Chapter 166: Human Sovereign Hall Subdivision

In the dark and gloomy dungeon, the only light came from the oil lamp on the wall. A few silhouettes stretched long and short across the stone surface.

“Brother Ma, Sister-in-law, you got locked up too?” Zhang Konghu sounded excited. Who would’ve thought he’d run into colleagues in here? What’s that saying again?
A familiar face in a foreign land.

Marshal Ma and his wife sat in another cell, separated from Zhang Konghu by thick wooden bars.

“You’re… Konghu?” Zhang Konghu had disguised his appearance, so the Ma couple didn’t recognize him at first. It was only his tone that gave him away.

Zhang Konghu nodded vigorously.
“It’s me.”

Marshal Ma and his wife were filled with regret. Even someone as simple as Zhang Konghu knew to disguise himself before going out. Why on earth had they dared to sell books in their real appearance?

“You actually knew to change your looks?”

“I learned it from Brother Jiang. Brother Jiang often goes out in disguise to observe the real Nine Provinces. I figured, as a Commander, I should follow his example, so I did the same.”

Ouch. Right in the heart, Konghu.

“I was arrested because I said ‘let’s talk tomorrow,’ and that broke the taboo of the word ‘ming.’ Is that why you two are in here too?”

“P-p-pretty much.” The Ma couple avoided his gaze, not daring to look into Zhang Konghu’s sincere eyes.

“You know how we often write little essays and reflections and then compile and sell them. I guess that violated Great Yong’s taboos, so we got thrown in here.” Commander Zhuo had a literary touch—even now, he spoke so tactfully.

“Exactly, exactly.” Commander Ma nodded. “Our books are really popular. Other books get critiqued left and right, but ours? Everyone says ‘Thank you, Author, for your hard work.’”

“I see. Great Yong is truly despicable, arresting even literary writers like you!” Zhang Konghu said angrily. He didn’t know what kind of books they sold, but he was sure they wouldn’t lie to him. They had to be amazing authors.

“Brother, what got you locked up?” There were two people per cell. A young cultivator was sharing a cell with Zhang Konghu.

He was just a newbie, only at the sixth level of Qi Refining.

“An official stopped me on the street and said we weren’t allowed to say ‘ming.’ I said I understood.”

Zhang Konghu paused a moment before realizing why he was arrested.

“Oh.”

“But it’s fine. I have a brother—he’ll come save me.” The young cultivator didn’t seem worried at all. “Let me tell you, Big Bro—I have a brother named Little Mu. He’s definitely from some big clan out traveling. He knows all sorts of crazy stuff and magic. Once he finds out I’m in here, he’ll totally come for me.”

Just as he said that, a figure phased through the wall and appeared in the dungeon.

“Ah Yan, I’ve come to rescue you.”

“Little Mu, you really came!”

The two brothers embraced warmly, like long-lost kin reuniting after a brush with death.

“Little Mu, can you get this big brother out too? He’s innocent as well.”

“Of course, of course. This place is nothing to me.” Little Mu said proudly. This feeling of being relied on—it felt great.

“Brother Mu, long time no see.” Zhang Konghu greeted Little Mu politely.

In the next cell over, Marshal Ma and his wife also greeted him, “Commander Mu, long time no see.”

Little Mu froze on the spot.
Why the hell were Zhang Konghu and the Ma couple here?

Counting him, that made four of the six Human Sovereign Hall Commanders present.
Was this… a meeting?

Commander Mu liked hanging around junior cultivators and pretending to be a mysterious expert. He never imagined he’d run into his colleagues while doing his act—much less three of them.

“Konghu, I’m here to save you!” an urgent voice came from above. The air grew heavy and oppressive, making everyone instinctively think the worst.

“Konghu, are you stupid? Why stay locked up in here? With your skills, you could escape anytime!” As Zhang Konghu’s only friend among the Fusion Stage cultivators, this man had rushed here in a panic after hearing Zhang Konghu was captured by that b***ard Great Yong.

“No, I’m not leaving.” Zhang Konghu shook his head firmly, rejecting the idea. “If I run, doesn’t that make me a fugitive? That means I’m admitting guilt.”

“I’m not leaving.”

“The Yong Emperor is clearly being ridiculous issuing that kind of decree. Why play along with his mistake?” The Fusion Stage cultivator didn’t get it.

“He’s the Emperor of a nation. He can’t be wrong.”

“…So you’re the one who’s wrong?”

“I’m not wrong either.”

“If neither of you is wrong, why are you locked up?”

“I don’t know. I’m trying to figure that out.” Zhang Konghu shook his head stubbornly. “I’m not leaving until I understand.”

The Fusion cultivator covered his face. Why had Commander Liu given Zhang Konghu those philosophy books to read?

Now look what happened—he used to be just a simple man. Now he was a stubborn simple man. You couldn’t even talk sense into him.

The Fusion cultivator growled, “Of all five Commanders, you’re the only one actually working. The rest of us are just loafing around. If you don’t leave, how is Brother Jiang supposed to patrol the Nine Provinces by himself?”

No sooner had he said that than he felt three cold stares lock onto him from behind.

“Commander Huang, long time no see.” Commander Mu quickly greeted him with enthusiasm.

“Commander Huang, long time no see.” Marshal Ma and his wife smiled warmly.

The Fusion cultivator froze, glancing stiffly at Commander Mu, then turning to the next cell, where the Ma couple greeted him so kindly.

He crouched in a corner, deep in thought.

“Why is it nothing I ever do goes smoothly? What’s the point of living anyway? Fame and fortune are fleeting. Life is hardship after hardship. Even venting in jail, badmouthing colleagues behind their backs… I still get caught…”

The Human Sovereign Hall had five Fusion Stage Commanders. At this moment, all five were gathered here.

Hearing noise outside the cell, Commander Mu and Commander Huang vanished from sight.

“Get in there!” came the arrogant voice of the constable outside.

“We finally got three more—quota met.” The constable let out a breath of relief. Rumor was the Yong Emperor would be inspecting soon, and higher-ups had ordered that enough people be detained to show results, even if they had to fake the numbers.

Originally, this many arrests weren’t necessary, but the Yong Emperor always thought everyone was against him. So the local officials started inventing reasons to detain people just to meet his expectations.

“Sir, I’m just a fruit vendor!”

“Yeah, me too! Please, sir, I’ve been selling flatbread for over a decade—I’d never dare talk bad about His Majesty! And this guy just came to buy one, he wouldn’t say anything either!”

The constables ignored their pleas and locked them all up.

“There aren’t enough cells.” After putting in the fruit seller and the flatbread vendor, they saw there was nowhere to put the flatbread eater.

“Squeeze him in here.” They threw the flatbread eater into Zhang Konghu’s cell.

“Well damn, this place is packed.”

Jiang Li stepped into the cell and saw Zhang Konghu, Marshal Ma and his wife, and the hidden Commander Mu and Commander Huang.

They were never able to gather everyone normally. Who would’ve thought a dungeon could pull it off?

Great Yong’s dungeon—also known as the Human Sovereign Hall’s Sub-Hall.