Three days after Yan Wuyuan left White Fish City.
The Judgment Hall, Suining Prefecture Heaven Patrol Office.
Six stacks of case files crowded the office that afternoon. Even the shortest reached elbow height.
Pei Zongyue, Deputy Hall Master of Judgment Hall, sat behind his desk, his left hand resting on a criminal apprehension report sent from Qingxi County, a county under the Prefectural City's jurisdiction.
Holding a brush in his right hand, he wrote his approval on the final page: "Forward to the Evil Punishment Office for verification."
The ink had yet to dry when footsteps sounded outside.
One of his personal guards entered, holding an envelope in both hands, and said:
"My lord, a confidential letter from the Nether Spring Office."
Pei Zongyue did not look up at those words. He merely instructed:
"Put it on the left. I'll read it when I'm finished."
Hearing his lord's response, the guard added:
"My lord, it bears a Black Ink Seal and Deputy Chief Inspector Yan's wax stamp."
At Yan Wuyuan's name, the brush in Pei Zongyue's hand stopped.
Letters from the Nether Spring Office came in different grades.
Ordinary cases used gray seals; cases involving major criminals in the inner qi realm used black seals.
The Black Ink Seal went only to the Judgment Hall. Unless a case involved the true astral realm or unrest across an entire county, it would never be used.
"Bring it here."
He set down his brush and took the envelope to examine it.
A Flying Kite Seal was impressed into the black wax on the envelope. Its pattern was intact, with no signs of tampering.
Pei Zongyue took out a short paper knife, slit the envelope open, and drew out three sheets.
The opening was in Yan Wuyuan's own handwriting.
"In the depths of