Journey to the head

In an instant, chaos erupted on the city wall. The guards knelt down one after another, while the garrison commanders and captains either rushed to report the news into the city or rushed down the city wall to kneel and kowtow to Yu Jiao.

Even the sea creatures who normally roamed the city knelt before the Jade Dragon. The rumors about the Inspector were one thing, but more importantly, he was a pure-blooded high-ranking dragon, a dragon among dragons, whose background must be astonishingly powerful, capable of turning the world upside down with a single word.

Ordinary sea creatures have developed a muscle memory for knowing how to please such high-ranking dragons.

Faced with the chaotic scene, Yu Jiao stood still, gazing at the plaque of Coral City with a serious expression, his heart seemingly filled with matters of national importance.

"Hold on, hold on!"

Through the remote sensing of the Reverse Scale Blood Seal, Lu Qian could tell that Yu Jiao was extremely proud and couldn't suppress his smile, so he quickly reminded Yu Jiao in his sea of ​​consciousness: "Don't burst out laughing!"

Over the years, the connection between the Blood Seals has grown stronger, enabling clear long-distance communication and shared vision. Currently, Lu Qian is hidden among the underwater mountains outside Coral City, remotely directing the Jade Dragon in exercising its supervisory powers.

However, Coral City was extremely large in scale and had a huge population, so the commotion caused by the arrival of Inspector Yu Jiao was even greater than that caused by the previous Water Palace. The sea tribe soldiers rushed to worship him, hoping to leave an impression on Yu Jiao, which inevitably led to all sorts of ugly and ridiculous behavior.

When one of the sea turtle spirits was kowtowing, he stretched his neck too far and his huge head bumped into the raised buttocks of his colleague in front of him, causing the colleague to roll down from the city wall.

Upon seeing this, Yu Jiao could no longer contain himself and burst into laughter, disregarding his image.

Lu Qian was speechless. Just then, he saw a large group of officials rushing over from below the city gate.

Lord Xiechao is not here, so these are his officials who are currently in charge of Coral City on behalf of Lord Long.

The leader was a thousand-year-old clam with the cultivation of the primordial spirit, serving as the chief secretary of the Dragon Lord's mansion. The rest were all officials under the mansion, and a large team of elite guards were responsible for clearing the way, driving away all the ordinary sea creatures who were kneeling on the ground.

They rushed over to greet him in a panic, only to see Yu Jiao clutching his stomach and laughing heartily. They were all momentarily stunned.

Lu Qian rebuked Yu Jiao repeatedly, finally stopping her laughter and making her stand up straight. Just as she was thinking of finding an excuse to smooth things over, the Chief Clerk of the Clam suddenly stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said loudly.

"The Inspector's laughter is well-deserved! It embodies the new spirit of our Coral City—liberated thinking and a light-hearted approach! This is not merely a simple laugh, but a display of effortless mastery of complex situations and an optimistic disdain for difficulties and obstacles. The loud laughter resonates throughout the city, like the spring tide awakening the slumbering ice sea, foreshadowing the imminent breakthrough in the suppression of the wild beasts!"

Yu Jiao and Lu Qian were both stunned.

Following closely behind was Squid Sima, who was also at the Nascent Soul stage, who stepped forward and bowed in respect.

"The Inspector's laughter dispelled the oppressive atmosphere of Coral City and broke free from the shackles of our worries. From a slight smile to a hearty laugh, it taught us that we must take things one step at a time, progressing step by step, in order to break free from our cocoons and transform ourselves."

The Mermaid General bowed respectfully: "The Inspector's laughter lasted for six breaths, signifying the need to focus on six tasks. The three light pats on his belly during the laughter conveyed a clear signal that resolving the beasts' attack requires a three-step approach."

The jellyfish clerk beamed, “When the Inspector laughs, he first bends down to laugh before straightening up. This is a way of teaching us through body language that when faced with a complex situation, we should first bend down to study it carefully; then we should hold our heads high and maintain a positive, enterprising, and courageous fighting spirit!”

