I find you to be particularly argumentative

In the Violet Star Immortal Realm, when it comes to background, who could possibly surpass Chen Dalei?

You must understand—the original purpose of establishing the Destiny Calamity Squad was to clean up the mess left behind by history. And wherever there’s a mess, there’s bound to be a shadowy hand behind it!

If such things remain hidden, they can be quietly patched up in the dark. But once exposed and brought into the open, it means someone is about to face dire consequences!

Thus, to evade responsibility, the masterminds behind these problems would inevitably apply covert pressure to obstruct the Destiny Calamity Squad’s investigations.

This is precisely why, back when Fang Zheng first proposed this project, though most Celestial Officials agreed in principle, implementation was fraught with obstacles.

The reason was simple—no one could withstand the backlash of the karmic chain behind it!

For the ordinary members of the Destiny Calamity Squad, things were simpler. They were just enforcers, following orders without much thought.

But the leader had far more to consider. Just think—what kind of figures were behind these historical messes?

At the highest level, they could reach the rank of Deputy Celestial Tier—one step below the supreme authority—the Five Heavenly Dao’s direct subordinates!

Though the Violet Star Celestial Court publicly declared that investigations could proceed freely, was it really that simple?

"Speak not too loudly, lest you disturb those above." In this world, strength alone isn’t enough—you also need the right connections.

Thus, despite the Destiny Calamity Squad project being proposed long ago, finding a suitable leader proved impossible.

Desperate, Fang Zheng once tried to persuade the Calamity Warding Venerable to take charge. Unfortunately, the Venerable preferred driving to repairing broken carts...

It wasn’t until Chen Dalei appeared that the near-defunct Destiny Calamity Squad project was revitalized.

Now, though the Venerable hadn’t personally intervened, his presence was felt all the same.

Acting mischievously in front of the Venerable—muttering a few curses under your breath—might go unnoticed. But anyone who dared disrespect Old Man Dalei would find the great halberd of the Illusory Star Grotto-Heaven descending upon them before they could even finish speaking!

Just thinking about it was terrifying!

So, when Chen Dalei declared his intent to thoroughly investigate the anomalies within the Luo River—

Bai Yujing, who had been playing tricks at the river’s depths, immediately panicked and surfaced without hesitation.

"Ahahaha..."

"Brother Dalei, you’re such a stickler for details! I’m here to deliver merits to you—no need to rush!"

To be fair, Bai Yujing might not do honest work, but he was no pushover. As a direct subordinate of the Heavenly Dao, his aura was vast and ethereal. With just his presence, the previously tense standoff with Sun Kongkong and his group instantly defused.

These guys might be unruly, but they weren’t fools. This old man clearly had some power—charging into a hopeless fight wasn’t bravery, just stupidity masquerading as passion.

Only Chen Dalei remained unfazed, standing calmly in place. He even cast a sidelong glance at Bai Yujing and asked flatly, "How’ve you been lately?"

He’d reviewed countless case files on variables, many of which involved this old man’s reckless actions. His demotion was inevitable—no surprise there.

Now, coming to seek him out, it was obvious Bai Yujing was itching to make a comeback.

Without an official position, even as a direct subordinate of the Heavenly Dao, the amount of Heavenly Dao essence he could receive would drastically diminish. At best, he could barely keep up—forging ahead was out of the question.

After all, the Violet Star Celestial Court didn’t tolerate idlers!

"Ah, times are tough... just scraping by," Bai Yujing sighed, his eyes filled with regret for the past.

"If you knew it’d come to this, why act so rashly back then? Many variables could’ve been handled with a gentler touch. Did you really have to resort to the crudest methods? Just listen to the mess you made!" Chen Dalei clicked his tongue in disdain before shifting the topic.

"So, what’s the meaning behind snatching my bodyguard’s staff today?"

At this, Bai Yujing straightened up and replied solemnly, "As the River God now, I must perform my duties. Mostly, I needed a pretext to advise you on how to proceed next. Without the right entry point, the upcoming trial of the Daughter Kingdom will be hard to handle!"

"That’s a problem born of multiple unstable variables, compounded by the Celestial Court’s misjudgment. The only solution back then was brute-force suppression. If the historical mess is recklessly uncovered now without a proper resolution, the only outcome will be another round of suppression—turning the region into a dead zone and destabilizing the surrounding domains."

Chen Dalei raised an eyebrow, giving him a strange look. "If even the Celestial Court could only suppress it back then, how did you find the perfect solution?"

"Heh..." Bai Yujing offered an awkward yet polite smile. "Because the main responsibility for the misjudgment lay with me. We were almost successful, but a hidden variable emerged at the last moment, ruining everything and forcing the suppression..."

"After being demoted, I spent countless days and nights reflecting, analyzing the situation repeatedly until I finally devised the perfect solution!"

"But alas, as a mere River God now, I lack the authority to intervene in matters of this level. So, I came to you for help—partly to atone for my past mistakes."

"Fine. If it’s truly viable, I’ll consider helping you find a way out." Chen Dalei waved a hand. "Now, follow the procedure."

"Understood." Bai Yujing nodded slightly before turning to Sun Kongkong behind them. With a flourish, he produced three radiant orbs and donned a kindly, grandfatherly smile.

"Young monkey, which did you lose—this clump of Primordial Breath Soil, this Yin-Yang Rebirth Pearl, or this perfectly ordinary Ruyi Golden Staff?"