Sword Qi flowed like sinking clouds of agarwood, bursting forth in an instant and scattering as it hit the ground.
Elder Xu Jiuqing from the Enforcement Hall of Flowing Sword Peak floated down, standing with his hands behind his back, the sword artifact on his back trembling slightly.
Behind him, he was escorting a figure with his sword qi.
It was Zhao Jianmian, the Peak Master of Sword Cloud Peak!
He was also an Inner Sect steward, sponsored by Shangguan Qinglei.
Zhao Jianmian’s expression was unsightly. Although he possessed the Void Aspect cultivation, Xu Jiuqing was an Elder of the Divine Aspect, in charge of the Enforcement Hall, with extremely formidable combat power.
How could he be his opponent? He could only surrender.
“Xu Jiuqing, you’ve treated me as a criminal without distinguishing right from wrong. I am a master of one peak of the Inner Sect, an Inner Sect steward! Even if you must arrest me, should you not at least produce an arrest warrant issued by the Sect Master?”
Zhao Jianmian glared coldly at the sword-bearing Xu Jiuqing.
Sect Master Nan Lihuo’s gaze swept over them mildly, while Li Qingshan and others were also bewildered.
Li Che’s gaze first settled on Xu Jiuqing.
A cultivator of Divinity Sword!
One of the most domineeringly powerful types of cultivators, specifically among those who were frontline fighters in sword cultivation.
Xi Xi was cultivating the Mystical Thunder Golden Light Evil Sword Technique, and would likely be considered among the fiercely domineering sword cultivators in the future.
Xu Jiuqing, one of the four great Divine Aspect elders of the Divine Sect…
Furthermore, his cultivation was in the Middle Divine Aspect, a bit stronger than Zhu Hong Dou, overseeing the Divine Sect’s rules and regulations. If there were any disciples who broke the law, they would be confined to the Enforcement Hall to await their punishment.
Should any Divine Sect disciple commit an offence outside, the Enforcement Hall would also dispatch personnel to apprehend them.
“Sect Master, I have brought the person. Zhao Jianmian is Shangguan Qinglei’s master, and Shangguan Qinglei has been beguiled by a powerful figure from the Corpse God Cult, with whom he is inseparably involved.”
Xu Jiuqing said coldly.
Then, seeing Li Qingshan, he squinted his eyes: “Li Qingshan, are you trying to compete with me over the duties of the Enforcement Hall?”
“I know you, Li Qingshan, cultivate ‘Thunder Exorcism,’ are upright and detest evil intensely, and cannot tolerate even a speck of dust in your eyes, but… do you plan to usurp my job with your Void Aspect cultivation?”
Xu Jiuqing did not unleash his Divine Aspect pressure, but a single look from him seemed to contain domineering Sword Intent, making Li Qingshan feel a slight weight on his shoulders.
However, Li Qingshan did not mind: “I am just asking, if the Sect Master wishes, I will naturally take on the task to thoroughly investigate.”
“You can trust me, Li Qingshan, to handle matters.”
Xu Jiuqing laughed, the immense pressure suddenly dissipating. He glanced at Li Qingshan and sneered: “Stop spouting nonsense, you’d better step into the Divine Aspect sooner… dragging your feet, has that trash Lin Xiu not been in the Divine Aspect for years already?”
Nan Lihuo shook his head, Xu Jiuqing and Li Qingshan was probably the same kind of people who intensely detest evil, but every time they met, they found each other disagreeable.
Nan Lihuo looked towards Li Qingshan, seemingly seeing through his intentions at a glance.
“I know you old guy are suspicious of me, but… if I really were involved with the Corpse God Cult, and meant harm towards Xi Xi, would I need to go through such convoluted means?”
Nan Lihuo said calmly.
Li Qingshan immediately felt awkward.
Li Che, however, appeared composed.
When Li Qingshan said that Sect Master Nan Lihuo might not be innocent, Li Che also thought of this.
For Nan Lihuo, being Xi Xi’s mentor, if he wanted to harm Xi Xi, it would be all too easy; there was absolutely no need to go through so much trouble.
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Using the unseen Seven Elemental Divine Weapon, and beguiling Shangguan Qinglei…
The cost was huge, not to mention troublesome.
Nan Lihuo was in daily contact with Xi Xi, teaching her cultivation. If he wanted to infect her with the Corpse Curse Mark, he could have done it long ago.
Thus, Li Che was doubtful of Li Qingshan’s suspicions about Nan Lihuo.
Moreover, the leader of a sect… how could he possibly be a master from the Corpse God Cult?
That was truly hard to imagine.
Nan Lihuo’s straightforward words left many in the small courtyard somewhat stunned and bewildered.
Xu Jiuqing gave a cold smile and directly shifted the topic for Li Qingshan: “Sect Master, how should Zhao Jianmian be dealt with?”
“Sect Master, I truly did not know about Shangguan Qinglei’s actions… Although he and I have the reality of a master-disciple relationship, after Shangguan Zhengheng was exposed for practicing the ‘Cursed Copper Corpse’ and other malignant and evil methods, I broke off my relationship with Shangguan Qinglei, I am wronged!”
Zhao Jianmian, bound by sword qi, spoke in a mixture of indignation and frustration.
Nan Lihuo looked at Zhao Jianmian.
Among the many Void Aspect stewards of the Inner Sect, Zhao Jianmian was considered one of the top few who could indeed manage a peak, and his cultivation and combat power were not weaker than Li Qingshan’s.
Nan Lihuo’s expression gradually grew colder: “Xi Xi is a true successor of the Sect Master… are you aware of this?”
Zhao Jianmian pursed his lips.
“Xi Xi is also a Divine Child who emerged as the top from the Divine Sect Golden Light Branch every 60 years, do you know that?”
Zhao Jianmian lowered his head.
He sighed.
“Sect Master… I am aware, Li Nuanxi’s identity is very important, and she is key to our Yunzhou Sub-sect’s bid for resources at the ‘Young Gods Assembly’ in the Ganyuan Orthodox Sect.”
“I am guilty, I did not keep a close eye on Shangguan Qinglei… it was my negligence, I am willing to cooperate with the investigation and accept the sect’s punishment.”
Zhao Jianmian naturally did not accept Xu Jiuqing’s arbitrary arrest.
But in the presence of the Sect Master, he readily bowed his head.
Because, he could not clear himself of this event; as Shangguan Qinglei’s master, who had orchestrated such a scandal, he had to be punished no matter what.
When Shangguan Qinglei made his move with means from the Corpse God Cult against Xi Xi, Zhao Jianmian felt as if everything went dark, knowing that this burden was definitely his to bear.
“Very well, Elder Xu, you are responsible for thoroughly investigating Sword Cloud Peak.”
“Sword Cloud Peak’s Peak Master Zhao Jianmian will be temporarily stripped of his peak master status and his Inner Sect stewardship is to be suspended, until the investigation is completed and the results are out. He will be fined three years’ salary, and also be sent to the Mysterious Temple in the Outer City to assist the Temple Control Bureau in slaying one Cursed Corpse from the Eight Extremes Temple and ten from the Nine Luminaries Temple, to make amends for his actions.”