Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

Zhai Xingyuan anticipated being severely scolded today, so he maintained a very proper attitude throughout.

Teachers can scold however they want, but the matter still needs to be resolved afterward.

Luo Bingyi said with a pained expression, "Xingyuan, how did you become like this? In order to fight for power and gain promotion, you have resorted to such unscrupulous means, distorting your master's orders and sending your junior brother to assassinate the deputy commander. Is there anything you wouldn't dare to do? Have you gone mad? Do you have to drag me down with you?"

Upon hearing this, Zhai Xingyuan quickly tried to explain, "Teacher..."

Luo Bingyi was the first to raise his hand to stop him from speaking, and continued, "Don't say anything yet."

Seeing this, Zhai Xingyuan had no choice but to shut his mouth.

Luo Bingyi said, "Xingyuan, you once said something to me that left a deep impression on me. You said you wanted to make the world different because of me, and you wanted to change this corrupt and decadent world."

"But look at yourself now. You fight for power and profit, you use any means necessary, you have no bottom line. Where has the once ambitious, upright, passionate, and idealistic Zhai Xingyuan gone?"

Upon hearing this, Zhai Xingyuan gave a self-deprecating laugh: "Teacher, I have walked this path for a full 150 years. These 150 years have made me deeply realize that it is simply laughable for an individual to attempt to change the world."

"I take back what I said when I was young and ignorant. I can't change the world. The only thing I can change is myself, otherwise I would have died long ago."

Zhai Xingyuan was fourteen years old at the time, in the prime of his youth.

The Tianxia Martial Arts School from Jianta City came to Zhaijia Village to recruit disciples, offering free basic training resources to teenagers aged fourteen to eighteen. Most people in Zhaijia Village did not dare to let their children begin their training.

Because starting cultivation is very dangerous and puts one's will to the test, young people, with their weak minds and weak will, are unable to resist spiritual pollution and are very prone to degeneration during the initial cultivation process.

Those who dare to take risks and cultivate their children are usually the second sons or second daughters in the family.

Dozens of teenagers from Zhaijia Village were instantly corrupted into demons, and were then casually killed by the martial arts school as if they were demons.

In the end, only Zhai Xingyuan cultivated magical power, demonstrating exceptional talent.

This is like a golden phoenix appearing in a chicken coop.

However, the martial arts school has rules for accepting students. Students must pay tuition before the school's masters can teach Zhai Xingyuan. But Zhai Xingyuan is an orphan. His parents died and he grew up eating food from many families. Where would he get the money to pay tuition?

The village chief couldn't bear to see the golden phoenix of Zhaijia Village go to waste, so he organized a farewell banquet. Every family that came had to give a gift. The villagers contributed five hundred or a thousand yuan, and together they scraped together enough to cover the tuition fee.

Zhai Xingyuan followed the Tianxia Martial Arts Academy back to the Sword Tower and began his cultivation journey.

He was exceptionally talented, learning quickly and progressing rapidly, surpassing his peers and emerging as the top prodigy in the martial arts world. At the age of 18, he participated in the Prodigy Championship and ascended to the top of the Heavenly Ranking.

Being listed on the Heavenly Ranking means he has more options.

At that time, he was ambitious and decisively used his status as a contestant on the Heavenly Ranking to switch careers. He joined the Censorate as a clerk, determined to make a name for himself in the Censorate and change this corrupt and decadent world.

As a result, his integrity and uprightness earned him the appreciation of Luo Bingyi. In the future, he repeatedly followed his teacher to solve major cases, and with his own efforts, he worked hard to eliminate treacherous officials and corrupt bureaucrats, and protect the people of Jianta.

His teacher was promoted to deputy director, and he followed suit, rising from a minor clerk to a senior official, a promising future indeed.

At that time, Zhai Xingyuan was known by the people as Zhai Qingtian (a paragon of justice), truly upright and honest, and full of integrity. Such an outstanding young talent naturally attracted the admiration of countless girls.

Song Lixian, daughter of Chief Clerk Song of the Fifth Division of the Censorate, often came to the Censorate to deliver meals to her father. She fell in love at first sight with Zhai Xingyuan and was determined to marry him.

However, Chief Song was very unhappy, because his Song family was a powerful and influential family in Jianta, how could he marry his daughter to Zhai Xingyuan, a low-ranking official from a peasant background?

Even though Zhai Xingyuan is now an official, he still comes from a lowly background. In his heart, Master Song was unwilling to marry his daughter to Zhai Xingyuan, but he couldn't resist his daughter's persistent pleading.

The head of the department, Song, spoke with Zhai Xingyuan about his arrogant idea of ​​marrying his daughter to him. This was a good thing, as long as Zhai Xingyuan agreed, his future career would be smooth sailing, and with his father-in-law's help, his path would be even easier.

However, Zhai Xingyuan couldn't stand Song's arrogant attitude. The arrogance in his bones was like giving alms to a poor person, which deeply hurt Zhai Xingyuan's self-esteem.

