"These guys, they only know it hurts when the needle pricks their flesh."

He dismissed the noisy elders and had them take away their harmed junior cultivators.

Suddenly, the outer courtyard fell silent.

Sikong Du sneered as he watched their departing figures.

If it weren't for them targeting us, thinking they'd help Huaizhou Prefecture is pure fantasy.

The vision of these small-to-medium sects is ultimately too narrow, not realizing that mutual support is the righteous path.

Especially now, with the ever-changing dynamics of the Ascension Tower in the Imperial Court, it's no longer the weak power it once was, yet so many sects still fail to see the situation clearly.

A day or two in the sun will give them a taste of hardship.

This was Sikong Du's plan. Although generous, he wasn't magnanimous. To survive in the Inspectorate, you need some wit.

He still remembered how those sects sent junior cultivators last time to help besiege the Black Robe.

He pondered whether he should send a squad of Palace Guards to make a grand spectacle outside the city, forcing that so-called pervert to give up on Huaizhou City and target these sects instead.

Han Yu, having witnessed enough of the drama, couldn't help but speak up with a chuckle.

"What does this pervert want? Just pants pulling without doing anything, and no one is missing any flesh. What's there to see about their butts?"

Lucky this comment wasn't made in front of those sect elders, or it would have sparked a lot of resentment, especially from the elder who had been stripped bare.

Sikong Du was amused, the big man laughing heartily, "Best not to say this outside, that bunch is very petty and holds grudges."

While they were chatting and laughing, there was already some commotion outside the city.

Because of the previous hauntings, the area outside Huaizhou City was eerily quiet, with commoners and cultivators alike too afraid to venture out.

An explosive sonic boom suddenly echoed, nearly frightening the group of Palace Guards at the city gate.

A gust of wind swept up dust and debris, and a Flying Shuttle slowly descended a hundred meters away from the gate.

The Palace Guards immediately surrounded it, their eyes wide with anger, "Who dares act presumptuously?"

Four figures first leapt off the Flying Shuttle, all of them clad in agile black outfits, and angrily rebuked the guards upon landing.

"Quiet down!"

One of them took out a metal token from which an intricately carved eagle with spread wings seemed to soar. Below the eagle, the character for "inspector" was engraved in a powerful script.

The guards quickly halted, astonishment written on their faces.

Someone from the Ascension Tower was here!

At this moment, an elderly figure slowly descended from the shuttle, followed by a small child.

The child helped the elder advance slowly — it was Gao Feng and Gao Jue.

Gao Feng waved his hand, dismissing the four Inspectorate cultivators, his voice aged and advising.

"You four youngsters shouldn't make a big fuss."

The four cultivators respectfully turned around and cupped their fists, immediately standing guard around them.

"Let's go, into the city."

——

Han Yu was engaged in idle chatter with Sikong Du when suddenly, the Artifact Spirit in his Sea of Consciousness jumped towards Ping with the Dragon Blood Stone in hand.

Ping also spewed a mist enveloping the surroundings.

Han Yu didn't need to ask further; such movements meant a Transcendent Realm Cultivator was nearby.

Sure enough, when Han Yu looked towards the entrance, six figures slowly walked in from the outer courtyard.

A child was assisting a frail elder in front, followed by four cultivators solemnly trailing behind.

Four Divine Gaze Realm cultivators as bodyguards — quite the spectacle.

Han Yu was visibly surprised, naturally prompted by the Artifact Spirit within the mist.

"Strange, this old man clearly has the aura of the Realm of Transcendence, yet his strength only reaches the Great Perfection of the Divine Gaze Realm, and his vitality is nearly depleted."

Thunk!

Upon seeing them, Sikong Du immediately knelt, his mind swirling with emotion.

This... he wouldn't be surprised if it were someone from the Inspectorate, given the Awakening Ear Pill warranted a response — but how could it be this person in particular coming?

Though Gao Feng had been reclusive and rarely dealt with Inspectorate affairs, the younger members might not recognize him, but they had certainly heard of his exploits.

Sikong Du wasn't young, having joined the Inspectorate early, and was lucky enough to have truly seen this man.

The tales of his exploits were widely told, from the early construction of the Ascension Tower when the position of Tower Master was not yet established, to the meticulous establishment of the Inspectorate.

All when everything was still in its infancy, he alone supported both the tower and the division.

His painstaking efforts over decades shaped the Ascension Tower, and he crafted the framework of the entire Inspectorate during its nascent stages.

The current operation model of the Inspectorate was all his handiwork.

If one were earnestly to speak of it, calling him the first Tower Master of Ascension Tower would garner no refutation.

If it weren't for severe damage to his mind and Origin, causing his cultivation to fall in realms, no one else could have held the position of Tower Master without dispute.

The current Tower Master was someone he personally endorsed, while he gradually receded into the background.

Rumors once circulated that the Imperial Court had spared no expense to heal Elder Gao, but judging by his current state, it seemed Light-shaking Tower hadn't succeeded.

"Are you the little fellow who used to handle Inspectorate files?"

After entering, Gao Feng gazed at Sikong Du's face, pondering before slowly speaking.

Just a single sentence had this big man like Sikong Du with tears in his eyes instantly.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.