Ch 21 – The Three of Us

“Yu Xi, what do you think everyone lives for?” The big white dog was sitting in the grass, gazing up at the starry sky.

“Living every minute and second to the fullest!” The round robot vacuum cleaner exclaimed cheerfully.

The big white dog sighed, seeming deeply troubled: “I just feel like it’s all so absurd.”

Yu Xi didn’t understand.

“I don’t understand why anyone would enjoy squeezing into a bar to dance or falling in love. I used to think that the former represented a sort of rebellious joy, and that the latter was something far more sacred.” The big white dog continued, “But nothing seems to be as I once thought.”

Yu Xi asked him: “Then what are you thinking now?”

“I’m thinking: and then what?” The big white dog said, “You had your revelry, and then what? You fell in love, and then what?”

“There’s no point to any of it. Do you know about fortune-telling?”

“Fortune-telling is a sham, but what if? What if such a thing existed, and it told you that tomorrow wouldn’t be any better? Would people still go on living?” The big white dog stared intently at Yu Xi.

“But we ourselves are capable of changing quite a lot of things.” Yu Xi rolled a few paces back.

The big white dog seemed to realize that he was scaring him. With a somewhat sheepish look, he pressed his two paws together: “Not enough…..”

*

*

“You’re asking me?” Kersz looked on as Tau worked on his handicrafts.

Tau was learning how to make crafts by following along with an old-school educational show that Yu Xi played for him, and had asked Yu Xi for some paper and white glue.

Tau completely ignored Kersz.

As Kersz continued to watch, Yu Xi had suddenly told him about a dream he’d had, and asked him if humans ever felt that they didn’t know what they were living for.

Kersz gave it some serious thought: “Yeah, definitely.”

Yu Xi’s eyes lit up slightly.

“How should I put it…..it just seems like everyone is putting on an act,” Kersz said.

Yu Xi felt a twinge of trepidation upon hearing these words. It wasn’t the answer he wanted, but he didn’t interrupt.

“Sometimes I envy those people who can find happiness in alcohol and sex, because I can’t. I can’t even comprehend it.” Kersz continued, “Oh~ maybe I did get it at one point, because I used to watch those racy videos behind my parents backs, and I even experimented with alcohol.”

“But those things did nothing for my anger, and didn’t give me an answer either,” Kersz said with a hint of helplessness.

Yu Xi reached out and clutched the front of his clothes: “An answer to what?”

“To whether I was just a living corpse in the past, animated by the notion that everything would eventually get better.” Kersz shrugged.

Yu Xi lowered his eyes.

“And what about Mr. Yu Xi?” Kersz asked.

“I….I don’t know.” Yu Xi sat on the sofa, staring blankly.

He thought for a moment, then looked up at Kersz and said: “But I really like you.”

“Thanks.” Kersz sat down next to him.

At some point, Tau had stopped what he was doing and turned to look at them.

“My energy will eventually run out, and I’ll die too.” Yu Xi touched his chest. “I won’t start up again.”

“Then do you feel like waiting for it is painful?” Kersz asked.

“I don’t know.” Yu Xi shook his head. “I’m just doing what I always do.”

He had started out as nothing more than a robot vacuum cleaner, and once his program was set, he would just sweep the floor every day.

The ancient humans hadn’t taken him with them, so he just continued to live day by day.

Yu Xi had not gone in search of meaning. He just tried to do something new every day, until the new things became old and the things he liked ceased holding any novelty.

Day after day, day after day…..was it painful?

If he were to extract his own power source and destroy it, perhaps it would all come to an end.

He could actively bring an end to it all.

Yu Xi went slightly tense.

“Mr. Yu?” Kersz noticed that Yu Xi’s pupils were dilating and constricting over and over, until they nearly engulfed his irises. “Mr. Yu! Are you okay?!”

Tau set down the craft he was holding.

Yu Xi had always lived his own life on his planet, and could fill it with noise using the sound emitters strewn across it.

Why exactly had he done anything? Even he couldn’t say.

Perhaps he was waiting for something?

But he didn’t like the answers that big white dog gave him in his dream, and he didn’t particularly like Kersz’s either.

“Mr. Yu Xi?” Kersz gave him a shake.

He was a first-generation artificial unintelligence.

[People of the past loved to imbue all sorts of things with meaning.] The glowing ancient human said to Yu Xi. [All manner of celebrations, all manner of relationships. They even went so far as to invent the word ‘destiny.’ How fascinating.]

“But even my birth was a form of destiny.” Yu Xi pointed at himself.

[No, your birth was a coincidence. It had nothing to do with destiny, just a series of irrational human coincidences.] The human touched Yu Xi’s head with a glowing tentacle.

“But I like the word ‘destiny,’” said Yu Xi.

[Very good. You have the right to like it.] The human continued to stroke Yu Xi’s head.

“But it’s not real?” 

[Correct. It is just like a myth.]

Yu Xi snapped out of his memories and turned his head somewhat stiffly to look at Kersz: “Where are we going next?”

“I have an old comrade on a third-class planet situated on the frontier. Of course, he isn’t some Illegitimate. Our relationship is actually pretty decent,” Kersz said. “He might have some connections that’ll allow us to search for the central hub of the Facai system.”

“Then do you still intend to kill the Supreme Governor?” Yu Xi asked.

“I do, but I’m not in any rush. I’ll get my chance eventually,” Kersz said.

Tau sent Kersz a wary look.

Yu Xi: …..

Yu Xi: “We’re not going.”

Kersz: “Ah?”

Tau was also briefly taken aback.

“Perhaps you’re right, and everything is meaningless.” Yu Xi suddenly slumped over. “If everything is such a void…..then the three of us should just wait here for the final end.”

Kersz: “…..What end?”

Yu Xi: “Death.”

Kersz fell silent.

Then he sucked in a sharp breath: “Now wait just a minute. It’s true that I’m angry all the time, but I have no plans to die.”

“Your anger won’t change anything.” Ever since having that dream, Yu Xi had felt trapped, like he was stuck inside a tiny box, utterly powerless.

“I can accept death.” Tau was indifferent. Dying here would be the perfect way to protect his father.

Kersz glanced at him, then asked Yu Xi: “Then what about that planet hanging around your neck? Are you going to put it back?”

“I don’t want to put it back. It’s too painful to look at.” Yu Xi couldn’t understand how his emotions had become so intense. This was actually rather abnormal, but he couldn’t control it.

And after hearing Kersz’s answer, he felt even more out of sorts.

“Oh,” said Kersz. “So will it explode after we die?”

Yu Xi: “Probably.”

Kersz: “Will our human civilization be wiped out with it?”

Yu Xi thought for a moment, then said again in a resigned tone: “Probably.”

Tau: “Pull yourself together. You can’t die.”

“But what else can I do?” Yu Xi’s pupils began to dilate and constrict again. He was anxious. It was the first time he had ever felt such anxiety, or perhaps simply the first time he had ever confronted it.

If nothing meant anything, then why had he lived alone for so long?

Clearly, he could have ended it long ago.

Yu Xi slowly closed his eyes, deciding to wait for death right where he was.

“This is bad, this is bad…..” Kersz scratched his head in agitation. He came to the conclusion that all of this might have been caused by that single remark he made. Had he known that the answer was so important to Yu Xi, he would have just made something up.

After fretting for a moment, Kersz crouched down in front of him: “Actually, living in this world is really interesting.”

Yu Xi opened his eyes to look at him, then closed them again.

It was clear that Kersz’s situation carried absolutely no persuasive power for Yu Xi.

“Live. You have to live.” Tau grabbed Yu Xi by the collar, but Kersz immediately knocked his hand away.

“Don’t jostle him. Now, wrack your brains and come up with something to convince him.” Kersz pulled Yu Xi into his arms.

“Convince him of what?” Tau had played all manner of characters, and when he applied himself, he was actually impressively eloquent. He just worried that since Yu Xi had lived for so long, his eloquence would have no effect on him.

Tau continued to press: “What do you want me to convince him of?” He had to at least try.

Kersz: “I want you to convince him to cherish life again.”

Tau, who had been produced as a disposable weapon: …..

He seemed to serve as nothing more than a cautionary tale.

“Can’t you do it?” Tau asked Kersz.

“He just asked me a question, and I gave him the wrong answer.” Kersz was about ready to crumble. How could he convince him? He was a lone space pirate who went around stirring up trouble with complete disregard for his life. Who the hell would be convinced if the words “cherish life” came out of his mouth?

Tau and Kersz exchanged a look.

Tau: “Is it just the two of us here?”

Kersz: “Have you seen any other humans?”

Tau fell silent.

Kersz: “If all else fails, couldn’t you use your communicator to ask someone on your father’s side?”

Tau: “So you do know I’ve been sending messages.”

Kersz: “Who cares. Find a therapist…..or just ask your father directly. Isn’t he a pampered old bastard? He’s certain to find life especially rewarding.”

Tau didn’t share this opinion: “Power and money are fleeting, and his insatiability might come across as greed. I don’t think he’s the right person to answer such questions.”

Kersz stared at Tau, and even Yu Xi opened his eyes.

“He opened his eyes!” Tau exclaimed, pointing at Yu Xi.

“So you actually know your father is a piece of trash, ah?” Kersz pulled Yu Xi a little closer as he spoke.

“I don’t know anyone else. I have no friends.” Tau didn’t answer the question.

Kersz didn’t have any friends either.

Yu Xi…..Yu Xi had met two humans, and he had spent a very, very long time all alone.

Could the three of them band together to tackle the issue of nihilism and become more positive?

What a joke.

Kersz and Tau both stared blankly, while Yu Xi felt his disordered state subside ever so slightly.

Just for now, he felt warm.

Warm from the heat of a human body.

---

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Chapter 20 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 22

These two Believers had arrived at a convenient time; Chu Jiubian had actually been planning to summon them both.

“Send them into the Divine Realm first,” Chu Jiubian said. “I’ll be there once I finish bathing.”

[Okay.] The System was often very well-behaved and cooperative, which pleased Chu Jiubian.

He was bored just soaking in the water, so Chu Jiubian said: “Can you show me what they’re doing? Is there a screen I can watch?”

[There is, Host. Voice transcription does not have a point requirement, but projecting images into the real world costs three points each time. Are you sure you want to project the image?]

Chu Jiubian: “……”

“From now on, just assume we’ve haggled and give me the resulting price.”

The System now seemed to have “mastered” the rules of haggling, and would always choose the middle value.

Since it had said three points, this indicated that Chu Jiubian could haggle it down to one point and the System would settle with him at two points.

Chu Jiubian was initially quite happy with this haggling process and thought he was getting a good deal. 

But ever since he had learned that all of these miscellaneous features were arbitrarily priced by the System itself, he felt that he was losing out no matter what, and couldn’t be bothered to complain about it.

The System paused for a moment before responding: [Okay, Host. Two points have been deducted. Image projecting now.]

Chu Jiubian placed his arms on the edge of the tub and rested his chin on his wrist.

The screen before him displayed the scene in the Divine Realm.

Situ Zhaoling was clad in a light purple dress that further enhanced her already beautiful features, making her appear even more charming.

The phoenix in the Divine Realm seemed to hold a particular fondness for her, and caught her before she could even fall, circling around the Divine Realm with a joyful cry.

Situ Zhaoling had not come empty-handed today.

She was holding a flower pot in her left hand, in which a cotton flower had already bloomed.

Under her other arm she carried various pieces of silk in a multitude of colors, which, as the phoenix carried her soaring through the air, seemed to cast a colorful halo around them.

Wang Qichen had only brought a few pieces of paper, so had entered the Divine Realm before her.

At that moment, he was standing beside the table, and was momentarily dazed as he stared up at the scene before him.

Had he not known that only the High Priest and his Believers could enter the Divine Realm, he would have thought he was beholding a goddess.

Even with her hands full, Situ Zhaoling didn’t forget to pay attention to the golden phoenix.

She leaned down and gently rubbed her cheek against the phoenix’s fluffy feathers, saying with a smile: “Good phoenix, please let me down now.”

The golden phoenix slowly descended to the ground before dissipating into a wisp of mist.

As Situ Zhaoling landed safely, the mist reformed mid-air into a golden phoenix again, which then soared into the clouds and vanished from sight.

Only its occasional cries, mixed with the roars of a dragon, let one know that it still existed in this world.

Situ Zhaoling noticed someone standing nearby after landing, but she still bowed to the High Priest with her items in hand.

Knowing that the High Priest sometimes arrived a bit late, she rose of her own volition after receiving no response to her customary greeting. She piled everything in her arms onto the table, then let out a sigh of relief and turned to look at the extra person who had appeared.

She had known previously that the High Priest had other followers, but this was the first time she had actually seen one, and she couldn’t help but observe Wang Qichen curiously.

The more she looked, the brighter her eyes became.

“This young master is incredibly handsome,” she said, being very generous with her compliments.

Compared to the reserved young ladies in the capital, she was much more outgoing and expressive.

Wang Qichen had rarely encountered a woman who expressed her admiration so directly, but his surprise lasted a mere moment before he smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: “Thanking the young lady for her kind words. If not for the fact that only the High Priest and his followers can enter the Divine Realm, I would have thought I had seen a fairy.”

His words were genuine. He was accustomed to speaking to others in such a manner, so even if his words were somewhat glib or pandering, they sounded sincere when coming from him.

Situ Zhaoling smiled at once, saying: “The young master is truly eloquent.”

She took a couple of steps toward him and performed the greeting customary to the Nanjiang people: “I am Situ Zhaoling of the Nanjiang Stronghold. May I know the young master’s name?”

Wang Qichen was astounded.

It turned out that she was the princess of Nanjiang. Even someone of her status was a follower of the High Priest.

He found it hard to believe, but at the same time, it seemed perfectly logical.
Despite his surprise, he maintained a smile and gave a respectful bow, saying: “This one is Wang Qichen, the young master of the Langya Wang clan. The princess can simply call me by my name.”

“So you are the renowned Young Master Jiyue. No wonder you possess such an extraordinary and refined demeanor.” Situ Zhaoling’s eyes gleamed.

Although she was far away in Nanjiang, she had heard of a flamboyant and dissolute young man in the capital named Wang Jiyue, who was mostly known for “rescuing people from prostitution.”

Regardless of whether they were male or female prostitutes, as long as they possessed a decent character and sought his help, he would aid them.

Therefore, countless men and women of the jianghu regarded him with mixed feelings, both loving and hating him.

He was praised for his sense of justice, and criticized for his philandering.

These feelings of love and hate stemmed directly from his face and his dissolute, spoiled nature.

Situ Zhaoling had long wished to see what kind of person he was, and today, she finally got her chance. He was even more handsome than she had imagined!

“Young Master Wang looks a bit older than me, so how about I call you Wang-dage from now on?” she said.

Wang Qichen had noticed how informal and easygoing this girl was, so he didn’t stand on ceremony: “Then I’ll take the liberty of calling you Xiao Ling.”

“Okay, ah,” Situ Zhaoling said, smiling so broadly that her eyes were barely visible. “I have a little twin brother at home who’s always wanted a big brother. Today, his wish can finally be fulfilled.”

These two extremely outgoing people hit it off immediately, and practically became sworn siblings after exchanging just a few sentences.

After recognizing one another as brother and sister, Wang Qichen brought up the topic of her fabrics. He was particularly fond of the light pink one, and touched it again and again, unable to put it down. He even held it up to his face and asked Situ Zhaoling if it would look good on him.

Situ Zhaoling’s eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously in agreement: “My big brother looks good in everything.”

Chu Jiubian was so amused that he couldn’t stop smiling.

The two of them chatted about everything from what colors and styles of clothes to make, to how to open a shop and use these fabrics to compete with the silk from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, while Chu Jiubian leisurely finished bathing and then entered the Divine Realm.

The two immediately noticed his arrival and cut off their conversation, rising to bow.

Chu Jiubian then called out to them, and they proceeded to report on their recent achievements.

Silk could be produced in large quantities, a method for cultivating cotton had been developed, and Wang Qichen’s new paper was also ready to be sold.

Chu Jiubian was very satisfied with their efficiency.

Since the two had just been discussing how to open a shop, Chu Jiubian didn’t beat around the bush, and directly stated his plans.

He instructed Situ Zhaoling to take a portion of the silk to the Divine Realm and give it to Wang Qichen, who would be responsible for opening a shop in the capital to help her sell the fabrics.

Having just discussed this subject, the two now had even more ideas and were eager to put them into action.

Regarding the matter of the new paper, Wang Qichen intended to use it to strike a blow against the main branch of the Wang family.

He had his own plan, so Chu Jiubian didn’t interfere much. He just said that they could keep a portion of the profits from the silk and papermaking businesses, and the rest could be brought to the Divine Realm.

The two didn’t want any benefits, but they were unable to refuse.

After leaving the Divine Realm, they all became busy with their own affairs, and only then did Wang Qichen belatedly remember that he had planned to ask the High Priest about his relationship with Chu Jiubian. Oh well, he would ask him next time.

While these two events were in full swing, the troops heading to the Northwest had already been on their journey for half a month.

The army was encamped on a plain, and campfires stretched out in lines as far as the eye could see, resembling a sea of flames.

Inside the commander’s tent, the space was empty but for a single makeshift bed.

Qin Xiao lay on the blanket fully clothed. The constant traveling over the past few days had tanned his skin, making him look even stronger and more vigorous.

Resting his left hand behind his head, he held his right hand in front of his eyes as he ran slender, calloused fingers gently across a silk handkerchief.

The corners of the silk handkerchief were embroidered with pure white jasmine flowers.

“Who gave you that?” A male voice suddenly rang out inside the tent.

Qin Xiao stood up. He slowly folded the silk handkerchief and placed it into his pocket before finally raising his eyes to look toward the source of the voice.

The young man was dressed in black, and possessed a tall, striking figure. Carrying a bundle on his back, he wore a half-mask which revealed a pair of deep, bright eyes.

Not at all surprised by his arrival, Qin Xiao sat down on the edge of the bed, saying: “I didn’t think you would show up here.”

“I didn’t come to the Northwest just for you.” Qin Chuan walked over and sat down beside him.

Qin Xiao turned his head to look at him: “Then you have business here?”

“En, I was asked to deliver this.” Qin Chuan didn’t waste any words. He took the package on his back and handed it to him. “I got this for you. Open it and take a look.”

Qin Xiao just smiled and opened the package.

Inside was the small repeating crossbow that the High Priest had bestowed upon Qin Chuan.

Qin Xiao took it out with some surprise, and after examining it briefly, he quickly realized what it was.

“What is its range?”

“It shoots farther than a bow and is more accurate…..” Qin Chuan grew excited when he was talking about weapons, and rattled off a multitude of information in one breath before finally adding, “Most importantly, it can fire repeatedly!”

He gestured to the quiver inside the package and said: “There are at least fifty bolts. It’s more than enough to catch someone by surprise.”

This repeating crossbow was exactly to Qin Xiao’s liking, and he couldn’t help but take a bolt and shoot it at the ground inside the tent.

With a thud, the crossbow bolt embedded itself deeply into the ground.

“It really is good.” Qin Xiao paced over to retrieve the bolt. “Where did you get it? Give me some more at some point.”

“There is only one of these for now. Remember to return it to me once you’re done using it; I need to have a craftsman take a look at it,” Qin Chuan said.

Qin Xiao nodded: “Alright.”

“And then there’s this.” Qin Chuan walked over and took a bottle of penicillin out of his pocket, handing it to him. “This medicine can prevent wounds from festering, but it needs to be tested first. Take one pill, and I’ll leave tonight if you’re fine.”

The porcelain bottle was opaque, so he couldn’t see what was inside. But when Qin Xiao opened the lid and poured out a pill, his heart skipped a beat.

“Who gave this to you?” His tone had become somewhat urgent.

Qin Chuan raised his eyebrows. He knew exactly why the other party had reacted that way, and said: “It wasn’t Grand Tutor Chu.”

Qin Xiao frowned slightly: “Then who was it?”

Qin Chuan had already attempted to mention the High Priest to others, but the words simply wouldn’t leave his mouth.

He tried again now, but was still unable to utter the title “The High Priest.”

He could only say: “You don’t need to worry about it. With Grand Tutor Chu around, that person is highly unlikely to hurt you.”

After receiving the medicine from the High Priest, he had asked Qin Chaoyang to sound out Chu Jiubian’s attitude, and the response he received was that the medicine could be used without worry.

There was no need to doubt the relationship between Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao. Since Chu Jiubian had said that the High Priest could be trusted and that the medicine could be given to Qin Xiao, Qin Chuan could rest at ease.

Who was it?

Who?

Qin Xiao’s eyes darkened slightly, but he didn’t ask further questions.

Unless it was something that truly could not be revealed, Qin Chuan had no reason to hide anything from him.

Since that was the case, there was no need to press the other party.

The only one who could produce the same type of pills as Chu Jiubian, and who could also be connected to him, would seem to be a similar “god.”

Was it the High Priest who had appeared in the Northern Desert?

He was indeed connected to Chu Jiubian.

Qin Xiao had previously speculated that these two deities were the same person, but now, it seemed they were not.

But if they weren’t the same person, what was their relationship?

Qin Chuan watched him swallow the pill, and his manner of speech became less casual: “Do you know why this was given to you?”

Qin Xiao looked up at him and said: “I will suffer an injury.”

“Yes.”

“Then it won’t kill me,” said Qin Xiao.

Qin Chuan frowned. He wanted to say something, but ultimately refrained.

Although they were biological brothers, they had been separated at a young age and only reconnected in their teenage years.

Before he met Qin Chuan, Qin Xiao hadn’t even known he had a younger brother.

Having been separated for so long, and lacking a strong emotional foundation, the relationship between the brothers remained awkward and strained.

Neither of them was particularly adept at expressing their emotions, and they were accustomed to hiding their true feelings. As a result, even after knowing each other for so many years, they still couldn’t communicate openly and honestly with each other.

Qin Xiao stowed away the repeating crossbow and sat back down on the bed.

Qin Chuan sat down as well, saying: “You get some sleep. I’ll keep an eye on things.”

“En.” Qin Xiao gave a nod, then added: “What you’re here to do – is it safe?”

“Very safe.”

Qin Xiao had nothing more to say.

The two brothers remained silent for a long moment before Qin Xiao finally lay down.

But he couldn’t fall asleep. A multitude of thoughts flooded his mind.

At one moment, he was thinking about how he would take more guards with him when he reached the next county, then he was wondering how things were going in the Northwest, and then he dwelled on how Chu Jiubian and Bai Lihong were doing back in the capital.

Finally, he couldn’t help but wonder about the relationship between Chu Jiubian and the High Priest.

Qin Chuan sat there for some time. Then he turned his head and noticed that although Qin Xiao had his eyes closed, he wasn’t asleep.

After a pause, he ultimately asked: “Are there any adverse reactions?”

“None,” Qin Xiao said without opening his eyes.

A while later, Qin Chuan asked again: “Who gave you that handkerchief?”

“It’s mine,” Qin Xiao said.

Qin Chuan: “Then who else has touched it?”

Qin Xiao opened his eyes and gave him a look: “I’m going to sleep.”

“Oh.” Qin Chuan fell silent.

Qin Xiao closed his eyes, and actually fell asleep after a while.

Qin Chuan sat at his bedside through the night, and when he noticed nothing unusual, he slipped out of the tent at the approach of dawn.

