I Agree to Sentence That Old Scoundrel Buyu to Death!

Mo Danxin was the current Commandery Governor of Dayan Commandery. He was an upright man who handled all matters impartially, earning him the moniker "Clear Sky Mo." Whenever local factions tried to curry favor or offer bribes, he remained entirely unmoved and flatly refused them. He treated mortals and immortal cultivators exactly the same, never extending special privileges to cultivators. Moreover, he was the cultivator with the highest cultivation in Dayan Commandery, possessing a mid-Soul Formation stage cultivation. Bolstered by the blessing of the national destiny, no one posed a threat to his safety. He had also vigorously promoted the tourism industry, cultivating a culinary culture unique to Dayan Commandery. This drew more and more visitors to spend money in the area, spurring local economic growth. Under his governance, Dayan Commandery flourished with vibrant prosperity. Lately, however, he had encountered two unexpected situations that he felt were beyond his ability to manage. The first matter was that the imperial court had dispatched an army to garrison Mount Fei. It was said that a demonic cult stronghold had been discovered there, though it was still unclear whether it was tied to the annihilated Immortal Cult or one of the other three demonic cults. The army was commanded by Old General Lü, a Body Integration stage cultivator who commanded immense prestige throughout the military. With this venerable general stationed there, a mere commandery governor like Mo Danxin had no need to fret over it. The second matter, however, was that a heavyweight figure was currently locked up in the local jail. His status was second only to His Majesty—the leader of one of the Five Great Immortal Sects, the absolute strongest below the Tribulation Transcendence stage, the paramount swordsman of the present age, and a man whose enemies spanned the four corners of the world: Daoist Buyu. Fortunately, this grand figure was well-behaved. The moment he was told he was being thrown into the slammer, into the slammer he went, without the slightest resistance. If he had actually resisted, Mo Danxin would never have been able to keep him locked up. From a strict legal standpoint, Mo Danxin did hold jurisdiction, and Daoist Buyu's infraction was minor, warranting only a few days of detention. Yet Mo Danxin could not shake the feeling that Daoist Buyu's status was far too exalted. A matter regarding Daoist Buyu ought to be reported to the imperial court. Furthermore, Mo Danxin faced another headache: Daoist Buyu might be locked behind bars, but he had taken up storytelling inside the jail, and crowds of people were flocking to the prison just to listen. For instance, stealing a few taels of silver typically warranted a five-day sentence according to the penal code. With family members delivering food, a cell that was warm in winter and cool in summer, and a Body Integration stage grandmaster telling stories next door, those five days were more comfortable than words could describe. Heaven only knew who had spread the word about this wondrous experience, but countless people began following suit. Now, the jail was overflowing with prisoners. Anyone who didn't know better would assume Dayan Commandery was some wretched hive of villainy, seeing the prison bursting at the seams. If rumors spread all the way to His Majesty's ears, all of Mo Danxin's hard-earned administrative achievements would be smeared with filth, and he would have no way to clear his name. After all, who would believe that your jail was packed to the gills just because people wanted to hear storytelling? Fortunately, once the imperial court caught wind of the situation, they treated it with the utmost gravity. The Minister of Justice had personally flown to Dayan Commandery to handle the case of Daoist Buyu. "My lord, the Minister of Justice is about to arrive," a subordinate quietly reminded him. Hearing this, Mo Danxin hurriedly shed his casual clothes, donned his official robes, and stepped outside to welcome his guest. Just as Mo Danxin walked through the gates, the Minister of Justice descended from the sky without a single attendant in tow, showing just how urgently he had traveled. Xu Xin, the Minister of Justice, was tall, imposing, and sharply chiseled. His brocade robes radiated nobility and prestige. He possessed a penetrating understanding of the penal code and enjoyed the deep trust of Emperor Xia. "Minister Xu, regarding the Dao Seeking Sect Master..." The Minister of Justice waved a hand dismissively. "I already know everything that transpired. I agree to sentence that old scoundrel Buyu to death!" "Ah? But the Dao Seeking Sect Master is..." "The death penalty!" the Minister of Justice declared with ironclad finality. Seeing the Minister of Justice's vehement attitude, Mo Danxin suddenly remembered a widespread rumor—it was said that if you threw a stone at random into a crowd of officials in the Imperial City, every single person it struck would be an enemy of Daoist Buyu. There was even a line of poetry: *"Who under heaven does not know you?"