Gao Yuanzhao’s body trembled violently as a bone-chilling cold spread from the depths of his heart.

He had thought the sect would at least acquiesce, perhaps even offer some assistance. He never expected to be so decisively cast aside.

’Over thirty years of diligent service, countless merits and hardships... and it all amounts to less than a bit of potential pressure from the Government Office?’

Looking at Lu Qingsong’s placid face, the last glimmer of hope in Gao Yuanzhao’s heart was completely extinguished.

After a desolate smile, Gao Yuanzhao’s voice was filled with endless bleakness:

"I... I understand. Having been in the sect for over thirty years, I know full well that on this journey, I will not escape death, regardless of success or failure. I ask for nothing else, only that the Sect Leader, for the sake of our past connection, might one day recover my bones and give them a proper burial.

And... and I implore the sect to protect my only son afterward. Give him a chance to live, so that my Gao Family’s... lineage is not completely extinguished."

Lu Qingsong remained silent for a moment before finally giving a slight nod.

"Agreed."

Gao Yuanzhao said no more. He performed a deep bow, then turned and staggered out of the Grand Conference Hall.

The twilight of the setting sun stretched his shadow long across the floor.

.....

「G Camp, within the Government Office Hall.」

Chen Sheng sat cross-legged, his aura retracted as his mind delved inward to inspect his cultivation progress.

[Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique: Minor Achievement (60/500)]

[Basic Saber Skill: Perfection (1480/2000)]

[Fishing Toad Force Secret Technique: Perfection (48/2000)]

[Demon-Suppressing Triple Extremes Saber: Perfection (200/2000)]

Roughly five days had passed since he had suppressed Zhan Fusheng with overwhelming force. In that time, he had not only fully recovered from the minor backlash and injuries caused by using the Vitality Pill, but his Cultivation had also been steadily advancing.

Zhan Fusheng, for his part, showed no sign of breaking his oath. After his defeat, he immediately requested leave to recover from his injuries and proactively humbled himself before Chen Sheng.

He declared that the three squads of Jing’an Guards under his command were at Chen Sheng’s disposal and swore he would not appeal the duel to their superiors. He even offered ten Elemental Crystals as a token of goodwill, his only request being a transfer out of G Camp once he recovered, begging Chen Sheng to show mercy.

After a moment’s consideration, Chen Sheng agreed.

Zhan Fusheng himself was insignificant, but Vice Envoy Sun Yuzhi, who backed him, could not be underestimated.

He had sensed the friction between Nie Xuanfeng and Vice Envoy Sun, but without explicit orders, he was unwilling to get involved in a power struggle among the higher-ups and make an enemy for no reason. Taking full control of G Camp without a fight was the best possible outcome for the time being.

Originally, Chen Sheng had planned to enter a period of secluded cultivation. He intended to find a superior Body Technique to address his weaknesses before making a move for the Han Family’s Hundred-Year Earth Heart Lotus.

However, a warning from the [Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil] Celestial Book in his mind during the early hours of the morning had completely upended his plans.

[My name is Chen Sheng. By the time you read these words, my regret is boundless... I once believed the Hundred-Year Earth Heart Lotus was secure, so I wasn’t in a hurry to act. I never expected that while I was in seclusion, the unexpected would happen.

Because Han Ling’er was desperate to obtain Innate Spiritual Qi, she used the Hundred-Year Earth Heart Lotus as a bargaining chip to strike a deal with Li Xuanche, the second son of the Li Family’s main lineage.

She would reveal the secret of the Han Family’s Hundred-Year Earth Heart Lotus and help Li Xuanche acquire its seeds. In exchange, Li Xuanche would first grant her a strand of Innate Spiritual Qi. Once Han Ling’er reached the Innate realm, she would have two years to repay him twenty Elemental Crystals. If she failed to pay by the deadline, she would have to give him her Primordial Yin.

In the end, on the sixth day of the second month of the Eighth Year of Mingjing, the Han Family, intimidated by the Li Family’s power and the price Li Xuanche paid, handed over most of the lotus seeds. When I learned of this later, I was overcome with regret every time I thought of it...]

His gaze swept over the words on the Celestial Book, his eyes narrowing.

’Thank goodness for this warning, or I’d still be completely in the dark,’ he thought. Today was the sixth day of the second month of the Eighth Year of Mingjing.

The opportunity was fleeting.

"Captain, the men have been assembled as per your orders. We can depart at any moment."

Xu Shenzhi’s voice rang out from outside the door, filled with irrepressible excitement.

When Chen Sheng had ordered him to gather their forces earlier, he knew the long-awaited moment had finally arrived. The day to avenge their shame and restore the Xu Family’s prestige was today.

Chen Sheng slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping across the dossiers on his desk—a collection of the Han Family’s "criminal evidence" compiled over the years.

