I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 140 Arrest
"Boom."

Shen Ao's bronze halberd broke off and fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

The sound of it hitting the ground seemed to strike everyone's hearts.

Everyone stood frozen in place, their faces pale and filled with horror.

Even Zhao Pu, who is usually as calm as a rock, couldn't help but gasp, his eyes filled with horror.

He finally realized that the gentle and polite scholar in front of him was not a refined and elegant scholar, but a man-eating tiger that would kill when it moved!

"Shen Ao violently resisted the law, and I, as an official, enforced the law. You all are witnesses to this."

Xue Xiang cupped his hands and said, "Master Wang, let's continue the meeting."

"you you……"

Wang Bodang pointed at Xue Xiang, speechless.

Xue Xiang turned to look at the group of oddballs and opened his arms, "Everyone, welcome to the Spiritual Property Cleanup Room. From now on, let's work together to handle this case of the Shen family."

In the silence, a person suddenly stood up, trembling.

This man was about forty years old, with a thin face, and his cultivation level was only at the first level of Qi Refining.

He cupped his hands and said in a hoarse voice, "My lords... I am old and my eyesight is failing, I am afraid I have misremembered. My mother has recently fallen seriously ill and I fear she will not live much longer. I must rush back to my hometown to fulfill my filial duty."

The duties of a cleaning room steward... I'm afraid I'm not up to the task.

Having said that, before Wang Bodang could react, he quickly retreated, slunk out the door, and disappeared like the wind.

The eyes of everyone in the hall twitched slightly, and the next moment—

"Oh dear, my back injury has flared up again, so I really can't sit for long periods of time."

"Last night I dreamt that the stars were reversed, which means there may be bloodshed today. I should go back and avoid it."

"My cultivation is still shallow. If I enter this furnace, I'm afraid not even my bones will be left."

"My baby just turned one month old, I need to go back and hold him!"

"........."

The group of new employees, who were about to start their jobs, were like ants in a pot, and they all got up to say goodbye. Their words were absurd and ridiculous, but they were also unusually sincere.

In an instant, the team of "new recruits" who had not yet been officially assigned all fled like the receding tide.

"Wang Tangzun, shall we continue the meeting?"

Xue asked in a low voice.

Wang Bodang glared at him, then angrily flung his sleeve and shouted, "Meeting adjourned!"

………………

As dawn broke, wisps of warm smoke rose from Lingyun Peak, and clouds drifted like cotton wool.

Inside the Peony Pavilion, incense smoke billowed from the incense burner. Beyond the half-drawn gauze curtain, a white figure leaned against the railing. Su Danqing stood there with her sword in her arms, her slender waist bound in white, and a hint of mockery in her eyes.

Inside the pavilion, Zhao Huanhuan sat intently, holding a secret letter in her hand. The jade hairpin at her temple trembled slightly. After a long while, she finally said, "Shen Ao... was he riddled with bullets like that?"

Su Danqing nodded vigorously, "It's true, so many people saw it."

It was a divine weapon imbued with literary energy; I had never heard of such a terrifying divine weapon.

Xue Xiang, despite his young age, was the top scholar in the county examination; he truly had the ability to be arrogant.

Shen Ao has always been arrogant. Does the sect leader still remember half a year ago, at the Feiyun Tea House under our name, this guy actually forced the sect leader to serve tea?

Now that's good, the wicked will get their just desserts, that's satisfying.

Zhao Huanhuan gently raised her head, lost in thought.

Su Danqing brushed aside a few fallen plum petals, then suddenly smiled and said, "Sect Master, I've inquired, Xue Xiang is still unmarried."

Why don't you put in a little more effort and take him down?

"At that time, you two will be a perfect match, a match made in heaven."

Zhao Huanhuan didn't reply, but turned her head slightly to look out of the curtain, revealing a section of her fair and slender neck. "He is someone who is destined for greatness, while I am just... a cloud halfway up the mountain."

