Inside the Security Bureau chief director's office.
"What?!" Upon hearing his subordinate's report about Li Yang, the chief director of Security Bureau Group 11 was greatly shocked. He immediately furrowed his brow deeply and waved his hand in frustration, dismissing his subordinate.
To him, Li Yang represented a force—a force belonging to one of the major sects within the Kunlun Immortal Realm! Now that something like this had happened, how could he not be troubled?
"Father, according to what you said, Li Yang should be the successor of a sect in the Kunlun Immortal Realm. But I've always had a question in my heart." Zhang Fan looked at his father as he spoke.
The chief director looked at his son, nodded, and said, "Speak. What question?"
Zhang Fan said, "The Kunlun Immortal Realm is also recorded in our Zhang family genealogy. There is a sect in the Kunlun Immortal Realm founded by Li Xunhuan. But Father, think about it—could a disciple of any major sect in the Kunlun Immortal Realm possibly fail to even reach the Innate Realm?"
Hearing this, the chief director nodded. "I've considered that as well. But there can be no mistake with Little Li Flying Dagger. A flying dagger changing direction in midair in an instant—apart from Little Li Flying Dagger, I truly have never heard of anything else like it."
Zhang Fan said, "But does knowing Little Li Flying Dagger necessarily mean he is a disciple of the sect founded by Li Xunhuan in the Kunlun Immortal Realm? Couldn't Li Yang have merely stumbled upon part of the Little Li Flying Dagger manual? Otherwise, how could he have gone all this time without cultivating internal energy? Security Bureau Group 9's records show that Li Yang's meridians had already taken shape; he wasn't born with blocked meridians. Would disciples of the Kunlun Immortal Realm not cultivate from childhood? Could a disciple of the Kunlun Immortal Realm actually have fully set meridians? Is that possible?"
"You mean Li Yang might simply be someone who was fortunate enough to obtain the Little Li Flying Dagger technique?" At that thought, the chief director was already somewhat uncertain.
Seeing this, Zhang Fan immediately continued, "Father, Lin Tianyu has standing internationally, and Shenglin Group has made enormous contributions to our country. If we fall out with Lin Tianyu, and he withdraws all his investments before making this matter public internationally, that would be bad."
Upon hearing this, the chief director thought of the consequences should Lin Tianyu truly do such a thing, and his brows immediately locked tightly together.
A long, long time passed...
"Zhang Fan, I only told Zhang Yu that Li Yang might be someone from the Kunlun Immortal Realm. From today onward, no one is permitted to speak of the possibility that Li Yang is from the Kunlun Immortal Realm. Let us act as though we never knew that sects existed within the Kunlun Immortal Realm. Besides, matters concerning the Kunlun Immortal Realm have always been mysterious. It would be perfectly normal for us not to know." The chief director had made his decision: abandon Li Yang.
After all, Lin Tianyu was no ordinary man; he could not simply be silenced by force. Once Lin Tianyu made this matter public and it ended up in court, things would become terribly unfavorable! Moreover, after hearing his son's words, the chief director was no longer certain whether Li Yang truly came from the Kunlun Immortal Realm. If Li Yang was not from the Kunlun Immortal Realm at all, wouldn't he be losing both the wife and the army?
The Kunlun Immortal Realm was incomparably mysterious. His Zhang family had only mentioned it briefly in their genealogy, which was why the chief director knew of it. Now, pretending not to know was entirely reasonable.
Inside the room where Li Yang was being confined at Star Luo Base.
"Li Yang, your captain can't help you anymore!" Meng Tian opened the door, looked at Li Yang, who was cultivating cross-legged, and sighed.
Li Yang slowly opened his eyes, glanced at Meng Tian, and smiled. "Have they decided to put me through a secret trial?" Li Yang had known long ago that this would be the outcome, but he was not nervous in the slightest, because he had the help of the Western Chu Overlord, Xiang Yu.
Although Xiang Yu had lost his physical body and only his Primordial Spirit remained, he was still a peak expert at the Demon King level in the Demon Realm. He could still use a minor Evasion Technique.
"Captain, you're here to take me to trial now?" Li Yang still smiled. Right now, he simply wanted to have a taste of this secret trial.
Since he could flee at any moment, what was there to be anxious about?
Meng Tian let out a long sigh. Looking at Li Yang, his eyes had grown slightly moist. Then he gave a wistful smile, patted Li Yang on the shoulder, and said, "Li Yang, the country has wronged you."
Hei Yan and the others entered the room one after another.
"Li Yang, you will always be my good brother. Always!" Hei Yan walked to Li Yang's side and fiercely patted him on the shoulder. His eyes immediately reddened. Tian Lin, Sister Yan, Tan Jin, and the other brothers also felt wretched inside.
"Fuck, what kind of bullshit is this? That bastard drove Li Yang's girlfriend to her death, and now the wicked man files the complaint first!" Tian Lin let out a furious roar. In his madness, he truly wanted to kill Lin Tianyu.
"Tian Lin, shut up!" Meng Tian frowned and rebuked him in a low voice.
"Haha, don't be like this, everyone. Smile. Tian Lin, Hei Yan, don't keep such gloomy faces. Give me a smile. Isn't it just a secret trial? Haha, who knows what the verdict will be?" Li Yang patted his brothers on the shoulders and laughed, seeming utterly dismissive of the trial.
But the more Li Yang acted like this, the worse Hei Yan and the others felt.
Half an hour later.
Li Yang was escorted to the courtroom for a secret trial.
Lin Tianyu had arrived at the courtroom early with his subordinates and bodyguards. Seeing Li Yang being escorted in, Lin Tianyu actually stood up, a radiant smile on his face.
"Li Yang, your name is Li Yang. I only learned your name afterward. You are Little Li Flying Dagger of the underworld. Honestly, your flying daggers are indeed formidable. What a pity—you met me. Otherwise, with your potential, becoming a legendary expert would not have been difficult. Alas, who told you to offend me?" Lin Tianyu seemed deeply regretful.
Li Yang was escorted to the defendant's stand, yet a faint smile still rested on his face.
Suddenly, Li Yang fixed his gaze on Lin Tianyu. The corners of his mouth began to rise, and the smile on his face grew brilliant—so brilliant that Lin Tianyu felt a trace of unease.
"Lin Tianyu." Li Yang softly spoke Lin Tianyu's name, then smiled. He said nothing more, merely smiling like that—smiling until Lin Tianyu's heart trembled, smiling until a flicker of panic rose within him.
As the judge took his seat, the trial began...
"...Li Yang is found guilty of murder and sentenced to death!"
Even upon hearing the final verdict, Li Yang still wore a faint smile. Meng Tian, Hei Yan, Tian Lin, and the others all looked at Li Yang with reddened eyes, then solemnly gave him military salutes one after another.
Then two special police officers put handcuffs and shackles on Li Yang and escorted him out of the courtroom.
As he left the courtroom, Li Yang turned back and smiled at Lin Tianyu. His lips moved slightly. Watching Li Yang smile in the face of death, Lin Tianyu felt his heart inexplicably jolt. From Li Yang's lip movements, he understood what Li Yang was saying—"I will return!"
"The instant the death sentence was pronounced, my former self died. The Li Yang of today is Li Yang, reborn through transformation! From this day on, I will no longer live for the country. I will live for myself. I will live for my Xue!" As he stepped out through the courtroom's side door, Li Yang's most resolute declaration rang within his heart.
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