Chapter 791: God-Slaying Permit
Inside the room, Chen Xingxuan, a Rank 2 Sect Staff from the Martial Dao Mental Cultivation Group and a member of the Special Task Force, was secretly astonished.
Ever since the so-called “inspection” began, all Rank 1 to Rank 3 Sect Staff had been summoned for questioning.
“Has anything strange happened within the Special Task Force recently?”
“Celestial Inquiry Star, how should I answer this question?”
Having long grown accustomed to relying on the Celestial Inquiry Star, Chen Xingxuan subconsciously posed the question to it.
Celestial Inquiry Star: “Due to permission restrictions, I cannot provide an answer to this type of question.”
Chen Xingxuan wasn’t surprised by the Celestial Inquiry Star’s response. The scale of this incident clearly far exceeded what he was authorized to know.
But without the Celestial Inquiry Star’s assistance, Chen Xingxuan felt as if he had lost a safety net, a constant uncertainty coloring his words.
“This won’t do. Without the Celestial Inquiry Star, I have no confidence in anything I say.”
Chen Xingxuan’s thoughts shifted, and he had a sudden realization. “Of course! I’ve spent countless Immortal Coins on the Celestial Inquiry Star. Being unable to use it is like losing an arm.”
“Once this is over, I need to ask the Celestial Inquiry Star how to escape this predicament.” Chen Xingxuan answered the questions from the surprise inspection while his thoughts churned.
His gaze swept over the Righteous God and the cultivator before him, and he thought to himself, “A Righteous God from the Inspection Department and someone from the Myriad Laws Palace Hall Supervisory Office… both sides appearing together… What exactly are they trying to investigate? Why do they seem so secretive?”
“Celestial Inquiry Star, do you know?”
Meanwhile, Yu Qingrang had also been pulled aside for questioning.
“Name.”
“Gender.”
“Original gender?”
Yu Qingrang frowned. “Who even remembers that? Besides, you have my file. Can’t you just look it up?”
The Righteous God before her smiled faintly. “True Monarch Yu, please be patient. This is standard procedure. We’ll be done once we’ve asked our questions.”
After a few more exchanges, the Righteous God suddenly asked, “Has anyone around you recently undergone a sudden personality change?”
Yu Qingrang shook her head. “I’m not sure what you mean by personality change.”
The other party said, “For example, acting completely out of character, saying things they never would have before. Things that are old-fashioned or don’t align with the Sect’s principles. In short, it’s as if they’ve suddenly become a completely different person.”
Yu Qingrang frowned, her mind racing as she recalled recent events. “No,” she said. Just as the interrogation was halfway through, the Righteous God seemed to receive some kind of instruction. He looked at Yu Qingrang and asked, “What is your office password for the laboratory?”
Yu Qingrang was bewildered. “What are you trying to do? This project involves Immortal Sect Techniques. I have no authority to leak any information.”
The Righteous God glanced at the Myriad Laws Palace Hall Cultivator beside him. The Cultivator spoke up, “Yu Qingrang, rest assured. This inspection has been authorized by the Myriad Laws Palace Hall. We will conduct a thorough search of all documents, items, data, and work records of the Special Task Force from this period…”
Yu Qingrang knew that as the superior body to the Edict Pavilion, the Myriad Laws Palace Hall’s authorization and presence were necessary for the Righteous Gods to search the Special Task Force.
As she listened to their reply, Yu Qingrang grew increasingly bewildered. “You’re even searching the Special Task Force’s files? What on earth are you looking for?”
In another room, Zhang Yu had initially been confused by the inspection. But as the Righteous God before him asked one question after another, an answer slowly began to form in his mind.
“Did anything unusual happen at these three specific times?”
Zhang Yu glanced at the timestamps, his mind racing. He suddenly realized, “These are the times I sensed the Great Sage’s Intent, aren’t they?”
“Have they found me? Is my secret out?”
But he quickly calmed himself. “No, if they were certain I was the one who sensed the Great Sage’s Intent, their attitude would be completely different.”
Then, a new doubt arose in his mind. “But… I can understand them detecting it the first time. For the other two times, though, I used ‘Great Sage Researcher.’ That should have hidden my tracks.”
Just then, Immortal Slayer reminded him, “Perhaps it’s precisely because you hid your tracks that they couldn’t confirm it was you. But based on the location where the Great Sage’s Intent vanished, they likely pinpointed a general area and are now conducting a search within that zone.”
Zhang Yu recalled the process of sensing the Great Sage’s Intent and couldn’t help but nod slightly. He felt Immortal Slayer’s guess was probably very close to the truth.
“But… what should I do now?”
“If it’s just simple questioning, that’s fine. But I’m worried they might…”
Just as he was thinking this, the Righteous God before him demanded Zhang Yu hand over all his recent work records, data, and files from the Special Task Force.
Zhang Yu thought grimly, “This is trouble. If they keep digging like this, even if they don’t find anything about the Great Sage, it’ll be a huge problem if they uncover the anomalies related to Bu Yingshu, or issues with my talent and Dao Seed.”
