Once, a prestigious eighth-rank official position—Hall Master and Vice Pavilion Master of the Punishment Hall—was laid before Wu Wang. He didn't cherish it. And once he had lost it, Wu Wang only... didn't regret it much.

The higher the position, the more duties to attend to; wasn't being a fifth-rank official the same, with an equal salary?

Thinking so optimistically, the Young Master lightly waved the folding fan in his hand as he followed behind two Fairy Immortals, arriving at an elegantly scenic "pavilion area."

Young Master Xue, Xue Kailong, also followed behind.

It wasn't that he wanted to feel slighted. It was simply because the two Fairy Immortals were responsible for settling them both. Each Fairy Immortal was supposed to guide one person, yet, by unspoken agreement, they both attended to Wu Wangzi instead.

When they reached a delicately decorated three-story pavilion...

"Inspector Wu Wangzi, this is the residence arranged for you by the Pavilion Master. If you look to the left, that is where our Pavilion Master usually retreats for cultivation. Behind it is the Martial Hall, and not far in front is the Immortal-Mortal Hall. To the right, not far away, is the side hall where the Patrolling Immortal Soldiers rest during their shifts. Would you require Maidens?"

Wu Wang tapped Lin Suqing's shoulder with his paper fan, and Lin Suqing immediately said, "We won't be needing any Maidens; I have always taken care of my Young Master. Thank you, both Fairy Immortals, for showing us the way. Here is a small token of appreciation; please accept it."

Lin Suqing took out two boxes of cosmetics that Wu Wang had obtained from the Women's Country. After a short back-and-forth with the two Fairy Immortals, she still managed to give them the gifts.

The cosmetics she gifted them were, naturally, two grades lower than those given to Senior Sister Jing Yue.

Xue Kailong, watching this from behind, as well as a certain Evil God observing through Xue Kailong's Nascent Soul, both clenched their teeth in secret upon seeing this.

The Human Domain is truly too corrupt! With such a Human Domain, how could their Heaven Palace fail to suppress it?

Wu Wang smiled and said, "Let us arrange our own accommodation then, so as not to keep Young Master Xue waiting."

The two Fairy Immortals quietly assented and politely led Xue Kailong, the Immortal Soldier, away. Upon departure, Xue Kailong even smiled and nodded at Wu Wang, as if he harbored no ill feelings.

Hmm? Has this guy changed so much after being taught a lesson by Brother Lin?

Wu Wang slightly raised his eyebrows, watching Xue Kailong's retreating figure for a moment, but detected nothing unusual.

"Time to move into our new home!"

As Immortal Mu cheered, Lin Suqing pushed open the wooden door before them, and a pleasant fragrance wafted out.

Putting aside the arrangement of the second and third floors for now, the mere design of this transparent hall was enough to show that the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion had put in a lot of effort.

The main hall on the first floor had no obstructions to the line of sight, with bookshelves, desks, soft couches, and rocking chairs placed at its four corners.

To the left, the wall featured fan-shaped open windows, through which one could see green bamboo swaying in the wind. To the right, the wall had openwork windows carved with birds and flowers, revealing a shallow lotus pond outside.

With the gentle breeze on a beautiful day, the carpets on the floor, embroidered with elegant orchid patterns, also prevented the central area from feeling empty.

Just stepping into this place eased one's mood significantly.

"Grand Elder, it seems we will be delayed here for some time," Wu Wang said. "You can cultivate on the third floor, while Suqing and Immortal Mu stay on the second."

The Grand Elder immediately responded, "Sect Master, I should guard outside."

"Even within the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, there's no rule about having a Transcendent expert stand guard at the door."

Wu Wang smiled and said, "Grand Elder, please settle in here for now. I'll see how Pavilion Master Liu arranges things later. If Pavilion Master Liu wants me to stay here longer, the sect will still need you, Grand Elder, to look after it."

The Grand Elder glanced at Lin Suqing and said, "It is not proper for me to live with the Sect Master. The Sect Master has female company; we should be mindful and avoid giving the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion any reason to mock us cultivators of the Annihilation Sect for not knowing the rules."

Wu Wang: ...

Why must such a simple matter be made so complicated?

The Grand Elder insisted on moving out, so Wu Wang went to the Immortal-Mortal Hall again to arrange a nearby residence for him.

