Demon Sword Sect’s Undercover
Chapter 245 - 245 244 Enticing Corruption

245: Chapter 244 Enticing Corruption 245: Chapter 244 Enticing Corruption Li Chuping looked at the disciple before him, and actually, he was quite satisfied with him.

The Capital Commandant’s office wouldn’t dig into the background of every Quanzhen disciple; there wasn’t enough time or energy for that.

But for the elite disciples who had caught the upper echelons’ attention, they would certainly take some care of them.

If such a disciple had great potential and the sect wanted to make further use of him, the Capital Commandant’s office would definitely intervene and investigate the person’s past.

This use referred to a character with the responsibility of local guardianship, such as the Patrol Envoy role Xiang Zhiwen previously held.

Thus, within the Quanzhen Sect, there might be disputes due to different ideologies, but there were very few actual betrayals, as the growth of every potential disciple was under the meticulous care of the Capital Commandant’s offices across the land.

Hou Niao’s arrival was peculiar, and the more outstanding he became, the more suspicious the Capital Commandant’s office was.

They wondered why Anhe Daoist Sect would willingly send such an excellent Cultivation Seed over to Quanzhen?

The investigation proceeded and made many breakthroughs, including the relationship between him and Daoist Chong Ling.

But these suspicions came to a sudden stop after Chong Ling died, Hou Niao defiantly resisted orders without hesitation, and subsequently committed revengeful killings.

The conclusion was that this was a man of integrity and loyalty; a perfect Sword Cultivator persona.

He was willful, fearless, capable of causing trouble, and equally capable of handling it when trouble arose.

If used well, he would be the sharpest Longsword.

This was not conjecture but was proven by the Massacre of Suqiu, the Defense of the Western Barbarians, the Resistance in the Daoist Debate, and various other actual performances.

So, Li Chuping knew his suspicions should come to an end.

Continuing the investigation might backfire, and they might drive away this rare talent.

This fellow was not someone who would swallow his pride.

No wonder Daoist Chong Ling sent him to Quanzhen; with such a temper, how many enemies would he have made in the Daoist sects?

Those rigid frameworks could never contain such a person.

One must admit, Daoist Chong Ling really did what was best for Hou Niao, incidentally giving him an opportunity, and also providing the Quanzhen Sect with a seed of hope.

Of course, all this was based on the premise that the Anhe Daoist Sect was gradually declining.

In their hearts, even if the once-prosperous Anhe Daoist Sect had any schemes, now they were no place to exercise them, too busy with their own troubles to care about anything else?

Since the investigation was over, Chuping would not push such a talent away.

This person was decisive, brave yet cautious, from a law background, and thought rigorously—a natural fit for their line of work.

He had to strike while the iron was hot.

Once this lad truly achieved Tongxuan, it would be too late.

By then, offers from Mu Shuai’s central military office, the Yujing Gang, various Marquis Mansions, and Prince Manors would flood in, and his little Da Feng Plain Capital Commandant’s office could not compete.

Therefore, he needed to make the first move.

“Your issue is your disobedience to your mentor, a public defiance without regard for the situation, which is one of the three gravest sins within the Quanzhen Sect, and not something your minor accomplishments can offset.

You need to understand this,”

Hou Niao understood very well.

“Yes, in any Daoist order, this would be an unforgivable major sin.”

He was somewhat indifferent, thinking the worst-case scenario would be expulsion from the school?

He, who had yet to achieve Tongxuan, wouldn’t have much Cultivation to reclaim.

Returning to the life of a Loose Cultivator and wandering the world was an option as well.

His experience at the Southwest debate had cleared up many things for him.

He no longer held any hope for Anhe Daoist Sect; he was incapable of supporting a once-mighty but now leaning tree.

He was not that attached to the Quanzhen Sect either, with its numerous issues.

Leaving seemed as feasible as staying.

If staying meant bending the knee and bowing his head, he would rather take flight.

“Marquis Zhu Jiuling does not belong to Sikong Capital Commandant’s jurisdiction, but we have a decent relationship with him.

He shouldn’t give you much trouble or harp on you; the problem lies with Jia Shangguan, who has already reported the matter to Yujing, so the final decision is no longer something the Marquis can make on his own.”

Hou Niao gave a wry smile.

“That’s really complicated.”

Li Chuping’s words were laden with deeper meaning.

“The power structure within the Quanzhen Sect is actually relatively simple.

If you were dealing with the broader Daoist Sect, you wouldn’t even be able to grasp the intricacies.

“Before you left Jin City for the debate, didn’t the Capital Commandant’s office issue a secret command?”

Hou Niao was taken aback; wasn’t that matter already concluded?

Why bring it up again?

“Yes, you told me to monitor Yan Xisheng’s movements.

I failed to do so…”

Li Chuping smiled faintly.

“The Capital Commandant’s office records every secret command, but we don’t leave any specific content.

So it could have been monitoring Yan Xisheng, or it could have been something else, such as making your own decisions at the Southwest debate.”

Hou Niao’s eyes widened.

Was such play possible?

“Capital Commandant…”

Li Chuping huffed, “Hence, your insubordination will be borne by the Da Feng Plain Capital Commandant’s office!

We have a thicker skin to handle it than you do.

When the final punishment comes down, the Capital Commandant’s office will bear the brunt of it and you’ll bear a smaller portion.

However, you can’t escape a few years’ salary deductions.

Anyway, you don’t care much, do you?”

Hou Niao felt somewhat embarrassed by this, and what was key was that this was the Capital Commandant’s office’s blatant act of roping him in.

Accepting this favor would mean having the Capital Commandant’s office’s label on him for life.

“Capital Commandant, I can’t bear for you to be punished for me.

Let me take responsibility.

One should bear the consequence of one’s own actions.

I’m just a lone figure; it’s easier for me to come and go…”

Li Chuping waved his hand dismissively.

“In our Quanzhen Sect’s supervision system, we can shoulder honors alone, but failures are shared by all.

That’s the rule!

Otherwise, with the scope of our duty, having offended countless people, we would have been wiped out long ago.

“Or do you think our monitoring system can’t afford to keep you, this potential dragon?”

Hou Niao sighed inwardly, knowing there was no avoiding it.

If he didn’t make his stance clear today, there was no way he would leave this place with everything resolved.

He gritted his teeth.

“Where are such words coming from, Capital Commandant?

I’m just a worm.

Wherever you plant me, I will burrow.

As such, I’ve troubled the Capital Commandant.”

Li Chuping finally revealed a smile.

“What trouble?

It’s just a matter of deductions from the salary.

I haven’t received my salary for many years, and I won’t mind another decade or so.

Ah, no need to look at me like that.

I’m actually one of the less penalized.

Li Mengyang, Yu Zhengxing—they’ve been penalized for more years than I have.

This is also a common trait among us.”

Hou Niao finally understood the name of the elite organization within the Quanzhen Sect that had succumbed to heresy – the Owed Salary Alliance!

With this realization, Hou Niao felt as if his few years of salary deductions weren’t much of a concern.

People always fear comparisons: envying another’s treasures over one’s own or feeling at peace seeing others more unlucky than oneself, as if they have stumbled upon a great bargain?

Returning from this debate, Hou Niao finally had an inkling of the sectarian organizations within the Quanzhen Sect, especially this most mysterious elite organization that had fallen into heresy.

They were everywhere, and widely distributed, yet they shared one common trait: they were fined into jingling poverty by the conservative traditionalists, punishing them noisily.

No wonder Yu Zhengxing had only given him so few Spirit Stones for the memorial service; it really wasn’t easy.

Impetuous in their actions and recklessly bold—whom else but them deserved to be penalized?