Without lingering long, he followed the address given to him by the High Priest and traveled all the way to Shandong to find Lu Yao.

Qin Xiao departed from Northern Zhili, leading an army of 50,000 men.

Although he hadn’t brought Qin Chaoyang with him, he did bring Cheng Shuo, the deputy commander of the Capital Garrison.

Over two meters tall, Cheng Shuo was thirty-eight years old and sported a robust physique. He wielded a spear with exceptional skill and had previously accompanied Grand Commandant Qin into battle, achieving victory in every engagement.

When Grand Commandant Qin led his army back to the capital to support Emperor Yingzong’s ascension to the throne, it was his presence that prevented various factions from making any rash moves.

The fact that Qin Xiao had brought him along as his second-in-command on this campaign clearly indicated that his purpose was not to negotiate peace.

Naturally, others knew that the “peace negotiations” were simply a pretext. Neither Moba Zanpu of the Western Regions nor the various factions within the territory of Great Ning intended to allow Qin Xiao to leave Gansu alive.

Therefore, from the very beginning, Qin Xiao had prepared for the worst.

He traveled from Northern Zhili to Shanxi, passing through numerous cities and prefectures along the way. Using his military authority, he recruited half of each local garrison into his westward-bound army, so that by the time they reached Shanxi, the 50,000 soldiers he had brought from the capital had swelled to 110,000!

However, due to the long procession of people, the rate of the army’s movement slowed.

By the time they arrived in northwestern Shanxi, it was already the last day of the given period of one month.

Moba Zanpu’s army of 130,000 had set up camp near the Hexi corridor a month ago. In his letter, he had requested that Qin Xiao arrive at that location for “peace talks” before the end of the month.

At present, Qin Xiao had reached the border between Shanxi and Gansu, only a day’s journey from where the rival army was located.

Rather than ordering a halt for rest, he continued onward, planning to rest only after reaching the designated location.

And that night, he did indeed arrive at the designated location before midnight. He sent messengers on horseback to the Sai Kingdom encampment several dozen kilometers away, informing Moba Zanpu of his arrival and asking him to decide when the peace talks should begin the following day.

When the message arrived slightly before midnight, Moba Zanpu, who was personally leading the army on this campaign, was holding a grand banquet in the main tent.

Sitting in the main seat, he wore a tall, round-topped hat and dark, short-sleeved garments. His eyes were deep-set, and his face bore a fierce expression.

Even when calmly looking at someone, he seemed to be glaring fiercely.

Sitting in the seat next to him was a young man dressed in dark red robes embroidered with golden dragons, his black hair neatly tied up with a golden hair ornament.

His stature was like that of a cypress tree, and his bearing was extraordinary.

Further down on either side of the aisle, four seats were arranged facing each other.

Those seated were clearly divided into two groups. On one side were the military leaders and officials from the Western Regions, and on the other side were the strategists and commanders under Dingbei-wang Bai Liyu.

The two groups mingled freely, clinking cups and chatting merrily. With graceful dancers and enchanting music, it truly seemed as if they were “one big happy family.”

It was as if no one had noticed the subordinate who had rushed in to deliver a report, nor the letter in Moba Zanpu’s hand.

“Your Highness Dingbei-wang.” Moba Zanpu tossed the letter to the ground and glanced sideways at the young man next to him. “You previously said that even at a forced march, it would be impossible to reach this place from the capital in less than a month, yet the Imperial Army has already arrived.”

Bai Liyu toyed with his wine cup between his fingertips, saying in a languid tone: “Truly? Perhaps Ning-wang walked faster.”

Moba Zanpu stared at him intently with slightly narrowed eyes: “Does Dingbei-wang perhaps think that only people from the Central Plains possess brains?”

“What do you mean by that?” Bai Liyu seemed somewhat surprised.

Moba Zanpu smiled coldly: “You calculated precisely that Ning-wang would arrive on the last day, didn’t you? This was a trick.”

“What do you mean?”

“Stop pretending!” Moba Zanpu suddenly slammed his hand down on the table. Those below, who had been laughing and chatting boisterously as if drunk, went quiet all at once. Their eyes instantly became clearer and more alert.

The music players and dancers stopped simultaneously, as if struck dumb.

Bai Liyu, however, calmly poured himself a cup of wine. Only then did he look up at Moba Zanpu in the main seat and give a light chuckle.

He had absolutely done it on purpose.

The details of the deal with Moba Zanpu were very simple.

The other party would help him lure Qin Xiao into a trap, and once he was eliminated, Bai Liyu would cede Gansu to the Sai Kingdom.

Moba Zanpu would also “generously” give Qin Xiao a deadline, and if he failed to arrive by that time, the Sai Army would have reason to massacre the city’s inhabitants.

But when the time came, Moba Zanpu would “benevolently” refrain from massacring the people, and instead spread rumors about the incompetence of Great Ning’s Imperial Court. Subsequently, he would gain the support of the people of Gansu.

This was an excellent deal for Moba Zanpu, and it also allowed Bai Liyu to get rid of Qin Xiao.

However, the consequence of this plan would be that the perpetually low-profile Dingbei-wang would be branded as “incompetent” or even a “traitor,” which would severely damage his future plans.

Therefore, Bai Liyu had intentionally set Qin Xiao’s time limit to one month. The hundred thousand-strong army would be able to reach their destination from the capital within that time at a forced march.

According to his understanding of the man, Qin Xiao was someone who always strove to maximize his own interests.

He would make full use of this month, recruiting troops along the way, and work to arrive right at the last moment in order to not waste a single day.

As expected, Qin Xiao had arrived on the very last day.

Meanwhile, those whom Bai Liyu had stationed in Shanxi and Gansu Prefectures and the surrounding counties also began to take action this morning.

These people were to do nothing else but ensure that one message was spread far and wide.

The contents of the message were as follows: Ning-wang Qin Xiao arrived on the agreed date, but Moba Zanpu went back on his word and threatened to massacre the city’s inhabitants. Dingbei-wang purposely allowed himself to be stabbed by Moba Zanpu, thus preventing the massacre and giving Ning-wang the extra day he needed to reach the city.

Like this, Bai Liyu’s reputation would no longer be that of an “incompetent captive,” nor would he be considered a traitor.

He was willing to take a stab from the enemy to protect the common people. 

Bai Liyu would be considered a benevolent ruler in the hearts of the common people of Shanxi and Gansu, and indeed, throughout the entire territory of Great Ning.

Even having been captured when the city first fell, he could gradually change the common people’s perception in the aftermath and become a prince without blemish, one who enjoyed the love and respect of the common people.

His actions would completely disrupt Moba Zanpu’s plan, and even deal him a counterblow.

In the eyes of the people of Gansu, he was already a cruel foreign ruler.

Even if this transaction went as planned, with Qin Xiao dead and Gansu handed over to the Sai Kingdom, Moba Zanpu would still be unable to win the hearts of the common people.

And so, when Bai Liyu and the Imperial Court set out to reclaim Gansu later on, it would be in accordance with the will of the common people.

Moba Zanpu was no fool – he knew exactly what was going on when these rumors began to spread.

Tonight’s banquet could be considered a hongmen banquet, a feast of ill omen.

“Without my permission, you dared to spread rumors in order to enhance your own reputation.” A murderous gleam flashed through Moba Zanpu’s eyes. “Dingbei-wang certainly has some clever tricks up his sleeve.”

Bai Liyu gave a light chuckle: “When Zanpu ordered people to bring mandala into the territory of our Great Ning, he didn’t ask this lord’s permission either.”

Mandala had spread from the other man’s territory, and if not for Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao’s decisive methods, this would have truly resulted in a great disaster.

Even if the matter turned out to be unrelated to Bai Liyu, the Imperial Court would still hold him accountable, and the common people would harbor considerable resentment toward him.

At present, he was only retaliating. What was so wrong with that?

Seeing how dark Moba Zanpu’s expression had become, Bai Liyu smiled again and said in a gentler tone: “We’re even now. But the deal still stands; as long as Lord Ning-wang is out of the picture, Gansu is yours.”

Moba Zanpu sneered: “How easy do you think it will be to get rid of Ning-wang when he has a 110,000-strong army?”

If he’d only had the original 50,000 troops he’d brought from the capital, Moba Zanpu might have been able to hold his own against him in battle, and perhaps even conquer Shanxi Prefecture.

But with 110,000 troops in the enemy’s hands and 130,000 in his own, there was really no need for a direct confrontation.

In any case, Dingbei-wang would have to find another method to kill Qin Xiao, and there were also other forces within Great Ning who wanted him eliminated. Therefore, this “outsider” could simply sit back and watch both sides fight it out.

Since he had already entered Gansu, even if Ning-wang didn’t die, Dingbei-wang wouldn’t be able to reclaim the city.

“This lord has his own plans. Zanpu only needs to go through the motions,” said Bai Liyu.

Moba Zanpu looked at him intently.

After a while, he directed his gaze toward the dancers, then tilted his head back and drained his cup of wine.

The music recommenced, and as the tense atmosphere dissipated, everyone resumed drinking and toasting.

*

*

The Capital City.

Inside Yaotai Residence.

The night was dark and deep. After nearly a month of clear skies, a light rain began today.

Raindrops pattered down continuously, and the weather grew cold.

Chu Jiubian had several hot water bottles in his bed, making it warm and cozy.

But he wasn’t sleepy at all.

Qin Xiao had been gone for a month now, and should have arrived at his destination. He wondered if everything was going smoothly.

However, the man was too far away. Even if a message was sent by the fastest possible means, it would have lost its relevance by the time it arrived. 

But if Qin Xiao were his Believer, Chu Jiubian would be able to observe his condition at any time.

He wasn’t worried that misfortune would befall the other man; he simply desired firsthand information so that he could be prepared in case of any unexpected situations in the Northeast.

With this in mind, Chu Jiubian closed his eyes and entered the Divine Realm.

---

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Chapter 61 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 63

Ch. 85 – With Pleasure

“Shixiong, hurry up, ah!” Fang Yang paced back and forth, like an arrow ready to be launched at a moment’s notice.

Feng Ye hurriedly put on his boots, saying somewhat helplessly: “It’s barely dawn. There’s still some time before the ceremony begins.”

“I know, I’m just….just….looking forward to it.” Fang Yang scratched his head and grinned with a mouthful of white teeth, his face awash with undisguised anticipation.

The protagonist of today’s trial ceremony was Cao Zirui, but Fang Yang was so excited that he leaped out of bed before dawn, then ran over and impatiently urged his shixiong to accompany him to the main square.

But Fang Yang couldn’t be blamed for this. After all, this was the ceremony to select the next sect leader, which was a highly significant once-in-a-century event.

Setting aside the former sect leader, whose term had lasted only a short time, Lingxiao Sword Sect generally changed its sect leader once every three or four hundred years.

Cultivators were longer-lived than ordinary people, and the higher their cultivation level, the longer their lifespan grew.

It was a given that one must reach Nascent Soul stage to be a sect leader, so compared to mortal emperors who were replaced every few decades, it was much rarer for a sect to choose a new sect leader.

Although Cao Zirui would not immediately take up his duties, this ceremony was similar to the investiture ceremony of a crown prince. It was merely a preliminary appointment, but still of great significance.

Such a once-in-a-lifetime event was someone that no one would want to miss, and onlookers were not prohibited at the ceremony. Therefore, regardless of their duties or cultivation levels, everyone planned to come out and watch the excitement today, as well as witness the strength of their next sect leader.

The trial ceremony was to be held in the main square, on the thousand-step stone staircase leading to the mountaintop. There was a checkpoint every ten steps, for a total of one hundred checkpoints and one hundred disciples to defend them.

The list of these one hundred disciples have been finalized two days ago. All of them were at least at Foundation Establishment stage, with some of them having even reached Golden Core.

This was actually quite a difficult challenge for Cao Zirui, because he had only been a disciple for a year. Although he was a genius, his time here was too short, and his current cultivation level was only in the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

Although Cao Zirui had won first place in the Foundation Establishment tournament to determine who would enter the Floating Island Secret Realm, it had consisted of one-on-one duels with rest periods between each match. But this time, he would be facing consecutive rounds of competition, which substantially increased the difficulty level.

And among those guarding the staircase were Golden Core stage cultivators who were an entire realm higher than Cao Zirui. It was generally considered impossible for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to defeat someone at Golden Core stage.

Of course, this was a ceremony to pre-establish the next sect leader. It was ultimately just for ritual purposes, and wouldn’t be an insurmountable challenge.

This trial did not allow for the use of spiritual power, and was solely a contest of sword skill. The way of the sword depended more on one’s own comprehension, and had relatively less to do with the amount of time spent cultivating.

Although Feng Ye had never personally witnessed Cao Zirui’s swordsmanship, having not watched his previous duel, he surmised that Ji Chengyue’s willingness to let him participate in the challenge meant that he had confidence in his disciple’s swordsmanship.

“Shixiong, are you ready yet? So many people are going to watch today, and we won’t get a good spot if we’re late!” Shortly after his first prompt, Fang Yang urged him again.

“I’m ready, I’m ready.” Feng Ye stood up and straightened his robes, then followed Fang Yang outside.

The instant he stepped out of the dorm, he was unsurprised to find Hao Chen waiting outside.

Hao Chen gave Feng Ye a smile, then offered the snacks he had prepared, saying solicitously: “This ceremony will probably take a long time, and it might go through lunch. I worried that Fellow Daoist Feng Ye would be hungry, so I brought him some snacks to try.”

Feng Ye glanced at the snacks in Hao Chen’s hand, but didn’t accept them immediately.

Ever since this fish realized that he had angered Feng Ye three days prior, he had attempted every means to serve and attend to him, wanting to use this thoughtful care to defuse Feng Ye’s temper.

Feng Ye wasn’t actually angry at all. These three days of giving Hao Chen the cold shoulder was actually….an act.

Why not give him the cold shoulder if it resulted in him waiting on Feng Ye hand and foot?

But there was a limit to everything. Pretending for too long could easily lead to slip-ups and the discovery that he had been faking it all along, so Feng Ye estimated that three days was just about right. He then reached out and selected a snack from Hao Chen’s hands, and said after tasting it: “Not bad.”

For the first time in three days, Feng Ye was signaling a willingness to reconcile with him. Hao Chen immediately pounced on this opportunity. Grasping a pastry between two fingers, he held it to Feng Ye’s lips with a smile: “Another one?”

Although having a pastry fed to him was an odd feeling, it was already at his lips. Reaching out to grab it seemed redundant, so Feng Ye simply accepted the pastry from Hao Chen’s hand.

As he chewed, he took another pastry from Hao Chen and handed it to Fang Yang.

Fang Yang thanked his shixiong and the pastry vendor at his side before digging in.

But as he ate, he felt that something was off about this whole situation. Would male friends normally feed each other snacks by hand?

However…..Useless Shixiong and Hao-dage had an unusually good relationship, and slept together as soon as they met. Compared to that, feeding each other snacks seemed like nothing.

Setting aside the strange feeling, Fang Yang swallowed the pastry and ran ahead to lead the way. Feng Ye and Hao Chen followed at a leisurely pace as the three of them made their way to the main square. Along the way, they met many other disciples who were on their way to watch the show.

As soon as dawn broke, the foot of the mountain was bustling prior to the once-in-a-century trial ceremony.

Meanwhile, at the summit of the mountain in Zhenwu Hall.

This was the primary meeting hall, where three days ago, Ji Chengyue made an announcement that shocked a great many people.

The fact that he chose Cao Zirui as his successor came as no surprise, because in every respect, Cao Zirui was indeed more promising than Xue Ren.

The timing was the surprising part. How old was Cao Zirui? He was just a youngster who had yet to reach adulthood. Choosing now to name him as the next sect leader seemed a bit hasty.

The stewards, as well as Elder Zhou, immediately raised objections to Ji Chengyue’s decision. But with his heart set on Cao Zirui, Ji Chengyue defied their protestations and scheduled the ceremony for today.

If it weren’t for the time needed to prepare for the ceremony, judging by his urgency, he likely wouldn’t have bothered to wait three days, and would have simply done it the next morning.

But why was Ji Chengyue in such a hurry? Nobody knew. Even Elder Zhou, whom Ji Chengyue respected the most out of anybody, received no response when he asked the man.

He was the sect leader, after all. So although many people doubted his decision, they went along with it anyway.

Zhenwu Hall was empty today, what with everyone preparing for the ceremony. They needed to rush in order to finish the preparations in only three days.

But the empty hall was not entirely deserted. Two people sat there facing each other.

“Shifu,” Cao Zirui called out to Ji Chengyue.

Ji Chengyue sat cross-legged on a meditation mat, resting with his eyes closed. At Cao Zirui’s call, he opened them and glanced in his direction.

He noticed that the boy’s brow was furrowed slightly. For the perpetually icy-faced Cao Zirui, even this slight frown was a significant change in expression.

The unusual change in expression, along with the rustle of Cao Zirui adjusting his posture as the two of them meditated, collectively revealed Cao Zirui’s inner tension and unease.

“No need to be nervous,” Ji Chengyue reassured him.

Cao Zirui was not comforted. He had barely left the sect more than a few times to gain experience, so it was impossible for him to avoid being nervous about his selection as the next sect leader.

“Shifu, isn’t this….too early?” Although many had already posed this question to Ji Chengyue, Cao Zirui couldn’t help giving voice to it himself at this moment.

He felt that he was not yet ready. He wasn’t ready to take on the responsibility of managing an entire sect.

“It’s not too early.” In contrast to Cao Zirui’s hesitation, Ji Chengyue’s tone was very firm.

This was the decision he had come to after careful consideration that night.

The conflict between Cao Zirui and Xue Ren was actually very similar to the succession struggle between princes in the mortal realm. In order to avoid fratricide, a crown prince was established early on so that the other brothers would give up on their ambitions.

Therefore, Ji Chengyue planned to follow this example and utilize the trial ceremony to make Xue Ren give up completely.

He had chosen Cao Zirui as the next sect leader not because he favored him the most. In terms of emotional bonds, he was far closer to Xue Ren, who had been at his side for over twenty years. 

It was only that…..the selection of the sect leader could not be based on his personal likes or dislikes. He couldn’t just choose the person he liked best to fill the position.

The sect leader had a responsibility – to lift Lingxiao Sword Sect toward the sky.

And this responsibility was not one that Xue Ren could bear.

Although Xue Ren’s opinion on this differed, Ji Chengyue was firm in his belief.

Some things could not be done through intent alone. While hard work was vital, fate was even more so.

Ji Chengyue had also harbored a burning passion to surpass his shixiong, who possessed an exceptional single spiritual root. He cultivated day and night, but as a result, he fell farther and farther behind.

What did it matter if he was unwilling? This was fate.

He had been born with dual spiritual roots, while his shixiong was born with only one. Their starting points were different, so their potential was naturally different as well.

No matter how hard Xue Ren tried, he would only ever be the next Ji Chengyue. Therefore, after encountering Cao Zirui with his single spiritual root, Ji Chengyue quickly made up his mind.

And the journey to the Floating Island Secret Realm only further solidified his decision. Lingxiao Sword Sect had lingered at the bottom for a century, but with Cao Zirui participating this time, they had moved up one place in the rankings. Although Cao Zirui’s personal performance had not been ideal, this also illustrated a certain kind of luck.

He saw hope for the elevation of Lingxiao Sword Sect in Cao Zirui, and thus, he remained steadfast in his decision.

“If you’re really that nervous, go take a walk first. Just don’t be late for the start of the ceremony.” While remaining resolute, Ji Chengyue softened his voice.

Had Xue Ren not attempted to murder Cao Zirui, he wouldn’t have forced Cao Zirui to undergo the trial ceremony so early. After all, he was still so young…..

He knew he was placing a heavy responsibility on the young boy, but he had no other choice. This was the only way he could think of to protect both of his disciples.

“Understood, Shifu.” Cao Zirui’s eyes immediately brightened when he heard these words. He eagerly stood up from the meditation mat, then pushed open the door and left.

In his haste, he even forgot to close the door.

Ji Chengyue gazed after Cao Zirui’s hurried figure and shook his head helplessly. He had no doubt that the boy was going to find his little friend.

That was good. Sometimes, encouragement from a friend was more effective than advice from a teacher. Finding Fang Yang would help ease Cao Zirui’s mind.

Ji Chengyue’s fingertips twitched as he prepared to use spiritual power to close the door, but the sound of footsteps outside made him pause.

He could vaguely sense the identity of the person outside, and his feelings grew complicated.

Xue Ren walked in through the open door. He approached Ji Chengyue and bowed, calling out: “Shifu.”

Ji Chengyue gave a slight nod, and Xue Ren sat down cross-legged in front of him on the same meditation mat Cao Zirui had just used.

Then, neither of them spoke.

The room was silent as master and disciple faced each other, both unsure of what to say.

After a while, Ji Chengyue prompted: “Are you all packed up?”

Xue Ren said with a smile: “I am. Once today’s ceremony is over, I’ll set off.”

He spoke in a very relaxed tone, as if he had willingly accepted Ji Chengyue’s order to go to the Cold Mountain Secret Realm. 

But only three days ago, according to the disciple who delivered the message, Xue Ren’s face had been a terrifying rictus of fury.

Ji Chengyue had expected this understandable reaction.

He was prepared to face Xue Ren’s emotional outburst and questions, but Xue Ren had never sought him out.

And when he couldn’t help but go to Xue Ren himself, his disciple used various excuses to avoid seeing him.

Today was his first time seeing Xue Ren since announcing his decision, and his expression seemed very at ease.

It was as if in these three days, he had sorted himself out. As if, no longer dwelling on his narrow-minded jealousy, he was prepared to temper himself in the Cold Mountain Secret Realm.

If this was the case, it was the best possible outcome – and the outcome Ji Chengyue most desired to see.

Now that Xue Ren was ready to leave, Ji Chengyue couldn’t help but give him some instructions: “The Cold Mountain Secret Realm is bitterly cold. You should keep some warm wine in your storage bag, and take a sip to warm yourself if you reach the end of your endurance.”

Xue Ren acquiesced.

Ji Chengyue added: “What about the frostbite ointment? Remember to bring that too.”

“Even though you are already practicing inedia, you should still bring some easily-preserved dried fruit to satisfy your cravings during cultivation breaks.”

“And as for the cold-suppression medication…..”

Ji Chengyue unconsciously began to ramble. He had been the same way before Cao Zirui entered the Floating Island Secret Realm, and now it was Xue Ren’s turn to receive such treatment.

The concern hidden behind his usually stern expression was no less than what he had shown Cao Zirui. It was just subtle and difficult to detect.

But at this moment, Xue Ren no longer cared.

“Oh, right, and bring some warm wine…..” Ji Chengyue had said so much that he’d forgotten his words from before.

“Shifu, you already said that,” Xue Ren reminded him.

“I already…..” Ji Chengyue thought back, and realized that he really had. He wracked his brains, but it seemed that there was no further advice to give his disciple.

Silence fell once again.

“Shifu.” This time it was Xue Ren who broke the silence.

Ji Chengyue looked at Xue Ren.

Xue Ren tamped down the smile that seemed to be painted on his face, looking into Ji Chengyue’s eyes as he said seriously: “Shifu must have made the decision a long time ago, right? To choose my shidi as the next sect leader?”

