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"Hoho, isn't this Xia Yitian, the peerless ruler of the Nine Provinces who ruled an entire realm—the Xia Emperor? How did you end up in our Hall of Criminal Law as a mere sixth-rank official? That doesn't add up, does it?" Zhou Qiping let out a sinister chuckle, his mockery obvious.
The officials nearby immediately cackled like night owls. Those who did not laugh aloud simply stood aside and watched the spectacle. It seemed that during the time Zhou Qiping had been here, he had already turned the place into his own little kingdom!
Back in Lanzhou, Zhou Qiping had commanded hundreds of thousands of Dao followers. Even after changing to the lineage of the Heavenly Ghost Dao, tens of thousands had continued to follow him. He could be called an exceptionally formidable grandmaster of the Ghost Dao. Besides his own strength, that was also because he excelled at social relations and knew how to seize the right opportunities. The way he had pulled a group of officials to his side now showed that his methods had carried over into the Divine Court.
"What happened? In the Nine Provinces Realm, you were arrogant and tyrannical—killing whoever you disliked and whoever you found displeasing, commanding countless troops and innumerable Dao disciples. What a show of power! So why have you gone silent now? Are you planning to tuck your tail between your legs and become a peaceful little official?" Zhou Qiping gave a mocking laugh, and several officials beside him muttered their agreement.
Zhou Qiping was a fourth-rank god. Among the mid-level officials in the current Hall of Criminal Law, he could be considered top-tier. If a Dao body did not reveal itself, it possessed an inherent concealment. But I had learned from Heizi that he was currently only a