Chapter 700: Origins

In the midst of the sea stood a mountain of the immortals, shrouded in ethereal white clouds.

This mountain hidden within the mist was the Mirage Mountain, and it served as the core of the Penglai Supreme Sect. Only those who had reached the seventh realm could officially join the sect and earn the right to establish a residence there. Those below the seventh realm, including disciples training under their esteemed teachers, were considered mere dependents.

Establishing a residence on Mirage Mountain was the ultimate dream for countless young people in Penglai.

On an ordinary day, under gentle winds and sunny skies, a new pavilion quietly appeared in the northwest corner of Mirage Mountain. Compared to the splendid palaces at the mountain's front, this one seemed exceptionally modest.

Clad in black robes, Daoist Xuan Lu approached the pavilion and gently said at the door, "Congratulations, Junior Nephew Yang, on becoming the first of your generation to step into the Dao Attainment Realm."

The pavilion door creaked open, and out came a man with a demeanor as refined as jade and an expression of cool indifference.

He was Yang Shenlong, dressed in a blue Daoist robe and radiating the aura of a powerful cultivator. Compared to his teenage years, he now exuded an air of tempered wisdom and maturity.

In response to Daoist Xuan Lu's congratulations, Yang Shenlong showed no courtesy. He simply stepped aside to let him in and closed the door.

Yang Shenlong then got straight to the point and asked, "Senior Uncle Xuan Lu, was it you who ordered Qi Lin'er to ambush the members of Mount Shu's Red Cotton Peak?"

"Hmm?" Daoist Xuan Lu had just taken his seat when the question reached his ears. He chuckled softly and said, "So, Junior Nephew Yang summoned me here for an interrogation?"

"Senior Uncle Xuan Lu, are you aware that such an action was highly inappropriate?" Yang Shenlong responded, settling into the seat across from him.

"What do you mean by that, Junior Nephew Yang?"

Yang Shenlong's frown deepened. "The Penglai Supreme Sect is a righteous sect. How could you stoop to such a vile act? Ordinary disciples of Penglai would never aid you in this. You took advantage of Qi Lin'er's old grudge against the Mount Shu Sect. But if this provokes a conflict between our two sects, how do you plan to handle the consequences?"

"You're overstating things, Junior Nephew Yang," Daoist Xuan Lu said, waving his hand dismissively. "Qi Lin'er is on the verge of entering the Dao Attainment Realm. I merely helped him rid himself of inner demons."

Yet, Yang Shenlong's unwavering gaze bore down on him, its intensity exerting palpable pressure.

Qi Lin'er had grown up near the Azure Dragon and was not well-acquainted with the disciples of the Penglai Supreme Sect. Shortly after his return to Mirage Mountain following the Assembly of Immortal Sects, he became the target of widespread complaints and condemnation among his peers. Even under Daoist Cangsheng's protection, he still became the one disliked by both people and beasts alike.

Daoist Cangsheng eventually entrusted Qi Lin'er to the more cunning Daoist Xuan Lu. After much contemplation, Daoist Xuan Lu devised a plan. Using Qi Lin'er's grudge against Chu Liang, he tricked Qi Lin'er into going to the Sea of Demons. He had instructed Qi Lin'er to only seek revenge against the people of the Mount Shu Sect after he had successfully fought his way out of the sea.

However, just a few days ago, Qi Lin'er returned, and Daoist Xuan Lu once again had to deal with this problematic disciple.

This time, he assigned Qi Lin'er a secret mission.

However, it had been kept highly confidential, so Daoist Xuan Lu had no idea how Yang Shenlong had come to know about it.

"To my knowledge, Senior Uncle Xuan Lu sent him to target the people of Red Cotton Peak to assist Taotie City," Yang Shenlong said. "You brought back the Celestial Cosmic Ring, which was indeed a great achievement. However, the massive debt owed to Taotie City remained unresolved, and that's why you came up with this plan, didn't you?"

"Junior Nephew Yang, you are quite smart..." remarked Daoist Xuan Lu. When Daoist Xuan Lu heard the correct deductions from Yang Shenlong, he stopped pretending and said candidly, "This plan kills three birds with one stone—it appeases Qi Lin'er, satisfies Taotie City, and stunts the growth of the Mount Shu Sect to some extent. Why wouldn't I go through with it?"