“Therefore, you passed the Lingxiao Swordsmanship technique down to my shidi, and never thought of teaching it to me.” Xue Ren posed this as a question, but his tone made it more like a statement of fact.

Ji Chengyue remained silent.

He had indeed made this decision some time ago. However, he hadn’t refrained from teaching Lingxiao Swordsmanship to Xue Ren because it could only be taught to the next sect leader, but because Xue Ren’s talent was insufficient to cultivate it.

But there was no point in explaining this now. The result was the same. He had never planned to pass Lingxiao Swordsmanship on to Xue Ren, so he kept his silence.

Xue Ren took this as a tacit agreement. Smiling, he abruptly stood up: “Then this disciple will take his leave. I still need to observe my shidi’s trial ceremony later.”

“A-Ren.”

As Xue Ren reached the door, Ji Chengyue suddenly called out an endearment he hadn’t used in a very long time.

Xue Ren came to a stop. Ji Chengyue wavered for a long moment, but was ultimately unable to keep from voicing his inner hope: “Are you willing to guard the one hundredth checkpoint?”

One hundred years ago, when Ling Yun challenged the thousand steps, the one guarding the final platform was Ji Chengyue. This was not just a challenge, but rather a sort of inheritance and recognition between fellow disciples.

Although Xue Ren and Cao Zirui were at odds, Ji Chengyue still hoped that the two of them could reconcile.

“It’s fine if you are unwilling. Just pretend I didn’t say anything…..” Although Ji Chengyue clung to hope, he had no intention of forcing Xue Ren.

After a long pause, Xue Ren finally answered.

“With pleasure.”

His tone was relaxed and gratified, without the slightest hint of embarrassment.

A sense of relief came over Ji Chengyue.

Ji Chengyue could only gaze after Xue Ren’s back as he left Zhenwu Hall, and therefore missed how the smile on his face distorted.

---

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Chapter 84 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 86

Their gazes met for a brief moment before parting.

Qin Xiao then focused on everyone present.

Jian Hongzhuo, whose brow remained perpetually furrowed, found an opportunity to interject and said: “My Lord, please reconsider. His Majesty is still young, and the court requires your continued guidance. Perhaps it would be better to send someone else to conduct the peace negotiations.”

The journey ahead was fraught with danger, and there were those who would try every means possible to kill Qin Xiao. 

Jian Hongzhuo didn’t want him to take that risk.

“The enemy specifically requested this lord’s presence, and it would be useless for anyone else to go. No further discussion is necessary.” Qin Xiao then said to everyone, “This lord has already instructed Commander An to inform everyone of the necessary preparations for the expedition. If any of you have anything to add, or if you wish to send someone to assist, please make the appropriate arrangements.” 

With 50,000 soldiers assigned to the expedition on short notice, it was impossible for Qin Xiao to only recruit former Qin family subordinates; there would definitely be people from other factions among the ranks.

But there was nothing he could do. The situation had arisen so suddenly, and he could only blame himself for having too few informants in the Northwest, and therefore limited access to information.

The most important thing at present was to set off as soon as possible in order to reach the Northwest in less than a month and prevent a massacre.

When they heard Qin Xiao ask them to recommend people to assist him, although they didn’t show any reaction outwardly, they all felt a little awkward.

Jian Hongzhuo knew that dissuading him was a useless endeavor, and could only glance toward Chu Jiubian.

He had witnessed the methods of Grand Tutor Chu back in Hexi Prefecture.

He possessed medical skills, could conjure up vast amounts of food out of thin air, and held a position in the Imperial Court. He was also eloquent and sharp-witted, and his extensive abilities were undeniable. He was the perfect person to assist in governing.

Therefore, with Qin Xiao leaving, there was no need to worry about matters in the capital.

On the contrary, the Northwest was where the real danger lay.

Everyone did indeed have things to prepare back home, so when Qin Xiao dismissed them, they all left the palace.

Once these scheming ministers left Yangxin Hall, only Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao remained, along with Bai Lihong, who was still holding back tears.

Now that everyone else was gone, the child could no longer suppress his emotions, and tears rolled down his cheeks in long, continuous streams.

But he didn’t cry out loud. He cried silent tears, staring up at his uncle who was standing beside him.

Jiujiu was so tall that he could only see his jawline.

Bai Lihong was no longer the little boy who had just lost his mother. He understood that his uncle had to go to war this time in order to save many people.

So no matter how scared or upset he was, Bai Lihong knew that he couldn’t speak up and stop him.

Yet he couldn’t help but carefully grasp his uncle’s robes with a tiny hand and hold on tight.

Qin Xiao lowered his gaze to the child’s tearstained face.

Then he bent down and picked him up.

The child buried his face in his uncle’s shoulder, wrapped his short arms around his neck, and finally began to sob.

Qin Xiao gently rubbed his back and took slow steps toward the seat next to Chu Jiubian, where he sat down.

Chu Jiubian’s eyes had been lowered the entire time, and only when the child’s cries gradually subsided did he turn his head to look.

Due to Chu Jiubian mentioning it before, Qin Xiao no longer carelessly wiped the child’s face with his clothes. Instead, he took a handkerchief from his breast pocket – but unexpectedly, another handkerchief came out with it.

The handkerchief he held in his hand was pure white and lacked embellishments, but the one he pulled out with it had jasmine flowers embroidered in silver thread in the corners.

But Chu Jiubian distinctly remembered that the other party only used unmarked handkerchiefs.

Qin Xiao also discovered the extra handkerchief, and neatly folded it before placing it back into his pocket.

He didn’t behave as if anything was out of the ordinary.

Chu Jiubian stared at him intently, a sudden tightness welling up in his chest.

“Jiujiu, Miaomiao will miss you.” Bai Lihong regarded Qin Xiao with a pitiful expression, tears flowing endlessly down his face.

Qin Xiao said nothing, and simply wiped away his tears.

Children this age were typically self-centered and eager to express themselves, but Bai Lihong, having experienced so much at such a young age, was more mature than other children of his generation.

Therefore, he was able to use reason to control his thoughts.

He said not a single word to stop him, but only whispered: “Come back, Jiujiu.”

Qin Xiao gently patted his little head, smiling very tenderly despite keeping silent.

Chu Jiubian stared at his profile, then averted his gaze when the other looked in his direction.

*

*

Both Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian were exceptionally busy over the next two days.

Qin Xiao was nowhere to be seen all day long, and didn’t even return for meals. Chu Jiubian and Bai Lihong were left to eat alone without him.

Bai Lihong also seemed to have composed himself, and was as well-behaved and sensible as always. He would only occasionally glance toward the palace gates, then casually avert his gaze.

But Chu Jiubian could clearly recognize the child’s sadness and inner turmoil.

On the evening of the twelfth, Bai Lihong stayed up late, washing up before playing with the nine-link rings Chu Jiubian had given him the day before.

Hong Fu’s heart broke at the sight, and he instructed Xiao Yuzi to go find Qin Xiao.

But Qin Xiao hadn’t returned to the palace yet, as he was leaving for battle tomorrow and was still making the final preparations.

Xiao Yuzi then went to find Chu Jiubian.

The Grand Tutor usually wasn’t one to go to bed late, but it was already almost the third watch, and when he went to look for him, he found Chu Jiubian sitting in the courtyard.

When he heard that Bai Lihong wasn’t sleeping, Chu Jiubian realized that the child was waiting up for Qin Xiao to return.

Thus, he got up and went with Xiao Yuzi to Yangxin Hall.

Upon entering the bedroom, he found the small child wrapped up in a blanket, engrossed in fiddling with a set of nine interlocking rings. 

When he heard a noise, Bai Lihong turned his head to look.

Seeing that it was Chu Jiubian, a distinct look of disappointment flashed through his bright eyes, but he quickly hid his emotions and donned a sweet, innocent smile.

Chu Jiubian’s heart softened, and he went over to him.

Hong Fu brought him a chair and placed it at the bedside, then left the room.

Chu Jiubian sat down.

“Xiansheng,” Bai Lihong said obediently in his sweet, childish voice.

No matter how fond the child was of Chu Jiubian, it couldn’t compare to the blood ties he shared with Qin Xiao.

When Qin Xiao was present before, the child felt that he had someone to rely on and a strong support system, which made it easier for him to lower his guard and accept other people.

But when Qin Xiao left, Bai Lihong surrounded himself with a protective shell and withdrew into it.

Even with Chu Jiubian, Bai Lihong didn’t feel as comfortable acting spoiled or playful around him, for fear that he wouldn’t be as understanding and tolerant as his uncle.

It was precisely because Chu Jiubian understood the child’s thoughts that he could discern his cautious behavior.

 But he was only a little over three years old, ah.

Rather than speaking any words of comfort, Chu Jiubian simply opened his arms to him and said gently: “Would you like Xiansheng to hug you?”

Bai Lihong’s little mouth trembled, and he immediately tucked the nine-ring puzzle back into his pocket.

The child was a small, soft bundle as Chu Jiubian hugged him tightly through his blanket.

“Xiansheng.” Bai Lihong’s voice was choked with emotion. “Miaomiao is scared.”

“What are you scared of?” Chu Jiubian’s voice was soft and tender.

Tears streamed down Bai Lihong’s little face, soaking Chu Jiubian’s shoulder.

“Miaomiao is afraid Xiansheng won’t like me.” He was no longer using “this emperor” to refer to himself.

Chu Jiubian gently rubbed his back, just like Qin Xiao had. He said softly: “Don’t be afraid. Xiansheng will always like you, just like your uncle, and will always be by your side.”

The child pulled back from his embrace slightly, his face contorted into a pitiful expression as he asked: “Really?”

Chu Jiubian wiped the tears from his face: “Really.”

Bai Lihong then snuggled back into his arms. After a while, he whispered softly: “Xiansheng, Jiujiu will come back safe and sound, won’t he?”

“Yes,” Chu Jiubian said. “He will come back alive.”

He didn’t say “safe and sound,” because he knew that Qin Xiao would be seriously injured to the point that he was clinging to life.

Only now did Bai Lihong feel more at ease.

Xiansheng was a god – if he said that Jiujiu would come back alive, then he definitely would!

The child had been troubled the past few days, but now that he knew that Xiansheng would stay by his side and Jiujiu would return, a great weight was lifted from his heart.

Then, the long-lost drowsiness set in, and before long, he nestled into Chu Jiubian’s warm embrace and fell into a deep sleep.

Chu Jiubian carefully placed him on the bed and covered him with a blanket, then got up and left the room.

Hong Fu and Xiao Yuzi were both waiting outside, and when they saw Chu Jiubian come out, they bowed in greeting.

This was where Hong Fu’s cleverness lay; even though he was so familiar with Chu Jiubian, and was now the head eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, which was equivalent to a second or third-rank official in the Imperial Court, he remained humble and never displayed the slightest hint of overstepping his bounds.

He treated Qin Xiao the same way.

Chu Jiubian said in a low voice: “The Emperor is asleep. I’m going for a walk.”

“Yes.”

Stepping out of the main hall, Chu Jiubian stood in the courtyard and gazed up at the sky.

The bright moon hung high, and the starlight was faint.

After some time, he sensed something and turned his gaze toward the courtyard gate, where a tall, imposing figure was stepping through.

The other person had clearly spotted Chu Jiubian as well. They paused briefly, then continued forward before stopping just a couple of steps away from him.

“Has everything been taken care of?” Chu Jiubian asked.

There was no sign of fatigue on Qin Xiao’s face, but the angles of his jawline were more defined, as if he had lost weight.

“En.” Qin Xiao glanced toward the palace behind him. “Is His Majesty asleep?”

Chu Jiubian nodded.

Qin Xiao smiled: “Then shall we walk together?”

Chu Jiubian had already planned to ask him if he wanted to take a break, and nodded again.

The moonlight was like a veil, illuminating the streets and alleys inside and outside the Imperial City.

While the common people were fast asleep, the elite were awake all through the night. They all knew that at dawn, Lord Ning-wang, the most powerful figure in the capital, would lead his army into battle.

Whether or not he would manage to return depended on the actions of others.

Outside the Imperial City, 50,000 soldiers were also ready to depart.

Qin Chaoyang meticulously double-checked the headcount, as well as the military rations for the expedition.

An Wuji was also exceptionally busy with the Imperial Guard, and his nerves were stretched to the breaking point.

Qin Xiao wasn’t even bringing Qin Chaoyang with him on this expedition, and would instead leave him behind in the palace to assist Chu Jiubian with miscellaneous tasks.

Even in less noticeable ways, Qin Xiao revealed much.

He was setting out on this expedition with the expectation that he would not return alive.

*

*

Inside the palace, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao wandered unknowingly to the western courtyard.

This was Qin Xiao’s residence. Previously, the courtyard had been absent of any notable features, and lacked the lively atmosphere of the main hall and the eastern courtyard.

But at present, Chu Jiubian saw that the entire courtyard was overflowing with jasmine flowers.

Someone had planted them.

The flowering season was nearly over. “Are you fond of jasmine?” Chu Jiubian inquired.

Qin Xiao gazed at the swaying, pure white flower branches and said: “They are significant to me.”

“Significant how?”

Qin Xiao smiled, but didn’t explain.

The air was slightly cool at night, and a delicate fragrance clung to their robes.

They should have had much to speak about, but they understood each other without the need for words.

For a long while, they walked silently and unhurriedly through the courtyard, their steps perfectly synchronized.

Neither of them mentioned parting ways.

Eventually, Qin Chaoyang returned from outside the palace and stood at the courtyard gate, watching the two of them strolling side by side. He said in a deep voice: “My Lord, it is time to prepare for departure.”

Having said this, he retreated to a greater distance so as not to disturb them further.

Chu Jiubian stopped in place.

Qin Xiao, however, walked to the edge of one of the flowerbeds and gently stroked the petals of a flower.

Chu Jiubian observed him in silence.

After several moments, Qin Xiao turned around and met his gaze from only a few steps away.

Pale moonlight shone down at an angle above him, and behind him stretched a sea of overlapping white flowers. Dressed in black, the man stood out strikingly against this backdrop.

Qin Xiao said with a smile in his eyes: “Would you like to make another wager with me?”

“What are we betting on?” Chu Jiubian asked.

Qin Xiao replied: “I’ll tell you when I get back.” 

Chu Jiubian smiled as well, saying: “Then His Majesty and I will await your return.”

The young man’s eyes held a gentle smile. Dressed in white, he was as pure as snow and as distant as the moon. 

Qin Xiao gave him a long, searching look, and then turned and walked out of the courtyard.

“Go and rest.” The man’s deep, low voice drifted through the air, accompanied by the light scent of flowers.

Chu Jiubian watched his retreating figure until he was out of sight, then looked away and left the courtyard as well.

However, after taking two steps, he stopped once more.

Soon after, he finally exited the courtyard gate with a pure white jasmine flower in his hand, one of its petals slightly bent.

In his bedroom back in Yangxin Hall, Bai Lihong was curled up in a ball with his back to the door.

Only when the footsteps that had lingered for a long time at the door had faded away did the child snuggle deeper into the blankets, tears rolling silently down his cheeks.

Jiujiu would return safely. Xiansheng had told him so.

*

*

Everything seemed to change after Qin Xiao left. The tense atmosphere in the capital, which had been on the verge of boiling over, miraculously calmed down.

Even during morning court, the matters discussed were mostly trivial.

But Chu Jiubian knew that this was just the calm before the storm. Everyone was waiting for the final outcome of the situation in the Northwest.

He observed all of this with a detached gaze, while meticulously handling the tasks at hand without slacking in the slightest.

The list of candidates for the Imperial Examinations had been finalized, and examination halls had been constructed in various regions.

Chu Jiubian had told Qin Chuan to send people to conduct secret investigations in those locales, and those with problems had already been ordered to make corrections.

Those government offices that had been carelessly neglecting their duties due to their remoteness from the capital were terrified when they received a reprimand from the Imperial Court, and dared not continue to be negligent.

During the previous investigation into candidates for the waterway transport system, Chu Jiubian had witnessed Qin Chuan’s methods and the usefulness of the [Connections] keyword.

Upon hearing about the matter of the examination halls, Qin Chuan immediately suspected that they were Chu Jiubian’s doing. But while he harbored suspicions about Chu Jiubian’s relationship with the High Priest, he diligently carried out his duties.

The Imperial Examination system benefitted both the common people and the Imperial Court, so Qin Chuan had no reason or justification to refuse this task.

He once again requested another life-saving chance as his reward for this mission, but the High Priest ruthlessly refused and instead bestowed upon him a handheld repeating crossbow.

Upon receiving it, Qin Chuan was so delighted by the crossbow that it would be an understatement to say that he couldn’t put it down. He even requested additional tasks from the High Priest so that he could acquire multiple different weapons.

Chu Jiubian hadn’t expected him to be so enthusiastic about weapons, and wondered if he would go insane with joy if he were handed a machine gun one day.

He considered sending Qin Chuan to protect Lu Yao right away, but Qin Chuan hesitated, saying: “Can it be done a little later?”

“Why?” asked the High Priest.

Qin Chuan knew he had no chance of keeping it a secret, so he said frankly: “I want to go to the Northwest.”

Chu Jiubian looked at the repeating crossbow in his hand, and said after a moment of silence: “You may go and find Lu Yao later. First, I will bestow a reward upon you.”

He bought penicillin from the System Mall, repackaged it, and then gave it to him: “This medication is taken orally, one tablet at a time, three times a day, and can reduce the likelihood of wounds festering. However, you should try a small amount first and only use it again if there are no adverse reactions.”

It was rare for the High Priest to say so much at one time, but Qin Chuan was too preoccupied to make note of this.

His heart sank when he heard the words “reduce the likelihood of wounds festering.”

The High Priest must have guessed that he was going to find Qin Xiao, but why had he given him this kind of medicine?

If it was meant for all of the soldiers, then the quantity was insufficient.

Did this mean that Qin Xiao was going to be injured?

And the injury might be so severe that the wound festered?

At this thought, Qin Chuan was unable to remain any longer. He stood up, bowed, and prepared to leave.

The High Priest had said that the medicine needed to be tested in advance, and could only be taken if there were no adverse reactions. Therefore, it must be tested while Qin Xiao was still healthy, or it would be too late when he was seriously injured.

However, before that, he needed to have someone test the drug to ensure that it was truly effective and non-toxic, just to be on the safe side.

Chu Jiubian instructed the System to send this person away.

Then, he fell silent.

A box of penicillin only cost two points, but Chu Jiubian had never expected that he would actually buy it, and only did so when he suspected that Qin Chuan was going to bring the repeating crossbow to Qin Xiao.

Chu Jiubian sat alone in the Divine Realm for a long time, and finally let out a laugh.

Lord Ning-wang was incredibly cunning; he posed a wager with him, but deliberately withheld the terms of the bet, which was surely for the purpose of keeping him guessing.

Chu Jiubian left the Divine Realm and chose not to dwell on it.

The next day was the tenth day since Qin Xiao’s departure.

Chu Jiubian handed over the first batch of test questions to Qin Chaoyang, instructing him to send the trained examiners to depart together with secret guards. They should arrive by the 29th at the latest, and the Imperial Examinations would officially begin on the 30th of the ninth month.

In addition, all of the merchant caravans transporting fine salt had returned today.

The profits from the first batch of fine salt were incredibly substantial, accounting for almost half of the caravans’ total earnings for the expedition. Everyone was eager to continue such a profitable business. 

So when Chu Jiubian released the news that he had the same quantity of fine salt waiting to be sold, each family made sure to “express their loyalty.”

Not only did the Wang, Lu, and Xiao families refrain from any dishonest practices (since they couldn’t possibly falsify their accounts anyway), even the Qiu family set aside their ulterior motives and paid Chu Jiubian much more than they had originally planned.

Chu Jiubian had no time to enjoy the money he received before he allocated thousands of taels to be used for military provisions. He ordered Kou Qiao, a secretary in the Ministry of War, along with Deputy Minister of Revenue Wang Pengyi, to lead three thousand soldiers and quickly catch up with the supply convoy that had departed several days earlier.

Kou Qiao had been part of the Qin Family Army, and was one of Qin Xiao’s men. He had previously been an assistant secretary in the Ministry of War, and it was his meritorious service in the Hexi Prefecture disaster relief efforts that led to his promotion to Secretary.

Putting him in charge of escorting military supplies was the most suitable option.

As for Deputy Minister of Revenue Wang Pengyi, he himself had never expected to be summoned specifically by Chu Jiubian in the name of the Emperor.

He had also never imagined that the other party would entrust him with the task of transporting thousands of taels of silver. Even after arriving at the doorstep of the palace, he still couldn’t wrap his mind around it.

Could it be that Chu Jiubian thought that due to the Wang family’s prestige, he wouldn’t have to worry about anyone snatching the job away from him?

Or perhaps Chu Jiubian believed that given the Wang family’s emphasis on reputation and their inherent pride, they would surely side with the Imperial Court on matters of great importance, and that was why he was allowing this member of the Wang family to escort the military provisions?

Unable to comprehend the situation on his own, he went straight to his grandfather, Minister of Rites Wang Zhiyuan, and recounted the conversation he’d had with Chu Jiubian inside the palace.

Wang Zhiyuan remained silent for some time after hearing this.

When Wang Pengyi was summoned to the palace, Wang Zhiyuan had already heard the news and speculated that it was likely related to the military provisions. He thought that Chu Jiubian might want Wang Pengyi to suggest some suitable escorts, or perhaps wanted him to take a careful account of the funds.

But he had never imagined that Chu Jiubian would actually want Wang Pengyi to personally escort the military supplies.

How important was this task?

A delay of a few days could mean the 50,000 soldiers led by Qin Xiao going hungry and being overwhelmed by enemy forces.

It was absolutely impossible for Chu Jiubian to allow anyone from various factions to meddle in this situation, and the most appropriate course of action would be to have Qin Chaoyang act as the escort.

It would merely be a temporary, minor official position given to him through special arrangements, so others couldn’t really complain.

But now, not only had Chu Jiubian employed someone from one of the great families, he had selected a high-ranking official like Wang Pengyi!

Wang Zhiyuan abruptly burst into delighted, hearty laughter.

He stood and walked over to Wang Pengyi, patting him on the shoulder as he said: “You must handle this task properly! No mistakes are allowed.”

“This grandson understands.” Wang Pengyi didn’t intend to fool around.

He understood very well that the events in the Northwest were a conspiracy aimed at Qin Xiao. A great many people wanted him dead, and delaying the military supplies and provisions would definitely be a good method to drive him into a desperate situation.

But Wang Pengyi wouldn’t do such a thing.

No matter how much they might fight amongst themselves, colluding with foreign enemies was treason!

It was impossible for any member of their Wang family to be a traitor to the country.

When Wang Zhiyuan looked at him, his eyes were full of admiration and helplessness, but mostly a sense of relief.

“Go ahead,” he said. “The rest of us are getting old, after all, and can’t compare to you young people.”

Nor could they possibly compare to the magnanimity of a deity, ah…..

It must be said that when Wang Zhiyuan instructed him to do a good job, Wang Pengyi actually felt a sense of relief.

Before, he had worried that his family would want him to delay the military supplies, but now it seemed that there were good reasons why his grandfather was able to maintain his position in the Imperial Court for three generations, and why the Wang family’s reputation had remained consistent for so long.

