"Smack! Smack!"
Two sharp slaps echoed through the alley.
The fat on Qian Youde's face quivered wildly from the blows, and his head rang.
Several of his teeth had been loosened.
He opened his mouth, still wanting to say something.
"Smack!"
Another slap across the face.
"Behave yourself!"
This time, he finally did.
He slumped on the ground, not daring to make another sound. His body was the only thing still trembling uncontrollably.
The Sixth Ancestor looked at him coldly, as if he were already a dead man.
"Take him away."
He waved a hand.
The Demon Suppression Guards hauled Qian Youde to his feet and escorted him to the Ministry of Justice Prison.
Meanwhile, news of what had happened that night was sent back to the Imperial Palace at top speed.
Inside the Imperial Study.
Su Gan stood before the Dragon Desk, gripping the vermilion brush in his hand so tightly it creaked.
He had just watched with his own eyes as that Golden Qilin descended from the sky outside the hall.
He had also seen the Cyan Sword Lotus illuminate the night sky.
He had thought it an auspicious sign from heaven and had even been happy for Prince Wu'an.
But when the eunuch reported everything that had happened that night, the joy on his face was instantly replaced by fury.
Xiao Qianjun had written up the whole story in an urgent memorial and ordered it sent to the palace as quickly as possible.
The memorial spelled everything out clearly.
The Capital Branch Sect of the Holy Demon God Sect had been hiding beneath the residence of Qian Youde, Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.
The Branch Sect's leader, Red Python, was an Early Ninth-tier Martial Saint.
Qian Youde, Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, had secretly colluded with demonic forces for years, providing them with intelligence, money, and provisions.
If Prince Wu'an hadn't intervened tonight, who knew how much longer this hideout would have remained concealed!
After reading the memorial, Su Gan's face turned livid.
He slammed his hand onto the Dragon Desk.
"Bang!"
The teacup jumped from the impact, spilling tea across the desk.
"What a Qian Youde!"
His voice brimmed with anger, mixed with the heartbreak of someone deeply betrayed.
"I personally promoted him to Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue! I entrusted him with the court's money and provisions! Yet he took the salary I gave him and became a lapdog for demons! Does he have no conscience? Is he even human?"
The eunuchs and palace maids in the hall dropped to their knees in fright, not daring to breathe too loudly.
Su Gan paced back and forth, his anger growing more intense by the moment.
"Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue... a third-rank official... Even a high-ranking minister like that has defected to the demons. How many people in court are still clean? How many have secretly taken favors from the Holy Demon God Sect?!"
He stopped, his gaze dark.
"Now I see a traitor in everyone. I feel like every one of them is deceiving me!"
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Veins throbbed on his forehead.
"If Prince Wu'an hadn't acted tonight, that beast would still have kept me in the dark! When the demonic army eventually bears down on us, and these lurking tumors in court stab us in the back, what will Great Yu have left to resist them?"
He turned and gave an order to the old eunuch beside him.
"Convey My decree!"
"Qian Youde colluded with demons. His crimes are unforgivable! The Ministry of Justice shall interrogate him thoroughly and uncover every accomplice! Whoever is implicated, whatever their station, the investigation must go all the way. No one is to be spared!"
"Seize all nine clans of his family. Don't let a single one escape!"
"Also, make Qian Youde's crimes known throughout the court and realm, so every official can see what happens to those who side with demons! If anyone dares to do the same, Qian Youde will be their warning!"
The old eunuch hurriedly bowed.
"This old servant obeys!"
After giving these orders, Su Gan sat back down on the throne.
He rubbed his brow, a trace of exhaustion showing on his face.
The events of that night had shaken him deeply.
A third-rank official whom he had personally promoted had turned out to be a traitor lurking in court.
It had left him with a profound distrust of the entire court.
He had no idea how many officials, like Qian Youde, appeared utterly loyal to him while secretly serving the demons.
"It seems I'll have to have the Demon Suppressing Division investigate discreetly from now on..."
He murmured, a chill flashing in his eyes.
Meanwhile.
At Prince Wu'an Mansion.
Lin Changqing descended from the sky atop Golden Radiance and landed in the mansion's front courtyard.
It was the middle of the night, but everyone in the mansion was awake.
No one could sleep.
They had all seen the golden light in the sky just now, the Qilin that had descended from above, and the Cyan Sword Lotus that had illuminated the night even earlier.
