The people from the Night Guard Division arrived quite quickly. Not long after the third realm rogue cultivator fled, an aura violently shattered the Spirit-Locking Array.
The newcomer was the vice commander of the Night Guard Division, Wang Daoling.
His gaze first swept over the two decapitated corpses of the second realm rogue cultivators on the ground, then glanced at Song Qing, and finally settled on Gu Chengming.
Setting aside how Gu Chengming was managing to suppress his urge to speak for the moment.
Song Qing was tactful enough to recount the recent situation.
With so many people present, Song Qing didn't hide the matter of the sword array for Gu Chengming.
As Song Qing's narration continued, Vice Commander Wang's expression became somewhat surprised and unexpected.
To entangle with a third realm rogue cultivator and simultaneously slay two second realm sword cultivators while only at the early stage of the second realm—no matter where such a feat occurred, it would be worthy of being called a heavenly prodigy.
Just as the atmosphere lightened slightly, a flurry of somewhat messy and hurried footsteps surged from the direction of the auction hall's main entrance, breaking the silence.
A group of officials dressed in dark red flying-fish robes rushed in aggressively. The patrol officer leading them had a gloomy face. Seeing the mess on the ground and the Night Guard Division personnel who had already brought the situation under control, his expression became quite unsightly.
The people from the Demon-Slaying Bureau, under the Ministry of Justice of Daqian, had finally arrived late.
Anyone with a discerning eye present could see the politics involved.
According to the laws of Daqian, robbery cases occurring within the capital—especially those involving cultivators' combat and murder for profit—did indeed fall under the jurisdiction of the Demon-Slaying Bureau in name.
However, the relationship between these two major departments had never been harmonious.
In the capital, merit was like a limited piece of meat that everyone wanted to take a bite of.
The Demon-Slaying Bureau, relying on their functional convenience, often engaged in "cross-border enforcement."
If they encountered malevolent spirits that had gained some power, they would often interfere under the pretext that the spirits might be controlled by someone. This behavior had long caused resentment throughout the Night Guard Division, but they tolerated it to maintain appearances as fellow officials.
Today's scene was a case of the tables turning.
What was clearly a typical rogue cultivator case—the kind the Demon-Slaying Bureau craved most—had been snatched away by the Night Guard Division.
This was a solid major merit, yet they could only watch it fall into Wang Daoling's pocket. The Demon-Slaying Bureau patrol officer's face was so dark it could almost drip ink.
He opened his mouth several times, trying to cite legal regulations to fight for jurisdiction, emphasizing the logic that the criminals belonged to the Demon-Slaying Bureau.
But when he met Wang Daoling's gaze, he had to swallow his words.
After all, the people were killed by the Night Guard, the area was controlled by the Night Guard, and even the victim was from the Night Guard.
Trying to snatch merit now would be completely unreasonable.
Wang Daoling's mood was currently excellent. He usually took a lot of grief from the Demon-Slaying Bureau, so seeing the other party suffer a setback without being able to vent naturally felt refreshing.
Finally, he assumed an official posture, stating that the situation at the scene was complex and involved an attack on internal personnel of the Night Guard Division. He insisted it must be strictly scrutinized by his own office, so he wouldn't trouble his colleagues from the Demon-Slaying Bureau.
Though these words were polite, the intention to see them off was unmistakable.
Without waiting for the other party to respond, Vice Commander Wang directly ignored the Demon-Slaying Bureau's presence and turned to command his subordinates to clean up the battlefield, collect the bodies, and register evidence.
Gu Chengming and Song Qing, being the parties involved, were also arranged to be taken away for rest.
The next day.
As expected, the matter spread throughout the entire capital.
Night Guard Division, Vice Commander's Office.
Vice Commander Liu sat behind his desk holding a teacup, looking at Gu Chengming, who had recovered most of his energy, with a complex gaze.
After a long while, he let out a long sigh and spoke in a subtle tone, "Chengming, I'm starting to believe it now."
Gu Chengming was puzzled.
Vice Commander Liu put down his teacup with an expression full of emotion.