Upon returning to his courtyard, Wang Pengyi was surprised to find his cousin Wang Qichen there, whom he had rarely seen in recent days.

The young man still bore the same disheveled, carefree appearance, but he now appeared even more confident and spirited.

“Cousin, it’s been a long time,” Wang Qichen said with a smile as he stepped forward.

Wang Pengyi chuckled and said: “Have you been busy with important matters lately?”

“Definitely! I was just thinking of showing you the results of my recent hard work.”

“Now isn’t a good time,” said Wang Pengyi.

“You have something to do?” Wang Qichen asked. “Are you going out?”

“I’m going on a long journey.” Wang Pengyi then explained how he was going to escort the military supplies, since it wasn’t exactly a secret anyway.

“I just don’t understand why Lord Chu would send me,” he said absently.

Wang Qichen’s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, and he softly tapped the palm of his hand with his folding fan.

Before, when the High Priest asked him about the relationship between Deputy Minister of Works Liu Junqi and Wang Zhiyuan, he had mentioned Wang Pengyi. He told the High Priest that his cousin was kind-hearted and compassionate, a man of great talent with his own aspirations, but was constrained by his family background. If he were given the right opportunity, he would surely be able to realize his ambitions.

Although the High Priest hadn’t said anything at the time, he had certainly taken it to heart.

The High Priest had instructed him not to reveal the existence of the “High Priest” to Chu Jiubian, and Wang Qichen had agreed. 

However, he then thought that the High Priest’s name had already spread through the Northern Desert, so Chu Jiubian couldn’t possibly be unaware of it – unless “High Priest” was a pseudonym, and his real name was something else.

However, a figure like Chu Jiubian who was capable of stirring up trouble in the Imperial Court must have guessed that the High Priest was an old acquaintance of his, and it was possible that these two divine beings had already recognized each other.

Therefore, Chu Jiubian must have received word from the High Priest that Wang Pengyi was a reliable person, and subsequently entrusted him with the vital task of escorting the military supplies.

At this thought, Wang Qichen couldn’t help but carefully examine Wang Pengyi.

His cousin was excellent in every respect, except for one thing: he was simply too tightly bound by family obligations.

What if he made a mistake for the sake of their family and harmed Chu Jiubian’s interests? Then wouldn’t Wang Qichen, who had recommended him, have caused trouble for the High Priest?

A flurry of thoughts raced through Wang Qichen’s mind.

The High Priest and Chu Jiubian were on such good terms, and were possibly even partners – if a misunderstanding arose because of someone he recommended, he couldn’t even imagine the amount of trouble he would have caused. 

He would have offended two gods!

The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became. The smile on his face remained, but his expression grew more serious.

“Cousin,” he said, his tone as flippant as ever, “could it be that Grand Tutor Chu saw that you’re an upright and capable person, and simply asked you to deliver the military supplies because he trusts you on a personal level?”

Wang Pengyi was taken aback.

Chu Jiubian actually trusted him? How was that possible?

But he couldn’t help but recall his grandfather’s attitude earlier, as well as the somewhat wistful remark he had made.

Could it be that his grandfather recognized Chu Jiubian’s ability to discern and utilize talent, and thus developed a level of respect for him, which was why he instructed him to be sure to carry out the task well?

Seeing the expression on his face, Wang Qichen knew that he had taken his words to heart and would definitely do his work diligently.

This was good. With Wang Pengyi’s talent and abilities, if he was determined to protect the military funds, there would be absolutely no problems.

Feeling quite pleased, Wang Qichen opened his folding fan.

But the next time he entered the Divine Realm, he would have to ask the High Priest if he had already reunited with Chu Jiubian.

Also, his paper-making workshop had already achieved mass production, and he had come to see Wang Pengyi today precisely to show him around.

This paper was far superior to “Langya Gold Paper,” and was now ready for sale. Perhaps he should pay a visit to the High Priest tonight to report his progress and ask him to give this new paper a beautiful name.

*

*

Meanwhile, in a dye workshop in Nanjiang, Situ Zhaoling was touching the soft, smooth fabric in her hands with admiration. It was her favorite color – light purple.

When she looked up again, the bolts of brightly-colored silk on nearby wooden racks seemed to shimmer under the sunlight.

No, they were actually shimmering!

The weavers had incorporated silver thread into the colorful silk while weaving it, and the interplay of these different threads caused a lustrous effect.

These fabrics, when made into clothes and embroidered with unique and novel patterns, would be stunningly beautiful!

Situ Zhaoling was of the opinion that she should meet with the High Priest tonight to show off her achievements. It would be even better if she received some praise.

She had entrusted the cotton the High Priest had asked her to plant to several elders who were skilled at farming, and just this morning, those elders had sent someone over to report that the cotton plants had already bloomed.

She would take some cotton with her to show the High Priest as well.

*

*

That night, the instant Chu Jiubian settled into the bathtub, he heard a notification from the System: [Host, Believers Situ Zhaoling and Wang Qichen are requesting entry into the Divine Realm.]

---

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Chapter 60 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 62

When the news of unrest in the northwest reached the capital, the Imperial Court was observing a holiday break.

Bai Lihong was taking a nap while Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian reviewed memorials in Yangxin Hall.

A memorial sent by Qi Zhili addressed the establishment of a branch office for the waterway transport business. It stated that after his arrival in Tongzhou, he had contacted local government officials and also sought out three local scholars who were on the list.

Because of the Imperial Decree and the fact that establishing a branch office there would be beneficial to Tongzhou itself, boosting the political achievements and financial gains of the local officials, those officials were very cooperative and the establishment of the branch office proceeded smoothly.

The three students on the list were indeed capable talents, each with their own strengths. They also respected one another, and worked together to help Qi Zhili solve many issues.

Even the most difficult tasks, such as “recruiting personnel” and “recommending officials” were handled by these three. They had to navigate through their interactions with local officials and wealthy nobles, and while avoiding causing any offense, managed to select capable lower-ranking officials to the greatest extent possible, rather than those who were merely wealthy or well-connected.

Qi Zhili also stated that in about two weeks, he would be able to leave for his next destination.

“Entrusting this matter to him was definitely the right decision,” said Chu Jiubian.

Qin Xiao nodded: “The three thousand taels of silver given to him is too little. I wonder how long it will last.”

“The caravans selling fine salt should be back by now, shouldn’t they?” Chu Jiubian asked.

Qin Xiao: “The Lu family caravan returned just this morning, and those of the other families will all be back by next month.”

At that time, the revenue from the first batch of fine salt would be deposited into the National Treasury, which would help relieve some of its financial pressure.

However, these powerful families would certainly not meekly pay the required amount, so Chu Jiubian already had plans in place to deal with them.

Take the Qiu family for example.

After the Mid-Autumn Festival Imperial Banquet, the Qiu family had given the court a sum of money essentially for the purpose of currying favor with Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, and with the end goal of obtaining from Chu Jiubian the fine wine that had been served at the banquet.

However, Chu Jiubian never gave them a definite answer, and simply waited for the Qiu family to send over the remaining dividends in a timely manner.

The other noble families were easier to deal with than the Qiu family.

Because Chu Jiubian had established a limited quota to the amount of fine salt they could receive, and the price at which each merchant caravan sold the salt could be tracked, it was very difficult for any of them to manipulate the accounts.

At most, they could only gain some petty, negligible benefits.

But the Qiu family was different.

Their caravans were capable of traveling to regions across the border, such as the Northern Desert and the Western Regions, and they had established trade routes in all of these locations.

Taking advantage of the information gap between Great Ning and the outer regions, as well as the fact that people on the frontier had never seen fine salt, the Qiu family resorted to many underhanded tactics.

As Qin Xiao had previously learned, the Qiu family did not sell pure fine salt, but instead mixed in a certain proportion of rough salt in order to create a “refined” salt that was superior to coarse salt, but inferior to fine salt.

Due to this mixing process, the quantity of fine salt available for sale increased, leading to greater profits.

Other noble families naturally wanted to follow suit, but those who could afford to buy fine salt in Great Ning were well-informed. Knowing what fine salt looked like, they wouldn’t even be tempted to buy the mixed “refined” salt, and only desired the pure product.

These two factors combined led to the Qiu family being able to earn significantly more wealth than the other noble families.

And due to this, the Qiu family found it easier to manipulate their accounts.

But at present, Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian planned to simply turn a blind eye as long as they didn’t go too far.

After all, they had just snatched away their waterway transport business. If they also prevented them from profiting off the fine salt trade, the Qiu family might be driven to desperation.

Now was not the time to completely sever ties with the great families.

“Let’s wait a little longer,” said Chu Jiubian. “Haven’t our people already taken over the salt fields in Haizhou? Once production is stabilized over there, we’ll take back the fine salt trade for the Imperial Court.”

At that time, with the revenue from the fine salt and the taxes from the waterway transportation business, the Imperial Court would no longer be short of money.

Haizhou was located at the border of Southern Zhili and Shandong, adjacent to the vast Eastern Sea, and boasted a large salt field – the third largest in Great Ning.

After fine salt was introduced, Qin Xiao had sent people to seek out Prefect Wei Yi in Southern Zhili and instruct him to find a way to assume control of the salt fields in Haizhou.

These salt fields had initially been under the direct control of the Imperial Court, but due to managerial neglect, local forces colluded with the prefect of Haizhou to deceive and mislead the central government. This led to rampant illegal salt trading, which defrauded the Imperial Court of a considerable amount of money.

Wei Yi had long harbored the idea of taking over the salt fields, but Emperor Yingzong’s inaction during his reign had prevented him from doing so. His repeated memorials were ignored, and since privately-produced salt was cheaper than government-controlled salt, the common people preferred to buy the illegal product. Therefore, he was forced to turn a blind eye to the situation.

However, Qin Xiao’s message informed him that the price of salt would definitely be lower in the future, but before that, the Imperial Court needed to regain complete control of the salt fields.

And the Haizhou salt fields were the first target for reform and restructuring.

Therefore, Wei Yi personally made the trip to Haizhou several times, and recent rumors suggested that he had seized the salt fields and had already begun processing and refining fine salt according to Chu Jiubian’s method.

This was a huge step forward. Once the production of fine salt stabilized, Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian planned to sell salt at three different grades.

Coarse salt was considered low-grade salt, so its price must naturally be lowered.

Even if the price wasn’t directly cut in half, it should at least be reduced by one third, so that more common people would be able to afford to buy salt.

The second grade consisted of fine salt that contained impurities.

It wouldn’t be as expensive as pure fine salt, but its taste would be superior to that of coarse salt, making it very suitable for wealthy households.

The highest grade, of course, was fine salt as white as snow.

Fine salt would be twice as expensive as the lower-grade impure salt, but even so, the wealthy and powerful would flock to buy it.

Like this, the salt fields capable of producing fine salt would be under the control of the Imperial Court, and all of the profits would naturally go into the National Treasury.

The inexpensive, non-profitable coarse salt was simply for the purpose of benefitting the common people.

Once Great Ning’s political situation was entirely stable, the National Treasury was prosperous, and the common people were living in peace and contentment, the coarse and impure salt could be phased out of existence.

But these were all matters for the future. Right now, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao were steadily moving step by step toward their goal.

Qin Xiao raised his eyes to glance at Chu Jiubian. He didn’t say anything, but merely watched him in silence, lost in thought.

Qin Xiao had been staring at him like this all the time lately. Chu Jiubian had grown accustomed to it, so he simply ignored that palpable gaze and continued to steadily review memorials.

But at that moment, a chorus of greetings from the palace servants suddenly echoed from within the courtyard: “Greeting Commander An.”

Chu Jiubian looked up reflexively, first meeting Qin Xiao’s eyes before turning his head toward the doorway.

At nearly the same time, An Wuji rushed through the door.

There was a look of anxiety on his face as he approached Qin Xiao and handed him a confidential letter, saying: “My Lord, there is an urgent military report from the Northwest!”

Military report?

Chu Jiubian’s brow furrowed, and he rose and walked to Qin Xiao’s side.

He leaned forward slightly with one hand resting on the table, his head nearly touching Qin Xiao’s.

But neither of them were cognizant of their intimate posture at this moment, as both were focused intently on the military report. 

These few lines were written by Pang Ruizhi, the Commander of the Northwest Army.

On the thirtieth day of the eighth month, the Sai Kingdom of the Western Regions launched an invasion. Our army was defeated, and Gansu fell within three days. Dingbei-wang went to negotiate, but was instead detained and placed under house arrest. Moba Zanpu, the ruler of the Sai Kingdom, has declared that he requires Ning-wang to personally attend the peace talks, and that if he doesn’t arrive within a month, he will begin to massacre the city’s inhabitants. The fighting will only cease upon Ning-wang’s arrival!

The Western Regions of the Great Ning Dynasty were divided into two main sections.

According to Chu Jiubian’s initial demarcation of this world, the area referred to as the Western Regions included parts of Xinjiang and all areas outside of Gansu, including Xizang.

The people of Xinjiang mostly existed in the form of small tribes, and didn’t pose a significant threat. 

However, during the previous dynasty, Xizang and the surrounding regions were unified by the royal family of the Sai Kingdom, which was ruled by a “zanpu,” or king.

In the military report, Pan Ruizhi had mentioned the Western Regions kingdom bordering Gansu.

And this Pang Ruizhi was also not an ordinary person.

Hailing from a noble family in Gansu, he had married Lu Yourong, the eldest daughter of the Wuwei Lu family. She was also the younger sister of Minister of War Lu Wuwei.

During the reign of Emperor Chengzong, he obtained the position of Commander of the Northwestern Army through his connections with the Lu family.

However, his military capabilities were clearly inadequate, or else his 70,000 Northwest troops wouldn’t have been defeated by the Sai Kingdom Army in just three days.

The fact that they had fallen in three days was rather strange.

Unless this person had done it intentionally…..

Qin Xiao’s face was grim as he placed the military report on the table.

Chu Jiubian rose and sat down in the chair beside him, a slight furrow creasing his brow.

An Wuji was unaware of the military report’s contents, as he had delivered the letter as soon as he received it.

When he saw that both Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian were finished reading it, he took it back to read it himself.

After reading it, he was so incensed that he immediately burst into a round of loud curses: “Three days?! Bullshit! Even if the 70,000 Northwest troops just formed a human wall, it would be impossible for them to only hold out for three days! This surnamed Pang is truly an idiot! A waste!”

He whirled around in a frenzy.

Chu Jiubian turned his head slightly to view Qin Xiao’s profile and asked: “What are you thinking?”

Qin Xiao’s voice was soft: “Aside from Pang Ruizhi, the Northwest Army contains several other lieutenant commanders. Surely not all of them are fools.”

Chu Jiubian chuckled, but his eyes were completely devoid of warmth: “Even if there are no capable people in the army, there are many officials in the local area, and Dingbei-wang’s palace boasts even more strategists and subordinate officials.”

With all of these people, how could Gansu have fallen within just three days?

Was this logical?

Not to mention that after Gansu fell, Dingbei-wang Bai Liyu foolishly went in person to negotiate, only to be captured. How could that happen?

Which of these vassal kings didn’t have a few talents under their command?

How could these people stand by and watch their master go to his doom?

An Wuji paused in his steps and looked at the two of them, saying: “Could this be a trap set specifically for you, My Lord?”

Neither Qin Xiao nor Chu Jiubian spoke, but An Wuji understood. He paced to the opposite side and sat down, his expression terribly grim.

Yes. 

This was the perfectly clear answer.

Qin Xiao had long been a thorn in the sides of these people from the capital, and they had attempted to suppress him at every turn. Given the right opportunity, they would likely kill him without hesitation.

Early on, various factions sent assassins after him almost every single day.

Only after coming to the realization that Qin Xiao was not so easily dealt with did these people eventually back down.

When covert tactics failed, they resorted to overt methods, using their influence within the Imperial Court to suppress Qin Xiao under a nearly suffocating pressure.

However, the sudden appearance of a major variable like Chu Jiubian at Qin Xiao’s side had caught them all completely off guard. 

If not for this event, it would have been much more difficult for Qin Xiao to reach this point.

But it was precisely because of Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian’s growing influence in the Imperial Court, which was gradually surpassing that of the great families and causing all parties to suffer losses to some degree, that these people could no longer sit still.

They didn’t dare lay a hand on Chu Jiubian, so they simply thought to get rid of Qin Xiao in an open, straightforward manner.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that the conflict in the Northwest had been orchestrated by Dingbei-wang, but there were certainly other forces involved as well.

It wasn’t just those in the Imperial Court – perhaps those other vassal kings were involved as well.

This was a unified, coordinated attack aimed at eliminating Qin Xiao.

An open and deliberate plot.

These people were aware that such an obvious tactic wouldn’t fool Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, but they still went forward with it. They didn’t even bother to put on a convincing act, leaving it full of flaws.

Ultimately, their only goal was to set Qin Xiao up.

The current situation in the Northwest was that the common people of Gansu were suffering horrifically and were very likely to face a massacre. All of their hopes rested on Qin Xiao; if he went, there was a chance that he could save them all.

Furthermore, the capture of Dingbei-wang was a matter of great concern. As a member of the Imperial family, his capture by a foreign power was a blatant insult to Great Ning’s dignity, as well as a clear challenge to the authority of the new emperor, Bai Lihong.

Only if Qin Xiao went to the Northwest and “rescued” Dingbei-wang would the Imperial family’s reputation and the lives of the common people of Gansu be preserved, and only then would he be able to justify himself in front of the country.

Chu Jiubian turned his head to look at Qin Xiao, his eyes filled with unreadable, complex emotions.

He could comprehend the intricacies of the situation, as could Qin Xiao.

There were currently only two options before him: go or not go.

If he didn’t go, he would lose the support of the common people, the Imperial Court would lose its prestige, and the hope that they had painstakingly built in the hearts of the common people over the past few months would also be lost.

But if he were to go, he would likely lose his own life.

So was there even a choice?

Of course there was.

Given Qin Xiao’s reckless personality and disregard for how people saw him, he could easily choose his own safety and well-being over his reputation.

Given his ruthless, villainous nature, he could easily abandon the common people of Gansu without a second thought.

But for some reason, Chu Jiubian was thoroughly convinced that Qin Xiao wouldn’t abandon them. 

Qin Xiao might not care about his own reputation, but he did care about the prestige of the Imperial Court, and even more so about the innocent common people of Gansu.

Even though it was highly unlikely that Dingbei-wang would go through with ordering a massacre, Qin Xiao wouldn’t take the risk.

At this point in time, Chu Jiubian could no longer deceive himself.

Qin Xiao was a good official who cared about the common people. He had the coldest and most ruthless outward appearance, but deep down, he was more easily moved to compassion than anyone else, and also possessed more humanity.

He was a perfectly normal person; he had healthy familial relationships, a challenging but typical upbringing, and an incredibly well-adjusted personality. 

Qin Xiao was not – or at least not yet – the heartless, brutal regent pictured in the original novel.

Thus, he and Chu Jiubian had never been the same kind of people after all.

Chu Jiubian’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he unconsciously clenched his hands where they were hidden under his sleeves.

He instinctively wanted to scratch himself, but his rationality prevailed and he was able to suppress the urge.

The medicine I bought from the System Mall must be working, he thought.

Qin Xiao beside him spoke up to say: “An Ping.”

An Wuji immediately got to his feet: “My Lord.”

Qin Xiao calmly instructed: “Find Qin Chaoyang and instruct him to tell the Ministry of War to assemble troops. We’ll need at least 50,000 soldiers. Also have him instruct the Ministry of Revenue to prepare military supplies and provisions. Everything must be ready within three days, and we will depart at dawn on the thirteenth.”

“My Lord,” An Wuji said with a frown, “Who will lead them…..”

“Me,” Qin Xiao said calmly.

He sat on the chair with his legs crossed, leaning against the backrest. From his posture to his expression, he seemed completely relaxed.

An Wuji hesitated. He wanted to say something, but ultimately refrained, and just said with a respectful bow: “This subordinate accepts the order.” With that, he turned and swiftly left the room.

Once Qin Xiao decided on something, there was no one in the world who could change his mind.

With the departure of An Wuji, the Council Hall fell into a deathly silence.

Chu Jiubian turned his head to view Qin Xiao’s cold, grim profile.

At once, he remembered a description he’d read in the original novel: [Ning-wang Qin Xiao led his army to defeat a border kingdom in the Western Regions and was seriously injured. It took him three months to recover.]

Had he been paying closer attention at the time, he would have wondered why Qin Xiao, the dignified Regent, needed to personally lead his troops into battle.

But now, Chu Jiubian didn’t question it at all. He knew that Qin Xiao must go.

It must be said that the various factions in the capital understood one another very well, and had accurately predicted that Qin Xiao would step into the trap with full knowledge of what it was.

This plot point was also present in the original novel.

However, it was happening an entire year ahead of schedule!

Chu Jiubian pondered for a moment, and came to the conclusion that this was due to his own appearance. 

His series of actions had accelerated Qin Xiao’s efforts to suppress the powerful families, allowing him to accomplish in a much shorter amount of time what should have taken him a year to do. 

This undoubtedly placed great pressure, as well as a greater sense of urgency, on the other factions who were concerned about Imperial power growing, which was why they harbored murderous intentions so early on. 

Perhaps sensing Chu Jiubian’s gaze, Qin Xiao snapped out of his thoughts and turned his head to meet the other’s eyes.

Chu Jiubian blinked, momentarily unsure of what to say.

Even saying something like “take care” felt unnecessary, because he knew that Qin Xiao would definitely come back alive.

But….Qin Xiao didn’t know.

He was aware that this campaign would be fraught with danger, but decided to lead it himself regardless.

Chu Jiubian genuinely felt that he and Qin Xiao had nothing left to say to each other at this point.

But after gazing at each other for an extended moment, Qin Xiao smiled.

Chu Jiubian’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. “What are you smiling about?” he asked.

“When this lord departs on the campaign, he will have to trouble the Young Master to deal with matters concerning His Majesty and the capital,” Qin Xiao said, still smiling.

Chu Jiubian dodged his gaze and remained silent.

Qin Xiao leveled him with a long, searching look, then rose and walked to the table where the young emperor usually sat. There, he prepared to grind ink and draft an Imperial Decree.

Chu Jiubian dithered for a moment, then paced over to him and took the ink stick from his hand, saying: “I’ll do it.”

Qin Xiao withdrew his hand, softly rubbing his fingertips together.

The young man’s slightly cool touch seemed to linger there.

*

*

Upon receiving the news from the Northwest, all of the major forces in the capital were shaken.

Everyone knew that this was a trap Dingbei-wang had set for Qin Xiao, and these powerful figures naturally involved themselves in the scheme.

Dingbei-wang had already set up the chess board; now, all they had to do was place Qin Xiao on the board and gradually force him into a desperate situation. 

Unable to wait for Qin Xiao’s summons, they all rushed from their homes to the Imperial City, traveling all the way to Yangxin Hall to request an audience with him.

Hong Fu had also received the news at this time, and rushed over from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs.

At present, he greeted everyone and escorted them to the Council Hall.

Inside, Chu Jiubian had already returned to his original seat, while Qin Xiao remained standing beside the emperor’s throne.

Bai Lihong sat obediently on the throne with a somewhat listless expression.

But upon seeing the ministers approaching, he immediately perked up.

