509 - A Sect Leader’s Ascension

Chapter 509: Countless Faces Dim the lights for eye protection Font: Large Medium Small [Previous Chapter] [Table of Contents] [Next Chapter] The incantation initiation required a long wait. When Qi Xiu and Chu Hongshang returned to the teleportation array in South Chu City, they found a saucer-shaped flying shuttle hovering above the city, apparently having been there for quite some time. Ji Yuliang, the inspector from the Great Zhou Institute, had arrived. "Where is your sect's Chu Wuying?" Indeed, the task of inspecting the shadowy cultivators had fallen upon Ji Yuliang. Despite his usual easygoing, humorous demeanor, this time there was no friendly rapport to be had. "I'm not quite sure. He went out and hasn't returned," Chu Hongshang replied. "Did he say where he was going?" "No." "When is he expected back?" "I don't know." "Has he shown any unusual behavior recently?" "Hmph! The disciples of the Chu family would never partake in such things!" "Hahaha, I hope so too..." Ji Yuliang questioned lightly, sensing Chu Hongshang's heavy vigilance. He decided not to press further, instead pointing at Qi Xiu with a smile, "Nothing seems to happen in Beishan without you being involved!" This time, Qi Xiu was truly innocent. With a bitter face, he responded, "We lost more than ten lives at Bihu. You must get justice for us this time!" "About the Bihu incident…” Ji Yuliang's smile faded, and he sighed wearily, "I’m afraid it’s beyond my judgment." Being the leader, while conversing with Chu Hongshang, his subordinates started their investigation inside the Southern Chu Sect. Insight monks, including Wenzhin, were there, and soon he brought Gong Shu over. "Senior Chu, please have your disciple remove the protection that shields her from mental probes," Wenzhin politely requested to Chu Hongshang. The Southern Chu Sect was a Nascent Soul sect, so they requested politely, unlike their past rough treatment of the Chu Qin Sect when they broke in without a word and put people in cages while interrogating them. In this situation, Chu Hongshang couldn't refuse and gestured to Gong Shu to remove the mysterious item that shielded the core Chu family disciples from external mental probing. Without protection, Gong Shu couldn't withstand the techniques of the Great Zhou Institute, quickly revealing Chu Wuying’s lengthy secluded behavior, which was in name only. "In that case, we regretfully have to list Chu Wuying as wanted," Ji Yuliang declared. "Wuying is just reclusive with odd behavior. Many cultivators don't meet people for decades. How can this be considered evidence? Isn't issuing a warrant too much?" Qi Xiu, seeing that Chu Hongshang was about to explode in anger, hurriedly interjected, questioning Ji Yuliang. "Don't be hasty. The warrant is to locate him. We'll assess the situation once we find him. He won't be arbitrarily judged." Ji Yuliang explained patiently. Without finding Chu Wuying, he seemed like a soft cotton ball, with hidden sharpness within. Qi Xiu and Chu Hongshang exchanged a worried glance. They were anxious, fearing Ji Yuliang's determination and means to capture Chu Wuying, disregarding personal connections. "If Wuying truly did such things, he is solely responsible, and the family won't be implicated," Ji Yuliang said when leaving, hoping to reassure them. But Qi Xiu and Chu Hongshang were genuinely worried about Chu Wuying, and there was no way they could be reassured. "Sigh!" The saucer-shaped shuttle flew towards another sect. Watching South Chu City shrink into the distance, Wenzhin sighed slightly. "Thinking about the old days?" His actions hadn’t escaped Ji Yuliang's notice in their shared space. "I watched Wuying grow up. I believed his talent suited an assassin's path. I could only hope he'd follow the righteous path someday. It's disappointing he ended up working with those shadowy figures. One of the dead at Bihu was even his mother-in-law. I wonder if he took part in this operation. I’ll be very disappointed if he did," Wenzhin reflected with a deep sigh. "As internal strife escalates, right and wrong blur. We can only do our job without guilt on our conscience," Ji Yuliang advised, pausing before saying, "Let's delay visiting the next sect. I want to head to the Qi Yun Law Enforcement Peak and see if we can meet the chief disciplinarian." "Yes." Wenzhin complied and was about to steer the shuttle towards Qi Yun Mountain Range when a Great Zhou Institute disciple responsible for communications hurriedly approached from the direction of the Black River Square, sword in hand. "Report!" The disciple rushed in, bowed quickly, and took out an iron box from his arms, "A rogue cultivator found this during a Bihu treasure bet." He opened the box, revealing the words and portraits left by Qi Bingyan. 