A loud voice from above the Meteor Clan banner interrupted the argument.

"Old man Laohe!" the Meteor representative called out with a wide grin. "One of my Elders finally broke through into Nascent Soul, but she's having a lot of trouble stabilising her cultivation. Ah... if only we had a Nascent Rise Elixir on hand right now!"

He stopped smiling for a moment to shake his head with a troubled look, but it wasn't a very convincing act.

Laohe's face darkened.

"Bastard... if you want something from me, don't skirt around like that!" he muttered angrily. "A bribe at such a time..."

He seemed to consider the matter deeply, despite how little he hesitated in getting Baiyun expensive prosthetic. From how he even disregarded Shanhe's Nascent Soul pills worth over a million tokens, it seemed Nascent Rise Elixirs were extremely expensive.

But it was also possible that Laohe was just downplaying Shanhe's accomplishments and pretending he didn't care, and a million tokens was still worth a lot.

Just as Laohe was about to reply with reluctant agreement, the Thousand Winds Patriarch yelled furiously.

"Meteor Forge Clan Head, Lang Duan! If you accept this trade, we will not let you off! " he shouted. "To avenge our descendant, we need the information at all costs!"

"Ah? Wind Patriach, don't misunderstand. I was only mentioning a troubling matter to an old friend." Lang Duan put on an exaggerated face of shock. "If you're able to help with the matter, I'll be just as happy to support you!"

"Lang Duan! You rat!" Laohe yelled.

Baiyun took a deep breath. He finally understood why Mo Fan wanted the judge to have another 5 votes. Somehow, there were no rules against bribery in court. He began to feel a headache, expecting the other clans to start throwing out offers of their own as well. It seemed it was quite profitable to attend WanLing court if one represented a clan.

The Wind Patriarch harrumphed. At his side, Fei An opened her mouth slightly, as if about to say something. But she looked back down in silence.

"One Prismatic Wind Crystal, grade 5." he spat. "Old fox, I know you've wanted it for a few decades. Are you satisfied now?"

Lang Duan clapped in delight.

"Excellent! Wind Patriarch, our clan will forever be in your gratitude!" he laughed.

Laohe's face was almost red as he slammed his fist on the wall.

"Since when did wind crystals have anything to do with stabilising cultivation?" he yelled. "Your clan does not even cultivate the wind path!"

"Old man, there are times we must concede. My poor elder will have to stabilise her cultivation herself, but I'm sure she will be fine with her talent."

At the vague mention of that elder, Guan Qiang had a strange look on his face for some reason. His odd expression seemed to hold suppressed laughter at the misfortune of someone he knew.

Laohe glared deeply at Meteor Head Lang Duan, who only raised both his palms in a pleading manner. He decided it wasn't worth the effort to argue with that shameless bastard.

From the Infinite Formations Clan's seats, the thin woman finally looked up from her formation plate, her hair parting to reveal her startling pale face. Her piercing eyes turned to Lang Duan as she raised a finger, flicking something towards him.

The unknown projectile smashed into his smug face, slamming into his forehead so hard, he was sent flying backwards into the seats behind.

"Ouch!" he grumbled as he sat back up, before turning to the thin woman.

He rubbed the red spot on his forehead and sighed deeply. Laohe seemed to be very pleased at the sight, after previously failing to slap another infuriating bastard.

"Young Miss, you don't have to be so violent with your reminders. Of course I remember, which is why I had to pester- ahem, plead with the Wind Clan for years!" he clasped his hands together pitifully. "I'll start work on the Wind Serpent Automaton immediately after this court case! Don't harass me here of all places..."

This Lang Duan was really quite the character... Baiyun was quite speechless.

He glanced at the judge, who didn't seem to really care. Violence was not prohibited in this court either?! Did that mean elders could just chuck a rock at his face if they were unhappy? He really did not like the implications of that.

The representative of Infinite Formations did not even grace Lang Duan with a nod or response, merely looking back down to her formation plate. Her hair slid down and hid her pale face once more, resuming scratching at it with her fingernails.

