At the relay stations, the envoys from Nanyuan and East Shu grew restless. Unlike the envoy from Xi Yan, they submitted petitions requesting to take their leave.
For half a month, there had been no word from the investigators. It was as if they had simply vanished into thin air.
The Beili Emperor had Abbot Miao Yuan examine the East Sea Luminous Pearl, but besides its glow, the abbot could not detect anything unusual.
As for the matter of ghosts and spirits, the abbot chanted the Diamond Sutra before the Beili Emperor's doors for three days and three nights, claiming it would soothe the Emperor's agitation.
The Beili Emperor was already frustrated over his inability to find the culprit. Listening to the old monk's chanting did nothing to soothe him; instead, his temper flared. He had Miao Yuan escorted out of the Imperial Palace immediately.
Once a person starts believing in the supernatural, their conviction becomes unshakeable.
