After the path was cut off

Chapter 22 The Farce in the General Affairs Department

It was late at night.

Not a single lamp in the General Affairs Hall was extinguished. The files on the table were spread out, and several jade slips for communication were lined up in a row. From time to time, a spiritual light would flash, making the entire side hall flicker with light.

Shen Bai sat behind his desk, looking down at a newly delivered jade slip.

Ding Ding Ding-

A series of hurried footsteps approached. The boy ran in, still breathless, and said urgently:

"Master, something terrible has happened!"

"At the banquet at Seventh Peak, Gu Chenglan publicly declared that seating arrangements would be divided, and Seventh Peak did not object. Less than half an hour after the banquet, Liu Ruyan began spreading rumors that Seventh Peak was willing to bid for land on behalf of others, on a first-come, first-served basis—"

Shen Bai hummed in response, his gaze remaining fixed on the jade slip, without even raising his head.

The boy paused, then his voice became even more urgent:

"Master, did you hear that? The bidding for the sacred land is going to turn into chaos!"

Shen Bai then gently put down the jade slip and raised his hand to rub his temples.

"Did you sneak off to the small banquet at Seventh Peak?"

The boy's expression froze.

Shen Bai glanced at him, his tone indifferent:

"Do you need to report this? This news was already on my desk a quarter of an hour ago."

He tapped the jade slip next to him with his fingertip, and it glowed faintly.

"I also know that the First Peak has already made a move, visiting each one in turn and making pressure on them one by one."

"Inquiries and letters have been sent from the third, fifth, and sixth peaks. The questions are all similar—if it really becomes a competition between two parties in the future, will the General Affairs Department still preside over the bidding according to the old rules?"

Upon hearing this, the boy's face paled.

"What...what should we do?"

"If we really mess this up, the adults will blame us—"

Shen Bai looked up at him.

"If you were me, what would you do?"

The boy was taken aback, and blurted out:

"I request your approval, Your Excellency."

Shen Bai's eyes suddenly sharpened.

"What's the solution?"

"You're passing the buck to the adults."

"Then what's the point of having me as the Palace Master?"

The boy was so taken aback by this remark that his face flushed. After stammering for a moment, he forced himself to say:

"Then... let's change the rules. We'll no longer determine the order based on the level of one's immortal cultivation—"

Shen Bai interrupted him directly.

"The event is scheduled to begin the day after tomorrow. If you change the rules now, how will the General Affairs Department convince the public?"

Sweat was already visible on the boy's forehead.

"Then let's postpone it..."

Shen Bai. "Refuse? The bidding for the sacred land was decided by the Third Prince. Now they're changing the time, and you want me to persuade the Lord? Do you think the Lord will listen to me?"

"Then immediately ban the lending of immortal techniques among disciples!"

Shen Bai nodded slightly.

"feasible."

"But the effect is limited. While it's possible to prevent the transfer of immortal techniques, how can one prevent others from holding them on one's behalf or secretly placing bets?"

The boy opened his mouth, then hurriedly said:

"Then we'll lock in the spots. No more new people will be allowed to register."

Shen Bai's eyes flickered slightly.

Just as he was about to speak again, a sudden burst of chaotic footsteps sounded outside.

Heavier and more than before.

Immediately afterwards, a steward hurried inside, his expression tense, and whispered:

"Palace Master, Du Heng from the Third Peak has brought people here, saying he wants to ask for an explanation in person."

The boy's heart skipped a beat.

"So fast?"

Shen Bai's expression showed little change; he simply said:

"please."

The steward was taken aback.

"Now?"

Shen Bai looked up at him.

"Otherwise what?"

Just as the steward was about to take his leave, several figures burst into the main hall.

The leader was none other than Du Heng.

He had just returned from a small banquet and hadn't rested for a moment.

After bowing, he didn't exchange many pleasantries and went straight to the point:

"Lord Shen."

"The situation outside is already so chaotic, I only have one question—will the General Affairs Department still proceed with the bidding the day after tomorrow?"

Shen Bai looked at him, his tone calm.

"manage."

Du Heng frowned slightly.

"According to the old rules?"

"According to the old rules."

The expressions of the people behind Du Heng changed slightly, and one of them couldn't help but take half a step forward:

"But now both the First Peak and the Seventh Peak have begun to aggressively gather immortal techniques. If we continue with the old rules, wouldn't that just allow the two peaks to divide the spoils?"

