As Always, Spring Returned and Flowers Bloomed

After the immense grief brought on by emotion came the return of reason.

Lin Ze'an buried Lin Gang on the mountain behind the village, beside his mother.

Two simple tombstones stood quietly in the glow of the setting sun, surrounded by countless wildflowers whose names he did not know.

After everything had been taken care of, Lin Ze'an knelt before the tombstones and said softly, "Father, you once asked me which side of the scales I would choose."

"Back then, I would have chosen the people. If one person's life could be exchanged for the lives of everyone else, then it would be worth it."

"But... I think I may have fallen into a mistaken way of thinking."

His small hand gently traced the carved words on the tombstone. "Because of that choice, I lost Mother, and now I've lost you, too."

Having to choose one or the other... in the end, it was because he hadn't been strong enough to support both choices.

But why should he stand still? As long as he kept moving forward and never stopped, the tragedy would never happen again.

"I won't make that kind of choice again."

"If one day the scales of life and death begin to tip, I'll put myself on them as the counterweight and protect life."

"Father, Mother, wait for me."

"One day, I'll bring you back. Then, as always, spring will return and the flowers will bloom."

At Lin Ze'an's request, they stopped at a nearby Spirit Branch Hall on their way back.

Yue Guan and Gui Mei looked at the unusually quiet Lin Ze'an, their eyes filled with worry.

Yue Guan quietly said to Gui Mei beside him, "Old Ghost, what do you think about this child..."

Lin Gang's death had dealt him a devastating blow.

The boy had lost his mother when he was little, and now even his father...

Gui Mei fell silent for a moment, then sighed. "He's stronger than we thought."

In the carriage, Lin Ze'an sat quietly beside the window, his emerald-green eyes watching the scenery rush past. His little face showed no emotion.

Yan and Hu Liena both tried to cheer Lin Ze'an up, chatting with him all along the way.

But he only gave a faint "Mm" to every remark, showing no interest at all.

Before long, the carriage stopped outside the Spirit Branch Hall.

Lin Ze'an stepped down and looked up at the enormous statue of the Six-Winged Angel above the entrance.

Hu Liena and the others stayed outside with Gui Mei instead of going in. Yue Guan accompanied Lin Ze'an into the hall.

After Yue Guan presented his token, the hall's Purple-Robed Bishop hurried over as if facing a formidable enemy.

He was a middle-aged man. When he saw the two of them, he hastily bowed. "Greetings, Elder. I'm Mai Xuanfeng, at your service. May I ask if you have any orders for me?"

Yue Guan gave a brief nod. "Get up."

"I heard that an Evil Soul Master appeared in a village under your jurisdiction. Were any villagers killed or injured? Have you caught him?"

At the mention of this, Mai Xuanfeng said with an awkward smile, "Reporting to you, Elder, we've caught him. Fortunately, no villagers were killed or injured."

At that, Lin Ze'an froze. The lifeless look in his eyes vanished in an instant. "What did you say?"

No villagers had been killed or injured? None???

As far as he knew, besides his father, at least six other villagers had been killed by that Evil Soul Master.

And he was calling that no casualties?

Yue Guan gently patted Lin Ze'an's hand, signaling for him to wait.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes. He continued, "What about the person you caught? Bring him out."

Mai Xuanfeng's heart tightened, and tiny beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He hurriedly said, "Elder, the criminal was utterly wicked, so we've already dealt with him."

Hearing this clumsy lie, Yue Guan looked at him with a cold smile. "Dealt with him? When? How?"

Mai Xuanfeng wiped his sweat, his voice trembling. "Y-Yes... yesterday... We followed the rules and executed him on the spot."

"The body has already... already been burned. That man had strange abilities, and we feared leaving trouble behind..."

Before he could finish, Yue Guan roared, "Outrageous!"

Terrifying Soul Power exploded from him and blasted toward Mai Xuanfeng.

Mai Xuanfeng didn't even have time to react before he was sent flying, crashing heavily into the wall.

"Pfft—!" He spat out a mouthful of blood and crumpled to the ground, staring at Yue Guan in terror. "E-Elder, please calm down..."

Yue Guan glared at him in fury, each word clipped and deliberate. "We just came back from that village, and you tell me there were no casualties?"

And he'd disposed of the main culprit so cleanly, too? Did he take Yue Guan for a fool?

Yue Guan turned to a deacon kneeling nearby and snorted. "You tell me. If you utter a single lie..."

The man hurriedly crawled forward on his knees and said in a trembling voice, "Please forgive us, Elder! Please forgive us! We did catch that Evil Soul Master."

"But... but Bishop Mai Xuanfeng ordered us to let him go..."

At those words, silence fell over the entire hall.

All the deacons and Palace Guard Knights in the branch hall bowed their heads deeply, not daring to look Yue Guan in the face.

Lin Ze'an's expression changed, disbelief in his eyes. "What? You let him go?"

The deacon kowtowed repeatedly in fright. "Y-Yes... His Holiness the Bishop ordered us to release him... It really wasn't our fault!"

Mai Xuanfeng lay sprawled on the ground, his face ashen. "It's over... It's all over..."

Just then, Gui Mei's figure silently appeared in front of Mai Xuanfeng. His hoarse voice carried a murderous chill. "Who told you to do it?"

Startled by the sudden appearance, Mai Xuanfeng trembled as he replied, "That man gave me benefits..."

"Elder, please forgive me! Please forgive me! I know I was wrong! I really do!"

Lin Ze'an couldn't hold back any longer. He rushed over and kicked Mai Xuanfeng. "You shameless wretch!"

He had never imagined that the Spirit Branch Hall here had grown so corrupt.

With Yue Guan and Gui Mei right there, Mai Xuanfeng didn't dare fight back. Even after being kicked, he hurriedly knelt again and kowtowed. "Please calm down, sir! Please calm down!"

Lin Ze'an pointed at Mai Xuanfeng and shouted angrily, "My father died protecting the villagers, and you let the killer go for profit?"

He turned his back on Mai Xuanfeng and took a deep breath, his small hands clenched tightly into fists as he struggled to steady himself.

A moment later, Lin Ze'an turned to Yue Guan and asked, "Master, sorry for the trouble, but please take everyone from this Spirit Branch Hall into custody and bring them back to Spirit City."

"Have the Platinum Bishop responsible for the Heaven Dou Empire inspect every Spirit Branch Hall immediately. Don't let there be a second Mai Xuanfeng."

"And issue a wanted notice for that Evil Soul Master. We need to see him alive or find his corpse."

"If His Holiness the Pope blames anyone, put it all on me. I'll take full responsibility."

If this was a force protected by the God of Angels, then it should uphold the angels' light and purity...

He could use the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew as a bargaining chip with Bibi Dong in exchange for a thorough purge.

Yue Guan patted Lin Ze'an's shoulder tenderly. "All right. I'll take care of it. Try to calm down."

"His Holiness the Pope won't oppose something like this. Your master will make sure your father gets justice."

If he couldn't even do what should have been done in the first place, then he would be a completely inadequate master.