* It was composed specifically for Daoist Buyu. "Come, come, let's go see that old scoundrel Buyu!" The Minister of Justice dragged Mo Danxin along, rushing straight toward the jail. The moment he heard that Daoist Buyu was imprisoned in Dayan Commandery, he had stood up his colleagues at a dinner banquet and sped over at top speed just to enjoy the spectacle. The jail was a clamor of noise, sounding as if violent, desperate cutthroats were raising hell inside. Listening closely, however, one would realize that someone was simply telling a story within the cell block. "Now, back on that fateful day, Qin Jiunian—who is, of course, the Grand Elder of the Dao Seeking Sect—and I were traveling across the Central Continent. Using our Heavenly Eyes, we discovered a tomb overflowing with surging corpse qi. I pinched my fingers in divination and deduced that a zombie on the level of a Corpse King had undoubtedly been born! "Initially, the two of us intended to return to our sect for reinforcements to surround and subdue the Corpse King. Alas, the Corpse King caught wind of us and tried to flee by burrowing underground! "No sooner said than done! I struck first, unleashing the Flying Immortal Beyond the Heavens to shatter layers of seals and the tomb's thick loam, cutting off the Corpse King's retreat. Seeing this, the Corpse King rallied an endless horde of zombies and launched a savage assault against Brother Qin and me! "And just who were Qin Jiunian and I? The Sect Master and Grand Elder of the Dao Seeking Sect! Did a mere Corpse King honestly think it could defeat us? "The Corpse King then revealed its true form as a Hanba, scorching the earth for a thousand li! The ground cracked dry, connecting with the subterranean flames until the sky and earth turned into a blazing sea of fire! "With a single sweep of my sword, the winds and clouds stirred, plunging heaven and earth into darkness. Qin Jiunian manifested the Phantasm of Heaven and Earth, a single finger swelling as thick as a towering mountain..." The prisoners in the cells stared fixedly at Daoist Buyu, holding their breath in terror of interrupting him. Daoist Buyu's voice rose and fell with stirring cadence, painting an utterly nonexistent battle before their very eyes with such vivid immersion that everyone felt as though they were watching the clash firsthand. The Minister of Justice wore a bizarre expression. If his memory served him right, that time the old scoundrel Buyu and Grand Elder Qin had gone out, they had merely been scouting a site to build a tomb. They had accidentally dug into a real grave and were seized as grave robbers on the spot. Where on earth had a Corpse King or a Hanba come from? Having not seen him in years, that old scoundrel's talent for spinning lies had only grown sharper with each passing day! Remembering the countless times he had been swindled and tormented by Daoist Buyu in the past, the Minister of Justice ground his teeth. *You finally fell into my hands!* "Old scoundrel Buyu, you sure are living comfortably!" The Minister of Justice walked up, eyeing Daoist Buyu with a beaming smile. The inmates in the cell block snapped their heads toward the Minister of Justice, eyes burning with fury. How dare this rude fellow barge in and disturb their storytelling session? Yet upon noticing Xu Xin's luxurious robes and Lord Mo trailing behind him, everyone instantly recognized that Xu Xin was a high-ranking official. Just how high, they had no idea. Catching sight of Xu Xin, Daoist Buyu burst into hearty laughter. "Allow me to introduce him, everyone! This is Lord Xu Xin, the current Minister of Justice!" "Old scoundrel Buyu, I suggest you show me some respect. Whether you stay locked up here for ten days or ten years takes nothing more than a single word from me!" Mo Danxin whispered from behind, "Lord Xu, surely that depends on what the penal code dictates..." Lord Xu whipped around and glared daggers at Mo Danxin, terrifying the governor into hastily bowing his head. Turning back to Daoist Buyu, Lord Xu resumed his smiling veneer. Daoist Buyu maintained an air of transcendent, celestial grace, his unearthly bearing not diminishing in the slightest despite being behind bars. "What do you want, then? How about we head outside and have a real bout with true weapons? If I win, you let me go. If I lose, you can lock me up for as many days as your heart desires. Deal?" Hearing this, Xu Xin slammed a hand onto a wooden table. "Fine, it's a deal!" Granted, he had been soundly defeated by Daoist Buyu in the Golden Core stage, the Nascent Soul stage, and the Soul Formation stage. But he was now the dignified Minister of Justice! He had suppressed countless savage and treacherous criminals. In terms of cultivation and real combat experience, he feared no one—not even Daoist Buyu! Lord Xu forcefully tore off the chain securing the cell and threw the door wide open. "Come out!" Daoist Buyu flashed a faint smile, turned to Mo Danxin, and said, "Lord Mo, you saw it with your own eyes. I intended to break out of prison, and Lord Xu approved my jailbreak scheme, even opening the cell door for me with his own hands. I am the principal offender, and he is the accomplice. Put him in a cell too." Mo Danxin took in the scene, pondered for two seconds, stepped forward, and extended a courteous welcoming gesture. "The Sect Master of the Dao Seeking Sect speaks reason. Lord Xu, you have openly broken the law before this official. After you, please." Xu Xin: "..." *Buyu, you old bastard! You're locked in a damn prison and you can still find a way to screw me over?!*