Her words had barely faded when not only the contestants but every immortal present was visibly moved. I swept my gaze across the venue and even saw quite a few officials in the corners, dressed in the robes of low-ranking Siqi Supervisory Bureau inspectors, whose Dao Bodies had nevertheless reached the fourth rank—or even the third. Some of them had actually begun to cry.
"They are..." My heart clenched. Judging by their expressions and the light in their pupils, they were both happy and sad. It was the look of people who had glimpsed a sliver of dawn in a world sunk in darkness!
"Officials from the Siqi Supervisory Bureau who were demoted to menial work." Zhu Daoqing sighed, while Zhu Daoyun explained, "Some served during the previous administration, and some during the one before that. They're old enough to have been our fathers' elders' elders. They refuse to leave the Siqi Supervisory Bureau because it's the highest station they can ever attain. Other than this place, where else could their journey end?"
I was deeply shocked. These really were the former subordinates of Han Shanshan before her reincarnation—or perhaps even the trusted followers of Little Immortal Si. They loved this place and were unwilling to leave. Some might even once have served as high-ranking officials, but unfortunately, they now had ability without anywhere to use it.
Han Shanshan's words were like the arrival of the former head of the Siqi Supervisory Bureau all those years ago, turning every official's face deathly pale. Some officials who had served continuously since the administration before the last even burst into tears.
"Ah, how tragic and lamentable." I sighed. Over on Han Shanshan's side, a group of Siqi Supervisory Bureau officials had already realized how serious the situation was. After all, Han Shanshan