nyslfriends Chapter 1868 Accountability for the Shattered Spirit Vein Incident!
Chapter 1868 Accountability for the Shattered Spirit Vein Incident!
the other side!
Just as a cold glint flashed in Cheng Buzheng's eyes, and he had already made up his mind—
Outside the main hall, a figure appeared out of thin air, seemingly slowly but actually quickly.
Just a moment ago, it was a hundred paces away, nothing more than a blurry outline.
The next moment!
The figure appeared like a ghost outside the palace gate, stopping precisely at the threshold.
He then bowed and clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice steady and powerful:
"Xuan Ming, the Deputy Hall Master of the Surveillance Hall, requests an audience with the Guild Master!"
The sound entered through the heavy palace doors and echoed in the spacious hall.
Inside the main hall...
Upon hearing this, Cheng Buzheng, who was on the high throne, had a slight change in his eyes, and the icy coldness on his face vanished without a trace in an instant.
Instead, he curled the corners of his mouth slightly upward, revealing a cryptic, cold smile.
'interesting……
I just received a secret report from the Shadow Department, and the Deputy Hall Master in charge of oversight has already requested an audience.
'It seems I underestimated this young friend Xuanming.'
Their information network is quite extensive.
'Very well, I'd like to see how this "great power of our association" will report to me later.'
And how can we explain the frequent ruptures of these spiritual veins?
Cheng Buzheng pondered to himself, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
Then, he waved his hand—
hum!
The protective array covering the entire hall, with its flowing spiritual light, opened a portal on its own.
The two heavy iron palace doors slowly opened inward with a low creak.
next moment,
The figure of Xuanming Half-Venerable, the Deputy Hall Master of the Surveillance Hall, clearly came into Cheng Buzheng's view.
Xuanming Half-Venerable was dressed in a dark green official robe embroidered with silver patterns, wearing a green jade crown, with a thin face and three long wisps of beard, exuding a refined and scholarly air.
At this moment, however, he lowered his eyes and stood respectfully, not daring to overstep his bounds in the slightest.
Although the palace doors were open, Xuanming Half-Venerable did not immediately step inside.
He first bowed deeply in respect towards the high platform inside the hall before stepping over the threshold and walking into the hall at a leisurely pace.
The closer one gets to the high platform, the clearer and more perceptible the invisible, powerful aura belonging to a Nascent Soul cultivator becomes.
Like a mountain peak hanging overhead, or a deep-sea current,
The sight sent a shiver down Xuanming's spine, making him feel a chill run down his spine.
Fortunately, he came from a top sect and had many experiences meeting Nascent Soul cultivators!
quickly!
Xuanming Half-Venerable then calmed his mind, collected his thoughts, and stood ten steps away from the high platform, bowing and clasping his hands in greeting once more:
"Your subordinate, Xuanming, greets the Guild Master!"
From the high platform came Cheng Buzheng's familiar yet indifferent voice, revealing no emotion:
"Lord Xuanming, what brings you to my court today?"
Xuanming, the half-saint, dared not be negligent, maintaining his bowed posture and replying in a steady voice:
"Reporting to the President, since the establishment of the Cultivator Association, the subordinates in charge of supervision have been generally in good order."
There is one matter that has been troubling me greatly, and I find it difficult to make a decision. Therefore, I have come to consult the Chairman.
"Oh?" Cheng Buzheng's voice rose slightly, as if he had become interested, his tone carrying a hint of meaning:
"Just follow the rules, young friend, why worry?"
Could it be... that the regulations are not clear enough, or that there is a lack of authority?
Upon hearing this, Xuanming Half-Venerable smiled wryly, his tone tinged with helplessness:
"President, you are wise to see this."
The charter is clearly defined, and the authority should be sufficient.
However... in principle, most of those who damage spiritual veins and violate prohibitions have been dealt with strictly according to the law, either captured and imprisoned or killed on the spot, as a warning to others.
However……"
He paused briefly, as if considering his words, before continuing:
"However, the backgrounds involved in the recent investigations into the shattering of spiritual veins have gone beyond ordinary sects and families."
Some of the clues vaguely relate to... the existence of a half-saint level.
Those connected to this group all have powerful figures backing them up.
They may even have business dealings with certain semi-respecters.
"Your subordinate... really cannot act rashly, therefore I have come to consult the Chairman, and humbly request your instructions!"
While talking,
Xuanming Half-Venerable took out a pre-prepared cyan jade slip from his sleeve, held it up with both hands, and respectfully presented it.
"Involving a half-saint?" Cheng Buzheng chuckled lightly, his laughter devoid of warmth.
"This has piqued my curiosity."
"Very well, let me see just how many 'young friends' are involved that have put the Xuanming Palace Master, who holds the power of oversight, in such a difficult position."
The voice has not fallen,
He slightly bent his five fingers and gently tugged.
call out!
The cyan jade slip transformed into a streak of light, instantly flying to the high platform and landing steadily in Cheng Buzheng's palm.
He didn't say much, but his boundless divine thoughts surged into the jade slip like a tide.
In an instant, a massive amount of information unfolded in his mind:
Case number: Jianjia 793.