Most of the Six Ministers were present. All of them wore anxious expressions, but in reality, Minister of Works Jian Hongzhu was probably the only one who was actually worried. Everyone else was secretly hoping that Qin Xiao would go to his demise.

And with Qin Xiao gone from the capital, the greatest threat would be Chu Jiubian.

A single tree could not stand alone. It was easy to imagine the immense pressure Chu Jiubian would be under. These powerful and ambitious figures were watching him closely, and would undoubtedly do their utmost to suppress him.

However, they still feared Chu Jiubian’s identity as a “god,” so the ideal situation would be to lure Chu Jiubian over to their side while Qin Xiao was away.

If it meant securing greater benefits for their families, they wouldn’t hesitate to pledge their allegiance to the emperor and become loyal subjects.

Reputation was paramount to them, and they had never intended to overthrow the Imperial family and seize power for themselves. Those were “rebellious ministers and traitors,” and they had no desire to leave such a reputation behind in the history books, bringing shame upon their descendents for generations to come.

Therefore, it didn’t matter to them who sat on the throne; what mattered was whether that person could be manipulated to give them greater benefits.

With their true intentions carefully concealed, everyone finished paying their respects to the emperor and proceeded to discuss the matter in the Northwest.

But before anyone could speak up, Bai Lihong said: “Esteemed ministers, you have undoubtedly come here at this time to discuss the matter in the Northwest. This emperor has already made his decision.”

Qin Xiao had instructed him to speak these words. He actually had no idea what “decision” had been made, only that his Jiujiu was going to war, that he would be gone for a long time, and that there was no telling when he would return.

When he thought of this, the child’s eyes welled up with tears.

His maternal grandparents had gone off to war and never returned. Grand Commandant Qin had suffered from lingering injuries sustained in the early years of warfare, which tormented him with illness in his old age. He only lived long enough to witness the birth of Bai Lihong before he passed away.

Therefore, to Bai Lihong, going to war was a very dangerous matter.

It was very likely that he would lose another loved one, perhaps even the only close relative he had left.

His mother was gone, and if his uncle left too, then he…..

The child tried his utmost to hold back the tears pooling in his eyes, clenching his little hands into the cloth of his robes.

Jiujiu said that he was the emperor, and he couldn’t cry in front of his ministers.

Chu Jiubian didn’t notice the child’s expression at that moment. He had his eyes lowered slightly as a jumble of thoughts spun through his mind. He seemed to be thinking about many things, yet at the same time, thinking about nothing at all.

Then he heard Qin Xiao say: “Since Moba Zanpu has specifically requested that this lord attend the peace talks, this lord shall go.”

He glanced over the crowd and said calmly: “With all of you present in the Imperial Court, this lord can depart with peace of mind.”

Much to everyone’s surprise, Qin Xiao had already decided to go to war before they could persuade him to do so.

Thus, they began to think things over again and wondered if they should persuade him to stay.

But Qin Xiao continued: “However, His Majesty is young and requires someone to guide him at all times. Therefore, once this lord leaves the capital, Grand Tutor Chu will temporarily assume the role of Regent.”

This came as a surprise to absolutely no one. In their eyes, Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian had long been inseparable from each other.

But Chu Jiubian just felt his heart sink as he slowly raised his eyes to look at Qin Xiao.

Others may not know what his relationship with Qin Xiao was like, but he had a clear understanding of it.

There was only a small amount of trust between the two of them.

He had never imagined that Qin Xiao would entrust him with the power of the Regent.

But…..

Qin Xiao’s penetrating gaze fell upon him, meeting his inscrutable gaze.

---

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Chapter 59 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 61

Ch 20 – What Did the Cruel Robot Do?

“Take a look at Tau.” Yu Xi adjusted the semi-transparent screen so that it faced Kersz. Displayed on it was a photo. “I think our relationship has improved significantly.”

On the holographic screen, Tau sat with his back as straight as a board. He was wearing a pink formal suit covered in goose-yellow polka dots, with a large yellow bowtie secured around his neck. Perched atop his head was a cute little tophat. 

This was the outfit Yu Xi had picked out for him, as today was the birthday of his fabricated persona.

“In consideration of his favorite color being purple, I gave him purple dress pants and silver-white shoes.” Yu Xi zoomed in on Tau’s lower body.

Kersz felt as if his eyes were being assaulted by that pair of gleaming silver shoes.

“We celebrated his birthday together. His heart started racing and his face turned bright red, so I knew he was feeling shy.” Yu Xi sighed. “Tau is really becoming more and more lively.”

Kersz: …..

Kersz suspected that Tau had wanted to pummel Yu Xi, but considering the disparity in strength between the two, all he could do was grit his teeth and bear it.

Surely Yu Xi wouldn’t dress Kersz up like this for his own birthday. Right?

“This outfit is a little odd,” said Yu Xi.

Kersz: “Ah?” Yu Xi thought it was odd? Shouldn’t he find it adorable?

“But Tau himself likes it. It’s his birthday, so his preferences matter most.” Yu Xi wondered whether he should hang this photograph in Tau’s quarters.

“What do you mean it’s his own preference?” 

Kersz finally realized that something wasn’t right here.

“I prepared several outfits.” Yu Xi exited the photo and showed Kersz the array of garments he had selected.

Those formal outfits looked very elegant, and Tau would certainly look good in them.

“When I asked him to pick out his clothes, he looked rather conflicted. Then I jokingly said that if all else failed, I would just tie a big bow on his head and be done with it. And he actually said okay!”

“I designed some clothes for him, and he selected the sketches for this particular set,” Yu Xi explained. “Actually, he didn’t point them out. It’s just that once the sketches were ready, his eyes lingered the most on this particular set.”

Kersz was deeply shaken: “So he actually prefers this?”

“I got the feeling that he really liked it.” Yu Xi recalled that when the little top hat had begun to fall from his head, Tau had reached up himself and straightened it again.

Kersz wore an incredulous expression.

“And he also prefers children’s cartoons to those heavy, complex stories intended for adults.” Yu Xi had discovered this by perusing Tau’s playback history.

Kersz was even more shocked.

“Do you think I should give him a teddy bear? I think he’d like it.” Yu Xi asked for Kersz’s opinion.

Kersz raised a hand to his temples: “I suppose…..he really likes this stuff?!”

“Everyone has their own little hobbies.” Yu Xi patted Kersz. “By the way, I’ve secretly tapped into your civilian computer network. I’m striving to understand your social structure. You now have unrestricted access to the network, and no one will be able to trace your identity.”

“I can access the network?” Kersz frowned.

Yu Xi nodded.

“What about Tau?”

“He can too,” said Yu Xi.

“No way! He’ll send information outside!” Kersz was alarmed. “His father is the Supreme Governor. The military of the Interstellar Alliance is going to come knocking on our door.”

“He wouldn’t do that, he’s an honest child,” Yu Xi reassured him.

“He might like those cartoons, but he hasn’t been successfully reformed. It’s not that easy.” Kersz worried that Yu Xi might suffer a loss at Tau’s hands. “He will absolutely reveal your situation to the Interstellar Alliance.”

“He can’t determine the exact location of our starship,” said Yu Xi. “Your equipment here isn’t able to do so either.”

Kersz: “He doesn’t need to know the exact location. He only needs to transmit your identity and goal to the outside world.”

“So he’s going to say that a robotic relic of an ancient human civilization wants to round up humans solely for the purpose of raising them in a healthy and scientifically sound environment, ensuring that they live out their lives in health and contentment until they die of old age?” A smile spread across Yu Xi’s face. “Wouldn’t you take this as a joke?”

Kersz: …..

He had nearly forgotten how absurd Yu Xi’s goal would seem to ordinary people.

Kersz’s suspicion turned out not to be baseless. Upon discovering that he could access the network, Tau indeed began to transmit information. However, he was very cautious, and waited a long time before sending his first brief message in a rather roundabout manner.

After all, he couldn’t be sure if Yu Xi was spying on him or not.

In reality, his best course of action at the moment was to do nothing at all, but Yu Xi’s tactic of using his father to threaten him had left him feeling a little anxious.

On the capital planet of the Interstellar Alliance, a man with long golden hair closed a file and removed his gloves before rubbing the tip of his nose.

Just then, a message suddenly popped up on his communicator.

[Supreme Governor, we have received a message from 152.]

Number 152? The blond man raised his teacup.

He recalled that Number 152’s identity had already been exposed by Kersz. Given Kersz’s deranged nature, he had assumed that Number 152 was already dead.

[Send it over.] The blond man’s brow furrowed. He wondered if this could be a trap set by Kersz.

[….Please try not to get angry when you read it.] The other side suddenly sent this remark.

The blond man’s displeasure deepened. The other’s words seemed a little excessive.

Fortunately, the other party didn’t display any further extraneous sentiment. Instead, they simply forwarded the intelligence transmitted by Number 152.

Number 152 had left varying comments across different websites, and they had to use a secret code to identify specific characters, deconstruct them into their constituent strokes, and then based on the numerical values of those strokes, reassemble them to construct a new message.

The file sent by the other party contained all of Number 152’s comments, and in the process of deconstructing the information, these fragments coalesced into a single statement: [A robot is coming to capture Father and use him as a breeding stud.]

“Pfft! Cough, cough, cough!” The blond man spat out the tea in his mouth. After coughing for quite a while, he shifted his gaze back to the message.

Then he went back through every message sent by Number 152, scrutinizing the decryption process. He felt that something must have gone wrong during one of the steps.

He read them over once, twice, three times…..

…..Was this message posted by Kersz under the other person’s account?

That must be it. The space pirate was probably just indulging his twisted sense of humor.

*

*

Kersz sneezed.

“Are you sick?” Yu Xi reached out and touched Kersz’s forehead.

“I don’t think so.” Kersz didn’t know why he had suddenly sneezed. “Let’s continue our discussion.”

“Oh, oh, okay.” Yu Xi had been speaking to Kersz about the little animals in his dream. “Humanoid extraterrestrial beings are extremely rare. In the dream, they referenced ‘supreme apes,’ and said that I resembled them. So I figure that their facial features must at least be human-like, or that human features must represent a substantial portion of their appearance.”

“The animals spoke the same language as me, so they must have originated back when the original humans still existed. It’s highly probable that they are artificially created beastfolk,” Yu Xi continued to analyze.

“That makes sense. Actually, back when I was a miner, I used to think to myself: if only my little mouse could live a little bit longer.” Kersz nodded.

“Oh~ You wanted companionship, right?” Yu Xi took Kersz’s hand and stroked the back of it.

“I guess so.” Kersz knew that Yu Xi was susceptible to this kind of thing. His words were sincere, but he wouldn’t usually bring up such trivial matters.

“Do you want to come into my arms?” Yu Xi opened his arms to Kersz.

Kersz embraced Yu Xi quite naturally, resting his head on his shoulder.

Yu Xi stroked Kersz’s head: “You really are a cunning human. One who knows how to act cute, too.”

Had Yu Xi figured out what he was thinking? Kersz smiled, knowing that Yu Xi would fall for it next time as well.

“In any case, it’s highly probable that those little animals originated from the ancient humans. But I’m not exactly sure what ‘Facai’ is, or why it established a connection with you.” Yu Xi petted the human beside him as he spoke.

Yu Xi typically wouldn’t be so impolite to a human. Even when dealing with the mentally unstable Tau, he wouldn’t directly lay a hand on him.

It was precisely because Tau’s personality was so maladjusted that Yu Xi worried about leading him down an even more misguided path, and always conducted himself with caution and courtesy.

But Kersz was different. Kersz was very warm and enthusiastic.

Yu Xi suddenly let out a sigh. He set the topic of the dream aside and proceeded to lament: “Good-looking, sweet-talking humans are very dangerous.”

As he spoke, Yu Xi gave Kersz a squeeze.

Then he let out a world-weary sigh.

Kersz was too generous, and couldn’t bring himself to push him away.

Yu Xi continued to pet him, and their postures shifted slightly. He began to nuzzle his way deeper into Kersz’s arms, stroking him all the while, as if preparing to stake out his territory.

He groped around with a sigh, as if helpless in the face of his own exessiveness.

Kersz’s face went slightly red.

This robot really knew how to push boundaries.

Kersz could feel his heart beating faster and faster. Yu Xi, who had been nuzzling him all this time, went still and lifted his head to gaze at Kersz with those cyan-blue eyes.

Great, the robot had picked up on his emotions again.

Yu Xi smiled somewhat sheepishly, then asked politely: “Can I touch more?”

“Go right ahead~” Kersz continued to feign composure, still maintaining his smile.

Yu Xi stared at his face, then carefully reached out to touch it.

Kersz felt that he ought to interrupt Yu Xi.

He really should put a stop to this.

But Yu Xi looked so happy right now.

He couldn’t help thinking that if he stopped Yu Xi right now, it would be tantamount to committing a crime.

Meanwhile, Tau tentatively sent a second coded message: [There is a powerful robot that wants to abduct humans and keep them as livestock. He possesses a vast amount of resources and provides the humans with three meals per day, as well as countless forms of entertainment. He says that one can even acquire any knowledge they desire here, and intends to use these means to break the humans’ will and satisfy his obsession with keeping and raising humans.]

The person who decoded the message: …..

Was this a scam advertisement?

A hustle?

Someone with a human abduction fetish?

And where was the registration portal?

Having just sent this message, Tau hugged the teddy bear beside him.

Yu Xi’s tactics were truly terrifying.

---

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Chapter 19 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 21

Ch. 84 – Impending Storm

“Aaah.” Standing in the martial arts square, Feng Ye yawned widely as he leaned on his broom.

As if it was contagious, Hao Chen nearby began to yawn as soon as Feng Ye finished.

The two of them automatically exchanged a glance.

Although Hao Chen looked tired, he still managed a smile for Feng Ye.

Feng Ye, however, remained expressionless. He had not fully let go of what had happened not long prior.

If Hao Chen hadn’t licked his hand, he wouldn’t have pulled back in shock and hit the bedframe, drawing Ji Chengyue’s attention.

However, although he couldn’t personally investigate what secret those spirit tablets held, based solely on Ji Chengyue’s reaction at the time, Feng Ye was quite certain that the Jianmu fragment was hidden there.

Although Hao Chen had used a clever trick to prevent Ji Chengyue from discovering them, the abrupt sound had still aroused the sect leader’s suspicion.

And what would someone do if they suspected there might be a thief in their house, but couldn’t find any trace of him and had to leave?

Naturally, he would take the most valuable items out with him, so that if there really was a thief, all he could steal were some worthless trinkets.

And what did Ji Chengyue take with him? He took away the two wooden spirit tablets that were probably worth no more than two or three spirit stones.

Feng Ye hadn’t examined the incense burner closely, but from the one glance he took at its exquisite carving, it couldn’t be a cheap item; its value was certainly far greater than that of a spirit tablet.

Anyone with a sound mind would know which item was more important.

Of course, there was another explanation: spirit tablets were for commemorating lost loved ones, and their significance couldn’t be measured in gold. 

But this wasn’t a very convincing argument, because although the spirit tablets were significant to Ji Chengyue, they were worthless to others.

If a thief were to steal something, they would steal the incense burner, not the spirit tablet behind it.

But in the end, Ji Chengyue took nothing of value – just a worthless spirit tablet that nobody would think of stealing.

There was only one possibility: that spirit tablet held a secret, and it must be an extremely important one, something much more valuable than anything else in the house.

And that thing was most likely a Jianmu fragment.

Now that Jianmu had resurfaced, even if Ji Chengyue took the fragment with him, Feng Ye could just go and snatch it back……if his goal was simply to obtain Jianmu.

Having found what he was looking for, whether or not his identity was exposed would no longer be a concern. 

However, Feng Ye’s goal was not just Jianmu.

Jianmu was merely a tool; what he truly sought was the nefarious person behind the scenes.

To nip a problem in the bud, one must remove the roots. Even if everything was as he suspected and the spirit tablet really did contain a Jianmu fragment, if he tried to take it, what would the black-robed man he’d met at the exit to the Floating Island Secret Realm do?

He would likely go back into hiding again and pursue other ways to achieve his goal, laying low so that he was even more difficult to find.

Therefore, Feng Ye did nothing when Ji Chengyue took away the spirit tablet.

Xue Ren’s inexplicable questions about Jianmu indicated that the other party had already tracked it down to this point. It wouldn’t be long before they made their move.

Although there had been a minor mistake, the end result was still the same.

Even if nothing had occurred at the time and Ji Chengyue hadn’t taken the spirit tablet with him, Feng Ye wouldn’t have touched it after investigating. He needed it as bait to catch that big fish.

The reason Feng Ye hadn’t let go of this other matter wasn’t because of any near-failure, but rather…..why had Hao Chen licked him for no reason?

The warm, moist sensation, and the feeling of teeth lightly tugging at his palm…..even now, recalling it gave Feng Ye goosebumps.

The situation had been urgent, and there wasn’t time to settle accounts with Hao Chen. Once Ji Chengyue left, the two didn’t linger further, and returned to their lodgings at the foot of the mountain before dawn.

After climbing through their own windows, they emerged from their rooms wearing the clothes they hadn’t taken off. 

Then they took their brooms to the martial arts training square and commenced their daily work while yawning.

Now, Feng Ye finally had the chance to settle the score with Hao Chen.

He stared blankly at Hao Chen’s smile, then threw down the broom and stalked toward him with an unfriendly expression.

He looked like he wanted a fight.

Hao Chen’s heart skipped a beat, but he remained standing there and tried to maintain his composure.

He’d already had a premonition that Feng Ye would ask for an explanation, since Hao Chen was the culprit who had caused a commotion and aroused Ji Chengyue’s suspicion. 

He hadn’t intended to, but…..he couldn’t help it…..

When the person he was attracted to placed his hand over his mouth and their skin touched, it was difficult for an old ten thousand-year bachelor like Hao Chen to resist.

It was like holding a meat bun in front of a dog’s mouth – if it was able to resist when the aroma hit its nose, then it wasn’t a dog.

Although this analogy wasn’t quite suitable, the principle was the same.

In short, when it came to who to blame, it wasn’t his fault. It was the fault of his damn male instincts.

He’d held himself back for a long time, and only gave Feng Ye a light nip in the end, which demonstrated his excellent self-control.

Hao Chen inwardly attempted to shirk responsibility while simultaneously wracking his brains for a solution. Of course, he couldn’t use that explanation on Feng Ye. Were Feng Ye to hear it, he likely wouldn’t care about so-called male instincts and simply roll up his sleeves to beat him.

Feng Ye came to a stop when he reached Hao Chen. He crossed his arms and asked: “Do you have an explanation for me?”

There was no need to spell it out; both of them knew perfectly well what Feng Ye was referring to.

After long consideration, Hao Chen ultimately decided on his usual solution – deny, deny, deny.

He feigned surprise: “An explanation for what?”

Feng Ye raised his left hand, which he had used to cover Hao Chen’s mouth.

However, Hao Chen maintained his look of innocent confusion.

Feng Ye proceeded to remind him: “What you did to my hand before.”

Hao Chen blinked, then suddenly reached out and placed a hand over Feng Ye’s mouth, saying in confusion: “I don’t quite remember. Perhaps Fellow Daoist Feng Ye should reenact it.”

How dare he ask him to reenact it?

Feng Ye smiled and nodded at Hao Chen, but rather than acquiescing to his request, he silently rolled up his sleeves.

Hao Chen’s eyebrow twitched. He took a few quick steps back, attempting to reason with Feng Ye as he did so: “Fellow Daoist Feng Ye, let’s talk this out…..”

Maintaining his smile, Feng Ye pressed forward step by step: “I don’t think it’s so easy to discuss.”

“Fellow Daoist Feng Ye, how about you ask me again, I’ll be reasonable this time…..” Hao Chen continued his efforts, but Feng Ye was unmoved.

As Feng Ye closed in, Hao Chen recalled that he had already experienced his ruthless methods once not long ago.

Feng Ye was truly merciless when he attacked. At that time, Feng Ye hadn’t known who he was. His moves were brutal, and he had gripped Hao Chen’s throat so tightly that even his bones hurt.

Of course, it wasn’t like he was unable to break free or fight Feng Ye; it was just that without spiritual power, he really couldn’t beat Feng Ye in close combat.

As a Kunpeng, he wasn’t particularly skilled at combat in his human form. Everyone had their strengths and weaknesses, and there was no shame in admitting that. 

It was like putting Feng Ye in water – his combat power would definitely decrease…..although it seemed that it actually hadn’t last time…..

Hao Chen suddenly remembered that Feng Ye was also very agile in water, and could even manipulate it like a fellow aquatic creature.

Then how about another analogy: put Feng Ye in the sky. Hao Chen refused to believe that anything other than a Kunpeng could both swim in the water and fly through the sky.

He subconsciously excluded Yinglong, since Feng Ye couldn’t possibly be him.

Therefore, losing to Feng Ye in combat didn’t mean that he was weaker than Feng Ye. It simply meant that he was in a weakened state. In terms of overall strength, how many were capable of defeating him, the dignified Lord of the North Sea?

People walked through this square from time to time, so he couldn’t possibly get into a real fight with Feng Ye here. So if Hao Chen remained here, he could already picture his fate.

His skin might develop a few new colors.

This fish would change from black…..to black and blue.

A wise man knew when to yield, or as the saying went, a wise man knows when the odds are against him.

Anyway, he would just run and figure out the rest later.

Feng Ye watched as Hao Chen suddenly spun around and ran off in a flash.

He didn’t pursue him, and only after Hao Chen had run some distance away did he let out a chuckle.

He had only been trying to scare Hao Chen, but never expected that the fish would react so strongly. He probably had a guilty conscience from all of his bad behavior.

But after laughing, Feng Ye came to a sudden realization.

Hao Chen had run away. 

Which meant he was the only one left here to clean.

Feng Ye’s smile instantly vanished. He could only let out a resigned sigh and finish his work quickly, then go back and catch up on his sleep.

He had been cleaning intently for a while when a sudden, joyful shout came from nearby.

“Shixiong!”

Feng Ye looked up to see Fang Yang flying overhead on his sword.

It was his first attempt, and his erratic flying made it seem as if he would fall off at any moment.

Just as this thought occurred to Feng Ye, Fang Yang really did fall.

Fortunately, he wasn’t flying very high, only three or four meters. He reacted quickly and rolled to disperse the force of his landing, so he was able to avoid any serious injuries. 

Feng Ye walked over and pulled Fang Yang up from the ground. He examined his cultivation level: “You’ve reached Foundation Establishment?”

Flying on a sword was the threshold between Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining.

Although Fang Yang’s flying skills were lacking, he was at least flying.

Once Feng Ye helped him to his feet, Fang Yang dusted himself off and told his shixiong the good news: “After eating the pill made from the Ice Grass, not only did I recover my lost cultivation, but my cultivation increased significantly and I even broke through to Foundation Establishment stage!”

“Ice Grass has such a function?” Feng Ye was somewhat surprised.

Fang Yang nodded: “Generally, this wouldn’t happen. Even Elder Zhou, who was watching over us, found it strange. He took my pulse afterward and speculated that a previous blockage in my meridians had stifled the flow of spiritual energy and caused it to accumulate.”

“Ice Grass has the ability to cleanse the marrow and rejuvenate the body, so it immediately opened up all of my meridians. The pent-up spiritual power circulated within my body and surged all the way to my dantian, and I achieved Foundation Establishment!” Fang Yang exclaimed happily. “And with my meridians opened, my speed will be much faster, comparable to a dual spiritual root cultivator!”