"I used to think those theories about fate and destiny were baseless, but your case is just too eerie. How long has it been since you joined? You go out for a drink with courtesans and run into malevolent spirits; you go to an auction and run into rogue cultivators."
"These incidents are practically lining up to crash into you, as if they're rushing to give you performance credits."
Gu Chengming was also helpless upon hearing this. It wasn't like he wanted this.
"Forget it. Whether it's luck or not, as long as you're safe, that's a good thing."
Vice Commander Liu composed himself and picked up a file from the desk.
"The identities of the two second realm rogue cultivators you killed yesterday have been found. This time, the trail didn't break as cleanly as it did at the Elegant Garden."
"After analysis by the Hall of Geomancy on their bones, meridians, and residual sword qi, it's been determined that these two practiced the direct lineage sword arts of the Red Apricot Sword Manor."
"Although the Red Apricot Sword Manor isn't very famous in the jianghu, its manor lord has close ties with certain high-ranking officials in court. Our people went to investigate, and the manor naturally denied everything, even counter-accusing us, saying their disciples were missing and suspected to have been harmed by villains."
"Such things can't be cleared up easily."
At this point, Vice Commander Liu dipped his finger in tea and wrote the characters for "Rites" and "Councilor" on the table.
"In court, the one who visits the Red Apricot Sword Manor most frequently is a vice minister from the Ministry of Rites, who is a student of the current grand councilor."
"You should know that the Ministry of Rites and the grand councilor's lineage have always been quite dissatisfied with the independent investigative powers held by our Night Guard Division and the Demon-Slaying Bureau."
Vice Commander Liu sighed. "On the surface, yesterday's auction robbery was for profit. But if we dig deeper, had those rogue cultivators succeeded, resulting in the deaths of many cultivators or even the destruction of a merchant guild, the crime of failing to protect the capital's security would have been set in stone."
"At that time, those civil officials and censors would only need to submit a memorial in court, and the days for us and the Demon-Slaying Bureau would become difficult."
"Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that this was a play directed and performed by them, intended to create momentum to strip us of our power."
Gu Chengming didn't show much emotion on his face, only cupping his hands. "Thank you for informing me, Vice Commander. Since this involves court power struggles, I know my words carry little weight and will naturally be cautious."
"Exactly!"
Vice Commander Liu felt relieved to see him so perceptive.
"Alright, those matters will be handled by the director and the lords above."
Vice Commander Liu stood up, took a long wooden box from the shelf behind him, and handed it to Gu Chengming.
"This is your spoils from yesterday."
"According to the rules, since you killed the rogue cultivators, these things naturally belong to you. The division has already registered them in the vault, so you can use them with peace of mind or exchange them for other resources."
Gu Chengming took the wooden box; it felt heavy in his hand.
Opening it, he saw the dharma swords used by the two second realm rogue cultivators.
One was named "Light Splitting," entirely silver-white, light and translucent; the other was named "Stone Cracker," heavy and ancient, with restrained killing intent.
Both were rank 2 dharma swords. Combined with the Tinglan Sword in his hand, he now had three, enough to activate the initial bond for "dharma swords."
"Thank you, Vice Commander."
Gu Chengming thanked him sincerely.
【Hundred Bones Resonating is also quite happy.】
【It thinks that just as it expected, an auction is indeed a great place to strike it rich.】
Meanwhile, deep within the inner courts of the capital.
Inside a study that wasn't overly luxurious but possessed a quiet, ancient charm, a Boshan censer was slowly emitting curls of blue smoke.
A middle-aged man in plain official robes stood with his hands down, his expression solemn. His tone was so steady that not a single ripple could be heard as he reported the recent movements in the capital to the silhouette behind the desk.
"Your Highness, the ripples from the Jubo Merchant Guild case have not yet subsided. The Demon-Slaying Bureau is currently in a state of chaos. Those from Zhao Tieyi's faction are busy shifting blame, while another faction is taking the opportunity to launch an attack, trying to seize more funding from the Ministry of Justice."
The middle-aged man paused. "The few moles we planted in the Demon-Slaying Bureau are all staying quiet, not getting involved in this mess. As for the two rogue cultivators who died at the scene, although their identities weren't explicitly stated, multiple clues point toward the Red Apricot Sword Manor."
