Chapter 318: Patrol Heaven Palace Commander

Science Fiction Novel

Luo Feng didn't hide anything. He sent a message: "One of my observation secret techniques recently had a breakthrough. It can observe the souls of cultivators and determine if a cultivator's soul is controlled."

"You can tell just by looking?" Palace Master Yuan Xiang was both surprised and delighted.

Low-level chaotic lifeforms infiltrating cities is a problem faced by all thirty-five cities in the Nine Rivers Holy Realm; most cities cannot detect them. They can only be identified by deducing heavenly secrets based on clues. "If cultivators are outside, without formation concealment, I can see over ninety percent of them! But if powerful secret techniques or formidable artifacts are concealing them, I would need a close-range, one-on-one, detailed inspection!"

"If cultivators are hiding inside a cave dwelling, I cannot see clearly due to the dwelling's formation concealment!" Luo Feng replied.

His Bionic Eye of Annihilation was, after all, a simulated secret technique, and its observation capabilities still had many limitations. "That's already very impressive!"

Palace Master Yuan Xiang was overjoyed.

"Even in the Dark Holy Realm, being able to discern whether a soul is controlled with a glance is something only a very few powerful individuals can achieve! Even at my peak, I didn't possess such observational means!"

"In the entire Nine Rivers Holy Realm, there are probably only one or two individuals whose abilities can compare to yours!"

Palace Master Yuan Xiang was extremely pleased. "With you here, Rain Mist City will be much more secure from now on!"

With such a powerful individual stationed in the city, the difficulty for low-level chaotic lifeforms to launch attacks will drastically increase!

Low-level chaotic lifeforms, once infiltrated, need to launch their attacks quickly; prolonged hidden presence makes them easily discovered. "Luo Feng, I hope you can help thoroughly inspect the entire city!" Palace Master Yuan Xiang said.

"First, check those who are outside. Afterward, I will announce to the entire city that all cave dwelling formations will be closed in batches, and you can then inspect each location in batches!"

The cave dwellings are rented, so Rain Mist City naturally has control over their formations! Of course, if cultivators set up their own formations, Rain Mist City cannot disable them, and the cultivators would need to close them themselves.

With all city cave dwellings being closed in batches, uniformly, it is believed that no one in the city would dare to object!

"I can confirm that there are certainly some low-level chaotic lifeforms lurking in the city, but only a very few traces can be found!" Palace Master Yuan Xiang was very worried. "A complete city-wide screening would make us much safer!"

"It's not proper!" Luo Feng transmitted via city-wide message: "If you want me to be responsible for the city-wide screening, I need the position of 'Patrol Palace Commander of Rain Mist City'!"

"'Patrol Palace Commander'?" Palace Master Yuan Xiang hesitated.

The Patrol Palace is the barracks for all the city's patrol and guard teams! The Patrol Palace has one Chief Commander and two Deputy Commanders! The sole Chief Commander is currently held by the Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion. For instance, this time, when tens of thousands of cultivators were apprehended for screening to ensure none were possessed, it was the Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion who personally conducted the screening!

The Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion possesses extremely powerful psychic abilities; in a close-range, one-on-one inspection, he can detect every possessed individual!

"The Patrol Palace Commander is primarily responsible for screening out lurking low-level chaotic lifeforms!" Luo Feng sent a message: "Since you want me to do this, and I might need to continue doing such things in the future, it's only natural that I should have a corresponding position!"

Palace Master Yuan Xiang understood.

Asking Luo Feng to inspect the entire city was clearly not a one-time task, but rather a periodic inspection required every so often!

"Very well," Palace Master Yuan Xiang sent a message, "The position of Patrol Palace Commander is yours. You can now go to the Patrol Palace and complete the handover with the Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion."

Luo Feng nodded slightly! Each time lurking low-level chaotic lifeforms were discovered, associated cultivators would be apprehended for screening, ranging from thousands to tens of thousands.

Although these batches of apprehended individuals could all eventually come out safely, they were thoroughly exploited of their treasures upon release. Such systematic exploitation was even more ruthless than the surprise raids and thefts by the three major marauding forces!

