The Water Department's Frame-Up, Where's Your Evidence!

On Golden Turtle Island.

Zhao Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, speaking softly:

"In the past, many disciples believed that helping out across the Primordial World was merely a trivial matter."

"Suppressing a sea eye is a small matter."

"Patrolling a star field is a small matter."

"Protecting a few human cities is also a small matter."

"Mediating between a few rogue cultivators is an even smaller matter."

"That is why they did not feel they were being used."

"They even felt that being able to work for the Heavenly Court was a mark of prestige."

"But now, they should understand."

"When those small matters are combined, they form the very foundation of the Primordial World's order."

"And this is an order that the Heavenly Court cannot sustain on its own."

Zhao Gongming's expression slowly shifted.

Zhao Xuan continued:

"If the Jie Sect does not realize how important it is, it will be led by the nose by others in the name of the 'greater good'."

"If the Jie Sect does not realize what chips it holds in its hands, it will be frightened into chaos by the Investiture of the Gods List."

"Therefore, the first step is not to force Haotian to retreat."

"It is to wake ourselves up."

Zhao Gongming let out a long breath.

"Senior Brother, I am convinced."

He spoke with great sincerity.

"I used to think that when encountering trouble, one should strike, and when encountering an enemy, one should fight."

"Only now do I understand that sometimes, pulling one's hand back is more ruthless than throwing a punch."

Holy Mother Guiling grinned from the side.

"Gongming, your brain is finally working."

Zhao Gongming glared at her.

"Senior Sister Guiling, you can scold me, but don't laugh so happily."

Holy Mother Guiling laughed even harder.

Just then, Holy Mother Jinling hurried over.

She held a message-bearing Jade Slip in her hand, her expression cold.

"Senior Brother, there has been an incident at the Third Sea Eye in the East Sea."

Holy Mother Guiling's laughter ceased.

Zhao Xuan turned his head.

"Speak."

Holy Mother Jinling said:

"The person sent by the Heavenly Court to take over could not control the sea eye, so they attempted to forcibly activate the Sea-Suppressing Array originally laid down by our Jie Sect disciples."

"As a result, the array backfired, and seven immortal officials from the Heavenly Court's Water Department were killed."

"Now, the Heavenly Court is shifting the blame onto our Jie Sect disciple, Qingxiaozi."

"They claim that before he left, he intentionally failed to hand over the details of the array's changes."

Holy Mother Guiling's expression darkened instantly.

"Bullshit!"

"The Sea-Suppressing Array changes every three years; Qingxiaozi definitely left the array diagrams before he departed."

Holy Mother Jinling nodded.

"Qingxiaozi did indeed leave them."

"But the Heavenly Court claims the diagrams were incorrect."

Zhao Gongming raged:

"Isn't this just framing him?"

Zhao Xuan did not get angry.

He simply asked:

"Where is Qingxiaozi?"

"He's already returned to the vicinity of Golden Turtle Island."

"But someone from the Heavenly Court's Water Department has pursued him, saying they want to take him back to be punished."

Holy Mother Guiling rolled up her sleeves.

"I'll go."

Zhao Xuan glanced at her.

"What are you going to do?"

"Beat someone up!"

"And then?"

Holy Mother Guiling paused.

Zhao Xuan said:

"If you beat up someone from the Water Department now, tomorrow they'll dare to say that the Jie Sect disciples are afraid of punishment and resisting the law."

"The day after, Haotian can use this matter to cry in Zixiao Palace for the second time."

Holy Mother Guiling gritted her teeth.

"Then let them bully Qingxiaozi?"

Zhao Xuan smiled.

"Of course not."

He turned and walked towards the area outside Golden Turtle Island.

"I'll go myself."

Holy Mother Guiling's eyes lit up, and she immediately followed.

Zhao Gongming and Holy Mother Jinling also followed closely.

Outside Golden Turtle Island.

Qingxiaozi stood on the sea, his face pale.

He was a peripheral disciple of the Jie Sect, not among the top cultivators, only at the early Golden Immortal stage.

For years, he had been guarding the Third Sea Eye of the East Sea for the Heavenly Court.

That place was extremely arduous.

The spiritual tides were chaotic, and demonic energy was heavy. There was a minor disturbance every ten years and a major one every hundred years.

The Heavenly Court's Water Department had originally sent several batches of immortal officials there, but they either got injured or found excuses to transfer away.

Later, Qingxiaozi took over, and he guarded it for two thousand years.

In those two thousand years, his cultivation hadn't increased much, but he had accumulated many hidden injuries.

Yet, he never complained.

