Countermeasures

Duan Beilou was initially surprised, then his face suddenly darkened.

Gu Qingxuan's performance was really stiff.

That cough, the timing of letting go, the action of picking up the token and turning it over and over—it was as if the word "slap in the face" was written all over his forehead.

This wasn't an accidental drop; it was clearly deliberately thrown out to embarrass him.

He chuckled dryly and said indifferently, "Very well, very well indeed. In such a short time, you've transformed yourself into Her Highness's person. You certainly have some skills."

He slowly rose from the armchair, his gaze fixed on Gu Qingxuan, before changing the subject: "However, as the Southern Garrison Commander, I am in charge of criminal investigation within the garrison. It is my duty to inquire about cases. Her Highness has always valued the law above all else, so I will ask a few questions according to the law. I believe Her Highness will not take offense..."

His face was amiable, but a strange, eerie blue light flickered in his eyes.

The light was extremely subtle, flashing only in the depths of his pupils. If one did not look closely, one would not be able to see anything at all. It was his signature technique, the "Soul Transfer and Mind Capture Technique"!

This secret technique originated from the Yin-Yang arts of the upper realm. After being directed, suppressed, and improved by the Southern Bureau over the generations, it does not search the soul or read the mind. Instead, it silently and imperceptibly crushes the opponent's will with its immense spiritual power, causing the recipient to reveal all their thoughts in a daze.

He stared coldly at Gu Qingxuan, enunciating each word clearly: "I would like to ask Young Master Gu, was tonight's event truly out of necessity, or was it a premeditated attempt to murder your wife?!"

In an instant!

Duan Beilou's eyes seemed to transform into two bottomless whirlpools!

An immense mental pressure pressed down through those eyes!

As heavy as a mountain, as imposing as a peak!

Like Wu Dingbang, Duan Beilou was also a peak master of the Innate Realm, having already opened up his Purple Mansion, cultivated his divine consciousness, and possessed a powerful divine soul.

Caught off guard, Gu Qingxuan let out a muffled groan, feeling the world spinning before his eyes, as if a mountain had fallen from the sky and pressed down on him. The invisible pressure made him want to kneel down and kowtow!

not good!

Gu Qingxuan cursed inwardly, gritted his teeth, straightened his back, and held on with all his might.

Wu Dingbang sensed something was wrong, and his sword aura suddenly erupted. He shouted in a deep voice, "Duan Beilou! He's someone His Highness wants to protect. Don't push your luck!"

Duan Beilou didn't even turn his head, his tone full of sarcasm: "Why is Commander Wu so angry? I was appointed Commander of the Southern Division by the recommendation of Her Majesty the Empress. I was merely inquiring according to the law about why he committed the murder. What, can't I even ask a question?"

His smile vanished, his gaze returning to Gu Qingxuan, and he snapped, "Speak!"

The command was given with the force of thunder.

Gu Qingxuan felt the mountain on his body suddenly become twice, three times, and then twice as heavy!

The blue brick ground beneath our feet seemed to be cracking and sinking.

His knees involuntarily bent an inch, and his bones creaked under the pressure.

This is a crushing defeat on a spiritual level; no matter how strong the physical body is, it cannot withstand it.

A dragon-elephant body can withstand a fist, but it cannot withstand this kind of pressure that directly affects the soul.

He gritted his teeth, stared intently at Duan Beilou, trying to memorize the man's appearance, straightened his back, and bulged the veins on his forehead.

Shen Xiaoxiao frowned, seeing him sweating profusely, and felt anxious. If he confessed, the nature of the case would change!

Wu Dingbang's face turned completely cold. The Empress and the eldest princess had always been at odds. The eldest princess had handed over Fengming Pavilion, which also meant that she was too lazy to compete with her for fame and fortune. Duan Beilou dared to be so blatant, so the Empress must have given him some instructions. He raised his sword and pointed it at her, his killing intent overflowing!

He is a businessman.

But if anyone dares to ignore his savior, he wouldn't mind adding more chips!

