NOVEL NEXT Chapter 443: Promotion to Squad Leader
Once Tang Lie was captured, the remaining remnants of Firecloud Sect were quickly wiped out by the formidable strength of the Judge Army. Of the entire Firecloud Sect—including elders and disciples, totaling over a thousand—only Tang Lie, the rebel leader, survived, as he was to be escorted to Dark City Headquarters for judgment by the Dark Tribunal itself. The events at Firecloud Sect would soon reach every corner of Southriver and nearby territories, sending a powerful warning to those who dared resist the Dark Hall's rule.
This victory added yet another chapter to the Judge Army's storied record, further solidifying the infamous reputation of the Dark Tribunal.
The Judge Army took over the Firecloud Sect's main hall, which now served as a temporary meeting space, given that the Sect's original members had all perished.
"Lan Yan, what are the casualties for our Judge Army after the suppression of Firecloud Sect?"
At the head of the hall sat Zhong Kui, the Judge Army Battalion Leader. As the highest-ranking officer for this mission, he was responsible for assessing their losses post-battle.
Four people in purple sword-marked masks sat beneath him, the Judge Army's four squad leaders, each at the peak of the Life Profound Realm. Surprisingly, two regular Judge Guards—each wearing black sword masks—were also present. These two were none other than Lin Langtian and Qingtan.
Both were invited without objection from Zhong Kui or the squad leaders, given Qingtan's status as the Dark Hall leader's disciple and the crucial contributions they both made during the campaign. Outside of Zhong Kui, who fought the rebellious Tang Lie, Lin Langtian and Qingtan had played the greatest roles in this victory. In particular, Lin Langtian had prevented severe losses; without his intervention against the half-step Death Profound Blood Puppet, Qingtan's life, along with those of many others in the Judge Army, would have been at risk. Their presence was widely respected.
"Sir, in the campaign to destroy Firecloud Sect, we lost a total of 18 Judge Guards and one Squad Leader. Additionally, 28 guards sustained serious injuries, and 72 suffered minor injuries."
Even through her dark clothing, Lan Yan's graceful form was evident as she stood to make her report.
"Hmm, 18 guards and a Squad Leader…" Zhong Kui's brow furrowed slightly. For a battalion of only 400 members, these losses were significant.
Shaking his head, he continued, "The losses were heavy, but dying in service of the Tribunal is the highest honor for a Judge Guard. As Battalion Leader, I take pride in their sacrifice."
After a pause, Zhong Kui turned to another squad leader. "Zhao Gang, has the Firecloud Sect treasury been fully secured? Reserve a portion as compensation for our fallen soldiers, and distribute the rest among the men."
"Yes, sir!"
The stocky squad leader Zhao Gang quickly stood, responding with a bow.
"Compensation and spoils…" Lin Langtian, seated at the end of the table, raised an eyebrow, silently reflecting on the Judge Army's surprisingly thorough system of rewards. Since arriving in the Sky Profound Continent, he hadn't seen anything quite like it.
He had assumed that the sect's entire treasury would be sent back to Dark Hall headquarters. After all, Firecloud Sect—Southriver's primary power—had accumulated countless cultivation resources and treasures over centuries. Yet, with one order from Zhong Kui, it would all be divided among the soldiers. It was clear now why many Dark Hall disciples, despite the risks, still aimed to join the Judge Army.
The Judge Army relied on "war for wealth" strategies, where the spoils of each campaign were kept by the soldiers, rather than being surrendered to headquarters. This high risk-to-reward ratio allowed for swift advancement and was an ideal environment for combat enthusiasts to hone their skills.
While Lin Langtian pondered, Lan Yan once again stood, her bright eyes focused on Zhong Kui. "Sir, the Squad Leader who died belonged to my Third Squad. Have you selected a candidate to replace them?"
"A replacement for the Squad Leader?" Zhong Kui mused, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "Since it's for the Third Squad, have you considered a recommendation?"
Lan Yan gave a faint smile and nodded. "Yes, I do have someone in mind."
"And who would that be?" Zhong Kui inquired, nodding in acknowledgment.
"As a matter of fact…" Lan Yan paused, looking toward the two Judge Guards seated at the end of the table. "I propose… Lady Qingtan."
"Lady Qingtan…"
The other three squad leaders stared, glancing collectively at the calm figure seated at the end of the table. None of them had expected Lan Yan to suggest Qingtan, considering that she had only recently joined the Judge Army. Wasn't this promotion too fast?
Even Zhong Kui looked surprised, his brows knitting slightly. While Qingtan was indeed the Hall Leader's disciple, she was officially a regular Judge Guard. Lan Yan's suggestion bordered on favoritism, something the Dark Tribunal was known to strictly forbid.