Location: Eastern Region, southwest of Jinglin Mountain Range, coordinates: Hai 46, Wei 95.
"Event: A small spiritual vein (low-grade third rank) was forcibly drained of its source, completely shattered, its spiritual energy dissipated, and the earth vein was damaged."
"Analysis of residual traces at the scene: After three retrospective checks using the 'Tracing the Origin Reversal Array,' the residual magical power fluctuations and Daoist traces are 97% identical to the Blood Fiend Sect's signature technique, 'Mysterious Fiend True Method.'"
"Time of the crime: July 22nd of the first year of the Daoli era, from midnight to 1 AM."
"The perpetrator's identity is speculated to be a late-stage Golden Core cultivator whose cultivation techniques closely match the core inheritance of the Blood Fiend Sect. He is suspected to be a direct descendant of the Blood Fiend Sect or have a close relationship with a powerful elder within the Blood Fiend Sect."
"Related Sect/Person: Blood Fiend Sect (One of the top demonic sects, with several late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators and three half-Venerable cultivators residing within its ranks.)"
Case number: Jianjia 815.
Location: Beiyuan, northeast of Jiuyi Mountain Range, coordinates Shen 72, Geng 65.
"Event: A medium-sized spiritual vein (second-grade fourth rank) was forcibly stripped and extracted by a special formation, resulting in complete shattering and irreparable damage."
The spiritual energy concentration within a radius of 300 li decreased by 30%, affecting the cultivation of three small cultivation families.
"On-site traces and corroborating evidence: residual image fragments were captured using the 'light-tracing and shadow-tracing array'."
Based on the cross-verification of the testimonies of three eyewitnesses (who have been apprehended), the perpetrator was identified as a black-robed, masked cultivator, and the technique he used was suspected to be the "Mysterious Netherworld True Water Technique" (one of the core inheritances of the Northern Netherworld Palace).
The 'Mysterious Water Escape Light' he used to escape is the signature escape technique of the Nascent Soul elders of the Northern Underworld Palace.
"Time of the crime: the third day of the eighth month of the first year of the Daoli era, at the third quarter of the Yin hour."
"Related Sect/Person: Beiming Palace (A top-tier sect in the Northern Plains, whose master, 'Beiming Shangren,' is at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, and 'Xuanbing Banzun' is the sect's Supreme Elder.)"
Note: Three days after this incident, a new batch of unregistered pure spirit stones was found in the Northern Underworld Palace's warehouse, the quantity of which roughly matched the estimated value of the extracted spirit veins.
Case number: Jianjia 827.
Location: Western Regions, northwest of Biluo Stone Forest, coordinates: Jia 35, Yin 79...
"..."
Each and every incident was meticulously recorded.
Based on the time, location, extent of the damage to the spiritual vein, on-site traces, speculation about the perpetrator, and the background of related forces,
It even includes some subtle clues that point to higher-level relationships.
Cheng Buzheng swept his divine sense across the area, instantly imprinting all the information into his mind.
These cases largely coincided with the intelligence he obtained from the Shadow Division in their core facts, but they were quite "skilled" in terms of the depth of the "background" involved and the way certain details were presented.
After one glance,
He put down the jade slip in his hand, and his gaze fell as if it were a physical object on the Xuanming Half-Venerable below the main hall, whose face was full of "sorrow" and "dilemma".
His voice was flat, devoid of emotion, yet it carried an invisible pressure.
"Lord Xuanming Palace, are these... all the cases of broken spiritual veins that your Surveillance Hall has in its grasp?"
"Not a single one was missed?"
Upon hearing this, the air in the hall seemed to freeze for a moment.
Then,
A vast and overwhelming pressure, like the might of heaven, emanated from the high platform throne.
Although not deliberately targeted, the oppressive feeling was so real that Xuanming Half-Venerable felt a slight weight on his body, a chill ran down his spine, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Originally, according to his earlier plan, he should have gritted his teeth and answered affirmatively, "That's all."
however,
Just as he was about to speak, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the faint, ambiguous smile playing on the lips of the imposing figure on the high throne.
In an instant, Xuanming Half-Venerable's heart trembled violently, and alarm bells rang loudly!
'not good!
Could it be... that the president already knows about that?
Yes, very likely!
After all, the Murong family incident was the first major case since the establishment of the Cultivator Association to openly violate the "Spirit Vein Protection Prohibition", and its impact was extremely bad!
Although they tried their best to cover it up at the time, the personnel in the lower departments were complex, and it was hard to guarantee that the news would not leak out.
With the chairman's methods, how could he possibly be kept in the dark if he wanted to know?
In a flash, numerous thoughts raced through his mind. A small patch of cold sweat instantly soaked the back of the Xuanming Half-Venerable.
All the prepared excuses and pre-prepared attempts to evade responsibility vanished at that moment.
He dared not conceal anything any longer. Suddenly, his knees buckled, and he knelt down, touching the ground with his head. His voice was filled with fear and urgency:
"President, please forgive me!"
Your subordinate... Your subordinate did have selfish motives and concealed an important case from being reported!