After all this fuss, by the time the four of them had settled in their respective quarters, night had fallen.

Wu Wang dispersed his Spiritual Sense, observing the environment of the Main Hall of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion. Nearly half of this area was shrouded by formations, rendering some grand halls and pavilions unscannable by Spiritual Sense.

Quite a few Immortal Soldiers were stationed around the perimeter of the main hall, serving as the regular guard force for this place.

Occasionally, one could sense fluctuations of Daoist Essence within Heaven and Earth, likely a Transcendent Realm expert revealing their aura.

Overall, even though spies had infiltrated the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, the general environment was still considered safe, and one could cultivate in peace while residing here.

Before Wu Wang had even warmed the soft couch, his Spiritual Sense caught a certain Pavilion Master stealthily approaching.

"Suqing, bring me a basin of hot water!"

"Okay!"

Lin Suqing agreed with a hum, floating down from the second floor.

A short while later, Pavilion Master Liu Baiyi reached the outside of this three-story building. He had not yet spoken when Lin Suqing's voice called out from inside:

"Is that Pavilion Master Liu? My Young Master is currently soaking his feet, and after the foot soak, he needs a back rub, so please wait a while longer before entering."

Liu Baiyi's broad forehead was instantly lined with black marks.

How dare this fellow!

Wu Wang's laughter came from inside. "HAHAHA! Suqing, open the door. It was just a joke with the Pavilion Master."

"Alright," Lin Suqing responded. She pulled open the wooden door, bowed to Pavilion Master Liu in greeting, and then stepped aside.

Liu Baiyi entered the pavilion, his face dark. With a wave of his hand, he enveloped the entire small building with Daoist Essence, then glared at Wu Wang, who was still playfully splashing water with his feet.

Wu Wang said with a smile, "As you can see, I'm busy and it's inconvenient to get up to welcome you."

Liu Baiyi walked forward with his hands behind his back and sat directly beside the soft couch. He squinted and smiled, then said, "Did you think you could annoy me into blasting you out by doing this?"

"Of course not," Wu Wang said with a rather serious face. "Since I've come to the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, I wouldn't leave without obtaining the Divine Power of the Evil God. Has the Old Senior spoken to you? Ten percent a year."

"Ah, correct," Liu Baiyi said indifferently. "Ten percent of the current total Divine Power each year."

Wu Wang showed no shock at all; on the contrary, he inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

It was just "ten percent of the current total Divine Power." In fifteen years, he could probably take away about eighty percent. He had thought they would dissect the Evil God's corpse and give him ten percent of a certain part each year.

But in business, negotiations over price involve concealing one's bottom line. Wu Wang still had to show some dissatisfaction.

"Is this how the Pavilion Master gives me ten percent? It seems the Old Senior's word can't be fully trusted!"

"Now, now, I wouldn't dare say that," Pavilion Master Liu hurriedly said. "His Majesty just didn't explain it to you in too much detail at the time. I merely made some appropriate clarifications."

"Hmph!"

Wu Wang turned his head away, his face showing a touch of indignation.

"Then how about this," Pavilion Master Liu said with a smile. "As long as you, Wu Wang, help me with three tasks—complete these three tasks well—then regardless of the years, that Evil God... I will make the decision and give it directly to you!"

Wu Wang said gravely, "Those three tasks wouldn't happen to be rooting out the Ten Evils Hall, reforming the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, and revamping the Human Domain's military system, would they?"

"Eh?"

Pavilion Master Liu's eyes lit up. "Your vision is indeed broader than mine. The three tasks I had prepared for you were simply to root out all the spies within the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, uproot the Ten Evils Hall, and withstand a palm strike from me. Since you brought it up yourself, then go ahead and prepare a reform proposal for me to broaden my horizons! As for changing the military system, that's such a major undertaking that even I can't make the decision."

Wu Wang: ...

"Let's pretend I didn't say that."

"Don't be like that," Liu Baiyi said, squinting and smiling. "Tomorrow, you can start investigating the deaths of those eight spies in the dungeon. This incident is a good starting point."

Wu Wang pondered for a moment, then asked, "What's the deal with Xue Kailong? The Xue family is, after all, a prominent Military Family and a local power. Why was he simply assigned to guard the main gate?"

