Chapter 39: Responsibility Inquiry

The Mortal Realm

Qin Sang was secretly surprised. The Yama Banner, Purple Soul Bell, and Ebony Sword were all cultivators' weapons, yet they had completely different uses.

The Purple Soul Bell was a high-grade magical artifact. Were these others also magical artifacts? What grade were they?

Qin Sang put down the Yama Banner and turned his attention to the sheepskin and the colorful brocade pouch.

To his disappointment, the sheepskin was just as before; his spiritual sense and spiritual energy passed right through it, making it seem like an ordinary piece of hide, no different from other mundane objects.

Qin Sang hadn't held much hope for the colorful brocade pouch either, but to his surprise, as soon as his spiritual sense entered it, there was a 'boom,' and an unfamiliar space appeared 'before his eyes.'

Qin Sang was secretly astonished. He had previously touched the pouch with spiritual energy to no effect; it turned out to be an immortal's magical artifact!

The space wasn't large and was filled with various items. Was this a storage bag?

Qin Sang's gaze swept over the contents, and the most striking items were undoubtedly two small piles of gold and silver, gleaming brilliantly and reflecting off each other.

Even as a mortal, Qin Sang would be a very wealthy man with just this gold and silver.

Curiously, next to the gold and silver were not jade artifacts or jewels, but several scattered stones. Aside from their differing colors—some yellow, some blue, some crimson—they were largely similar, completely free of impurities, and very peculiar.

Qin Sang counted them; there were only eight in total.

Besides these, there were only common everyday items like pots, bowls, oil, salt, and spices—nothing that seemed like it belonged to a cultivator.

As he examined each item, Qin Sang grew increasingly disappointed. Finally, only a few books and an empty wooden box remained in the corner.

One of the old books looked very ancient, with four characters on its cover: "Song Clan Genealogy."

Could this be the sword-wielding youth's family register?

Qin Sang thought to himself, so the youth's surname was Song. He wondered if the genealogy contained the youth's address or the Song family ancestral temple's address, which he could use to send a message someday.

Another book was titled "Profound Yin Scroll," and the last book had no words on its cover.

These two books were likely the cultivation techniques used by the youth named Song. Qin Sang's heart stirred, and he wanted to open them to see how they differed from his own "Underworld Scripture," but to his surprise, he couldn't.

It was then that he suddenly realized: the items inside the pouch could only be seen, not touched!

Qin Sang felt as if cold water had been thrown on him. Anxiously, he tried to manipulate each item, but he couldn't even move the simplest clothes, nor could he take them out. After trying for a long time, he finally gave up in despair.

The feeling of entering a treasure mountain only to return empty-handed was unpleasant. Qin Sang was disheartened, so he could only console himself that the items in the pouch didn't seem particularly valuable.

After examining everything, it was completely dark outside. Unwittingly, he had been busy until late into the night.

Although he couldn't retrieve the items from the pouch, his gains over the past two days were still incredibly substantial.

What he had initially thought was just a decorative pouch turned out to be a storage bag, which made Qin Sang never dare to underestimate the sheepskin again. He carefully put it away with the talisman papers and other items. As for the Purple Soul Bell, he found a string and tied it to his wrist, making it more convenient to use.

Qin Sang tidied everything up and contentedly entered meditative cultivation. Perhaps it was due to his cheerful mood, but not long after he began cultivating, the bottleneck that had troubled him for a month loosened!

Qin Sang was overjoyed and dared not slacken in the slightest. He fully circulated his cultivation technique and finally broke through the barrier in one go, advancing to the third level of the "Underworld Scripture"!

It wasn't easy!

Qin Sang sighed inwardly. It had been a full two years since he began cultivating, without interruption, yet he had only reached the third level. The "Underworld Scripture" would surely become even more difficult later on; he wondered how many more years it would take to break through to the sixth level.

After the sixth level, were there even higher realms?

If so, how should he proceed?

Smoothing out the restless aura on his body, Qin Sang exhaled a turbid breath and opened his eyes to find that it was already light outside.

After breaking through to the third level of the "Underworld Scripture," Qin Sang's spiritual energy had increased severalfold. Using the Purple Soul Bell was no longer as strenuous, and he felt no sleepiness, unable to put it down. He paid more attention to it than to the Yama Banner.

After all, it was the first magical artifact he could directly use.

"Knock, knock..."

The courtyard gate outside was suddenly knocked upon. Qin Sang frowned, "Who's there?"

Zheng Kun's voice came from outside, "Hall Master, General Zhou sent someone into the city with a message. The Princess Consort has arrived and is heading towards the county yamen."

Princess Consort?

Qin Sang thought to himself, "That was quick." He quickly tidied himself, hid the Purple Soul Bell in his sleeve, and hurried towards the county yamen.

Just as he arrived in front of the yamen, he heard a rapid clatter of horse hooves from the street. Princess Consort Dongyang rode at the front, followed by Zhou Mingguang, Bai Jianglan, and several personal retainers, galloping swiftly towards them.

From their first meeting until now, Qin Sang had never seen Princess Consort Dongyang in women's clothing, and this time was no exception.

The sky was a hazy blue.

On the long bluestone street, autumn winds blew, and yellow leaves swirled.

Princess Consort Dongyang wore light armor with a feathered helmet, a treasured sword at her waist, and a black and red cloak billowed high, rising and falling with her horse's hooves.

Upon seeing Qin Sang, Princess Consort Dongyang's eyes fixed on him, a cold glint in them, seemingly presaging an impending storm.

Bai Jianglan subtly gave Qin Sang a look, signaling him to be honest.

As her steed was about to charge right in front of Qin Sang, its speed showed no signs of slowing. At the very last moment, Princess Consort Dongyang reined in forcefully. The horse neighed loudly, its front hooves rearing high.

Princess Consort Dongyang dismounted, her eyes glaring at Qin Sang, and she gnashed her teeth as she demanded, "Forging the royal seal, falsely relaying imperial decrees, mobilizing troops without authorization, bringing disaster upon the Holy Land! Hall Master Qin, how many heads do you have?!"

Facing Princess Consort Dongyang's piercing gaze, Qin Sang's expression remained calm. He gestured with a hand, "Princess Consort, please calm your anger and enter the county yamen first. Your subordinate has something to show you."

Princess Consort Dongyang snorted coldly, flicked her horse whip, and strode into the county yamen.

Qin Sang led the way, stepping sideways, directly into the main hall of the county yamen.

The gold and silver treasures had already been counted, and the chests were neatly arranged. Princess Consort Dongyang stood at the doorway, her gaze sweeping over them, and said impatiently, "What is all this?"

Qin Sang walked to a nearby chest, opened it, revealing a neatly stacked box of silver ingots. He then opened another, and it was another box.

Qin Sang took the ledger handed to him by Water Monkey and said, "Princess Consort, these are riches moved from one of Xuanyuan Temple's treasuries. There are over a million taels in silver alone, along with an equally vast amount of jewels and jade. As for white kiln porcelain, silk, and satin, they are countless. It took over a thousand people a day and a night to move everything."

This was even after General Zhou had taken his share. Xuanyuan Temple's immense wealth had astonished everyone.

Princess Consort Dongyang's delicate brows furrowed slightly, and she remained silent for a long time, lost in thought.

Qin Sang was secretly puzzled. After a moment, Princess Consort Dongyang looked at him with burning eyes and asked, "There are still a thousand defenders in Jiangzhou City. I'll give them all to you. How confident are you?"