The truth was, every major and minor power in the Prefecture City—every family and sect—had its original sins. If one looked, it was easy to find enough evidence for a conviction. It all depended on whether the Government Office was willing to act.

Most importantly, the final right to interpret this evidence rested solely with the Jingwu Bureau.

Before, it hadn’t been worth the trouble. But now that he had decided to act, it wouldn’t take much effort at all.

"Move out."

Chen Sheng rose. The two cold words seemed to make his dark official robes stir without a breeze as a grim, murderous aura filled the air.

"Yes, sir!!!"

A sharp glint flashed in Xu Shenzhi’s eyes.

.....

「Ning’an Prefecture City, Outer City, Han Mansion.」

Inside the main hall, the atmosphere was superficially pleasant, but an undercurrent of tension flowed beneath the surface.

Patriarch Han Jingyi of the Han Family wore a polite smile as he exchanged pleasantries with a richly dressed young master seated before him. However, his eyes kept darting toward Han Ling’er, who sat quietly sipping tea to the side, a questioning look in his gaze.

This young master was Li Xuanche, the second son of the Li Family, one of Ning’an Prefecture’s foremost Noble Families.

Moreover, the Li Family’s power had been on the rise in recent years, far surpassing the declining Han Family. Li Xuanche’s sudden and unannounced visit, with no festival or occasion to mark it, inevitably put Han Jingyi on high alert.

Han Ling’er, however, seemed oblivious to the Clan Leader’s gaze. Her eyes were lowered as if in meditation, and she sipped her tea with elegant grace, her expression perfectly serene.

Li Xuanche was incredibly perceptive. He took in the subtle interplay between them, and with a slight smile, he set down his teacup, deciding to stop beating around the bush.

"Clan Leader Han, I have come unannounced today because there is a favor I must ask."

"Please, speak freely, Young Master Li. If it is within the Han Family’s power to help, we will certainly not refuse."

Han Jingyi’s smile didn’t waver, but alarm bells were already screaming in his mind.

"My older brother has recently encountered a bottleneck in his Cultivation. I have heard that your esteemed family possesses a treasured Hundred-Year Earth Heart Lotus, whose seeds contain pure Spiritual Qi and are a great aid to cultivation. I have come today hoping to procure a few of these seeds on his behalf.

Of course, I would never expect the Han Family to suffer a loss. We can exchange them for Cultivation Resources of equivalent value, or we can follow the market price—one Elemental Crystal per seed. All terms are negotiable."

Li Xuanche clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, but though his tone was polite, his words carried an undertone that brooked no refusal.

Han Jingyi’s expression flickered. He forced a laugh. "Young Master Li, surely you’ve been misled by street gossip? The Han Family is but a minor house. How could we possibly possess a Spiritual Object like the Hundred-Year Earth Heart Lotus?"

The Hundred-Year Earth Heart Lotus was the Han Family’s greatest secret. No more than five people knew of its existence, all of them clan elders. Han Jingyi simply couldn’t fathom how Li Xuanche had learned of it.

He certainly wasn’t going to admit it so easily.

After all, the Hundred-Year Earth Heart Lotus was a rare Spirit Medicine. Its pod produced nearly twenty seeds every ten years, which was equivalent to a recurring income of twenty Elemental Crystals for the Han Family.

This was a vital source of income and of critical importance to the Han Family.

If the Han Family only had the seeds, it wouldn’t be an issue. The problem was, the seeds were a minor concern; the lotus itself was the major prize.

’What if news of the lotus itself leaks out? What happens when some powerful expert comes to demand it?’

’The Han Family could be annihilated.’

Li Xuanche smiled faintly, his tone still placid, but his words held an unshakable certainty:

"Since I have brought it up, I naturally have my sources. Furthermore, Clan Leader Han can rest assured. This matter goes from my lips to your ears only. I, Li Xuanche, will keep this secret and never speak of it to another soul."

Han Jingyi’s expression shifted from one shade to another. His gaze suddenly snapped to Han Ling’er, his eyes now filled with a mixture of shock, anger, and accusation.

Just as he was trying to figure out how to continue stonewalling, a Han Family disciple stumbled into the hall, his face deathly pale. He cried out in a trembling voice:

"C-Clan Leader! It’s bad! The Jingwu Bureau... The Jingwu Bureau has surrounded the Han Mansion! The one leading them is... is Deputy Captain Chen Sheng of G Camp! And... and Xu Shenzhi of the Xu Family is with them!"

"What?!"

Han Jingyi shot to his feet, his expression changing drastically. "How many men?"

"Dozens of them, all in full armor! They’ve blocked the front and back entrances!"

Meanwhile, Han Ling’er, who had been the picture of composure, flinched the moment she heard the names ’Chen Sheng’ and ’Xu Shenzhi’. The teacup in her hand trembled, splashing a few drops of tea, and the color drained from her face.