The two people beside him were upset to see him so happy after overhearing the disciples' discussion. They sneered inwardly. "To think you can still smile at a time like this!"

When they arrived at the public square, they found a ma.s.sive crowd outside the Pure Harmony Hall. Xiao Chen probed the hall with his Divine Sense.

Perfected Immortal Fengxi was seated in the central spot of the hall. Underneath, Perfected Immortal Qing Chen, Yu Yifeng, the Elder of the Pavilion of Thoughts, and the Elder of the Pavilion of Law were seated to his left. The only one missing was the Elder of the Pavilion of Swords.

Seated opposite them were two men dressed in wide-sleeved white robes. They couldn't look any haughtier if they tried. One of them was holding a small cup to his lips, relis.h.i.+ng in his tea. It was obvious from his expression that he held no respect for anyone here.

The other looked cold and grim. He looked at Perfected Immortal Fengxi and asked icily, "Where is he? Why is he keeping us waiting?"

Fengxi smiled fawningly. "Please be patient. I have already sent a disciple to invite him here."

"Invite? Don't tell me you want us to wait until nightfall!"

The man slammed his palm on the side table as he spoke, causing the tea water to spill all over the surface. Seeing this, a Xianyong Sect disciple immediately stepped forward. He carefully wiped the water with his sleeve, fearing that it would wet the man's clothes.

This scene enraged the disciples outside the hall. How dare these two behave so audaciously when they were just Core Forming Realm cultivators! Why should their Master act so servile to them?

Yu Yifeng stood up, unable to restrain himself anymore. "Excuse my interruption. Junior Brother Xiao will certainly cooperate with your investigation. But since you insist that he's involved with the Devils, do you have proof to back up your claim? Moreover, the Devils have cautiously planned the stealing of the Fallen Dust Bead for a long time. How could he be blamed for it?"

Silence fell over the hall. No one spoke, making the silence feel rather eerie. Perfected Immortal Qing Chen said quietly, "Yifeng, sit down."

Chuckling, the white-robed envoy holding the teacup took another sip of tea. He shot Yu Yifeng a cold glare. "Who the heck are you? Since when does a disciple like you have the right to speak at a time like this?"

Before his voice fell, an ice-cold voice drifted from outside the hall. "Sorry to keep you two waiting."

In an instant, a bitterly cold wind permeated the entire hall. Even the crowd of disciples outside couldn't help trembling deep within their souls. They felt as if they were still in this world just a second ago, but in the next, they were transported in a world of someone else's creation—and that person was the world's sole ruler.

The envoy's hand trembled while holding the cup. He ended up spilling the tea all over his clothes and nearly dropped the cup to the floor. Noticing his lapse in manners, he immediately adjusted his hold over the cup. However, he couldn't resist the fear rising from his very soul. His hand trembled, causing the cup to tinkle endlessly. He ultimately decided to place the cup on the table.

"You... You're Xiao Chen?"

The two envoys stood up in unison, all while trying their best to restrain their fear. The more they tried, however, the faster the inexplicable fear extended to every part of them. It seemed to be an awe-inspiring, pure pressure placed on their souls and had nothing to do with the outside world. They felt as if they were trapped inside a world that Xiao Chen had created; as if Xiao Chen was the world itself.

"Correct. How do you plan to bring me back? Hauling me over your shoulder or tying me up?" Xiao Chen retorted, extending both of his hands.

"You!"

The envoys were so frightened that their back was soaked with cold sweat. They couldn't understand their reaction. Xiao Chen was just a Core Forming Realm cultivator while they were envoys from the Immortals' League. Yet they inexplicably fear him.

"Tie me up! I dare you!"

Xiao Chen's bellow shocked the envoys so much that they stepped backward. They moved so hastily that they nearly knocked over the side tables.

Sneering, Xiao Chen finally retrieved his Divine Sense. Whether inside and outside the hall, countless disciples felt themselves finally relaxing as they regained the feeling of being back in their own world.

The envoys pointed to him in anger and yelled, "You! How dare you! How dare you use nefarious mental attacks on envoys from the Immortals' League!"

Xiao Chen smiled. "That's not a mental attack. Considering your intelligence, I don't think you can ever understand my explanation."

The envoys were so infuriated that they couldn't retort. This youngster was indeed as troublesome as rumored. Fortunately, their Elder had given them a few magic treasures before leaving. They didn't have to fear that Xiao Chen would resist arrest. Meanwhile, the Xianyong Sect disciples outside the hall were all cheering in their heart after seeing the envoys' pathetic state.