"The current rumors in court all say this was the work of that vice minister from the Ministry of Rites, intended to frame the Night Guard Division and create momentum for the grand councilor's upcoming proposal to strip them of their benefits."
Having finished the report, the middle-aged man bowed slightly and said no more, waiting for the superior's decision.
Behind the desk sat a woman in pale green palace attire.
She didn't sit upright like ordinary royalty but was somewhat loosely slumped in a large armchair. Her hands held a teacup that had long since gone cold, and her gaze was fixed blankly on the few tea leaves at the bottom of the cup.
That was the Second Imperial Princess of Daqian, Ji Yixi.
After a long time—so long that the middle-aged man wondered if Her Highness had fallen asleep sitting up.
Ji Yixi finally moved. She blinked her eyes with a motion as slow as an elderly person in their twilight years, then set down the teacup.
"It wasn't the Ministry of Rites."
Hearing this, the middle-aged man's heart skipped a beat.
Not the Ministry of Rites?
Currently, with witnesses, evidence, the court's atmosphere, and profit motives, all fingers pointed at the Ministry of Rites and that powerful grand councilor. Yet Her Highness said it wasn't?
"Your Highness, this..." The middle-aged man instinctively wanted to argue a bit, stating the interests involved.
But when he met Ji Yixi's eyes, all his words were swallowed back. He didn't know where this reclusive Second Imperial Princess got her information, let alone what kind of massive and secret intelligence network she held in her hands.
He only knew one thing.
Since he began following this princess, any judgment that came from her thin, tight-lipped mouth—no matter how inconceivable or contrary to common sense—had never been wrong even once.
"I understand."
The middle-aged man took a deep breath, his expression becoming even more respectful.
"Since it wasn't the Ministry of Rites, then the waters in the capital are likely even muddier than what we see. I will have the people withdraw their probes into the Ministry of Rites and wait for changes."
Ji Yixi did not respond, lowering her head again, her gaze wandering aimlessly across the mountain of official documents.
Seeing this, the middle-aged man tactfully bowed and took his leave. Once the door closed, the study returned to a deathly silence.
At the same time, a fair hand pulled out a thin document from the bottom of a pile of messy files.
It was the latest detailed report from the Night Guard Division regarding the Jubo Merchant Guild case.
Among the dense text, a name was circled in red ink.
—Gu Chengming.
Ji Yixi stared at those three characters.
On the other side.
Returning to the quiet room in his courtyard, Gu Chengming placed the two newly acquired rank 2 dharma swords, Light Splitting and Stone Cracker, alongside the Tinglan Sword on the desk.
As his divine sense probed them, the spiritual light on the sword bodies flickered slightly.
Meanwhile, within his Sea of Consciousness, the dialogue box appeared almost impatiently.
【Huiyuan Sword Manual looks at the two newly added blades on the table with great affection.】
【Although these are just two dharma swords of decent quality and are far from being as spiritual as Tinglan, in its view, this is proof that this home is gradually becoming better and more complete.】
【Huiyuan Sword Manual is in an excellent mood.】
Looking at this line of text, Gu Chengming couldn't help but feel a subtle thought.
Does this count as the gift-giving system in a galgame?
It was just a pity that the Huiyuan Sword Manual's favorability had already reached its limit...
Gu Chengming felt a secret regret, but then he thought that seeing the usually worried Huiyuan Sword Manual show such pure happiness for once made it worthwhile.
At that moment, another dialogue box squeezed in, unwilling to be left out.
【Hundred Bones Resonating is also quite happy, swaying back and forth while stealing glances at you from time to time.】
【Hundred Bones Resonating begins talking to itself: My, who was it that saw through the essence of the auction long ago? Who was it that guided Emperor Gu to make this fortune? Such foresight, such strategic planning...】
【It looks at you expectantly, seemingly waiting for your answer.】
Gu Chengming felt amused by this hint that was practically overflowing from the screen.
Following its wishes, he offered two sincere praises: "If not for Emperor Bai's wisdom and foresight, I would have missed these two good swords today. For this harvest, Emperor Bai deserves the top credit."
