Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies

The general's expression showed a hint of confusion.

He looked at the Merit Stone as large as a small mountain, his lips moved slightly, but he was at a loss for words.

As an Innate Realm martial master, this was already his second time presiding over the Jing Luan Assembly.

The result of the last Jing Luan Assembly was nothing this outrageous.

Not just the last time, but even looking back over a dozen times before, there was never such a situation.

Zheng Yuanqiao realized his lapse and quickly composed himself, curiously asking, "Lord Lan, what exactly happened here?"

Lan Gongliang casually said, "Nothing much, just that the rebels from Dan Zhou pulled a big one. They somehow got hold of a Great Killing Array, and everyone was wiped out in the array, except for one survivor."

"This..."

"What, is this not admissible?"

Zheng Yuanqiao clasped his hands in salute, "That's not it."

Lan Gongliang observed his dissatisfaction and conflict on his face and casually added, "I forgot to tell you. He was also within the formation and escaped purely by skill. Nineteen years old, Spirit Void Realm martial master!"

Buzz!

Zheng Yuanqiao's spirit was shaken, and his gaze towards Shen Qing instantly changed.

Tens of thousands of martial masters perished, yet only he escaped, and a nineteen-year-old Spirit Void Realm martial master at that!

Each label thrown out caused a wave of shock in him.

The young man before him was very unusual.

To the side, Shen Qing could hear that Lan Gongliang was deliberately shaping his image, endorsing him.

He couldn't help but feel speechless.

It seemed Lan Gongliang was heavily invested in him.

"Can the merits be measured now?!"

Zheng Yuanqiao nodded vigorously like a chicken pecking rice, "Yes, yes, I'll measure right away."

Finishing his words, he took out a small, ancient-looking scale from his chest and placed it in front of him, muttering some incantations.

The small scale appeared ancient and mysterious, its carvings intricate, as if embodying the principles of heaven and earth.

Zheng Yuanqiao closed his eyes lightly, merging his spirit, and as his muttering ceased, he uttered a deep and commanding order, instantly activating the small scale.

Suddenly, brilliant light shot out, illuminating the entire tent in a dazzling display.

In front of him, the Merit Stone piled as high as a towering hill suddenly clattered loudly, as if urged by some force, responding to a summons.

The dense Evil Qi entwined on the surface surged madly like untamed steeds, finally congregating upon the scale's disk, forming a brick of blood-red and crimson.

As soon as this brick appeared, the tent's temperature seemed to plummet by over a dozen degrees, filled with a daunting wave of aura.

Zheng Yuanqiao's face turned red from exerting his Cultivation Technique fully, sweat dripped like fine rain, soaking his garments.

He gritted his teeth and grasped the scale bar tightly, continuously moving the heavy black weight on one end of the scale, each slight movement seemingly engaged in fierce struggle with an invisible force. Discover stories at empire

"Hah!"

Another deafening roar erupted, Zheng Yuanqiao's muscles taut to the extreme, finally, at the instant when the weight steadied, the entire space seemed to fall into silence.

"Thirty-five thousand catties of Killing Merit!" He announced with labored breath, his voice filled with inescapable exhaustion: "Ranked first in Jing Luan Assembly! No, it's the first in history!"

Upon hearing this figure, Lan Gongliang, unsurprised, nodded, "Then, please trouble Mr. Zheng to report truthfully to the court. When the time comes, I will sort out the incidents from this Jing Luan Assembly and draft a memorial to report to Ji Zikong."

"Alright. I'll report at once." Zheng Yuanqiao replied seriously, collecting the Evil Qi and the small scale before leaving hastily.

Lan Gongliang turned to Shen Qing and said, "Stay in the camp for a day or two. Soon, there will be news from the court, and we will make further arrangements."

"I comply with all your instructions, my lord," Shen Qing respectfully saluted.

...

Capital City.

Within the Mountain and Sea Department Mansion, the atmosphere was heavy and solemn.

Suddenly, a burst of rapid footsteps shattered the tranquility.

A dispatch official in a fitted suit darted through the corridor like a flying swallow, rushed straight to the hall, calling out loudly, "Report!"

Mountain and Sea Department Chief Officer in the Capital City, Ji He, sat upright at his desk, clasping a teacup, emanating an aura of commanding presence.

He looked up upon hearing the call and asked solemnly, "What is the cause of such urgency?"

The dispatch official halted abruptly, then knelt on one knee, presenting a rolled secret missive with a slightly uncontrollable excitement in his voice, "Chief Officer, the results of the Jing Luan Assembly have arrived!"

"I recall the Jing Luan Assembly wasn't initiated long ago, the results are out so quickly?"

Ji He received the missive, unfolded it with both hands, scanning through its contents.

At first, a slight indifference hung on his face, as if everything was proceeding as expected.

However, as his eyes fixed on a certain point, his pupils contracted suddenly, and he stood up abruptly.

Displaying an incredulous expression, he murmured to himself, "Thirty-five thousand catties of Killing Merit? How... is this possible!"

Ji He raised his head sharply, looking intensely at the dispatch official, his voice quivering slightly, "Have you… confirmed the accuracy?"

Seeing this, the dispatch official too was startled, hurriedly nodding with a firm expression, "Chief Officer, the information is perfectly accurate, directly from the frontline with comparison made, there is absolutely no falsity."

Upon hearing, Ji He couldn't help but draw a sharp breath, the missive in his hand trembling slightly.

Since ancient times, the highest merit achieved in Jing Luan Assemblies was no more than two hundred catties of Evil Qi.

This thirty-five thousand catties of Killing Merit was simply beyond belief.

Ji He felt somewhat bewildered.

Suddenly, he noticed the name atop seemed familiar.

"This is... Shen Qing, Chief Officer of Yongzhou?"

Inadvertently, the image of the Yongzhou Chief Officer surfaced in his mind.

Quickly recollecting his thoughts, Ji He tightly grasped the missive, striding swiftly towards the palace.

Along the way, those ordinarily steady guards of the dispatch office couldn't help but cast side glances at his demeanor, silently speculating on what had occurred.

Ji He sprinted all the way to the palace gates without a pause in his step, entering the palace directly and heading towards the imperial study.

Arriving at the entrance of the imperial study, he took a deep breath to calm himself, then entered the room.

Ji He found Ji Zikong sitting on the throne, and in front of him was Feng Daxun, the Director of the Imperial Observatory, standing by quietly, which caught him somewhat by surprise.

However, he didn't dwell on these details.

Ji He knelt on both knees, raising the missive high and urgently said, "Your Majesty, the results of the Jing Luan Assembly are in. The leader records thirty-five thousand catties of Killing Merit!"

Ji Zikong, upon hearing this, directed a sharp gaze like lightning towards Ji He, his tone deep, "Is this true?"

A ruler long accustomed to power radiated an aura of authority, imposing great pressure on Ji He.

Ji He nodded repeatedly, his voice firm, "It's absolutely true. I have verified it repeatedly, and dare not deceive even slightly."

Upon hearing this, Ji Zikong couldn't help but exchange a glance with Feng Daxun, each seeing a hint of surprise in the other's eyes.

He stood up, eagerly declaring, "Present it!"