Feng Ye congratulated him with a smile: “Then you’ve turned misfortune into a blessing.”

Fang Yang touched his nose: “I might have turned misfortune into a blessing, but Cao Zirui is even more amazing. He got double the good news! Not only did he recover his lost cultivation, but he’s about to become the next sect leader!”

Feng Ye was somewhat taken aback. The next sect leader?

Seeing Feng Ye’s expression, Fang Yang gleaned that his Useless Shixiong probably hadn’t heard the news yet. He explained: “Sect Leader Ji made the decision this morning. In three days, the thousand-step trial ceremony will be held, which the previous sect leader went through one hundred years ago.”

“So hastily?” Feng Ye asked with a frown.

Immediately after asking this, he realized that it wasn’t the case.

Last night’s conversation had made Ji Chengyue’s attitude very clear. Having discovered what Xue Ren had done, he couldn’t bear to lose this disciple he had raised. He wanted to protect Xue Ren.

But even if he was able to protect this disciple, there was no guarantee that Xue Ren wouldn’t turn against Cao Zirui again, so he needed to completely cut off Xue Ren’s ability to do so.

Giving the position of sect leader directly to Cao Zirui would cut off all of Xue Ren’s hopes. At the same time, he would likely put Xue Ren under house arrest. 

Just as Feng Ye was considering this, Fang Yang said: “Yes, we were surprised too. Cao Zirui was really stunned. And in addition to the trial ceremony, Sect Leader Ji also wants Xue-shixiong to cultivate in the Cold Mountain Secret Realm. That place is supposed to be an extremely harsh environment covered in ice and snow, and it takes ten years to get out once you go in.”

Everything was just as Feng Ye had imagined.

Ji Chengyue’s actions were not inherently wrong. He was reluctant to part with this eldest disciple, and equally reluctant to part with his youngest. But since the eldest could not tolerate the youngest, he was sending Xue Ren to the Cold Mountain Secret Realm for arduous cultivation.

Although this was indeed to keep Xue Ren away from Cao Zirui, Ji Chengyue also hoped that Xue Ren’s character could be tempered, that he could resolve his inner conflicts within the Cold Mountain Secret Realm and release the obsessive jealousy he held toward his shidi. 

The method seemed feasible, but only because Ji Chengyue was unaware of a crucial piece of information.

Xue Ren had a backer.

A backer so powerful that even Feng Ye was wary of him.

Ji Chengyue’s move was essentially driving Xue Ren to a dead end. Would he resort to desperate measures?

If Xue Ren only possessed the strength of a Golden Core stage cultivator, his abilities were limited, but perhaps with the assistance of his backer…..

“Shixiong, what are you thinking about?” When Feng Ye didn’t reply to his words, Fang Yang looked up to see that his brow was furrowed.

“It’s nothing,” Feng Ye said in a perfunctory tone. Then he seemed to suddenly remember something: “Where is that God-Summoning Talisman you bought in North Sea City?”

“Ah, that?” Fang Yang rummaged through his storage bag. He found the talisman at the bottom, then took it out and handed it to Feng Ye: “Although it’s not very useful, I did spend a thousand spirit stones on it, so I carry it around with me and treat it as a lucky charm.”

Feng Ye held the talisman and rubbed his thumb across it. Due to Feng Ye’s superior height, Fang Yang was unable to see this movement.

“Shixiong, what do you need the talisman for?” Fang Yang couldn’t help but ask curiously.

Feng Ye smiled and handed the talisman back to Fang Yang: “Don’t leave your lucky charm gathering dust in your storage bag all day. Let it air out. After all…..”

He looked up at the sky and murmured: “A storm is brewing…..”

After placing the talisman back into his storage bag, Fang Yang mimicked Feng Ye and looked upward. The sun hung high in the cloudless sky, with no signs of rain to be seen.

But since Useless Shixiong had said it, he probably wasn’t wrong.

So Fang Yang immediately said his farewells: “I haven’t taken in the clothes I hung out to dry yesterday. I’ll hurry back and collect them!”

Having said this, he rushed off before Feng Ye could respond.

Feng Ye: “……”

He wasn’t talking about an actual storm…..

---

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Chapter 83 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 85

Ch. 83 – Striking a Deal

Inside a secluded courtyard at the mountain peak of Lingxiao Sword Sect.

Although the morning light was somewhat dim, its glimmer still marked the end to a turbulent night.

It was a bit early, but some diligent disciples had already gotten up to prepare for a day of cultivating. However, due to this courtyard’s remote location, there were few people in its vicinity.

Similarly, very few people lived there.

With a creak, a window was pushed open.

A visitor had appeared in the previously deserted courtyard.

A man dressed in black opened the window and casually leaned against it. The sunlight streaming into the dimly-lit room was the only source of light.

Bathed in the morning light, the handsome man turned the pages of a book as he leaned against the windowsill, eyes lowered while his fingers skimmed across the paper.

This scene was as beautiful as a poem or a painting, and just like a figure in a work of art, this person was the epitome of the word “ godly beauty.”

Actually, he was indeed a god.

“God,” Ling Yun called out to the man beside the window.

“En,” the man replied with disinterest. He continued what he was doing, paper rustling as he turned another page of his book.

He read quickly, without delving into the details of the text; it was clear that he was searching for something.

“What are you looking for?” Ling Yun asked, glancing at the list of disciples in the other’s hands.

The man gave no reply. After turning another two pages, his expression suddenly transformed into one of pleasant surprise, and he stroked the page with a trace of intimacy.

At once, he threw the book in his hand, and Ling Yun caught it. It was still open to the page he was reading.

Lingxiao Sword Sect’s disciple roster was extremely comprehensive, and recorded the disciples’ date of admittance, talents and aptitudes, and portraits. 

Ling Yun looked at the portrait in front of him and found this face somewhat familiar.

This was the person he had specifically gone to see before leaving the Floating Island Secret Realm.

The man’s records were incredibly mediocre. He had entered the sect three years ago, had made no outstanding achievements, and possessed merely average talent. After three years, he had only reached the third level of Qi Refining, which put him firmly at the bottom of the pack.

As for aspects such as appearance and family background, he was as ordinary as could be. If there was anything remarkable or strange about these mediocre records, it was that this person had suddenly changed his name a month ago.

He had changed it from a rustic one to his current name, “Feng Ye.” Although it was a bit out of nowhere, it also wasn’t that strange. Quite a few people changed their names after entering an immortal sect. Having seen the vast world, nobody wanted to retain an extremely common name.

But while changing one’s name wasn’t odd, it was when that person deliberately changed their name while impersonating someone else.

Keeping the original name would have been the best, most inconspicuous choice. Going to great lengths to change his name could easily draw attention and lead to the discovery of his identity.

Why did he go to all that trouble?

Before Ling Yun could ask, the man said with a chuckle: “He’s trying to lure me out.”

After his first unsuccessful search of Ji Chengyue’s rooms, Feng Ye had not simply wasted that month. While idly waiting for an opportunity might have worked, it was far too passive, so he had devised a plan to lure the snake out of its hole.

And his name was the bait. If the person behind the scenes was who he thought it was, they would definitely recognize his name and take action.

But any move they made would be easily detected, giving him an opportunity to act.

He had put himself out in the open, hoping to lure the other party into revealing themselves as well.

Unfortunately……

“It’s a pity we haven’t been to Lingxiao Sword Sect in the past month.” The man shook his head with regret. If they had been, they wouldn’t have only just discovered Feng Ye in the Floating Island Secret Realm.

Therefore, Feng Ye’s attempt to lure the enemy out was fruitless. He never explained to anyone why he changed his name, just like he never explained any of his seemingly pointless actions.

Ling Yun estimated the time and found that it was true. He had come to Lingxiao Sword Sect just before Feng Ye got there, and went elsewhere upon finding nothing, thus missing Feng Ye.

Ling Yun closed the record and set it aside. There was no more useful information within it.

He didn’t speak again, nor did the other man.

That man remained standing by the windowsill, shielding his eyes with his hand as he watched the few rays of light that filtered through his fingers.

He suddenly clenched his fist tightly, as if trying to grasp that light in his hand.

But when he opened his hand again, there was nothing there.

At the same time, his originally solid figure began to disintegrate, turning into black mist starting at his fingertips.

The man stared at the changes to his hands and sighed: “The time has come.”

As soon as he spoke, his human figure vanished completely. The man who was as perfect as a portrait was no longer there; only a formless black mist remained.

The black mist churned inside the room for a moment, then surged toward Ling Yun, where it entered his sleeve and disappeared inside his wide robes.

Ling Yun straightened his cuffs, and just as he finished, footsteps sounded outside the door.

Xue Ren had carefully avoided other people as he made his way to this secluded courtyard. Before opening the door, he first observed his surroundings to make sure no one was watching, and only then did he push it open and enter.

After closing the door, he turned and saluted the only other person in the room: the “god.”

The man in black robes didn’t move, and the mask over his face made it impossible to discern his expression.

Xue Ren’s salute was not directed toward him, but at the person dwelling inside of him.

“Any results?” A wisp of black mist emerged from Ling Yun’s collar, coiling around his neck like a venomous snake.

“Yes, God.” Although Xue Ren put on a show of deference and submission, he sent a furtive glance toward the other person as he spoke.

But that venomous black mist seemed to sense his gaze, and abruptly stretched forward a few inches. It looked as if it was flicking its tongue.

Xue Ren instantly averted his gaze and didn’t dare look again. He had experienced the other party’s strength firsthand both that night in North Sea City and in his knowledge of the events one hundred years ago.

He gave a brief account of his conversation with Ji Chengyue and deduced: “I relayed the words Your Lordship taught me to my shifu. Based on my understanding of him, and judging from his expression, I am seventy percent certain that he indeed possesses a Jianmu fragment just as you suspect.”

“Very good,” the man praised. Then he commanded: “Go fetch the Jianmu fragment for me. Use whatever methods you prefer.”

Xue Ren’s heart stirred when he heard this. Last time, he had been in such shock from his sudden encounter with the other party that he’d readily agreed when the God of War instructed him to locate Jianmu.

But now that he was being asked to fetch the Jianmu fragment, a question arose in his mind. He asked tentatively: “God, would you like me to destroy the Jianmu fragment for you?”

The black, snake-like mist slithered up Ling Yun’s neck. After listening to what it said, the man immediately said: “No, no need.”

He emphasized: “You must bring the Jianmu fragment back to me intact.”

What did Yinglong want Jianmu for? He was the one who destroyed it in the first place one hundred years ago. Xue Ren’s doubts grew, but he remained outwardly calm and revealed nothing of his true thoughts.

He set aside his doubts for the time being and replied deferentially: “I will definitely do my best, but…..”

He seemed somewhat troubled: “Although I am my shifu’s personal disciple, my authority is ultimately limited. And I don’t know where my shifu hid the Jianmu fragment, so I’m afraid it wouldn’t be convenient to enact a large-scale search…..”

His words were loaded with meaning: the power of a personal disciple was limited, while the power of a sect leader was naturally much greater. This was a reminder for the other party to not forget their agreement: Xue Ren would help them find the Jianmu fragment, and they would help him become the sect leader of Lingxiao Sword Sect.

The black mist stretched along Ling Yun’s neck, suddenly lengthening its body until it reached Xue Ren. He naturally knew what Xue Ren meant. This human was complex, yet very easy to understand.

Because he had met far too many people just like him.

The black snake flicked its tongue and said with a laugh: “Your actions have left clues behind, and Ji Chengyue is already suspicious of you. The prospect of your master willingly passing the leadership of the sect to you is now highly unlikely.”

Xue Ren’s eyes flashed, and he retorted: “But he believed my story…..”

“He didn’t believe it.” Ling Yun cut in before Xue Ren could finish speaking.

This hoarse, unpleasant voice was very different from Yinglong’s, and Xue Ren immediately realized that it was the black-robed man speaking. He looked at this rarely talkative man and asked unsurely: “How do you know?”

“I know him,” said Ling Yun.

His tone remained as calm as a still pond, without any of the familiarity one might reveal when speaking of an old friend.

Xue Ren found this answer somewhat laughable. He had been his master’s disciple for over twenty years. How dare this unknown person claim to know his master better than he did?

But surprisingly, the black snake around Ling Yun’s throat agreed with him: “He’s right, Ji Chengyue didn’t believe you. He just doesn’t want to kill you. However…..”

“Hehe,” the black snake chuckled. “Your master doesn’t want to kill you, but that doesn’t mean he won’t employ other measures to keep you in check. Don’t even mention whether you can obtain the position of sect leader – it remains to be seen if you will even be able to move freely for the rest of your life.”

At the sight of Xue Ren’s disbelieving expression, the black snake just said: “If you don’t believe me, then go out and see for yourself. It’s getting lighter. Your master should be making his move soon.”

The moment he finished speaking, the tightly closed door was flung open by an invisible force.

As it creaked, the wide-open door seemed to offer a silent invitation.

Xue Ren’s throat bobbed as he suppressed his roiling emotions. He glanced at the black-robed man and the snake encircling his neck, then turned and walked out of the room.

He hadn’t gone far when he spotted another disciple hurrying along. Before he could stop them, they approached him of their own volition and said: “Da-shixiong, I was just looking for you. The sect leader just gave the order that a trial ceremony will be held in three days. Your shidi, Cao Zirui, has been chosen to challenge the thousand-step staircase.”

Xue Ren was shaken to his core. The thousand stone steps and one hundred checkpoints had always been the ceremony used to select the next sect leader. This act was tantamount to announcing that Cao Zirui had secured the position.

But what shocked him more was yet to come.

The disciple continued: “The sect leader also told me to inform you that you should pack your belongings over the next two days. You will be heading to the Cold Mountain Secret Realm for secluded cultivation three days from now, once the trial ceremony is over.” 

Although the Cold Mountain Secret Realm was also a small world, it varied greatly from the Floating Island Secret Realm. The latter was rich in spiritual energy and lush with vegetation, but the former was nothing but endless snow.

Such harsh, desolate conditions were extremely challenging to one’s character and willpower, and in order to break through their limitations, many people chose to enter this secret realm for arduous cultivation.

Once one entered the Cold Mountain Secret Realm, at least ten years would pass until they could emerge. His master had ostensibly ordered him to go there to cultivate, but in reality, it was basically house arrest.

Everything the other party had predicted was spot on…..

Xue Ren didn’t know what he said to the disciple who’d delivered the message, but he realized that his expression likely wasn’t good – rather, it must be terrifying. Because that disciple was currently trembling with fear. 

Xue Ren paid no further attention to him. Without a care for whether he was still wearing his “good guy” mask, he walked away in a daze.

His master’s actions proved that he had completely given up on him.

He had banished him to the Cold Mountain Secret Realm to cultivate for ten years, and during those ten years, Cao Zirui was certain to secure his position as the next sect leader.

Xue Ren had become a complete failure, like a lion who had been driven away after failing to become the king of lions, pitiful and dejected.

“How pitiful, ah…..” A man’s low chuckle sounded in his ear, and Xue Ren abruptly turned his head to look down toward the side of his neck.

The black mist that had been swirling around the black-robed man had somehow transferred over to him. The snake-like cloud coiled around his neck whispered in his ear: “Xue Ren, do you know why the dormant Burning Sky Bow awakened in your hands?”

“Was it because of the materials you used to awaken it?” The black snake asked, then answered his own question, “No, it was not. Many have attempted to awaken the Burning Sky Bow, and the materials they used were not inferior to yours, but they all failed. Only you succeeded. Do you want to know why?”

“Why?” Xue Ren asked helplessly, drawn in by the other’s words.

“Because I chose you, Xue Ren,” the black snake said in a smiling tone.

“How much does a single spiritual root actually matter? Xue Ren, your master is foolish and incompetent, and is utterly incapable of seeing your talents. You have never been less capable than your shidi. You are the true chosen one! You deserve to be the next sect leader!” The black snake’s voice suddenly rose.

These words resonated in Xue Ren’s heart. Yes, he deserved to be the next sect leader!

“Now, your shidi wants to take everything from you, and your master wants to imprison you. Xue Ren, what will you do?”

“Like hell I’ll go!” Xue Ren cursed fiercely.

“Hehe, that’s more like it.” The black snake’s voice was equally fierce as he commanded, “Go and take back everything that is rightfully yours!”

Xue Ren’s chest heaved with intense emotion. Although he was filled with anger, resentment, and bitterness, these emotions did not completely cloud his mind. He still retained some rationality.

He looked down at his hands and murmured: “I can’t do it…..”

He was at Golden Core stage, and would never be able to take the sect leader position by force.

The black snake suddenly slithered over his robes and positioned himself in front of Xue Ren, promising: “I will help you.”

“I will bestow upon you the power of the God of War and help you to obtain the position of sect leader. Then…..” The black snake let loose an uninhibited laugh. “Then you will seize the Jianmu fragment for me.”

“It’s a deal.” Clenching his fists, Xue Ren laughed as well.

---

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Chapter 82 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 84

Qin Xiao spoke very frankly.

Qiu Heng’s heart plummeted, and he hastily went to his knees, saying: “Answering My Lord and Your Majesty! Most of the bandits on the canal are common people who have been driven to desperation. They are all citizens of Great Ning, and I dare not simply round all of them up.”

This implied that the Qiu family wasn’t incompetent – they just had compassion for these destitute common people.

Then he continued: “However, in order to protect the interests of the merchant ships, the Qiu family has established security teams to guard them. We are certainly not sitting idly by!”

Qin Xiao chuckled softly: “Whether it is for the benefit of the merchant ships or for the benefit of your family, you know better than anyone else.”

“This official would never dare!” Qin Heng lowered his head, frowning deeply.

Qin Xiao, this unruly and unconventional man, often spoke bluntly and straightforwardly in court, where everyone was accustomed to indirect and circuitous language. This left others at a loss for how to respond. 

The Qiu family had amassed a huge fortune over the years through their involvement in the waterway transport business, and Qin Xiao would have been able to discover many clues without having to investigate very thoroughly. If he were to directly reveal that evidence, the Qiu family might have to sacrifice some of their members to protect the rest, resulting in the loss of many officials and a great deal of wealth.

However, the fact that the other party hadn’t directly presented that evidence proved that he didn’t want to completely sever ties with the Qiu family, and was giving them a little room to maneuver.

Qiu Heng quickly analyzed the advantages and disadvantages, then made the most reasonable decision that would maximize his benefits.

It was a foregone conclusion that Qin Xiao would take action against the waterway transport system, and the Qiu family would certainly not be able to maintain their previous level of absolute control over it. 

But he also had to secure some benefits for the Qiu family in the new policy. The waterway transport business was extremely profitable, and the Qiu family could share some profits with the Imperial Court, but they would never completely relinquish control!

It just remained to be seen what kind of policy Qin Xiao intended to implement.

The officials at court were all shrewd people, and had discerned some clues from Qin Xiao’s seemingly straightforward yet ultimately ambiguous statement. All of them watched intently, anticipating Qin Xiao’s next words.

Qin Xiao slowly swept his gaze over the crowd before saying slowly: “The canal network is vast and complex, and it is understandable that the Qiu family is unable to oversee every aspect. Minister Qiu, please rise.”

“Yes.” Qiu Heng climbed to his feet.

Upon hearing Qin Xiao’s words, the others were not surprised, and concluded that he was indeed willing to let go of the Qiu family’s past transgressions. 

Similar to previous instances of corruption and chaos in the Imperial Court, Qin Xiao did not pursue matters that occurred before Bai Lihong’s rise to power. However, now that Bai Lihong sat on the throne, everyone would need to tighten their belts. 

“The canal is long, and its issues are too complex. It would be better to manage it in sections.” Qin Xiao looked at everyone and asked: “What are your thoughts?”

Everyone quickly began to come up with their own ideas.

Before, the waterway transport system was under the control of the Qiu family, but among the officials who carried out the actual work, many were disciples and subordinates of other powerful figures, who were naturally aware of how much profit could be made through this endeavor.

It was just that others had never gotten the opportunity to be involved.

Qin Xiao was currently implementing a segmented approach to managing the canal, and the Qiu family would no longer be the sole authority. At most, they would be responsible for one section, which left the other sections open for other forces to jump in.

After some consideration, Deputy Minister of Revenue Wang Pengyi stepped forward and bowed, saying: “This official thinks this is an excellent method.”

Soon after, every other faction had someone pipe up in agreement.

Under these circumstances, Qiu Heng naturally could no longer act on his own.

The division of the waterway transport routes was intended to distribute the profits previously enjoyed by the Qiu family to others. All of the court officials were watching intently, and would naturally unite against the Qiu family at this moment.

Individual strength was no match for the power of a group.

This being the case, Qiu Heng decided against putting up a futile struggle. It would be better to express his “loyalty” now and perhaps earn a good reputation.

Furthermore, Qin Xiao would certainly not take away all control over the canal system. He would give the Qiu family a portion of the canal to appease them, so Qiu Heng must secure the most advantageous section of the river to minimize his losses.

Thus, Qiu Heng bowed and said: “This official also believes it to be a feasible method. However, I do wonder how many sections Lord Ning-wang intends to divide the canal into?”

Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian had already discussed this beforehand, and agreed that dividing it into four sections would be the safest and most profitable approach.

“Minister Qiu should know more about the waterway transport system than anyone here,” said Qin Xiao. “If you were to divide it, how would you do so appropriately?”

Qin Heng understood that Qin Xiao already had a plan in mind, and that he was only trying to sound him out to discover which section of the river he preferred.

So without putting on airs, he said frankly: “This official dares not speak presumptuously. However, the waterways between Yangzhou, Suzhou, and Hangzhou are quite complex, and the regulations governing merchant and official ship transportation are detailed and numerous. To take over this section, it would require a year or two for one to become familiar with everything, which might delay the important affairs of the Imperial Court.”

Yangzhou, along with Suzhou and Hangzhou, were among the wealthiest regions in the Jiangnan area, and also the places with the most frequent ship traffic and trade.

In other words, this area offered the greatest potential for profit.

Entirely unapologetic, Qiu Heng was directly requesting the location that would earn him the most money.

Chu Jiubian lowered his gaze. His face was expressionless, but he sneered inwardly.

This was exactly as he had expected.

However, they had already planned to entrust this transportation route to the Qiu family.

This was not done to appease them, but because the Fujian region was the fiefdom of Bai Liyan, also known as Zuiliang-wang.

Previously, Bai Liyan had not interfered excessively in matters concerning the canal. But once the Qiu family secured this portion of the river and the situation with the other sections stabilized, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao could, in the name of the Imperial Court, grant concessions to Bai Liyan that allowed him to also oversee a portion of the canal.

With such enormous profits at stake, the wealthy Zuiliang-wang, who ruled over the prosperous regions of Fujian and Zhejiang, would surely be tempted.

At that time, the Qiu family and Bai Liyan would be enemies. They would mutually restrain one another in order to divide the profits, which would further reduce the Qiu family’s control over the waterways.

As for whether Bai Liyan would use this opportunity to amass wealth and expand his power, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao weren’t particularly worried.

Their lack of concern stemmed from one fact: Bai Liyan, who controlled both the Fujian and Zhejiang regions, was already wealthy and didn’t lack money. If he wanted to expand his power, he wouldn’t have to rely on the waterway transport system to do it.