Please, President, have mercy and allow me to explain!
Cheng Buzheng did not speak, but simply looked at him quietly. His calm gaze was more terrifying to Xuanming Half-Venerable than any reprimand.
Xuanming Half-Venerable dared not pause and quickly revealed a secret matter:
"It was...it was the first case of a shattered spiritual vein that occurred in Zhongzhou three months ago!"
The perpetrator... was Murong Dutian, a direct descendant of the Murong family, with the cultivation level of Golden Core.
He… in order to refine his natal magic weapon, he set up a 'Spirit-Stealing and Yuan-Reversing Array,' forcibly extracting the essence of that small spiritual vein, causing the spiritual vein to shatter completely.
"I had already ordered the capture of Murong Dutian and was preparing to thoroughly investigate whether the Murong family was aware of this."
But... but at this very moment, 'Wrathful Demon Half-Saint' personally came to our door.
Nu Kui, the half-recluse, explained that the ancestor of the Murong family had been kind to him, and that Murong Dutian was a descendant of his old friend. He was young and ignorant, and pleaded for leniency.
They also promised that the Murong family would compensate tenfold for the loss of the spiritual vein.
"Your subordinate... Your subordinate was momentarily confused."
He then agreed to suppress the matter.
They only reported it as 'the spiritual veins naturally dried up,' and secretly sent Murong Dutian back to the Murong family under house arrest, without punishing him severely according to the law.
The Murong family was not involved either.
By the end, Xuanming Half-Venerable's voice trembled slightly, and he prostrated himself on the ground, not daring to rise:
"Your subordinate admits his guilt!"
Please grant me another chance, President. I will certainly make amends, thoroughly investigate the Murong family, and personally explain the association's rules to Half-Venerable Nu Kui, promising never to repeat this mistake!
As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell into a deathly silence.
You can hear the needle drop.
Only the slightly heavy breathing of Xuanming Half-Venerable and the beating of his own heart, like a drum, echoed in his ears.
this moment,
Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, each breath feeling like torture.
On the high platform, Cheng Buzheng quietly looked down at Xuanming Half-Venerable, who was prostrating himself in apology. His gaze was deep and unreadable.
After a long while, just as the Xuanming Half-Venerable was about to be crushed by the silence...
He spoke slowly, his voice calm and even:
"Murong Dutian should be executed according to the law."
The Murong family should be considered accomplices and executed along with them.
“The wrathful half-saint… interfered with the association’s law enforcement and used his power to oppress people. According to the law, his century-long offerings should be confiscated and he should be suppressed for fifty years.”
With each sentence Cheng Buzheng spoke, Xuanming Half-Venerable's body trembled.
"And you, Xuanming..." Cheng Buzheng's voice paused slightly.
"As the deputy head of the Surveillance Hall, he violated the law while enforcing it, engaged in favoritism and malpractice, and concealed serious cases."
"For multiple offenses, the punishment should be combined, and according to the law, the offender should be stripped of their post."
Xuanming Half-Venerable's face was ashen, and he almost collapsed to the ground.
"However..." Cheng Buzheng changed the subject, his tone still calm.
"Considering this is your first offense, and that you worked hard in the early days of the association, and that you have now voluntarily confessed to some of your crimes..."
I will give you a chance to atone for your sins.
Xuanming Half-Venerable suddenly raised his head, his eyes bursting with hope.
"This is a one-time exception; there will be no next time." Cheng Buzheng's voice carried an undeniable authority.
"You will personally lead the team to apprehend Murong Dutian and his associates within three days, punish them severely according to the law, and make the matter public to the entire association."
You will oversee the execution of the punishments imposed on the Murong family.
As for the Half-Venerable Wrathful Lord, I will personally issue a reprimand, forfeit the offerings, and reduce the period of seclusion to ten years, but this must be carried out.
All the old cases involving the shattered spiritual veins involve corrupt elements within the association. You are to take the lead, work with the Enforcement Hall, and thoroughly investigate and deal with them according to the law within one month. There must be no further favoritism.
Is it even possible?
Yes! It's possible!
Thank you so much, Chairman! Thank you so much, Chairman!
Xuanming Half-Venerable kowtowed repeatedly, his voice choked with emotion.
"Your subordinate would never dare to do it again!"
I will do my utmost to atone for my mistakes! Please rest assured, Chairman!
"Hmm." Cheng Buzheng responded indifferently and waved his hand.
"Remember your words."
"Alright, you can go now."
"Yes!
I will take my leave now!"
Xuanming Half-Venerable felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and quickly stood up, bowed and slowly retreated.
“Oh, right,” Cheng Buzheng added, as if suddenly remembering something.
"After you leave, immediately summon the heads and deputy heads of the Law Enforcement Hall in my name and order them to come to this hall for a meeting."
"Yes!
"Yes, sir! I'll go deliver the message right away!"
Xuanming Half-Venerable immediately agreed, his attitude extremely respectful.
As I exited the main hall, the heavy doors slowly closed behind me.
Xuanming Half-Venerable retreated to the edge of the plaza in front of the hall before turning around completely.
...(End of this chapter)