"Well, that's quite enough. I have always been an upstanding citizen. Since you're requesting my cooperation in your investigation, I'll make the trip for you. I've given you the chance to tie me up earlier, but you didn't take me up on the offer. Don't complain that I didn't give you a chance. Let's go then."

The envoys stewed in anger. Based on the laws of the Immortals' League, a suspect on trial must be tied with the Immortal-Binding Rope lest any untoward accident happens. However, it wasn't appropriate for them to try and tie Xiao Chen up now. One of them said, "I advise you to be on your best behavior and don't try any petty tricks!"

"Oh my. Sir Envoys, you overestimate me. I'm just a little disciple; how would I dare to try petty tricks in front of you?" Xiao Chen sneered.

Undoubtedly, his pressure had stunned them earlier. They thought, "Enjoy your arrogance now. We'll see if you can keep that up once we're back in Tianyuan City!" Both of them had decided that they would get the prison guards to "take good care" of Xiao Chen once he was locked in the Immortals' Prison.

One of them flicked his sleeves with a scoff. He walked out of the hall and made a clawing gesture, where a Flying-cloud Stone promptly descended. Seeing this, Qingluan, Murong Xian'er, and the others immediately stepped forward. The envoy said icily, "Those not involved should stay away!"

Qingluan and Ziyun'er were fine with this. On their way here, Xiao Chen had ordered them to refrain from getting into a conflict with the Immortals' League and secretly trail him instead. However, Murong Xian'er vehemently refused to let Xiao Chen go. She grabbed tightly onto his sleeve, stubbornly not letting go. She wouldn't let him leave with the two envoys.

The envoys finally lost their patience and one of them yelled, "What are you doing?! Hurry up and let go of him!"

Murong Xian'er's red-rimmed eyes were welled up with tears in the first place. He scared her so much that she instantly burst into tears. Knowing how close the siblings were, the nearby Xianyong Sect disciples felt their heart twist with sadness. Xiao Chen flared up with anger and glared at the envoy. "Why are you so fierce with her?!"

The envoy's anger had been simmering since before. In his decade-long career as a law-enforcing envoy who had arrested even a few Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, he had never met someone as difficult as Xiao Chen. Even Nascent Soul Realm cultivators had to fawn over them so they would put in a good word for them at Tianyuan City.

Losing his temper, the envoy recited a spell and a whip glittering in gold immediately appeared in his hand. The whip was dubbed the Ghost-beating Whip, designed to strike disobedient demons, devils, ghosts, and monsters. One whip was enough to strip someone off half his life.

When the whip was about to hit Xiao Chen's face, Qingluan flew into action and put herself in front of him. Even though the envoy saw this as clear as day, he ended up increasing his strength instead. Just as well. He would have a hard time explaining himself if he beat this youngster until he was half-dead. He might as well hit his subordinate!

Everyone exclaimed in shock. Wouldn't this. .h.i.t lacerate her skin?

What the people expected to see didn't materialize. Nearly instantaneously, Xiao Chen overstepped Qingluan. He protected her with one hand and grabbed the golden whip whizzing through the air with his other hand.

He didn't know what the whip was made out of. Even with True Qi protecting his body, blood still flowed down his palm. When Qingluan opened her eyes and saw him bleeding, she cried in alarm, "Please punish me for failing to protect you!"

Ignoring her, Xiao Chen kept glaring at the envoy. His gaze was cold enough to freeze him over.

"If you dare to whip her once, I'll break one of your fingers. If you dare to whip her ten times, I'll break an arm of yours. Your finger now belongs to me. I'll remember it."

Something stirred inside Ziyun'er. Was this the friend and ally that he spoke of...?

"That's enough..."

Suddenly, they heard Perfected Immortal Qing Chen's voice coming from inside the hall. Then, another Flying-cloud Stone descended from the sky.

"Let's go. Yifeng, seeing as the Immortal's Sword a.s.sembly is about to begin, we might as well head to Tianyuan City in advance. I have also sent your Martial Uncle a letter. I suppose he'll be there soon as well."

"Then let us old things go there in advance and join in the fun," Fengxi said.

"You!" The other envoy was miffed. Even though the Immortals' League forbad friends from accompanying the suspect, but these people were using the excuse of going to Tianyuan City to circ.u.mvent this rule.

What could they do, when these people claimed to be going to Tianyuan City on a different Flying-cloud Stone? It wasn't like they could forbid them from going there. Moreover, these old things all possessed unfathomable cultivation. They had essentially no chance of trying to do anything to Xiao Chen during their journey back to the league.