505 - A Sect Leader’s Ascension

Chapter 505: The Enforcers' Peak Makes an Arrest In the fifth-level meditation chamber at Chu Yun Peak, Chu Wen was recuperating from his injuries when Tu Ziru entered. Chu Wen greeted him with a smile, "Brother Tu, there's no need to use the Jade Crane's name to visit a friend. Besides, the Jade Crane has already formed his Nascent Soul; you can't impersonate him anymore. Hmm, your aura seems unstable. Are you injured too?" Tu Ziru, not wanting to dwell on the Jade Crane matters, clasped his fists seriously and said, "Brother Chu, are you unaware of what happened at Bihu?" "Just heard about it, alas!" Upon this mention, Chu Wen’s expression darkened as he sighed, "The secret realm collapsed, and over a dozen of my Chu family members are trapped inside, their fates unknown..." "Collapsed?" Tu Ziru was taken aback. "You didn't know?" Chu Wen asked in surprise, "Then what did you want to tell me?" He took out a letter, newly arrived from the South Chu Sect, and handed it over. Tu Ziru quickly read it and learned that last night, for some inexplicable reason, the secret realm at Bihu suddenly collapsed, severing it from the outside world and trapping an unknown number of cultivators inside. The Qi Yun Sect had sent people for rescue. "It must be the work of the Black Hand group!" After reading, Tu Ziru exclaimed, "I came to you for news about your family's lost members. They've met a tragic end, at the hands of the Black Hand organization!" "What!?" Chu Wen was shocked. After confirming multiple times that Tu Ziru wasn't joking, he hurriedly summoned Chu Shentong. "Tell me everything, without missing a single detail!" Chu Shentong, with his rotund figure, quickly arrived. Tu Ziru, without withholding anything, recounted his experience, "I was traveling in Qinan City when I overheard news of the Bihu secret cache. So, I consulted a local Bihu guest official named Wan Xuan. Unexpectedly, he mentioned a benefit..." "Then those rogue Jade Lotus Sword Sect cultivators suddenly launched a surprise attack. Just when I thought I would perish, a large group of 'Black Hand' assassins appeared, capturing us all. Alas! Fellow Daoist Chu Shen died a noble death..." "Later, two Confucian cultivators from the Tianli Sect also self-destructed and died, allowing me to escape amidst the chaos..." Tu Ziru recounted his experience, and the Chu family members wore expressions of sorrow upon hearing of Chu Shen’s demise. "Did you happen to see my son, Shen Cang?" Chu Shentong asked with a frown. "No, I didn’t," Tu Ziru shook his head. "The Black Hand has always been a shadowy organization, with a tacit understanding with various families. For them to act so recklessly now, perhaps last night's secret treasure collapse is also related to them! I came to the Chu family not only to inform you of this but also to ask for your help in escorting me back to Blackwind Valley." "This is..." Chu Shentong exchanged a glance with Chu Wen and chose not to promise anything immediately. They first arranged for Tu Ziru to rest, stating they needed to discuss the situation. "Something's not right!" After Tu Ziru left, Chu Shentong sat with his chin in hand, his expression complex. "What's not right?" Chu Wen asked. "Come with me." Chu Shentong didn't answer directly but led Chu Wen to the family’s secret archive, retrieving the treasured manuscript of Chu Zhen, a volume of the "Thousand Cultivations Chronicle." He flipped to a section, pointing it out, ‘Blackwind Valley, an outsider sect, descends from the now-lost Ten Thousand Arts Sect lineage. It is led by two deity-level figures, one named Tu Feng, the founding master, and another who remains low-key and mysterious, with no known family or name. This sect's practices are not favored by the righteous clans, especially the Tianli Sect, who are their mortal enemies. There are rumors that the widespread 'Black Hand' organization belongs to them.' "See, the Tu family is inherently linked to the Black Hand, yet Tu Ziru claims he escaped unharmed from a nearly ten Black Hand Golden Core cultivator ambush. Such luck, do you believe it?" Chu Shentong remarked. "I only met him during the Jixia trials, barely spoke to him, and don't really know him. We aren't close," Chu Wen said, his expression turning serious. "But if he harbors hidden intentions, why come to us?" "Can't figure it out, can't figure it out," Chu Shentong tapped his forehead. "I’ll summon Hongshang and Qi Xiu for a discussion!" "It's the only way." Chu Shentong did have some knowledge of the hidden affairs within each sect, but Chu Wen was out of his element. Unable to make sense of it, they decided to call Chu Hongshang and Qi Xiu to discuss it together, "The matter is urgent; they should be directly transmitted from South Chu." Chu Shentong mentally communicated to the disciples tasked with the errand. Before Chu Hongshang and Qi Xiu could arrive, outsiders from the Enforcement Peak came knocking on their door. "Someone impersonating a Beast Tamer Sect cultivator was welcomed into your mountain. If everyone in the Qi Yun Mountains acted as you do, wouldn't it be chaos!" The visitor, with the surname Jing, known