Reinvesting the Water Earl, Reaching the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining

With the last batch of Rogue Cultivators escorted into the death cells, the handover of the Chaos Bone Ridge case finally came to an end.

Inside the Demon-Suppression Office, Pang Song was beaming, with a spring in every step.

He greeted passing colleagues as he sidled up to Chu Bai, chuckling. "Brother Chu, I really might be riding your coattails this time."

"We captured a Qi Refining Perfection cultivator alive and seized a Divine Path treasure. Once that record reaches the Prefectural City, this year's outstanding-service award is as good as mine, even if I was only the deputy team leader!"

In the Great Zhou Immortal Dynasty, year-end honors meant more than generous rewards and Pills. They could determine whether someone had a chance to advance into Great Wall Prefecture, or even gain the resources to pursue an official post of Subordinate Eighth Rank.

Chu Bai smiled and offered a few replies to Pang Song's delight, but he felt little relief.

When the bustle died down, Chu Bai returned alone to Clearwind Courtyard.

In the cultivation chamber, the Five-Element Spirit-Gathering Array still ran steadily. Chu Bai did not immediately begin absorbing spiritual energy. Instead, he slowly closed his eyes, and his Divine Sense sank deep into his sea of consciousness.

There, the golden edict symbolizing [Golden Edict, Jade Register Bearing Heaven] shone with unprecedented brilliance.

Around it, a dense mass of energy, radiant as gold dust, spun wildly. It was the Divine Path Origin and Incense and Fire Prayer Power he had absorbed from the silk seal ribbon.

It was the lifeblood the True Spirit Society had forcibly stripped from the Water Earl's divine status through a secret art after ambushing him.

"This is rather troublesome."

Chu Bai slowly opened his eyes, his brows drawing together.

He knew perfectly well