At that time, Zhai Xingyuan's path was too smooth, so smooth that he really thought the world revolved around him and that he could do whatever he wanted. He sternly rejected Director Song without leaving any room for negotiation.

The next day, he received a transfer order and was temporarily conscripted to the southeastern battlefield.

Zhai Xingyuan knew that Master Song was targeting him, but he still did not give in.

Instead, he packed his bags and decisively went to the southeastern battlefield.

He wanted to achieve military merit on the battlefield, become a hero of the Sword Tower, and then return to the Sword Tower with a body full of glory, letting that old guy, Manager Song, know that power is not omnipotent.

However, he underestimated the brutality of the southeastern battlefield. At that time, the southeastern battlefield was engaged in a protracted local war with other city lords. The southeastern border was a meat grinder, killing as many as came, with an extremely high casualty rate.

Zhai Xingyuan earned commendations in battle after battle for his bravery and exceptional wisdom. Even the corps commander personally awarded him a medal of honor. Based on his military achievements, he repeatedly applied to his superiors to be transferred back to Jianta, but each time his application was rejected on the grounds that the war had not yet ended.

In a large-scale battle, Zhai Xingyuan's vanguard corps was completely wiped out. The battlefield was littered with corpses and rivers of blood. Only Zhai Xingyuan survived the carnage.

He stared at the corpses of his comrades, laughing bitterly. Only then did he realize how weak an individual's power truly was. To think that he could change the world with his own strength was utterly ridiculous. He couldn't even change his own fate, so how could he change this corrupt and decadent world?

He knew he had to change his way of life, or he would perish on the battlefield.

After a major battle, he used the excuse of recuperating from his injuries to temporarily return to the Sword Tower. He personally led a matchmaker and generous gifts to visit Master Song, kowtowing and apologizing, and begging Master Song to marry his daughter to him, a lowly man.

In the end, Song Lixian got her wish and happily married Zhai Xingyuan, becoming the matriarch of the Zhai family. Meanwhile, the strong, upright, and fearless Zhai Xingyuan died the moment he knelt down in submission.

Every time Zhai Xingyuan wakes up in the middle of the night, his heart bleeds when he thinks of the humiliation he experienced in his youth. He blames his younger self for not being able to face death bravely, for not being able to remain strong and upright.

Why kneel down and submit? Why sell yourself to please a woman in order to survive?

He felt ashamed of his decision.

If he had to choose again, he would rather die than lose his dignity.

But the facts were already set in stone, and he could not change them. He could only accept them, and he continued to fall into depravity, fighting for power and interests step by step. He wanted to climb higher and higher, to reach the top and take control of his own destiny.

We will definitely reclaim all the dignity we once lost!

"Teacher, you know, if it weren't for that vicious woman Song Lixian, would I be where I am today? She's powerful. She has a good father, and whatever she wants, others have to give her. If she doesn't agree, she'll kill you."

“What can I do? She has taken a liking to me, so I have to offer myself to her. I’m a man, and a woman has forced me to kneel down and beg for mercy. She’s forced me to marry her, or her father will kill me. Where can I go to seek justice?”

Upon hearing this, Luo Bingyi sighed inwardly. As a witness at the time, he knew the process better than anyone else. However, he was only the deputy director at the time and could not stand up for his students. He could only watch helplessly.

“Hey~~~” Luo Bingyi reached out to stop him: “Don’t say that. Even a day as husband and wife is a hundred days of kindness. You and Li Xian are husband and wife now, and you’re living a good life, aren’t you? Besides, you got to where you are today because your father-in-law, Director Song, paved the way for you and smoothed things over. Otherwise, would you have been able to become the deputy director?”

Zhai Xingyuan nodded: "Yes, I admit that the Song family did have some credit, but can that cover up what Song Lixian did to me? She broke my pure white wings with her own hands, and then gave me a pair of dirty and filthy wings to keep flying. Do you expect me to thank her?"

Luo Bingyi sighed helplessly: "Ah, never mind, let's not talk about it anymore. You must remember that Song Lixian is your lawfully wedded wife. You will only be well if she is well, and you will not be well if she is not well."

Zhai Xingyuan said, "Teacher, I understand. I do have some knowledge. Teacher, what should we do next? Please give me some advice. We can't just wait for Zhou Qingfeng to make a move."

After a moment's thought, Luo Bingyi said, "The aftermath of the assassination of Zhou Silang is unknown, and we don't know what deadly complications it might cause. Taking any rash measures now would be counterproductive."

"Let's slow down and take a break so we can see the situation more clearly."

"I will ask the doctor for permission to be discharged in a few days and officially return to work at the Fifth Division."

Upon hearing this, Zhai Xingyuan's expression brightened with joy: "It would be best if Teacher could return to take charge of the overall situation. With you as the backbone of our Luo family gang, our morale can be stabilized."

Luo Bingyi's expression turned serious, and he said, "Don't say anything that is detrimental to unity. Sword Tower City only has subjects who are loyal to the city lord. Don't talk nonsense about the Luo family gang or this gang."

