Jiuling Palace, the dungeon.
The Heavenly Soldier, with a dark expression, locked the cell door. He then turned with a smile to the disciple in white robes with a red sash by his side and said, "Please trouble yourself to notify the Palace Master."
The disciple beside him stood tall and straight, glancing at him with disdain. "Our Jiuling Palace does not meddle in such trivial matters. Since ancient times, fierce beasts have been under the jurisdiction of your Heavenly Realm. Since this criminal has offended a fierce beast, it is only right that your Heavenly Realm governs them. Our Jiuling Palace is a great immortal sect, not a government office for detaining criminals. Furthermore, we never even get to see the Palace Master on a daily basis; how dare we disturb her with such a minor issue?"
Since the collapse of the Heavenly Pillar, a wave of immortal cultivation had swept through the mortal realm. Private immortal cultivation schools emerged, with Jiuling Palace being the most renowned, followed by Shaoling Sect, Seven Immortal Pavilion, and finally Cuiling Pavilion. None of the private schools founded by immortals ranked highly.
Jiuling Palace, as the backbone of the immortal cultivation world, possessed immense strength and had the highest requirements for selecting disciples, consistently topping the charts in the immortal examination pass rate.
However, the disciples here shared a common flaw: they looked down upon everyone outside their own sect, not even deigning to acknowledge minor immortals from the Heavenly Realm.
The Heavenly Soldiers were naturally aware of the disciples' arrogance, as five out of ten Jiuling Palace disciples would pass the immortal examination, easily ascending to higher immortal positions, while they themselves would still be in service.
"Then, could you trouble yourself to notify the Deputy Palace Master?" the Heavenly Soldier asked with a fawning smile, only to be met with a cold gaze.
"The Deputy Palace Master is currently busy with the immortal examination questions; how could she possibly have time for such trivial matters?"
The Heavenly Soldier's face turned grim, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. He lowered his head and whispered, "In your esteemed opinion, what should be done? Because this criminal is involved in two criminal cases, they can only be judged in the mortal realm before being escorted to the Heavenly Realm for sentencing. Moreover, this matter of the Sun Moon Divine Lamp concerns the Heavenly Realm. If His Majesty were to hold us accountable... neither you nor I could bear such responsibility."
The disciple waved his hand impatiently, then peered into the cell and said coldly, "Alright, alright. Someone will come to interrogate them. If there's nothing else, you may leave!"
Upon hearing this, the Heavenly Soldier cupped his hands and retreated, "Then, I shall trouble you."
Seeing the Heavenly Soldier turn and leave, the disciple rubbed his temples and walked away. He was already busy preparing for the immortal examination, and now being burdened with such a tedious chore only added to his annoyance.
Ye Ziling, having overheard their conversation, let out a faint, mocking smile.
She recalled that before the Heavenly Pillar collapsed, celestial beings treated mortals like ants. When they couldn't even suppress demons, they forcibly transferred all immortal cultivation disciples from the mortal realm to the Heavenly Realm to serve as cannon fodder.
Now, with the Heavenly Pillar collapsed, mortals had the opportunity to attain immortal positions, and idle minor immortals would be laid off. The Heavenly Realm's attitude towards mortals had significantly deteriorated.
Speaking of which, she owed thanks to her actions ten years ago. If she hadn't shattered the Sun Moon Divine Lamp, these mortals wouldn't even have had a chance to ascend.
"Who's the unlucky one who's come in now? Cheating on the immortal exam or stealing divine beasts?" Before anyone could be seen, a clear, youthful voice echoed in the dungeon. The prisoners locked in the cells all stood up, their heads peeking out, clamoring for mercy. "My lord, spare me... I won't cheat again!"
"My lord! My lord! I know my mistake! I won't steal divine beasts anymore!"
"My lord! I will no longer practice dark arts privately! Please give me a chance to repent!"
...
The prisoners in the cells pleaded with all their might, their heads bleeding and their voices hoarse. Yet, the young man remained impassive, nodding his head as if feigning understanding.
