Over a month ago.
Southern Bean Country.
In the middle of the Crocodile Dragon River.
Xuanlin City.
The streets were packed with people on both sides.
Guards escorted a mechanical prison cart, slowly moving forward.
Inside the prison cart, a Golden Core Cultivator was heavily shackled with iron chains, his hair disheveled, and his eyes tightly shut.
The city residents, seeing this person, were furious, hurling countless rotten eggs, leftover vegetable leaves, spoiled rice, and even stones while cursing at the top of their lungs.
"Throw! Throw to death this corrupt official!"
"If it weren't for him embezzling the disaster relief funds, my grandfather wouldn't have starved to death!"
"Truly heartless! Dignified as a Golden Core, he could have cultivated alone, yet he exploited the people while in office; worse than a Demon Cultivator! He deserves this end!!"
The Golden Core prisoner kept his head down, eyes shut, looking as if dead.
Watching the noisy scene on the street from afar, Zhu Xuanji sighed deeply and said to the group beside him, "It's about time for me to set off."
The current City Lord of Xuanlin City, standing nearby, clasped his hands in salute: "This time, thanks to Lord Zhu's intervention, the black sheep have been weeded out. If it weren't for you, I would have still been kept in the dark."
Zhu Xuanji smiled softly and looked deeply at the City Lord: "Su Lord, you must take care of yourself."
After saying this, he mounted his horse and left directly.
The City Lord clasped his hands, watching Zhu Xuanji gradually depart, keeping a smile on his face, with a cold glint in his eyes.
"Ah, it's Lord Zhu!"
"Lord Zhu has arrived."
"Lord Zhu, thank you, thank you for uncovering the truth! If it weren't for you, sob sob sob…"
"Lord Zhu, don't leave, don't leave us! Just stay and be our official!"
One person led the way, kneeling beside the street, followed by the second, the third.
The city residents knelt one by one, crying and expressing their gratitude, pleading earnestly.
The same road that Zhu Xuanji and the Golden Core prisoner walked brought starkly different reactions.
Zhu Xuanji, on horseback, smiled and waved frequently.
Amid the people's respectful send-off, he reached the city gate, looked back at the kneeling crowd, and at the end of the street, the City Lord standing there.
"Su Family..." Zhu Xuanji sighed, gloom welling up in his eyes.
He knew that the true mastermind was the City Lord with the surname Su, but the latter, being ruthless, had timely silenced the witnesses, leaving no evidence in Zhu Xuanji's hands.
Zhu Xuanji could only apprehend a Golden Core Cultivator under the City Lord's command.
Zhu Xuanji spurred his horse to speed up and quickly caught up with the prisoner escort team ahead.
The team wound along a country road.
The cultivator at the front suddenly scolded: "Who are you? How dare you intercept the court's prisoner escort without fearing for your life?!"
The person intercepting the prison cart quickly pleaded, his voice old: "Lords, I am not a villain; I'm here to thank Lord Zhu."
Zhu Xuanji scanned with his Divine Sense, immediately ordering: "Stay calm, I recognize this old man. He's not an enemy."
He lightly nudged his horse, arriving at the front of the team, and seeing a familiar face, he chuckled softly: "Old man, we meet again."
The old man bent over, bowed deeply, with tears flowing down: "I am ashamed, for not recognizing a true hero. When you once passed by my teahouse, I even insulted you. If I didn't come to thank and apologize, I would never be at peace."
Zhu Xuanji dismounted, approached the old man, and helped him up: "Old man, have they returned your land?"
The old man wept again, choking up: "Yes, they have. Not just my family, but all the good fields in our village have been returned."
"That's good." Zhu Xuanji nodded.
The old man took out a bag of Spirit Stones: "Lord Zhu, this is the gratitude gift our village prepared…"
Zhu Xuanji waved his hand: "I won't accept it."
"This bag of Spirit Rice is also from our village…"
Zhu Xuanji laughed: "Old man, I have no desire for these."
The old man became somewhat anxious: "This is just a small token from our village to express our boundless gratitude, Lord Zhu…"
Zhu Xuanji reached out: "Old man, do you remember our first meeting, when I passed by your teahouse at the village entrance?"
"You saw me travel-stained and invited me to sit down."
"I smiled and said I had no money and couldn't afford tea. But you offered me a bowl of sweet water."
The old man nodded, wiping away tears: "How could I forget?"
"You drank the sweet water, inquired about the livelihood, and I told you about the officials in Xuanlin City being negligent, corrupt."
"You were asking for details, but I was senile and thought you were defending those corrupt officials, so I knocked over your bowl of sweet water in anger."
"Hahaha." Zhu Xuanji laughed heartily, "I'm glad you remember!"
He clasped his hands in respect: "If I may, can I ask the old man to offer me another bowl of sweet water?"
The old man was taken aback.
Seeing Zhu Xuanji's sincere and earnest expression, his vision blurred again, tearfully nodding: "Please, please! It's my honor to offer you tea again, Lord Zhu."
Zhu Xuanji shook his head: "No tea, I just want a bowl of sweet water."
The old man took out a storage bag, and right there, made a bowl of sweet water for Zhu Xuanji.
Zhu Xuanji held the rough pottery bowl, took a large gulp, and laughed heartily: "Such sweet water!"
The guards, seeing this scene, remained silent.