as Shou Jing from later-stage Nascent Soul and a steward of the Enforcement Peak, disregarded giving Chu Shentong any face, reprimanding him sternly, "The master instructed me to make the arrest!" Jing Shanshou then proceeded effortlessly inside, almost dragging Chu Shentong along as he found Tu Ziru, who was meditating and healing, and swiftly subdued him, handling him like a chick, "This better not be repeated! Your clan already has a prior record; breaking rules again, and don't blame the Enforcement Peak for showing no mercy!" Only after they flew far away did the previously apologetic Chu Shentong angrily shout at their departing figures, "We're fellow sect mates, yet he treats me like this over a minor matter!" "Cough." Watching the scene, Chu Wen found it pointless, "They're gone now; what's the use saying it?" "If I had argued right then, he would've just picked a fight with me!" Chu Shentong glared at him. "You need to act more responsibly! Bringing a nun from Nanlin Temple home was bad enough; the whole clan is laughing at us behind our backs!" "She's secular now, not a Nanlin Temple disciple," Chu Wen snapped his sleeve, "My affairs are none of your concern." As he turned to leave, another figure floated to the mountain gate, this time from the Chu Yun Sect's head, Lu Yunzi's clan, a nascent cultivator Lu Kong named Lu Yunfeng. "Brother Chu!" Lu Kong calmed his light, calling out with a smile, "Seems like I arrived just in time. Is a Blackwind Valley cultivator named Tu Ziru with you? May I have a meeting with him?" At this moment, Chu Shentong and Chu Wen exchanged looks, finally realizing the complexity of the situation. With Tu Ziru already taken by Jing Shanshou, they could only truthfully inform Lu Kong, who, without further comment, immediately took his leave. Qi Xiu, travelling via South Chu City, arrived alongside Chu Hongshang at Chu Yun Peak during these developments. The three parties shared all the information they had, coming to a shared conclusion: this matter was beyond their involvement! "First of all, everything so far is Tu Ziru’s one-sided account." Qi Xiu, tasked with analyzing the situation, calmly assessed, "Wan Xuan was an acquaintance of our family; teaming up with him to seek treasures wasn’t outlandish. But for him to share intimate details with someone like Tu Ziru, it’s highly unlikely." "The survival story of Tu Ziru is far-fetched. According to him, even the sword-fleeing cultivators from the Jade Lotus Sword Sect couldn't escape, so how did he manage to?" "If the Black Hand truly has roots connecting back to Blackwind Valley, and if they had deliberately let Tu Ziru escape, wouldn’t they have also ensured he didn’t spread secrets? How could he be allowed to run around with such astonishing news?" "Moreover, the Black Hand, as an established organization, has never caused such chaos. If it were truly their doing, why leave a loose end like Tu Ziru?" Having laid out the impossibilities, Qi Xiu continued, "Conversely, if Tu Ziru’s claims are truthful, only then does it make sense for him to seek you out, fearing for his safety at the hands of the Black Hand, placing his trust based on your conduct during the Jixia trials, and seeking refuge in the Qi Yun Mountains." "At present, Tu Ziru remains the solitary source of evidence. Should he end up in Enforcement Peak's custody, it might turn out better for us than if he were in the Lu Clan's hands," Qi Xiu concluded. "Why is that?" Chu Hongshang inquired. "I don't know," Qi Xiu shook his head, "But Jian Huan going to Bihu signifies Lu Yunzi's ambitions and vested interests. Currently, Old Ancestor Xing is the only one potentially capable of handling this matter impartially amidst the pressure." Though Xing Jian was injured from Long Yueyun's assassination attempt, he refrained from using undue pressure to retaliate against the Long family. Instead, he employed indirect means to nudge Qi Xiu to recognize the necessity of eliminating Long Yueyun. This level of restraint is rare among the world's deity-level figures. Despite Xing's dislike for the Chu family of Qi Yun, Chu Shentong and others had to acknowledge and respect this aspect of him. Having finished their discussion, the four felt a heavy heart. Their family members had perished at Bihu, and truthfully, they dared not even approach the vicinity—a feeling of utter helplessness! With the Gao and Pei families watching keenly within the Qi Yun Sect, the turbulent situation in Baishan, and now suddenly a Tu Ziru appearing at their doorsteps, it seemed an ill omen they couldn't avoid. Awaiting further developments at Chu Yun Peak, the four received word soon enough that Lu Yunzi had personally ventured to oversee Bihu, with Nangong Mu intervening to lead the rescue operations. Three days later, while Tu Ziru remained out of sight after being taken to Enforcement Peak by Jing Shanshou, Bihu was cleared and reconnected, resulting in joyous news. Most cultivators beyond the first three grim layers were rescued, including Chu Shen Cang. Nangong Meng, Jiang Huan, and members of the Bihu Sect were all found safe. The only person unaccounted for was Wan Xuan. (To be continued)