On the contrary, he might end up clashing with the Qiu family, which would bring trouble down on his head.

But as the saying went: no one ever complains about having too much money. Therefore, no matter how wealthy Bai Liyan became, he would inevitably attempt to gain control of the canal. At that time, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao could simply sit back and watch the two sides fight it out.

The others were unaware of the scheming between the two of them, and only knew that the stretch of river Qiu Heng mentioned was by far the most profitable.

Since the Qiu family was willing to relinquish all of the remaining waterways, Qin Xiao would certainly do them the courtesy of leaving the most profitable section to them.

As expected, after Qiu Heng finished speaking, Qin Xiao said: “Minister Qiu’s words are absolutely correct.”

“This lord plans to divide the canal into four sections. The Capital City–Hebei section extends from Tongzhou in Northern Zhili to Qingzhou; the Jianghuai section extends from Qingzhou in Northern Zhili to Yangzhou in Southern Zhili; the southeastern section…..” Qin Xiao looked at Qiu Heng as he said, “…..runs from Yangzhou to Minzhou. This area is complex, and since the Qiu family is familiar with all relevant matters, they will continue to manage this section of the waterways from today forward.”

Relieved, Qiu Heng was quick to say: “This subordinate will ensure that his clansmen fulfill their duties and guard this section of the river properly, so that there will be no more incidents of bandits running rampant!”

Qin Xiao gave a hum in response, then continued: “The final section is in the southwest, running from Yangzhou to Nanjiang.”

In other words, the canal forked in Yangzhou, with one going southeast and the other southwest.

With this division of responsibilities, it wasn’t just the already knowledgeable Qiu Heng who sensed the subtle implications behind this plan – the other ministers did as well.

The southwestern section of the canal flowed through the Huguang region, reaching Sichuan and Nanjiang, and thus ensuring the flow of goods between these remote areas and the Central Plains.

This section was likely the most “leisurely” and least lucrative of the four river segments.

The southeastern section encompassed both Fujian and Zhejiang Prefectures, and could be said to cover a crucial stretch of river that was vital to the wealth of the entire Jiangnan region.

Whether grain or silk, goods could flow freely, which made it the most prosperous region.

However, it had already been promised to the Qiu family, leaving no room for other forces to involve themselves.

The section of the canal in the Jianghuai region could be described as a transit hub between the north and south, and was where the main channel of the entire canal was located.

This section of the waterway was also the most geographically complex.

Hexi Prefecture, which was prone to frequent flooding, was located along this route. This section also differed greatly in water level, and because it served as a transit hub, official and merchant ships were particularly numerous, thus requiring stricter management.

Everyone felt that Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao would at least keep this section firmly under their own control.

Only one last portion remained – the Capital City–Hebei section.

This section, which ran the entire length of the main canal and connected to the strategically important Capital City, would need to be managed directly by the Imperial Court for security reasons.

Therefore, after much deliberation, everyone concluded that the only section of the canal they had a chance to compete for was the southwestern stretch.

Even small gains were still gains, and considering that the southwestern section contained the relatively prosperous Huguang region, it was likely to be profitable.

However, Chu Jiubian didn’t give them the chance to speak up. He stepped forward first and said: “Your Majesty, My Lord. With the waterway transport system operating in segments, there is a risk of each segment operating independently, which would be detrimental to the canal system’s overall efficiency. This official believes that a Governor-General of Waterway Transportation should be appointed to oversee the work of each section of the canal, which will prevent anyone from abusing their power and harming the interests of the Imperial Court and the common people.”

In an instant, dozens of eyes fell upon Chu Jiubian before shifting to Qin Xiao.

The Governor-General of Waterway Transportation was a supervisory management position, similar to the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs that preceded it.

However, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was now involved in more than just monitoring and supervising the salt trade. They had their hand in the work of other ministries and departments in the Imperial Court, all under the guise of supervision.

Just as Chu Jiubian had described them, those eunuchs were indeed not ordinary people. Rather, their ranks held many individuals of exceptional intellect.

And due to their backgrounds as eunuchs, they were even more cunning and manipulative in their dealings than ordinary officials, and didn’t seem to mind being given a hard time by officials from various departments. As long as they ultimately achieved the desired results, that was all that mattered to them.

Consequently, no one could do anything about them. They could only be more conscientious in their own work, fearing that some fatal weakness might be detected and exploited.

By bringing up the position of Governor-General now, was Chu Jiubian perhaps suggesting that this authority should be handed over to the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs?

But could the Directorate really extend its influence that far?

Some people wondered if the position of Governor-General of Waterway Transportation might be intended for one of Qin Xiao’s military officers.

The border regions were currently unstable, and military officials should still have some standing in the Imperial Court. However, because Grand Commandant Qin had withdrawn from court affairs due to serious illness, and because the four great families controlled the court, the current situation had become one where civil officials were in a stronger position than military officials.

It would not be impossible for Qin Xiao to use this opportunity to offer the position to a military official.

Everyone had differing opinions.

Censor Qi Zhili stood amongst the ranks, maintaining a detached, unaffected attitude.

He was quite in favor of dividing the waterway transport system into sections, as this would allow the Imperial Court to replenish the National Treasury. Such a situation was leagues better than the Qiu family raking in a continuous profit.

Whether others had considered this or not, Qi Zhili felt that Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao, possessing the advantage of the Imperial Edict, would certainly not resort to the same methods as the Qiu family and earn money by accepting bribes from merchant ships. They must be about to announce some new policies.

He just didn’t know what they would be.

His mind wandered a bit as he was lost in thought.

Suddenly, he felt a tap on his arm from a colleague next to him. Then he heard Qin Xiao ask: “Is Deputy Minister Qi available?”

Qi Zhili: “ ? ”

Completely bewildered, he stepped forward out of the line and said: “This official is here.”

Qin Xiao then proceeded to say: “The Censorate already operates in a supervisory capacity, and the Grand Tutor has recommended you for the position of Governor-General of Waterway Transportation. Are you capable of handling this responsibility?”

Qi Zhili abruptly lifted his gaze, unable to react for a moment.

They wanted him to be the Governor-General of Waterway Transportation?

Shouldn’t a Governor-General be at least a second-rank official?

He was currently only a lowly fourth-rank official. How could he possibly be promoted so many levels at once?

And he wasn’t one of Qin Xiao’s men either, ah. Although he served in the Imperial Court, he didn’t consider himself to have a close relationship with either Qin Xiao or Chu Jiubian. 

How could these two people have confidence in him and entrust him with such a vital position?

He was incredulous. In fact, no one else had expected Chu Jiubian to suggest Qi Zhili for the position of Governor-General either.

But after a moment’s thought, they all understood.

Censor Qi didn’t belong to any particular group or faction, and it would be no exaggeration to call him a loyal and upright official. Furthermore, he possessed outstanding talent and was also a censor, which made him seem perfectly suited for this position.

Of course, the most important factor was Jiang Shuoye, the general of the Mobei Army. With such powerful backing, Qi Zhili truly had no need to show deference to anyone, and would be able to oversee the waterways without having to consider the interests of others.

Thinking about it like this, he was a truly excellent choice. Much better than if Qin Xiao had nominated one of his own military officials!

With their knowledge of how to select and utilize talents, Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian were truly difficult opponents to deal with.

This was naturally how those high-ranking officials at the top thought, but the officials of the Censorate who were fifth-rank and above had their own calculations.

If Qi Zhili became the Governor-General, did that mean he would have to relinquish his position?

Then these lower officials would have the opportunity to move up the ranks.

There was a profound silence in the Imperial Court.

Chu Jiubian turned his head to glance at Qi Zhili, who was standing behind him and to the side, and cleared his throat.

Qi Zhili quickly regained his composure and adjusted his expression, then bowed deeply: “This subject will definitely not fail to live up to Your Majesty’s expectations.”

Since this remark was directed toward Bai Lihong, Qin Xiao gave no response.

The child had been working as a mascot for a long time today, and when his uncle fell silent, he knew that it was his turn.

So he donned an air of maturity and said loudly: “Good, this emperor has not misjudged you after all.”

These words were something Chu Jiubian had told him jokingly before, never expecting that the child would put them into practice.

Chu Jiubian reflexively exchanged a glance with Qin Xiao, then quickly looked away, not daring to maintain eye contact for fear of bursting into laughter.

Qin Xiao, however, kept his gaze fixed on him and didn’t hold back his faint smile.

After the proper bows and gratitude had been displayed, Qin Xiao finally restrained his smile and said: “In that case, this lord requests that Censor Qi accompany him to Yangxin Hall after the morning court session to draft a set of regulations for the waterway transport system.”

Everyone was operating under the belief that once the detailed regulations were released, Qin Xiao would bring the matter up in court again, so no one was in a hurry to claim a section of the waterways at this time.

They also needed to go home and discuss the matter, as well as select a few suitable candidates so that if they indeed secured a segment of the canal, they could immediately send people over.

However, they never could have imagined that Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian had absolutely no intention of allowing other forces to participate in the waterway transport business.

*

*

After the morning court session, three tables were placed on the lower section of Yangxin Hall’s council chamber, while the young emperor diligently practiced calligraphy at the main table and occasionally made a circle on unimportant memorials.

Through this process, he was able to learn which memorials didn’t require close examination, as well as identify where the officials who wrote them were from, what official positions they held, and which group or faction they ostensibly belonged to.

Eunuch Hong now spent most of his time at the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, so the person serving Bai Lihong was another young eunuch named Hong Yu.

This Xiao Yuzi was one year younger than Xiao Xiangzi, but was intelligent and quick-witted while also being very perceptive of others’ intentions. He also had a simple background, and had previously received the favor of Qin Feng and Eunuch Hong. He was eunuch Hong’s second disciple, and the person he was grooming to succeed him and accompany the young emperor as he grew up.

While Bai Lihong was learning to read memorials, Xiao Yuzi would also pay attention to the ranks and locations of those officials, as well as the power structures behind them.

He would also listen attentively while Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian were explaining things to Bai Lihong, endeavoring to remember it all so that if His Majesty forgot it in the future, he could give him a prompt reminder.

Chu Jiubian quite liked him. He was a reliable and clever child.

Of course, the reason he trusted the young eunuch to this extent was not just because he had been thoroughly vetted by Qin Xiao and Hong Fu, but because he had seen this eunuch’s information when drawing a “wisdom” Believer Card.

Those selected by the System must have impeccable character and backgrounds.

This was Qi Zhili’s first time working in the Council Hall, and he was a little uneasy at first. But once he immersed himself in the work, he quickly forgot about everything around him as he gradually drafted a rough plan for the waterway transport system.

Once His Majesty gave his approval, he would take this draft back to his office to further refine it.

Only after he finished drafting it to his satisfaction did he set down his brush and look up at the emperor.

When he saw the three-year-old child diligently studying without crying or making a fuss, and that he was already able to understand official documents at such a young age, a glimmer of admiration appeared in Qi Zhili’s eyes.

He had been in the Imperial Court since the reign of Emperor Yingzong, and it had been clear to him that the other party was not a wise or benevolent ruler, nor was he even particularly intelligent.

He had only managed to secure the throne with the support of the Qin and Xiao families.

But then he turned his aggression on the Qin family, a family that had been loyal for generations. He was truly ungrateful, incompetent, and morally bankrupt.

Even after the dynasty changed, Qi Zhili was plagued by a constant sense of unease.

He feared that Qin Xiao would become addicted to power, and that his inflated ego would turn him into the greatest threat to the Imperial Court.

But seeing the state of the young emperor now, Qi Zhili finally felt at ease.

At such a young age, he could sit so still, dared to speak up in court, and possessed an eidetic memory. Combined with his gentle yet subtly assertive personality, he truly displayed all of the characteristics of a wise and capable ruler!

With this opportunity to support such a capable emperor, Qi Zhili felt that his vision of a prosperous era would one day be realized.

The common people would no longer have to worry about food and clothing.

When he sensed someone staring at him, Bai Lihong looked up with large, round eyes that were full of light.

When he saw that it was Qi Zhili looking at him, Bai Lihong smiled with curved eyes and revealed a set of pearly white teeth.

Qi Zhili was momentarily taken aback. Then he felt his heart soften, and a smile appeared on his usually placid face.

Chu Jiubian thoroughly observed this interaction from the corner of his vision, and a slight smile entered his eyes.

It was safe to say that nobody could resist a well-behaved, sensible, and intelligent child.

Qi Zhili rose from his chair and walked to the main seat, where he bowed respectfully to Bai Lihong: “Your Majesty, this subject has finished drafting the regulations. Please take a look at them.”

As he spoke, he deliberately looked at Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, who were seated on opposite sides of the aisle.

Ever since entering Yangxin Hall, the two had remained at their stations, reviewing memorials without exchanging a single word. Only when the young emperor had a question would they look up and patiently answer him.

At present, Qi Zhili had deliberately skipped over them and delivered the documents to Bai Lihong, wanting to observe their reactions.

But to his surprise, Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian didn’t react at all. They didn’t even look up.

Xiao Yuzi, perpetually at Bai Lihong’s side, approached and took the documents from his hands, then turned and handed them to the young emperor.

Bai Lihong then carefully read over his work.

These regulations were written clearly and concisely, covering everything from the jurisdictional divisions and governing bodies to be established, to personnel allocation, division of responsibilities, and management and supervision procedures.

After reading it, Bai Lihong nodded and praised very frankly: “The minister has written it very well.”

Through his sense of relief, Qi Zhili had some doubts about how much the young emperor truly understood.

But in the next moment, he heard Bai Lihong say: “But why hasn’t the minister added any new tax categories?”

“What?” Qi Zhili stared blankly.

Bai Lihong also froze for a moment before saying: “The canal has been divided into sections. If merchant ships want to travel across all sections of the river, they should pay taxes. Otherwise, what’s the point of dividing the river into sections?”

Both Xiansheng and Jiujiu had explained this to him before. Xiansheng had even specifically drawn the course of the canal for him, explaining where and why it was divided into sections.

The canal had originally been constructed to facilitate the transportation of official vessels and goods, and now that merchant ships were benefitting from the convenience of the waterways, they should also give something back to the Imperial Court.

The court was short of funds, but these merchant ships were not, so they should be required to pay a certain amount in taxes.

It was like if someone had dug a well that everyone had been using all this time – now that the people who dug the well were short of money, everyone else should show their gratitude by lending them a hand.

Bai Lihong thought that, like his former self, Qi Zhili was unable to understand this concept. Therefore, he specifically explained the “borrowing a well” analogy to him.

Afterward, he blinked his big eyes and asked: “Does the minister understand?”

Qi Zhili quickly replied: “This subject understands.”

He had suspected that Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian had their own policies in mind, but he had never imagined that they were implementing taxes!

However, at the word “taxes,” he felt a shiver run down his spine.

Indeed, the Imperial Court had the right to collect taxes, and as His Majesty had said, merchant ships were enjoying privileges and treatment previously reserved for official ships. Rather than only focusing on receiving benefits, they should also give something in return.

He couldn’t help but glance at Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian on either side of him, feeling somewhat complicated.

These two didn’t seem to treat Bai Lihong like a child at all, but like a true emperor.

They not only taught him how to read memorials and recognize officials, but also how to comprehend the political situation, and explained the meaning behind every aspect of government affairs using the simplest principles.

No wonder. No wonder Bai Lihong’s rate of growth was so astonishing – it was because he had these two excellent mentors!

Then there was the exceptionally talented Hong Fu, who must have passed all of his skills on to Bai Lihong.

Growing up in such an environment, it would be a shock if Bai Lihong didn’t become a wise and capable ruler.

Qi Zhili’s emotions surged, but he managed to keep them completely below the surface.

He stepped forward to retrieve the regulation documents and said: “Your Majesty, this subject will make further revisions.”

“Okay. Don’t rush, take your time,” Bai Lihong said, comforting Qi Zhili just like Chu Jiubian always comforted him.

Qi Zhili was deeply moved, and his enthusiasm swelled.

When lunchtime arrived, he only managed to eat a few bites before going straight back to work.

It wasn’t until after four o’clock in the afternoon that he finished the new draft, adding in the tax provisions before handing it over to Bai Lihong.

Bai Lihong had yet to learn how to interpret tax documents, so he only glanced over them briefly before saying: “Show this to the two lords.”

Qi Zhili now felt only respect for Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, and having shed his previous apprehensions, he readily agreed.

Qin Xiao then got up and went to sit beside Chu Jiubian, looking through the documents with him.

Although this version of the regulations was not entirely perfect, with the addition of tax classifications, details on minimum taxable amounts, and procedures for tax collection by different waterway management offices and remittance to the Imperial Court, it seemed that all necessary elements were now in place.

“It looks pretty good,” said Chu Jiubian.

Qi Zhili’s expression relaxed slightly. He said: “The transportation of goods along the southeastern section of the canal will be handled by the Qiu family, but I honestly don’t know who should be entrusted with management of the other three sections.”

Chu Jiubian looked up at him and said: “Next, we will need to trouble Lord Qi to travel to the local areas and supervise the establishment of the branch offices.”

He then took out a list he had prepared beforehand and gave it to him, saying: “The people on this list are students we consider promising, all of them from humble backgrounds. You can handle their appointment yourself.”

Qi Zhili was a capable person, and although the job of Governor-General of Waterway Transportation was a difficult one, he would surely perform well.

They were letting him handle the appointments?

Qi Zhili was shocked almost to the point of losing his composure.

The highest-ranking officials at these branch offices should be mostly officials of the second rank, and not much lower. How could he be allowed to have the final say on the matter of these high-ranking regional officials?

Plus, all of the people on this list were commoners. Wasn’t it too risky to directly promote them to official positions ranging from fifth-rank to second-rank?

He harbored doubts in his heart, but when he looked up and met Chu Jiubian’s tranquil eyes, he found himself without words.

He didn’t believe himself to be more intelligent than the two people before him, so anything he could think of, they would surely have thought of as well.

Since they were still going ahead with it, there must be other factors at play.

This being the case, there was no longer any need for him to hesitate. He could simply accept the order and get to work.

Thus, he bowed respectfully and said: “This subordinate accepts the order.”

He then bowed toward Bai Lihong and said: “Thanking Your Majesty for your trust and confidence.”

“No need for that,” said Bai Lihong. “You’ve had a long day, go home and rest.”

The child’s sweet, innocent voice warmed Qi Zhili’s heart, and he said gently: “Thanking Your Majesty for your concern.”

Qi Zhili was exceptionally diligent and efficient in his work, and by the evening of the second day, he had already resubmitted his revisions again.

This time, he even specified how many laborers and guards each branch office should employ.

With such a comprehensive plan in place, his work in the local regions would go much more smoothly.

The regulations had been finalized, so Qi Zhili planned to set off the next day. He would travel south along the main canal from Southern Zhili, which would allow him to establish branch offices along the way.

He could also survey the route on his return trip, and if there were any oversights, he could promptly correct them and make improvements.

Bai Lihong had bestowed an official title and seal upon Qi Zhili, as well as three thousand taels of silver and six hundred elite soldiers as guards. He was also to be escorted by a military commander named Wan Lin from the Qin Family Army.

Qin Xiao also secretly gave Wan Lin a military token, which would allow him to mobilize city garrisons in any location.

Chu Jiubian had used the extra “wealth” card he had drawn from the System’s inventory to successfully obtain Qi Zhili, but he didn’t summon him into the Divine Realm.

Whether he would summon him in the future was another matter; for now, he simply intended to provide him with an extra layer of security.

The System would notify Chu Jiubian when a Believer was in danger, and he would subsequently be able to assess the situation and save them if necessary.

It wasn’t that he and Qin Xiao were blowing things out of proportion – what Qi Zhili was about to do was indeed perilous. Just because the great families didn’t dare target him out in the open didn’t mean they wouldn’t attempt to harm him in secret. It was always better to be safe than sorry.

The Qi family was also very wealthy, and Qi Zhili, knowing that the National Treasury was depleted, discreetly indicated before his departure that he could withdraw money from Qi family businesses at any time, and told Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian not to worry themselves about it.

Since this person was so sincere, it was only right that the two of them reciprocate.

Qi Zhili’s departure was nothing short of a grand spectacle, and at last, the various factions came to the realization that Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian had never intended to share the profits from the waterway transportation business from the very start!

This realization not only infuriated the families who hadn’t received any benefits, but even instilled resentment in the Qiu family, who had received their fair share. 

Had they known about this plan earlier, the Qiu family wouldn’t have had to worry about being targeted by other families, and could have even haggled with the Imperial Court for more benefits.

But now, it was too late to speak up.

In the wake of this incident, everyone discerned that Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian’s methods were becoming increasingly aggressive. Before, if any issues came up in court, these two would try various conciliatory measures and distribute benefits to all parties involved.

But now, their sharp edges were displayed in full.

Under these circumstances, it seemed that only the great families were capable of curbing the further expansion of Imperial power.

However, this was easier said than done.

Chu Jiubian could be set aside – this deity was not a being that mortals were capable of handling.

And even when it came to Qin Xiao, they were unable to find a way to eliminate him.

But they had never imagined that an opportunity would present itself so quickly.

On the ninth day of the ninth month, during the Double Ninth Festival, news suddenly arrived without warning from the northwest that a country from the Western Regions had invaded and occupied Gansu!

Furthermore, Dingbei-wang had been captured, and the common people of Gansu were suffering terribly. The Western Regions kingdom was demanding that Qin Xiao personally travel to Gansu for peace talks, or they would begin to massacre the city’s inhabitants!

---

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Chapter 58 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 60

Ch. 82 – Mistake

Although Ji Chengyue had commanded him to get up, Xue Ren did not comply. He simply adjusted his posture from prostrate on the ground to sitting back on his knees.

Upon sitting up straight, Xue Ren rubbed his red and swollen eyes. The reason for his tears may be fake, but his grievance was genuine.

Xue Ren felt nothing but jealousy and resentment at Ji Chengyue’s favoritism toward Cao Zirui.

However, he was no longer the youth who confided in his master. He was in his thirties, and although he maintained his youthful looks through cultivation, most people at this age would have children who were practically adults.

So he had kept his grievances to himself all the while, but finally let them out today under his master’s suspicion.

Although Ji Chengyue was not incorrect in his suspicions, Xue Ren did wonder why he came to suspect him seemingly out of nowhere. His Master had never done such a thing before Cao Zirui became his disciple.

Then it was all because of Cao Zirui! Just because his master’s precious little disciple got himself injured, he began to doubt Xue Ren!

A sinister glint appeared in Xue Ren’s eyes. Ji Chengyue’s soft heart did not lead him to repent; instead, it made him blame Cao Zirui for everything.

Ji Chengyue had covered his eyes with his hand, and didn’t see Xue Ren’s change of expression.

He only saw the bloody wound on Xue Ren’s forehead dotted with dirt from the floor, and let out a soft sigh.

“Come here,” he called to Xue Ren, his tone no longer as stern as before.

Xue Ren’s eyes flickered. After briefly weighing the situation, he immediately shuffled forward on his knees toward Ji Chengyue.

Ji Chengyue pulled his hand out of his sleeve to reveal a small porcelain bottle.

He performed a very basic spell to condense the water vapor in the air into a fine stream of water, which he used to wash the wound on Xue Ren’s forehead.