"Wind Patriarch, is this really how far you're willing to go? Even your clan can only condense a few Prismatic Wind Crystals every century!" Laohe shouted, seeming almost desperate. "Haven't we had amiable trades in the past? I can help you with the investigation in many other ways!"

"Amiable trades?" the wind patriarch muttered nearly inaudibly, the very words making him frown. He muttered something with displeasure before raising his voice and continuing.

"No cost is too great for our descendant." he shook his head. "Laohe, do not take offence. It is something we must do, even if we come to conflict. We can discuss this outside of court later."

"You..." Laohe clenched his fists as his face reddened with rage, but he ultimately stopped what he wanted to say.

The wind matriarch shook her head at that sorry sight.

For their descendant... it was ridiculous enough for Baiyun to scoff inwardly. Even the judge referred to Jingfeng by name, yet the leaders of the Wind Clan only referred to him as "descendant". That did not seem to him like how caring ancestors would behave; he was more inclined to believe this was a political move.

It was at that moment he realised the panicked thoughts from before had subsided, a strange calming enveloping him.

No longer was he clenching his sweaty hands into fists; it felt as if he were merely a spectator watching the show from above, the consequences not mattering in the slightest.

Was it because he had subconsciously accepted his death? He did not know.

On his eyes, Yue trembled uncontrollably. She was far more afraid than he was, now that the vote was lost.

But this wasn't the time to let his mind wander. There was something far more important. Countless thoughts raced through his mind as he pondered for minutes. Around Baiyun, the clans continued to bicker, but he paid them no heed.

Now that his mind was eerily calm, the solution slowly formed in his mind.

He took a deep breath.

One last resort. It was not a reliable plan and would reveal his trump cards, exposing him as more than a simply servant. But as slim as the odds were, there was a chance of survival. He knew what he had to do.

At that very moment, right as he was about to steel himself, a sudden voice snapped him out of his uncaring trance.

"Wait!" Yingtao shouted, her voice tinged with desperation.

It was as if those words were directed at him, as if it was a plea for him to stop the final gamble. It was an impossibility naturally, but the strange feeling was enough to make Baiyun freeze.

"You want information so badly?" she shout. "Then, search me instead! I was there as well, it doesn't have to be Baiyun!"

The entire court went silent as her voice echoed.

"A Core Shaper like me can survive the process. It will not be the end of me." she muttered.

Ying Shi appeared stunned for a moment, his eyebrows furrowed as he turned to his sister. Mohei and Sanguang froze in shock. Far in the distance, Fei An began to tremble. She covered her mouth as her eyes shook, but her presence was so small, neither of the Wind Clan leaders noticed as she shrank behind them. They were far too occupied arguing with Laohe and Lang Duan.

Murmurs came from the elders as the Trade and Treasury Association took notes. Laohe looked complete baffled, while Guan Qiang put a hand to his chin with a serious look.

But the most shocked of them all was Baiyun. Yingtao... would do that for him?

Why?

He could not comprehend it. They did not know each other for long, nor did they interact much. He could not make sense of it in the slightest. Perhaps it could be said adults ought to protect youths, but this went far beyond that.

"Young Yingtao, what in the world are you saying?" the Wind Matriarch said, distress in her voice. "You are not at fault for this, so why would you subject yourself to something so harsh? Is your father behind this somehow?"

"Leave my father out of this!" Yingtao said. "He has remained silent, this decision rests solely on my shoulders!"

She took a deep breath and straightened her posture. Her previous anxiety seem to be suppressed, steely determination in its place.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Respected Matriarch. Even if Baiyun is merely a disposable servant in your eyes, he is a dear friend of ours. He has done no fault and even saved young master Sanguang's life, as well as helping me escape the Delusion Mantis. Were it not for him, I would not be standing here." she said. "Yet... he is not rewarded for his merits, and you wish to make him face a death sentence? Is his life that worthless, merely because of how he was born?"

