Chapter 83: The Test

The jade slip was in Chen Zaizhi’s hands. Chen Zaizhi hadn’t managed to escape far, yet strangely, this mere Foundation Establishment cultivator somehow eluded pursuit by so many Golden Core and Nascent Soul experts; to this day, he still hadn’t been found.

Hong Jian inwardly sneered. With that unreserved remark, Qi Tianbao had all but admitted that the few of them and the traitor Jing Li were, in fact, all in league together.

Suppressing the anger in her heart, she forced a bitter smile and said, “I was carrying the Patriarch’s nascent soul back to the sect when I encountered Senior Brother and Chen Zaizhi midway. The Patriarch felt that, since I am a woman, and the jade slip was originally entrusted to me out of necessity, it would be best, now that they were present, for me to hand the jade slip over to Chen Zaizhi.”

No wonder the young girl was displeased—having something in her hands, only to be pressured into giving it up.

Nangong Jiu suddenly found himself understanding why this Hong Jian seemed to have so little attachment to her sect.

Hong Jian’s tone was full of regret: “It was the Patriarch’s decision. It would not have mattered to hand it over, but he then said that since I had spent half a day reading the records in the jade slip, to prevent any mishap, he wanted me and Chen Zaizhi to become Dao partners. This, I could never agree to. After the Patriarch’s nascent soul dissipated, I parted ways with them in unhappiness. Later, seeing how things had unfolded, the irreconcilable conflict between the Water and Wood branches of Dan Cliff Sect, I thought, why not find a way to extricate myself from all this? Senior, all I want is a place where I can cultivate in peace, far from all these entanglements.”

Her story was credible enough. For a female cultivator, the matter of a Dao partner was no small thing. Moreover, she seemed unaware that Ding Chunxue was already dead. More importantly, she herself had said she had read the sect’s ancestral jade slip. Even if she hadn’t memorized it all, she should at least remember the main points.

The atmosphere in the room immediately eased; Qi Bijian had withdrawn his murderous intent.

Dai Mingchi’s expression remained impassive as he asked, “There are many places where you could cultivate in peace, far from disputes. Why must you come to our Sect of Talisman and Diagram?”

Hong Jian’s eyes lit up with hope. “I wish to leave Dan Cliff Sect openly and honorably, so that in the future I can walk beneath the sun without hiding. Of all those who could persuade Chief Mu and the others, only you, Senior, have the certainty to do so.”

Dai Mingchi gave a short laugh through his nose. “You calculate well. But I do not wish to take you in. A disciple of our sect must have nothing but the sect in their heart. You are not capable of that.”

He fixed his gaze on Hong Jian. Seeing her expression change, eyes full of pleading as she lifted her face to him and cried softly, “I can…”

Almost at once, this sharp-witted young cultivator caught herself and continued, “Sect Master, please accept me. As soon as I become a disciple of the Sect of Talisman and Diagram, I will hand over everything from Dan Cliff Sect to the sect, leave all my past behind, and devote myself to cultivation.”

Hearing this, Dai Mingchi stood up, his face still stern. “In that case, prepare yourself. In a few days, I will take you personally to Dan Cliff Sect to offer condolences for Jin Donglou and Ling Xuzi. Tianbao, teach her well. She must know how to speak before representatives from Dan Cliff and the other sects.” With that, he left the others behind and departed first.

Qi Bijian and Nangong Jiu exchanged looks and followed Dai Mingchi out, leaving only Qi Tianbao and Hong Jian in the room.

Qi Tianbao smiled gently, “You may rise. You are still a junior of Dan Cliff Sect; such formal courtesy is unnecessary. The Sect Master has agreed to your request. There’ll be time for such deference after you return from Dan Cliff and become a disciple here.”

Hong Jian rose, her face showing gratefulness.

Qi Tianbao’s gaze flickered as he looked at her and said, “All you’ve told us is your side of the story. We still need to verify it; we won’t take it at face value. Since you claim Sun Yougong once gave you the ancestral jade slip, then tell us—what was recorded within it?”

Hong Jian inwardly sneered: Qi Bijian is ruthless, Qi Tianbao cunning, but no matter what, she had managed to ascertain their motives for the string of murders. What was it in the ancestral jade slip that they so desperately desired?

Her mind raced, but she replied honestly, “There’s the Accumulated Essence Scripture, the cultivation methods for the Water and Wood branches, the forging of high-grade treasures, the sect-protecting grand array, and the Spirit Spring…”

The Spirit Spring, of course. None of them could cultivate the Accumulated Essence Scripture; Jing Li was hiding at Red Wheel Peak; other than the Spirit Spring that the Patriarch had mentioned, Hong Jian could think of nothing else they’d covet.

Sure enough, a flash of delight glimmered in Qi Tianbao’s eyes.

His tone unconsciously softened, “If the people of Dan Cliff knew this, they wouldn’t let you leave so easily.”

Hong Jian appeared calm and replied matter-of-factly, “That’s why I came to beg the Sect Master and all you Seniors.”

A cold glint flashed in Qi Tianbao’s eyes, his tone turning frigid, “I suppose you haven’t heard that Ding Chunxue is dead?”

For a moment, Qi Tianbao thought he saw shock on Hong Jian’s face as she exclaimed, “How did he die?”—her expression revealed not just astonishment but also confusion and pain.

Qi Tianbao did not possess Ji Youyun’s insight technique, so he could not know Hong Jian’s true feelings, but he was satisfied with her reaction.