Then, various clerks and officials, including the Attendant Gentleman, the Military Clerk, the Armor Clerk, and the Commandant Clerk, spoke one after another, their speeches passionate and stirring, each with their own insights, making for a wonderful and diverse presentation.

Lu Qian was dumbfounded and could only exclaim, "What a talent!"

Otherwise, how could someone hold such a high position in a regional management center like Coral City?
Although I had already gained a deep understanding of the situation by "inspecting" various fortresses and water palaces a few days ago, I am now even more convinced that the bureaucratic system of the Dragon Clan and its subordinate sea clans is cumbersome, formalism is rampant, and they flatter their superiors while oppressing and exploiting their subordinates, with a prevailing dross of corruption.

Today's journey will surely be a success!
Surrounded by a group of officials of all ranks, from Nascent Soul to Golden Core, Yu Jiao felt as if he were floating on air, his face flushed. He thought to himself, "I, the Great Immortal Yu Jiao, am so insightful and my every move is full of profound meaning. Yet I am completely unaware of it. It turns out that I have entered the realm of following the natural way and not being attached to the mind!"
Otherwise, I'll hold back my breath and let's hear what the logic is behind this.
However, after Lu Qian loudly reminded him, Yu Jiao finally managed to straighten his face, put his hands behind his back, and nodded slightly.

"You guys do have some understanding."

Upon hearing this, Chief Clerk Bang was overjoyed: "The city of Coral is honored to have the Inspector here to provide guidance today. We are all on high alert, ready to learn even a few words from you, so as to increase our knowledge and improve our skills."

Squid Sima bowed and led the way: "Inspector General, you have come from afar and have had a long journey. Please come to the 'Haizhen Pavilion' so that we can welcome you and wash away the dust of your journey, and then carefully learn from your teachings."

Yu Jiao stood still and said in a deep voice, "So that you may know that I am the direct descendant of the seventh ancestral lineage, the inspector appointed by the clan elders, and ordered to secretly patrol this sea area to investigate corruption and depravity, inspect the defense of various cities, assess merits and demerits, and pacify the local aquatic creatures. I have the authority to act first and report later, and to act expediently!"

The sea creature officials were terrified upon hearing this and bowed down once more.

I've been wondering for a long time which noble family this lord is from. It turns out he's from the seventh ancestral lineage. No wonder he's a descendant of that ancestor who was in charge of punishments and judgments! Now that he's become the Inspector, he's naturally a descendant of the bloodline, inheriting the style of his ancestors.

Another imperial edict was handed to Chief Clerk Bang: "This is my appointment document. If you don't believe me, you can verify it yourself."

Before the pure-blooded dragon's might, Chief Clerk Clam trembled with fear, only glancing at it quickly, probably not even seeing the words clearly, before hurriedly bowing his head and replying: "The Inspector has come by imperial authority, and we dare not disobey any orders."

Little did he know that Yu Jiao excitedly shouted, "It's done!"

It turns out that Lu Qian had set a strategy of starting small and then expanding. He first relied on the power of the pure-blooded dragon clan to investigate several small places that no one dared to doubt. This was not only to build momentum for the trip to Coral City, but also to thoroughly examine the documents and archives, understand the internal laws and regulations of the dragon clan, and then carefully forge this appointment document.

But a fake is a fake. This Chief Clerk was indeed knowledgeable and experienced. If he had examined it carefully, he probably would have found the flaws. Fortunately, he had laid a good foundation in the past few days and already had a reputation. He also used the name of the seventh of the nine sons, "Bi'an," to intimidate the group of officials, both big and small, so they dared not carefully examine it.

The clerk's fawning smile deepened: "Indeed, heroes have emerged from among the young since ancient times. Your Excellency the Inspector is awe-inspiring, inheriting the legacy of your ancestors. You may not know, but my master, Lord Xiechao, is a descendant of the Fourth Ancestor and is related to you."

Lu Qian chuckled. The fourth son, Pulao, resembled a small dragon, roared with a voice like a booming bell, and loved to talk big and boast. Perhaps it was because of this bloodline that Lord Xiechao had a personality similar to his ancestor, which is why he raised such a group of sycophants.

