Yellow Court Daoist

Capturing God General Mansion.

Iron Feather Daoist followed the deity who introduced himself as "Gongyang Ye," through the heavy military presence arrayed within the General Mansion, solemn and imposing. Iron Feather Daoist did not dare to look around and could only guess within his heart, "A Thunder Department Capturing God General. Could it be an ancient friend of an Ancestor Master from the Upper Realm?"

He speculated wildly.

He had also considered whether this Thunder Department General might be an old enemy of Luo Fu Sword Sect. But then he thought, with the god being so polite, and if he held a grudge against Luo Fu Sword Sect, there was no need to summon him in person; there would certainly be other means.

For a moment.

His thoughts were jumbled, and difficult to sort out.

Thankfully, he had arrived at the General Mansion, and all his questions would soon be answered.

"Iron Feather senior, my teacher has been waiting inside the palace for a long time," Gongyang Ye led Iron Feather Daoist to a hall and gestured inside, speaking as he did.

"Thank you, Upper God."

After thanking him, Iron Feather Daoist stepped into the grand hall.

Once inside.

Iron Feather Daoist noted the absence of others and, looking up, saw a handsome young boy of about fourteen or fifteen years old sitting in the seat of honor.

The boy was dressed like a Daoist, his hair tied up in a Daoist bun with a green bamboo hairpin horizontally placed.

It made him look even more ethereal and imposing.

Iron Feather Daoist did not dare to neglect his manners and hurriedly stepped forward to bow deeply, saying, "I pay my respects to the General."

"Fellow Daoist, please do not be so formal."

Lu Qingfeng, seated at the head, gently raised a hand, preventing Iron Feather Daoist from bowing down further. After all, Iron Feather Daoist had been his disciple in some capacity. Although not yet solving his doubts, he had received teachings from him.

The "Luofu Sword Scripture" and "Flower Walking" had once helped him considerably.

He had already repaid this deep kindness with the twelve Du Tian Fierce Fire God Banners, a favor fully returned and more. But now that fate had brought them together again, it did not feel right to feign ignorance and apathy.

Of course.

There hadn't been much of a master-disciple relationship between them in the past, as it was merely a chance encounter at Fufeng Mountain. Moreover, as Lu Qingfeng was a reincarnation of a player, after more than a dozen lifetimes, he did not entertain the idea of renewing their teacher-student bond.

"I have some ancient ties with your sect. There is a vacancy for 'Mountains Shifting and Seas overturning Iron-armored General' in my Capturing God General Mansion. I wonder if Fellow Daoist is willing to take on the burden?"

Within the Capturing God General Mansion, below the Capturing God General, there are five First-grade Heavenly General positions, divided into 'Four Marshals' and 'Capturing God's Direct Talisman Upper Official.'

The former included Law Enforcement Evil Extermination Admiral, Devouring Demon Six Armored General, Mountains Shifting and Seas overturning Iron-armored General, and Stirring Wind and Thunder Might Red-text Admiral. Among them, the Longevity Daoist occupies the Law Enforcement Evil Extermination Admiral role, and Si Tuqian is the Devouring Demon Six Armored General, with two Marshal positions remaining.

Iron Feather Daoist had a profound connection to him for one. Secondly, Luo Fu Sword Sect had many True Immortals as backers, and thirdly, his cultivation had reached the pinnacle of refining Dao of Mahayana. In the next 10,000 years or so, with just a bit of luck, he would break through to the Earth Immortal Realm, adding another Earth Immortal True Monarch to the ranks of his Capturing God General Mansion.

It was difficult for a True Immortal to ascend to Earth Immortal.

But for someone like Iron Feather Daoist, who had cultivated a side door level "Luo Fu Sword Scripture" to such a realm, even if he couldn't make a breakthrough on his own. Once Lu Qingfeng passed on the True Sect level "Luo Fu Sword Scripture" and applied the Yellow Court Great Method for enlightenment, the breakthrough from True Immortal to Earth Immortal would be almost certain.

By comparison.

It had been much more difficult to elevate Ao Le from the Primordial Spirit Realm to the Earth Immortal rank back in the Immortal Qin Realm.

Lu Qingfeng weighed these thoughts in his mind, his eyes clear as he looked towards Iron Feather Daoist.

"So that's how it is!"

Iron Feather Daoist had no confusion.