"This..."

The Wind Matriarch was taken aback.

Baiyun's eyes shook as an indescribable feeling shook his heart. But he was still sceptical, unwilling to believe her words.

The youthful face of the Stormseeker Clan's master grew serious at those words, Sanguang looking at her in surprise. He had scarcely seen her act in this manner, her demeanour now befitting of a clan master and her true age.

"Young Yingtao, your words are wise," she said. "While I intended to repay Baiyun by voting against his execution, that was the mere extent of it. I did not think to even offer an actual reward, due to the prejudices of his position. But your words have enlightened me."

She turned to Baiyun.

"Young Baiyun. If you survive this ordeal, I will reward you generously for saving my grandson. It is only right."

Baiyun could only nod in a daze. Everything felt so surreal.

The crowd's murmurs were interrupted as the judge struck the podium with his palm in anger, the gong-like sound silencing all. His displeasure was evident as his eyebrows furrowed.

"Yingtao, you speak of ideals, yet you remain naive. It seems you do not know the true expense of soulsearching." he spoke. "Soulsearching is an expensive endeavour to begin with, and to jump from a mortal to a Core Shaper, the cost of the materials will increase a hundred times!"

Baiyun frowned. So this was how soulsearching was possible in a world this devoid of soul arts, using expensive materials to bridge the gap of knowledge.

"I..." Yingtao was taken aback.

She turned to her father above the banner of the Ying clan. But faced with the cold eyes that answered her, she quickly averted her gaze. She could only turn to the Matriarch of the Stormseeker clan with pleading eyes.

"Grandma!" Sanguang grabbed her arm and shook it.

The eyes of the Matriarch twitched at the very thought of the price as she put on a forced smile.

"Sanguang, this really isn't realistic..." she said, before turning back to Yingtao. "Yingtao, I really must apologise. Baiyun has done our clan a huge favour, but we can't afford to destroy our budget solely to save an outsider. I knew soulsearching was expensive, but I had no idea it would increase that much for one with cultivation."

"Oh..." Sanguang looked down in disappointment but didn't push further.

The goodwill she had was snuffed out in an instant the moment there were expenses. Even Sanguang only seemed mildly disappointed. But Baiyun was not surprised.

While he did save Sanguang's life, that was ultimately all there was to it. He did not have any particularly strong bonds with the kid; if anything, it was a miracle Sanguang did not hold any grudges after the bow incident. In the apathetic world of cultivation, merely this level of gratitude was something to treasure.

This was the world he knew of.

Yingtao's determination to save him, meanwhile, was not normal. It was abnormal to the point where he could not help but doubt it.

Still... even the leader of a clan was unaware the soulsearching of this world grew costlier with cultivation? That must mean those with actual cultivation were almost never searched. Baiyun didn't like the cruel implication that soulsearching was usually solely used on servants and mortals, using them as nothing more than disposable recording devices.

Mohei's face was practically red with fury as he slapped the Inferno Clan's banner with both hands frantically. He tried to shout something despite the seal, but his cheeks only puffed uselessly. Mo Fan shook his head at the sight of his son.

Baiyun felt Yue's light flicker and dim above his eyes.

It was then when Ying Guang finally stood up with crossed arms.

"Yingtao, I have been watching you intently during this case." he boomed. "Why do you tremble and shake in the face of such minor adversary? That shaky resolve of yours displayed time after time is truly disappointing."

"Father..." Yingtao's eyes trembled at the stern words.

The wind patriarch cursed under his breath at the sight, the matriarch frowning as well. But they seemed to have lost interest in arguing with the brick wall.

"But this is a rare moment I must commend you for, to have courage to defend an ally even in such circumstances. It's small, but a journey across continents begins with a single step." Ying Guang spoke slowly.

He paused before raising his voice.

"Judge. The cost of this soulsearch will be shouldered by me."

Yingtao's eyes trembled as she seemed on the verge of crying tears of joy. But they seemed mostly from the joy of being finally acknowledged.