He lowered his head and brushed the creases from his sleeve, saying blandly, “According to Dan Cliff’s people, Sun Yougong colluded with a demon cultivator, killed Ling Xuzi and Jin Donglou, and many of his disciples and grand-disciples took part. After Sun Yougong’s death, Ding Chunxue refused to surrender; he went berserk, killed Ling Xuzi’s chief disciple Wen Chuiyang. Wen Chuiyang was a Nascent Soul cultivator and in his dying retaliation, the two perished together.”

Hong Jian stood with her mouth slightly open, seemingly stunned.

She certainly had to appear shocked. No one knew better than Qi Tianbao that, having been caught by Hong Jian while he and Qi Bijian schemed, not a word of his account would be believed by her. He smiled faintly and added, “Well, isn’t that for the best? With such chaos at Late Tide Peak, and you refusing to be complicit, you have every reason to break away and join us. Even Mu Fengshan can’t object.”

Hong Jian stood dazed for a long while, then finally seemed resigned and said despondently, “You are right.”

Qi Tianbao looked at her approvingly, like a teacher pleased with a promising pupil, and pressed on with a smile, “In a few days, the Sect Master will escort you to Dan Cliff Sect to offer condolences for the deceased. Sun Yougong took you out to sea before his death; you are a key witness to his collusion with a demon cultivator. Mu Fengshan and the others will certainly interrogate you. You must be prepared with what to say.”

Hong Jian gave a bitter smile. “In front of all the sects as they come to pay respects? You Seniors have truly given me a task that will haunt my conscience for a lifetime.”

Qi Tianbao spoke lightly, “Did you expect to join the Sect of Talisman and Diagram without contributing anything? There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world.”

At his words, Hong Jian finally made up her mind. No longer hesitating, she agreed, “Rest assured, Senior. I know what to do.”

“Oh? Haha, good. The Sect of Talisman and Diagram is most in need of sharp-witted young people like you. Since you have a Water spiritual root, I’ll see that you’re introduced to a Nascent Soul master of the same root. Your cultivation won’t be delayed.”

Hong Jian visibly relaxed, gratitude on her face. “Thank you, Senior.”

“It’s nothing. With your talent, so long as you find the right master, I believe it won’t be long before you make a name for yourself across the land. By the way, after all this talk, I still don’t know which technique you focused on after reaching Foundation Establishment?”

Hong Jian lowered her eyes, a flash of mockery passing through them as she answered with feigned humility, “To answer Elder, I cultivate the ‘Ten Thousand Streams Returning to the Source.’”

This time, it was finally Qi Tianbao’s turn to be taken aback. He hadn’t cared what this little rebel from Dan Cliff had been studying; he’d only asked to put her at ease. Yet this answer was entirely unexpected and left him momentarily at a loss for words.

With the terms settled, Hong Jian stayed at the Qi residence.

The next day, Hong Jian was summoned to meet Master Gong from the Northern Prison and his party. The members of the Sect of Talisman and Diagram did not know that Hong Jian had once glimpsed Master Gong through the “Flowing Water’s Melody.” Without any introduction, they simply handed her over to Master Gong and his companions for interrogation.

Hong Jian followed the script Qi Tianbao had given her, fabricating a story: On the Festival of Ascension, the Patriarch Sun Yougong claimed he was taking her to train and brought her to an unnamed illusory island deep within the Endless Sea. There, Sun Yougong and an unknown demon cultivator ambushed the unsuspecting Jin Donglou; then, by trickery, they obtained the sect’s ancestral jade slip from Ling Xuzi. When Ling Xuzi realized the ruse, he retaliated before dying, perishing together with the demon cultivator. The resulting explosion destroyed Sun Yougong’s physical body, and his nascent soul fled in panic. Hong Jian herself was caught by the aftershock, but by luck, having just formed her Foundation, she barely escaped with her life.

If examined closely, there were many flaws in this tale, but Qi Tianbao and the others were already extremely satisfied with how well Hong Jian had spun her story. In their eyes, to so convincingly fabricate a battle between Nascent Soul and Divine Transformation cultivators required not only vision but cultivation experience. For a newly established Foundation cultivator to manage this could only mean she was sincerely eager to join the Sect of Talisman and Diagram.

Master Gong only wanted the general outline and did not probe further. However, the short, elderly man with him seemed particularly interested in the mysterious demon cultivator. He listened as Hong Jian vaguely claimed she had been too far away to see clearly, only glimpsing a few traits here and there, but what he imagined had nothing to do with any known demonic inheritance—instead, he thought of the highly controversial Divine Transformation cultivator, Xing Wuya.

The old man was about to press for clarity when Master Gong interjected, “That person is already dead, nothing to worry about. It’s Sun Yougong’s nascent soul that escaped—we must consider if that will cause trouble later.”

A thought flickered in Hong Jian’s mind. She had previously assumed that this Gong was allied with Dai Mingchi and the others; if he had received word from Jing Li, how could he not know the Patriarch was dead?

Could it be that the Sect of Talisman and Diagram and Jing Li had conspired to hide the matter of the ancestral jade slip from him? Or was he simply performing for the benefit of those present?

The short old man sighed, “Dan Cliff Sect has truly been struck by calamity after calamity. When we go in a few days, we should burn incense for the departed. There’s still no word of Shui Zongming—if he, too, is dead, then the Water branch of Dan Cliff Sect is truly finished.”

So the Water Elder who went to Northern Prison with the senior uncle had also come to harm?

Hong Jian’s expression was wooden. No matter what stance this short elder took, she would never pin her hopes on another. If there was vengeance to seek, she would have to rely on herself.