Chapter 167 - Is It Funny That the Reincarnated Senior Sister Is Also Being Pursued?

The Great Xia Dynasty may have two formless dignitaries and several Qianyuan experts, but over ninety percent of the population are ordinary people. It's not an exaggeration to call it a mortal nation. In the eyes of cultivators, mortals are nothing but ants. As a mortal nation, the Great Xia Dynasty naturally prioritizes the protection of its citizens. This involves a conflict that has existed since ancient times—the contradiction between cultivators and mortals. As the saying goes, "the hero defies the ban with force." Under the overwhelming difference in strength, human nature often becomes the most unreliable thing. Most people in modern times maintain kindness primarily because most of them don’t possess the power to defy the ban with force, nor can they bear the consequences of doing so. In reality, if someone acquires superhuman abilities, on the first day, they might feel that with great power comes great responsibility. However, on the second day, there is a high probability that they will turn into someone who places the nation above all else. In a few more days, they might say, "I don't eat beef." Although this is a joke, it may not be without truth. In modern times, especially in the abundant world of cultivation, the situation of defying the ban with force is even more rampant. Before the Battle of Exterminating the Evil, even most righteous cultivators who did not take pleasure in killing like the cultists did not regard mortals highly. The occurrence of two cultivators engaging in a fierce battle and casually destroying a small village under their feet is not uncommon. It was only after the Battle of Exterminating the Evil that the Great Xia Dynasty took advantage of the post-war honeymoon period to convene the righteous and demonic powers and discuss that mortals are the foundation of cultivators and should not be slaughtered indiscriminately. This situation was then greatly reduced. However, even so, there were still occasional incidents of cultivators harming mortals. In order to prevent the occurrence of such events, the Great Xia Dynasty ultimately established the Demon Suppression Bureau. The Demon Suppression Bureau is composed of the cultivators under the jurisdiction of the Great Xia Dynasty, disciples of various major sects who have achieved certain accomplishments, and miscellaneous cultivators commissioned by the court. It is mainly responsible for supervising and handling events related to cultivators, possessing a high degree of autonomy. Initially, the Demon Suppression Bureau was only responsible for guarding the capital and handling events of cultivators near the Summer Capital. Later, as the size of the Demon Suppression Bureau grew, its jurisdiction gradually expanded to the entire country, becoming a role similar to the imperial court. During this period, the power and authority of the Demon Suppression Bureau expanded even more, extending to encompass all the cultivators within the Great Xia Dynasty and even requiring the major sects to defer to them in certain matters. However, the excessively expanded power inevitably led to an internal qualitative change. With the increasing size of the Demon Suppression Bureau, they transitioned from being idealists devoted to balancing the relationship between cultivators and mortals to becoming purely a law enforcement agency. They no longer paid attention to mortals or the balance between cultivators and mortals. Moreover, due to the overgrown organization, it became a haven for unscrupulous individuals who forsook their original intentions for the sake of personal gain. Some Demon Suppression Bureaus in remote towns even took advantage of their authority, oppressing ordinary civilians and cultivators. When the Demon Suppression Bureau was established, its purpose was to be the valiant warriors who slay dragons, but now they have become the dragons they once sought to slay. Of course, there are still genuine idealists within the organization who are dedicated to balancing the relationship between cultivators and mortals, willing to make sacrifices to protect the people. However, constrained by the internal power structure of the Demon Suppression Bureau, they are unable to fulfill their aspirations. It is precisely because of their presence that it is very difficult to assess the entire Demon Suppression Bureau with a simple standard. In games, they occasionally appear as antagonists, but sometimes, they can also be an effective help in advancing the plot. This is also the reason why Bai Lian would say that the Demon Suppression Bureau is a gray force. As for this sudden appearance of the Demon Suppression Bureau cultivator, Zhongtu, who