Lin Langtian also raised an eyebrow, looking at Lan Yan, who exuded the charm of a seasoned woman. He wondered if she genuinely felt Qingtan was suitable for Squad Leader, or if she was merely currying favor—or perhaps both.
Turning to Qingtan, he noticed her expression was calm and unaffected, as if completely detached from the conversation, like a bystander.
Lan Yan, noticing Zhong Kui's furrowed brow, gave a soft laugh. "Sir, I understand it may seem that promoting Lady Qingtan to Squad Leader so soon might appear hasty, and might lead some of our men to think we're playing favorites…"
After Tang Lie's capture, the Judge Army swiftly eradicated the remaining members of Firecloud Sect. Only Tang Lie, the rebel leader, survived and was bound for trial at Dark City Headquarters under the Dark Tribunal's watch. Over a thousand members of Firecloud Sect, including elders and disciples, were completely annihilated. News of the Firecloud Sect incident would soon spread across Southriver and surrounding areas, delivering a severe warning to those resisting the rule of the Dark Hall. This victory would strengthen the Judge Army's reputation, marking another formidable achievement in the Dark Tribunal's records.
Inside the Firecloud Sect's main hall, now commandeered by the Judge Army as a temporary meeting space, Battalion Leader Zhong Kui presided over a debriefing. Seated below him were the Judge Army's four squad leaders, each marked with a purple sword on their masks, symbolizing their positions. Surprisingly, two regular Judge Guards, wearing black sword-marked masks, were also present: Lin Langtian and Qingtan.
Their participation in this meeting had been accepted without objection. As the Hall Leader's disciple, Qingtan held a unique status. Both had played critical roles in the mission; besides Zhong Kui, who personally confronted Tang Lie, Lin Langtian and Qingtan's contributions were unmatched. Lin Langtian, in particular, had protected Qingtan and saved numerous Judge Army lives by intercepting the half-step Death Profound Blood Puppet.
"Lan Yan, what were the casualties from this operation?" Zhong Kui inquired, assuming his duty as mission commander.
The elegant Lan Yan rose. "Sir, in the campaign against Firecloud Sect, we lost a total of eighteen Judge Guards, including one Squad Leader. Twenty-eight were severely injured, and seventy-two sustained minor injuries."
Zhong Kui's brows furrowed slightly. Out of a battalion of only 400, these losses were significant. After a pause, he continued, "Though the losses were substantial, dying in service of the Tribunal is the highest honor for a Judge Guard. As Battalion Leader, I take pride in their sacrifice."
Turning to another squad leader, Zhong Kui asked, "Zhao Gang, has the Firecloud Sect's treasury been secured? Reserve a portion for the fallen soldiers' compensation, and distribute the remainder among the men."
"Yes, sir!" The broad-shouldered Zhao Gang nodded immediately.
At the end of the table, Lin Langtian raised an eyebrow. He was surprised at the Judge Army's thorough system of compensation and reward, as well as their policy of dividing the spoils directly among the soldiers. Firecloud Sect's treasury was likely filled with valuable resources after centuries of dominance, yet Zhong Kui intended to share it among the soldiers rather than sending it to headquarters. The Judge Army clearly attracted talent by operating on a high-risk, high-reward basis.
Once Lan Yan had seated herself again, she stood once more and turned toward Zhong Kui. "Sir, the Squad Leader who died was from my Third Squad. I'd like to propose a replacement for the position, if I may."
"Hmm, do you have someone in mind?" Zhong Kui asked, nodding for her to continue.
Lan Yan smiled faintly. "Yes, I do, sir."
"Who would that be?"
"My recommendation is… Lady Qingtan." Lan Yan smiled as she said the name.
"Lady Qingtan…" The other three squad leaders looked at one another, glancing toward Qingtan's calm figure at the end of the table. They hadn't expected Lan Yan to recommend her so quickly—Qingtan had only recently joined the Judge Army.
Even Zhong Kui was caught off guard. While Qingtan's background was special, she had only just been assigned as a Judge Guard, and fast-tracking her to Squad Leader could appear as favoritism, something strictly forbidden in the Dark Tribunal.
Lin Langtian raised an eyebrow, studying Lan Yan's expression. He wondered if her suggestion was a genuine endorsement or simply an attempt to curry favor.
As if reading Zhong Kui's concerns, Lan Yan continued, "Sir, our mission principle has always been to reward based on merit. During this mission, Lady Qingtan personally killed dozens of Firecloud Sect disciples, as well as two Life Profound (early-stage) elders and Xu Qing, the leader of the Evergreen Gang, a Life Profound (mid-stage) cultivator allied with Tang Lie.
