Jian Dan released a spatial prison formed from her own chaotic spiritual power. Inside floated a blood insect, now shrunken to only twenty centimeters, suspended motionlessly at its center as if lifeless.
Jian Li, Qi Hua, Wei Zhengrong, and Jian Wu, who had hurried back, all extended their divine senses to scrutinize this strange new insect species.
Jian Wu stepped closer to inspect it directly. The moment he moved, the previously motionless blood insect suddenly lashed out, firing its vein-like tendrils toward him.
Jian Wu's brows shot up, his aura surging in readiness. But in the blink of an eye, those tendrils recoiled even faster than they had extended. Upon contact with the walls of the spatial prison, parts of the tendrils had instantly dissolved, forcing the insect to retract and return to feigning death.
"It's alive!" Qi Hua's eyes widened. She circled around the prison to examine it, but this time the blood insect had grown cautious and made no further moves.
Jian Dan calmly popped another piece of pastry into her mouth before speaking. "When we first forced it into Senior Sister Jian Jing's spatial prison, this creature actually managed to pierce a hole through it."
At that, Jian Li's expression hardened. He turned to her. "Senior Sister Jian Jing's cultivation is above both of ours. How could such a pest break through her prison?"
"Who knows?" Jian Dan sighed softly, then continued, "You know my spiritual root attributes. I condensed this prison anew to trap it, and I also discovered that virtue-infused golden light can harm it."
"Zhēnshàng, only you would dare waste virtue's golden light like that," Qi Hua remarked, her tone full of disbelief.
Jian Dan smiled faintly. "We had to know its weakness. Bringing something like this back without proper containment would be inviting a disaster. Didn't you see how it reacted the moment Jian Wu approached?"
Jian Wu had finished his close inspection and returned to his master's side. He quietly asked Wei Zhengrong about the situation. Wei Zhengrong simply handed him a jade slip.
"Junior Sister, after Jian Po sent back her message, we also received word from the Heavenly Demon Palace's Nine Fiends Hall. None of us expected you to move so quickly and already have captured a blood insect."
Jian Wu had read the general details in the jade slip Jian Po delivered, but seeing it firsthand left him amazed at Jian Lu's precision timing.
"Thank you for the compliment, Senior Brother. It was pure coincidence. Who could have guessed that visiting the Yao Clan would lead us straight to a blood insect? But we have no idea how many remain, where they are, or whom they've parasitized.
Moreover, based on the confession of the captured Divine Soul cultivator from Nine Fiends Hall, these insects seem to choose their hosts carefully. For instance, the Yao clan's young master, whose spiritual roots and talent are exceptional. Their Ancestor even exhausted himself trying to save the boy."
"That complicates things," Jian Li muttered.
"Exactly," Jian Dan smiled wryly. "That's your headache now, Senior Brother."
She set her teacup down and continued, "Jin Ai is temporarily staying at my peak. I suggest assigning her to the Operations Hall to research a poison specifically to kill these blood insects. Do you agree?"
"I see no problem. Have her report there tomorrow. As for her status, she's a peak Divine Transformation cultivator. Since she joined Heavenly Sword Sect midway, register her as an inner disciple. Process her paperwork with the new recruits."
"Efficient as always. I agree. Liuli will accompany her tomorrow," Jian Dan said with a nod. She then gestured toward the floating prison. This creature cannot be released casually. For now, we have no better artifact to restrain it, so I'll leave this prison in the Operations Hall's custody. Does that sound good?"
"Agreed."
Jian Li signaled Qi Hua. "Call for Hall Master Meng."
"Yes, Zhēnshàng."
Qi Hua turned and left to fetch Meng Congjian of the Operations Hall.
Jian Li shifted his attention back to Jian Dan. "Junior Sister, while you were away, Zhengrong investigated the cultivator who spread rumors about you. He's a disciple of the Kong Clan. We've documented everything, but I wanted you back before deciding on punishment."
Jian Dan raised an eyebrow. Jian Li had brought this up unprompted, which showed he valued her reputation enough to order an investigation himself.
"Thank you for looking out for me, Senior Brother. I hadn't paid much attention to it. However, I ran into Kong Xingkun of the Kong Clan in Tianquan City, and that fool handed me leverage himself. So on our way back, Senior Sister Jian Jing, Jian Po, and I stopped by the Kong Clan."
Jian Li's brows arched sharply, and Jian Wu smirked slightly. Wei Zhengrong, meanwhile, silently admired Jian Dan's decisiveness. He was about to report that the Kong Clan was already recalling the disciples under investigation.
"So, you've taken action?" Jian Li finally asked.
"Action? I merely went to reason with them." Jian Dan's lips curved in a faint smile. She then recounted the incident in brief.
Wei Zhengrong took notes as she spoke, his astonishment growing when he learned Kong Xingkun had dared target three fearsome figures of the Law Enforcement Hall.
When Jian Dan finished with, "We just took some spirit stones and called it even," it left everyone feeling unsatisfied. Jian Li was about to speak further when Qi Hua returned with Hall Master Meng.
Meng Congjian entered energetically, saluted respectfully, and greeted them. "Greetings, Zhēnshàngs. May I ask why I've been summoned?"
Jian Li pointed to the spatial prison hovering in the hall. "This prison will be kept in the Operations Hall. Inside is a newly captured blood insect, courtesy of Junior Sister Jian Lu."
Meng Congjian immediately probed it with his divine sense. As a hall master, he received daily intelligence updates, and the news of this new insect race had reached him only days ago.
"I understand. I'll ensure this prison is kept isolated and that no one tampers with it," Meng Congjian promised solemnly.
"Good. Tomorrow, Liuli will bring Jin Ai to you. She's a poison cultivator at the peak of Divine Transformation. She'll be assigned to your hall. Her primary task will be researching ways to kill these blood insects. The Alchemy Division will provide assistance."
"Yes, understood. I'll set aside a separate space for her testing," Meng Congjian replied.
"Excellent." Jian Li gave a curt nod, clearly satisfied.
Jian Dan, seeing that all arrangements had been made, took out a new storage ring and tossed it to Meng Congjian.
Meng Congjian's divine sense swept through it, and his eyes lit up when he found a million top-grade spirit stones inside. His smile grew warm, his voice softening. "What can I do for you, Jian Lu Zhēnshàng?"
Jian Dan smiled at his eagerness. "These are compensation from the Kong Clan. Check them for tampering. If they're clean, transfer them to the War Hall."