"Palace Master Wei Yang's actions are unfit for managing Rain Mist City!"

Luo Feng currently had no advantage in strength; both sides were at the same level. Once his Path of Life and Death advanced another level, his strength would completely surpass everyone else in the city! Doing things would be much easier then!

Luo Feng turned and flew towards the Patrol Palace in the heart of Rain Mist City!

Palace Master Yuan Xiang sat in his cave dwelling, his aura somewhat weak!

"Wei Yang! Gai Tao." Palace Master Yuan Xiang directly contacted his two companions!

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two illusory figures appeared beside him, none other than the ethereal forms of Palace Master Wei Yang and Palace Master Gai Tao!

"Brother Yuan Xiang!"

Palace Master Wei Yang said with a polite smile.

At his peak, Palace Master Yuan Xiang was an existence who commanded two and a half paths at the Chaotic Origin level, wielding considerable influence even in the Dark Holy Realm! Many of Palace Master Yuan Xiang's friends were also such powerful beings; his network of connections was immense!

As long as Palace Master Yuan Xiang was alive, Palace Master Wei Yang had to show him respect!

"Brother Yuan Xiang, why did you suddenly call for both of us?" Palace Master Gai Tao also asked.

"I've decided to hand the position of Patrol Palace Commander to Luo Feng!" Palace Master Yuan Xiang stated.

"Oh?"

Palace Master Gai Tao smiled faintly, "I have indeed heard that a powerful individual named Luo Feng recently emerged in our Rain Mist City!"

"No!" Palace Master Wei Yang, however, objected.

"The Patrol Palace Commander position is extremely crucial, involving the safety of the entire city! Moreover, it requires screening cultivators for possession, a task of immense difficulty to confirm. Wan Ying has always done an excellent job with this!"

"But Luo Feng can do it even better!"

Palace Master Yuan Xiang explained: "Today, he consecutively captured fifteen clones of the Mind-Bewitching Worm, precisely because he possesses a secret technique that allows him to determine if a cultivator is possessed just by glancing from a distance!"

"How is that possible?" Palace Master Wei Yang and Palace Master Gai Tao were both somewhat astonished!

"Such a powerful observation secret technique! If he has such a technique, he should be able to scan the entire city in less than a day!" Palace Master Wei Yang frowned. "Why does he need to be the Patrol Palace Commander?"

Palace Master Yuan Xiang chuckled: "But he said that if he's going to work hard, he has only one request: the position of Patrol Palace Commander!"

"That's too greedy!" Palace Master Wei Yang was furious!

Rain Mist City frequently discovered infiltrators, and repeated screenings generated terrifying cumulative income. Although the Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion was responsible, the largest portion of the income went into Palace Master Wei Yang's hands! If this position was taken by Luo Feng, Palace Master Wei Yang would lose a continuous stream of revenue!

"Just because he claims to be skilled at observation doesn't necessarily make it true."

Palace Master Wei Yang retorted: "Discovering just fifteen Mind-Bewitching Worm clones could also be due to some special circumstances!"

"Everything for the safety of Rain Mist City is paramount!" Palace Master Yuan Xiang declared: "Since his observation and screening abilities are stronger, let him take this Commander position first! If he turns out to be all show and no substance, we can simply remove him from the position then!"

"I have no objection!" Palace Master Gai Tao said.

"Then it's settled," Palace Master Yuan Xiang said!

Palace Master Wei Yang felt stifled upon hearing this!

Although Palace Master Yuan Xiang did not contend for power or profit, when he truly wished to decide something, no one could stop him, as he was, after all, the city's founder and the highest authority. Palace Master Wei Yang sat in his quiet room, his expression grim.

He had long anticipated that Luo Feng might pose a certain threat! He had even considered that a fourth Palace Master, "Palace Master Luo Feng," might emerge in the future.

But the threat arrived far too quickly!

"How long has he even been in Rain Mist City, and he's directly seizing the Patrol Palace Commander position?" Palace Master Wei Yang was very displeased. Most elders only held the position of an elder, responsible for their respective defense systems, and received a fixed income—nothing more!

The Patrol Palace Commander was truly a position of immense profit.