appeared in the sky, he doesn’t seem like someone with ideals. With her appearance, more Demon Suppression Bureau cultivators gradually appeared around her. Most of them have a primer level of cultivation. Although not strong, their numbers are significant. The main thing is that they represent the Great Xia Dynasty and cannot be easily beaten. Bai Lian’s finely arched eyebrows creased slightly. These Demon Suppression Bureau cultivators are appearing too quickly. After she and Mu Xing He schemed to kill most of the men in black and then repelled the leader of the men in black, it took a long time but actually only about a quarter of an hour. Yet these Demon Suppression Bureau cultivators appeared exactly at the time when they were about to bring the mindless demon back to the Palace of Weiyang after dealing with the men in black. It's hard not to suspect that they were waiting on the outskirts ahead of time. Nevertheless, since they are the Sovereign's cultivators, it is natural to let Du Lin, also a Sovereign’s cultivator, to communicate with them. MaiWei quickly stepped forward as she appeared to understand that these clan disciples did not like official jargon. "I am Du Lin, the commander of the guards at the Palace of Weiyang. May I ask, sir, who are you?" "I am Chen Yuan, the Thousand Household of the Demon Suppression Bureau." "I see, so you are Chen Thousand Household. I wonder why you have appeared here?" Du Lin asked. "Hmph," Chen Yuan snorted coldly and said, "I want to ask you, don’t you know that private fighting is prohibited in the capital?" "As the guard of the princess, you should understand the importance of the law. Yet, you violated the law and joined hands with these martial artists, disregarding the law. Isn’t the guard of the princess as such?" Du Lin was somewhat embarrassed, "Chen Thousand Household, these two young ladies are the princess's sentries. I was also ordered to come here by the princess to capture the mindless demon." "We did not mean to fight, but the men in black suddenly appeared and we had a serious conflict. If it weren’t for the timely arrival of the two young ladies, the outcome would have been unpredictable." "Now that the mindless demon has been vanquished, I should take her back and report to the princess. You also know the temperament of the princess. If her wishes are not fulfilled, when His Majesty blames us, none of us can afford it. I hope you understand, Chen Thousand Household." To prevent any further trouble, she even resorted to invoking the name of Xiao Weiyang. In fact, the name of Xiao Weiyang is quite useful, given that her reputation as the unruly princess is well-known in the capital. Ordinary officials would never dare to offend such a lady. However, this time, there was an unexpected development. Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan's face showed some signs of conflict, but he quickly returned to his cold demeanor. He said, "Because you two have some reasons, I will not pursue this matter of private fighting." "The mindless demon will be taken back by our Demon Suppression Bureau for interrogation. You can leave." "What?!" Du Lin's eyes widened. "Chen Thousand Household, isn't this against the rules?" "What's against the rules?" Chen Yuan said sharply. When monstrous beings appear in the capital, you should report to the Demon Suppression Bureau, and it should be the Bureau that handles them. This is a special right granted by the Emperor!" "Even if it is the princess, she cannot easily violate the rules set by His Majesty!" Du Lin's face became pale. If the Demon Suppression Bureau takes the mindless demon away, then all her efforts would have ultimately benefited someone else. This indiscriminate attempt to snatch credit of the matter had even made Bai Lian, a pure-hearted otaku, unable to stand it. She said coldly, "When monstrous beings appeared in the capital and harmed people, you failed to detect the problem. The mindless demon, intent on harming the princess, was hiding in the Palace of Weiyang, and you failed to notice it. The men in black attempted to attack the guards to take the mindless demon and you did not appear. Now that the men in black have run away, you show up to take the mindless demon away! Are you the Demon Suppression Bureau or a bunch of gluttonous mice!" Perhaps Bai Lian's words were too abrasive, to the extent that Chen Yuan finally shifted his gaze to her face. A trace of amazement flashed in his eyes, but then he coldly said, "Fair Lady Bai Lian, this is the capital, not the Taihua Sword Sect where you can act arrogantly." "If you continue to be presumptuous, maybe you will have to accompany Chen to a certain place." "I wonder if your exquisite bearing can withstand the hardship of the prison."