'I am the head of the Qi family from the Empty Curve Mountain, allied with the Chu Qin Alliance…' After reading Qi Bingyan’s concise account, Ji Yuliang scrutinized the portrait for a long time, his brows furrowing deeper. "Has the authenticity been verified?" "The box is from Bihu. As for the rest..." The messenger shook his head, "It matches what Tu Ziru described at the Qi Yun Law Enforcement Peak." "The Chu Qin Alliance is Qi Xiu’s force, right?" Ji Yuliang looked at Wenzhin. "Yes," Wenzhin replied. "Shall we return to question Qi Xiu? Also, let’s send someone to the Empty Curve Mountain to question some core Qi family members." "That sounds good." Ji Yuliang ordered the shuttle to turn back, returning to the skies above South Chu City. For some reason, the anxious Qi Xiu was brought into the shuttle and received the iron box from Wenzhin. "I can only say this is Qi Bingyan’s handwriting." The cold, unyielding words detailed the deaths of elders like Chu Shen and Chu Zhuangyuan, filling Qi Xiu with sorrow and anger as he glared at the portrait, gritting his teeth, "Jiark Gu Qingzhi, I’d recognize him even if he’s turned to ash!" "Indeed," Ji Yuliang, overseeing the case, had seen Jiark Gu Qingzhi’s portrait—an image searched for at the behest of the Jiark family from Baker Field. "But Jiark Gu Qingzhi and his family vanished at Bihu without a trace, and there is evidence they took a different route from Chu Shen and the others. It's hard to imagine him being involved as a shadowy figure as described by Qi Bingyan. How do you know Jiark Gu Qingzhi?" Qi Xiu recounted the past entanglements involving Qin Siyun, Jiang Mingrong, Jiark Gu Qingzhi, and others. "This Jiark Gu Qingzhi is indeed despicable. Who'd have thought that Zhaoyao and Siguro’s child would be so unfortunate!" Wenzhin sighed after hearing the story. "Your words might reveal your identity," Qi Xiu retorted with a roll of his eyes, inwardly grumbling. Soon after, several oblivious Qi family members were brought over one by one. Prevented from consulting with each other, they identified the handwriting and family markings as undeniably Qi Bingyan’s own. "As stated, our leader escaped!" The newly appointed head of the Qi family, a composed middle-aged cultivator, was trembling with excitement at the prospect of Qi Bingyan’s survival. "Perhaps she's hiding somewhere?" At present, no one could answer that question. After dismissing Qi Xiu and the Qi family, Ji Yuliang directed the shuttle towards Black River Square to question the rogue cultivator who found the box. As Qi Bingyan mentioned, there is more than one copy of the letters, "Monitor the regions of Artifact Rune City and Black River Square closely. These are places where treasure boxes are frequently betted on. Ensure we acquire additional proof soon," he advised. Unexpectedly, more proof came rapidly, multiplying exponentially. The letters inside the boxes were identical, but the portraits varied: some were from the Jiark family, Tianli Sect, Qinglian Sword Sect, Black Wind Valley, Qi Yun Sect, and even included portraits of the Southern Forest Temple and the Great Zhou Institute. It encompassed prodigies from various sects. Some had connections to Bihu or were involved with shadowy figures. Others were just recluses, their actions unknown. "Real or fake..." Ji Yuliang crumpled the portrait in his hand. "Damn it! Someone’s beaten us to muddying the waters." Back at Siguro Mountain, Qi Xiu was facing similar dilemmas. "This isn’t Jiark Gu Qingzhi…" Upon seeing the portrait Fang Yin presented, he was also confounded. The person depicted looked completely unfamiliar, noticeably younger, even retaining a trace of innocence—uncommon among Golden Core cultivators. "But this person has tightly closed eyes, a contorted face, seemingly expressing terror and despair moments before death, more closely resembling a depiction drawn from observing a corpse, unlike Jiark Gu Qingzhi’s portrait." Through various comparisons and shedding personal contempt for Jiark Gu Qingzhi, Qi Xiu found Fang Yin’s portrait to be more genuine. "Are you unsure?" Fang Yin noticed Qi Xiu's expression, realizing his doubt, and queried curiously. Qi Xiu recounted the identical items but differing portraits. "That indeed is strange." Fang Yin couldn’t determine the truth, "Both boxes were bought by Senior Brother Qing Fen; perhaps someone intentionally orchestrated this confusion. However, he has gone to the Discipline Hall. I wonder if they can discern authenticity there." But as news of portraits spreading like wildfire in Black River Square reached Siguro Mountain, Qing Fen, already en route to the Southern Forest Temple, had vanished without a trace. Fang Yin sent a letter of inquiry to