"His father sent a letter asking us to give the boy a hard time so that he'll return home sooner."

Liu Baiyi said with a smile, "Generally speaking, descendants of Military Families all go to the Four Seas Pavilion; that way, they can travel freely and openly throughout the Nine Wildernesses of the Great Wilderness. Very few come to my Benevolent Emperor Pavilion. The affairs of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion are tedious and numerous, and seldom do people come here willingly to serve. The only benefit is being able to deliver the Human Emperor's orders firsthand. This Xue Kailong, I don't know what got into him; he made a fuss at home for months, insisting on coming to the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion to take up a post, hoping to contribute to the Human Domain. As Pavilion Master, I couldn't very well turn him away."

Wu Wang showed a look of sudden understanding and laughed. "So you assigned him to guard the main gate?"

"Naturally," Liu Baiyi stroked his multiple chins. "I vaguely heard someone mention that you and this Xue Kailong have some past friction?"

"It's nothing significant."

Wu Wang smoothly changed the subject, his expression becoming serious. "Regarding that dungeon massacre, has the Pavilion Master discovered any suspicious points?"

"Speaking of suspicious points, there are indeed some."

Liu Baiyi pondered for a moment, then recounted all the leads the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion possessed to Wu Wang, finishing in just a few sentences.

"That's all the leads?"

"It's essentially the same as having no leads."

Liu Baiyi said with a wry smile, "The Four Seas Pavilion might be able to find a few dozen spies, but I'm afraid I have four hundred here on my side. But this matter is truly difficult to get a handle on."

Wu Wang stroked his chin and hummed softly, his large feet gently stirring the water in the basin as he began to ponder the case.

A heavily guarded dungeon, eight True Immortals and Heavenly Immortals with their Primordial Spirits sealed, formations left undisturbed, and nearby Transcendent experts not alerted... A Great Wilderness version of a locked-room murder?

Wu Wang said, "Pavilion Master, bring all relevant personnel to me tomorrow."

"Ah, that's not the standard procedure, is it?"

Liu Baiyi laughed. "Go directly to the Punishment Hall. It has a specialized setup for adjudicating cases. This is your residence for cultivation; how can you allow just anyone to enter? There is one thing, Wu Wang, that you should pay more attention to."

"What's that?"

"Your own safety. I arranged for you to stay here because I don't want anything to happen to you; otherwise, His Majesty would definitely have my head."

Liu Baiyi said earnestly, "His Majesty also instructed that you embody another great hope for the Human Domain. I, too, hope you will cherish your life and not rush into danger needlessly. The Human Domain is not lacking one or two Heavenly Immortal Realm experts. Also, His Majesty asked me to guide you in the way of cultivating your physique. In the intervals when you are handling these affairs, I will also train you. You mustn't lose to that fellow countryman of yours!"

Wu Wang shrugged and laughed, "Brother Xing Tian is unmatched in combat; it's enough for me to come up with ideas."

"Alright, you rest now. You'll be busy with these matters tomorrow."

Liu Baiyi took out two Jade Tags and placed them in Wu Wang's hands.

One Jade Tag was engraved with Liu Baiyi's likeness—truly, seeing the token was like seeing the man himself. The other had the character 'Soldier' inscribed on it, presumably for mobilizing the Immortal Soldiers around the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion.

"Do you want this Pavilion Master to give you a back rub?"

"That won't be necessary," Wu Wang laughed. "I still prefer Suqing's touch."

"HAHAHAHA! HAHAHA!"

Liu Baiyi laughed heartily and departed. Beside Wu Wang, Lin Suqing slightly pursed her lips.

That man who put on airs earlier and didn't visit my Young Master gets no tea!

Late at night, in a row of neat wooden houses on the outer side of the mountain where the Main Hall of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion was located.

Xue Kailong lay on the wooden bed, his arm pillowed under his head. He thought again of the exquisite pavilion he had seen earlier, and his fists tightened involuntarily.

He was determined to make everyone see him in a new light!

A sneer crossed his lips, dark and chilling, unlike that of an ordinary person.

「Early the next morning.」

In the chamber on the top floor of the pavilion, Wu Wang awakened from his meditative state of enlightenment. He went behind the screen, changed into a black robe that exuded an air of authority, and then spent a long time fussing with his hairstyle in front of the mirror.

