Chapter 153: Imprisonment

By evening, the area outside Chenshui Peak had become somewhat bustling.

The clamor traveled almost from the mountain gate to the mountainside.

Cultivators all possess keen ears and sharp eyes; Ruan Xing, staying in her room, naturally heard it too. She originally had no intention of joining the commotion, but Cheng Bi sent her a message telling her to come out.

It seemed the matter concerned her.

She had intended to transform into the likeness of Xu Sirui at the hour of the Rat to enter the Secret Realm, but it seemed that would not be possible now.

Ruan Xing walked out of her room and changed her appearance; by the time she reached the front hall of the mountain gate, she had become Xing Ruanruan.

"Junior Sister Xing!" Cheng Bi called out when he saw her.

Beside him, several disciples of the Cheng Family were currently negotiating with the other party.

Ruan Xing hurriedly responded and walked over, looking at the dozen or so cultivators who appeared to be there to cause trouble with a confused expression, and tilted her head to whisper to Cheng Bi, "What is going on? Senior Brother?"

"Don't be afraid, I will prove your innocence." Cheng Bi gave a reassuring smile and explained: "The few cultivators we met at the restaurant that day lost their Storage Bags. They found them in the Black Market within the city today, so they suspected you stole them at the time. It just so happens that Senior Sister Xu also lost her jade token this afternoon, and she ran into you this afternoon, so they came over together, claiming you are a habitual offender."

So that was it.

At this moment, one of the cultivators from the other side shouted excitedly, "We saw that female cultivator surnamed Xing that day, and our Storage Bags were lost. Senior Sister Xu saw that female cultivator today, and her jade token was lost. How can there be such a coincidence in this world? It must be her who stole them!"

Cheng Bi could not stand to hear this and stepped forward, saying: "According to you, I have also seen you all these past two days; does that mean I am the one who stole them?"

The cultivator choked for a moment, then said sullenly: "The Cheng Family has cultivated in the Xuanbing Sect for generations; their character is naturally plain for all to see, and they would not lack these petty gains. But she is different—a Loose Cultivator; who knows if she learned some demonic Stealing Technique!"

Cheng Shuo said out of the blue: "You also know they are petty gains. Then why wouldn't she come to steal from my Cheng Family? The success rate would be higher and it wouldn't necessarily be discovered. Besides, I also have a jade token; why would she go to such lengths to seek something far away?"

"Exactly, give us an explanation!" Cheng Bi echoed.

The cultivator was instantly rendered speechless, not knowing how to answer.

Xu Sirui said with a pale face, "She even bumped into me when she ran into me this afternoon."

Ruan Xing:??? Heaven and earth are my witness, you were clearly the one who bumped into me!

And didn't you meet other people and take out your jade token to look at it after you bumped into me? But Ruan Xing had no way to explain, because if she said she saw Xu Sirui take out the jade token, wouldn't that confirm she had been following Xu Sirui? "May I ask when Senior Sister Xu lost the jade token?" Cheng Bi asked.

Xu Sirui replied without hesitation: "When I went out this afternoon, I ran into this female cultivator. About half an hour later, I went to the Main Peak to find Senior Brother Yue and discovered the jade token in my Storage Bag was gone."

"Oh?" Cheng Bi mocked: "Are you saying your jade token was kept in your Storage Bag the whole time, the Storage Bag wasn't lost but the jade token was, and the Divine Sense imprint on your Storage Bag wasn't wiped away?"

Xu Sirui felt a chill down her back, and beads of cold sweat broke out.

The words she had just spoken had a loophole.

The reason why the Storage Bag is used by the vast majority of cultivators to carry all their worldly possessions is precisely because of its security.

It has never been heard of in this world that someone could bypass a Divine Sense imprint to steal items from someone else's Storage Bag.

Even when killing to seize goods, one needs the owner of the Storage Bag to be dead, or to be at a higher major realm than the other party, to forcibly wipe away the Divine Sense imprint.

She hurriedly tried to remedy it: "I remembered wrong; the jade token wasn't in the Storage Bag, but in my bosom."

"You kept such an important item in your bosom?" Cheng Bi asked suspiciously.

