At last, when the atmosphere had grown heavier and heavier, a brave soul stepped forward.
"Let's go to Dingguo's imperial capital," Tang Ruowei quipped.
The Minister of Justice's voice trembled. "Your Majesty, we... still have no leads on the Crown Prince's case."
"Nothing to worry about." Bai Qiuran walked out of the Joyful Realm, only to find his apprentice crouched at the entrance with another Hehuan Sect disciple, both of their shoulders shaking slightly.
"Reporting to Your Majesty." The Hehuan Sect disciple giggled. "Senior, you're such a joker. Forget the Azure Nether Sword Sect—even in the Righteous Path Alliance, the only cultivator with the highest-ranking token from the Demonic Sect Alliance is..."
The Hehuan Sect disciple giggled coquettishly. "Oh my, Senior, your little sister is so much fun. Once you've tired of playing with her, would you be interested in bringing her to our Hehuan Sect?"
"Isn't that enough?"
"Your Majesty, this..." Bai Qiuran was in high spirits. He turned to Tang Ruowei and said, "Come on. Let's not make fools of ourselves here. I've found you a good trial by fire. I'll take you there."
Curious, he went over and patted Tang Ruowei on the shoulder. She looked up, her face streaked with tears. She didn't dare take Bai Qiuran's hand; instead, she stumbled backward and landed on her rear at the entrance to the Joyful Realm.
"Then what about My reward? Any progress from those martial artists who claim to be so skilled?"
"Actually, I lied to you. I'm not with the Demonic Sect. I'm from the Azure Nether Sword Sect, and this is my apprentice."
Bai Qiuran froze for a moment, then asked the Hehuan Sect disciple, "Did you bully her?"
Emperor Qu Peng had been hard-pressed to find an outlet for his anger, and this brave soul had just walked right into his line of fire. He wiped the tears from his face and roared, "Easy for you to say! It wasn't your son who died!"
Tang Ruowei raised her head, looking at him in bewilderment.
Emperor Qu Peng thundered, "I don't care if the culprit is human or ghost! I'll have whoever killed the Crown Prince hacked to pieces! Go, now!"
"Huh?"
But it was too late. Two eunuchs had already gone to draft the imperial edict, while the officials around him looked at him with a mixture of admiration and pity.
Bai Qiuran understood at once. His face went blank as he asked, "Then did she tell you what happened next?"
Bai Qiuran held out his hand to her gently.
"Heh."
"In other words..." Bai Qiuran thought for a moment, then replied, "I only killed the previous Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect, that's all."
Dingguo's Emperor Qu Peng was the strongest martial artist among mortals in Dingguo, indeed throughout the Cangzhou region. Nearly two and a half meters tall and immensely muscular, he had the fearsome visage of a Vajra Martial God glaring in fury. Even mortals who didn't know he was the emperor would freeze in terror under his gaze.
And yet, at that very moment, this awe-inspiring emperor sat on his throne, clutching his chest and weeping bitterly.
The Minister of Justice, in charge of overseeing the case, forced himself to step out of line and bow his head until it was level with his waist.
Tang Ruowei followed close behind Bai Qiuran as they left the brothel district. Then she looked back toward the Joyful Realm and asked, "Master, why was that Hehuan Sect disciple so afraid of you?"
"The sequel to the story goes like this: the girl who was sold to the Hehuan Sect worked hard and studied their cultivation techniques. She soon rose to the sect's middle ranks, then found the Demonic Cultivator and turned him into an ox that worked itself to death in the fields."
"My son..."
Bai Qiuran shot the Hehuan Sect disciple a look, then continued, "You know, this is the Hehuan Sect, one of the Demonic Sect's three great sects. Don't assume they're all harmless just because they're running a respectable business. The customers in this establishment are the Hehuan Sect's attendants; the disciples running the place are the real customers. The Hehuan Sect puts women above men. Would your emperor father sob and threaten suicide just to sleep with a woman?"
"Now I suddenly feel a lot better. By the way, how's the hunt for the Crown Prince's killer going?"
As she spoke, she seemed to remember something and looked Bai Qiuran up and down.
"Wait. White hair and white eyebrows, dressed like a martial artist, from the Azure Nether Sword Sect..."
"Huh?"
At the name, the Hehuan Sect disciple went pale, her face blanching with terror.
Emperor Qu Peng flew into a rage. "If those martial artists can't get the job done, then offer more money! Bring in higher-level Cultivators! And what about the retainers? Where have those retainers I support disappeared to?! Tell them to investigate!"
Watching the Minister of Rites return to the ranks of officials, pale-faced and swallowing his anger, Emperor Qu Peng honestly clutched his chest and let out a long breath.
Emperor Qu Peng slapped the arm of his throne, making the two eunuchs beside him shrink back in fright.
His wailing grew louder. The two eunuchs hurried to soothe him, but neither dared say a word.
"The Azure Nether Sword Sect?"
"My condolences?"
"I spent half my life conquering this great realm, all so you could inherit it. Who knew you'd abandon me like this today, leaving me, a white-haired father, to bury my son?"
"Your Majesty."
Tang Ruowei thought blankly for a moment, then snapped at the Hehuan Sect disciple, "You lied to me!"
He considered it for a moment, then announced, "Guards, execute the Minister of Rites' son!"
"Pleasure to meet you."
The Minister of Justice hesitated.
"Dingguo's got one thing in abundance, and that's money! Give them more!"
Emperor Qu Peng covered his face, tears streaming between his fingers.
He stepped out of the officials' ranks and bowed to Emperor Qu Peng, doing his utmost to speak in the most sincere voice he could manage. "Please accept my condolences..."
In the imperial palace of Dingguo, inside the Hall of Golden Chimes, the kingdom's most powerful officials and military commanders had gathered. Not one dared make a sound.
The Minister of Rites, a first-rank official of the court, didn't dare defy Emperor Qu Peng's decision. If he so much as uttered a single word of protest, the emperor—whose martial prowess was unmatched beneath heaven—would likely smash his head in with one palm.
The brave Minister of Rites was so frightened that his face turned ashen and he trembled like a leaf.
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