I am just a mortal, why do you all worship me as a saint?

Chapter 805: Knowing When to Retreat to Advance

Chapter 805: Knowing When to Retreat to Advance

Just by hearing the name "Imperial Guard Commandery," one could tell it was no place to be trifled with.

Stepping into the Imperial Guard, you are immediately struck by the iron-colored exterior; it is truly an impregnable fortress!

Above the main building hangs a plaque that reads, "Imperial Guard Commandery, No Unauthorized Entry!"

However, this kind of place is definitely meant to scare people. After all, nine out of ten people who are brought here are not innocent. If you don't create a sense of oppression for them, how can you keep those guys who are already up to no good in the dark?

Of course, Gu Heng knew he was innocent.

He had no doubt that the entire building was surrounded by some kind of "array" to prevent anyone from escaping or attacking. "You two go and report that we've caught a criminal!"

"Take him to jail first."

The swordsman sent the other two to report, while he led Gu Heng down to the Imperial Guard's prison.

This place perfectly matched Gu Heng's imagination: a dimly lit, deep passageway flanked by iron and bronze cells, where only the sound of the wind could be heard, and the lamps hanging on the walls seemed ready to go out at any moment.

This was Gu Heng's first time in such a place, and he didn't feel uncomfortable, except that it was a bit damp and had a strong musty smell.

"Hehehe, another newcomer has arrived?"

Gu Heng looked at the man in the cage next to him, who was bound by chains. The man stared at him with a cold and ugly smile.

"be honest!"

The jailer next to him slammed his stick against the cell bars, causing the chains covering the man's body to crackle with lightning, and he convulsed on the spot! Judging from the look of it, this wasn't the first time he'd been shocked.

"...Tsk, thank goodness I wasn't put in shackles."

"I don't know what those people are going to do with me."

Having been brought here for no apparent reason, Gu Heng was naturally dissatisfied.

He came here to see his apprentice, not to cause any trouble.

But since he had been behaving himself the whole way, the other party hadn't handcuffed him, which means they didn't dare to make any rash judgments about him or directly label him a spy.

"You wait here."

The swordsman led Gu Heng to an empty cell, put him inside, and then left.

Gu Heng wasn't in a hurry, so he just stood there and waited.

He could also see several other cells around him, and the guys inside, all bound hand and foot with chains, looked fierce and menacing, their eyes colder than the last.

Gu Heng wasn't worried, because apart from their fierce eyes, they posed no threat.

They all looked half-dead...

It must be really miserable to be locked up inside without food or water and subjected to electric shocks.

It was alright. They said there was no difficulty, and there really wasn't.

……

Soon, Gu Heng saw the sword cultivator who had brought him here, following behind another cultivator, walking over here.

The leader was dressed in a blue Taoist robe, with a hint of majesty between his brows and a cold gaze.

"I am Lu Li, the officer in charge of the Imperial Guard."

"So it was you who disobeyed His Majesty's decree and flew through the air on a magical artifact within a hundred miles of the imperial city?"

He walked up to Gu Heng and looked him up and down. He seemed completely harmless.

He had no aura at all, like an ordinary person, but ordinary people cannot control artifacts, so he must either be much stronger than me, or he has some kind of magical artifact that can shield his aura.

He prefers the latter.

If it's the former... that would be a bit scary.

Thanks to the Empress, those who held positions of power in the dynasty also saw their strength rise in tandem with Her Majesty's.

As the saying goes, when she eats meat, her ministers can also have a sip or two of soup.

As the head of the Imperial Guard, he held full authority and was in the capital, the very place where the emperor rose to power. His status was even higher than that of the generals guarding the frontier. With his cultivation at the tenth level of the Yuan Immortal realm, there were no more than five people in the entire capital stronger than him.

If the person in front of him is stronger than him, so strong that he cannot discern their true strength, then that person's strength is already on par with that Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Palace!

That Chief Eunuch Yin was the Empress's true close advisor; only she was qualified to enter the Empress's bedchamber.

Their strength is naturally unfathomable.

If this guy really had that kind of strength, why would he have obediently gone to the Imperial Guard prison...?

hiss~!

He has ulterior motives.

"It is I, but please, Sir, understand that I truly did not know I had violated the law. I hope you will be lenient with me!"

Gu Heng looked completely sincere.

Lu Li frowned: "Judging from the artifact you wield, it's no ordinary thing. Which faction do you come from?"

"I have no power; I am just a rogue cultivator. I came to Zhongzhou only to find someone."

"Is what you say true?" Lu Li's eyes slowly turned serious.

"Every word is true."

"...Well, since you've confessed honestly, and I don't think you're lying, then so be it."

Lu Li remained silent for a while, seemingly thinking that Gu Heng really seemed to be fine, then waved his sleeve, and a gust of wind swept by.

Click!

The prison cell in front of Gu Heng opened with a click.

"Uh, this..."

Gu Heng was stunned.

that's it?