Uncle Liu, the old steward, had gathered all one hundred and thirty servants in the front courtyard to await him.
When the massive Golden Radiance descended from the night sky, everyone couldn't help sucking in a sharp breath.
It had already been breathtaking to see from a distance.
Now the Qilin stood right before them, less than three feet away.
The impact was beyond words!
Golden scales covered its entire body, their sheen soft beneath the moonlight.
Each scale bore natural patterns, like finely carved golden leaves.
Golden arcs of lightning still crackled around its four hooves.
Several young maids' legs went weak. Had someone not caught them, they would have collapsed to their knees.
A male servant stammered under his breath.
"H-Heavens... is this the legendary Qilin? It's even bigger than in the paintings..."
Another male servant swallowed.
"It was scary enough from far away. Now it's standing this close... I've never seen a spirit beast this big in my life."
Uncle Liu was an old steward who had seen the world. Though shock filled his face too, he was far calmer than the others.
He hurried forward and bowed respectfully to the person on the Qilin's back.
"Welcome home, Your Highness!"
Only then did the servants behind him come to their senses. They dropped to their knees as one.
Lin Changqing swung down from Golden Radiance's back with easy grace.
He patted Golden Radiance's neck, a clear smile on his face.
Golden Radiance rubbed its head against him again, letting out a low rumble from its throat.
The more Lin Changqing looked at it, the more satisfied he felt.
This Qilin wasn't just mighty and imposing. It was clingy, too.
It was the perfect mount.
"Uncle Liu."
"This old servant is here."
"This is Golden Radiance. From today on, it's a member of our mansion."
Lin Changqing gestured toward Golden Radiance.
"Give it the same treatment as me when it comes to meals and everything else."
"Let it eat what it wants and sleep wherever it likes. Don't restrain it."
Uncle Liu nodded at once.
"Rest assured, Your Highness. This old servant will take good care of Lord Holy Qilin."
He marveled inwardly.
The same treatment as His Highness?
That meant an annual salary of one and a half million Top-grade Spirit Crystals. Just the spirit beast meat and Spirit Fruits it would eat each day would cost a fortune!
But seeing how fond His Highness was of this Qilin, what was that expense?
Lin Changqing patted Golden Radiance's head once more, then turned and headed toward the rear courtyard.
Uncle Liu carefully led Golden Radiance to the hot spring beside the rear courtyard.
Qilins liked water.
Especially places rich in spiritual energy.
The hot spring steamed with mist and brimmed with spiritual energy. It was the best spot in the mansion.
Golden Radiance lowered its head and drank a few mouthfuls of the hot spring water, then lay down on the bluestone beside the pool.
Its huge body curled up, its tail swaying gently.
It seemed quite pleased with its new home.
Inside the main room of the rear courtyard.
Lin Changqing took off his outer robe and lay down on the bed.
The room was scented with calming sandalwood incense, and moonlight flowed like water outside the window.
He rested his hands behind his head and let out a long breath.
What a night.
First he'd gone shopping and been recognized and surrounded. Then someone had followed him, and he'd discovered an Underground Palace, smashed a seal with one punch, suppressed the Heaven-Burning Earth-Destroying Array, killed Red Python Martial Saint with one sword, and finally acquired a Qilin mount.
One thing after another. He'd been rushed off his feet.
Still, he'd gained plenty.
There was Golden Radiance, for one: a Martial Saint–stage Qilin mount, both flashy and practical.
He'd also wiped out the Holy Demon God Sect's Branch Sect in Capital City along the way, helping Great Yu Dynasty eliminate a hidden threat.
Lin Changqing closed his eyes.
He was now a Ninth-Rank Martial Saint at his peak, already standing at the summit of the Heavenly Martial Continent.
As for how to break through to Martial Emperor, he had no idea.
But he couldn't be bothered to think about it.
He had a system.
He got a guaranteed sign-in every month, and random quests popped up now and then.
Who knew? Maybe one day, he'd sign in or complete a quest and break through just like that.
Instead of racking his brains, he might as well eat and drink well and enjoy life.
Eat when he wanted, sleep when he wanted, go shopping when he wanted. That was the way to live.
Lin Changqing rolled onto his side and pulled the blanket up.
Before long.
The room filled with the sound of his steady breathing.
And so the Evergreen Saint Venerable, who had slain a Martial Saint with a single sword and subdued a Pureblood Qilin, drifted off into a blissful sleep.
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