As soon as he spoke, the feedback was immediate.
【Hundred Bones Resonating feels that Emperor Gu is truly its most understanding soulmate!】
【Hundred Bones Resonating favorability +5】
【Current favorability: 180/∞ (Inseparable in Life or Death)】
Gu Chengming felt emotional; Old Bai was truly the easiest to please and the easiest to gain favor with among all his techniques.
As long as you stroked its fur the right way, it would enjoy even empty promises with great relish.
The following days were quite ordinary.
Since there were no registered records of malevolent spirits, there was no pretext for earning merit for the time being.
As for the merchant guild, it had been "rectifying" itself after the robbery incident, and there was no sign of another auction for now.
Having some rare free time, Gu Chengming began to fully draft the final two volumes of his storybook.
About two days later.
The autumn chill in the capital grew stronger, and the old pagoda tree in the courtyard had shed all its flowers.
Only the sparse branches swayed gently in the night wind, filtering down a mottled moonlight onto the ground.
Gu Chengming sat before his desk, the brush in his hand suspended in mid-air, the tip saturated with thick ink, yet he hesitated to set it down.
This was the final volume of the storybook.
The protagonist had endured countless hardships, slain all the world's demons, and settled down with his companion for life—the most clichéd ending, yet also the most fulfilling.
"Phew..."
Gu Chengming let out a long breath, his wrist dipping slightly as he wrote the final line at the end of the scroll—
—【The End】.
He put down the brush, looking at the thick stack of manuscripts, a strange sense of satisfaction rising in his heart.
This could be considered a record of his time since coming here, right? He had been writing since shortly after his transmigration, and now that it was truly finished, it felt like completing a certain milestone.
Gu Chengming stretched, then carefully blew dry the still-wet ink on the paper before organizing them into a volume and tying it securely with a red silk cord.
Pushing open the door, a cool night breeze hit his face.
In the courtyard, that familiar figure was, as usual, curled up on the Flowing Light Cloud Swing.
Yu Wenqiu held a cup of spiritual tea that had long since gone cold and cradled a stray orange cat that often came for free meals. She was listlessly counting the stars in the sky. Hearing the door open, her originally drowsy eyes instantly lit up, and she bounced up from the swing.
"Finished?"
Yu Wenqiu's voice was tinged with undisguisable anticipation. If not for her dignity as an elder, she probably would have pounced over to snatch it already.
Seeing her like this, Gu Chengming couldn't help but smile, shaking the thick volume in his hand.
"Finished."
"Quick, quick, quick! Give it to me!"
Yu Wenqiu tossed the dreaming orange cat onto a nearby cushion. The cat gave an unsatisfied meow, rolled over, and continued to sleep.
She took the volume; it felt heavy and carried the residual warmth of Gu Chengming's palm.
Yu Wenqiu took a deep breath. Instead of opening it immediately, she first smoothed out a tiny wrinkle on the cover with her hand, then solemnly held the volume and sat back down on the swing.
Gu Chengming didn't leave but walked to a small red clay stove on the side. He poked the charcoal inside with iron tongs and placed a few peeled chestnuts and pieces of rice cake on the wire mesh above.
As the charcoal roasted them, the sweet aroma of chestnuts and the rice scent of the cakes gradually filled the air, intertwining with the scent of pagoda flowers to form the most comforting scent of this late autumn night.
Time passed bit by bit.
The courtyard was quiet, save for the occasional low chirping of autumn insects.
At first, her expression was happy, and her page-turning speed was fast. Occasionally, she would even laugh uncontrollably at a certain plot point, showing no regard for her image.
Gradually, her movements slowed down. When she reached the last few pages, her hand stopped.
She seemed reluctant to read further, her fingers stroking the corner of the page for a long time before she turned it extremely slowly.
Gu Chengming nodded secretly.
This reaction was normal. According to his plan, while this final volume was a grand happy ending, it also featured several bittersweet flashback scenes and goodbyes to the past, which would carry a hint of faint sorrow.
However, just as Gu Chengming thought she would smile and close the book, then praise him as usual.