Moreover, Xie Chaojun was the leader of this sea area that Lu Qian had identified after screening through the correspondence between various water mansions!

The dragons under Coral City once gathered here and, led by Lord Xiechao, went to the sacred Dragon Palace.

Lord Xiechao possesses the Dragon Palace Sea Chart. If one can enter his mansion, perhaps one's wish will be fulfilled!
However, everything needs to be done quickly.

Previous intelligence gathering and on-site inspections revealed that the Starry Sea is so vast that messages from watchtowers, fortresses, and water palaces are relayed layer by layer, converging at the city level. The cities then use the unique, long-distance communication devices of the sea—the giant clam shells—to gather and transmit the information. However, while this method of communication covers a much greater distance than on land, the transmission speed is significantly slower. They needed to seize this opportunity to complete the plan; otherwise, if Coral City relayed the message of "superiors coming to inspect" to Lord Xiechao, and Lord Xiechao, after understanding the situation, relayed the information back, their plan would be exposed.

At this moment, the Mermaid Advisor cautiously said, “My lord, our master has already departed for the holy land, leaving only us to guard the home. Today we will first host a welcome feast to wash away your dust, and tomorrow we will take you to tour the city’s sights. As for the matter of the inspector, how dare we overstep our bounds? Why not wait until our master returns before you come, and let him take charge of this matter?”

Yu Jiao's face darkened abruptly: "Damn it! The clan elders are farsighted. They took advantage of the fact that the dragon lords of each prefecture left their territories to organize us to carry out inspections, which has brought all sorts of problems that were usually covered up to light."

"The clan elders have received reports that, at this time of rampant wild beasts, many water palaces are not doing anything to suppress them. Instead of the Dragon King, they are indulging in revelry every night. Their defenses are lax, their administration is corrupt, and there is a lot of resentment! Therefore, I have been specially ordered to conduct a secret investigation without prior notice! Today, I have come to your Coral City, but you are trying to cover it up and refuse to cooperate. It seems that there is a serious problem!"

The Mermaid Advisor's face turned pale, and he dared not speak. The Jade Dragon had already strode forward.

"Enough with the small talk. The threat from the wild beasts is growing, so our weaponry is of utmost importance. Lead the way; I need to inspect your defensive array first!"

"First, I'll go to the core hub of your city's protective array! I want to see your array maintenance records, daily inspection logs, and emergency drill photos! Then, I'll randomly select a few array masters for me to question in person!"

The group marched into the core of the formation, startling the dozing maid on duty so much that she spat out her pearls.

With his hands behind his back, Yu Jiao paced between the buzzing array center and the spirit pump unit, touching and tapping here and there.

"Why is there a crack in the protective cover at this connection point? Bring me the daily inspection records!" Yu Jiao said sternly.

The woman hurriedly presented a jade slip. Yu Jiao sneered, "The record says 'Inspection unharmed'? Are you blind? The safety of the city is at stake, yet you dare to neglect your duties?"

The woman's legs went weak and she knelt on the ground. The Chief Clerk quickly tried to smooth things over: "My lord, please calm down. I will immediately investigate thoroughly and punish the perpetrator severely!"

"No need." Yu Jiao scribbled in his notebook. "I have the authority to act expediently. Write down all the problems, and we'll combine them for the assessment later. Those who deserve punishment will be punished, those who deserve disciplinary action will be punished, and those who deserve execution will be executed!"

Chief Clerk Bang's heart sank; this Inspector was serious!
For the next two hours, Coral City was in complete chaos, with chickens flying, dogs barking, and people stumbling and horses falling.

Although the inspector who arrived unexpectedly was young, he was very shrewd. He did not follow the inspection route carefully planned by the Chief Clerk of the Bang family. Instead, he randomly called out names and attacked wherever he was told.

At each location, on-site inspections and random checks of records were conducted. Yu Jiao reviewed the records, but in reality, Lu Qian in his sea of ​​consciousness was performing rapid calculations.

