Chapter 202: So, What Is the Echelon Like?
“Arrest?” black-garbed Yanyan said, laughing. However, before her laughter could cease, countless voices rang out from all corners of Harbor 176.
“Yes, Deputy Director!”
Along with the voices, numerous figures appeared in the harbor, over a thousand of them, blocking all entrances and exits.
“You think a bunch of Qi Condensation cultivators can stop me?” Yanyan said. “How about I kill a few so you can see what I can do?” Her eyes glittered with killing intent as she lit her life flames. Three of them burned bright, erupting with power as she flew up in the air and then shot toward the nearest Violent Crimes Division constables.
Looking at her coldly, Xu Qing lifted his identity medallion high over his head and said, “I, Deputy Director Xu Qing of the Violent Crimes Division, hereby request that the sect’s grand spell formation lock down the airspace over Harbor 176 and prevent all non-sect cultivators from flying!”
The moment the words left his mouth, a bell rang, its sound echoing left and right as the Seven Blood Eyes Formation’s power filled Harbor 176.
Yanyan’s face fell as the formation’s power swept over her, forcing her to the ground and causing her life flames to flicker wildly.
“What outrageous gall!” she growled. Despite the pressure weighing down on her, the killing intent in her eyes didn’t soften. Instead, it grew more intense as her rage burned.
Xu Qing hadn’t been lying. The reason why Yanyan had been able to run amok without him present was that the chain of command was always strictly respected in Seven Blood Eyes. Unless a matter was officially reported to a superior officer, the higher-ranking members wouldn’t do anything. That was just how the rules operated in Seven Blood Eyes, and there were few exceptions.
Staring with cold fury at Yanyan, Xu Qing continued, “Restrict all non-sect cultivators in Harbor 176, preventing them from lighting more than one life flame!”
He actually didn’t need to do much to deal with this young woman. Given his authority in the Violent Crimes Division, and his status as an echelon cultivator, he basically was the law. One reason for him doing things this way was that too many eyes were focused on him right now, and he didn’t want to reveal any of his secrets.
The moment the words left his mouth, the Seven Blood Eyes Formation rumbled, and invisible power settled down on the harbor.
Yanyan’s face flickered dramatically as her third life flame instantly went out! Only a moment later, her second flame also went dark!
As for her remaining life flame, her first, the pressure weighing down on it created a backlash of power that forced blood to spray out of her mouth. Veins bulging on her forehead, she glared at Xu Qing with raging killing intent. She looked like she was about to explode with mad fury.
Finally, Xu Qing took action. Keeping his life lamp concealed with his shadow, he lit both of his two life flames and entered the profound radiance state. Moving with shocking speed, he pierced through the air and appeared right in front of Yanyan. Then he smacked her on the side of the face.
A boom rang out as she slammed into a nearby building, her face already swollen. She also coughed up a huge mouthful of blood, within which were a handful of teeth.
Xu Qing took a step forward, arriving right in front of her again. He stomped down.
Glittering light sprang up around her, its source being a pendant around her neck. It was a defensive item that created a shield around her, upon which Xu Qing’s foot landed with a boom.
Yanyan leaped to her feet, a vicious expression on her face and madness in her eyes. Then she ripped the pendant off of her neck.
Voice cool, Xu Qing said, “Prevent all non-sect cultivators in Harbor 176 from using any types of magical devices or magical treasures.”
Yet again, the spell formation rumbled to life.
Yanyan’s defensive shield collapsed. She was bleeding profusely and her hair was disheveled, yet she glared defiantly at Xu Qing and said, “If you’ve got what it takes, fight me fair and square!”
“Fool.” Xu Qing shot forward and slapped her again. She flew to the side, more teeth flying out of her mouth. After righting herself, she pulled out a jade slip and crushed it, causing teleportation power to swell.
“Prevent all non-sect cultivators from teleporting out of Harbor 176,” Xu Qing said calmly.
Yet again, power swept forth from the Seven Blood Eyes Formation, crushing all teleportations. Yanyan’s eyes burned with fury and humiliation, and she was about to say something further when Xu Qing again stepped toward her and slapped her.
A boom rang out as Yanyan coughed up blood like mad. She was visibly weak, yet her expression was no less vicious than before. In fact, it seemed like she would rather die than surrender.
Xu Qing looked at her deeply. His own personal rule was to kill anyone who could pose a threat to him. But he also wasn’t an idiot. If he did that in front of all these witnesses, it would lead to more trouble and danger for himself. In other words, killing her now would be pure foolishness.
Reining in his killing intent, he smacked her on the top of the head. Blood spilled out of her mouth as her final remaining life flame flickered out, and then she lapsed into unconsciousness. Her injuries were about the same as all the disciples she herself had knocked out.
With that accomplished, Xu Qing reached down and grabbed her by the hair.
“Bring me some dharma shackles!”
Numerous Violent Crimes Division constables raced toward him. The first to arrive produced a pair of handcuffs that he placed on Yanyan’s forearms. Moments later, her eyes opened and she howled in fury, causing the dharma shackles to collapse. Then she laughed madly. “I’m not going to forget this, Xu Qing! No one has ever dared to treat me this rudely! You’re the first!”