his master, who then came personally. "We follow the path of the disciplinary sect. Constantly residing in the Southern Forest Zen sect is less than ideal. I heard a conflict has erupted in the Fengshui watershed; I thought I'd apply for independent monastic status," his master said upon arrival, intent on taking him away. "Don't you always criticize the Great Zhou Institute's feudal system that requires our Buddhist disciples to engage in pioneering wars and kill, considering it unreasonable? Why are you thinking of joining them now?" Fang Yin, confused and disregarding hierarchy, questioned his master. "Sigh! The Qing Fen you recommended to stay at my place entered the Discipline Hall and has not emerged since!" His master was anxious. "Luckily, I warned him not to mention our connection or the fact that you have another iron box. Otherwise... sigh! Let’s go!" Desperate to leave, his master insisted, but Fang Yin was unwilling. They argued back and forth in the cave dwelling on Siguro Mountain. Unbeknownst to them, Qi Xiu, using the Omniscient Eye, had observed everything. "Almost overnight, portraits of young prodigies from all major sects spread across Black River Square and Artifact Rune City. The iron boxes, Qi Bingyan’s handwritten words, the artistry of the portraits, and the Qi family's secret markings were so genuine even their own couldn't tell them apart. Such power is no small feat!" "This power must be protecting the real portrait! The identity of a dead person!" "This force would stop at nothing to protect its secret." "Considering all the information, the portrait with Fang Yin appeared earliest. If he's not deceiving me, Qing Fen first took the iron box with the portrait to the Discipline Hall, then the first iron box containing Jiark Gu Qingzhi's portrait appeared in Black River Square." "Could there be an issue with the Southern Forest Temple as well?" Thinking about the temple near Bihu, which collaborated with Tianli Sect, only increased his unease. Qi Xiu, cautious and sharp, couldn’t relax around Fang Yin, whose facial expressions suggested something amiss, even though he couldn’t hear the argument. After pondering, he decisively decided to confront them directly for answers. "Master, you should just tell them!" Fang Yin, direct by nature, sided with Qi Xiu, urging his master to speak up. "Sigh, you two!" His master, not particularly devious, sighed heavily, finally voicing his concerns. "The Southern Forest Temple is vast, housing numerous monks and nuns. Naturally, there are bad apples, necessitating our disciplinary sect lineage..." "Our lineage handles discipline, passed down through generations, touching upon the temple's secrets, likely unfathomable even to them." "Among the Nascent Soul-level beings in the Southern Forest Temple, there is a monk named Kurong, rumored to be allied with shady figures. The Great Zhou Institute allows some ghost-related legacies to persist within the temple, allegedly due to him. This incident with the shady figures, when Qing Fen reported it to the Discipline Hall, I initially didn't think much, only gave a few reminders. It wasn’t until he vanished that I became worried." Fang Yin’s master explained the situation comprehensively, his caution and acumen striking a chord with Qi Xiu. If the contents of the iron box were genuine, and if the master's worries about the Southern Forest Temple were valid, then perhaps Qing Fen, remembering his master’s warnings and withholding the existence of the second iron box from the temple's Discipline Hall, took an action that might save himself and others involved. Qi Xiu had never heard of Monk Kurong before, and there was no mention in Chu Zhen's chronicles. However, his dealings with the Southern Forest Temple while establishing the trial grounds beneath Black River Peak now seemed suspect. If Black Wind Valley or shadowy figures were behind this, it wouldn't be surprising, but why would a Zen sect engage in such affairs? Qi Xiu carefully stored the portrait, intending not to show it easily again. Since Fang Yin’s master was determined to join the frontier battles, Qi Xiu arranged for his stay first, then sent messages to summon Fang Yin’s senior brothers to decide further actions. A few days later, Qi Xiu’s desk was filled with various replica portraits from Black River Square and Artifact Rune City. Among them were one or two identical to the one he held. "Marvelous, marvelous, this way the real becomes fake..." "This game is becoming grander and more dangerous." "And more interesting." Casually destroying these replicas, Qi Xiu chuckled coldly to himself, pushing these matters from his mind as he delved into physical cultivation and self-improvement. More than ever, he yearned for strength. (To be continued)