Chapter 54: Capture of Zhou Qingzhu Alive

The instant Tian Zhang, Dong Zhao, and Cao Chun appeared together, Zhou Qingzhu understood that Zhou Ji had already been captured alive.

Captured alive by Jinshan Dao Academy.

It was only a matter of time before he confessed to exposing Zhou Qingzhu as the mastermind.

So what should he do now?

Or rather, what could Zhou Qingzhu do to escape death or secure a path to survival?

In a flash, Zhou Qingzhu considered countless possibilities.

Even in that instant, Zhou Qingzhu imagined swapping places with Dong Zhao.

If he were standing in Dong Zhao’s position, what would be the optimal move to gain maximum advantage?

In that same instant, a cold sweat broke out along Zhou Qingzhu’s spine.

Because Zhou Qingzhu realized he was now standing on the very edge of life and death.

At this moment, if he were Dong Zhao, there was only one best course of action—kill him.

Kill him while he resists, then definitively brand him as a demonic cultivator.

Then Zhou Qingzhu would be doomed forever; even if the Star Palace now held overwhelming power in Chen Guo, it could not intervene.

No matter how powerful the Star Palace, it could not rescue a demon before the eyes of the entire world.

Suddenly, Zhou Qingzhu grasped his only chance for survival.

Do not resist!

“Director Dong, when you seek to condemn a man, you need no excuse!” Zhou Qingzhu sneered, and the star energy surging around him instantly calmed.

Yet as he retracted his star energy, Zhou Qingzhu raised his hand and launched a crimson signal into the sky, where it exploded into a dazzling firework as night began to fall.

It was the emergency assembly signal of the Tianyang Branch Academy.

Originally, seeing Zhou Qingzhu suddenly cease resisting under the five attackers, Dong Zhao had sensed something was wrong.

But now, seeing Zhou Qingzhu send the assembly signal, Dong Zhao hardened his heart and roared, “Bold demon! Even at death’s door, you dare summon other demons to cause chaos!”

Dong Zhao bellowed, ready to give the order to execute Zhou Qingzhu on the spot.

But Zhou Qingzhu had fought Dong Zhao for years—he had already seen through Dong Zhao’s intent, and now he had nothing left to lose.

Zhou Qingzhu calmly dispersed his star energy, sat cross-legged on the ground, then pulled out the Mountain Director’s seal of the Tianyang Branch, infused it with star energy, and held it against his chest with a cold smile: “Dong Zhao, I am the legitimate Mountain Director of the Tianyang Star Palace’s Jinshan Branch—do you think one word from you can brand me a demon?”

Tian Zhang, if you have the guts, swing your Blood Slaughter Blade and cut me down now!

I’ll raise my thumb to you—you’re still the same Tian Zhang from twenty years ago!”

Seeing Zhou Qingzhu fully surrender, Dong Zhao’s face darkened; Tian Zhang’s Blood Slaughter Blade rotated slightly in his palm but refused to strike.

Ning Yuchan’s starlight iron mace, forged from her iron cane, rose several times, but each time was blocked by the Supervising Director Cao Chun.

Zhou Qingzhu could not be killed under these circumstances.

His Mountain Director’s seal would record this final scene.

The scene could be faked, but the data within the Tianyang Star Palace’s official Mountain Director’s seal could not be altered by anyone.

Once this seal reached the Tianyang Star Palace, their case would collapse entirely.

Originally, the evidence was ironclad.

But if he were killed while offering no resistance, it could be interpreted as a frame-up.

Dong Zhao could not help but admire Zhou Qingzhu’s cunning.

He hadn’t expected Zhou Qingzhu to recover so quickly at the last moment.

Dong Zhao’s original plan had been to provoke Zhou Qingzhu into resistance using the demon’s confession, then kill him easily with combined force—anywhere, the justification would hold.

With iron proof that Zhou Qingzhu was a demon, could a demon not be killed when he resisted?

Even the Tianyang Star Palace, no matter how powerful, could not refute that logic.

But now, it no longer worked.

Even with ironclad evidence, this matter would now require formal proceedings in court, allowing the Tianyang Star Palace to intervene.

If they handled it well, Zhou Qingzhu might even have a slim chance of survival.

Thinking of this, Dong Zhao sighed inwardly—Grand Chen’s court was still too weak.

But there was a reason: ever since ten years ago, when three elders of the Tianyang Star Palace forcibly broke into the palace and killed the Ling Fei of the Lingji Star Palace, the Chen imperial family had never regained its resolve.

With the imperial family cowed, the ministers below could not stand tall either.

But in the end, the plan had still succeeded.

Only the final outcome had not been perfectly achieved.

“Zhou Qingzhu, the evidence is overwhelming, public outrage is boiling, and the law shows no mercy—how can you escape?”

“Chain him!”

Tian Zhang stepped forward, his palm slowly drawing forth a starlight chain several meters long, upon which lightning flickered.

Fourth-rank Star Art—Thunder Serpent Chain.

As the Thunder Serpent Chain wrapped around Zhou Qingzhu, Dong Zhao, Cao Chun, Feng Shu, and Ning Yuchan all watched with predatory eyes; if Zhou Qingzhu dared even the slightest resistance, they would strike instantly to kill him.

