Vol 4 Chapter 112: Internal Strife

From within the Demon Extermination Division, a man with a pale and sinister face stepped out. He was a mid-stage Divine Transformation cultivator. He looked at the furious Gao Zhao and said, “The Crown Prince is currently handling state affairs, and one of his directives is a full investigation into recent dragon vein smuggling cases. This is a crucial time—Brother Gao, please don’t make things difficult for me. I’m just following orders.”

Gao Sheng’s grandfather, Gao Zhao, narrowed his eyes. “Don’t try to pass off a feather as an imperial decree. If you’ve got something to say, say it to my face. Framing a junior? Shame on you.”

He snorted coldly, already forming a theory in his mind. The Gao Family was under one of the five Division Heads of the Demon Extermination Division—Tongzi Xian.

After Lin Jing revealed his Heavenly Demon Physique, Tongzi Xian’s political enemies used it as a pretext to attack him, and his faction’s power took a massive hit.

Still, while his adoptive father’s influence had waned, fate had smiled on him. Tongzi Xian had used this golden era to unexpectedly break through to half-step Void Mystical Stage. If he managed to fully step into the Void Mystical Stage, then regardless of outside pressure, the Gao Family could once again thrive for a thousand years.

Gao Zhao figured that Tongzi Xian’s weakened authority, and his own advancement being just one step away, was exactly why he had been sent on a high-risk mission recently. It was a near-death assignment, and fortunately he had survived. But the moment he returned, he found that his beloved grandson had been accused of smuggling dragon veins and was now imprisoned—how could he tolerate that?

Gao Zhao was certain that the person who had sent him on that suicidal mission and had framed his grandson was none other than Gai You, one of Tongzi Xian’s strongest rivals among the five Division Heads of the Demon Extermination Division.

The five Division Heads were: Tongzi Xian, Liu Gongzhuo, Gai You, E Gui, and Sikong Jianluo.

Among them, E Gui and Sikong Jianluo were old and afflicted with chronic conditions—unlikely to rise any higher in the hierarchy.

Liu Gongzhuo came from a commoner background and lacked powerful connections to pull strings. On top of that, he carried unstable Gu worms within him, making advancement difficult.

Only Tongzi Xian and Gai You had any real shot at climbing higher. And now, Tongzi Xian had made a critical mistake—he had taught the secret technique of the Heavenly Demon Physique to Lin Jing, leading to the rise of a terrifying Holy Son of the Demon Court. That alone gave Gai You ample ammunition to attack.

Still, Gao Zhao never expected him to go this far. It wasn’t enough to target Tongzi Xian and himself—he even went after his grandson…

“Brother Gao, the evidence is solid. I understand how you feel, but please don’t cause a scene,” the man said.

“Cut the crap. If you’re gonna slap a charge on someone, at least make it believable! What the hell would my grandson want with a dragon vein? He doesn’t even like cultivating!” Gao Zhao roared, his voice echoing throughout the Demon Extermination Division.

At that moment, two ripples of Void Mystical energy surged from inside the building.

One of them belonged to Division Head Gai You, who was accompanied by a young man bound in mana chains—Gao Sheng.

The other was a red-haired man—Division Head Liu Gongzhuo.

“Gao Sheng!” Upon seeing his grandson, Gao Zhao’s expression shifted, but he still greeted them with respect. “Greetings, Division Heads Gai and Liu. Surely there’s been some kind of misunderstanding?”

“Heh, a misunderstanding?” Gai You’s tone was icy. “Gao Zhao, are you suggesting I’m framing your grandson? Or that the Sect Administration Office is? Your grandson tried to trade dragon veins through the Office, and the report landed on my desk. There’s eyewitness testimony and physical evidence. Division Head Liu can vouch for it too. What else do you have to say?”

“As one of the Deputy Division Heads of the Demon Extermination Division—is this how you raise your descendants?”

“I’ve also heard your grandson has a Fortune Physique. Could it be that your whole plan to acquire a dragon vein was related to his constitution?”

Gao Sheng tried to speak but couldn’t—his mouth was still bound. He was furious.

D*mn it! Why was it that cultivators from the Feng Family of Martial Emperor City could buy dragon veins from the Sect Administration Office, but when he spent just as much, this happened to him?

There was collusion! That old ghost Gai must have something shady going on with the Office!

“According to the laws of the Ancient Kingdom, illegal trading and smuggling of dragon veins is punishable by death!” Gai You declared.

Hearing this, Gao Zhao’s eyes turned red. He wanted to protest, but at the moment, only Gai You was speaking. While he doubted Gao Sheng would be stupid enough to do such a thing, with the Sect Administration Office involved, Gao Zhao had to tread carefully.

Even Tongzi Xian himself held the character of Hao Yuncai, the Office’s head, in high regard. Without backing from a top-tier family, she wouldn’t have risen to such a position. It was highly unlikely that either Tongzi Xian or Gai You could manipulate her.

“Gao Sheng’s identity isn’t ordinary,” Liu Gongzhuo said. “That’s why we didn’t torture a confession out of him. We wanted him to confess willingly. Perhaps he can get a lighter sentence that way.”

As he spoke, Liu Gongzhuo released the restriction on Gao Sheng’s voice.

Gao Zhao glared at his grandson. “Is what the Division Heads said true?!”

Gao Sheng spoke with difficulty, “Grandfather… it’s true…”

“You little sh*t!” Gao Zhao exploded in anger. He had thought his grandson was being framed—but it was true?

The Gao Family was already walking a fine line politically. And now this idiot had to stir up more trouble?

“Why the hell did you buy that thing? Did someone trick you? Threaten you?” Gao Zhao still couldn’t understand what this dumb kid wanted a dragon vein for. As far as he knew, cultivating with a Fortune Physique didn’t require one. And even if it did—was this something to buy on the black market?

In the Ancient Kingdom, all dragon veins were “national assets.” All sects and cultivator clans were only granted usage rights—subject to government approval. What Gao Sheng did was outright illegal.

“I…” Gao Sheng was at a loss for words. What was he supposed to say—that he bought the dragon veins to resurrect the first-generation Ancient Emperor?

Honestly, even he didn’t think anyone would believe that.

“Just tell the truth,” came a new voice—causing Liu Gongzhuo and Gai You’s expressions to change. They hadn’t even noticed the newcomer’s arrival.

“Who?!”

Both Void Mystical cultivators scanned the area, only to see a figure step out of a ripple in space—Lin Jing.

Even Lin Jing had to admit—Heavenly Demon Crossing was crazy strong. It wasn’t just a top-tier teleportation technique. When paired with a space-concealing artifact, even Void Mystical cultivators struggled to detect it.

“The Holy Son of the Demon Court?!” everyone gasped.

Lin Jing looked at the two Division Heads and said, “I’m the one who asked Gao Sheng to find a Fortune Dragon Vein.”

The moment he spoke, Gao Zhao’s face turned pale.

Liu Gongzhuo and Gai You’s expressions shifted as well.

With just a single sentence, what was originally a case of a Demon Extermination aristocrat smuggling dragon veins had now escalated—to collusion with the demon race, threatening the national fate of the Ancient Kingdom!

“Brother Lin, hurry and bring out Master!” Gao Sheng was dying inside. If they didn’t bring out his original master—the First Generation Ancient Emperor—he’d be executed and his whole clan purged.

Lin Jing gave a helpless nod. At this point, there was no other option. He would have to summon the First Generation Ancient Emperor here and let him clean up the mess Gao Sheng had made.