"This level of achievement places her among the top five in this mission's merit rankings. Given our policy of rewarding contributions, regardless of seniority, I believe the brothers in the army would have no reason to question her promotion."
"An early Life Profound and two mid-Life Profound fighters, you say?" Zhong Kui's surprise was evident as he glanced toward Qingtan. Preoccupied with his duel against Tang Lie and the clash between Lin Langtian and the Blood Puppet, he hadn't witnessed Qingtan's accomplishments firsthand. Now he understood why Lan Yan had proposed her; Qingtan's performance left little room for rejection. He recalled that, as the Hall Leader's disciple, she could someday inherit Bo Xuan's position as the Dark Hall's sixth Hall Leader.
"Very well. As of today, Lady Qingtan will assume the position of Squad Leader in your Third Squad."
With a thought, two ghostly masks appeared on the table, each bearing a green sword emblem, symbolizing the Squad Leader rank. With a light wave, the masks drifted across the table, coming to rest before Lin Langtian and Qingtan.
"Huh? I thought this promotion was for Qingtan. Why am I getting one too?" Lin Langtian wondered, eyeing the green sword-marked mask in front of him.
Qingtan noticed his puzzlement and whispered, "Brother Langtian, in the Dark Tribunal, a trial-taker and their Shadow Guard are treated as one. Their ranks are always synchronized. The trial-taker has actual authority, while the Shadow Guard only holds the title. So, although you're a Squad Leader, Brother Langtian, you won't have any soldiers under your command. Sorry, I know it's a bit unfair."
Realizing it was just an honorary title, Lin Langtian chuckled. "It's no problem, Qingtan. As a Shadow Guard, my only job is to protect you. I have no need for an official position that could tie me down."
This arrangement suited him perfectly. As someone who didn't belong to the Dark Hall, a formal role would only hinder him. Once Qingtan was fully adjusted to the Judge Army, he could leave with a clear conscience.
Zhong Kui looked on with a faint smile. "Lady Qingtan, Shadow Guard, why not put on your new masks?"
Lin Langtian and Qingtan both nodded, removing their black sword-marked masks and donning the new green ones. The instant they did, Zhong Kui and the squad leaders, who had been watching them, couldn't hide their astonishment at Lin Langtian's youth. While they were familiar with Qingtan as the Hall Leader's disciple, Lin Langtian was new to them. Seeing someone so young under the mask was unexpected.
Lan Yan, too, was briefly stunned at the sight of Lin Langtian's strikingly handsome face, recalling the warmth of his earlier embrace. Lightly biting her lip, her gaze softened as her thoughts wandered.
"Thank you, Battalion Leader," Lin Langtian and Qingtan said as they saluted Zhong Kui, now wearing their new masks.
Zhong Kui waved a hand dismissively. "There's no need for thanks; the Judge Army rewards based on merit. Lady Qingtan deserves this. I'm sure the Hall Leader will be quite pleased."
"To serve the Judge Army without hesitation!" Qingtan replied with the standard pledge made by every Judge Army member upon promotion.
Lin Langtian watched her, silently reflecting. In the original story, this path would lead her step by step through the ranks of the Dark Tribunal, from Judge Guard to Squad Leader, Squad Leader to Banner Leader… and finally to Chief Judge. Becoming a powerful figure, however, came at a great price.
The tall, slender Wang Tao, a Banner Leader seated next to Lan Yan, then cleared his throat. "Sir, one matter still requires your attention."
"What would that be, Wang Tao?" Zhong Kui asked, frowning.
"This is a significant matter beyond my authority as Banner Leader," Wang Tao replied. "Following the elimination of Firecloud Sect's elders and disciples, we discovered that many leaders of Southriver factions had been captured on-site. These people claim Tang Lie deceived them into coming here and that they had no part in the rebellion. However, it's difficult to confirm their innocence. What should we do?"
"Southriver faction leaders?" Zhong Kui frowned, realizing that Southriver was home to numerous factions. Only powerful organizations would have received invitations from Firecloud Sect, and there were likely dozens.
According to the Tribunal's rules, anyone connected to a rebellion should be executed. However, it was possible some of them were wrongly accused, and indiscriminate punishment could harm the Dark Hall's reputation. Yet if they were released, it was possible some of these groups had indeed colluded with Firecloud Sect.
As Zhong Kui pondered this dilemma, Lin Langtian's eyes glimmered with an idea. Eliminating so many factions seemed like a waste. If he could rally them to his side, and with the help of Zhoutong and Dugu Qi, he might finally lay the foundation for his own power…
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