Wu Qingxu and Dai Gonghan waited outside for three days.
Throughout that time, they carefully sensed the intermittent traces of qi coming from within. At the first sign of anything amiss, they would enter to provide support.
Just as the third day was drawing to a close, both men's expressions shifted. At that very moment, they sensed Cang Lu's presence suddenly become almost imperceptible, only to seem veiled by something afterward. They could no longer detect even the slightest trace of it. Clearly, the battle had already been decided.
"He's coming out," Wu Qingxu said gravely.
Dai Gonghan also looked ahead.
After a short while, the world before them seemed to melt away, revealing a huge hollow. Within it, they could see multicolored currents and drifting, circling streams of light. Then a figure clad in a jade-colored cloak, wreathed in jade mist and starlight, stepped out from within and set one foot outside.
Seeing that not a speck of filth stained him and that his aura remained full and solid, Wu Qingxu and Dai Gonghan found it hard to imagine that he had just battled another fellow cultivator. Both gave him a clasped-hand salute. "Greetings, Guardian of Rectitude Zhang. We were sent by the Profound Court to receive you."
Zhang Yu raised his sleeve and clasped his hands in return. "Greetings, fellow Court Executives. My thanks to you both."
Wu Qingxu asked, "Guardian of Rectitude Zhang, have you captured Cang Lu?"
Zhang Yu raised a hand, and a long, curved ritual implement resembling a shard of ice appeared in his palm. This was the Essence-Seizing Banner-Heaven Mirror. "This man has been trapped within this Heaven Mirror by me."
Though he had already guessed the outcome, Wu Qingxu still could not help but look at Zhang Yu a few more times.