The Li Huo Sect's Law Enforcement Hall was located on the main peak, though hidden on one side. One had to circle halfway around the mountain to see the pitch-black hall.
Xiao Chen followed behind Elder Chen as they were both escorted to two small, private rooms inside a side hall.
CREAK~ The door was opened, and the thick stench of decay immediately billowed out.
A glance inside revealed a very cramped space. Other than a small wooden table and a pair of stools, there were just four walls, not even a window.
An Inner Sect Disciple brought over two plates of peanuts and two small jugs of wine. "Elder Chen, our accommodations here are limited. Please make do."
Elder Chen didn't seem to mind at all, cheerfully comforting Xiao Chen, "Don't be nervous. I already notified my family before I came."
"Before this jug of wine is finished, we'll both be out of here."
"Since you've become my disciple, as long as I don't agree to it, he absolutely can't touch you."
Hearing this, Xiao Chen cupped his hands in thanks. "This disciple thanks the Elder for his concern. I will never forget the Elder's great kindness."
'Even though this whole affair was baffling and he'd been locked up for no good reason, he knew he had to keep his debts and grudges separate. He would remember the grudge against the Law Enforcement Hall for acting so indiscriminately, and he would also remember the kindness of Elder Chen for bravely speaking up for him.'
Then, the two were locked in their separate rooms.
「Meanwhile.」
Elder Jiang quickly uncovered a major point of suspicion.
During this year's Miscellaneous Peak test, Xiao Chen's cultivation was still at the first level of Qi Refining. Even on the Miscellaneous Peak, this was considered rock-bottom.
He was the type of bottom-tier cultivator whose entire future you could see at a glance, worse off than even many Loose Cultivators.
But this handyman, whose cultivation path seemed hopeless, had soon after broken through directly to the fourth level of Qi Refining. Moreover, his behavior and mannerisms had changed so drastically it was as if he'd become a different person.
Elder Jiang noted that Xiao Chen, who had never actively cultivated in the past three years, had suddenly transformed into an ascetic cultivator.
He abandoned his former ways of drinking tea, taking walks, admiring flowers, and enjoying the scenery, and instead seized every moment to cultivate.
This clearly defied logic!
'If there's a problem with Xiao Chen, then Elder Chen, who vouched for him, must be held responsible!' a sharp glint flashed in Elder Jiang's eyes. 'As an Outer Sect Elder, to be such a poor judge of character... he should step down and make way for someone more competent.'
To gather enough damning evidence as quickly as possible—especially evidence implicating the Chen Family—Elder Jiang mobilized every disciple in the Law Enforcement Hall, launching a massive, high-profile investigation.
All disciples from the Miscellaneous Peak and the Second Division who knew Xiao Chen were questioned, and the inquiry was then expanded to include any disciple who had ever seen him.
Such a large-scale operation quickly made the name Xiao Chen known throughout the Miscellaneous Peak and the twelve divisions of the Outer Sect; even the Inner Sect Disciples had heard of him.
Inside the Law Enforcement Hall, Wang Sanhu, who was on guard duty, had also heard about the massive, sweeping investigation happening outside.
An opportunistic thought crossed his mind.
'As an ordinary disciple, it's very difficult to get ahead unless he could gain Elder Jiang's favor. But he was just a guard in a side hall. Even if he wanted to curry favor with Elder Jiang, he had no connections.'
But today, in the name of efficiency, a large number of available guards had been sent out.
Wang Sanhu, because he had no connections, was instead left behind, becoming one of the four guards watching over Xiao Chen.
'This is an opportunity!'
Seeing another basket of freshly washed fruit being delivered, Wang Sanhu hurried forward to take it. "Senior Brother, I'll take care of that."
"You? Alright then, you can take it in. Remember to arrange it on a plate."
"Don't worry, Senior Brother, I'm quick on my feet. Oh, wait a sec, Senior Brother, what's going on with that Xiao Chen?"
The senior brother delivering the fruit didn't actually know the specific situation.
But he replied casually, "I figure Xiao Chen is finished. All those people who went out earlier are just to investigate him alone. If nothing unexpected happens, he's definitely not getting out."
Hearing this, Wang Sanhu's eyes instantly lit up.
With the fruit basket in hand, he used the excuse of delivering it to open the door and immediately saw Xiao Chen inside, pouring himself some wine.
'He's about to die and doesn't even know it. How can he still be in the mood for wine? Hmph!'
Wang Sanhu put down the fruit, then suddenly lunged forward and kicked the wine glass in front of Xiao Chen, sending it flying.
"You're already in here and you're still fucking putting on an act? You think you're worthy of drinking wine? Get up! Face the wall and think long and hard about what you've done wrong!"
Xiao Chen's eyes narrowed as he stared coldly at Wang Sanhu.
