General Lucius Aurelius, neatly dressed but forced to kneel, spoke defiantly.
"Master Bai Huo, you are a great scholar, revered by thousands, yet you cannot distinguish right from wrong, striking down a mere junior. You, with your treacherous heart, appear noble on the outside but strike secretly like a coward. You have sullied the integrity of a scholar. My emperor will not let this pass."
From atop a tree, Master Bai Hua calmly replied, "I, a great scholar, have never laid a hand on your junior. You all act with suspicious coordination. And you, as an elder, speak with vulgarity. It seems I must first teach a lesson to this greedy man who loves to falsely accuse others."
...
Moments later, General Lucius Aurelius sat leaning against a tree, his breath heavy, eyes unfocused, seemingly lost in a daze.
Standing nearby, Master Bai Hua remarked, "Rest here and reflect on my lesson. There's no need for further struggle."
...
Meanwhile, five miles away in the forest, Arthur Sterling looked around.
"Uncle! Where are you taking me? Where is this place?"
Looking at his tattered clothes and aching body from the rushed escape, he was most concerned about the looming false accusation that could cost him his life.
"I, Arthur Sterling, have never been in such a dire situation."
Inside, he wanted to scream.
"I'm truly innocent! I want to declare my innocence... but I feel like that man doesn't care what I say. He just wants to capture and dissect me. His gaze is terrifying. I need to find a way back to the city immediately."
A voice from behind called out.
"Young master, why the rush? Come back and greet my master before you go. It's impolite otherwise."
Chasing after him was a man, dressed as a scholar but sturdy and muscular, with a long scar across his face. This man was definitely not good news.
Arthur muttered, "Don't force me..."
The pursuer stood firm, his eyes glowing unnaturally in the night.
"Young master, we mean no harm. You must be mistaken."
Knowing he couldn't defeat the man, Arthur Sterling retreated, saying, "You're forcing me... The treasure isn't with me! It truly isn't! You must believe me!"
"Enough of this nonsense. Hand it over... or rather, hand everything over! Treasures are for the worthy, not fools. Know your place!"
Suddenly, a flash of light streaked past.
"Who's there?"
In an instant, the pursuer's body was sliced into three parts, collapsing to the ground.
A group of soldiers arrived.
"Sir, this is the Moonlight Kingdom. Attacking one of our own is highly improper."
Arthur Sterling thought, 'Soldiers of the Moonlight Empire. I'm saved!'
He approached, bowing, "Thank you, kind general, for saving me. May I ask for your esteemed name? I will repay your kindness someday."
The commanding officer, looking hurried, helped him up.
"Names can wait. The treasure is important. Hand it over so I can safeguard it and present it to the emperor. The credit will still be yours. Hurry, time is pressing."
Arthur Sterling stared in silence. "You've misunderstood. I need to explain."
"Actually..."
Before he could finish, the world spun, and everything went dark.
The commanding officer, now looking irritated, ordered his subordinates, "Stubborn fool. Strip him and search for the treasure. We don't have much time."
In an instant, all of Arthur's belongings were laid out neatly on the ground in a clear line.
"Report! We found a suspicious item. Please inspect it, Guardian."
It was a black flag with a large tiger symbol. While it appeared ordinary, to a master at the Nascent Soul level who understood the laws of heaven and earth, this flag contained a hidden, domineering will, refined so carefully that it would go unnoticed unless held directly.
"No need to search further. Pack everything and take him to Shadow Origin Citadel. Move out."
...
On Master Bai Hua's side
After interrogating the group, he asked, "So, this squad was merely hunting bandits? Ba Long is dead... By whom?"
When Master Bai Hua arrived, only faint traces of blood remained, barely noticeable. The scene had been thoroughly cleaned, leaving no evidence.
At that moment, a subordinate approached.
"Report! We've spotted troops from Shadow Origin Citadel. They have clashed with soldiers of the Moonlight Empire."
"Quick, let's go!"
In a dense forest fifteen miles north of Strong Bull Mountain, Master Bai Hua arrived to find the lord of Wolfspire City in tears, overwhelmed with anger and sorrow.
"White Guardian, return my son's belongings! Have some decency. You shamelessly stripped him. What's the meaning of this? Do you intend to rob him of both wealth and dignity? How could someone of your stature do such a thing?"
Just then, the commanding General Aurelius Brightblade of the Lunar Legion of July interrupted with his powerful voice, cutting off the lamenting cries.
"This place is now encircled by my forces. You cannot escape. Shadow Origin Citadel must give us and the emperor a clear explanation this time."
Dominic Sterling, looking despondent, added, "General, you must seek justice for my son. How could that man commit such an atrocious act? My poor boy."
Dominic Sterling glanced at his son.
Under the tree, Arthur Sterling clung to a blanket wrapped around his naked body, his entire being in pain, numb and dazed, staring blankly at the figures within the barrier.
Seeing this, Dominic Sterling grew even more bitter and turned to General Aurelius Brightblade, pleading, "General, this man is stubborn and guilty of heinous crimes. Please throw him into prison for trial."
At that moment, Master Bai Hua spoke up.
"Hold on. This man killed a commander, one of our loyal officers. We need to take him back to face justice under the laws of the Van Thinh Kingdom. Please hand him over."
Aurelius Brightblade responded, "I am a general of the Lunar Legion of July. Today, I must take him with me. If you're here to visit, you're welcome, but if you insist on taking him from me, I'm afraid I cannot comply."