Because the Heavenly Court had always said that he was contributing to the stability of the Three Realms.

And he truly believed it.

Until the Jie Sect's decree arrived, ordering him to return to the mountain to avoid calamity.

Qingxiaozi handed over the formation map, the token, and the records of all the changes in the sea eyes over the years, and then left.

He hadn't expected that as soon as he returned to the vicinity of Golden Turtle Island, people from the Heavenly Court's Water Department would chase after him.

It was a Water Department Divine General wearing blue immortal armor.

He held a token and spoke aggressively.

"Qingxiaozi, come back with us."

Qingxiaozi frowned.

"I have already returned to the mountain according to my sect's decree. The Sea-Suppressing Formation Map has also been handed over. Is there anything else?"

The Water Department Divine General sneered.

"The formation map was flawed, causing the deaths of seven of our Water Department's immortal officials."

"And you dare say there's nothing wrong?"

Qingxiaozi's expression changed.

"Impossible!"

"The Sea-Suppressing Formation Map was re-verified three days before I left."

The Water Department Divine General took a step forward.

"Whether it was flawed or not is not for you to decide."

"Return with us to the Heavenly Court; the Water Department will handle the interrogation."

Qingxiaozi's expression turned ugly.

"I am a disciple of the Jie Sect, not a prisoner of the Heavenly Court."

The Water Department Divine General said coldly:

"You have served in the Heavenly Court for many years; do you think you can just walk away now that trouble has arisen?"

"How could it be that easy?"

He raised his hand and waved.

"Seize him!"

Several Heavenly Soldiers immediately stepped forward.

Qingxiaozi instinctively retreated, his fingers already pressing against his sword hilt.

But remembering Zhao Xuan's orders, he forced himself to hold back.

He could not fight back.

He could not give the Heavenly Court an excuse to pin a crime on him.

Seeing that he dared not draw his sword, the Water Department Divine General sneered.

"What?"

"Aren't Jie Sect disciples usually quite arrogant?"

"Know fear now, do you?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a voice suddenly rang out from behind him.

"Who said he was afraid?"

The Water Department Divine General spun around abruptly.

Zhao Xuan came striding across the sea.

Holy Mother Guiling, Holy Mother Jinling, and Zhao Gongming followed behind him.

The Water Department Divine General's expression shifted slightly.

He did not recognize Zhao Xuan, but he recognized Holy Mother Guiling and Holy Mother Jinling.

These two were not people to be trifled with.

Upon seeing Zhao Xuan, Qingxiaozi immediately bowed.

"Senior Brother."

Zhao Xuan nodded.

"Did you hand over the formation map?"

"I did."

"Did you hand over the records?"

"I did."

"Did you hand over the token?"

"I did."

Zhao Xuan looked at the Water Department Divine General.

"Did you hear that?"

The Water Department Divine General braced himself and said:

"Just because he says he handed them over, it must be true?"

Zhao Xuan replied:

"Then you say he didn't—where is your evidence?"

The Water Department Divine General faltered.

"I asked you, where is your evidence?!"

Zhao Xuan's expression turned cold as he continued:

"The Sea-Suppressing Formation Map was flawed; who activated the formation?"

The Water Department Divine General's expression grew unsightly.

"It was my Water Department Immortal Official."

"Does he understand formations?"

"Naturally, he does."

"And he still activated it incorrectly?"

The Water Department Divine General's face flushed red.

"The formation diagram is flawed, so naturally it will be opened incorrectly."

Zhao Xuan sneered.

"Then bring out the formation diagram."

The Water Department Divine General immediately fell silent.

Zhao Xuan stared at him.

"Can't bring it out?"

"Or dare not bring it out?"

The Water Department Divine General gritted his teeth.

"The formation diagram is a secret of the Heavenly Court's Water Department, how can it be casually shown to you?"

Zhao Xuan nodded.

"Fine."

"You won't show the formation diagram, there's no evidence, yet you want to take him away."

"So this is how the Heavenly Court does business."

The Water Department Divine General's expression changed.

"Don't try to frame me!"

Holy Mother Guiling sneered.

"Aren't you the ones most skilled at framing others?"

"Why are you in a hurry when it concerns yourselves?"

The Water Department Divine General didn't dare to argue with her, so he could only look at Zhao Xuan.

"This matter is between the Heavenly Court's Water Department and Qingxiaozi."

"Qingxiaozi has guarded the Sea Eye for my Water Department for many years. Now that something has happened at the Sea Eye, he must return to explain."

Zhao Xuan's gaze grew colder.

"You also know that he has guarded the Sea Eye for you for many years?"