He couldn't leave for three months.
How was that any different from killing him?
"You've already come to blows, so this is no longer a simple matter," the man interrogating him said.
Jiang Man was rather helpless. "They were the ones who attacked. I was only defending myself."
"What about the Spirit Steed, then?" the Interrogator countered.
Jiang Man fell silent. They had circled back again.
The Interrogator looked at Jiang Man. "Actually, if you have someone backing you, you could try calling them over."
Jiang Man understood. This was a chance to show his connections.
Unfortunately, he had none.
After a moment's hesitation, he thought of something.
Then he took it out. "Would this work?"
The Interrogator took Jiang Man's Token, looking puzzled. "What's this? Don't make me show it to the Manager only to get a scolding."
Jiang Man handed over another ten Spirit Sources.
The Interrogator immediately turned solemn. "You should have brought this out sooner. I'll go find our Manager."
Jiang Man: "..."
Once the man left, he went over what had happened today.
He felt that Chang Qiwen had been targeting him.
Qi Refining Sixth Layer, third in the courtyard.
That qualified him to compete for the top two spots.
How could he have attacked outright? He wasn't like Song Qing, driven into a corner with no choice but to try his hardest to find someone to serve as a guard.
Fang Yong hadn't attacked, merely following on purpose.
That was normal.
But he had to learn from today's events.
The next time he saw a Spirit Steed collapse, he had to flee immediately.
That way, he could escape disaster.
While Jiang Man was still thinking, the man who had interrogated him returned.
He came up to Jiang Man, his attitude completely different from before, and said with a smile, "Young Master Jiang, this was all a misunderstanding. If you'd told us sooner that you had a mysterious background, you wouldn't have had to sit here."
As he spoke, he came closer and secretly returned the ten Spirit Sources. "We're all on the same side. Giving us something like this makes us seem like strangers."
Looking at the returned Spirit Sources, Jiang Man said in some surprise, "I should still pay. Even brothers should keep their accounts straight."
The Interrogator smiled awkwardly and gave him another ten Spirit Sources. "Let's not bother with accounts. We're all on the same side."
Jiang Man accepted the Spirit Sources and smiled along with him. "I'll listen to you, fellow Daoist."
Then he asked, "Can I leave now?"
"Yes, but this matter hasn't been resolved yet. We'll have a result within three months at the latest." The Interrogator thought for a moment before saying:
"If the other party insists on compensation, things might still be a little troublesome."
"I have to pay?" Jiang Man asked.
"Hard to say. It depends on the investigation's findings," the Interrogator said.
After a pause, Jiang Man asked about the other two.
The Interrogator made no attempt to hide it. "Fang Yong has already left. The other one, Chang Qiwen, has been detained."
Jiang Man was puzzled.
Why had Fang Yong left?
Hadn't he said they had to wait three months?
But the other man merely smiled.
Jiang Man understood. It was much the same as his own situation.
Either he had paid quite a few Spirit Sources, or he had someone backing him.
Besides, Fang Yong's situation was a little better. He had only followed behind without attacking.
The price of getting out was lower.
Chang Qiwen, however, would have to pay a steep price.
As for whether Young Master Yang and the others would get him out, Jiang Man thought it impossible.
After leaving the Law Enforcement Office, Jiang Man went to buy medicinal pills.
Then he returned to his quarters.
He didn't go to the courtyard. After all, they had already been notified when he was arrested.
"The poison in the fodder was put there by one of that Young Master Yang's people," Old Yellow Ox said.
Jiang Man was somewhat surprised. "You saw it, Brother Ox?"
"No." Old Yellow Ox shook his head. "I smelled a similar scent."
"I think there's something strange about this." Jiang Man thought for a moment. "Normally, with all three of us arrested, none of us would be able to compete for eligibility.
"That doesn't do Young Master Cheng and the others much good.
"Why would they go to all this trouble?"
After giving it some thought, Jiang Man realized that those arrested were the Sixth Courtyard's second-place contender, its third-place contender, and its biggest dark horse.
Who stood to gain the most if all three were unable to compete for eligibility?
Cheng Yu, in fourth place.
