Law Enforcement

Su Bai watched Su Duanqiu vanish from sight.

"In this Cultivation World, there are actually cultivation forces that regard inferior Spirit Roots as treasures?"

"Truly, there is nothing under the sun too strange."

The snow fell even harder.

Yang Sheng's corpse was soon covered by a layer of white snow.

After cultivators died, they were no different from mortals.

Su Bai stepped forward and grabbed Yang Sheng's corpse. He had died cleanly and swiftly, the Fatal Blow being a sword through the Between Eyebrows. His eyes were still open.

Though he had been as timid as a mouse, he had not deserved to die.

Su Bai closed his eyes.

Not only had he failed to build connections for his Lineage, he had lost his life first.

The Storage Bag on his body had likewise been taken by Su Duanqiu.

It seemed the force Su Duanqiu belonged to lacked resources badly—or rather, killing people and seizing their treasures was how they acquired resources.

Su Bai then went to the other side and took Bai Daoyuan with him.

Although Bai Daoyuan's personality was not particularly likable, he had not been ambiguous when facing enemies of Jade Mist Sect.

He was an Inner Disciple of Jade Mist Sect worthy of recognition.

After some effort, Su Bai brought the two back to Lake Heart Isle and quietly waited for the sect's people to arrive.

Su Bai had already reported the deaths of the disciples to the Outer Court through a Jade Talisman.

An Inner Disciple had died at his Resource Point. This was no minor matter.

The sect's people arrived quickly.

About a quarter of an hour later.

A Foundation Establishment Realm Law Enforcement Elder from the Law Enforcement Court was the first to arrive at Lake Heart Isle.

He looked to be around thirty. His drooping brows gave him a somewhat sorrowful appearance.

Once a cultivator's cultivation rose to the Foundation Establishment Realm, it became difficult to judge his true age from his appearance alone.

That was because after Foundation Establishment, a cultivator's appearance would not undergo major changes until his death.

This was one reason why cultivators in the Cultivation World ranked seniority by cultivation rather than age.

"Su Bai of the Outer Court greets Elder!" Su Bai rose to welcome him.

This was the first Foundation Establishment Elder of the sect Su Bai had encountered at close range.

Jade Mist Sect had more than a hundred Foundation Establishment Realm Elders; it was said the exact number was around two hundred.

However, most Foundation Establishment Elders rarely showed themselves in the Outer Sect.

Inner Disciples had it better, but Outer Court Disciples rarely saw Foundation Establishment Elders.

This Foundation Establishment Elder gave Su Bai a slight nod, then stepped forward to inspect Bai Daoyuan and Yang Sheng's auras, confirming that both had died and determining how they had died.

"Tell me the exact circumstances at the time."

Su Bai concealed only the matter of the Jade Slip.

He explained everything else plainly, including his grudge with Su Duanqiu.

Otherwise, he could not explain why the Purple Robe Person had killed Bai Daoyuan and Yang Sheng, yet spared him alone.

After hearing him out, the Law Enforcement Elder did not offer any comment.

He then personally inspected the site where the battle had taken place.

He confirmed the truth of Su Bai's account.

"Your Spirit Moon Lake Mission ends here. Law Enforcement Court Disciples will take over this place for now. Return to the Outer Court."

"Oh, and in a few days, that old man Bai Yuanji may seek you out privately. You would do best to remain within the mountain gate for the time being." The Law Enforcement Elder offered him a brief warning.

Bai Yuanji? He shared Bai Daoyuan's surname, so he was likely the Foundation Establishment elder from Bai Daoyuan's family.

An Inner Disciple had led two Outer Disciples on a mission, yet the only survivor had been an Outer Disciple.

It would not be strange for him to come looking for trouble.

Su Bai cupped his hands. "Thank you for the warning, Elder."

"This Disciple will return to the sect first."

"Go." The Law Enforcement Elder waved a hand.

After Su Bai left.

The Law Enforcement Elder took out a Jade Token.

This was the sect's Elder Token.

He infused it with a trace of Spiritual Power, and the Jade Token flickered.

At last, an elderly man's face appeared.

"Academy Master! The matter at Spirit Moon Lake has also been confirmed. It was done by those two from the Immortal Palace while they were withdrawing."

