Chapter 313: Brother Liang's Persuasion

At dusk, a dim orange light dyed the houses and streets of **Heavenly Gate City**.

At the top of the twelve-story pavilion in the *Eastern District*, a middle-aged man stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back, looking out at the mountains outside **Heavenly Gate City** with a grave expression.

This person was the Deputy Commander of the *Justice Division*, and his name was Yue Xuanming. Being in the middle stage of *Nascent Soul*, he was the head of the *Justice Division* together with the Commander.

Behind him, a disciple of the *Division*, dressed in a golden uniform, held a jade slip in his hand and reported to him.

"Jiang He traveled to **First Spring Town** to work on a case and was attacked by a person known as the '*Immortal Thief*'. Unfortunately, he lost his life. And then Liang Zhu, an officer of the *Justice Division*, managed to capture the *Immortal Thief* and bring her to justice. Also, the *Immortal Thief* attacked the Young Lady of the ***Black Star*** Sect in **Jade Pass City** and stole her spiritual sword and several talismans. The two cases were concluded together."

"*Immortal Thief*..." Yue Xuanming murmured and turned around. "Didn't she also rob the ***Sword Gate*** Sect before?"

"Yes, the *Immortal Thief* has been rampant in three regions for decades and has never been caught. This time, she fell into the hands of the *Justice Division*, and several cases were closed. Now, we may have to wait for people from various *Crime Departments* in other regions to come here before she can be sentenced."

"Haha... A *Core Formation* cultivator who has been rampant for more than thirty years was caught by someone in the late stage of *Foundation Building*? This matter is fishy. I'm afraid there are too many question marks in this case."

"Master Yue, what do you mean? That Liang Zhu lied?"

"Perhaps, but now that the ***Demon Clan*** has invaded the **Central Region**, the *Justice Division* has insufficient manpower. I can't send people to **First Spring Town** to investigate the matter in detail. For the time being, I will conclude the case according to the transcript submitted by Liang Zhu."

"Yes, sir."

The disciple cupped his hands and turned around to go out, but Yue Xuanming stopped him. "Wait."

"Yes, Master Yue, do you have any other instructions?"

"Call that Liang Zhu here. I have some things I want to ask him."

"Yes, sir."

After watching the disciple leave, Yue Xuanming let out a long breath. He turned his head and looked at the sun setting outside the window. He felt as if there was an undercurrent surging, which made him extremely uneasy.

---The Demon King led the ***Demon Clan*** in a rush across the border, breaking through the **Jade Pass**.

---The two Young Ladies of the ***Black Star*** Sect suddenly appeared in **Heavenly Gate City**.

---And now, the news of Inspector Jiang He's death and the arrest of the *Immortal Thief*.

These three things, at first glance, seemed completely unrelated.

However, his intuition, honed over nearly a hundred years of detective work, told him that there should be something linking these three things together.

"What could it be?"

Yue Xuanming pondered for a moment and took Liang Zhu's file from the desk. Inside was written Liang Zhu's origin, the sect he belonged to, his cultivation level, and his reason for applying to join the *Justice Division*.

"A late-stage *Foundation Building* cultivator from the ***Hundred Lotus*** Sect? I remember a few years ago, the ***Hundred Lotus*** Sect seemed to have gotten a vein of spirit stones from the ***Black Star*** Sect. Why did he come to the **Central Region** instead of staying in the ***Hundred Lotus*** Sect?"

Just as he was wondering, two light knocks came from the door.

*Knock knock---*

Yue Xuanming put down the papers in his hand and looked up. "Come in."

Liang Zhu opened the door, entered the room, then cupped his hands and saluted. "Greetings, Master Yue."

Yue Xuanming studied Liang Zhu's salute and then looked at his face. He frowned slightly. He had the feeling that the man in front of him was not from the **Western Region** as written in his file, but rather from the **Central** or **Northern Region**.

After a short hesitation, he asked bluntly, "Your file says that you are from the **Western Region**, but I want to ask, where exactly do you come from?"