Su Danqing suppressed his smile, knowing that his sect leader was hardly a good match for Xue Xiang, a promising talent on the path to success.

Su Danqing changed the subject, "Is the sect leader worried about Xue Xiang?"

Zhao Huanhuan remained noncommittal, "It's true that I made him tackle tough challenges, but I didn't make him choose the toughest ones."

He came straight for the broken front tooth.

The Shen family was a powerful and influential family, with a vast network of connections throughout Canaan.

Shen Ao's tragic death was for the sake of his family's reputation, and the Shen family will definitely react accordingly.

Xue Xiang is young, and although he has a rich resume, he may not be able to withstand the Shen family's three-pronged attack.

Su Danqing said, "Whether he can withstand it or not depends on his fate. We have nothing to be ashamed of."

Zhao Huanhuan did not respond, but slowly leaned against the window, gazing at the sky illuminated by the sunset, her thoughts drifting like clouds.

…………

The night is deep, the clouds have parted and the moon is bright.

Inside the Shen residence, the lights were dazzling, casting shadows quietly across the corridors. A gentle breeze rustled through the pine trees, creating a silent and eerie atmosphere.

Inside the council hall, incense smoke curled from the burner, and the seats arranged around the room were occupied by core members of the Shen family.

Among those seated, Shen Heng, the second son of the Shen family, was the head. He was nearly fifty years old and was known for his strategic thinking. He had served as the Minister of the Canglan Prefecture, but was dismissed for a crime. However, he still had a great influence outside the prefecture, and his students and old friends were all over the prefecture.

Below him was Shen Nansheng's elder brother, Shen Nansu. Although he was not involved in politics, he held power in the internal affairs of the Shen family and could be considered a pillar of the family.

Apart from the two individuals, all the core members who were still at home arrived.

The atmosphere was extremely tense even before the meeting began.

"Xue Xiang is far too arrogant."

Shen Heng spoke in a low voice, his tone extremely steady, as if devoid of emotion, "I never expected him to have such audacity and such methods."

Shen Nansu said, "Third Uncle, what time is it? Why are you still praising this guy?"

Our family has completely lost face.

Shen Ao went to the spiritual product cleansing room on behalf of our family, and he's not a brainless person.

His act of being arrogant in the spiritual cleansing room was just an attempt to show our family's stance.

He was killed by Xue Xiang just like that; our family cannot remain silent.

What kind of attitude do you want?

An elder of the Shen family chopped on his cane, saying, "Shen Ao has always acted in a high-profile manner, and his reputation has never been good."

Of course, Xue Xiang wasn't a good person either.

Little did Shen Ao know that he was about to kick a deadly iron plate.

Don't underestimate things; Xue Xiang isn't stupid.

Everything he did was based on reason.

Shen Ao's outburst in the spiritual product cleaning room was nothing serious.

However, Xue Xiang deliberately guided the situation step by step, turning it into Shen Ao violently resisting the law.

This incident caused a great uproar in the prefecture and county.

Once the attention is generated, who will dare to stop Xue Xiang from measuring our spiritual fields?

There's a saying in the novel "Mortal World": Some things, if you don't weigh them, they're nothing; but if you do weigh them, they're a ton.

Xue Xiang's move is precisely to bring up the Shen family's affairs on the table.

Instantly, a murmur of discussion arose in the room.

Some agreed with the elders' opinion, believing that one should think twice before acting.

Some agreed with Shen Nansu's opinion, believing that a counterattack must be launched immediately.

They argued and debated, but neither side could reach a stalemate.

"What's there to discuss?"

A voice came from behind the curtain.

Everyone was startled and stood up in unison, bowing and paying their respects to those inside the curtain.

"I've met the head of the family."

The curtain swayed gently, and a middle-aged man with a fair complexion and no beard stepped out. He was dressed in dark brocade robes, and his temperament was reserved and calm, yet as imposing as a mountain.

It was Shen Junyuan, the head of the Shen family.

He stood in front of the light and slowly scanned the entire room.

“I have heard all your opinions.”

