouldn’t have been…
“No, no way,” Little Su Hei shook his head fiercely, refusing to entertain such thoughts.
If anything happened to Mother, he would surely go mad!
It was Mother who raised him single-handedly, who brewed his favorite Peach Blossom Soup, and who taught him the warmth of hugs and kisses.
“Mother? I sense you have no blood relation with that female cultivator.”
“Who’s there?!”
Little Su Hei suddenly stood up and swept his divine sense around the room.
The room was empty, without a trace of anything else.
Hmm?
Little Su Hei’s face showed confusion.
No objects, so what was that sound just now?
Could it be his imagination, caused by worry over Mother?
Creak~
Just then, the door suddenly opened.
Little Su Hei looked up and saw a slender, familiar figure at the doorway.
His once worried dark eyes instantly brightened, his face full of joy.
“Mother~”
He shouted excitedly and instinctively wanted to rush forward and hug Su Bai, desperate for an embrace.
However, just as he was about to get close, his gaze accidentally swept over her full, rounded chest.
Little Su Hei’s face instantly flushed scarlet, and his steps abruptly froze, as if struck by a paralysis curse, standing awkwardly in place.
His hands hung awkwardly midair, unable to advance or retreat.
“Tsk~ Little brat, looks like your thoughts aren’t so pure after all~~”
Who’s there?
Little Su Hei suddenly turned his head sharply, scanning around as if to find the voice’s source, but found nothing.
Su Bai paid no attention to her little pet’s odd reaction and walked straight in, holding a Projection Artifact, her expression grave.
“Just received news: an elder Golden Core cultivator in the sect has passed away. Without a Golden Core, the sect loses its qualification to continue as a sect and will be disbanded by the Immortal Alliance and absorbed into other sects.”