Heavenly God City
As the capital of God Race territory, it had always housed an enormous population, and the flow of traffic both in and out was the largest in all of the God Realm. And yet, as the Three Realms’ Battle of Geniuses went on, the city actually grew colder.
Although there were still people scurrying about and new, suspicious experts lurking about the streets, the city didn’t seem to be bustling the way it had in the past. Rather, an oppressive, heavy air had engulfed the entire city.
“It seems the situation isn’t as optimistic as we’d thought.”
Ye Zichen had only just arrived through Skyspan City’s transfer formation. None of the scenarios he’d imagined en route had come true. The yao and demons hadn’t invaded while he was Outside. Yet even so, the atmosphere in Heavenly God City was decidedly pessimistic.
There were uniformed guards all over the place. They all held their weapons aloft and patrolled the streets on high alert.
From the city streets to the skies above, everywhere was full of patrolling soldiers.
But that wasn’t all. As soon as they appeared in the formation, they felt numerous presences, all of them at least at the diviner level, locking onto them. It was as if they were trying to see through them and discern their identity. However, as their auras drew near, Pu Jingwan cut them off completely.
“The people here sure are rude!” After cutting off the divine senses trying to spy on them, Pu Jingwan furrowed her brows in displeasure. Spying on someone with your divine sense was no different from stripping them n.a.k.e.d; it was a blatant invasion of privacy.
She furrowed her brows and crossed her arms, only for a group of guards to approach. Given their fierce, focused intensity, it seemed the guards were headed right their way.
“Stop!” shouted a man, a guard armed to the teeth. He was covered in head to toe in armor, but his eyes were visible. It seemed he was middle-aged at least. Of course, no cultivators of the Divine Mountains were truly young. Still, it seemed the guard wasn’t considered a member of the younger generation.
“Please show your ID,” said the man, his hand already outstretched. His tone was polite, albeit barely. Ye Zichen handed over his crystal card casually.
“And you too….” the guard pointed at Pu Jingwan. This put Ye Zichen in a bit of a tight spot.
Only people of the Divine Mountains had crystal cards. Pu Jingwan was an outsider. How could she possibly have one?
“We’re here from Skyspan City, but she left her card at home,” explained Ye Zichen.
“Then we must apologize, but your friend will have to come with us,” said the captain of the guards. As he spoke, his subordinates surrounded them.
“Can’t you see that we’re gods too?” Ye Zichen furrowed his brows.
“We can’t determine your identities without crystal cards. Little Brother, stay in your lane. We’re acting on orders. If your friend truly left her crystal card in Skyspan City, we can naturally confirm her identity some other way and let her leave unhindered. If it turns out she didn’t…We have your information too, now, so you’ll need to come spend some time with us too,” said the captain of the guards.
It’s this strict now? A hint of seriousness flashed across Ye Zichen’s face.
For the capital to take things this far proved that the relationship between the Upper Three Realms had shifted.
Otherwise, the gods would never have sent so many troops to patrol the city.
Nor would they have the guards stop Pu Jingwan, who was obviously a human.
“Do You suspect my friend is a demon?” asked Ye Zichen.
“We don’t suspect her, exactly, but we need to make certain. She doesn’t have a god’s crystal card, does she? You ought to know that too. If you want to prove her identity, you’d best come with us,” said the guard, still trying to sound friendly.
“Then why can all those yao and demons walk around unimpeded? My friend just didn’t bring her card, yet you're targeting her just for that? How about you just see her as a demon or yao and let her go?” said Ye Zichen.
“Are….you sure?” The guard’s tone suddenly slowed, and as the last word left his lips, both Ye Zichen and Pu Jingwan felt his aura intensify. His kind explanation grew sharp and edged. “If you’re trying to say your friend is a yao or demon, then can you explain why she’s pretending to be a member of the god race? And why you…. Tried to hide and protect her? Why did you lie and say she left her crystal card back in Skyspan City? What are you trying to pull?”
Ye Zichen suddenly recalled the demons he’d encountered who could disguise their presences. He’d had their corpses sent back to Skyspan Academy. Could it be that the gods had uncovered something, and that this was why they were on such high alert against “gods” without their crystal cards?
Ye Zichen couldn’t help but curse himself for misspeaking. He’d almost forgotten that demons could disguise their auras.
After what he’d just said, there was nothing he could say to fix the situation. The more he explained, the worse it would seem.
He’d just said that to cooperate with their job and avoid proving her identity.
Now it seemed that he had no choice but to prove it.
“Don’t overthink things. My friend is absolutely not a demon or yao, I was just saying things,” said Ye Zichen. The guard looked at him coolly.
Ye Zichen took in a deep breath and said, “I’m not who you think I am either….”
“I’m not ‘thinking’ anything. You’re the one telling lies and stirring up trouble. All I’m doing is my job. If she has a card, she’s free to go. Yao and demons have their own districts. If she’s a god without a crystal card, she has to come with us,” said the guard, not leaving them the slightest leeway.
“Fine, fine, I guess I was just being paranoid.” Ye Zichen laughed appeasingly, then shrugged. “But honestly, there’s really no need for this. You guys…. Don’t you know who I am?”
“My apologies, but no matter who you are, your friend doesn’t have a crystal card, so she needs to come with us and undergo an investigation.” The guard no longer wasted words. He glanced at his subordinates, who all gathered around Pu Jingwan.
Sky supremes.
The guards were all peak sky supremes at the very least, and their leader was a diviner. Their collective strength wasn’t bad at all.
But they’d bumped into Pu Jingwan. Ordinary rulers couldn’t survive ten rounds with her!
Practically the exact second they moved, Ye Zichen stopped holding Pu Jingwan back. She’d said nothing all this time. She now glowered fiercely and waved her hand. She didn’t touch the guards directly; not even the hems of her clothes made contact. And yet, they were all sent flying.