"It is precisely because it is important that I keep it by my side and in my sight at all times to feel at ease, and to constantly remember the Sect Master's kindness in promoting me," Zhu Lihua said leisurely. She cast a glance, signaling her daughter to step back.

Xu Sirui pursed her lips and retreated behind her mother.

In truth, she knew that the jade token was likely not stolen by this newly initiated female cultivator, but since the jade token was lost, someone had to take the blame. She couldn't let the Sect Master think that she was both trying to find a backer and dissatisfied with the Sect Master, which was why she was unwilling to produce the jade token, could she?

Therefore, recalling the matter of those few cultivators losing their Storage Bags, she had discussed it with her mother.

Those few cultivators were also very willing to come and cause trouble for this female disciple.

Beside Zhu Lihua were several disciples from the Law Enforcement Hall, all of whom were cultivators who had previously followed Xu Shengping, but their cultivation was not very good, which was why they could be ordered around by Zhu Lihua.

And precisely because of this, they were blocked at the mountain gate by several Golden Core disciples of the Cheng Family.

Zhu Lihua said with a half-smile: "Since she is a suspect, our Law Enforcement Hall naturally must take her back for strict interrogation. You are obstructing us like this—are you trying to shield her?"

The few Cheng Family disciples looked at each other.

Although they were not afraid of the Law Enforcement Hall, the Law Enforcement Hall currently had no newly appointed Hall Master.

But to go to such great lengths for a newly initiated disciple who wasn't even a disciple of the Cheng Family itself seemed unnecessary.

Yet none of them were elders who could take charge, and they could not easily let her go with them.

Thus, their gazes turned one after another to Cheng Bi. Cheng Bi's cultivation was not the highest among them, but he was a Personal Disciple and the Peak Master's own grandson; even his cousin Cheng Shuo was two generations removed.

If he made the decision, the Peak Master should not blame him.

Ruan Xing also looked at Cheng Bi expectantly.

Hurry up and show your might to drive them away! As long as she survives tonight and enters the Lotus Pond Secret Realm to find the key, she can end the simulation!

Cheng Bi said sternly: "You want to take away a disciple of my Chenshui Peak based on empty words? I think you are the ones abusing your power. Has the Law Enforcement Hall become so unscrupulous in its actions now that it lacks a Hall Master's restraint?"

Zhu Lihua sneered, "The evidence is all on your new disciple. Why don't we search her Storage Bag? If we find anything, you won't be able to stop us, right?"

Ruan Xing:? Her Storage Bag was full of things that couldn't be seen by others.

Just those corpses alone would be hard to explain.

How could they search it? Just as she was about to say something, Cheng Bi had already shouted, "Fine!"

Ruan Xing:??

No, you just agreed on my behalf like that?

She had already started to think about confessing.

Stealing was only a civil matter, but the things in her Storage Bag involved criminal law.

"If you don't find anything, all of you must apologize to Junior Sister Xing!" Cheng Bi said confidently: "I believe this matter absolutely has nothing to do with Junior Sister Xing; she is not that kind of thief!"

Ruan Xing was stunned. No, brother, don't be so confident; I'm scared.

"No problem. If she is truly wronged, I will immediately kneel and apologize to her in front of the Chenshui Peak mountain gate." Zhu Lihua smiled meaningfully.

As long as she could search, wasn't it up to her to decide what to plant?

Anyway, those few cultivators were all on their side. Even if they didn't find the jade token, as long as those few cultivators pointed out that their stolen goods were in this female cultivator's Storage Bag, the matter could be settled.

Cheng Shuo, feeling a headache, pulled Cheng Bi aside and whispered: "Why did you agree to that?"

"I must clear Junior Sister Xing's name!" Cheng Bi said firmly. "This is not a matter of clearing a name or not," Cheng Shuo said. Although he felt this female cultivator was not as pure as she appeared on the surface and disliked her, he had still spoken up for her just now because she had, after all, joined Chenshui Peak and was a disciple of Chenshui Peak. "Is it appropriate for a Chenshui Peak disciple to be forced by the Law Enforcement Hall to have her Storage Bag searched in front of the mountain gate? Does our Chenshui Peak not need face? Furthermore, if Junior Sister Xing is truly innocent, having her Storage Bag searched publicly is a deeply insulting matter for a cultivator. If you do not handle this well, this incident will become a heart demon on Junior Sister Xing's path of cultivation!"