In his mind, the status of this Capturing God General was not only beyond his reach, but also beyond the entire Luo Fu Sword Sect. There was no need for ulterior motives.

When backed into a corner.

A path had emerged.

Iron Feather Daoist was overjoyed and was tempted to accept immediately, but suddenly hesitated, "Thank you for your high regard, General. However, I wonder what will become of Luo Fu Sword Sect after I enter your General Mansion —"

Having been with Luo Fu Sword Sect from a young age, his sentiment toward the sect was naturally incomparable to ordinary disciples. He would rather not ascend than see the sect's ways extinguished, clearly visible from his attitude. If taking on the Marshal role meant Luo Fu Sword Sect would be absorbed into the General Mansion, Iron Feather Daoist would rather decline.

"Fellow Daoist, handle it as you see fit."

Lu Qingfeng waved his hand. His gesture was partially out of respect for their past connection, but also to recruit a formidable ally for the General Mansion. The small Luo Fu Sword Sect was not something he was concerned about or would use to leverage.

Hearing this, Iron Feather Daoist was overjoyed and formally accepted his new role.

From then on, he would be known as the 'Mountains Shifting and Seas Overturning Iron-armored General' under the Thunder Department Capturing God General Mansion!

...

Within the General Mansion, the appointment of the third Marshal set off a wave of discussion.

But whether it was Iron Feather Daoist or the other Heavenly Generals, they mostly assumed that Lu Qingfeng had a deep but unspecified connection with an ancestor of the Luo Fu Sword Sect. As to which ancestor and the nature of the connection, Lu Qingfeng kept it to himself, and no one dared to inquire.

It wasn't essential.

Iron Feather Daoist assumed the Marshal role, went back to the Red Smoke Realm to attend to tasks of Luo Fu Sword Sect, and picked a selection of True Immortals and Primordial Spirit disciples to bring to the General Mansion. Over the long years to come, they would strive within the Capturing God General Mansion, seeking the right time and place to reorganize the sect's gate.

These concerns were not Lu Qingfeng's to tend to.

He would continue to govern the General Mansion, digging through countless records and documents in search of information about the Immortal Qin Realm. Unfortunately, finding it was like searching for a needle in a haystack, shrouded in uncertainty. The Heavenly Soldiers and Generals who had gone out to investigate couldn't make much progress in a short time.

On the matter of the Bull-headed Yin God, whom he had dealt with over twenty thousand years ago and had asked for a favor, there had been no reply. It was unclear whether the matter had been forgotten or no discoveries had been made.

The path forward remained unclear.

Even Lu Qingfeng, with his well-honed temperament, couldn't help feeling a bit impatient at this moment.

Just then.

The Archival Examination Prohibition Envoy, Ge Nie, in charge of recording and interrogating the evil deity arrived to report, "The case of the Sahpo Demon Sect from the Red Smoke Realm has been fully documented. The questioning of its True Immortals, Eighteen Demon Envoys, and the sect Hierarch Du Jiuyou has been completed. The former knew little, with the abrupt rise of the sect all traced back to Du Jiuyou alone. However, no matter how the experts in the Prohibition Examination Bureau questioned him, Du Jiuyou did not confess anything. With the prohibition period concluding, we are three days away from transferring the case to the Marshal Mansion. Here are the records of the interrogations, I request the Three Great Kings to stamp them for archival purposes."

With Du Jiuyou single-handedly leading the rise of the Sahpo Demon Sect, he had nearly caused the celestial and Immortal Gods of the Red Smoke Realm to collapse, threatening to repeat the calamity from a million years ago. His guilt was immense.

He must harbor great secrets.

Sadly, this man was no ordinary being; subjected to severe torture, he still remained tight-lipped.

As a result, the Prohibition Examination Bureau's days of interrogation yielded nothing.

A significant merit had been squandered in vain.

"Du Jiuyou."

"Sahpo Demon Sect."

Lu Qingfeng was pondering the progression of matters such as the Immortal Qin Realm, Bull-headed Yin God, and records from the General Mansion when Ge Nie's report caught his attention, stirring something in his mind, "Do the case files indicate that Du Jiuyou and the Sahpo Demon Sect have significant connections to a Demon God in the Nine Nether Demon Abyss?"

For cases like the Sahpo Demon Sect, they were now all left to the handling of Generals such as the Longevity Path's Daoist and Si Tuqian. Should these two not be up to the task, only then would Lu Qingfeng personally intervene, thus he was not very familiar with the matter. Previously when browsing the files, his attention was more on the Red Smoke Realm and the Luo Fu Sword Sect.

