Yellow Court Daoist

"So it is."

"Just speak plainly, why pound the desk and yell? Do you think that because I am young, you can intimidate me?!"

Lu Qingfeng suddenly understood and turned his gaze to Zhu Jiu with a frown.

Ao Zhuo waved his hand, signaling Zhu Jiu not to talk, and looked at Lu Qingfeng, waiting for an answer.

"This matter involves the internal affairs of the Investigation Department."

"However, since the Great Marshal has asked, I shall speak."

Lu Qingfeng straightened his face and said loudly, "As the Great Marshal knows, I have recently taken charge of the Investigation Department. Sorting out the demons inside and outside the Five Prisons of the Investigation Department is naturally within my duties. The demons used by the various camps in the Heaven Suppressing Army, whether from Eastern Heaven or Western Heaven, all have unclear responsibilities for their crimes. Summoning them back is merely to verify their responsibilities."

"Verify responsibilities?"

"The crimes of these demons have been clearly delineated long ago, why the unnecessary trouble?"

Eastern Heaven Marshal Ao Shang sneered.

"Do you really trust the work done by fools like Zhu Jue so much, Eastern Heaven Marshal?!"

Lu Qingfeng looked at Ao Shang with exaggerated surprise.

Ao Shang felt a great hatred in his heart but showed nothing on his face. He did not entangle with Lu Qingfeng on this issue and went straight to the point, "Then when can it be clarified?"

"This is the internal affair of the Investigation Department, which is not something an Eastern Heaven Marshal can inquire about."

Lu Qingfeng raised his chin arrogantly.

Ao Shang clenched his fists tightly, his face turned ashen, and his mana was trembling. Clearly, he was furiously enraged.

"Tsksksks!"

Ao Jue secretly clicked his tongue with satisfaction from the side. Being unconventional and disrespecting both Ao Shang and Zhu Jiu, only the newly appointed Investigation God Monarch could afford such an attitude. She could only tap around the edges following behind; if she were truly to roll up her sleeves and join in, she'd likely face a reprimand from her family's elders.

"Cough cough!"

The Three Armies Grand Marshal Ao Zhuo coughed lightly twice and said to Lu Qingfeng, "Now that this is the case, I ask Guangyuan God Monarch to quickly clarify the crimes of these demons and send them back to the Eastern Heaven and Southern Heaven camps, so as not to delay the war affairs in East Xian State."

"Understood, understood."

"Certainly, certainly."

Lu Qingfeng quickly agreed.

Ao Zhuo did not hold back Lu Qingfeng any longer and let him leave.

Before leaving, Lu Qingfeng turned back to Ao Zhuo and Zhu Jiu, grinning, "I heard there is a shortage of provisions and armor in the suppressing army. Recalling these demons was actually to lighten the marshals' burdens. I didn't expect such good intentions to be misunderstood. Sigh! No good deed goes unpunished!"

Saying so,

he shook his head and left, out of sight.

"Scoundrel!"

After Lu Qingfeng left, Zhu Jiu could no longer hold back and angrily pointed outside the tent, "He Guangyuan is clearly abusing his power to forcefully stand up for his father-in-law!"

"The Southern Heaven Marshal's statement is different," Western Heaven Marshal Ao Jue heard this and shook his head continuously, "During the battle, East Xian State and East Chen State are far from Shang River. It's difficult to supply grain, armor, and equipment for Ao Zhan in a short time. As for the soldiers, he is a newly promoted general. Could it be that he even wishes to transfer all the elite soldiers under the generals' command to his own banner? Being from the same Heaven Suppressing Army, who would deliberately make things difficult for Ao Zhan? Since no one is making it difficult for Ao Zhan, what head is Guangyuan God Monarch trying to pull for Ao Zhan?"

Ao Jue repeated Ao Shang's words again, causing both Zhu Jiu and Ao Shang to frown.

Not yet satisfied, Ao Jue added, "Or does the Southern Heaven Marshal also think that this is unfair to Ao Zhan, implying difficulty?"

"Whether it's an abuse of private power is in the hearts of the people."

"Let's not discuss this for now."

"But Guangyuan has yet to explain the abuses of private demons for personal gain, and you let him go just like that?!"

Zhu Jiu couldn't argue with Ao Jue and turned the topic to look at the Three Armies Grand Marshal Ao Zhuo.

"Boring."

Ao Jue curled his lip and stopped talking.

"This matter has not yet been clarified. It's not too late to handle it after I send someone to the Investigation Department to inquire clearly."

