Human Patriarchs, Emperor Dongyang Lord's Underhanded Ways

Afterward, Zhang Jian sent word for the four Inspection Envoys, twelve Inspector Immortal Lords, and thirty-six troop-commanding generals under the Inspection Heavenly Venerable Manor to come and pay their respects.

At the center of the Inspection Hall, Zhang Jian flipped through the roster in his hands, along with several defensive deployment maps of the Longevity True Realm left behind by the previous Inspection Heavenly Venerable. His brows furrowed slightly.

The previous Inspection Heavenly Venerable had not left him with a complete mess, but neither had he left behind a full complement of personnel.

Of the four Inspection Envoys under his command, three were missing.

Half of the twelve Inspector Immortal Lords were missing as well.

More than ten of the thirty-six troop-commanding generals were gone too.

Zhang Jian did not fly into a rage over this.

He had encountered such scenes many times before. He merely calmly perused part of the Inspection Hall's roster.

Before long, a black-faced Daoist surrounded by an aura of slaughter was the first to enter the Inspection Hall.

Upon seeing Zhang Jian, he immediately clasped his fists.

"Yan Jue, this general, pays respects to the newly appointed Inspection Heavenly Venerable!"

"Dao Lord Yan Jue, there is no need for such formality!"

Zhang Jian's gaze settled on the black-faced Inspection Envoy as his eyes swept over him.

This was likely the only Dao Lord under his command.

The four Inspection Envoys should, by rights, have been staffed by four Dao Lords. Yet now, only one remained.

The only reason they had likely been willing to leave him behind was that Dao Lord Yan Jue was half-crippled.

With a single glance, Zhang Jian saw that he bore Dao wounds that had yet to heal.

Zhang Jian did not look down on this Dao Lord because of it.