What worried Zhang Yu even more was the possibility of a memory screening.
If it came to that, his only option would be to first seal his memories using the Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture. Then, he’d have to see if that Immortal Sect martial art, combined with the Dharma-Warding Talisman, could withstand the search.
Meanwhile, the other Righteous God looked at Zhang Yu while continuously scanning his profile.
“Cultivation art copyrights… Desolate Ox Soul-Quelling Heart Art, Crippled Ox Body-Sacrifice Heart Art, and he also obtained the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor during a Civil Engineering Competition in university.”
Although these Desolate Ox-related technologies had been vetted and modified by the sect to ensure they couldn’t trigger the Desolate Ox Great Sage before being released to the market as legal and compliant Immortal Dao technologies, the fact that Zhang Yu possessed all three, and was now involved in reviewing the Blood Tide Essence Qi Sacred Contemplation, was suspicious.
It could be a coincidence. After all, the Desolate Ox Great Sage’s power tended to attract itself, and it wasn’t unheard of for a cultivator to come into contact with multiple related Immortal Dao technologies.
But the timing was too perfect. Just recently, there had been three separate incidents where the Great Sage’s Intent was observed being absorbed.
All these factors forced the Fourth-Tier Righteous God currently speaking with Zhang Yu, Bing Yisi, to pay close attention to the young man before him.
“If I could search all his memories on the spot, everything would become clear.”
But Bing Yisi knew that within the Myriad Laws Sect, the Spirit Realm was suppressed by the Dharma Realm.
As a Righteous God, it was impossible for him to invoke the Dharma Realm’s power to freely rummage through the memories of a Myriad Laws Sect disciple.
This wasn’t just about the case; it touched upon the conflict between the sect and the Heavenly Court.
Bing Yisi understood that if this matter didn’t involve the Great Sage’s Heir, they wouldn’t even have the opportunity to inspect this Special Task Force, even with sect cultivators accompanying them.
“Then I’ll just search for key memory elements. I won’t pry into the specific content, just check if his memories contain any information about the Desolate Ox Great Sage.”
Bing Yisi knew this was like searching for keywords in a document, checking for the presence of relevant terms without reading the entire file.
“Or…” At this moment, Bing Yisi was like a hound that had spotted its prey, wanting nothing more than to sink his teeth into Zhang Yu, tear him apart, and see what secrets were hidden inside his mind.
“Should I take a risk? Use the memory element search as a cover… find a chance to secretly scan all his memories. There’s definitely something wrong with this kid.”
Bing Yisi was still uncertain. He turned to the Myriad Laws Palace Hall cultivator beside him and said, “I want to conduct a direct memory element search on Zhang Yu.”
But just as he spoke, a series of warning signs suddenly materialized in the air.
“ENTRY FORBIDDEN! ENTRY FORBIDDEN! ENTRY FORBIDDEN!”
The air crackled with explosive sounds as the Spirit Realm and Dharma Realm fluctuated violently. The newly appeared warning signs were instantly shattered.
A graceful figure seemed to tear through space, breaking the room’s restrictions and shattering the Spirit Realm’s blockade before casting a projection into the Dharma Realm.
The projection flickered, then solidified from an ethereal form into a flesh-and-blood body, revealing Bu Yingshu.
Everyone in the room shot to their feet. Bing Yisi demanded, “Dao Monarch Bu, what do you think you’re doing?”
The Myriad Laws Palace Hall cultivator, who had initially intended to subdue the intruder, lost half his momentum upon seeing Bu Yingshu. He pleaded helplessly, “Dao Monarch Bu, let’s discuss this calmly. It’s best not to force your way in.”
Bu Yingshu snorted coldly and waved her hand dismissively. “Spare me the nonsense. If I’d arrived a moment later, you would have already searched Zhang Yu’s memories, wouldn’t you?”
The cultivator pleaded, “Dao Monarch Bu, the higher-ups have authorized our Search Project Team. Besides, searching memories is only to check for prohibited elements; we won’t view the specific memory content…”
Bu Yingshu cut him off. “Easy for you to say. Who knows if these Righteous Gods can be trusted?”
“Zhang Yu has been with me constantly these past few days. Searching his memories is the same as searching mine! They contain confidential matters. Are you qualified to inspect them?”
Bu Yingshu would absolutely not allow anyone to search Zhang Yu’s memories and see what she and he had been doing.
After all, it involved the secret of her talent’s enhancement. Even the slightest possibility of exposure was unacceptable.
“If my world-shaking talent for continuous breakthroughs were revealed, countless old monsters would target me. Wouldn’t my path to ascension be cut short?”
Bu Yingshu had already made up her mind: no one would search Zhang Yu’s memories.
She had an excellent excuse: her actions were to prevent her clan’s arrangements and plans for the Blood Tide Essence Qi Sacred Contemplation Immortal Dao Technology from being leaked to the Heavenly Court.
Bu Yingshu believed the elders of her clan would support her judgment.
