"Senior Brother, the evidence they handed over and the reparations they offered are all here. I've checked them, and there are no issues!" Han Li said as he handed several storage bags to Qi Ping.
"Good!" Qi Ping nodded and took the bags. After a brief scan to confirm everything was in order, he tucked them away.
"Senior Brother, there is one more thing we need to be careful of," Han Li added.
"What is it?"
"The Hurricane Sword-Seed has been raised and nurtured with the full resources of the sect by the Second Elder since he was a child. He has always been one of the most brilliant geniuses of his generation, which has bred a character that looks down on everyone. When he executes a mission, he cares only for procedure. As long as the evidence is present and the sect has issued the arrest and execution warrants, I'm afraid he will strike the moment he sees us, without giving us a chance to explain the evidence."
"Not even a chance to explain? Is the Law Enforcement Hall truly so tyrannical in its conduct?" Qi Ping's brow furrowed. Valuing procedure over facts—wasn't this just a blade in the hands of those in power to eliminate dissenters?
"It wasn't like this before. But ever since the Hurricane Sword-Seed broke through to Foundation Establishment Perfection and became the First Senior Brother of the Law Enforcement Hall, the Hall has become like this. Since he took office, our fellow disciples have grown deeply afraid of them."
"I see. In that case, for the next few days, you and Brother Zhang should stay within the protective array I set up for you. I don't want anyone taking advantage of the chaos to strike at you when I face the Hurricane Sword-Seed."
After saying this, Qi Ping returned to his cultivation. He didn't have time to swap out his Treant Clone, so he could only focus on strengthening it as much as possible.
"Understood, Senior Brother. Junior Brother Zhang and I will be careful!" Han Li replied before immediately leaving to inform Zhang Da-niu. This was a matter of life and death; there was no room for carelessness.
Even now, whenever Qi Ping mentioned that protective array, Han Li couldn't help but feel amazed. It was enough that Qi Ping's personal strength was extraordinary, but he was also such a powerful formation master!
Thinking of the identity of a formation master, a figure from years ago suddenly flashed through Han Li's mind—the Bee Daoist who had gone on a killing spree in the Qingtian Domain. Both possessed decisive killing intent and superb formation skills. One such person was rare enough; having two such figures appear around the same time made it hard not to draw a connection.
However, after reflecting, Han Li felt it was unlikely. The Bee Daoist had killed many people from the Qingyuan Sect and slaughtered numerous affiliated factions. Such a person couldn't possibly have passed the Heart-Questioning Mirror test, let alone received the 'Mainstay of the Sect' evaluation. The Heart-Questioning Mirror had never failed in ten thousand years!
While many in Starfall City felt fear or intense anticipation for the arrival of the Hurricane Sword-Seed, Qi Ping simply cultivated in silence. He had a fair amount of confidence in the coming battle, but he wouldn't pass up any chance to increase his odds. Besides, every moment of realization and cultivation was a stepping stone toward immortality.
Just as Qi Ping thought he could cultivate peacefully until the Law Enforcement team arrived, something interrupted him.
After a day of quiet cultivation, a middle-aged rogue cultivator dressed in a tattered, light-gray robe suddenly appeared before the gates of the Qing-Immortal Manor. His robe was torn in multiple places, and his aura was incredibly chaotic, as if he were on the verge of his cultivation spiraling out of control from heavy injuries.
Upon reaching the gates, the man suddenly knelt heavily and kowtowed three times.
"Rogue cultivator Mo Fan carries a family heirloom and begs to see Lord Warden Lin Ya!"
His cry, filled with intense emotion, was amplified by spiritual power and echoed through the area. He then pulled an ancient-looking box radiating a faint Dao-rhythm from his storage bag. Kneeling with his head low, he held the box up with both hands before the manor gates.
This commotion quickly drew the attention of those within the Qing-Immortal Manor. Seeing the obvious treasure in the man's hands, many felt greedy, yet no one dared to move. Since Qi Ping had taken charge, no one in the manor dared to play small tricks, especially with so many witnesses watching.
The manor staff quickly notified Han Li and Zhang Da-niu. As for Qi Ping, they weren't yet qualified to see him.
A moment later, Han Li and Zhang Da-niu arrived at the gate. The moment they saw the box and sensed the dense, high-level Dao-rhythm radiating from it, their hearts surged with shock. The aura felt as if it had reached the Golden Core level! They didn't dare delay and immediately led the man to a side hall.
Shortly after, Qi Ping was awakened from his cultivation.
"Senior Brother, a rogue cultivator has come to offer a treasure in exchange for an audience. Judging by the Dao-rhythm on the box, it should be a Golden Core-level treasure," Han Li explained quickly, his voice still tinged with excitement.
A treasure at the late stage of Foundation Establishment was already rare; a Golden Core-level treasure was something else entirely!
"A rogue cultivator offering treasure?" Qi Ping was slightly surprised. He had encountered such things before, but this was his first time seeing a Golden Core-level offering. He had killed countless Foundation Establishment cultivators and destroyed many families, yet he had never even seen a fragment of a Golden Core treasure. One could only imagine their rarity.
This piqued Qi Ping's interest. "Take me to see him."
"Follow me, Senior Brother!"
Soon, Qi Ping appeared in the reception hall. The middle-aged man, Mo Fan, immediately knelt before him in agitation.
"This humble one, Mo Fan, greets the Lord Warden!"
Qi Ping glanced at him and noticed the man's vital energy was nearly dried up. Without high-grade pills, he wouldn't live much longer. Qi Ping didn't waste time and asked directly:
"Why have you come to seek me?"
"Lord Warden, my young daughter was captured by the Cloud-Rain Tower not long ago. By now, I fear she has been taken to be trained as... as one of those girls for the pleasure of others..." Mo Fan's voice choked with an uncontrollable sob. His eyes filled with intense agony. As a father, he simply couldn't continue. He curled into a ball of pain, taking a long moment to recover enough to whisper, "I only managed to escape by relying on my family treasure. Fortunately, under your rule, no one dared to strike in the city streets, otherwise, I would never have made it here. I only hope to use this heirloom to beg you to save my daughter. I am willing to serve you as your ox or horse for the rest of my life. I beg of you, Lord..."
With that, Mo Fan opened the treasure box, and a terrifying aura of spiritual power erupted.