In most cultivators' eyes, for a cultivator to stand firm before a Spirit Transformation Venerable without retreating was itself a display of almost mythical courage.
And so a strange scene unfolded.
Zhu Ritian had intended to take Qing Chen down a peg, but his attempt instead made many people realize just how formidable this newly appointed acting Northwestern Circuit-Surveying Governor was.
Qing Chen paid no attention to what everyone was thinking.
He felt both regret that Zhu Ritian had not struck and relief that he had not exposed his lethal trump card, the Primordial Magnetism Cauldron.
After a moment, he suddenly spoke.
"Mei Zhili."
Mei Zhili, the Provincial Governor of Yunzhou who had been slacking off to one side, felt his heart give a violent leap.
He had been hiding off to the side, doing his best to make himself inconspicuous.
The upheaval at Faneng Temple today had already been frightening enough: first Qing Chen destroyed the temple and distributed its treasures, then Xue Wuming was subdued, then Zhu Ritian descended, and finally the strange heavenly gate phenomenon in Hezhou was dragged into it.
Mei Zhili felt that, as a mere Subordinate Third Rank Yunzhou Governor, he had been swept into a storm that someone at his level should never have been involved in, yet he could not simply turn around and leave.
When Qing Chen suddenly called his name, his expression stiffened, and he hurried forward with an exceedingly respectful manner, cupping his hands.
"This subordinate is here."
Qing Chen did not look at his expression and merely said evenly, "Relay this Commander-in-Chief's command."
"From this day onward, the Cloud Province Prefectural Government shall assist the Governor-General's Office in sealing all Faneng Temple's case files, account books, and evidence of treasonous collaboration. No one may interrogate, transfer, or silence