398: Interrogation passed

Li Zhong's face was expressionless as his fingers lightly tapped the table, producing crisp sounds.

Everyone in the hall held their breath, awaiting his judgment.

Among them, Li Xuan was especially ill at ease.

As the State Lord of the Tianqi Dynasty, he usually carried the dignified posture of the supreme ruler. Yet, at this moment, his back was slightly bent, his hands clenched into fists hanging at his sides, his palms already slick with a fine layer of cold sweat that soaked the cuffs of his dragon robe.

His gaze burned intently on Li Zhong's movements, his heart pounding with anxiety like a drum, terrified that this Commander of the Qintian Division would be dissatisfied with Mysterious Clarity Master and the others' explanations and insist on holding them accountable according to Imperial Dynasty law. If that happened, the Tianqi Dynasty would likely be implicated and punished as well.

The silent atmosphere in the hall stretched on for a long time before the crisp tapping on the table finally ceased abruptly.

Li Zhong slowly raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the people in the hall like cold stars. That gaze carried the unique authority of the Qintian Division, falling on each person with an almost tangible weight that made their hearts tremble.

"I shall tentatively believe your account for now."

Li Zhong's voice was low and indifferent, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, yet it was like a massive rock thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring the emotions of everyone in the hall.

But before they could relax, his tone shifted, suddenly becoming even more severe. The aura of solemn killing intent around him surged forth once more like a tide, carrying a biting chill that seemed to lower the temperature in the hall by several degrees, as if a thin layer of frost had condensed on the golden brick floor.

"However, the laws of the Imperial Dynasty are strict. The unauthorized unsealing is a grave crime. Without sufficient justification, it absolutely cannot be settled so lightly, nor can it be hastily concluded based merely on your few words."

His tone shifted, becoming even more severe, the aura of solemn killing intent around him surging again:

"I will dispatch people to the Southern Border to investigate and verify the truth of your statements. If the situation is confirmed, I can deal with you leniently and reseal your Cultivation. But during this period, you must remain in the royal capital. Do not leave without permission, and be ready to answer my summons at any time!"

Upon hearing this, Withered Bone Ascetic and Mo Chenggui both felt a wave of relief, the hearts that had been suspended finally settling for the most part.

They exchanged a glance, seeing mutual relief in each other's eyes.

Remaining in the royal capital under investigation, while restrictive and limiting their freedom, was ultimately a lenient punishment that preserved their lives and their Dao foundations.

Compared to being directly imprisoned in the Imperial Dynasty's Qintian Division dungeons, suffering cruel torture, or even having their Cultivation extracted and their souls flying away and spirits scattering, this was already the best possible outcome.

Not daring to delay, the two hurriedly bowed in salute and responded in unison:

"Thank you, Commander, for your leniency! We will obey your orders, absolutely will not leave the royal capital without permission, and will be ready to answer your summons at any time!"

Mysterious Clarity Master, standing to the side, also let out a long sigh of relief, his suspended heart finally settling completely. He hurriedly stepped forward and similarly bowed in gratitude:

"Thank you, Commander, for your understanding! This humble Daoist will immediately send a message to Fellow Daoist Bai Qingtian, urging him to come to the royal capital as soon as possible to undergo your investigation, without the slightest delay!"

Li Zhong raised a hand slightly, his tone still indifferent, revealing neither joy nor anger:

"No need for formalities. You may withdraw. When that Bai Qingtian arrives, have him also remain in the royal capital for investigation. Do not make any mistakes. I will personally visit the Ten Thousand Gu Sect, the Poison Scorpion Cult, the Xihua Sect... one by one later, to comb through all the involved Sects and must ascertain the truth behind the anomaly at the Nether Crow Ridge Seal."

"Yes!"

Mysterious Clarity Master, Withered Bone Ascetic, and Mo Chenggui responded in unison, their voices carrying a hint of the lightness that comes from having a heavy burden lifted.

The three exchanged glances, bowed once more, then slowly turned and walked out of the main hall.

Li Xuan watched their departing figures, the massive stone in his heart finally landing. His tightly strung nerves instantly relaxed, and an unconscious, relieved smile appeared on his face, the fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothing out a little.

He raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his palms, exhaling a long breath, feeling a great lightness throughout his body.

At that very moment, Li Zhong's gaze abruptly fell upon Li Xuan.

That gaze was icy and piercing, carrying scrutiny and warning, causing the just-relaxed Li Xuan to instantly tense his nerves again. The smile froze on his face, and he subconsciously straightened his back.

"State Lord Li."

Li Zhong's voice remained icy, devoid of any warmth:

"Regarding the subsequent investigation into the Southern Border's Nether Crow Ridge, your Tianqi Dynasty must provide full cooperation. You must unconditionally support all actions of the Heaven-Patrolling Iron Cavalry in the royal capital and the Southern Border. There must be no evasion or concealment whatsoever. If any mishap occurs, causing the investigation to be hindered or key clues to be missed, you cannot bear the consequences!"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Li Xuan hurriedly bowed in response, his head lowered deeply, his tone full of respect and ingratiation:

"This State Lord will definitely cooperate fully with Commander Li's investigation! Everyone in the Tianqi Dynasty, from civil and military officials to the common people in the streets, will unconditionally obey the dispatches of the Heaven-Patrolling Iron Cavalry! We absolutely dare not offer any evasion or concealment! Should there be any mishap, this State Lord willingly submits to punishment under Imperial Dynasty law!"

Even as he spoke these words, Li Xuan secretly felt fortunate in his heart.

Fortunately, Li Zhong did not delve deeply into the Tianqi Dynasty's supervisory responsibility and was still willing to give them a chance to cooperate with the investigation. The matter had finally gotten a fairly good start, not immediately plunging them into a desperate situation.

Li Zhong gave a slight nod, said no more, slowly closed his eyes, and the aura around him settled once again, as if merging with the sandalwood incense in the hall.

Seeing this, Li Xuan dared not linger for even a moment. He hurriedly cupped his hands in salute and retreated from the hall with light, careful steps.

The hall doors slowly closed, cutting off the outside light. Inside the hall, only the sound of flickering candle flames and Li Zhong's steady, long breaths remained.

The sandalwood incense still curled upwards, yet it seemed to carry an intangible pressure that permeated the entire great hall, foretelling that this investigation concerning the safety of the Southern Border and indeed the entire Imperial Dynasty had only just begun... The night grew deeper, the moon reaching its zenith. Cold moonlight spilled over the blue bricks and dark tiles of Northern Border City, coating this remote border town with a faint silver glow.

The city was utterly silent, save for the occasional footsteps of night patrol soldiers, which soon vanished into the quiet night.

Inside the study of the City Lord's Residence, however, candlelight blazed brightly. The warm, yellow candlelight filtered through the carved window lattice, casting mottled shadows on the ground.

The study's furnishings were simple yet elegant. Bookshelves were filled with ancient texts and Cultivation Technique Secret Manuals. On the desk sat an inkstone, several wolf-hair brushes, and an unfurled map of the Northern Border terrain. The map was densely marked with various symbols, clearly the result of meticulous deduction and planning.

Situ Jun was currently seated before the desk, his fingers gently rubbing a now-dim sound transmission jade talisman. The spiritual energy fluctuations on the talisman's surface were faint, indicating it had just transmitted a message.

However, his brow was tightly furrowed, his expression grave. Clearly, the content of the transmission weighed heavily on his mind.

"Li Zhong temporarily believed Mysterious Clarity Master and the others' story. He didn't attack immediately, only ordered them to stay in the royal capital for investigation. He even said he would personally visit the Ten Thousand Gu Sect, Poison Scorpion Cult, Xihua Sect, and those other places... He intends to comb through every Sect that's even remotely involved, unwilling to let any clue slip by."

Situ Jun murmured in a low voice, his tone carrying a hint of gravity.

He slowly stood up and walked to the window, pushing open half of the windowpane.

The night wind, carrying the unique chill of the Northern Border, rushed into the study through the window crack, causing the candle flames to flicker slightly and allowing his tense nerves to relax a little.