Profound Sword True Essence

Su Bai activated the Light Body Technique.

He made his way upward through the Dense Forest.

Passing through the Sect Formation.

After spending some time, he arrived at the Jade Mist Sect's Guest Reception Pavilion.

Looking at the broad Guest Welcoming Plaza, Su Bai let out a slight sigh of relief.

As a Jade Mist Sect Disciple, being within the sect gates gave him a sufficient sense of security.

After proving his identity to the disciple on duty at the Guest Reception Pavilion, Su Bai was allowed to return to the Outer Court.

"It's only the end of December. This Spirit Moon Lake Mission has ended ahead of schedule."

"The Outer Court doesn't seem to intend to make me return the Yellow Dragon Pill I collected in advance, either."

"I completed half the mission and received the full reward. That's a small profit."

"That Law Enforcement Elder told me to be careful of Bai Yuanji. It probably wasn't without reason."

"Still, I'm within the sect, and Bai Daoyuan's death truly had no direct connection to me. He shouldn't dare act too recklessly, right?"

Yet out of caution, Su Bai still decided not to accept any Outer Court Missions for the time being.

He would remain in the courtyard and wait for the uproar over the Spirit Moon Lake incident to die down.

Besides, Su Bai needed to properly study the contents of the Jade Slip.

He also needed to make a copy of the Jade Slip for Zhao Shanhe.

Su Bai had given the contents of the Jade Slip a cursory look.

It recorded a Sword Dao Divine Ability called the Profound Sword True Essence Art.

This Sword Dao Divine Ability possessed unparalleled power and was divided into upper, middle, and lower sections.

The one in Su Bai's possession was the foundational "upper" section.

It documented two techniques: the Spiral Compression Technique and the Yin Yang Guixu Sword Meridian.

Upon reaching Major Accomplishment, it could increase the density of Sword Qi twenty-sevenfold while reducing the consumption of each strand of Sword Qi by seventy percent.

It could be called an extraordinarily terrifying Sword Dao Divine Ability.

Su Duanqiu had relied on this Divine Ability to kill Bai Daoyuan, who had been at the same level as her, in a single move.

She had not even given Bai Daoyuan the chance to use his trump card.

Su Bai planned to thoroughly master this Divine Ability alongside his cultivation in the days ahead.

Su Bai had still underestimated Bai Daoyuan's importance in Bai Yuanji's heart, as well as Bai Yuanji's madness.

At Courtyard 32, Su Bai pushed open the courtyard gate.

"Su Bai! You're back! A senior is waiting for you!" Li Daniu hurried over.

His Outer Court Mission had just ended, and he had been resting in the courtyard.

Su Bai frowned and looked past Li Daniu, toward the area behind him.

Beneath the Bamboo Forest in the courtyard stood an old man with a ramrod-straight figure.

His features bore a forty to fifty percent resemblance to Bai Daoyuan's. He was none other than Bai Yuanji, a Foundation Establishment Elder of the Inner Sect!

"I've waited a long time for you. Tell me, then—how exactly did Daoyuan die?" The old man looked at Su Bai, and his aura suddenly erupted.

The terrifying Spiritual Pressure of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator enveloped him. Su Bai nearly staggered and fell to his knees.

Li Daniu, at his side, had already been caught in it. His entire body involuntarily collapsed flat against the ground.

But at that moment, the Clear Heart Sword Intent within Su Bai's body abruptly Materialized, transforming into a strand of Sword Intent that strengthened his mental awareness and kept him from being utterly subdued by Bai Yuanji's Spiritual Pressure.

"Hm? A mere Mid Qi Refining Stage cultivator, yet your will is rather strong."

"Was Daoyuan killed by you joining forces with that Su Family Demoness?!" Bai Yuanji's aura surged higher, as though he would directly unleash Foundation Establishment Realm Divine Ability Spells to kill Su Bai if a single word displeased him.

Li Daniu was scared senseless. With great difficulty, he turned his head to look at Su Bai, unable to understand what Junior Brother Su had done to enrage a Foundation Establishment Elder.

Su Bai took a deep breath and cupped his hands toward Bai Yuanji. "Elder Bai, Senior Brother Bai's death had nothing to do with me, nor was it what I wished for. I hope you will restrain your grief."