Cheng Bi realized this and hurriedly asked for advice, "Cousin, then what should be done?"

"It is best if we conduct an internal investigation first. If there is a problem, we expel her from Chenshui Peak before handing her over to the Law Enforcement Hall; only then will it not damage the reputation of our Chenshui Peak." Cheng Shuo gave a bitter smile, "Now that you have already agreed, what else can I do?"

Although Cheng Shuo's original intention was for the sake of Chenshui Peak, the method he suggested was also beneficial to Ruan Xing.

Cheng Bi looked at Ruan Xing with some guilt, "Junior Sister Xing, I'm sorry..."

Everyone was watching this side, waiting for Ruan Xing to hand over her Storage Bag.

Ruan Xing lowered her head, having no choice but to resign herself to fate, and decided to abandon this Simulation.

She sighed, "Actually..." It really was me who stole it...

"How lively." A cold female voice came, interrupting Ruan Xing's words. A female cultivator walked over, and with the shifting of her feet, she crossed a distance of several dozen zhang in a few steps.

The disciples bowed their heads one after another to pay their respects, "True Monarch Qinghong."

When mountains and rivers seem to leave no path, there is a village shaded by willows and bright with flowers.

Ruan Xing's eyes lit up; was there still a turning point?

True Monarch Qinghong asked indifferently: "You are all gathered here, what are you doing?"

For a moment, no one spoke. Zhu Lihua thought to herself that it was bad. She had intended to take advantage of the Law Enforcement Hall's authority now that there were no tigers in the mountains and the monkeys were acting as kings, and she assumed the various True Monarchs and Dao Lords of Chenshui Peak would likely not care about a newly entered disciple with a different surname. She had not expected this True Monarch Qinghong to jump out. Did she also want to meddle in other people's business?

Zhu Lihua could only bite the bullet and say: "Peak Master Jiang, I am leading the Law Enforcement Hall to execute official duties, arresting a new Chenshui Peak disciple for theft."

She did not call out the Daoist name bestowed by Guangyou Xianjun, but instead used her position, hoping that True Monarch Qinghong would remember that this was not Yaoguang Peak and wonder why she had suddenly run over here.

True Monarch Qinghong nodded, "Is that so? Then whose order are you acting under?"

Zhu Lihua's face turned pale.

Only the Sect Master, the Hall Master, and the Deputy Hall Master of the Law Enforcement Hall could issue orders to arrest disciples of the sect. When Xu Shengping was there before, there was no Deputy Hall Master; Zhu Lihua had been doing the work of a Deputy Hall Master, but she had not reached the Nascent Soul realm and could not be officially appointed.

True Monarch Qinghong asking this was like rubbing salt into her wounds.

Without the title of Deputy Hall Master, she naturally could not issue orders. Even now, if the Sect Master were to appoint a new Hall Master and Deputy Hall Master, her position in the Law Enforcement Hall would be even more awkward.

This was also one of the reasons she chose Yue Mingqi among all the male disciples suitable for Xu Sirui; she had become the mother-in-law of the Sect Master's Personal Disciple, so the Sect Master should not embarrass her.

Her complexion alternated between red and white, and she remained silent for a long time.

"So there is no order." True Monarch Qinghong said with understanding: "Since there is no order, then there shall be no search. However..."

She glanced at Ruan Xing and said indifferently: "Since this female disciple is a suspect, she shall be temporarily detained in the Law Enforcement Hall for custody, awaiting investigation after the Sect Master appoints a new Hall Master. I will personally report this to the Sect Master. During this period, she may only be detained, not searched or interrogated."

Zhu Lihua was stunned. Which side was this True Monarch Qinghong actually helping? Slapping both sides, what was that supposed to mean?

Although she did not understand True Monarch Qinghong's intention, if this matter blew up and reached the Sect Master, it would be difficult to resolve.

It seemed that framing this female disciple for stealing the jade slip would not work.

Having no choice, Zhu Lihua could only agree to True Monarch Qinghong's words.

