Chapter 1189: Storming the Underworld with a Sword

With a single command, Xie Huan left the Hanlin Academy and went straight to the Ministry of Works.

This also meant that by taking on this task, regardless of what he uncovered, he was bound to offend people.

If the Ministry of Works had truly been embezzling, the department would be facing a massive purge. Lord Wen might be gone, but that did not mean his backers had vanished with him.

A matter of this scale was far beyond the control of a mere Minister.

In all likelihood, the shadow of a Cabinet Elder loomed behind it.

Furthermore, who in the Imperial Court failed to understand embezzlement? The assembled officials all feigned ignorance while knowing the truth perfectly well. Everyone knew how the system worked; otherwise, where did the annual tributes sent up from the provinces come from?

After the court session dismissed, Tong Nianyi did not leave. Instead, she turned and made her way to the Imperial Study.

When His Majesty handled state affairs, she was required to be present as well.

Even if she did not speak a single word, she had to remain there.

The core of her job was simple: wherever His Majesty went, she followed. Not a single detail could be left out.

Yan Nantian was reviewing memorials when he suddenly spoke up. "Diarist of Daily Life."

Tong Nianyi paused, then rose to bow.

Yan Nantian pressed a hand down. "Sit while you speak."

"How does it feel," he continued, "serving your first day as the Diarist of Daily Life?"

Tong Nianyi answered truthfully. "To reply to Your Majesty, I am adjusting well enough."

"Show me your records from today's Imperial Court session."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

She presented the memorial. Yan Nantian flipped through it, a smile touching the corners of his lips when he saw she had recorded the verbal sparring between the Minister and the Cabinet Elder word for word.

"Your Majesty," Tong Nianyi asked, "is there any error in my record?"

Yan Nantian set the memorial down. "It is quite good. Much better than Lord Jia's records—far less rigid. Very well done."

"Your Majesty praises me too highly."

Yan Nantian then asked, "What is your view on the Ministry of Works?"

Tong Nianyi hesitated. "I..."

"Speak plainly."

"In my view," Tong Nianyi said, "if the Ministry of Works truly had been embezzling, Lord Wen likely would not have responded with such composure in the Imperial Court today."

Yan Nantian nodded. "A proper answer."

Tong Nianyi lowered her head, not daring to speak further.

Yan Nantian exhaled slowly. "Speaking of which, when will your aunt return to Shangjing City?"

Before she could answer, he added, "Do not include this in the daily records."

Tong Nianyi paused before answering. "Aunt Ruyi sent a letter not long ago. She mentioned she would return to the Capital soon."

"When she returns, have her come see me."

"Understood."

After that exchange, they returned to their respective tasks.

Tong Nianyi sat in her place and recorded His Majesty's earlier questions regarding the Ministry of Works. She then summarized the rest in a single sentence, logging the exact hours His Majesty spent reviewing memorials, and just like that, it was done...

She finally left the palace late in the afternoon.

Her first day on the job felt very different.

The role of Diarist of Daily Life, in particular, demanded spending a great deal of time with His Majesty, bringing an immense amount of pressure.

Serving as this official was no easy feat.

...

Chen Changsheng spent his days lingering in the Underworld.

He stayed close to the Gate of Reincarnation.

A Black Pagoda was placed there. An endless stream of demonic energy coiled around the departed souls stepping toward rebirth, carrying it straight into Reincarnation.

Chen Changsheng looked at the Black Pagoda before the gate. With a lift of his hand, he summoned it to his grasp.

At this moment, the Black Pagoda could no longer speak.

Chen Changsheng had misunderstood from the very beginning.

The Black Pagoda had never possessed any sentience.

The Demon-Summoning Divine Lord had hidden his head inside the Black Pagoda, sealing a sliver of his remnant soul along with it. All this time, the voice speaking to Chen Changsheng had belonged to that demon.

Now, the Black Pagoda resting in his palm was nothing more than a simple Dharma Instrument.

Looking at the Black Pagoda, Chen Changsheng felt a swell of helplessness.

Even though he knew the Black Pagoda was hiding something, he had never imagined this outcome.

Therefore, his encounter with the Badger Demon in Lin'an Ward had not been an accident. It had been deliberately arranged; the Black Pagoda had always been destined to fall into his hands.

These layers of deception were stacked one upon another, keeping the truth entirely obscured.

Chen Changsheng sealed the Black Pagoda, cutting off the demonic energy from pouring into the world through Reincarnation. He had nowhere else to go. Beneath the Heavenly Dao, there was no place left to hide. He could only take shelter here in the Underworld before the Gate of Reincarnation, waiting for an opportunity.

Until he unraveled the full cause and effect of everything, he would not leave this place.

But on this day, an uninvited guest arrived in the Underworld.

...

A beam of sword light slashed out from the Sand Sea.

The breathtaking strike swept forward, churning up a massive sandstorm in the Sand Sea.

The passing souls could not dodge in time. Injured by the Sword Qi, their spirits were instantly shattered to nothingness.

The master of that Sword Qi stepped across the Sand Sea. Beneath that destructive Sword Qi, he charged straight for the Underworld.

The underworld deputies dispatched in full force to repel the assault.

But they did not even catch sight of him; a single flash of sword light knocked the gates wide open.

No one could stop him.

The figure surged into the Underworld, proceeding straight until he arrived directly before the Gate of Reincarnation.

Chen Changsheng looked at the man standing before him, his eyes immediately falling upon the Wooden Sword in his grip.

Zhao Yuqing raised the sword, pointing it directly at him.

Murderous intent surged.

Yet, Zhao Yuqing hesitated to strike, instead demanding, "Who exactly are you?!"

Chen Changsheng was taken aback for a moment, unable to help his astonishment at those words.

He asked, "How did you get in?"

Zhao Yuqing's brows knitted tightly together as he rebuked, "I am asking you, who exactly are you?!"

Chen Changsheng had never anticipated this turn of events.

He was deeply curious about how exactly Zhao Yuqing had seen through it that day.

Chen Changsheng said, "Just as you guessed, I am indeed not that demon. But This Chen is very curious—how did you recognize me that day?"

As Chen Changsheng finished speaking, Zhao Yuqing lowered the Wooden Sword. The murderous intent vanished into thin air.

He frowned deeply, looking at the man now swathed in demonic energy. "How did you end up like this? What exactly happened?"

Chen Changsheng let out a sigh. "It is a long story..."

As Zhao Yuqing listened to Chen Changsheng recount the events from the beginning, he felt this matter was far beyond anything he had imagined.

Just how had that demon pulled it off?

How had he managed to swap their physical bodies during Reincarnation?

Zhao Yuqing opened his mouth. "Doesn't that mean you have to bear the Heavenly Dao's punishment in that demon's place?"

Chen Changsheng nodded. "That is the case, but as long as I hide here in the Underworld, the Heavenly Dao can do nothing to me."

"How is that any different from imprisonment?"

"It is no different."

Zhao Yuqing fell silent for a moment. Then, lifting his gaze, he said, "I will go kill him."

Chen Changsheng considered this for a moment before shaking his head. "Leaving aside whether you could even find him, if you truly killed him, then I fear I would really have no way out."

The Wooden Sword in Zhao Yuqing's hand trembled.

He furrowed his brows and fell deep into thought, seemingly trying to find a solution.