Shen Junyuan's voice wasn't loud, but it felt like a huge boulder pressing down on everyone's hearts: "Today's meeting is not about whether it's right or wrong, but about unifying our will. This matter is neither small nor small, but it's extremely important."

If we retreat, the matter of measuring the spiritual fields will be lost without a fight.

Of course, the Shen family is not immune to failure, but they must never lose the courage to draw their swords in battle.

Who is Xue Xiang? A mere minor official, yet he dares to look down on my family.
If we take a step back today, it will be a step back of a thousand.

Although the Shen family possesses abundant spiritual lands, not a single one is superfluous.

The council chamber was deathly silent, with only the smoke from the incense burner swirling around, making everyone's shadows appear longer and heavier.

"well said!"

The elder of the Shen family struck his cane heavily, and everyone's spirits lifted.

The elder of the Shen family said, "If the patriarch is going to draw his sword, then he should do so cleanly and decisively."

When a lion fights a rabbit, he also uses all his strength.

We must never underestimate our enemy.

Xue Xiang's journey has been quite legendary; if he were treated as an ordinary young man, he would probably be in big trouble.

It would be presumptuous of us to rely solely on our own strength.

You can contact the Ning family. Ning Qianjun kept his death a secret; no one is blind.

The Ning family will definitely hold Xue Xiang accountable for this.

Furthermore, you can inform the Lü and Lou families as well.

In the county examination, Xue Xiang won first place. My family is disgraced, but aren't they ashamed?
Moreover, the second trial is about to begin.

If we let a fierce tiger like Xue Xiang into the demonic land, would Lu Wenhou and Lou Changqing be able to defeat him?

This is a golden opportunity; we're drawing our swords, but we're relying on the combined might of all the other factions.

Upon hearing this, everyone praised it.

………………

The night was deep, and a cool breeze swept through the courtyard.

Inside the Xue family mansion, the moonlight was like water, as if coating the night with a warm glaze.

Liu Zhiwei carried a pot of hot tea and walked slowly from under the eaves. Her sleeve brushed against the wind chimes hanging under the eaves, making a crisp tinkling sound.

"Has Mother gone to rest?"

Xue Xiang was leaning against the stone table. The fierce killing intent he had exuded during the day had subsided, but a hint of lingering sharpness remained between his brows.

"I've rested, but I still wake up in the middle of the night. Fortunately, Madam Zhang will be here tomorrow, so it's not a big problem."

She placed the teacup in front of him, paused for a moment, and said, "My lord, have you thought twice about what happened today?"

Xue Xiang laughed and said, "What's wrong? Is there something amiss?"

Liu Zhiwei slowly shook her head, "I do not know your plans, so I cannot judge whether they are appropriate or not."

However, the Shen family was powerful and not an ordinary family.

Your position is still unstable, like a small boat adrift at sea. You should choose the right waters and seek shelter from the storm.

The wind rustled through the courtyard wall.

Xue Xiang smiled, reached out and pushed open the tea lid, watching the steam rise: "The bigger the storm, the more expensive the fish."

Sister, don't worry.

Liu Zhiwei knew that Xue Xiang was intelligent and resourceful, and seeing that he was confident, she was no longer worried.

Suddenly, a soft whooshing sound came from the air.

With a "whoosh," a fist-sized stone arced through the courtyard wall and landed on the bluestone ground with a "ding."

Xue Xiang and Liu Zhiwei exchanged a glance. He got up, walked over, and bent down to pick up the stone.

An oil paper package was tightly tied to the stone with hemp rope.

Unwrapping the oil paper, a thin sheet of letter slipped out.

The letter paper was damp, clearly written in haste, and the ink still had some wet blotches.

Xue Xiang glanced at the handwriting, which was delicate yet hurried: "The Shen family is the leader, and they have already joined forces with the Ning, Lü, and Lou families. They may be targeting you, sir. Be careful!"

At a glance, Xue Xiang guessed that the letter was sent by Zhao Huanhuan.