A very distinct, heavy nasal sniff broke the silence of the courtyard.
"Elder?"
Gu Chengming put down his sword and called out softly.
Yu Wenqiu's body jolted like someone being startled from a dream.
She hurriedly raised her hand, trying to wipe away the tear stains on her face, but they only seemed to increase. Finally, she gave up and buried her face in the thick collar of her clothes. Realizing her current disheveled state, she quickly explained:
"The wind tonight is too strong; sand got in my eyes. How is the sand in the capital so bad?"
"Ah, it indeed is."
Seeing that he didn't expose her, Yu Wenqiu gained a bit more confidence, but tears still wouldn't stop falling. She clumsily grabbed the still-sleeping orange cat and buried her face in its fur, her muffled voice coming out:
"And this cat—it's shedding! The fur got in my eyes! It's so annoying!"
Orange cat: "Meow?"
Despite her attempts to hide it, the tears seemed to be acting against her, becoming more numerous and unstoppable as she wiped them.
Eventually, the orange cat jumped away in disgust, revealing Yu Wenqiu's red eyes.
Finding it impossible to hide any longer, she could only say despondently:
"Sigh... why did it have to end?"
"It's clearly such a good ending. They went through so many hardships to finally be together. I should be happy..."
Gu Chengming felt amused seeing her so lost.
This elder, who usually seemed carefree and focused only on eating and sleeping, actually had a heart more delicate than anyone else.
He thought for a moment and didn't say anything discouraging like "it's just a story."
Instead, he turned and took the plate of golden, crispy rice cakes coated in honey and pagoda flowers from the stove.
"Elder."
Gu Chengming skewered a piece of rice cake with a bamboo stick and held it out to Yu Wenqiu, smiling. "The story hasn't ended; it's just that we can't see it anymore."
Yu Wenqiu froze, looking at the steaming rice cake and sniffing, catching the sweet scent.
"But even though we can't see their lives, our own lives continue."
"Look, this rice cake is roasted just right—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. And these flowers were hand-picked by you just a few days ago, Elder."
Yu Wenqiu instinctively opened her mouth and took a bite of the rice cake.
The crispy skin shattered between her teeth, and the soft, chewy core, carrying the sweetness of honey, melted on her tongue.
She chewed the rice cake, giving a muffled response. She finished it in a few bites, then took a sip of hot tea, looking as if she had come back to life.
The empty feeling in her heart seemed to be significantly filled by this taste of mundane life.
"Xiao Gu."
Yu Wenqiu licked the honey from the corner of her mouth and suddenly looked up. Her spirited eyes sparkled as she stared at Gu Chengming with anticipation.
"Since this story is over..."
"When will you start writing the next one?"
Gu Chengming: "..."
Looking at Yu Wenqiu's face that clearly said "quick, give me an empty promise," he was about to refuse, but seeing the faint redness still around her eyes, his words turned into a compromise.
"How about giving your disciple a few days to rest and brainstorm?"
"Deal!"
Yu Wenqiu was instantly revitalized.
"Then rest for three days! In three days, I want to see the first volume of the new book!"
You might as well take my life.
Just as Gu Chengming was about to refuse, a pop-up window suddenly appeared before him.
【Qingxin Art is resting its chin on its hands, savoring the joys and sorrows of the story.】
【It suddenly feels that in the past, it always saw itself as a bystander—holding the storybook, eating seeds, and commenting with interest on your life, watching you step-by-step from an outer sect disciple to where you are today.】
【But at some unknown point, it found that it was no longer satisfied with being just a bystander.】
【So, this is what it feels like to be a person in the play?】
【Favorability +5】
【Current favorability: 90】
【Favorability rank qualitative change: Promoted from 【Like】 to 【Adoration】.】
【Spirit attribute +3】
Seeing this, the refusal on his lips turned back into a compromise.
"Fine."
Gu Chengming thought to himself, since even you are pushing for an update like this, how can I refuse?
Inside the small courtyard, the lights were warm and inviting.
The joys and sorrows within the book had concluded, but the emptiness born from the ending had already vanished.
Rate on N.U.