Previously, Palace Master Yuan Xiang hadn't contested it, allowing Palace Master Wei Yang's faction to hold it!

"Wan Ying!" Palace Master Wei Yang directly sent a message!

"Palace Master!" An illusory figure of a middle-aged man appeared beside him!

"Your position as Patrol Palace Commander has been taken!" Palace Master Wei Yang stated!

"What?" The Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion was astonished.

The income from this position was too high; anyone brought into the Patrol Palace was surely squeezed dry before being allowed to leave alive! "It's something Palace Master Yuan Xiang decided; I couldn't stop him!" Palace Master Wei Yang shook his head.

"Who is the new Commander?" The Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion pressed.

"The one named Luo Feng!"

Palace Master Wei Yang said.

"It's him?" The Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion frowned. "He previously overpowered the worm-nest, so I knew this Luo Feng was not one to be content with mediocrity. I didn't expect him to seize my position as Patrol Palace Commander with his first move!"

"Palace Master, are we just going to let him take it?"

"I can't persuade Palace Master Yuan Xiang!" Palace Master Wei Yang said: "Help me invite Luo Feng to my cave dwelling. I want to meet him personally. If he voluntarily relinquishes the Commander position, then even Palace Master Yuan Xiang will have nothing to say!"

"Alright!" The Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion nodded.

Neither Palace Master Wei Yang nor the Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion was willing to give up such a continuous and substantial source of income!

Rain Mist City, central area, Patrol Palace!

This was the barracks for numerous patrol teams and guards, and also a place for detaining prisoners!

Whoosh! Whoosh!

One patrol team after another, escorting large groups of cultivators, flew towards the Patrol Palace!

These were all cultivators suspected of having contact with infiltrators! The cultivators were all helpless; they had no means to resist. They could only blame their terrible luck.

"Entering this Patrol Palace, I'm afraid we'll be squeezed dry!"

These cultivators were utterly powerless; one by one, they were escorted in and separately detained!

Luo Feng also flew at this moment, arriving near the Patrol Palace!

"Brother Luo Feng!" A middle-aged man approached with his subordinates to greet him.

The middle-aged man was the most common appearance of the Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion!

"Wan Ying!"

Luo Feng looked at him, feeling disgust towards the Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion.

These types were the scum among cultivators; with Luo Feng's temperament, they should all be eliminated!

"I have received orders to proceed with the handover of the position with Brother Luo Feng!"

The Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion noticed Luo Feng's unfriendly attitude but didn't mind, smiling slightly: "The position of Patrol Palace Commander is of immense importance; Brother Luo Feng will need to put in much more effort from now on!"

"I know," Luo Feng replied.

"There's also an important matter!" The Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion chuckled: "Palace Master Wei Yang specifically asked me to invite Brother Luo Feng to his cave dwelling for a chat. Why don't we go now?"

"'Palace Master Wei Yang invited me'?" Luo Feng's heart stirred.

This position of Patrol Palace Commander was likely a highly valued piece of "meat" for Palace Master Wei Yang's faction. For him to take it, Palace Master Wei Yang would be quite reluctant!

While it was "meat" in their eyes, Luo Feng had no intention of relying on it to exploit those tens of thousands of cultivators!

"I just took office today and have many urgent matters, including tens of thousands of cultivators who need screening!" Luo Feng stated: "Once I'm done with these important tasks, I will visit Palace Master Wei Yang!"

"Luo Feng!" The Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion's figure flickered, blocking Luo Feng's path: "You intend to make Palace Master Wei Yang wait for you?"

"Don't block my way!" Luo Feng's eyes turned cold: "This is the Patrol Palace. Do you intend to fight me, the Patrol Palace Commander, right here?"

The patrol teams were somewhat bewildered, but no matter what, they would definitely side with the new Commander!

"Alright, very well!" The Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion smiled: "I will relay everything you've said to Palace Master Wei Yang!"

With that, the Master of Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion's figure turned illusory and vanished without a trace.

Luo Feng sneered, then flew towards the main entrance of the Patrol Palace!

The guards at the main entrance of the Patrol Palace had already been waiting. As Luo Feng approached, they all respectfully bowed: "Commander!"

End of chapter.