Ao Zhuo appeared somewhat impatient.

Because of the dirty deeds that Ao Shang and Zhu Jiu's men had done, it caused him a headache to 'judge publicly' here. Dealing with someone like Guangyuan who doesn't play by the rules is truly more troublesome than fighting a big battle.

"Then what about the demons recalled by Guangyuan—"

Zhu Jiu said unwillingly.

"Guangyuan God Monarch has promised to clarify the responsibilities quickly and send them back,"

said Ao Zhuo in a deep voice.

"But what if Guangyuan intends to delay?"

Zhu Jiu asked again.

"Three months later."

"If it is not clear by then, I will urge it again."

Ao Zhuo waved his hand, not willing to discuss the matter further. Before his voice died away, his figure faded and disappeared from the tent, leaving Ao Jue with a mocking look on his face.

Zhu Jiu and Ao Shang looked uncomfortable.

...

Investigation Divine Bureau.

Ao Zhan was in armor, sitting opposite Lu Qingfeng.

Ao Le was at the side.

"Guangyuan."

"That Ao Shang and Zhu Jiu not only have deep roots in the Heaven Suppressing Army but also have extremely deep backgrounds throughout the Shang River Dragon Palace. It's unnecessary to confront them head-on."

Ao Zhan frowned slightly after hearing Lu Qingfeng's description of their confrontations in the Heaven Suppressing Army.

"Ao Shang and Zhu Jiu previously relegated my father to the Poison Dragon Pond, halting the provision of grain and armor. Now that my father has become a high-ranking general, they first delay without equipping the soldiers, and then they withhold the grain, armor, and baggage, which is truly too much."

"If we don't give them a lesson, they will indeed think I am young and easy to bully."

As Lu Qingfeng spoke, he explained to Ao Zhan, "My father need not worry. They use shady tricks to trip people, I'll just return the favor. Even if it gets to the Dragon King, at most it'll be a reprimand, nothing serious."

Before making a countermove, Lu Qingfeng had already considered it thoroughly.

"Still, it's best to be cautious."

Ao Zhan, more experienced and prudent, advised.

"Yes."

Lu Qingfeng nodded in agreement and smiled, "My father lacks generals under his command, and I can't find a great general immediately. But when it comes to fierce warriors charged with leading the charge into the fray, I have plenty in the Investigation Department. This time, when my father returns, I'll assign twenty Fourth Realm demons to follow."

"..."

Ao Zhan looked at Lu Qingfeng in shock, "Twenty Fourth Realm demons?!"

"Indeed."

"Two at the Primordial Spirit Stage."

"Four at the Spirit Light Realm."

"The remaining fourteen are all from the Purple Palace Realm."

Among the demons, only a very few possess authentic Immortal Dao Methods, and even fewer can cultivate a Primordial Spirit. There are slightly more demons practicing Sexual Cultivation, but the majority are those practicing Life Dao.

Charge into battle.

Life Dao demons are indeed more suitable for this than Immortal Dao or Nature Dao.

"Good, good, good!"

"Fantastic!"

Ao Zhan was initially stunned but then became overwhelmed with joy.

Although he was appointed as a major general responsible for encirclement and ambush in the Heaven Suppressing Army and ranked as Second Grade, he had no soldiers under his command. After staying in the Heaven Suppressing Army for three full years and being neglected, he could only scrape together two thousand soldiers.

The strongest among his officers were only the common stock of the Third Realm.

At most, they were equivalent to the likes of Lan Feihu and Yuan Bi from the Min River, hardly useful for major tasks.

Later, Lu Qingfeng sent a message saying that the Investigation Department could dispatch demons to his command, Ao Zhan understood that struggling in the Heaven Suppressing Army was not very effective, so he led his troops back to settle in the Poison Dragon Pond and immediately rushed to the Investigation Department.

He originally thought that having one or two Fourth Realm demons under his command would be good enough.

Unexpectedly, this son-in-law had prepared such a grand gift for him.

"With twenty Fourth Realm demons, even with only two thousand soldiers, I can flatten the Poison Dragon Pond and firmly claim the title of Poison Dragon Pond Water Monarch!"

Ao Zhan was full of high spirits, and the frustration from his time in the Heaven Suppressing Army vanished completely. Keep in mind, while he was in the Min River, he only had two Fourth Realm powerhouses, Xuan Shuang and Chi Yin, under his command.

Now the number had increased tenfold.

And the strength of each demon was incomparable to Xuan Shuang or Chi Yin.

Truly mighty!

"May the Father King seize the Poison Dragon Pond soon."