'With his current strength, if they were in the Feihong Mountain Range, killing a guy like this would only take one move.'
Wang Sanhu instantly felt as if he were being stared down by a ferocious beast; a chill went down his spine and his legs went soft.
The guards on duty outside heard the commotion, and two more immediately rushed in.
One of them pointed directly at Xiao Chen and barked, "What do you think you're doing? Behave yourself!"
With his fellow disciples present, Wang Sanhu's bravado suddenly returned.
The memory of his recent fear only made him harsher. "What the fuck are you looking at? Didn't you hear me say face the wall? Get your ass in the corner!"
Seeing that the guards were being completely unreasonable and seemed ready to attack at the slightest provocation, Xiao Chen considered his options. 'A wise man knows not to fight a losing battle,' he thought, and stood up.
'After all, this was the territory of the Law Enforcement Hall. Brute force is useless here; I have to consider the background of my opponents. I'll let them have their moment of swagger. I'll keep a tally of this debt for now and, in the future, settle it with interest.'
Just then, the sound of chaotic footsteps suddenly echoed from outside, as if a large crowd was approaching.
The two guards immediately turned and went out to check the situation. Wang Sanhu had wanted to teach Xiao Chen a lesson, but in the end, he also decided to go see what was happening outside first.
As they closed the door, the first of the newcomers reached the entrance.
Xiao Chen glanced over. The arrivals had the character for "Chen" embroidered in dark gold on their chests. They were from the Chen Family.
Just as Elder Chen had said, the Chen Family had come to vouch for them.
Leading the group were two clan elders, who brought with them a crowd of Chen Family disciples to demand the immediate release of their people from the Law Enforcement Hall.
At this, all the Law Enforcement Hall disciples who were on duty quickly gathered, forming a human wall to prevent them from getting closer.
The Chen Family members were only there to apply pressure, not to actually start a fight, so the situation became a standoff.
Soon, Elder Jiang, who was outside, received the news. Surprised, he quickly rushed back to the Law Enforcement Hall.
"Chen, why have you come in person?"
"Jiang Shiyou, you've detained our Tian Yang and his disciple for no reason. Isn't that inappropriate?"
"Chen, Junior Brother Tian Yang's disciple is behaving erratically and is under heavy suspicion. I am simply handling this matter impartially. I must ask for your understanding."
"Acting impartially? Fine. Show us your evidence, and we will naturally abide by the sect rules. But if you have no evidence, we will not stand for this."
As soon as he said this, the many Chen Clan Members who had accompanied him raised their fists and roared, "We refuse! We refuse!"
Jiang Shiyou's eyes narrowed as he rapidly weighed the pros and cons in his mind.
'If he let the Chen Family cause a scene, it would obviously be disadvantageous to him. After all, he didn't have a single piece of evidence that Xiao Chen was guilty, let alone anything that could implicate Elder Chen. But then again... for the Chen Family to show up in such a panic, didn't that mean he was close to getting some leverage on them? If it were just a matter of Chen Tianyang taking a liking to that Xiao Chen, why would the Chen Family mobilize in such numbers, even going so far as to cause a public disturbance? With the Chen and Jiang Families currently competing in the shadows, the more his opponent objected, the more it proved he was on the right track.'
At this thought, Jiang Shiyou no longer hesitated and barked decisively, "Silence! To privately gather and storm the Law Enforcement Hall—do you have no respect for the sect's rules? For the sect itself?"
From the crowd, a young man from the Chen Family drew his Flying Sword with a SHING. "You've detained our Chen Family members without cause. You owe us an explanation."
Many Chen Family disciples followed suit, drawing their Flying Swords. "Give us an explanation!" "Release Uncle Tian Yang!" "By what right do you detain our people!"
"Insolence!" Elder Jiang's nephew immediately stepped forward, drew his sword, and shouted, "This is the Law Enforcement Hall! Is the Chen Family trying to stage a jailbreak?"
Among the other disciples of the Law Enforcement Hall were many from the Jiang Family. Seeing this, they too unhesitatingly drew their Flying Swords to face them.
In an instant, the tension in the Law Enforcement Hall reached a breaking point, with swords drawn on both sides.
The situation had escalated beyond Elder Chen, turning into a direct conflict between the Jiang and Chen Families.
Jiang Shiyou ignored the cold glint of the blades and stared at the Chen elder. "Chen, what do you think you're doing? What does the Chen Family think it's doing?"
The elder Chen responded with a calm expression, "It's simple. We just want to know on what grounds the Law Enforcement Hall has detained our people. We just want an explanation. We want justice!"
Just as the conflict was about to erupt, a Law Enforcement Hall disciple on duty in the Outer Sect came running in.
He shouted, "The Grand Elder is here!"