Shen Bai looked at the person, his voice still gentle, yet carrying weight:

That's their business.

"The General Affairs Department oversees the bidding process, not the people's hearts."

The man was about to speak again, but Du Heng stopped him with a raised hand.

Then, he actually laughed.

"What a 'lack of host's heart'!"

"Lord Shen, you put it quite clearly."

He took half a step forward, and his tone gradually became more subdued.

"Who doesn't know that you, Shen Bai, come from Duoling Peak? Who doesn't know which peak Gu Chenggang came from?"

"As the head of the General Affairs Hall, you colluded with Duoling Peak and Tianzhu Peak to manipulate the bidding for spiritual land. Do you really think the Tianxuan Sect is your own family?"

"If your General Affairs Department cannot provide an explanation—"

"Then Mr. Du went to the law enforcement peak to demand an explanation."

The side hall fell silent for a moment.

Shen Bai sat behind his desk, looked at Du Heng for a moment, and then suddenly smiled.

"Junior Brother Du."

"You've also paid your respects at the gate of Duoling Peak, haven't you?"

Du Heng's expression froze instantly.

Shen Bai, however, acted as if he hadn't seen it and continued speaking slowly and deliberately:

"Not just the capture of Lingfeng."

"Jade Return Peak, Heavenly Pillar Peak, and the other true disciple peaks—you, Du Heng, haven't missed a single one."

"What's wrong?"

"Unable to gain support themselves, they turn around and cause trouble in my General Affairs Hall?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the people behind Du Heng changed.

Everyone had done these things in private, but no one expected Shen Bai to so casually bring them up here.

Du Heng's eyes immediately turned cold.

"Shen Bai, I've come today not only to deliver a speech, but also to give you a warning."

"If I, Du Heng, cannot obtain support today and cannot purchase a satisfactory spiritual land, I can simply continue to endure in the sect for a few more years."

"Your Shen Bai is different."

"If this bidding process gets out of control and turns into a farce of the top disciples vying for power—"

"You can't escape being the head of the General Affairs Hall."

Goodbye.

After saying this, he bowed respectfully, turned around and left, even more swiftly than when he came.

After the group from the Third Peak left, the boy finally let out a long breath, and a thin layer of sweat had already formed on his back.

Shen Bai, however, acted as if nothing had happened and turned his gaze back to the table.

Write it down.

The boy was taken aback, then quickly picked up his pen.

Shen Bai spoke slowly, but each sentence was extremely clear:

"Firstly, starting from midnight tonight, the number of places available for bidding will be locked, and the newspaper will no longer accept applications."

"Secondly, all immortal cultivation techniques will be verified ahead of schedule. A preliminary review will be completed by noon tomorrow, and subsequently, the lending of immortal cultivation techniques between disciples will be frozen."

Thirdly, regional bidding.

"Disperse all the registered participants, draw lots again, and divide them into three venues."

"The three auctions will be held simultaneously and isolated from each other. During the bidding period, bidders are not allowed to switch venues, change areas, or communicate privately."

"Fourth, the number of seats in the venue, including those for guards, attendants, and backup, will all be doubled."

Fifthly—

He paused here before continuing:

"Go and invite the two vice hall masters to come over tonight."

The boy memorized it quickly, and the more he memorized, the more uneasy he felt.

Only after the last stroke was completed did he cautiously look up at Shen Bai.

"Master..."

"Can these methods really suppress the problem?"

Shen Bai remained silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled softly.

Whether or not it can be suppressed, it has to be suppressed first.

"If the General Affairs Department can't even put on a proper show, what are you planning to say when the higher-ups ask?"

The boy was speechless for a moment.

Shen Bai picked up the jade slip on the table again, his expression returning to normal.

"Go."

"I'm going to be busy tonight."

The boy quickly agreed, grabbed the roll of paper filled with notes, and ran off.

The lights in the side hall were still on.

One after another, the jade slips for communication continued to light up on the table, as if they would never stop.

Shen Bai leaned back in his chair, gazing at the flickering lights, remaining motionless for a long time.

After a long while, he finally let out a soft sigh.

It seemed like helplessness.

It also seemed like they found it somewhat amusing.