The record in Li Sanshun's hand came from the Alchemy Alliance's Verification Disk.
It contained only eight words.
A close branch of the Ji Clan; paternal line unknown.
The result from Tai Xuan Sect's Verification Disk was much the same.
Imperial bloodline nearby; ancestry untraceable for three generations.
Both disks recognized the imperial blood in his veins, but neither could trace him to the Third Prince's line.
The father Bai Chongshan had planted in the disk's base had been planted in vain.
The Questioning Dao Platform erupted into an uproar again.
"An imperial bloodline nearby doesn't mean he's a direct descendant of the Third Prince, does it?"
"Not even close. The Ji Clan has branched out for hundreds of years. There are too many collateral branches to count."
"If a nearby bloodline is enough to drag someone back to the capital, how many people would the Imperial Envoy Group take away in a year?"
Bai Chongshan snatched the record from Tai Xuan Sect and read it quickly.
"Impossible!"
He slapped the record back onto the table.
"Li Sanshun's blood activated all three Imperial Blood Pillars. His paternal line must belong to the third branch of the Jing generation. The two external Verification Disks can't read the Ji Clan Secret Script, so it's perfectly normal that they can't identify him."
Li Sanshun pointed at the dismantled Imperial Verification Disk.
"The disk that could read the secret script already had the answer written into it. You still want to use it as evidence?"
"We haven't determined who placed the Blood-Revealing Talisman inside."
"You were in charge of the disk, the private seals, and the Grey Feather Talisman Paper. Now that something's gone wrong, you claim you know nothing."
Bai Chongshan clutched the custody token and turned to Ji Jingyao.
"Your Highness, the external disks can only confirm a nearby bloodline. They can't trace the imperial branch. Under the Ji Clan's old rules, he should be taken back to the Imperial City and retested with an Ancestral Temple Blood Instrument."
Ji Jingyao didn't respond. He picked up the two results first.
The first round of blood verification was over.
Both results agreed.
Imperial bloodline nearby.
Paternal line unknown.
Those four words had cut off the envoy group's grounds for forcibly taking him away.
But Bai Chongshan still wouldn't let go.
"The second test of the blood samples hasn't begun. If its result points to the Third Prince's line, that will prove the first round was limited by the equipment."
The senior Alchemy Alliance alchemist placed three bottles of retest samples on the table.
"We can retest. But since all three Imperial Verification Disks have been found fraudulent, we'll use only Tai Xuan Sect's and the Alchemy Alliance's equipment."
Bai Chongshan immediately objected.
"The imperial family must provide a witness."
Gu Qinghe flipped to the final page of the Blood Mirror procedures.
"The six witnesses remain. Elder Bai is suspected of falsifying the results, so he can't go near the equipment or the blood samples."
Two Law Enforcement Hall disciples moved to Bai Chongshan's side.
The imperial guards started forward, but Ji Jingyao raised a hand to stop them.
"Stand back three zhang."
Bai Chongshan had no choice but to leave the long table.
Before everyone, the Alchemy Alliance alchemist drew out two bottles of blood samples. They checked each of the six seals around the bottle mouths, and the numbers matched the blood-draw records.
They cleaned the Ancestral Blood Slot in Tai Xuan Sect's Verification Disk.
The Alchemy Alliance's jade disk received a new Genealogy Seal.
Two drops of blood fell at the same time.
Bai Chongshan stood three zhang away, his right hand hidden in his sleeve.
Li Sanshun didn't look at the disks. Instead, he watched Bai Chongshan's sleeve.
The old bastard had gone to all this trouble. He couldn't have prepared just one Blood-Revealing Talisman.
The blood patterns had only reached the second ring when half a grey feather appeared at Bai Chongshan's cuff.
A paper crane!
Li Sanshun flicked out a gust of wind.
The grey feather had barely risen when it struck the long table, revealing the folded shape of a crane.
Gu Qinghe pinned the paper crane with her sword.
"The retest isn't over yet. Who's Elder Bai in such a hurry to send a message to?"
Bai Chongshan withdrew his right hand.
"The envoy group's equipment was dismantled. What's wrong with informing the Imperial City?"
Li Sanshun picked up the paper crane.
Its talisman patterns were already glowing. Most of the message had been sent, with only the final lines left unsent.
Gu Qinghe placed the paper crane in an evidence box.
"Unverified Message Talismans aren't allowed to leave the Questioning Dao Platform. The rules are clear."
"I was sending an internal message to the envoy group."
"We can discuss internal affairs after the retest."
Bai Chongshan tried to argue, but a result had already appeared on Tai Xuan Sect's Verification Disk.
Imperial bloodline nearby.
No paternal seal.
The Alchemy Alliance's jade disk completed its blood test soon after.
