Song Zhenshan was immensely grateful that only he had come—Li Zhaoying hadn’t. Otherwise, with this posture, he’d worry that if Attendant Cavalier Zhao’s poisoning failed, he might personally take action.

Shen Qiyuan held the rank of first-grade official, yet Attendant Cavalier Zhao dared to forcibly detain him.

Thirty bailiffs couldn’t match three hundred elite soldiers. Though Shen Qiyuan had the courage of ten thousand men, the mountain sect’s rules forbade using magic to attack mortals, so he couldn’t be bothered to struggle. He simply sat in the dungeon, asking those outside: “Aren’t you afraid I’ll hold you accountable when I get out?”

Attendant Cavalier Zhao clutched his wine cup and laughed heartily: “Afraid? Of course, I’m afraid! But Lord Shen, do you think you can still get out?”

Three hundred elite soldiers crowded inside and outside the dungeon, leaving no opportunity to exploit.

“You are the most law-abiding person,” Attendant Cavalier Zhao sighed. “But now, as long as you continue following the law, it’s a dead end.”

He mocked: “I’m very curious to see what Lord Shen slapping his face would look like.”

Without following the law, he could use deception to escape like a golden cicada shedding its shell, or bribe people for substitution schemes. But then, could he still stand righteously in court and criticize others’ faults?

Rather than killing him directly, Attendant Cavalier Zhao found this torture more satisfying.

He laughingly pointed to the guards behind him: “These three hundred people all have elderly parents and young children. My lord needs only to offer a few gold pieces, and some among them will surely betray me. Would you like to try?”

Shen Qiyuan remained silent. Attendant Cavalier Zhao left the dungeon laughing.

“What do we do?” Glancing at the people staring at them intently outside, Song Zhenshan whispered, “So many eyes watching.”

If no one was watching, they could still use some magic to leave, but in the current situation, both divine lords felt somewhat helpless.

Breaking the mountain sect’s rules would get them expelled from the divine registry. Breaking mortal laws—given Shen Qiyuan’s character and position—would make him unable to continue as Court Supervisor, and naturally, Jinghong’s case couldn’t be investigated further.

Shen Qiyuan said nothing, seemingly also considering a way out, but as time passed bit by bit, there was nothing but deathly silence around them.

This was an unsolvable deadlock.

After an unknown amount of time, both had slept and awakened again, yet darkness still surrounded them.

Song Zhenshan grew irritated: “We seem to have no choice.”

Without fighting their way out, they’d be trapped here forever. Though heavenly law was harsh, with just cause, the immortals above would surely give them a chance to explain, right?

Shen Qiyuan shook his head.

There was no chance. Heavenly law never forgave anyone—fighting their way out meant choosing to void their thousand years of cultivation.

Song Zhenshan took a deep breath, couldn’t help muttering: “After so many years of devotion, heaven shows no favoritism.”

Just as his words fell, the stone door atop the dungeon suddenly trembled.

The guards inside immediately became alert, surrounding it with swords and blades raised.

The stone door quieted for a moment.

But the next instant, that incredibly sturdy door burst open with a thunderous crash. Rubble flew, lime dust scattered, and nearby guards were covered in dust, closing their eyes and wailing.

The silent world became clamorous again. Shen Qiyuan looked up just in time to see gentle yet bright light streaming through the shattered doorway, accompanied by swirling dust.

Song Zhenshan was quite surprised: “Heaven showed its divine power?”

“Whether heaven shows divine power, I don’t know.” An embroidered shoe descended the steps following the light, followed by a sweep of goose-yellow dress. “I only know that immortals don’t show divine power.”

Shen Qiyuan stared in shock.

Ruyi’s eyes were gentle, but her gaze was wicked and lively: “A mere dungeon managed to trap my lord for a whole day and night—what great achievement.”

“Be careful!” Before he could say anything, he looked behind her, pupils contracting slightly.

Ruyi didn’t turn around. Her bright red silk sash flicked, and the soft gauze became like iron chains, binding the several guards charging from behind into a tangle.

“What are you standing there for?” She raised an eyebrow. “Let’s go.”

The prison door’s lock fell with a sound, but Shen Qiyuan didn’t move.

“You cannot harm people,” his expression was ugly.

If heavenly law wouldn’t spare him and Song Zhenshan, how could it spare her?

Song Zhenshan reacted first, quickly pulling him out while covering: “Miss Liu, this is martial arts skill—no problem.”

Only the Azure God could punish demons for harming people, but with the Azure God’s memory completely gone, who could control her now?

“Hurry, hurry.” Song Zhenshan pulled Shen Qiyuan to the surface.

Ruyi followed them out, her silk sashes dancing like two giant pythons. She grabbed rocks from the water pool and resealed the dungeon entrance, trapping the hundred-plus soldiers inside.

Looking around again, the remaining soldiers were all converging on their position.

She frowned slightly, used her sashes to bind Song Zhenshan, then grabbed Shen Qiyuan’s arm and hoisted him on her shoulder, leaping onto the rooftops and racing forward.

For a moment, Song Zhenshan thought demons were quite nice—not as constrained as their immortals, free as the wind in coming and going.

But the next instant, the detestable demon threw him off the rooftop.

“What are you doing?” He was completely unprepared and nearly fell.

Ruyi pouted and pointed to the building below: “Attendant Cavalier Zhao’s study.”

Song Zhenshan looked carefully and realized Liu Ruyi hadn’t taken them to escape the Zhao residence, but had run in the opposite direction deeper inside.

Standing beside her, Shen Qiyuan frowned: “This is theft.”

Ruyi asked amusedly: “What did my lord originally come here to do?”

“Search for evidence.”

“Did you go through proper procedures?”

“Both the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Imperial Clan documents are present.”

“Then that’s settled.” She laughed disdainfully. “Everything is proper and legal. When evidence falls into your hands, how can it be theft?”

Shen Qiyuan shook his head, wanting to say more, when distant shouting and searching sounds could be heard.

Ruyi impatiently urged Song Zhenshan: “Hurry up.”

Song Zhenshan immediately flashed into the study, flipped his hand to form seals, and extremely quickly found the evidence Shen Qiyuan wanted.

Unfortunately, the guards still arrived: “Over here!”

Large numbers of soldiers swarmed toward them. Ruyi’s expression turned stern. Caring nothing for formalities, she swept her sashes to scoop up Song Zhenshan and took a breath, leaping straight from the study roof over the courtyard wall.

The distance between them was at least a hundred zhang—impossible to cross without using magic, so Shen Qiyuan wasn’t surprised that Ruyi formed seals.

But strangely, he didn’t feel the familiar flow of magical power. Instead, he caught a whiff of—demonic aura?!

Though very restrained with obvious traces of deliberate concealment, he still detected it.

His expression changed drastically. Shen Qiyuan pushed her away and flipped to land outside the courtyard wall himself.

“You—” His gaze suddenly turned sharp.

Ruyi inwardly cried trouble, but her face remained blank: “What’s wrong?”

The demonic aura from before seemed like his illusion. The person before him stood gracefully with clear, bright eyes: “Did the dungeon make you stupid? Why push me?”

Shen Qiyuan looked at her suspiciously and turned his head: “Zhenshan, did you sense any demonic aura just now?”