"You say it has nothing to do with you, and that makes it so?!"

"If your conscience is clear, then let me search your soul! This old man will naturally learn whether your words are true or false!"

As Bai Yuanji spoke, he stepped toward Su Bai.

Naturally unwilling to have his soul searched, Su Bai retreated step by step under the pressure.

At the same time, he said, "Elder Bai, please reconsider. Forcibly searching the soul of a sect disciple is a grave violation of sect regulations!"

"As long as I find that you took part in this matter, I will not be violating sect rules..."

"Do not resist..."

At the critical moment, several figures swept into the courtyard.

"Where is Su Bai?"

"This disciple is here!" No matter who it was, Su Bai knew that only outsiders could resolve this predicament, so he immediately answered loudly.

The arrivals landed in the courtyard. They were Kuang Ningyuan, a Law Enforcement Elder of the Law Enforcement Court, along with two Law Enforcement Court Disciples behind him.

"You are to make a trip to the Law Enforcement Court. We need the few of you to cooperate in investigating the specific circumstances of the incident involving Su Duanqiu of the Su Family," Kuang Ningyuan said.

With a slight gesture, the two Law Enforcement Court Disciples stepped forward and made an inviting gesture toward Su Bai.

Su Bai breathed a sigh of relief. Without even looking at Bai Yuanji, he followed the two Law Enforcement Court Disciples out.

"Sorry, Senior Brother Daniu." Remembering something, he spoke to Li Daniu, who had barely managed to stand up at the side.

Li Daniu repeatedly shook his head. The fear in his eyes had yet to fade. How could an ordinary Outer Court Disciple withstand the Spiritual Pressure of the Foundation Establishment Realm?

This Bai Yuanji was truly detestable.

Meanwhile, after Kuang Ningyuan landed, Bai Yuanji had remained silent throughout.

He could only watch helplessly as Su Bai was taken away by the Law Enforcement Court Disciples.

Seeing Su Bai being led away, Kuang Ningyuan also breathed a sigh of relief. If that old fellow Bai Yuanji had truly searched Su Bai's soul—

If Su Bai had become an idiot, how could he contact the Immortal Palace network behind him?

Fortunately, Kuang Ningyuan had anticipated this and swiftly returned to the sect to find Su Bai.

With that thought, Kuang Ningyuan's temper rose. "Elder Bai, you privately coerced a sect disciple. I sentence you to sit in the Law Enforcement Court Detention Room for one hundred days. Do you accept?"

Bai Yuanji snorted coldly. "He is merely an Outer Disciple. Even if I had truly searched his soul, so what?"

Kuang Ningyuan became angry at those words as well. "Refusing the Law Enforcement Elder's ruling and deliberately provoking trouble. Your punishment is doubled—two hundred days of confinement!"

"Have you gone mad, Kuang Ningyuan?!" Bai Yuanji finally could not hold himself together any longer, his emotions slipping out of control.

Only after seeing Bai Yuanji finally take this seriously did Kuang Ningyuan speak. "I'm not mad. You're the mad one."

"Your nephew's matter is not simple. It involves an organization called the Immortal Palace."

"Hall Master Ye has personally taken notice of this matter and will deploy his Main Body if necessary."

"And Su Bai and the other two are the key to finding the Immortal Palace. I'll cover up today's matter for you, but if there is a next time, this Poor Daoist will report it directly to the Academy Master. Given the Academy Master's temperament, Elder Bai, you know what will happen if you ruin his affairs."

The Immortal Palace had killed someone and taken their place within the Jade Mist Sect's gates, and had even abducted disciples. This was too great a blow to the Jade Mist Sect's reputation, so the Law Enforcement Court had concealed it. Barring unforeseen circumstances, it would never be leaked, and Kuang Ningyuan could not speak of it directly.

However, there was no need to hide the existence of the Immortal Palace.

Upon hearing that even the Academy Master of the Law Enforcement Court had personally become involved, Bai Yuanji opened his mouth. In the end, he said, "Fine. I'll wait for news from your Law Enforcement Court."

"Then perhaps this confinement can be waived..."

"It truly cannot be waived. I've already submitted the detention order to the court. It cannot be revoked."

"You turtle bastard, your hands sure are fast!"

"Elder Bai, please watch your language!"