Ao Le said with a smile on the side.

Ao Zhan, focused on the Poison Dragon Pond, did not linger long in the Investigation Department. Leading the twenty Fourth Realm demons, he left straight away.

Lu Qingfeng and Ao Le saw him off.

Then they returned to the inner hall.

"Husband, you have recalled 367 demons from the Eastern Heaven Army and Southern Heaven Army, how do you plan to deal with them?"

Ao Le asked curiously.

"First, I'll lock them up in the Five Prisons and interrogate them slowly, no need to rush the process," Lu Qingfeng said with a smile.

"If the Heaven Suppressing Grand Marshal urges us—"

Ao Le looked towards the north.

According to their duties, the Three Armies Grand Marshal has no right to meddle in the affairs of the Investigation Department. But the Heaven Suppressing Grand Marshal, after all, has a higher rank than Lu Qingfeng and holds the power of restriction and the right to inquire and know.

If he urges an answer, it won't be easy to bluff.

"Let him urge."

"The Father King has urged for provisions and armor before, and no one in the Three Armies paid him any heed. This time urging for soldiers, he was also pushed away at every turn."

"We should let them taste what it's like."

Lu Qingfeng huffed lightly.

Regarding targeting Ao Zhan, it might not necessarily be at the behest of Ao Shang or Zhu Jiu. But there are factions both within and outside of Shang River Dragon Palace and the Three Armies. Ao Zhan has a grudge with Ao Geng of Wujiang, and Lu Qingfeng has pulled down Zhu Jue, the leading general of Ao Shang's faction, from the position of chief officer in the Investigation Department.

They have significant grudges against each other.

Ao Zhan returning to the Heaven Suppressing Army, without Ao Shang needing to speak, there are plenty of people offering their services, and difficulties arose everywhere.

Ao Shang has deep roots in the Heaven Suppressing Army, and Southern Heaven Marshal Zhu Jiu stands on his side.

Therefore, when Great Marshal Ao Zhuo, who holds sway over the Heaven Suppressing Army, says he doesn't know about Ao Zhan's affairs, it's false, but he has not intervened, precisely because he doesn't want to draw the dissatisfaction of his marshals and officers over Lu Qingfeng and Ao Zhan.

He simply pretends not to see it.

After all, they look down on Lu Qingfeng, who has the good fortune of joining the Investigation Department due to accumulated Merit.

So be it.

Lu Qingfeng then played the advantage of the 'fortunate newcomer' and used Tai Chi tactics with Ao Zhuo, Ao Shang, Zhu Jiu, and others, to see who could outlast whom.

He also wants to let others inside and outside of Shang River know that he, Guang Yuan, is not weak and easy to bully.

To kill the chicken to scare the monkey.

To avoid endless troubles later, a needless draining of his energy.

"Husband."

Ao Le listened, her heart moved.

She knew that Lu Qingfeng was standing up for her father, venting the anger in her heart.

"It's not all for Father's sake."

"I've had conflicts with Ao Shang and Zhu Jiu, and arbitrarily recalled the demons from the Five Prisons. Having previously demonstrated the ability to tame demons, within and outside of the Three Armies, anyone wishing to have the Five Prisons demons serve under their command must curry favor with me."

"Having offended Ao Shang and Zhu Jiu, as long as I remain the head of the Investigation Department, I can make connections with many more people."

Lu Qingfeng smiled and explained, concerned that Ao Le might worry. Now he holds a prestigious position and seeks to collect various Magic Gates and cultivation resources; expanding his network is a top priority.

To make a name for himself.

Within and outside of the Three Armies, anyone who needs demons to serve and charge into battle under their command must come to him.

That way, stationed in the Investigation Department, he can easily gather Magic Gates and resources from all directions.

Upon hearing this, Ao Le's intelligent eyes immediately shone brightly.

...

Time flies.

In the blink of an eye, three months later.

"These matters are complicated, Great Marshal, please do not urge. The affairs of the Investigation Department will be diligently attended to by this deity, and I will clarify everything as soon as possible."

Lu Qingfeng looked at Great Marshal Ao Zhuo, who was seated at the highest rank, a look of helplessness on his face.

"Can Guangyuan God Monarch give a precise timeline?"

Ao Zhuo asked, his eyes fixed on Lu Qingfeng.

"That's hard to say, I'll do my best."

Lu Qingfeng shook his head.

...

Three years later.

"No urging."

...

Thirty years later.

"Not yet clarified."

...

In the blink of an eye.

Three hundred years later.