Hammering Down the Fraud, Congratulatory Gifts Block the Mountain Gate

The records in Li Sanshun's hands came from the Alchemy Alliance Verification Disk.

Only eight characters were written on the paper.

Ji Clan close lineage, paternal line unknown.

The result provided by the Tai Xuan Sect Verification Disk was much the same.

Imperial Clan close lineage, three generations untraceable.

Both disks acknowledged that he carried the imperial bloodline, yet neither could trace him to the Third Prince's line.

The "father" Bai Chongshan had stuffed into the base beforehand had been stuffed in vain.

The area beneath the Questioning Dao Platform descended into chaos once more.

"Imperial close lineage doesn't necessarily mean direct descendant of the Third Prince, right?"

"Not even close. The Ji Clan has branched out for hundreds of years; there are countless collateral branches."

"If one could drag people back to the capital based solely on a close lineage, how many people would the Imperial Envoy Group take away in a year?"

Bai Chongshan snatched the Tai Xuan Sect's record and finished reading it in a flash.

"Impossible!"

He slammed the record back onto the table.

"Li Sanshun's blood can trigger three Imperial Blood Pillars; his paternal line must be in the Jing-character third branch. The two external Verification Disks cannot read the Ji Clan Secret Script, so it is perfectly normal that they couldn't identify his specific status."

Li Sanshun pointed at the dismantled Imperial Verification Disk.

"The disk that could read the secret script had the answer written into it beforehand. And you still dare to use it as evidence?"

"Who placed the Blood-Revealing Talisman remains to be investigated."

"The disk is under your charge, the private seal is under your charge, and the Grey Feather Talisman Paper is also under your charge. When something goes wrong, you suddenly know nothing at all."

Bai Chongshan gripped his custody token and turned toward Ji Jingyao.

"Your Highness, the external disks can only confirm a close lineage; they cannot trace the imperial branch. According to the old Ji Clan regulations, we should bring him back to the Imperial City to be re-verified with the Ancestral Temple Blood Instrument."

Ji Jingyao did not respond, picking up the two sets of results first.

The first round of blood verification had concluded.

The two results were identical.

Imperial close lineage.

Paternal line unknown.

These four characters severed the Envoy Group's justification for forcibly taking the person.

Yet Bai Chongshan refused to let go.

"The re-verification blood samples haven't been used yet. If the second result points to the Third Prince's line, it will prove the first round was limited by the instruments."

An elder alchemist from the Alchemy Alliance placed three vials of re-verification blood samples on the table.

"Re-verification is fine. Since the three Imperial Verification Disks have been found to be tampered with, we can only use the instruments of the Tai Xuan Sect and the Alchemy Alliance."

Bai Chongshan immediately objected.

"The Imperial Clan must provide witnesses."

Gu Qinghe flipped the blood verification regulations to the final page.

"The six witnesses remain unchanged. Elder Bai is suspected of forging results and cannot go near the instruments or the blood samples."

Two Law Enforcement disciples stepped to Bai Chongshan's sides.

The imperial guards attempted to step forward, but Ji Jingyao raised a hand to stop them.

"Retreat three zhang."

Bai Chongshan had no choice but to leave the long table.

The Alchemy Alliance alchemist extracted two blood samples in public. The six seals on the vial caps were checked one by one, and the serial numbers matched the blood collection records.

The Tai Xuan Sect Verification Disk finished clearing its Ancestral Blood Slot.

The Alchemy Alliance jade disk was fitted with a new Genealogy Seal.

Two drops of blood fell simultaneously.

Bai Chongshan stood three zhang away, his right hand hidden inside his sleeve.

Li Sanshun did not look at the disks, but instead kept his eyes fixed on the man's sleeve.

This old thing had been making such a fuss for so long; he couldn't have only prepared a single Blood-Revealing Talisman.

The blood patterns had only extended to the second circle when half a grey feather appeared at Bai Chongshan's cuff.

A paper crane!

Li Sanshun raised his hand and unleashed a gust of wind.

The grey feather had barely taken flight before it slammed into the long table, revealing the folded body of the crane.

Gu Qinghe raised her sword and pinned the paper crane down.

"The re-verification isn't even over yet; who is Elder Bai in such a hurry to send a message to?"

Bai Chongshan withdrew his right hand.

"The Envoy Group's instruments were dismantled; what is the problem with me notifying the Imperial City?"

Li Sanshun took down the paper crane.

The crane's body was already glowing with talisman patterns; most of the information inside had been sent, with only the last few lines failing to transmit in time.

Gu Qinghe placed the paper crane into an evidence box.

"Unverified Message Talismans are not allowed to leave the Questioning Dao Platform. It is written very clearly in the regulations."

"I was transmitting internal Envoy Group affairs."

"We will discuss internal affairs after the re-verification is finished."

Bai Chongshan tried to argue further, but the Tai Xuan Sect Verification Disk had already displayed its results.

Imperial close lineage.