"Thank you, father..." she knelt and clasped her hands together.

Ying Guang furrowed his eyebrows slightly at the sight, but he didn't comment. He leapt over the Ying Clan's banner and slammed into the ground with a thud, without bothering to even bend his knees to dull the impact.

The mouth of his storage bag had been open, five black jades shooting out from his momentum. He reached a palm out and snatched them out of the air, displaying them for all to see. They were black as void and shimmered with a strange light, pulsing with a strange force that made them seem almost alive.

Cosmic Void Jade!

Even in his old world, it was incredibly rare and sought-after. It was nearly indestructible, but was never found in pieces larger than a palm, so it did not have much practical uses outside of strange formations and defensive artefacts. It was impossible to sharpen into a fine blade due to that absurd durability, and was always naturally rounded and smooth.

But the absurd rarity and easy verifiability of Void Jade made it extremely treasured as a rare trade item, many immortals claiming its price would swiftly rise over thousands of years.

The Judge furrowed his eyebrows at the sight.

"You would pay 5,000,000 jade to harm your daughter? Clan Master Ying Guang, what on earth are you thinking?"

"Ying Guang! You must be insane!" the wind patriarch finally shouted, but was ignored.

Five million jade? Baiyun was both stunned and confused. Wasn't the currency WanLing used tokens? And how could the value of void jade be standardised?

Either way, he could tell that was an absolutely staggering price. Even if they were using materials to bridge the knowledge gap, he found it unbelievable how expensive a simple soulsearching procedure had become.

"You would pay such a fortune to harm your daughter?" the wind matriarch harrumphed. "Have you lost yourself to inner demons from your pursuit of an 'iron heart'?"

Her voice was filled with mockery as she uttered the term.

"It is not to harm her." Ying Guang said as he marched towards the podium. "I am merely honouring her intent as a parent should. Hand me the materials, and allow me to perform the procedure myself."

He flung the black jades towards the Judge, who raised a hand and snatched them out of the air. Baiyun frowned slightly at the sight of precious materials being thrown around like common rocks.

"Clan Master Ying Guang, if you do the search yourself, you will not be reimbursed if the procedure fails." the Judge said. "I trust you are aware?"

"I won't make such a trivial mistake."

"If you hope to conceal information from the other clans by being the searcher, it is futile. A mirage orb will show the memories to all present here. You have nothing to gain from doing it yourself."

Ying Guang scoffed faintly at the judge's remark.

"Do not take me for a rube. I am well aware."

"Hmph. Then have it your way."

The two men had neutral faces, yet they almost seemed to glare at each other as they spoke. Ying Guang approached with wide strides and quickly closed the distance to the podium.

A storage pouch with "Soulsearch" embroidered on it rustled ominously from the judge's robe as he reached into it, taking out two vials of bronze and copper elixirs. He stashed them away and replaced them with two larger vials, one gold and one silver. Yingtao seemed very nervous as she stared at them, perhaps beginning to regret her choice.

It seemed the bronze and copper vials were meant for searching mortals, while the gold and silver ones were for Core Shapers.

Both gold and silver seemed to swirl and shimmer as if alive; even with borrowed eyes, Baiyun could feel the immense weight they had to them. Each vial was likely the weight of a small boulder, despite merely being the size of a finger.

Such precious essences used in such barbaric and inefficient ways... his heart hurt as he thought of all the things he could do if they were in his hands. No, to call it barbaric was a bit too much. There was still ingenuity in brute-forcing a solution from a wrong answer through sheer alchemic skill.

Soulsearching was an advanced soul art that took centuries to truly master, while the people of this world bridged the lack of soul mastery with alchemy. Impressive in its own right, but no less wasteful.

Ying Guang merely stepped past Baiyun, taking the two elixirs and the pouch from the judge.

"Yingtao. What you lack most right now is resolve." he said. "This is an opportunity for a trial."

