121: pacify the northern frontier

Situ Jun looked with a complex expression at the once-arrogant overlord of the Northern Border at his feet, who was now as humble as an ant.

After a moment, his gaze turned cold:

"Even if my Xihua Sect doesn't deal with you, the Tianqi Dynasty won't let you off easily. From now on, you are not to leave the border garrison, and all affairs are suspended!"

This was completely stripping him of power and putting him under house arrest.

Bei Batian's face was pale, but he didn't dare to voice any complaints. He kowtowed repeatedly, "Yes! Yes! Your subordinate obeys! Thank you, Inspector, for sparing my life!"

After dealing with Bei Batian, Situ Jun's gaze finally landed on Elder Yue:

"Fellow Daoist of the Xuan Yin Sect, for the sake of the future harmony between our two Sects, take your people and leave Northern Border City now to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings!"

His tone carried a clear order to leave.

Elder Yue sighed and cupped his hands:

"We shall leave at once! No need for Fellow Daoist to trouble yourself!"

Leading two Golden Core Cultivators and several Guards, he fled the suffocatingly oppressive atmosphere of the study.

In the study, only Situ Jun and the slumped Bei Batian remained.

Situ Jun glanced at Bei Batian and said:

"Give me the City Lord's medallion, then go into secluded cultivation to heal your wounds."

Bei Batian didn't dare to disobey in the slightest, obediently offering the City Lord's medallion before withdrawing.

Situ Jun leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.

A thrilling crisis had been forcefully suppressed by his Half-step Nascent Soul strength and a superficial grasp of the Power of Law, allowing him to temporarily take control of the situation.

But this had also drawn the attention of the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty and offended the Xuan Yin Sect.

He slowly opened his eyes; the exhaustion was gone, replaced by an even deeper light.

"Guards!" he called out in a deep voice.

Outside, the Guards who had long been startled by the massive commotion but hadn't dared to enter came in trembling.

"Pass down the order."

Situ Jun raised the medallion in his hand, his voice carrying an unquestionable authority:

"City Lord Bei has entered secluded cultivation due to his injuries. Northern Border City will be temporarily managed by me. Immediately lock down the Northern Border and strengthen the martial Law. Summon all commanders and above, as well as the manor's chief stewards. We will hold a meeting in the main hall in one hour!"

"Yes, City Lord!" The Guard accepted the order solemnly.

Situ Jun stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open.

Outside, the sky was dimly lit. The morning light struggled to tear through the thick clouds, casting the first sliver of light onto the border fortress. A new day had begun.

And Northern Border City had also welcomed its true master.

In the study, the scent of blood and the burnt smell from the collision of spiritual power had not yet dissipated.

The Guard left to carry out the order, his heavy footsteps echoing in the empty corridor like the tolling bell of a power shift in the Northern Border.

With a thought, Situ Jun went to the inner chamber where Bei Batian was healing.

Seeing Situ Jun enter, Bei Batian's fear, humiliation, and the daze of surviving a disaster intertwined, finally leaving only complete submission.

Just as he was about to rise and salute, Situ Jun waved his hand to stop him.

The morning light struggled to pierce the thick clouds, gilding the weather-beaten border fortress with a faint golden edge.

The shadows of the patrolling soldiers on the city walls were stretched long, and smoke from cooking fires curled up from the civilian areas. Everything seemed the same as usual, but Situ Jun knew that from this moment on, the interior of Northern Border City had been turned upside down.

He slowly turned around, his gaze like a cold blade sweeping over Bei Batian.

"Stand up."

The voice was flat but carried an irresistible power.

Bei Batian shuddered and scrambled to his feet. He stood hunched over, his head hanging so low it almost touched his chest, his body still trembling slightly.

"Eat this Medicinal Pill."

Situ Jun's voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a hammer striking Bei Batian's heart:

"It will ensure you can never betray me. To be honest, I didn't want to take you as my slave, but I fear that letting you go would harm those I care about."