After bidding farewell to the old man, Zhu Xuanji continued his journey.
No one intercepted the prisoner, and the journey was uneventful.
Upon entering the capital, he hadn't rested before being summoned by the Monarch.
Meeting the Monarch, he knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in salute, and declared loudly: "Your subject went to Xuanlin City, investigated the details of the corruption, fortunately fulfilling the mission…"
Bang.
The Southern Bean Monarch slammed the table, rebuking: "Zhu Xuanji! You entered the capital, handed over the prisoner, and didn't think to report back to me. Did I have to summon you myself?"
"Fortunately fulfilling the mission? Haha."
"Before you left, how did I instruct you?"
"You went to Xuanlin City, yet still acted according to your own will, disregarding my instructions. And you call it fortunately fulfilling the mission? Do you think I summoned you to praise you?"
"Your subject dares not." Zhu Xuanji smiled bitterly.
The Southern Bean Monarch sighed: "Zhu Xuanji, Zhu Xuanji... You are a member of the Royal Family. Don't you know the weight of the Su Family in our country?"
"By arresting a Golden Core subordinate, you've disgraced the Su Family. Several old ministers from the Su Family have already submitted their resignations, claiming that the Su Family's reputation cannot be sullied."
"I ordered you to investigate the case, not to cause an upheaval in the court!"
Zhu Xuanji raised his head, his expression serious: "What the Monarch said, I cannot agree with. I believe that the major families in Southern Bean Country have already become deeply entrenched and overly powerful. The Su Family, for instance, controls multiple Immortal Cities and many hold key positions in the court, marginalizing newcomers and monopolizing state affairs."
"If this continues, they will become a major crisis for our Southern Bean Country."
"As part of the Royal Family, we should support new families and newcomers more, rejuvenating the court, taking care of the common people, and recruiting talents from the civilian population to balance the old powerful families."
The Southern Bean Monarch coldly snorted: "Nonsense! Back in the day, the Emperor laid the groundwork for the country; how many sacrifices did the Su Family make? Such founding merits should not be treated harshly. How would foreign talents perceive our country?"
"People call you 'Zhu Xuanji, the Hidden Detector who calms the people,' and you truly take pride in it, don't you?"
Zhu Xuanji lowered his head: "Your subject dares not."
The Southern Bean Monarch sighed softly: "Enough."
"Maybe I've been expecting too much of you. This time you handled things better than before."
"I have read your secret report."
"It is clear to everyone in the court that the Su Family's City Lord cannot escape responsibility."
"But this matter should stop here. The Golden Core Cultivator will be beheaded at the vegetable market and displayed publicly to conclude it."
Zhu Xuanji volunteered: "I am willing to serve as the executioner!"
The Southern Bean Monarch shook his head: "The court is unstable. As a member of the Royal Family, you must consider on my behalf."
"If you, with your status, serve as the executioner, will it seem like the will of the Royal Family? Will it seem like my will? How can the court officials and citizens not wildly speculate?"
"Don't stay in the capital; leave."
"At this moment…"
The Southern Bean Monarch pulled out a memorial from the corner of the table, throwing it on the ground, tossing it to Zhu Xuanji: "Get up and take a look."
Zhu Xuanji: "Yes."
He slowly got up and reached out to grab.
An invisible force lifted the memorial from the ground, landing it in his hand.
Zhu Xuanji opened the memorial, quickly scanning through it, surprise appearing on his face: "Magma Fairy Palace?"
The Southern Bean Monarch: "Yes."
"This was the former palace of the Three Ancestral Masters, built during their deep affection with the Emperor. It was originally buried within Fire Persimmon Mountain to suppress volcanic eruptions, turning a disaster zone into a blessed land."
"It should have continued to suppress the underground fire for over a hundred more years, but now it has emerged."
"There must be something suspicious about this."
"In this journey, you must investigate the reason for the appearance of Magma Fairy Palace."
"The palace contains the mechanical techniques inheritance of the Three Ancestral Masters, and you meet the requirements for it. As for whether you can obtain the inheritance, it depends on your personal fortune and skills."
"Although you accomplished much in Xuanlin City, there were mistakes as well. I have difficulties, so I won't reward or punish you. You should go to the Magma Fairy Palace and see if you can gain the inheritance."
"Your subject is grateful for the reward!" Zhu Xuanji expressed his thanks, "My proficiency in mechanical techniques is also thanks to the Royal Family's cultivation. In this journey, I will do my utmost to uncover the truth."
The Southern Bean Monarch nodded: "I have three things to remind you of."
"First, the Three Ancestral Masters had a deep relationship with our Royal Family's Emperor. It can be said that our nation's foundation owes much to them. Their contributions and influence can be considered as a State Preceptor to our country."
"In his later years, the Three Ancestral Masters placed Magma Fairy Palace within Fire Persimmon Mountain with profound intentions. Do not act rashly; let things flow naturally and do not disrupt the Master's thoughtful arrangements."
"Second, back then, the Emperor had no royal mandate. It relied on the Divine Power Life Thread technique granted by the Three Ancestral Masters to achieve the benefit of cooperation."
"After the Emperor, no one in our Zhu Family has inherited the Divine Power Life Thread, and it has since become a lost technique."
"Securing this Divine Power is a priority for your journey. If possible, strive to obtain it!"
"On the other hand, if you find someone else mastering this technique, eliminate them entirely!"