Face completely expressionless, Xu Qing stepped forward and slapped her yet again.
A thud rang out as her head hit the ground, and she again passed out.
“Put ten dharma shackles on her,” Xu Qing said calmly.
These shackles had been designed specifically for use on non-sect Foundation Establishment cultivators. Two of them could suppress a single life flame, while ten could completely negate the power of three life flames.
They were the same shackles the old director of Violent Crimes had used when arresting Night Dove operatives.
Before long, ten shackles had been placed on Yanyan.
“Lock her up in the Celestial Bureau,” Xu Qing said. “Without orders from me, do not set her free!”
The surrounding constables dragged Yanyan away.
Around then, a voice echoed out through Harbor 176. “Junior Brother Xu Qing, can you show some leniency here?”
Xu Qing looked up and saw Second Highness flying toward him. It was possible to detect the lingering traces of a restrictive spell on her; obviously Yanyan had bound her up, making it impossible for her to interfere.
“Well met, Second Highness,” Xu Qing said, clasping hands respectfully. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Huang Yan standing nearby.
Huang Yan looked at Second Highness and said, “Elder Sister, Xu Qing was helping me out.”
Second Highness seemed like she wanted to say something, but held back for a moment. Looking at Huang Yan, and then glancing at Yanyan being dragged off into the distance, she hesitated again. Finally, she said, “Junior Brother Xu Qing, if she dies, it’s going to cause problems for the patriarch.”
There was no threat in her words. Just apprehension. She was obviously giving him a well-intentioned warning.
“She broke the rules of our sect,” Xu Qing said. Lowering his voice, he continued, “But she didn’t kill anyone and thus doesn’t deserve the death penalty. However, according to sect rules, she must be imprisoned.”
Second Highness nodded. “As long as she doesn’t die. Truth be told, she pissed me off tonight as well. I owe you thanks, Junior Brother Xu Qing.”
She looked at Huang Yan, and her gaze softened. She turned and left.
Xu Qing looked at the two of them, then turned away.
The injured were already being tended to. Eventually, Huang Yan clasped hands and left. Harbor 176 was already quiet again.
Xu Qing remained in place, waiting. He had taken action this night, not only to help Huang Yan, but also because Yanyan had intentionally provoked him. Furthermore, he had been interested to see how safe he was in Seven Blood Eyes now that he was an echelon cultivator.
Some time passed, and then an old man appeared up above. He wore a blue daoist robe, and emanated the fluctuations of the Gold Core level, causing immense pressure to weigh down everywhere.
Averting his gaze, Xu Qing clasped hands and bowed.
“Well met, Elder.”
Xu Qing didn’t know this person. But given the type of daoist robe he wore, and the pressure he let off, he had to be an elder.
As the elder hovered in midair, he looked Xu Qing up and down, and his eyes glittered with approval. “Xu Qing, I come with a question from Master Sixth. How do you intend to wrap up this matter?”
“Can I execute her?” Xu Qing asked.
“No. The lass might be domineering, but she mustn’t die. Her grandmother is personal friends with the patriarch.” [1]
Xu Qing nodded. “According to the sect rules, she should have her cultivation base crippled and then be confined in the Bone-Scorching Cavern for three years.”
The elder smiled. He obviously knew what Xu Qing was thinking, and was aware the girl had instigated the matter. If Xu Qing wasn’t in the echelon, the sect’s official stance on the matter would have been different. Except, he was in the echelon, which meant that he was important to the future of Seven Blood Eyes. People in the echelon weren’t to be casually insulted, and were obviously in the favor of the patriarch. Beyond all that, Xu Qing was also an envoy disciple. Even the patriarch would get angry if someone caused problems for an envoy disciple right in the middle of the sect.
“Do what you have to do. But don’t cripple her.”
With that, the Gold Core elder turned and left.
Xu Qing clasped hands respectfully, then walked back to his berth, all the while thinking about the ramifications of the night’s events. For one thing, he would now have to deal with Yanyan trying to get revenge. And he might have to worry about her friends or family. Other than that, there didn’t seem to be any downsides. The upsides were numerous. Of course, he had helped Huang Yan. And he had also been able to test out what it meant to be an echelon cultivator in Seven Blood Eyes.
It seems the sect is a lot more tolerant of echelon cultivators, and also treats them very well.
Given everything he had experienced recently, he thought back to the things Zhang Yunshi had told him when he finally qualified for Onpeak life. For example, he’d said that Offpeak disciples were venomous bugs in a jar, while Onpeak disciples were like lone wolves. Perhaps because of Zhang Yunshi’s status in the sect, he wasn’t very familiar with the echelon. Based on what Xu Qing knew, it seemed to him that echelon cultivators were more like conclave disciples than the actual conclave disciples.
As long as I don’t directly break the rules of the sect, I should be quite safe in Seven Blood Eyes. Of course, the biggest downside was that he was now tied even more deeply to the sect.
That didn’t necessarily make him care about the sect more, but it did mean that in terms of status, and also in the view of outsiders, he was now an even more important part of the sect.
1. Specifically, Yanyan’s paternal grandmother is friends with the patriarch. ☜