Bei Batian jerked his head up, the sliver of hope that had just risen in his eyes instantly drowned by an even greater fear.

"Don't worry, this isn't poison."

Situ Jun stared into his eyes, his powerful Half-step Nascent Soul spiritual sense pressing down directly like physical shackles:

"Ah!"

Bei Batian let out a suppressed howl of agony, feeling as if his Soul had been cast into a purgatorial sea of fire. The pain far exceeded any physical torture!

With a thud, he collapsed to his knees again, his forehead slamming heavily onto the cold floor tiles with a dull thud:

"Your subordinate dares not question the Inspector! Your subordinate will eat it right away!"

Situ Jun withdrew the spiritual sense pressure. Bei Batian looked as if he had just been fished out of water, drenched in sweat. He slumped on the ground, panting heavily, his eyes filled only with complete submission and bone-deep terror.

Ignoring his wretched state, he took the servitude pill and swallowed it.

"This is a healing Medicinal Pill. Recover well, and then... wait for the Dynasty's judgment. I will decide how to deal with you then."

After speaking, Situ Jun stopped looking at him, turned his gaze toward the door, and walked out.

Behind him, Bei Batian's complex expression slowly turned into respect and submission... Inside Bei Batian's original study, Situ Jun walked to the expensive sandalwood desk where Bei Batian had smashed a fist print. His fingertips brushed over the clear indentation, his eyes deep.

Was the temporary retreat of the Imperial Dynasty Inspector due to apprehension? Or was it a deeper scheme?

The Xuan Yin Sect seemed to have yielded, but what malicious intent was hidden behind the planting of spiritual plants?

Would Bei Batian's former subordinates be willing to submit?

The safety of Su Yun and the other women in Northern Border City, the arrangements for Embroiderer and the six women in East Lin City, and then there was Tu Xiong and Wang Cheng, who had just broken through to the Golden Core, controlling East Lin City... A thousand loose ends, like heavy shackles, weighed on the shoulders of this Half-step Nascent Soul.

He closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

Inside his Dantian, the cracked Golden Core, emitting a faint silver glow, was greedily absorbing the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to consolidate his Half-step Nascent Soul strength.

A faint Nascent Soul power surged through his Meridians, bringing an unprecedented sense of strength, yet his Realm remained like a stubborn rock; no matter how he cultivated, he couldn't touch the opportunity to Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage.

Forcing the Power of Law had even left a trace of hidden injury on his Meridian Foundation.

"Strength... is still not enough!"

Situ Jun opened his eyes, slowly exhaled, and clenched his fists.

A Half-step Nascent Soul was still like an ant before Sect Cultivators and Imperial Dynasty powerhouses outside the Dynasty.

If he hadn't borrowed that trace of the Power of Law and the reputation of the Xihua Sect, today would have been impossible to resolve peacefully.

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for successfully subduing Bei Batian. The Host's Luck has risen to 20,000 points, rivaling the Luck of a Late Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator.]

In his mind, the long-absent System notification sounded clearly.

Situ Jun's spirits lifted!

The massive increase in heavenly luck value had satisfied the necessary conditions for his Breakthrough to Nascent Soul; all that was missing was a Breakthrough opportunity.

The silver glow of the Golden Core within his body became visibly brighter and more solid, and the aura of Law swirling around it seemed clearer.

The trace of hidden injury in his Meridians caused by forcing the Law also slowly healed and disappeared at this moment.

An unprecedented sense of fulfillment and power surged through his entire body!

A sharp light burst from Situ Jun's eyes!

His mind also became much more active as a "Force Construction Module" slowly surfaced in his heart:

Centered on Northern Border City, covering the entire Tianqi Dynasty, and extending toward the Imperial Dynasty and Sects... Force Members: Situ Jun, Tu Xiong, Wang Cheng, Bei Batian, Zhuang Xian... Resource Reserves: Underground mineral resources of Northern Border City and East Lin City.

Personnel Reserves: Hundred Herbs Hall Alchemist Jiang Yumei, business managers Liu Xuaner and Qin Ximeng...