Ji Clan bloodline.
Collateral branches intermingled over two or more generations; paternal line unconfirmed.
Two tests, four results.
Not one pointed to the Third Prince.
Li Sanshun picked up the retest record and carried it straight to the six Image-Recording Arrays.
"Elder Bai, you could blame the equipment after the first round. What's your excuse for the second?"
Bai Chongshan stared at the record.
"A nearby bloodline is enough to prove he's connected to the Ji Clan. The imperial family is taking back its own blood. Tai Xuan Sect has no right to stop us."
"Who says it doesn't?"
The Second Elder stepped onto the Questioning Dao Platform, holding a scroll of the Imperial-Sect Old Covenant.
Only then did Li Sanshun learn that the Second Elder was named Qi Shouxuan.
Qi Shouxuan oversaw Tai Xuan Sect's laws and regulations. After the Old Infant Case was reported to the Deliberation Hall, he had spent the whole night searching the old records of the covenant.
The scroll unfurled. One of its pages bore the old seals of both Tai Xuan Sect and the Great Ji Dynasty.
"Three hundred and twenty years ago, Tai Xuan Sect and the imperial court signed the Bloodline-Seeking Old Covenant. Without a paternal Genealogy Seal, the biological father's blood sample, and verification by an Ancestral Temple Blood Instrument, the imperial family may not forcibly take a sect disciple away. If even one of these three is missing, they cannot take him."
Qi Shouxuan laid the covenant on the long table.
"Li Sanshun has already been entered into Tai Xuan Sect's disciple register. The envoy group may invite him, but it cannot take custody of him."
Bai Chongshan flipped to the covenant's signatures.
"He's only a menial outer sect servant!"
Qi Shouxuan took out another register.
"Li Sanshun helped the Law Enforcement Hall investigate the North Mountain Herb Garden case. His status as an outer sect disciple was added yesterday. The Sect Jade Seal and the Law Enforcement Hall's Major Case Seal are both here. Would you like to check?"
Li Sanshun took the register and glanced at it.
Gu Qinghe had worked quickly.
Yesterday, he'd still been busy arresting people, but his status as a disciple had already been sorted out.
Bai Chongshan pointed at the three bottles of blood.
"Since he has a nearby imperial bloodline, he should go to the ancestral temple for verification."
"The imperial ancestral temple can send a blood instrument to Tai Xuan Sect."
Qi Shouxuan put away the register.
"If you want to take him, first establish his paternal line. One disk hiding a forged talisman isn't enough."
The hundreds of disciples below understood now.
The imperial disks were fraudulent.
The other two disks recognized only a nearby bloodline.
And the Imperial-Sect Old Covenant had closed off the path to taking him away.
Bai Chongshan had tried to shove Li Sanshun into the Third Prince's line with a false identity. His scheme had collapsed completely.
Ji Jingyao put away the gold-edged Kin-Seeking Document.
"The blood verification cannot establish his paternal line. The envoy group will not take him today."
Bai Chongshan hurried forward.
"Your Highness, the Imperial City already knows that the lost descendant has been found. If you withdraw the document now, every branch of the imperial family will demand an explanation!"
Ji Jingyao turned around.
"Who let the Imperial City know ahead of time?"
Bai Chongshan didn't answer.
Gu Qinghe looked at the Grey Feather Paper Crane sealed in the evidence box.
Most of its message had already been sent.
Before the retest results came out, Bai Chongshan had already reported the good news to the Imperial City.
He hadn't left himself a way out at all.
Li Sanshun picked up the three sealed blood samples.
"The test is over. One sample goes into the Major Case Cabinet, one goes to the Alchemy Alliance, and Elder Qi will keep the last one. Anyone who dares touch them will be arrested for interfering with a major case."
Qi Shouxuan stamped the results with the sect seal.
Ji Jingyao also put away the Kin-Seeking Command Talisman.
Two Law Enforcement Hall disciples approached Bai Chongshan, preparing to inspect his Storage Bag.
But just then, a clerk from the Reception Courtyard came running up from the mountain path below.
He crossed the chain barrier and handed Ji Jingyao a Red Invitation Card.
As soon as the card was unfolded, more than a dozen Grey Feather Paper Cranes flew over the Questioning Dao Platform and scattered toward the peaks.
Each crane carried an Imperial City Congratulatory Note.
The disciple guarding the mountain also hurried to the foot of the platform.
"Elder Qi, the first batch of congratulatory gifts from the Imperial City has arrived at the mountain gate. The envoy also brought a message."
Li Sanshun stopped him.
"What message?"
The mountain guard took out the gift list.
"Congratulations on the Third Prince's lost descendant returning to the clan. Please have Young Master Li open the gate and accept the gifts!"
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