"Yes, father." Yingtao's voice was uneasy.

Ying Guang raised the silver elixir.

"This elixir serves as the soulsearching medium, but it also doubles as an anaesthetic. I want you to resist its effect and remain conscious for the duration of the search," he said. "To do so would mean enduring agony 10 times harsher than the Body Refining Pit."

At the sound of "Body Refining Pit", Yingtao's determined pupils suddenly shrank to pins.

Body cultivation methods were notorious for inflicting practitioners with immense suffering. Painkillers did exist, but stronger cultivators were more resistant, requiring truly exorbitant materials to make numbing elixirs.

And with how much emphasis on mental strength the Ying Clan had, it was certain painkillers were forbidden. Not to mention how she had to gather her own cultivation materials without help from the clan, making gathering another set of expensive materials impractical.

Even Ying Shi had such a powerful body at a young age, capable of shrugging off even swords. It was clear the Ying Clan began body refinement at a young age without mercy. Baiyun could only shake his head internally.

"Ying Guang! You dog of a father!" the Wind Patriarch yelled.

The Judge shook his head and gazed at the young woman with sympathy.

"You can still back out of this." he said. "I will refund the jade he spent."

"I..." Yingtao paused as if hesitating.

But she shook her head as her eyes grew determined again.

"No. I will endure it."

"Good." Ying Guang said. "Then, steel yourself as I make preparations."

He reached into the newly-purchased pouch and pulled out a set of 4 golden shackles, each embedded with different sigil jades. Baiyun thought he would use them to restrain his daughter, but to his surprise, Ying Guang clasped them onto his own arms and legs.

A metallic clack could heard as the shackles clung tightly to Ying Guang's refined limbs, as if metal had struck metal. It seemed artefacts were used to bridge the knowledge gap as well.

The judge watched grimly, but he took out a large orb of crystal and placed it upon his podium.

Ying Guang downed the golden elixir in a single mouth and tossed it aside, the bottle clattering to the ground. He tossed his daughter the silver elixir, and she caught it effortlessly despite the weight.

"Drink it." he said.

Yingtao looked at the bottle in her hand and trembled. But she drank it in a single go as well, wiping the residue from her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Urgh..."

She seemed merely disgusted by the taste at first, but quickly, the sedative began to take effect. Yingtao began to sway as strength left her legs, but she gritted her teeth and stomped the ground, summoning a shroud of earth that engulfed her lower body and held her in place. Her eyes grew bloodshot and widened as much as they could open, trembling as she forced them to remain open.

Even as her body went completely limp, held up solely by rock, her painful breathing and red eyes showed she still clung to the realm of waking.

The elders murmured as they watched, surprised by how she could hold on. Were it not for her experience resisting the Spring Delusion Mantis, perhaps this would have been impossible.

Baiyun clenched his fists. Even for a warrior clan, wasn't it too far to force her to endure a soulsearch while awake? But a sudden revelation struck him.

No... could it be that Ying Guang was trying to abuse a loophole? Soulsearching demanded the target remain unconscious for good reason. It ensured the target could not resist and affect the siphoned memories!

He had heard tales of people who only feinted unconsciousness when faced with a soulsearch, so they could sabotage the process and hide away memories they did not want to be exposed!

His heart jumped. Was this what Ying Guang was after?

It seemed the rest of the clans were unaware of this. What were the chances Ying Guang somehow knowing of that? The Ying clan didn't even appear to specialise in soul arts!

He had to be overthinking it. It made no sense for Ying Guang to help him in this manner!

Ying Guang reached into the pouch and pulled out the last material. It was a hexagonal brass formation plate as thick as a dictionary, its front face covered in intricate formations and sigils. Its other face was blank, a thin needle the length of a finger jutting from its middle.

Baiyun's eyes constricted.

No. That couldn't possibly be a Mind Spike. No parent would use such a thing on their child!

It was the most barbaric possible way to soulsearch someone, a method usually only employed by demonic cultivators.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.