"I..."

Su Moran still wanted to argue, but Daoist Buyu twisted the spirit sword embedded in Su Moran's forehead, directly crushing his Lingtai.

It was exceedingly difficult to kill someone at the Transcendance Tribulation Stage. A soul flew out from Su Moran's Lingtai, desperately fleeing at the cost of its source energy.

"Trying to escape?"

Daoist Buyu sneered, with a thought, sword Qi filled the space, occupying every inch. Any object attempting to move within the sword Qi's domain would be slashed into pieces.

Scared stiff, Su Moran's soul dared not move. Daoist Buyu took out a red gourd, opened its mouth, and sucked Su Moran's soul into it.

To extract information from the soul, he would have to ask his master to do it later; the soul of a person at the Transcendance Tribulation Stage was too strong. If he attempted it rashly, Su Moran's soul could backlash against him.

"What a pity, those people I saved back then can't witness this scene," Daoist Buyu sighed inwardly. Those events were over a thousand years ago. Only Cultivators at the Void Refinement Stage could live until now, and none of those he had rescued had cultivated to the Void Refinement Stage.

Daoist Buyu looked up, casually releasing a sword Qi that pierced Wu Lei, who was just about to turn around and flee.

Meanwhile, the battle between the Gold Clan Leader and the member of the Ruthless Sect at the Body Integration Realm was reaching its end. The sight of Su Moran's defeat terrified the Body Integrator of the Ruthless Sect, who, losing all desire to fight, tried to flee the battlefield.

But the Gold Clan Leader wouldn't give him the chance. With a flap of wings, the wind of Jinhai immobilized his body for an instant, and before he could react, the Gold Clan Leader opened its gaping maw and swallowed him whole.

"Look, this is how you should fight in a battle. Fight with single-minded dedication; that's the only way to bring out the strongest combat power," Fairy Eternity highly praised the Qiongqi Clan's method of fighting, having instructed the Barbarian tribe to learn from it numerous times.

"Is it, over?" Ye City Lord could hardly believe that he had witnessed Daoist Buyu achieving a breakthrough during battle, killing the Vice Sect Hierarch of the Ruthless Sect.

"It's over. The follow-up work will trouble City Lord Ye. I'm going back to the prison to check on my cellmates," Daoist Buyu said.

"All set." Daoist Buyu returned to the prison, patted the red gourd, and boasted to Lu Yang and the others about his spoils of war.

Daoist Buyu gleefully calculated, "Catching a mid-stage Transcendance Tribulation and a late-stage Body Integration. How many days could I serve as Acting Sect Master if I exchanged them for Contribution Points... Oh no, I am the Sect Leader."

Daoist Buyu suddenly remembered his own status.

"So impressive," Daoist Xiantian admired, looking up to Daoist Buyu. Achieving a breakthrough in the midst of battle, challenging those beyond his level, was a moment worthy of being heavily recorded in history, to become a beautiful tale for future generations.

"We've caught a Vice Sect Hierarch, Su Moran must have a lot of intelligence. We have to be cautious that the Ruthless Sect doesn't come to snatch him away," Daoist Buyu knew that this was not truly over until they delivered Su Moran's soul to the Seek Dao Sect. Only then would it be finished.

"Should I summon Eldest Senior Sister?" Lu Yang volunteered, ready to use the Imitation Fist of the Eldest Senior Sister.

Daoist Buyu waved his hand, "No need to trouble her with such a small matter, just invite the Vast Sea Daoist Lord over."

He lowered his head and said to Daoist Xiantian, "Ancestor, you must have a way to invite the Vast Sea Daoist Lord over, right?"

"Yes, of course." As both a senior and junior to the Vast Sea Daoist Lord, Daoist Xiantian had both the connections and moral grounds to contact him.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

He took out a transmission talisman from his chest. The talisman ignited by itself, opening a door of space. A figure emerged from it.

The figure closed his eyes, stretched out his arms, and his clothes were disheveled, "Come here, Yar, give us a kiss… huh, where is this?"

The Vast Sea Daoist Lord felt the shift in space, having been transported from the East Sea to the land.

Everyone silently watched the Vast Sea Daoist Lord emerge from the space door, shivering, not daring to speak in the presence of a Semi-Immortal who had mastery over the embryonic Spatial Dao Fruit, fearing no one had the ability to escape.

The Vast Sea Daoist Lord surveyed his surroundings; they were mostly familiar faces: Daoist Xiantian, Daoist Buyu, Lu Yang, Meng Jingzhou, and also a member of the Qiongqi Clan he did not recognize. He presumed that Daoist Xiantian must have used a transport talisman, which should only be used when encountering danger.

He cleared his throat and asked seriously, "I was in the midst of seclusion, may I know why you have sought me out?"

The others, having observed the Vast Sea Daoist Lord's recent behavior, did not quite believe he had been in seclusion.

Daoist Xiantian pointed at Daoist Buyu and said, "This is the situation: he has captured a Vice Sect Hierarch of the Ruthless Sect. Fearing accidents during transportation, we wish to trouble you to transmit the soul of the Ruthless Sect's Vice Sect Hierarch back to the Seek Dao Sect."

"You've captured the Vice Sect Hierarch of the Ruthless Sect?" The Vast Sea Daoist Lord was greatly surprised. The members of the Ruthless Sect were known for their caution, making it extremely difficult to capture their high-ranking cultivators.

"Very well, leave this matter to me. I would like to see who dares to snatch someone from my hands!" The Vast Sea Daoist Lord was delighted and spoke with natural arrogance.

Over at the City Lord's residence, City Lord Duan personally arrested his son.

Looking at his still-struggling son, he sighed, wondering how his good son could have turned into such a state.

The son's crimes were too grave, surpassing the scope of what the City Lord could handle. This matter would have to be handled by the Dynasty... it was likely inescapable from death.

City Lords of nearby cities arrived with a large entourage, along with the troops stationed nearby. They rushed to City Lord Duan's location as soon as they could, only to find that the battle had already concluded.

"What's this? Daoist Buyu has captured a Vice Sect Hierarch of the Ruthless Sect?"

On hearing this, the crowd was astonished. This was a significant matter, far beyond their capacity to handle. They needed to report to the Dynasty immediately and request for a high official to make a determination."

...

Imperial City.

It was deep into the night. Normally, officials would have been resting by now, but high-ranking cultivators have the advantage of being able to work regardless of day or night.

Exhausted, the Minister of Justice was reviewing a document. He did not usually work so late, but recently, with the East Sea attracting attention and cultivators from Great Xia forming expeditions there, numerous foreign cases had arisen, making management troublesome.

Furthermore, as the types of foreign cases diversified, the existing laws proved inadequate, necessitating the formulation of new legislation.

Also troublesome was the issue with the Demon Nation: they were intent on establishing diplomatic relations with Great Xia, and matters related to legal negotiations were his responsibility.

"How come both the Demon Nation and East Sea, which used to be quiet places, have become so lively in the past two years? Is it because of the struggles of the Great Era?"

"Isn't it said that the Great Era's struggle harkens back to ancient times, with geniuses vying to Pass Tribulation and battles erupting everywhere?"

After finishing the last document, the Minister of Justice was ready to go home and rest.

His subordinate burst through the door in a flurry, reporting hastily, "Sir, there's urgent news from Ye City in Ji State; a major figure of a demonic sect has been arrested."

"Such good news?" The Minister of Justice immediately brightened up, his sleepiness dissipated. He had not expected to receive such good news late at night.

"Who was the Daoist friend that made the capture?"

"Er... it was Daoist Buyu."

"I'm asking who made the capture, not who was captured."