Let the Mountain Director’s seal record this moment—perfect.

A demon resists; isn’t it normal for him to fight fiercely?

Unfortunately, from start to finish, Zhou Qingzhu offered no resistance at all—not even when Tian Zhang sealed his star palace. What a cunning old fox!

Just as Zhou Qingzhu’s cultivation was fully sealed, the Tianyang Branch’s elite began arriving from all directions.

The first to arrive was Wang Qiang, the Supervising Director of the Tianyang Branch; seeing Zhou Qingzhu captured, he flew into a rage and prepared to attack.

But upon seeing Zhou Qingzhu’s calm gaze and the Mountain Director’s seal hovering before his chest, he suddenly understood and immediately withdrew.

Tian Zhang sighed helplessly—another clever one.

“This man may be a remnant of the demon cult—seize him and interrogate him as well!” Dong Zhao ordered.

The Supervising Director Wang Qiang, being equally sharp, offered no resistance and surrendered willingly.

He knew full well their backer was the Tianyang Star Palace—Dong Zhao would never dare kill them casually.

The more casually they were killed, the fiercer the Tianyang Star Palace’s retaliation would be!

Soon after, the Deputy Mountain Director Liu Yelan and others—including several instructors and Squad Leaders like Zhong Da—all reacted the same way.

It wasn’t that they were all clever.

But seeing their Mountain Director, Supervising Director, and Deputy Mountain Director surrender without resistance, they realized resistance was futile.

To resist now would mean being instantly crushed and killed by Jinshan Dao Academy’s experts.

Even if others survived, the dead would still be dead—no one would avenge them.

Zhou Qingzhu watched as more and more senior figures of the Tianyang Dao Academy were captured, and his joy grew.

The more they were captured, the safer he became, and the greater the uproar.

The greater the uproar, the sooner and faster the Tianyang Star Palace would intervene.

After fifteen minutes, once all the Tianyang Branch’s senior figures had been subdued and their star palaces sealed, Dong Zhao gave his next order: “Take them back to the academy and guard them under strict watch. Cao Supervising Director, immediately notify the Prefect to send a Judicial Commissioner to join you in interrogation.”

“Director Tian, from this moment on, Jinshan City is closed to all exits—only entry permitted. Deploy your Star Patrols and coordinate with the Spring Rain Bureau to arrest everyone on the list and purge all demonic influence!” Mountain Director Dong Zhao commanded.

“Your orders are received!”

Xu Jin’s group returned to Jinshan Dao Academy under the protection of several instructors.

Even after the prisoners were taken away and confessions submitted, Xu Jin still remembered the stunned expressions of the instructors upon hearing their battle record.

Two Star Refining experts had been slain, including one at the seventh level.

This record…

He didn’t savor that look for long—the instructors hurriedly departed—but Xu Jin’s group still enjoyed a lavish feast.

The academy’s dining hall had already prepared a full spread: chicken, duck, fish, lamb, served in endless succession.

Xu Jin asked the head cook why, and the cook replied it was tradition—whenever the academy undertook any major operation, such meals were always prepared.

They would never let disciples bleed on the battlefield and then go hungry.

Just as they finished eating, Niu Gui arrived, his severed arm freshly rebandaged, whispering something to Xu Jin. Xu Jin froze, then stood and roared, “Assemble!”

Instantly, the disciples of Xu Jin’s squad—who had been lazily picking their teeth moments before—sprang to their feet and sprinted toward him.

They gathered in a loose cluster.

Far from the neat, orderly formations of his past life’s military drills.

But their response speed was fast enough.

A blood-soaked life best forges men.

“New orders from the Supervisor: arrest everyone on the list—net up all bandits who have terrorized the people of the city these past days, and cleanse the city thoroughly. Can you still fight?” Xu Jin’s voice rang high, tinged with a smile.

Even under the dire conditions of their return, these men had not broken or fled.

How much less would they flee now, when ordered to arrest on a list?

This was Jinshan City—effectively their home turf!

He smiled because he was already thinking of the spoils.

Arresting large numbers meant large spoils.

This was one of the Star Patrol’s perks.

To be honest, the Star Patrol’s gains had been substantial.

Half a minute later, Xu Jin’s squad split into two teams and began arresting on the list.

As they left Jinshan Dao Academy, Xu Jin saw Lu Xianbing’s squad returning—they had brought back live captives, but also a corpse; the atmosphere was somber.

One dead in battle—casualties were acceptable.

Soon after, Lu Xianbing’s squad joined the arrest operation.

That night was a sleepless night for Jinshan County City.

Or rather, it was a sleepless night for the villains of Jinshan County City.

The Jinshan Dao Academy disciples, the few available personnel from the government office, and a large number of county guards searched all night.

Based on the list from the Chunyu Bureau, over a thousand ruffians and hoodlums engaged in criminal acts were captured, with the main targets being gang members—especially those who had ever been part of the Tianhe Gang, none were spared.

Ordinary criminals were handed over to the county guards; those with cultivation base were dealt with by the Xunxing Guards.

That night, Xu Jin and the others worked tirelessly.

They also reaped rewards all night.

But when they returned to Jinshan County City at dawn, they heard devastating news!

(End of Chapter)