It wasn't until Lin Suqing gently urged him from outside, "Young Master, the deacon from the Punishment Hall has come to escort you."

Only then did Wu Wang step out of his room.

When Lin Suqing caught sight of her Young Master today, she couldn't help but pause, struck by his rosy lips and white teeth, his slender figure, the striking handsomeness of his somewhat square-jawed face, and the charming smile playing on his lips.

Attraction to beauty is a primal human instinct, common to both men and women.

She asked, "Young Master, do I need to accompany you today as well?"

"Just focus on your cultivation and don't leave Immortal Mu's side," Wu Wang instructed. "Unless I return, don't speak with anyone."

Lin Suqing replied, "Don't worry, Young Master. I understand. The Benevolent Emperor Pavilion is still not entirely safe."

Wu Wang opened his folding fan and waved it gently a few times, murmuring to himself, "Today's situation, I'm afraid, won't be easy to resolve."

"Go for it, Young Master!"

At Lin Suqing's cheer, Wu Wang, for some reason... felt his confidence diminish slightly.

The so-called Punishment Hall was actually used by the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion to discipline its own erring Immortals, not to adjudicate miscarriages of justice throughout the Human Domain.

The Human Domain was too vast, and the relationships between Immortals and mortals far too intricate for the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion to manage completely. It could only set the overall tone and regulate the conduct of Immortals and mortals.

When Wu Wang arrived at the Punishment Hall, dozens of figures were already standing inside, with two Transcendent Realm experts seated to one side.

The layout reminded Wu Wang of what he recalled as a traditional courthouse.

Outside the hall, a row of white jade columns, wreathed in lightning, towered there, each entwined with chains as thick as a man's thigh.

Inside, two rows of Immortal Soldiers stood to the left and right. A broad chair was positioned in the center, with a screen depicting ferocious beasts behind it. Compared to a traditional courthouse, this place only lacked a long desk and a gavel.

"Sir, please take your seat."

The internal affairs deacon who had led Wu Wang here guided him to the broad chair and gestured for him to sit.

Wu Wang nodded and sat upright in the wide chair. He closed his folding fan, and his gaze swept across the Immortals before him, their cultivation realms generally much higher than his own.

"I am the Pavilion's Inspector, Wu Wangzi, having just assumed this position yesterday."

With a stern face, Wu Wang announced, "You may also understand that I am someone invited by Pavilion Master Liu to handle this matter. This title is merely for convenience. Which one of you was the first to discover the tragic deaths of the eight Sin Immortals?"

An Immortal Soldier stepped forward, clasped his fists in a salute, and said loudly, "Reporting to you, sir, I was the first to witness it!"

"Oh?"

Wu Wang adopted a deliberate tone. "Tell me in detail. Don't omit any specifics."

The Immortal Soldier said, "My comrades and I were on duty in the dungeon, patrolling every hour. When we inspected that particular cell, we saw that the eight individuals inside weren't meditating but were slumped over haphazardly. Upon closer inspection, they were already... breathless."

Starting with this Immortal Soldier, the dozens of people present recounted their observations from that day in turn.

Even the two Transcendent experts recounted in detail that they hadn't sensed any master infiltrating the dungeon.

Several months had passed since the incident, and this wasn't the first time they had recounted these events. Yet, just as with the previous inquiries, Wu Wang remained clueless.

Someone then presented an Image Projection Bead, which recorded the tragic state of Shi Liangying and the other seven Immortals at their deaths.

Another deacon brought forward the eight ordinary, poison-laced Silver Needles...

Wu Wang pondered carefully for a while, feeling a headache coming on, unable to make sense of it.

Outside the Punishment Hall, a considerable number of figures had gathered, and many Immortal Conscisenesses were probing the area.

But if one path was blocked, another might open.

Wu Wang glanced at the Crystal Ball in his sleeve, wondering what plausible excuse he could find to take it out and use the Praying Star Technique to examine these people's Divine Souls.

Suddenly, a shout came from the entrance of the hall:

"Inspector, sir! I have a way to get to the bottom of this!"

The approaching Immortal Soldier was none other than Xue Kailong.

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