"I originally thought the Shen family was acting alone, but I didn't expect them to go to such lengths to unite against an unknown nobody like me."

Xue Xiang frowned and said, "I want to see how they break my magnificent formation."

…………

The next morning, the air was slightly cool.

As Xue Xiang stepped into the Ninth Hall, the bronze bell hanging at the end of the long corridor struck three times.

Wang Bodang was leaning back in his chair, slowly flipping through an account book. When he saw Xue Xiang come in, he only raised his eyelids slightly, his expression as if he had just seen a good show about to begin.

"Greetings, Your Excellency."

Xue Xiang cupped his hands in greeting, his tone decisive, "May I ask when the vacancy in the Spiritual Property Clearing Room will be filled?"

Wang Bodang slammed the ledger shut, looking at him with a half-smile, wondering if Xue Xiang was heartless or just giving up entirely.

Even he has received the news; the entire Canaan region is now in turmoil.

And at the heart of the turbulent current was Xue Xiang.

Xue Xiang said in a deep voice, "Master, the Spiritual Property Clearing Room is understaffed, making it difficult to advance the case. Please fill the vacancies as soon as possible."

Wang Bodang snorted coldly, "I can't find anyone. If you're so capable, then go find someone."

You write the note, I'll sign it.

Wang Bodang got angry just thinking about it.

The fatty meat that had already been put into his mouth was ruined by Xue Xiang's series of blunders.

After all, everyone comes to the Spiritual Property Cleaning Room to get a permanent position and enjoy the benefits.

Nobody's here to risk their life.

Since Xue Xiang wanted to fight the Shen family from the start, naturally no one wanted to get involved in the mess at the Spiritual Property Cleaning Room.

Helpless, Wang Bo had no choice but to give up the piece of fat that was already in his mouth.

At this moment, his bold words were nothing more than a firm conviction that Xue Xiang had no future.

No matter what promises he makes, it's not up to Xue Xiang to ask him to fulfill them.

Just as Wang Bodang was secretly sneering, a series of heavy and orderly footsteps suddenly came from the entrance of the hall.

A short while later, a group of people walked in.

The leader was a middle-aged cultivator dressed in a light-colored official robe, with a jade pendant hanging from his waist, and a cold and stern expression.

"Deputy Director Long".

Wang Bodang bowed respectfully from afar.

The newcomer was none other than the Deputy Hall Master Zunlongzheng, and the Hall Master in charge of discipline.

Long Zheng nodded to Wang Bodang, walked straight to Xue Xiang, showed his token, and announced loudly, "Long Zheng, the Vice Hall Master, has come to arrest Xue Xiang, the Vice Dean of the Ninth Hall and Third Academy, on the orders of the Hall Master."

Long Zheng's voice struck the ground like a hammer, the echo lingering in the hall for a long time.

Xue Xiang stood still, his expression unchanged.

"Criminal charge: Unauthorized killing of visitor Shen Ao, which is a serious offense and damages the image of the government office."

Effective immediately, Xue Xiang is suspended from his duties pending investigation!

As Long Zheng finished speaking, two stewards holding talismans stepped forward, standing on either side of him. With a flicker of talisman light, they had already locked Xue Xiang in the formation.

Wang Bodang watched this scene with a half-smile, without saying a word.

"I was wronged!"

Veins were visible on Xue Xiang's face.

Whether someone is innocent or not, the truth will be revealed in court.

Long Zheng snorted coldly and waved his hand, and Xue Xiang was taken away.

The ninth courtroom was wide open, and sunlight poured down, casting a long shadow of Xue Xiang, yet his steps remained as steady as a rock.

Within half an hour, the news of Xue Xiang's arrest shocked the entire city of Yong'an.

The following day, the news that "Deputy Director Xue of the Spiritual Property Cleanup Office was suspended from his post by Yitang for the crime of killing Shen Ao without authorization" appeared on the news in Yunjian and spread throughout Canaan County.

(End of this chapter)