Chapter 467: Unusually Lazy

Pan Xiaohei coldly said: 【A hole.】

【What hole?】 Pan Yun extended her consciousness through its body, then retracted it moments later, falling silent.

Pan Xiaohei also fell silent.

One person and one spirit exchanged half a sentence.

Pan Yun didn't know why, but suddenly felt a twinge of guilt; she couldn't help but speak first: 【You… you weren't hurt just now, were you?】

Pan Xiaohei: 【You got hurt—do you think I didn't?】

Pan Yun coughed lightly: 【This eagle is powerful, and it specifically counters you. Here's the plan: sneak into the Imperial Prison and find me. I'll give you the healing pills my senior brother made for me.】

Pan Xiaohei lifted its head, perking up—but after a moment of joy, it drooped again.

Pan Yun: 【What's wrong?】

【When I first returned to my cat body, I heard Yin Song and the others discussing outside the Imperial Prison—they plan to plow every inch of land within five li around the prison to confirm no demons remain, and to capture me, this spirit cat.】

Pan Yun: …

Pan Xiaohei accused: 【Otherwise, why do you think I'm hiding in a rat hole?】

【Second senior brother must've been forced—this is definitely the idea of the other four Official Justices.】

This was indeed the four Official Justices' idea.

After all, they had personally seen two demons.

The eagle had been flung away by Zhang the Attendant, but the black cat was still missing.

"Could this black cat be the same demon cat rumored to have caused chaos in the Imperial Prison last time?" asked the Spring Official Justice, glancing at Yin Song.

The other Official Justices also fixed their gazes on Yin Song.

Yin Song showed no expression: "Maybe. Did you sense any bloodlust on it?"

The Autumn Official Justice: "No, it seems it hasn't killed anyone, like the eagle."

The Spring Official Justice: "Maybe we should drop it. Demons are hard to cultivate anyway; since it hasn't harmed anyone, let's just…"

"A demon is a demon. If we wait until it commits evil before acting, won't those it kills die unjustly?" asked the Central Official Justice sternly. "Have the Brocade Guard search the entire Jingcheng. We must capture that demon cat."

The Winter Official Justice: "Who will go speak to the Commander of the Brocade Guard about this?"

Everyone fell silent.

Yin Song looked around and asked: "The Deputy Supervisor?"

The Spring Official Justice rolled his eyes, irritable: "After such a big incident, the Deputy Supervisor hasn't shown up—he's probably being interrogated by the Emperor and the Grand Secretariat. Do you think he'd take this mess onto himself?"

Fine. The Deputy Supervisor won't go.

Yin Song relaxed, expressionless: "I'm injured, and I'm still under house arrest. I'm going home to continue my house arrest and heal. This matter is yours."

The Spring Official Justice immediately gazed skyward at a forty-five-degree angle: "Spring is the beginning of all things. As Spring Official Justice, I must record the stars and calculate celestial phenomena every day and night. If not for that eagle's commotion, I'd be on the Star Observation Platform waiting for the stars right now. I'm busy!"

The Autumn and Winter Official Justices spoke in unison with the Central Official Justice: "Though I agree with you, I have no intention of getting involved. Goodbye!"

The Central Official Justice: …

He wouldn't do it either!

The Central Official Justice turned to leave, then hesitated, turned back, and went to find Yun Yan.

Thus, what was meant to be a citywide manhunt became half-hearted due to lack of committed Official Justices—so the Brocade Guard decided to search only within three li of the Imperial Prison.

"We saw that black cat too. Besides moving fast—leaping from one rooftop to another—it showed no other supernatural traits. Besides, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau has long said black cats are auspicious. Since it hasn't harmed anyone, why must we capture it?"

So the Brocade Guard began slacking off, conducting only cursory searches.

By midnight, Pan Xiaohei finally found its chance, slithering out of the rat hole and sneaking toward the Imperial Prison. Close to the prison, close to Pan Yun—once she willed it, she could unseal the Spirit Realm, and it could retrieve things from within.

After all, it was the Spirit Realm's spirit.

Through the wall, Pan Xiaohei pulled out a vial, pressed it with one paw, and flicked the cap open with another.

Inside were three round pills.

As soon as the vial opened, the medicinal aroma filled the air; Pan Xiaohei felt lighter, its injuries showing signs of improvement.

Pan Yun: 【Keep the cap off any longer and you'll attract other demons.】

Pan Xiaohei immediately tipped out one pill, curled its tongue around it, pressed it under its tongue, capped the vial, and tossed it into its space: 【Aren't you taking one?】

Pan Yun: 【My injury isn't severe—it's mostly depleted Qi. What I need now is food and pills to replenish essence and energy. This healing elixir should be saved for later.】

Pan Xiaohei: 【Aren't there provisions in your space? Eat them!】

Pan Yun: 【They've been stored too long—most of their vital energy has dissipated. I've fasted for days; eating them now would do more harm than good. I won't eat them.】

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Pan Xiaohei: 【You're so picky. Your Qi is gone—you can't keep fasting anymore. If you don't eat, you'll starve to death.】

Pan Yun: 【There's still an hour and a half until dawn, two and a half until the offices open. I won't die of hunger.】

Pan Xiaohei: 【What does that mean?】

【Literally,】 Pan Yun whispered weakly in her mind: 【I'm waiting. If I can't get out tomorrow—no, today—if I can't get out, someone will bring me food.】

【You're eating? Aren't you disgusted by the toilet?】 Pan Xiaohei's voice was gleeful.

Pan Yun's voice was emotionless: 【Do you believe me? When I get out, I'll feed you minnows beside the dung pile—and make you eat, then shit, then eat again!】

Pan Xiaohei fell instantly silent.

Pan Yun finally felt at ease, opened her eyes, and stared at the prison door with glowing green eyes.

Wang Zhen seemed to sense her mood. Though it was deep night, utterly still, he opened his eyes anyway and turned his head to lock onto her gaze with perfect accuracy.

"Want to get out? With your abilities, escaping shouldn't be hard. Why do you stay so obediently in prison?"

Pan Yun glanced at him. Too hungry to speak, she remained silent.

Wang Zhen found his own answer, as if suddenly enlightened: "Because a Daoist Priest can run, but not his temple? Because of your senior brothers, sisters, and disciples?"

Pan Yun finally snapped: "Because I'm a law-abiding citizen."

"Wang Zhen, is it that your eyes can't see, or your brain can't think? Take a look at my life — young as I am, I've championed justice, devoted myself to good deeds, never done anything illegal or against the rules, never committed evil thinking it too small. A good person like me, locked in the imperial prison, would naturally just serve her sentence properly. Isn't that simply the way things should be?"

Wang Zhen scoffed: "You are the daughter of a convicted official. Your crime is concealment — deceiving the sovereign and defying those above. And now you say you've never done anything illegal or against the rules?"

Pan Yun's face was deadly serious: "Did my father commit a crime? He was framed by you. He was a loyal minister, a good minister. And I, naturally, am the daughter of a loyal minister, the daughter of a good minister. Daughter of a criminal minister — I don't accept that."

"Whether you accept it or not, you are! The imperial court has so judged, and you must obey the law…"

"What I obey is the law of the heart," Pan Yun said, tapping her own chest: "the law within my heart."

"If my heart holds me innocent, then I am innocent."

Wang Zhen: "…If everyone in the world were like you, the world would fall into utter chaos!"

Pan Yun: "If everyone in the world were like me, the world would need no soldiers, no swords or blades, and peace would reign. On the contrary, it's people like you who bring chaos to the world."

All the attending officials thought: As long as I don't have to go up there, whatever!

(End of chapter)