Just as Gu Qingxuan was about to grind his teeth to pieces.

A ray of blue light suddenly surged from his heart, traveling upwards along his meridians and straight into his Niwan Palace!

In that instant, it was as if a gentle breeze blew out from the depths of my consciousness, cleansing my entire body.

The oppressive feeling, the dizziness, and those mountains pressing down on my head vanished in an instant.

——【Heavenly Heart Lotus Seed】.

Gu Qingxuan suddenly realized the origin of this power.

The book "Shan Hai Xuan Jian" says that there is a Heavenly Heart Lotus Seed hidden in the Heavenly Secret Token. He thought he had missed it before, but it turns out that the lotus seed had already burrowed into his heart through his finger the moment he opened the Heavenly Secret Token and taken deep root.

"It has a remarkable effect on suppressing inner demons arising from cultivation"—that's what it says in the notes.

He now understood that it was not just inner demons, but the Heavenly Heart Lotus was the nemesis of all mental attacks. Any external divine consciousness that invaded would be blocked outside the sea of ​​consciousness by the lotus petals. Not only that, but it could also rebound even more strongly!

Gu Qingxuan looked coldly at Duan Beilou, and the blue light suddenly reflected out through his eyes!

Duan Beilou was waiting for Gu Qingxuan to admit it, while keeping a watchful eye on Wu Dingbang, when suddenly his pupils contracted sharply. His soul-shifting and mind-controlling power seemed to have hit an invisible wall, bouncing back with interest!

It was violently reflected into his own sea of ​​consciousness!

A sharp pain exploded from between his eyebrows, as if someone were stabbing his head with a red-hot iron spike!

Duan Beilou groaned, staggered backward, his head throbbing with pain, and was greatly alarmed.

How is this possible?!

The Mind Control Technique does indeed carry the risk of backfiring, but Gu Qingxuan is only at the first level of the Acquired Realm and hasn't even developed his divine sense yet. Even with his dragon-elephant body, how could he possibly withstand his mental attacks?

What's wrong with this kid?

Wu Dingbang was about to make his move when he saw Wu's pale face and a thought struck him.

Gu Qingxuan seized the moment when Duan Beilou was shaken to his core, looked at him, and asked coldly, "Lord Duan, I killed Xie Tinghe in self-defense! But I wonder if your lord's drastic measures tonight, your determination to kill me, are for the sake of the law—or to give Marquis Dingyuan an explanation?"

Alarm bells rang in Duan Beilou's mind. He desperately tried to shut up, but the backlash hadn't subsided yet, and the defenses in his mind were riddled with holes. That voice was like an iron hook, forcibly pulling out the truth he had been suppressing in his heart. He blurted out, "Marquis Dingyuan..."

He only uttered those three words before suddenly realizing what he had said and quickly shut his mouth.

But it's too late.

The dozens of imperial guards present, including those from both the Northern and Southern Divisions, all heard it clearly.

The streets were quiet, and the crackling of the burning torches could be clearly heard.

All eyes turned to Duan Beilou's face, their expressions varied.

Gu Qingxuan sneered, "You keep saying 'the law doesn't tolerate sentimentality'... that sounds nice, but Lord Duan, it's not shameful to take money and do things for others; what's shameful is taking money and then pretending to be an honest official, only to be exposed in public—all three combined make me feel ashamed for you!"

"you!"

Duan Beilou's face instantly turned extremely ugly. The dignity he had maintained for half his life was torn to shreds by these few light words, leaving not even a fig leaf behind!

Shen Xiaoxiao stood aside, secretly clicking her tongue, thinking to herself that this guy had a really sharp tongue, but it was quite satisfying.

Wu Dingbang stood with his hands behind his back and calmly replied, "Commander Duan, rest assured, I will relay those three words to His Majesty word for word!"

Duan Beilou suddenly turned his head and stared at Wu Dingbang, his gaze like a poisoned knife, the veins on his temples throbbing, but he couldn't utter a single word.