"Last year, the consumption of 'Wave-Breaking Arrows' tripled. How come it's more than when the number of wild beasts increased this year? Tell me! Is someone reselling military supplies?"

"Why doesn't this patrol record match the garrison log? It's falsified!"

"The approval stamp on this purchase order for 'neon algae' is blurry and doesn't match the usage records! Did someone steal the seal, or did you forge the official seal?"

"Why doesn't the procurement amount for military equipment match the naval roster? You dare to embezzle funds!"

Each question was precise and incisive, hitting the nail on the head. As Yu Jiao's notebook filled up with more and more notes, the scalps of the high-ranking officials, including the Chief Secretary of the Clam, tingled with fear, and their robes were soaked with cold sweat.

These officials did everything in their power to persuade Yu Jiao to show leniency.

Chief Clerk Bang, holding a shimmering brocade box, quietly approached and said, "My lord, you have worked hard these past few days. These are some local specialties from our small town, which may be of some benefit to your understanding of the Great Dao. Please accept them with a smile."

The brocade box exuded a strong spiritual pressure, indicating that it was no ordinary item. The faint, ethereal sound emanating from it was also incredibly soothing.

Yu Jiao's eyes widened instantly, but amidst Lu Qian's cold snort, he coughed twice and declared righteously, "This envoy needs no external objects to comprehend the Dao! Take it back! This is bribing the Inspector, a crime punishable by double!"

With a forced smile, the Mermaid Military Advisor said, "Sir, you must be tired after half a day of inspection. A new group of mermaids have arrived at the Spring Water Pavilion in the city. They are skilled dancers with graceful figures and unparalleled dance moves. What's even more rare is that they are proficient in music and have a good understanding of human feelings. Ordinary people would be willing to spend a fortune to see them perform. So please, sir, take a short rest and enjoy a piece of music?"

Ke Yujiao's face was serious: "Since it's so valuable, where will the funding come from for you to send me to Chunshui Pavilion? Has the budget been approved?"

The military advisor stammered, and the squid commander quickly stepped forward: "Inspector General, it's getting late. Although you're busy with official duties, you must take care of your health. Why don't you move over and have a light meal?"

These words struck a chord with Yu Jiao, but unfortunately, after a fierce struggle with Lu Qian, he could only grit his teeth and say, "Official business is not yet finished, it is not appropriate to eat! Speaking of food, have them bring me the purchase and reception lists of the Dragon Lord's Mansion for the past ten years! This envoy wants to check if you have violated any regulations regarding food and drink!"

Squid Sima's face turned pale, and he wished he could slap himself ten times.

After a round of fun, Yu Jiao was having a great time, his belly sticking out quite high. Meanwhile, the officials, including Chief Clerk Bang, were exhausted and on the verge of a breakdown by this unpredictable and unyielding inspector.

This little devil is a million times harder to please than the master! When did the dragon race start having such deadly inspectors? Are they trying to kill us all?!

Thinking of the numerous incriminating records that Yu Jiao had kept, everyone felt a chill run down their spines, and their future seemed bleak.

Finally, seeing that the time was almost right, Yu Jiao clapped his hands after calculating the time.

"Alright, that concludes the preliminary inspection. Now, take me to the Dragon Lord's residence. I wish to review the recent government approvals, the circulation of confidential documents, and the management of nautical chart archives by the Lord of Xiechao!"

The disheveled and humiliated Chief Clerk made a last-ditch effort: "My lord, the Dragon Palace is of utmost importance, protected by the Dragon King's restrictions. Without the Dragon King's approval, how dare I open it without authorization?"

Yu Jiao glared, the booklet in his hand rustling loudly, each page striking their hearts heavily.

"Hmm? You mean I have no right to inspect the offices of local officials? Is there something shady inside that you're afraid I'll see?"

"Attempting to resist inspection will result in the maximum penalty! I must remind you, your current record of offenses is already quite serious. If a few more are added, it won't just be a matter of a label anymore."

A chill ran straight to the top of his head, and the Chief Clan Secretary immediately bowed: "I dare not! Please follow me, my lord, and I will open the Dragon Palace for you." (End of Chapter)