Zhai Xingyuan immediately smiled and nodded: "Yes, yes, the teacher is right, there is no Luo family gang."

"Go back." Luo Bingyi waved his hand.

Upon hearing this, Zhai Xingyuan knew that his teacher had finished explaining things, which was pretty much as he had expected. His teacher wouldn't cut off his own arm because of this, since it was a time of struggle. No matter how much dissatisfaction his teacher had, he had to swallow his pride and clean up his student's mess for the sake of the overall situation.

"Teacher, I take my leave." Zhai Xingyuan stood up, clasped his hands in a salute, took a few steps back, and then strode away.

Luo Bingyi got up and picked up the scattered teacup fragments from the ground, one by one, just like an ordinary old man. However, as he picked them up, he couldn't help but clench his palms and crush the teacup fragments into powder.

Zhai Xingyuan, this student, has grown too powerful and is already somewhat out of control. If Zhai Xingyuan continues to run rampant, who knows what kind of catastrophic disaster he might cause. Even if I am seriously ill and risk my mind being corrupted, I must go back to take charge and suppress Zhai Xingyuan. Otherwise, I will be dragged into the abyss of death by Zhai Xingyuan.

Let's consider both sides of the story, focusing on one side only.

On the sixth day of the deadline, Jin Wei captured the culprit and returned to report.

"I sent you to hunt down the culprit, and you brought him back, but he's dead. What happened?" Zhou Qingfeng asked calmly as he reviewed the case files submitted by Jin Wei in the main hall's tea room.

Jin Wei and Zhi Qi exchanged a glance, and it was Jin Wei, as the organizer, who gave the verbal report.

Jin Wei clasped his hands in a salute: "Commander, based on the intelligence provided by the snakehead, we staked out Pier 6 for three days and finally caught the culprit Gong Yuluo. However, at this moment, someone came out to cause trouble."

"A group of people who appeared out of nowhere were chasing Gong Yuluo, disrupting our capture plan and allowing Gong Yuluo to escape. Afterwards, we arrested a few of the troublemakers and learned that Gong Yuluo had robbed a gambling den to raise money, so these people were on orders to hunt him down."

Zhou Qingfeng calmly flipped through the case file and hummed in agreement: "And then, how did the perpetrator die?"

Jin Wei continued, "Our people continued to pursue Gong Yuluo in the direction he fled, chasing him for three days and three nights, playing a cat-and-mouse game with him for three days and three nights."

"At least they caught him in the junkyard, but when they caught him, Gong Yulu was already terminally ill."

"He collapsed in a garbage dump, his body covered in green pustules, and he vomited a lot of green pus and blood. He died right in front of me, without even a chance to be treated."

"Then Gong Yulu suddenly turned into a zombie and attacked us frantically. We immediately captured him."

"Moreover, Zhiqi was quick-witted and used the Spirit-Binding Technique to capture Gong Yuluo's life palace. We tried to interrogate Gong Yuluo, but he refused to say a word and only asked to see the commander."

After Jin Wei finished his verbal report, Zhou Qingfeng had also finished reading the entire operation report. He casually closed the report, placed it on the tea table, and stood up, saying, "Since you want to see me, then let's meet."

Jin Wei and Zhi Qi clasped their hands and stepped aside, then followed Zhou Qingfeng out of the main hall and headed towards the prison of the Plum Blossom Division of the Fifth Bureau of the Censorate, which was used to independently detain and interrogate prisoners.

Inside the Plum Blossom Prison, the prisoner Gong Yuluo's life palace was trapped in the Life-Imprisoning Box, which had a similar effect to the old shackles, except that one imprisoned the physical body, supernatural powers, and magic, while the other specifically imprisoned the cultivator's life palace and soul.

The Imprisoning Life Forbidden Law Box was placed inside the cage, which was guarded by four Plum Blossom Guards at the Devouring Fiend Realm. It was guaranteed that even if Gong Yuluo had extraordinary abilities, he would not be able to escape from the Five Plum Blossom Divisions.

"You four, go down. The commander wants to interrogate the prisoners." Jin Wei took the lead and entered the prison. He pointed to the four Plum Blossom Guards guarding outside the cage and beckoned them to leave.

Upon seeing this, the Plum Blossom Guard clasped his hands in a salute and quickly ran out of the prison.

He stepped forward and opened the cage, then took out a key to open the Imprisonment and Death Restriction Box.

As the box was opened, a pill-shaped life palace containing abundant magical power lay in the center of the box.

Holding the weapon, he raised his hand and formed a hand seal to seize Gong Yuluo's life palace, and said sternly, "Gong Yuluo, the Commander has condescended to see you. Why don't you come out and confess honestly? What are you waiting for?"

A soul floated out from the Palace of Fate and faced Zhou Qingfeng, saying, "Are you Zhou Qingfeng?"

Zhou Qingfeng said calmly, "No one in the Sword Tower should dare to impersonate me. Speak, Gong Yuluo, why did you assassinate Yang Jianxin in the street? Who ordered you behind this? Tell the truth, and I, the commander, will grant you a quick death."

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