The cut hurt a little when it came into contact with the cold water, but this was nothing. It wasn’t even as bad as the wounds one suffered when practicing swordsmanship.

Xue Ren wouldn’t cry out in pain because of this kind of wound, but the moment the water touched his forehead, he let out a soft hiss.

This brief, bitten-off sound made it seem like he could no longer bear the pain, but didn’t wish to make his weakness known.

Ji Chengyue unconsciously softened his movements.

Xue Ren noticed this, and a faint smile appeared on his lips where Ji Chengyue couldn’t see. It seemed he’d made the right move: showing weakness to his master had softened his heart and made him unwilling to pursue the matter.

After rinsing the wound, Ji Chengyue popped open the porcelain bottle, dipped a finger into the cool ointment inside, and gingerly applied it to the wound on Xue Ren’s forehead.

As he applied the medicine, he couldn’t help but lament: “The last time I helped apply medicine for you was probably twenty years ago, when you were injured in a fight. You hadn’t even reached Foundation Establishment stage yet.”

Later, as Xue Ren grew older, perhaps due to the innate independence and strong-willed nature of boys, he no longer confided his troubles to Ji Chengyue, and no longer cried and complained to him when he was injured. He just tried to act like an adult and shoulder everything himself.

Although Ji Chengyue was somewhat reluctant, he gradually let him go. Children inevitably grew up, and would one day have to leave the protection of their master and stand on their own.

He had first observed Xue Ren in secret for a while, and when he found that he was handling himself well, he completely loosened his hold and allowed Xue Ren to go out and travel on his own.

Their companionship while Xue Ren was a youth had fostered a bond between master and disciple that rivaled that of even blood relatives. They had become people who understood one another the best.

But because Xue Ren was often away training after he reached Foundation Establishment stage, their time together became less and less frequent, and the distance between them grew accordingly.

The process was slow, like a gentle spring rain seeping into the ground. Before Ji Chengyue even realized it, a stream had already grown between the two of them, and was difficult to cross.

Today, when he looked at that person across the water, he couldn’t even recognize him.

He suddenly realized that at some unknown point, he had stopped understanding Xue Ren. Even face to face with him, he no longer knew what his disciple was thinking.

And he had never imagined that Xue Ren would instigate someone to murder his fellow disciple.

Looking back on everything from the past to the present, Ji Chengyue could only sigh with complicated feelings.

Xue Ren was moved by Ji Chengyue’s words. In all his years training outside, what he had learned best was scheming and pretense. It had become a habit over time, and he never removed this pretense even after returning to the sect.

But Ji Chengyue’s words brought him back to twenty years ago, reminding him of a time when he would run to his master unhesitatingly and ask him to apply medicine for him if he suffered the smallest scrape.

His mask of pretense crumbled slightly, finally revealing a hint of truth. He complained: “If Shifu had cared about me more, he wouldn’t have missed all of the wounds that required medicine these past twenty years.”

If Ji Chengyue had given him even half the attention he devoted to Cao Zirui, he might not have reached this point.

Sensing the resentment in those words, Ji Chengyue chuckled and shook his head with a smile: “You’re all grown up now. I doubt you would want me to take care of you like a child.”

Xue Ren smiled upon hearing this. His master was correct – he truly didn’t wish to be treated like a child.

Such estrangement would have been a natural process if not for the appearance of Cao Zirui.

Without Cao Zirui, he wouldn’t have grown jealous over his master’s difference in attitude toward the two of them.

Without Cao Zirui, he wouldn’t have resorted to murder out of fear that the position of sect leader would be taken from him.

Without Cao Zirui, he wouldn’t be facing these problems. After all, his master’s care and the position of sect leader should belong solely to him.

So ultimately, it was all Cao Zirui’s fault.

He deserved to die!

Ji Chengyue withdrew his hand from Xue Ren’s head once the medicine was applied, and Xue Ren sat up again with a smile.

These few words had banished much of the tension created by the late-night interrogation, and a sense of long-lost intimacy emerged.

But beneath Xue Ren’s smile lay an even more resolute killing intent.

Completely unaware of this, Ji Chengyue pinched the bridge of his nose and waved for Xue Ren to leave.

However, Xue Ren remained in place. He had no intention of leaving.

This was a rare opportunity for Xue Ren to ask his master some questions in private, and he certainly wouldn’t miss it. 

“Shifu,” he called out again.

Ji Chengyue regarded him with some confusion, only to see Xue Ren frown and abruptly change the subject: “Shifu, during the few days we stayed in North Sea City, I met many cultivators from other sects and overheard them talking about the master of the city, the Lord of the North Sea.”

Hiding under the bed, Hao Chen was rather taken aback to hear Xue Ren mention him. He temporarily stopped grappling with the hand Feng Ye had over his mouth, and listened carefully to see if Xue Ren would say anything bad about him.

Unexpectedly, Xue Ren’s next sentence was: “While they were talking about the Lord of the North Sea, they naturally steered the conversation toward another god.”

Xue Ren paid close attention to Ji Chengyue’s expression as he said word by word: “The God of War, Yinglong.”

Ji Chengyue was slightly startled. It had been a long time since anyone had spoken this name in front of him.

Hao Chen was greatly disappointed by the realization that he was just a conversational stepping stone that Xue Ren was using to steer the conversation toward Yinglong.

He turned his attention back to Feng Ye, only to find him listening intently with an unwavering gaze.

“I am aware of the feud between Yinglong and our sect, but I’ve never quite understood what happened one hundred years ago. There are scrolls in the library that contain records of it, but this disciple was even more confused after reading them.”

Xue Ren feigned a puzzled expression: “When it comes to the information in those scrolls or what disciples from other sects have to say, it all portrays my shishu as an eternal sinner. But after much thought, I still feel that my shishu didn’t do anything wrong.”

Ling Yun was Ji Chengyue’s shixiong, so it was only reasonable for Xue Ren to call him “shishu.”

Compared to most people, who were unwilling to even acknowledge the former sect leader, Xue Ren’s attitude toward Ling Yun was rather unique.

After all, a normal person would want to sever all ties with an elder who had committed a heinous crime, and certainly wouldn’t refer to them with an affectionate ‘shishu.’

Ji Chengyue was somewhat out of sorts. Xue Ren’s words had inevitably summoned back past memories, and he became immersed in that past that he almost didn’t want to remember.

Ji Chengyue was momentarily silent, but even this silence indicated a certain stance.

Xue Ren felt a sense of certainty growing in his heart. He had just addressed Ling Yun as his shishu and spoken up for him, and Ji Chengyue hadn’t immediately refuted him. This showed that…..his master’s true feelings were different from the facade he put on for the world. Although he remained silent in the face of the universal condemnation for Ling Yun, he still believed deep down that Ling Yun was innocent.

Xue Ren continued to probe: “My shishu was such a brilliant and talented person. If it weren’t for that accident, our Lingxiao Sword Sect would definitely be in a completely different league.”

“Shifu, one hundred years ago, there was a great fire in the Eastern Sea. It is said that Jianmu was burned to ashes by heavenly flames, and Shishu also died in the sea of fire. But Jianmu was so big and tall. Was such an enormous tree really so easy to burn down? Wouldn’t there be debris left over from the fire?”

Xue Ren gradually steered the conversation toward his true purpose, and said as if a brilliant idea had suddenly occurred to him: “Shifu, do you think that if Jianmu wasn’t completely destroyed in the fire, Shishu could come back to life through the fragments? After all, his heart was connected to Jianmu.”

Ji Chengyue’s thoughts were inevitably led astray. He pondered Xue Ren’s words for a moment, then suddenly realized what he had just said and immediately scolded: “Enough!”

He stood almost in a panic, and turned his back so that he could no longer see Xue Ren: “Nonsense! Such absurd talk should never be repeated!”

“This disciple was confused.” Xue Ren stood up as well, bowing to Ji Chengyue as he said: “It’s getting late, so this disciple will head back now.”

Ji Chengyue waved a hand behind him, and Xue Ren turned to leave.

But just before opening the door to leave, he glanced back toward Ji Chengyue. He was already seventy percent certain of his master’s stance.

He needed to hurry and go report to that god. With this in mind, Xue Ren closed the door and quickly departed.

The door shut with a creak, and the footsteps in the corridor gradually faded until the room fell completely silent.

Ji Chengyue alone remained standing before the incense table, neither speaking nor moving as the flickering candlelight cast his shadow on the wall like a solitary silhouette.

Although he was only solitary on the surface.

Xue Ren had left, but the two under the bed remained. There were still three people in the room, which was enough to have a lively card game.

Feng Ye’s gaze was focused on Ji Chengyue, but inwardly, he was pondering Xue Ren’s seemingly pointed words.

Xue Ren had asked exactly what Feng Ye wished to know.

First, he tested Ji Chengyue’s attitude toward Ling Yun, and after roughly concluding that he didn’t condemn the man, he probed further to find out if Ji Chengyue might have hidden fragments of Jianmu.

Without Ji Chengyue here, Xue Ren’s words would have sounded absurd. But the sect leader had reacted with panic, as if Xue Ren had inadvertently aired a secret that he had kept hidden for many years.

Feng Ye was now almost one hundred percent certain that Ji Chengyue had part of Jianmu in his possession.

However…..why would Xue Ren be asking about it?

Although he had used North Sea City as a pretext, Feng Ye didn’t believe that Xue Ren asking these questions was merely a result of overhearing other people’s conversations.

It was a big coincidence that he had asked just the right questions when there was an uptick in unusual activity around Jianmu.

Feng Ye was certain that Xue Ren was not the black-robed man he’d met at the exit of the Floating Island Secret Realm. Their eyes were completely different.

But…..is Xue Ren connected to the black-robed man? Feng Ye wondered.

In actuality, the question would have been solved had he just asked Hao Chen.

Although Hao Chen hadn’t heard what Xue Ren and Yinglong discussed, judging from their expressions in the image, they must have reached some kind of agreement. 

Therefore, Hao Chen was not at all surprised to hear Xue Ren mention Jianmu. Yinglong must have been the one to instigate him. Yinglong was attempting to find Jianmu, and had approached Xue Ren for this purpose.

Sending Xue Ren to gather information from Ji Chengyue was the logical step.

But just like the fact that neither side was willing to remove their disguises yet, they weren’t honest about their identities, let alone about what they knew about each other.

However, based on his deductions alone, Feng Ye connecting Xue Ren back to the black-robed man got him fairly close to the truth.

Now that the other side had begun to take action, he needed to pick up his speed as well. The question now was who would find Jianmu first.

Where exactly was Jianmu?

He would have to ask Ji Chengyue.

When the incense stick Ji Chengyue had lit upon his return finally burned out, the man moved at last.

Rather than light more incense, he reached out and picked up the spirit tablet that was placed on the incense table.

Ji Chengyue sat back on the prayer mat with the spirit tablet in his hands. Gazing at the tablet, he murmured to himself: “Did I make a mistake?”

After much deliberation, Ji Chengyue had finally figured out a few key points regarding Xue Ren’s plan to murder Cao Zirui.

Why would Xue Ren kill his own shidi for no reason? The motives for murder were nothing more than conflicts of interest or hatred.

Xue Ren likely possessed both.

As it happened, Xue Ren hadn’t seemed to like his shidi much when Cao Zirui first joined the sect. This didn’t change for an entire year – he maintained a lukewarm attitude and never initiated conversation.

Ji Chengyue noticed this, but never paid it much mind.

Because he hadn’t liked his shixiong very much at first either, always feeling that the boy was willful and arrogant.

Ji Chengyue even felt frustration and jealousy toward the gap between him and his shixiong, and thus kept his distance from Ling Yun and paid no attention to him.

Just like Xue Ren, he had a dual pair of spiritual roots, and his fellow disciple was a one-in-ten-thousand holder of a single spiritual root.

A century apart, the two pairs of fellow disciples were remarkably similar.

Although Ji Chengyue had initially disliked Ling Yun, as he spent more time with him, he gradually discovered a completely different side to him beneath his arrogant exterior.

What was Ling Yun’s reputation like? It was similar to Cao Zirui’s today – a prodigy, aloof and untouchable.

Even worse, while Cao Zirui only maintained an icy expression, Ling Yun had such an arrogant appearance that he seemed to be looking down on everyone.

It could be said that Ling Yun far surpassed Cao Zirui when it came to attracting hatred.

Cao Zirui was doted on by Ji Chengyue, just like Ling Yun was doted on by their master, Xuanxu-zhenren.

One might expect such a person to be domineering and insufferably arrogant.

This description proved correct: his shixiong was indeed like that most of the time.

He dared to stir up trouble no matter how big a mess it made, and was utterly lawless.

But Ling Yun also possessed a heroic spirit reminiscent of chivalrous heroes in traditional storytelling. He never hesitated to share with others, and would readily lend anything from magic tools to spirit stones to whoever asked for them.

There were just as many people who repaid him as there were those who didn’t. Therefore, despite being the sect leader’s personal disciple, Ling Yun still had to ask Ji Chengyue for money on occasion.

Aside from magic tools and spirit stones, Ling Yun also taught his sword techniques to anyone who asked.

Although he might mock someone for being too slow and clumsy as he taught them, he was earnest and patient in his teaching.

Ji Chengyue never took the initiative to ask Ling Yun to teach him, and continued to give Ling Yun the cold shoulder due to his unspeakable jealousy.

Ling Yun was the one who approached him with the offer, though his disdainful attitude throughout the process was incredibly irritating.

Ji Chengyue did try to fight Ling Yun, but was never able to win.

However, Ling Yun’s Lingxiao Swordsmanship was not fully developed at that time, and Ji Chengyue still managed to bruise up his right cheek. Covering his swollen cheek, Ling Yun ran to Ji Chengyue’s room, not to enact revenge, but instead to…..sew up his clothes with needle and thread.

Ji Chengyue was so shocked that he was unable to keep a straight face. He stared, mouth agape, at this perpetually aloof shixiong who now muttered and griped as he helped him mend the robes that had been torn during the fight.

“There are so many holes in your clothes. How am I supposed to explain this to Shifu?” Ling Yun spoke stridently. “He’ll think I bullied you, but you’re the one who started it. Ai, it’s tough being a shixiong. I have to give way to you, no matter what.”

“Who asked you to give way!” Ji Chengyue grew furious upon hearing this. He knew nothing good could come out of this dog’s mouth!

He immediately started another fight with Ling Yun, and this time, their master arrived in time to witness it. When he questioned the two fellow disciples about what had led to this behavior, Ji Chengyue started to step forward and accept the blame, but Ling Yun unexpectedly preempted him and took all of the blame upon himself.

Subsequently, Ling Yun was punished by their master to kneel for the entire night. Ji Chengyue stood in front of Ling Yun during his punishment and asked with a complicated expression: “Why?”

Ling Yun touched his nose and said matter-of-factly: “You’re my shidi. If the little brother makes a mistake, what can the older brother do but take responsibility?”

He treated Ji Chengyue’s cold indifference as nothing more than a little brother throwing a tantrum, and didn’t take it to heart.

He genuinely considered Ji Chengyue to be his little brother, but Ji Chengyue had never regarded him as a sibling in return.

But Ji Chengyue gradually changed his attitude toward Ling Yun after this incident, and began trying to treat him as an older brother. If he couldn’t treat him like a biological brother, he could at least treat him like one he picked up off the street.

They went through much together after that. For example, when Ji Chengyue lost to a disciple of another sect in a martial arts tournament, Ling Yun came onstage after him and knocked that disciple out of the ring with exactly the same move he had used to defeat Ji Chengyue.

Or when hunting for treasures in some secret realm, Ling Yun abandoned the treasures in favor of saving his shidi.

When Ling Yun underwent the sect leader trial and Ji Chengyue was guarding the last step, he was even able to openly ask Ling Yun to give way to him rather than clinging to his pointless pride.

And he was able to sincerely say, “As always, I’m not as good as Shixiong,” without a single trace of jealousy in his voice. He was genuinely proud of Ling Yun’s achievements.

The position of sect leader rightfully belonged to his shixiong. He himself was inferior.

Hadn’t these two fellow disciples with a bad relationship in the beginning gradually worked things out? Thus, Ji Chengyue thought that Xue Ren and Cao Zirui would do the same.

However, Ling Yun was different from both Cao Zirui and Xue Ren.

Only now did Ji Chengyue realize that he had been too presumptuous.

Not every conflict could be resolved through spending time with one another and gradually adjusting; some conflicts only became sharper and more deadly.

The conflict of interest stemmed from Xue Ren’s desire to become the sect leader, as well as his jealousy over Cao Zirui’s talent and Ji Chengyue’s favoritism toward him this year. These were the roots of his hatred.

These factors had catalyzed and eventually became the situation they were facing today.

Looking back on his own actions over the past year, Ji Chengyue acknowledged that he had been somewhat biased.

But it wasn’t because he disliked Xue Ren. He just…..just…..desperately wanted Cao Zirui to become the next Ling Yun…..

He had served as the sect leader for nearly one hundred years, and although he had managed to preserve Lingxiao Sword Sect, it had remained at the bottom of the rankings for the entire century.

Since its founding, Lingxiao Sword Sect had never been brought so low.

He had already proven through his own experience that his talent was not enough to lead Lingxiao Sword Sect back to its peak. But his shixiong could have done it.

Ling Yun definitely could have done it.

But Ling Yun was dead, so he could only hope that Cao Zirui possessed the same potential as Ling Yun.

Ling Yun had hoped to lead Lingxiao Sword Sect to truly soar to the heavens, and wasn’t this also Ji Chengyue’s wish?

He was too eager, too urgent, to the point that he neglected Xue Ren and focused all of his energy on Cao Zirui in the hopes that he would grow up quickly.

He just wanted to improve Lingxiao Sword sect quickly, so as not to disappoint his master and his shixiong. Had he make a mistake?

Ji Chengyue voiced this question as he gazed at the spirit tablet, hoping to receive a reply from the deceased.

He waited a short while, but there was no response.

Of course there wasn’t.

But upon asking this question, he already knew the answer.

Had he made a mistake?

Yes, he had.

Xue Ren was his disciple, and he was Xue Ren’s master. “A teacher for a day is a father for life; if a child is not taught, the father is at fault.”

Xue Ren had made a big mistake, and it was Ji Chengyue’s fault.

But Xue Ren ultimately failed in his endeavor, so there was still a chance to salvage the situation.

He didn’t expose Xue Ren this time, but he would also not sit idly by and watch Xue Ren continue to make mistakes.

He already had a plan in mind. All he had to do was wait until dawn, at which point he would announce his decision to those who held authority within the sect.

At this moment during the brief interval between dusk and dawn, he touched the name engraved on the spirit tablet and sighed: “If only you were still here…..”

“Shixiong…..” Ji Chengyue called out softly.

Feng Ye opened his eyes slightly where he was hiding under the bed, observing Ji Chengyue’s actions as the man split the overly-heavy spirit tablet in two.

The name Ling Yun was clearly written on a second spirit tablet hidden beneath the first one.

The tablet was made so perfectly that even upon close inspection, he was unable to make out the seam between the two.

Ji Chengyue’s usual attitude was indeed a facade. It wasn’t that he didn’t miss his shixiong, but that he didn’t dare to reminisce about him when others were present. He only dared to hide his shixiong’s spirit tablet behind his master’s and mourn him in secret.

A multitude of thoughts immediately occurred to Feng Ye, along with a sudden realization.

He may have made the mistake of overlooking something that was right under his nose. The most dangerous place could also be the safest. Ji Chengyue likely hadn’t hidden a Jianmu fragment in a secret room or behind a mechanism, but had rather placed it out in the open, in the most conspicuous place.

The spirit tablet engraved with Ling Yun’s name might contain a Jianmu fragment!

Feng Ye was somewhat excited at the thought. After searching for so long, he finally had a clue. He just needed to wait for Ji Chengyue to leave, and then he could investigate the spirit tablet.

Dawn was approaching, and a faint light already shone through the cracks in the door and windows.

There was a thud, as if something had hit a wooden board.

Ji Chengyue’s gaze abruptly shifted toward his bedroom, zeroing in on the bed.

Realizing that he had hit his elbow on the bedboard, Feng Ye tried to quiet his movements – but it was already too late. It was so quiet in here that Ji Chengyue couldn’t possibly have missed that sound.

Feng Ye glared at Hao Chen. He had instinctively pulled his hand back from Hao Chen’s mouth when he felt a warm, wet sensation on his palm, as if it had been lightly licked, only to smack his elbow into the bed. 

Hao Chen wore a look of complete innocence, as if he had done nothing wrong.

Feng Ye wished he could grab Hao Chen by the collar and drag him out for a fight right this moment, but this was no time to settle accounts. It was more important to make a quick escape.

A teleportation array? No, there wasn’t enough time. An illusion array? That might not be fast enough either……Feng Ye quickly brainstormed as he listened to Ji Chengyue’s approaching footsteps.

Hao Chen, completely unaware of what was happening, nudged him and opened his mouth as if to speak.

Before he could say a word, Feng Ye flipped him over and pinned him down, using his weight to keep Hao Chen from moving.

At the same time, he used one hand to cover Hao Chen’s mouth and nose to make sure the fish wouldn’t make any more noise, and used the other to draw an array pattern in the air. Even if there wasn’t enough time, he had to try. He was desperate!

Feng Ye’s heart raced as he stared at Ji Chengyue’s boots, which had already reached the bedside.

He heard the sound of rustling fabric, as if the man was crouching down.

It’s over, Feng Ye thought to himself. He hadn’t finished drawing the illusion array.

Ji Chengyue’s face appeared in front of Feng Ye, but rather than the shock and anger upon finding two people hiding under his bed, he wore a look of puzzlement.

There was clearly nothing under the bed, so what had made that noise?

Rather than moving away immediately, he continued to crouch in front of the bed as he inspected it, and even tentatively reached a hand inside.

Feng Ye and Hao Chen held their breath.

The only thing separating them from Ji Chengyue was a curtain of water.

Before Ji Chengyue crouched down, Hao Chen had finally managed to pull out his fan under Feng Ye’s weight and unleash a curtain of water.

On this side of the curtain, they could clearly see Ji Chengyue.

But all Ji Chengyue could see was an empty space beneath the bed.

However, this hastily-created water curtain was not very reliable, as it was only an illusion. If Ji Chengyue reached forward a little more, he would touch it and find that his hand had become wet inexplicably.

Even a fool would realize that something wasn’t right.

The two of them watched Ji Chengyue’s movements with some tension, his hand groping just in front of the water curtain, just a hair’s breadth away…..

The sound of footsteps outside the door resolved their crisis.

“Sect Leader, Elder Zhou wishes to see you.” A disciple had come to relay a message.

Ji Chengyue paused. With one more glance under the bed to make sure there was actually nothing there, he then withdrew his groping hand.

“Understood,” he replied while straightening his sleeves.

Then he turned to leave the bedroom.

But before leaving, he hesitated for a moment in front of the door, seemingly lost in thought. Abruptly, he returned to the incense table and stuffed the two spirit tablets that had not yet been reconnected into his storage bag. 

The door closed with a creak.

At last, Feng Ye and Hao Chen breathed a sigh of relief. They hadn’t been discovered.

But there was no reason to celebrate, because the spirit tablet that likely contained a Jianmu fragment had been taken away by Ji Chengyue.

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Chapter 81 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 83