No, why go to such lengths to get yourself into this damp and gloomy prison, where you neither suffer severe torture nor are you tried or convicted, and they just open the prison door and let you go?

Gu Heng thought that even if he wanted to leave this place, it wouldn't be so easy.

But this clerk seems to be just that straightforward; he let them go without warning, which doesn't seem very serious.

But just by looking at this underground prison and the official air emanating from the clerk, a chilling sense of oppression is already palpable.

If there's anything that doesn't quite fit...

Even Gu Heng, using his omniscient perspective, observed that this steward was no match for him.

The officials of the Central Plains Dynasty should, in principle, be appointed according to their strength. It can't be that the Empress of the Central Plains assigns positions based on her liking, allowing those who are not capable to sit in positions they shouldn't be in.

Gu Heng felt that the empress was portrayed as so wise and virtuous, and seemed like a benevolent ruler, so she shouldn't have done such a thing.

In this world where strength reigns supreme, the cake must be divided according to the size of one's fist!

Therefore, he's even more powerful than a high-ranking official like the Imperial Guard's clerk! Gu Heng suddenly realized that if even the Imperial Guard's clerk was weaker than him, then…

Hey, could he also try to get a minor official position in the Central Plains Dynasty?

Gu Heng has never tried being an official before.

"You go."

“Violating His Majesty’s decree should be severely punished, but the rules of the Imperial Guard are that if someone confesses voluntarily and has done nothing wrong, they may be allowed to leave at the discretion of the authorities.”

Lu Li patted Gu Heng on the shoulder, a seemingly amiable expression on his face.

"Very well, thank you very much, Sir."

Gu Heng didn't linger; he should leave the prison as soon as possible. This place was not suitable for staying long, as it could easily cause irreversible damage to his mental health.

"Oh, by the way, have you ever heard of the name Qin Yiyao, sir?" "No, I haven't."

"Alright, I won't stay here and bother you any longer."

Gu Heng remembered the way he came, and he quickly moistened himself by taking two steps at a time.

"Sir, are we just going to let him go like this?"

The swordsman beside him frowned.

They didn't put in much effort to interrogate him, nor did they use any severe torture; it was all too anticlimactic.

"What can you possibly find out by asking?"

Lu Li glanced at him, seemingly dissatisfied with his subordinate's shortsightedness and ignorance.

"Whether he is a spy or not, we can't tell by keeping him in this prison. If he is someone of status and influence, wouldn't it cause even more trouble if our Imperial Guards detained him and tortured him?"

"So you mean..." "Hmph, I left a tracking mark on him, now his every move can't escape the eyes of our Imperial Guard!"

"If he really has no problems, then this is just a minor misunderstanding, and we can all keep it to ourselves and let it fester..."

"But if he really has a problem, hmph, my Imperial Guard can't let go of such an opportunity to make a contribution!"

Lu Li raised his hand, looking at the trace of "Tracing Element" on his palm, revealing a confident expression.

He applied a unique elixir to Gu Heng's body to track his aura.

This wasn't the first time he'd used the tactic of feigning retreat to advance or playing hard to get.

Since we can't find any evidence, we might as well let them go. If something really goes wrong and they slip up, then we can deal with it later.

"Your Excellency is truly wise; I never thought of doing it this way."

The swordsman quickly offered a flattering remark. "You lack experience and need more practice. You'll eventually see the light."

Lu Li was quite pleased with this undisguised praise.

"While you're at it, find two skilled concealment practitioners within the company and have them follow that guy. He has a tracking spirit on him, so he can't hide even in a crowd."

“Look at this ‘reclusive’ hermit, what is he doing in the capital at such a time when a storm is brewing?”

"Yes! But sir, he just said... Qin Yiyao?"

The sword cultivator asked in confusion.

"It sounds like a woman's name. Maybe we can find out more by looking into her?"

“I’ve never heard of this name before, it’s really unfamiliar to me, but it’s a clue. Find a few more people to inquire about the name ‘Qin Yiyao’. If possible, it would be best to bring her to the Imperial Guard. Maybe we can find out something from her.”

"Yes!" The sword cultivator also quickly withdrew.

Lu Li had a lot on his mind.

Although he has become an immortal thanks to the Empress's prestige, the "immortal realm," which was once his ultimate goal, has now become a minor realm that is utterly unsatisfying.

Every cultivator will inevitably have the obsession to become stronger.

Lu Li's obsession was particularly deep.

Although receiving the emperor's bounty had already brought him to a level he never dared to imagine before, people are inherently greedy.

Oh no, I can't say greed.

It should be said that a desire for progress is essential for those who achieve great things!

The demonic invasion had only recently been repelled, and rumors of demonic spies circulating in the Xuan Tian Realm were rampant. He had heard some of this, and it was said that even the Empress herself was paying attention. For a subject, currying favor with the ruler was a major path to advancement!

Now Lu Li actually hopes that the guy really is some kind of spy.

If it weren't for him, wouldn't I have missed a great opportunity to advance?