Now, upon hearing Ge Nie's report, while also in a contemplative mood, a flash of insight struck his mind.

Ge Nie nodded, "Indeed. However, the Heavenly Observation Official's account is unclear, and the case files do not detail which Demon God from the Abyss it is."

"Nine Nether."

"Demon Abyss."

"Demon God."

Lu Qingfeng's eyes sparkled with clarity, "Nine Nether is the epitome of the earth, a chaotic blend of gods, demons, Immortals, Buddha, and ghosts. The Demon Abyss is vast as the Milky Way, containing countless Great Realms and small worlds; there are even Demon Gods who often peek above Nine Nether into the Constant Sand Worlds. Like in the Five Directions Realm, the Blood Sea Lineage's Heavenly Punishment Shura nearly dragged it down into the Nine Nether Demon Abyss. Similarly, in the Changqing Realm, there was once an Evil Dragon causing chaos, leaving Changqing Realm on the brink of collapse, its end clearly in the grip of the Abyss."

If so, perhaps in the Demon Abyss there lay methods to spy on various worlds, or even news of the Immortal Qin Realm.

Regardless of whether they exist or not, it's an additional path to seek the Immortal Qin Realm outside of the Bull-headed Yin God, the General Capturing God Mansion, and the Yellow Wind Ridge.

With this thought.

Lu Qingfeng stood up resolutely, "I shall meet with this Du Jiuyou!"

...

Capturing God Generals have the authority to establish offices, thus many departments and offices are set up. The Prohibition Examination Bureau, managed by the Archival Examination Prohibition Envoy, is one of them.

Comparable to the Investigation Department that Lu Qingfeng once controlled in the Immortal Qin Realm, both are tasked with confinement and interrogation.

Stepping into the Prohibition Examination Bureau, where Purgatory sternly enforced order, Thunder and lightning coiled into chains hung across the Void, completely shackling all prisoners within and beyond the Void. With heaven-sent abilities, one still couldn't escape.

Having been out of touch for a long time, Lu Qingfeng immediately recalled the times in the Immortal Qin Realm when he interrogated demons in the Five Prisons. After so many years, he did not expect a moment reliving the past.

Inside the prison, Thunder roared, lightning flickered, flames surged, accompanied by the Evil Gods' roars, pleas, and curses, making the ambiance all the grimmer.

Ge Nie led Lu Qingfeng inside until they stopped in front of an abyss-like cell, "Du Jiuyou is right here."

Lu Qingfeng glanced inside.

He saw dozens of Thunder chains piercing through Du Jiuyou's limbs, abdomen, clavicle, and other vital parts, tightly binding him, leaving him unable to escape. The Demon Sect Hierarch was oddly quiet, neither screaming nor begging for mercy. Despite being harshly tormented by the Prohibition Examination Bureau's Divine Officers on both sides, he wore a smile on his face.

Originally from the Demon Sect, cultivating the Killing Dao, these Divine Officers' methods were but tickles to him.

Lu Qingfeng leaped down, followed closely by Ge Nie.

"Greetings, General."

"Greetings, Sir."

The Divine Officers in the prison hurriedly stepped forward to bow in respect. Du Jiuyou too lifted his head, his gaze calm and undisturbed.

"Stand down."

Lu Qingfeng waved his hand, signaling the officers to leave.

Then, he stepped forward to Du Jiuyou's side, noting the sarcastic smile on his face, and without further ado, he unleashed the rarely used "Poison Punishment Bone-locking Heart-piercing Little Asura Technique."

...

An hour later.

Ge Nie walked out behind Lu Qingfeng, his usually expressionless face now twitching, clearly shaken.

Looking back at the cell behind them,

Du Jiuyou lay prostrate, drained, collapsed in a puddle on the ground, his eyes hollow with fear, his lips trembling uncontrollably.

Gone was the Hierarch's previous grandeur.

Outside.

As Lu Qingfeng stepped out of the Prohibition Examination Bureau, sparks of understanding danced in his eyes, and a vision crossed his mind—

In the vastness of space.

A meteorite aimlessly drifted, upon it, a youth in a brocade robe knelt, his brows marred with malice, his eyes filled with sorrowful tears raining down.

Conflict.

Desolation.

Eventually disappearing into the endless darkness.