"Oh, you're finally confessing."
He was dressed in a black robe, followed by several disciples, and walked into the dungeon with his hands behind his back.
The young man looked uninhibited, pointing at the disciples behind him with his chin. Seeing someone hesitate to step forward, he grabbed his head and, with utmost seriousness, pointed at one of the criminals: "Do you hear that? The one who confessed to stealing divine beasts, drag him out, cripple his cultivation, and exile him to the Beast Capital!"
Since ancient times, stealing divine beasts was considered the most wicked act.
The people in the dungeon froze slightly, then knelt on the ground, kowtowing and begging for mercy. "My lord, my lord, I know my mistake! My family was poor. For the sake of my parents' expectations, I studied diligently for years, hoping to achieve greatness in the immortal examination. My family had no money to buy divine beasts, so I had no choice but to resort to this... My lord, please, give me a chance to repent!"
The disciple whose head was held trembled in the legs and then called for a few people to drag the man away.
After a round of screams, the prisoners in the cells all tightly shut their mouths, remaining silent.
If they said anything out of turn, all their hard work over the years would be in vain.
"Where's the new arrival?" Mu Heng placed his hands on his hips, frowning in annoyance, his gaze sweeping across the cells.
The young man had handsome features, his sleeves wrapped around his arms, his ponytail tied high, and an air of arrogance and devilish charm about him.
"Lord Commander, she's over there." A disciple stepped forward and opened the cell. Mu Heng flexed his knuckles and leisurely walked into the cell.
The prisoners all inwardly held their breath for the newcomer, fearing for her.
The punishments in Jiuling Palace were notoriously brutal; even immortals would lose their immortal bones.
The exile to the Beast Capital just mentioned was considered a light punishment, merely dismembering the prisoner's limbs and bones and leaving them to fend for themselves in the Beast Capital.
However, everyone knew that the Beast Capital housed inherently brutal demonic beasts, and anyone sent there would only be devoured. Once exiled, not even a speck of bone would likely remain.
As Mu Heng stepped through the doorway, he saw a woman leaning against the wall, her eyes closed as if dozing. Her long, thick eyelashes cast a shadow on her eyelids, and her expression was exceptionally calm.
Most criminals sent to Jiuling Palace's dungeon were so terrified they wet themselves before even being brought in. Yet, this girl, with her slender arms and legs, showed no sign of fear, which was quite peculiar.
He wondered if it was ignorance or audacious recklessness.
"Still so leisurely even in the dungeon of Jiuling Palace," Mu Heng waved his hand, ordering a disciple to bring up the punishment roster, and said indifferently, "No matter what crime you've committed, if you have the guts to enter the dungeon, pick one." He then rubbed his temples, grumbling to himself.
These days were truly vexing; he was the busiest person in all of Jiuling Palace. If he didn't participate in the immortal examination, he wouldn't have to deal with these tedious cases.
Not receiving a response from the woman, Mu Heng grew impatient, "Are you deaf or..."
Ye Ziling opened her eyes, her gaze radiating a chilling coldness that made Mu Heng stumble backward, nearly falling to the ground.
"... Guards." Mu Heng trembled all over, his previous bluster instantly extinguished, his speech faltering.
A mad, crazy girl?
He would recognize those eyes even if they turned to ash.
His face turned ashen, his arrogance and unruliness vanishing in an instant.
These eyes, this gaze, it was the same little lunatic who, after usurping the throne more than a decade ago, had skinned the former Palace Master alive and made her into dumpling filling?
The disciples behind him, concerned, supported him and asked, "What's wrong, my lord?"
"... Release her."
"Ah?" The disciples exchanged bewildered glances, their mouths agape in disbelief.
Was there any precedent for someone entering the dungeons of Jiuling Palace and being released?
"I said, release her!" Mu Heng's tone intensified.
...
After all the commotion, the criminals who had come to watch never imagined that the new arrival would be released in less than fifteen minutes, and even escorted out in a palanquin carried by eight bearers.