"By the time I caught up, they had already set up a one-use Teleportation Array and left." The Law Enforcement Elder said.

Judging by his form of address, this elderly man was shockingly the Academy Master of the Law Enforcement Court, one of Jade Mist Sect's Golden Core Old Ancestors!

"Hm... They killed two Outer Court Disciples, had substitutes infiltrate openly to participate in the Outer Court Grand Competition."

"Afterward, they even abducted an Outer Court Disciple of Jade Mist Sect. While withdrawing, they casually killed another Inner Disciple, then swaggered away."

"They simply do not regard Jade Mist Sect as worthy of notice."

This elderly man was Ye Taiyi, the Academy Master of the sect's Law Enforcement Court and one of Jade Mist Sect's Golden Core cultivators!

Before this Law Enforcement Elder arrived at Spirit Moon Lake, he had actually first gone after the two Purple Robe People.

"They call themselves the Immortal Palace... What an enormous boast."

"Kuang Ningyuan, have you investigated all the information on this organization?" Ye Taiyi asked slowly.

His face flickered somewhat indistinctly, because this was merely his External Avatar Phantom, used in place of his Main Body to communicate with the outside world.

His Main Body was still cultivating in seclusion.

Unless it was a special time, he would not easily emerge from seclusion.

The Law Enforcement Elder called Kuang Ningyuan nodded. "We have gathered intelligence from every Jade Mist Sect channel and obtained some information."

"The Immortal Palace organization likely originated from the Qianyuan Cultivation World."

"Qianyuan?" Ye Taiyi frowned from within the Jade Token.

The Qianyuan Cultivation World lay north of the Qingzhou Cultivation World.

Its overall cultivation strength was considerably greater than Qingzhou's.

Jade Mist Sect ranked first in Qingzhou, but in Qianyuan, it could probably only rank among the top ten.

"That is correct."

"The Immortal Palace specializes in recruiting cultivator talents with powerful Spell Talent, nurturing them, and carrying out the plundering of resources."

"It is called the Immortal Palace, but in truth, it is no more than a Robber Cultivation Organization."

"Its members possess exceptional Combat Power and basically leave no survivors. Moreover, there had previously been no signs of activity in the Qingzhou Cultivation World, so Qingzhou has very little information regarding the Immortal Palace. The information we have obtained was mostly sent back by Jade Mist Sect's spies in Qianyuan."

"We have been unable to uncover its mode of operation, information on its leader, or even information on most of its members."

"However, the Immortal Palace has managed to survive in Qianyuan and extend its reach toward West Week. The power of this organization must not be underestimated." Kuang Ningyuan spoke with a grave expression.

No wonder they had let Su Bai leave without investigating him much.

Compared to this information, the matter at Spirit Moon Lake had merely been something they did in passing.

"Hmph. Even a mighty dragon cannot crush a local snake. I will sound out the other two sects."

"Keep a close watch on the Immortal Palace. The moment there is even the slightest flaw, make them repay today's humiliation to this Main Body."

"If necessary, I can awaken the Main Body." As the Academy Master of Jade Mist Sect's Law Enforcement Court, Ye Taiyi naturally had a fiery temper.

Kuang Ningyuan nodded in acknowledgment and ended the Jade Token communication.

"Su Bai..." Kuang Ningyuan murmured softly.

The Immortal Palace's actions were equivalent to jumping straight onto Jade Mist Sect's face and taking a dump, so even Academy Master Ye Taiyi had been alarmed.

Kuang Ningyuan, who was currently fully responsible for this matter, felt considerable pressure.

At present, the only thread Kuang Ningyuan could see that was connected to the Immortal Palace was Su Bai.

Su Duanqiu was the only Immortal Palace member whose identity they currently possessed.

And Jiang Han, who had been abducted, would most likely join the Immortal Palace as well.

These two both seemed to have deep ties with Su Bai.

It was unknown whether the Immortal Palace would still come into contact with Su Bai.

They needed to keep a close eye on him.

"Bai Yuanji's side should be about to make a move."

"Go back and keep watch. Do not let anything go wrong."

Kuang Ningyuan glanced at a group of approaching Law Enforcement Court Disciples in the distance and muttered.