Ruan Xing was also bewildered, unable to understand what True Monarch Qinghong was trying to do with this operation.

Meeting Cheng Bi's worried gaze, Ruan Xing left Chenshui Peak with Zhu Lihua.

Let's see how things develop later; if it really doesn't work out, I'll end the Simulation.

It was just unexpected that True Monarch Qinghong also followed them to the Law Enforcement Hall. Facing the confusion of the Law Enforcement Hall disciples, True Monarch Qinghong gave a light cough, "I am supervising."

It seemed she did not trust the Law Enforcement Hall.

Although it was against the sect rules, with no Hall Master and True Monarch Qinghong's high cultivation, who dared to object?

Ruan Xing was locked in a dungeon that was quite clean. It did not have the torture instruments and dilapidated environment she had imagined; it was just a room. One wall was a transparent barrier, behind the barrier was a folding screen, and behind the screen was a straw mat and a meditation cushion.

They were surprisingly good at protecting privacy.

Ruan Xing did not need to wear anything to restrict her Spiritual Power, nor did she need to remove her Storage Bag or Dharma Artifacts, and she entered the dungeon just like that.

Not until she was locked inside and the Law Enforcement Hall disciples had locked the barrier did True Monarch Qinghong let the others leave, "You all go out first; I have something to say to her."

The disciples guarding the dungeon heard this and retreated silently.

Ruan Xing looked at True Monarch Qinghong through the barrier with suspicion.

After a long silence, True Monarch Qinghong said: "Why did you come back?"

Ruan Xing was startled. She wanted to play dumb, but she felt that True Monarch Qinghong was not testing her, but had thoroughly confirmed that she was indeed Ruan Xing.

Why was this? Had her Illusion Technique and Mask Artifact failed?

With a thousand thoughts in her mind, she hesitantly organized her words, "I..."

Unable to say anything for a long time, True Monarch Qinghong sighed and continued to ask: "What did you come back for? Did you take Xu Sirui's jade slip?"

What for...

After thinking quickly, Ruan Xing steadied herself and said: "I did take it, but I have a reason why I must enter the Lotus Pond Secret Realm."

Since True Monarch Qinghong had helped her in front of the Chenshui Peak mountain gate just now, it proved that the impression points from helping Qintai He had not yet been exhausted. Although she had returned now and True Monarch Qinghong might remember that prophecy and target her again, Qintai He still held a certain status in her heart. As long as she used Qintai He's banner, True Monarch Qinghong might let her off for the time being and turn a blind eye.

Moreover, she was originally here to return the key to Qintai He, so this could not be considered a lie.

Thus, she told the story of the key, half-true and half-false, only omitting the fact that she had been to Nanzhou.

"Senior Brother's key was damaged, but his grandmother said that Guangyou Xianjun still has one, so I thought about helping Senior Brother get that key back. The key is most likely in Guangyou Xianjun's Return to Ruins Land, so I must enter the Lotus Pond Secret Realm," Ruan Xing said sincerely. "But I guarantee that apart from that key, I will not touch anything else in the Lotus Pond Secret Realm by even a fraction."

True Monarch Qinghong said faintly: "It seems he really trusts you, even telling you that his master did not ascend but fell, and even giving you such a brilliant transformation artifact. Even I did not see the flaws in your appearance. If it weren't for the two strands of Spiritual Power you left in your Sect Jade Token being identical, I wouldn't have discovered it."

True Monarch Qinghong misunderstood that the Dharma Artifact was given by Qintai He, but that did not matter; this was exactly what she wanted. The more important she was in Qintai He's heart, the less likely True Monarch Qinghong would be to give her up casually.

As long as her cultivation did not improve and it did not affect the future of the Xuanbing Sect, True Monarch Qinghong could make concessions regarding Qintai He's affairs.

Therefore, she must absolutely not let True Monarch Qinghong discover that she had already reached the Golden Core realm.

However, she had not expected that her flaw would be in the Sect Jade Token.

"The Spiritual Power in the two Sect Jade Tokens is from the same source. Even if I hadn't discovered it in advance, the Sect Affairs Hall would have discovered it on the day you collected your monthly stipend. Have you thought of a way out?" True Monarch Qinghong asked.

(End of this chapter)