"..."

Liang Zhu sighed slightly after hearing this. He raised his sword finger, took out four talismans from the storage bag, and threw them directly to the four corners of the room.

This move slightly alerted Yue Xuanming. He immediately put his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist, but when he saw that it was just a sound barrier, he let go of the hilt.

"Soundproof talismans?"

Without a word, Liang Zhu raised his head to stare into Yue Xuanming's eyes and took a deep breath. "Master Yue, more than ten years ago, the **Central Region** Emperor used the Second Princess as a sacrifice to calm down the chaotic spirit phenomenon. Do you still remember?"

"Of course I remember." Yue Xuanming was slightly confused and frowned. "Why bring this up? In order to ensure the stability of the **Central Region**, the Emperor did not hesitate to sacrifice his own daughter and let her serve as a warrant to bring peace. Every cultivator in the **Central Region** knows about that."

"Well... What if I told you that the spirit chaos was actually directed and performed by the Emperor himself?"

"What?!"

"At that time, there were four chaotic spirits in the **Central Region**, demonic beasts got out of control, and more than half of the cultivators in the area were killed or injured. This incident originally started when the **Central Region** Emperor failed to refine the *Heavenly Reverse Pill*."

"*Heavenly Reverse Pill*?"

Liang Zhu nodded slightly, took out the *Heavenly Reverse Pill* he had obtained in **First Spring Town**, and gave it to Yue Xuanming. "This is the *Heavenly Reverse Pill*, which is made from the spiritual roots of cultivators. Over the past few decades, the Emperor has ordered the *Justice Division* to bring countless children to the *Alchemy Chambers* just to refine this thing."

Yue Xuanming twisted the pill between his fingers, slightly squinted his eyes, and when he scanned it with his spiritual sense, he saw a few traces of spiritual roots. He then frowned and looked at Liang Zhu, motioning for him to continue.

"I got this thing from the *Alchemy Chamber* when I followed Jiang He to **First Spring Town**. You must be the only one in the *Justice Division* who doesn't know about this."

"What a bunch of nonsense! You mean the Emperor ordered the *Justice Division* to capture ordinary cultivators to refine this evil pill?"

"Yes. The Emperor of the **Central Region** is not how you think. For the sake of his cultivation, he even sacrificed his own daughter to refine this pill."

*Swish---*

The spiritual sword left its sheath and a white light flashed.

In an instant, Yue Xuanming's figure appeared by Liang Zhu's side, holding the sword against his neck.

"Recently, the ***Demon Clan*** crossed the border suddenly and I was wondering why there were no spies of theirs in **Heavenly Gate City**. In the end, it was them who sent you here? Telling me this is your attempt to turn me?"

Liang Zhu looked at the sword at his neck and considered for a while before replying, "Master Yue, you are only half right. I have nothing to do with the ***Demon Clan***, but there was someone who sent me to tell you these things."

"Who?"

Liang Zhu was silent and simply took out an old jade token that was broken into half from his storage bag. "Master Yue, do you recognize this thing?"

Yue Xuanming glanced at it, and his eyes suddenly widened. "This is... the Second Princess's jade pendant?!"

"Yes, it belongs to her. I am the guard who escorted the Second Princess to the altar outside the city. I was entrusted by the Empress to save the Second Princess from the Heavenly Sacrifice ceremony."

"..."

To be honest, Yue Xuanming still didn't believe what Liang Zhu had said, but the jade pendant he took out was indeed the Second Princess's spiritual treasure pendant.

He looked at Liang Zhu's face again and probed. "If what you said is true, then the Empress should know you."

Liang Zhu nodded. "I have never met the Empress. I have only seen the maid named 'Hongyu' who is serving the Empress."

Yue Xuanming paused for two breaths, and the sword in his hand was sheathed in an instant. Then, he waved his hand to remove the insulation notes affixed to the four corners of the room, opened the door, and walked out.

"Follow me. We're going to meet with Her Majesty the Empress."