Paternal line: no seal.

The Alchemy Alliance jade disk completed its blood verification shortly after.

Ji Clan bloodline.

Collateral branches intertwined for more than two generations; paternal line cannot be confirmed.

Two rounds of verification, four sets of results.

Not a single one pointed to the Third Prince.

Li Sanshun picked up the re-verification records and delivered them directly in front of the six Image-Recording Arrays.

"Elder Bai, you could blame the instruments for the first round. What do you have to say about the second?"

Bai Chongshan stared at the records.

"A close lineage is enough to prove he is related to the Ji Clan. The Imperial Clan is taking back its own bloodline; the Tai Xuan Sect has no right to stop us."

"Who said we have no right?"

The Second Elder stepped onto the Questioning Dao Platform, a scroll of the Imperial-Sect Old Covenant in his hand.

Only then did Li Sanshun learn that the Second Elder's name was Qi Shouxuan.

Qi Shouxuan was in charge of sect laws at the Tai Xuan Sect; after the Old Infant Case was reported to the Deliberation Hall, he had spent the entire night searching through old imperial archives.

The scroll was unfurled, one page bearing the old seals of both the Tai Xuan Sect and the Great Ji Dynasty.

"Three hundred and twenty years ago, the Tai Xuan Sect and the Imperial Dynasty signed the Bloodline-Seeking Old Covenant. Without a paternal Genealogy Seal, without a blood sample from the biological father, and without verification by the Ancestral Temple Blood Instrument—if any of these three are missing, the Imperial Clan may not forcibly take away a sect disciple."

Qi Shouxuan laid the old covenant on the long table.

"Li Sanshun has already been entered into the Tai Xuan Sect's disciple register. The Envoy Group can only invite, not take custody."

Bai Chongshan flipped to the signature on the old covenant.

"He is merely an outer-sect servant!"

Qi Shouxuan produced another register.

"Li Sanshun assisted the Law Enforcement Hall in investigating the North Mountain Herb Garden case, and his status as an outer-sect disciple was retroactively recorded yesterday. The Sect Jade Seal and the Law Enforcement Hall's Major Case Seal are both here; would you like to check them?"

Li Sanshun took the register and glanced at it.

Gu Qinghe worked fast.

He had been busy catching people just yesterday, and his disciple status had already been finalized.

Bai Chongshan pointed to the three vials of blood samples.

"Since he has the imperial close lineage, he should go to the Ancestral Temple for verification."

"You are welcome to invite the Imperial Ancestral Temple to send their blood instrument to the Tai Xuan Sect."

Qi Shouxuan put away the register.

"If you want to take him, first clarify the paternal line. Bringing a disk containing a fake talisman is not enough."

The hundreds of disciples below the platform understood everything now.

The imperial disk was a fake.

The two other disks only recognized a close lineage.

The Imperial-Sect Old Covenant blocked the conditions for taking him away.

Bai Chongshan's plan to force Li Sanshun into the Third Prince's line using a fake identity had completely collapsed.

Ji Jingyao took back the gold-rimmed Kin-Seeking Document.

"The blood verification results cannot confirm the paternal line; the Envoy Group will not be taking anyone today."

Bai Chongshan stepped forward quickly.

"Your Highness, the Imperial City has already been informed that the lost bloodline has been found. If you withdraw the document now, every branch of the Imperial Clan will come asking questions!"

Ji Jingyao turned around.

"Who let the Imperial City know ahead of time?"

Bai Chongshan did not answer.

Gu Qinghe looked toward the Grey Feather Paper Crane sealed inside the evidence box.

Most of the information had already been sent.

Bai Chongshan had reported the good news to the Imperial City before the re-verification results were even out.

He had left himself no path of retreat.

Li Sanshun picked up the three sealed blood samples.

"Blood verification is over. One sample goes to the Major Case cabinet, one to the Alchemy Alliance, and the last one will be kept by Elder Qi. Anyone who dares to touch them again will be arrested for interfering with a major case."

Qi Shouxuan stamped the results with the sect seal.

Ji Jingyao also took back the Kin-Seeking Command Talisman.

Two Law Enforcement disciples walked toward Bai Chongshan, preparing to inspect his Storage Bag.

However, a clerk from the Reception Courtyard came running from below the mountain path.

The man crossed the chains and handed a red invitation card to Ji Jingyao.

The moment the invitation was unfolded, over a dozen grey feather paper cranes flew over the Questioning Dao Platform, descending toward various peaks.

Each paper crane was tied with an Imperial City Congratulatory Note.

The disciple responsible for guarding the mountain also arrived beneath the platform.

"Elder Qi, the first batch of congratulatory gifts sent from the Imperial City has arrived at the mountain gate, and the messenger also brought a message."

Li Sanshun stopped him.

"What message?"

The mountain-guarding disciple took out a gift list.

"Congratulations on the return of the Third Prince's lost bloodline; please, Young Master Li, open the gate and receive the gifts!"