"Senior Uncle, are you so confident that the Mount Shu Sect won't figure out who did it?" Yang Shenlong said in a grave tone. "If Mount Shu retaliates and Qi Lin'er gets hurt, the consequences will be far beyond what you can bear."

Leaning forward slightly, Yang Shenlong added seriously, "You don't know his origins."

Hearing this, Daoist Xuan Lu couldn't help but feel a pang of unease. Although Daoist Cangsheng had entrusted him with overseeing Qi Lin'er, he had never disclosed the boy's true origins. Qi Lin'er's unpleasant temperament made him a challenge to handle, and even Daoist Xuan Lu found him downright annoying. Sending him out to stir up trouble was far preferable to letting him wreak havoc on Mirage Mountain.

Now, seeing Yang Shenlong's solemn demeanor, it seemed likely that Qi Lin'er's origins were even more significant than he had imagined.

...

Chu Liang first went to Chu Yi's small cabin to ask about the matter.

For the past six years, Chu Yi had been secretly managing Red Cotton Peak, overseeing the establishment and coordination of the Four Extremities Hall. When Chu Liang returned, he decided not to take back primary management duties, as everything had been running smoothly. After all, he was quite busy, and if Chu Yi could handle some tasks for him, that would be ideal.

Chu Yi's cabin was similarly simple, furnished with only a bed, a table and chairs, a screen, and a few scrolls of calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls.

As Chu Liang glanced at one of the paintings, he suddenly found it somewhat familiar. It depicted noblewomen from the previous dynasty on an outing in the eastern suburbs, with brushwork so vivid it almost seemed to bring the scene to life.

Chu Yi stepped out from behind the screen and greeted Chu Liang with a smile. "Senior Brother."

When he noticed Chu Liang staring at the painting, he said, "I recently became interested in calligraphy and painting and acquired a few masterpieces done by famous individuals."

"That's good. It's about time that we have a cultured individual on our Silver Sword Peak," Chu Liang remarked, returning the smile. "You've already heard about what happened to the Four Extremities Hall, haven't you?"

"Yes, I know about it." Chu Yi nodded solemnly. "But if they have such precise knowledge of the transport routes, it couldn't have come from the buyer. It seems much more likely that there's a mole within the Four Extremities Hall. For now, we have six suspects who might be traitors, and I've already detained them. Once we interrogate them, we'll know who's responsible."

"I have a Mind-Reflecting Candle. We can use it to get a straight answer."

Chu Yi had always been reliable in handling matters. The way he approached this issue was precisely how Chu Liang would have handled it himself.

The two of them made their way to Red Cotton Peak, where the Four Extremities Hall had prepared six rooms. Each suspect, all high-ranking members of the hall, occupied a separate room. Only someone of their position could have leaked such critical transport routes. Since they hadn't been proven guilty, they were treated fairly well.

Years ago, Chu Liang had found a portion of a Mind-Reflecting Candle. Over the years, it had remained unused, as it was ineffective against those with high cultivation levels, and Chu Liang had no need for it with those of lower cultivation. But now, the perfect opportunity had finally arisen for him to put it to use.

He handed the Mind-Reflecting Candle to Chu Yi, and together they interrogated the suspects one by one. As expected, they quickly identified a traitor among the six.

The traitor was a middle-aged rogue cultivator who had once been active in the southeastern regions, known for his vast network of connections. When Chu Yi established the Four Extremities Hall, this man saw its potential and eagerly joined. He was one of the founding members of the Four Extremities Hall, which was why he had risen to such a high rank today.

"I... I never wanted to harm Red Cotton Peak, it's just..." The traitor, seeing the Mind-Reflecting Candle burning, realized that lying was futile and quickly confessed. "He told me that Penglai would be supporting Taotie City in waging war against Mount Shu's Red Cotton Peak. If we keep relying on Red Cotton Peak, we'll be doomed. By helping Penglai pass along information now, we can secure future favors from the Penglai Supreme Sect."

"Penglai..." Chu Liang muttered, his gaze darkening. He asked, "Do you know who did this?"

"Young Hero Chu, it was the child who participated in the same Assembly of Immortal Sects as you. He's now about seventeen or eighteen years old, but his cultivation level is very high..." the man answered without hesitation. "I think his name is... Qi Lin'er."