Thinking back, all Jiang Man could recall was that Cheng Yu was lively and cheerful, seemingly sunny and open, not at all like someone who would scheme in secret.
Jiang Man shook his head.
Regardless, Cheng Yu was the ultimate beneficiary of this affair.
That alone meant he had to be wary of her.
Cheng Yu, Cheng Moyang-perhaps there was a connection between them.
But could someone who benefited so directly truly have had no designs at all?
Jiang Man didn't believe it, at any rate.
Afterward, Jiang Man prepared to cultivate.
There were only about ten days left until the Hundred-Day mark.
So he had to obtain the Visualization Method this time.
He had used the Token, so his score had to be good.
Otherwise, it would be troublesome if he was eliminated.
Jiang Man spent the entire night cultivating and absorbing the medicinal power of the Spirit-Gathering Pills.
Only at dawn did he finally open the sixth "Gourd."
For a moment, he felt the Gourds grow somewhat heavier. Not only that, the spiritual qi circulating through his body also became increasingly heavy.
Even a casual strike carried tremendous power.
This came from the weight of the spiritual qi itself.
Then he tried executing the Six Harmonies Palm and using the Spirit Travel Step.
He reached a conclusion.
Chang Qiwen had held back yesterday.
He had deliberately slowed his pace to wait for Fang Yong.
Otherwise, Jiang Man would have been in an even sorrier state by the time he reached the Guard Office.
So his original goal had been to drag them into the water and get them all arrested together.
Not only that, attacking others at will in the Cloudfront Office might even directly strip him of his eligibility to compete for a spot.
Jiang Man didn't know whether Chang Qiwen was still eligible.
But today, he was going to reach the top of the Sixth Courtyard.
Unless he took first place, he feared the sect's people would eliminate him.
Without the Superior Visualization Method, he wouldn't have a chance to take first place in the future even if he wanted to.
So even if he had to conceal his strength now, he couldn't hide too much.
Whether it was Luo Xuan, Fang Yong, or Cheng Yu lurking in the shadows.
This time, Jiang Man would crush them all.
Only after cleaning the Stable did Jiang Man head to the Sixth Courtyard.
This time, he made a point of glancing at the Stable, ready to flee.
Fortunately, nothing happened.
Though Old Yellow Ox did mock him for it.
There was no need to mind that.
The Sixth Courtyard.
Little Fatty was somewhat surprised to see Jiang Man. "Brother Jiang, why are you here? Didn't they say you'd been detained?"
Jiang Man looked at him. "I got out again."
"How did you get out?" Little Fatty thought for a moment. "Did Luo Xuan get you out? It's good that you're her guard and all, but it still feels like a bit of a shame.
"If you weren't a guard, it'd be easier for me to explain things when I go back."
Jiang Man gave a mysterious smile. "It's fine. When the rankings come out on the seventeenth, you'll have an easy time explaining things."
Hearing this, Little Fatty said with some delight, "Are you going to move up in the rankings, Brother Jiang? Can you reach tenth?"
Jiang Man thought briefly, then shook his head. "Tenth won't quite do."
"Tenth won't do?" Little Fatty looked regretful again. "Eleventh or twelfth works too. That's impressive enough, just not dazzling.
"Do you want more medicinal pills? I still have some."
Jiang Man shook his head. He didn't need any for now.
He would wait until he had made it through this hurdle with the Heavenly Chosen Fate.
Otherwise, if he owed Little Fatty too much, he feared he wouldn't have a chance to repay him later.
Soon, everyone from the Sixth Courtyard had arrived.
The return of Fang Yong and Jiang Man surprised the others somewhat.
"Everyone in the courtyard was discussing how even Young Master Fang could have been arrested when he was a rich young master, and how you could have been arrested when you were a guard Luo Xuan was grooming.
"Now everyone's sure. Young Master Fang really is Young Master Fang, and you really are being groomed by Luo Xuan. Only Chang Qiwen is genuinely poor," Little Fatty said.
Jiang Man: "..."
All three of them seemed to come from poor backgrounds.
Still, he couldn't be sure of Fang Yong's exact circumstances.
But in front of people like Young Master Cheng, Fang Yong was certainly just as poor as he was.
Before you continue