What could he say?

He came in a big way tonight, carrying the name of the Southern Division Inspector, thinking he could teach Wu Dingbang a lesson and do Xie Jiantang a huge favor. But not only did he fail, he also lost face...

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, suppressed his rage and humiliation, and said coldly, "Fine, very well! Wu Dingbang, we'll see!"

He whirled around, kicked over the armchair in front of him, and shouted, "Go!"

The Southern Cavalry, as if waking from a dream, followed their garrison commander, looking disheveled, and disappeared at the end of the long street.

Wu Dingbang watched the Southern Division's men depart, exhaled a breath of stale air, and turned to Gu Qingxuan, his eyes full of admiration: "Duan Beilou's Mind-Controlling Technique is the Southern Division's unparalleled skill. He has interrogated countless stubborn and serious criminals without ever failing. My nephew, you are only at the Acquired Realm, yet you not only withstood it but also inflicted a great loss on him. This is no longer a matter of willpower..."

He didn't delve into the reasons; everyone has their own secrets. He patted Gu Qingxuan on the shoulder and said, "After this incident, he certainly won't dare to interfere in this matter easily again, but it's difficult to punish him based on just these three words."

Gu Qingxuan nodded.

Looking across the world, there are very few martial artists who can reach the peak of the Innate Realm. How can they be severely punished just because of their improper conduct?

It's unrealistic to expect to escalate the issue based on these three words.

Ultimately, dignity is something you have to earn through your own abilities!

He thought that with the Dragon-Elephant Body and the Thirty-Two Vajra Treasure Image Skill, he could rest easy as long as he practiced diligently. Who knew that first there was Jiang Nihuang dancing with her sword under the moon, and then Duan Beilou captivating him with a single glance. His strength and skills were far inferior. The most urgent task was to improve his realm as soon as possible!

He composed himself and said to Wu Dingbang, "Lord Wu, there's no need to worry. I'll take Qingluo back first."

Wu Dingbang asked, "Where are you going?"

Gu Qingxuan choked.

He then remembered that Gu Dingyuan's title of Marquis of Suning was a title that was not hereditary, and his official residence was a bestowed residence. Moreover, the original owner of this body had already married into the family, and the Marquis's mansion had long been taken back. In such a vast capital city, there was really no place to settle down.

Shen Xiaoxiao said from the side, "Come with me. I know a place that's far from the Marquis's residence but close to the Garrison Command. It's big enough and safe enough."

These points she mentioned are exactly what Gu Qingxuan needs right now.

He subconsciously touched his pocket, only to find it empty, without even a single copper coin. A rare hint of embarrassment crossed his face: "It doesn't need to be too nice."

Wu Dingbang smiled, and Shen Xiaoxiao couldn't help but chuckle as well. She glanced at him and said sourly, "With your ability to find treasures, you don't need to wrong yourself. That place belongs to my friend, who asked me to resell it. The price is very fair. I'll lend you a thousand taels first, and you can pay me back when you've made your money."

One thousand taels of silver, at the current market price, is enough to buy a two-courtyard house in the capital, or to rent a three-courtyard mansion in a good location for five or six years.

If one does not acquire property and only uses the money for food, clothing, and daily necessities, it is enough for an ordinary family to live comfortably for twenty years.

Gu Qingxuan nodded: "Then thank you very much."

Shen Xiaoxiao turned to Wu Dingbang and said, "My lord, we shall take our leave now."

Wu Dingbang nodded: "Don't forget to report for duty tomorrow. As for your position as a centurion, nephew... let's assign him to Commander Shen's command. That way, we can look out for each other, and he can also help you look at that case from before."

Gu Qingxuan looked at Shen Xiaoxiao. Their first meeting hadn't been very pleasant, but judging from tonight's events, she wasn't a bad person. At least when Duan Beilou made trouble, she was genuinely worried for him.

Shen Xiaoxiao clasped her hands in a fist and said, "Yes."

Gu Qingxuan replied, "This humble servant obeys."