Bing Yisi said, “Dao Monarch Bu, we have been authorized to search the Special Task Force, which naturally grants us the authority to access all its data and documents. It’s not just Zhang Yu; we have the authority to conduct memory element searches on all 1st to 3rd-tier Sect Staff within the entire task force.”
Bu Yingshu retorted, “How can that be the same?”
“Zhang Yu has been with me constantly these past few days. Are you suspecting me? Are you trying to investigate the Immortal Clan?”
“Searching an Immortal Clan member’s memory on Myriad Laws Sect territory? Who gave you the audacity!”
Bing Yisi’s voice deepened. “Dao Monarch Bu, are you deliberately trying to obstruct us?”
“So what if I am?” Bu Yingshu swept her cold gaze over the Righteous Gods. “Let me tell you, on Myriad Laws territory, the Myriad Laws Sect calls the shots. It’s not up to you Righteous Gods to decide what gets searched.”
A brilliant divine light suddenly flared behind Bing Yisi. “Dao Monarch Bu, we are acting under the name of the Great God of Universal Inspection to conduct this search in the Myriad Laws Sect. We ask for your cooperation.”
Bu Yingshu’s gaze sharpened. Around her, various permits materialized: a Homicide Permit, a Body Seizure Permit, a Compulsory Dual Cultivation License, a Legal Injury Permit, a Legal Public Property Damage Permit… one after another, the certificates floated in the air.
Among them, a God-Slaying Permit shone with a blinding light, dazzling the onlookers and sending a chill through their hearts.
The Myriad Laws Palace Hall cultivators present were stunned. “How does she have a God-Slaying Permit?”
Simultaneously, the Immortal Coin count above her head skyrocketed, with more and more zeroes appearing.
Bu Yingshu’s voice was icy. “My quota for this year is still quite empty. How many names do you think I can add?”
Although Bing Yisi had long experienced the arrogance of the Immortal Clan within the sect, facing it again filled him with deep resentment.
His voice resonated through the Spirit Realm, instantly reaching all the nearby Righteous Gods. “Lawless! These Immortal Clan members are utterly lawless!”
The God-Slaying Permit’s glare made Bing Yisi feel dizzy. “A God-Slaying Permit? How could a Void Refinement Realm cultivator, a young Immortal Clan member barely over eighty, possess a God-Slaying Permit? They stopped issuing those long ago!”
At the same time, his consciousness rapidly mobilized the power of the Spirit Realm, initiating a deeper search for information about Bu Yingshu.
“An ordinary Immortal Clan member could never achieve this.”
“What is the true origin of this Bu Yingshu?”
But after a thorough search, Bing Yisi still couldn’t find anything unusual. He thought to himself, “These guys from the Myriad Laws Sect have been constantly migrating important data to the Dharma Realm these past years. Relying solely on information from the Spirit Realm, I probably won’t be able to uncover this woman’s background.”
Just as the two sides were locked in a stalemate, another projection descended. The Pavilion Master of the Edict Pavilion, a Seventh-Rank Tribulation Crossing Stage cultivator, made a sudden appearance.
Standing behind Bu Yingshu, Zhang Yu felt the Spirit Realm and Dharma Realm around them seething with turmoil. He couldn’t fathom the sheer volume of information and power surging through them.
He had no idea what the powerful cultivators were communicating, only that Bu Yingshu suddenly turned to him and smiled. “Little Yu, don’t worry. With me protecting you, no one will dare to search your memories.”
Bu Yingshu thought to herself, “Now you see how formidable I am, don’t you? Hmph, kid, you’ll be utterly devoted to me from now on.”
Bu Yingshu knew that the cultivators within the Myriad Laws Sect all possessed an intense reverence for the Immortal Dao, power, rank, and promotion.
But she also knew that despite her Immortal Clan status, her potential had been slow to manifest, she was a late bloomer. In terms of rank and cultivation realm, she couldn’t compare to many others.
“Moreover, the secret she carried, the source of her exalted standing, could not be easily revealed.”
“This is the perfect opportunity,” Bu Yingshu thought, “to let Zhang Yu see more of my influence. Then he’ll abandon any stray thoughts and follow me with peace of mind.”
In the blink of an eye, the powerful cultivators before them seemed to have concluded their discussion.
The Edict Pavilion Master then spoke, “Then, as we just agreed, let’s test Zhang Yu’s Sect Affinity.”
Although Bing Yisi felt reluctant, having just learned some of the Myriad Laws Sect’s deeper secrets, he understood that this was the best possible outcome.
He thought to himself, “In any case, if this Zhang Yu is truly the Great Sage’s Heir, he’ll definitely have very little Myriad Laws Sect Affinity left.”
On the other side, Bu Yingshu waved her hand dismissively. “Little Yu, go ahead. Don’t worry, with me here, no one will dare to make things difficult for you.”
Bu Yingshu knew that Zhang Yu had only passed the Sect Examination a year ago. His Sect Affinity was bound to be strong; there was no way he could fail the test.