"Jian Li Zūnzhǔ, Senior Brother Jian Xu and I have just returned from battle and are somewhat weary. Would you grant us a seat?"
The moment Jian Dan spoke, Jian Li understood her mood wasn't good today. He gave a faint smile and signaled to Jian Wu, who nodded and waved his hand. A pair of seats appeared instantly.
As Jian Dan and Jian Xu sat down, Jian Wan entered the main hall.
Jian Ning stepped forward and saluted. "Greetings, Master."
Jian Wan's face remained expressionless. She merely nodded before clasping her hands toward Jian Li, Jian Lu, and Jian Xu. Then, she turned directly to Jian Dan and asked bluntly,
"Senior Sister Jian Lu, you were assigned the same mission as Jian Yu. Why has she still not returned?"
Jian Dan raised an eyebrow. This one clearly came prepared. She must have gotten precise information before showing up to cause trouble. Jian Dan unleashed her full Void Refinement pressure at Jian Wan without hesitation and replied coolly,
"Junior Sister Jian Wan, you should be calling me Senior Sister now."
Jian Wan's expression darkened for a fleeting moment as she felt the weight of Jian Dan's cultivation, but she quickly calmed herself.
"Forgive my oversight, Senior Sister Jian Lu. Might I ask where Jian Yu is now?"
Jian Dan lazily twirled her magnolia-white jade ring and replied without looking up,"I do know. Jian Yu trespassed into the forbidden grounds of the Cloud Sea Sect's 'Yunhai' and got caught in a spatial storm."
Jian Wan frowned, about to press the matter, but Jian Dan's next words stopped her cold.
"Before she left, she collaborated with evil cultivators and activated an array hidden within the floating peaks of Cloud Sea Sect, trapping the Heavenly Sword Sect's temporary outpost in the ancient formation known as the Azure Dragon Blood Array. Half of our disciples were inside when it triggered."
"You—"
"If you want to say that's impossible, Senior Brother Jian Xu was among those trapped. Feel free to ask him."
Jian Xu, ever smiling, gave a slight nod toward Jian Wan, confirming Jian Dan's words.
"How can you prove the array was planted by her?"
Jian Wan still refused to back down. She knew she was the only one left who could speak for Jian Yu. If Jian Yu's actions were confirmed, the entire Fu Clan branch of Tian Du Peak would be exposed.
"Because I warned Senior Brother Jian Xu that Jian Yu was acting suspiciously, and asked him to watch her movements."
"You and Jian Xu..."
"You think we colluded to frame her?"
Jian Dan interrupted her again, this time locking eyes with Jian Wan. She scanned her slowly from head to toe before speaking again.
"I, Jian Lu, swear on the Heavenly Dao that everything I've said about Jian Yu is true. I have never schemed against her or suppressed her in any way. If any of this is false, may I be reduced to ashes on the spot."
A strand of Heavenly Law descended. The oath was accepted. Jian Dan remained perfectly unharmed, still seated in her place. Silence swept through the hall.
"Junior Sister Jian Wan, do you dare swear that you noticed nothing suspicious about Jian Yu?"
Now it was Jian Dan's turn to press.
"That Wind-Fixing Pearl from your Fu Clan—how exactly did you get it? A merchant clan from Yunling City with the influence to rival one of the Heavenly Sword Sect's ancient lineages? Who made the connections? Who built the bridge?
You were supposed to be assigned the same mission as me. But after you lost to me, Jian Yu took your place. Are you telling me Tian Du Peak has no Unity cultivators available? The Law Enforcement Hall's rules clearly state that for dangerous missions, one cultivator acts openly and another in secret—and the hidden one must be stronger.
Senior Brother Jian Li never said it outright, but your Fu Clan clearly intervened. You recommended her yourselves. Why Jian Yu specifically?
She was supposed to be my secret partner in Cloud Sea Sect, but she never appeared. I arrived first. Where was she during that time? Who did she meet? What did she do? You know?"
With each question, Jian Wan's expression grew paler. What little composure she had began to unravel.
"Hah! I'm guessing before Jian Yu left, she promised you she'd teach me a lesson. Get revenge for you!
You were foolish, but you thought everyone else was just as blind. No one from the Fu Clan came to question me about Jian Yu. They're probably already busy cleaning up the mess. Only you stepped forward like this."
The hall fell into silence again. Jian Dan said no more, lowering her gaze and once again fiddling with her jade ring.
Jian Wan took a deep breath, bowed to Jian Li, and quietly left the Law Enforcement Hall.
"Junior Sister, you're awfully fiery today," Jian Xu said with a smile, breaking the tension.
"Please forgive me, Senior Brother. I'll do my best to hold back."
Then she turned toward Jian Li Zūnzhǔ and spoke again,
"Senior Brother Jian Li, Jian Yu's soul lamp has not gone out."
This time, it was Jian Ning who answered,
"That's correct. I personally checked with the Fu Clan. Jian Yu's soul lamp is still lit. It's weak, but it hasn't extinguished."
"Senior Brother, I don't want to jinx anything, but Jian Yu might become a threat to the Heavenly Sword Sect. We should plan ahead."
The smile had already vanished from Jian Li's face. He turned to Jian Xu, who simply shrugged and tossed two jade slips to his senior brother.
"These record the events of the mission. Jian Lu wrote most of it. I only added the parts after I joined in. The second slip contains her deductions about the evil cultivators' attack on Cloud Sea Sect. Take a look."
Jian Dan cupped her hands toward Jian Xu. "Thank you, Senior Brother."
Jian Li reviewed both slips. His brow furrowed deeper as he read. He handed the first jade slip to Jian Sheng to pass around, but the second, he stored away in his own spatial ring.
"Jian Lu, Jian Xu, you've both done well. The matter with the Wind-Fixing Pearl and Jian Yu is serious. The sect will need to act. We'll be summoning all disciples involved in the tournament for questioning. Your reports are very thorough. From here on, leave the rest to us. You should both rest. Just avoid going into seclusion for now."
"Understood."
With that, the Enforcement Hall matter was considered settled.
Jian Dan casually tossed a storage ring to Jian Wu in plain sight and said,
"This contains the materials from the largest Black Armored Insect I killed at Heifeng Ravine. The materials are already broken down. Exchange them all for sect contribution points and use them to compensate the families and descendants of the fallen Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators from this tournament."
"Junior Sister, the sect will provide compensation. You don't need to do this alone," Jian Li said. The value of a full Black Armored Insect was no small sum.
"I know. This is just my own gesture. I was the one who led them out, but I couldn't bring them back. That weighs on me.
Earlier, Senior Brother Jian Xu asked why I was so furious. It's because those cultivators didn't fall in battle against our enemies. They died from betrayal by one of our own."
The hall grew silent again. Jian Dan and Jian Xu cupped their hands and left the Law Enforcement Hall.
"Master, I've never seen Jian Lu Zūnzhǔ speak so harshly before. I'd bet if they met outside the sect..."
Jian Wu made a slashing gesture across his throat and added,
"She'd pull it off without leaving a trace."
"That's her skill."
A low voice echoed through the hall, and a figure in white appeared within.
"Greetings, Tian Yun Zhēnzūn!"
Everyone in the hall immediately stood and saluted with solemn faces.
Once seated at the head, Tian Yun Zhēnzūn accepted the jade slip Jian Li handed over. A single sweep of his divine sense was enough to absorb the contents. He nodded thoughtfully.
"Jian Lu is sharp. She got half of it right."