Chapter 100: Dividing the Spoils [Second Update]

Zhou Yi carefully closed the few books he had been reading and glanced around the room before heading toward the door.

Just as he was about to leave, he noticed a small wooden box resting on a shelf at the far edge. Curiously, he opened it to find a jade pendant, identical to the one he wore, but this one bore faintly inscribed characters: “Clan Leader’s Token.”

Puzzled, Zhou Yi compared the two pendants side by side. The strings, the color of the cords, even the tiny beads attached—all were identical. The only difference was that the pendant given to him by the old clan leader bore no inscription.

Could this be some kind of spare key?

But if it was meant as a backup, why was it kept here and not given to someone else? After all, no one could enter without it.

Shaking his head, Zhou Yi stepped outside. The wooden door, constructed of interlocking blocks, closed slowly behind him without needing manual intervention. The keyhole remained in the center. Holding both pendants, he inserted the one marked “Clan Leader’s Token” into the slot. The sound of gears turning echoed softly as the door opened once more. Zhou Yi stepped in and back out, and the door locked itself again.

With a light tap on the wooden wall, the keyhole slid down to the lower right corner—a testament to the intricate mechanism at work.

Zhou Yi shook his head again. The pendant given by the old clan leader must carry a unique significance and needed to be kept. As for the “Clan Leader’s Token,” perhaps it was safer hidden here.

He scanned the surroundings and then looked at the meditation cushion embroidered with green lotus petals extending toward the edges, creating a hollow center.

An idea struck him. He slipped the “Clan Leader’s Token” into the hollow space of the cushion, sat down to feel it out, and found it completely undetectable. Even tapping it lightly failed to reveal its presence. Satisfied, he stood up.

As he opened the door, four people at the entrance turned their gaze toward him.

Ye Qing bowed slightly to Zhou Yi, who raised his hand faintly and asked, “Do you know who Xu Shiqing is?”

Ye Qing’s expression grew serious. The name was no surprise; after all, Xu Shiqing was the person chosen by their master, a figure of particular importance.

“Yes, I know. Xu Shiqing is the chief elder in charge of the medical sect of Qingcheng Mountain. However, he is not currently on the mountain. He usually leads a group of disciples practicing medicine in the capital and Yingzhou City, as Qingcheng Mountain’s medical arts are regarded as the finest in the Liang Kingdom.”

Zhou Yi narrowed his eyes. Xu Shiqing’s absence meant that although many disciples of Qingcheng Mountain had perished in the valley, a fortunate few survived, including this elder.

“You first had a conflict with Wu Wencai in Wanzhou City because of Xu Shiqing’s daughter. Why did Xu Shiqing not intervene or return to the sect?”

Ye Qing hesitated, as if pondering, then explained, “Elder Xu is not a disciple of our master. He apprenticed under Master Qiu, who founded a branch specializing in medical arts within Qingcheng Mountain. Because of this lineage, they are not bound by our master’s authority. His family resides in Yingzhou City.

“This time, when Xu Shiqing’s daughter was harmed, someone from Yingzhou reported it. Our master sent me to investigate, which led to uncovering Wu Wencai’s misdeeds. I dealt with him accordingly. But no one expected the involvement of the Black-Robed State Preceptor, nor that the court would take action against Qingcheng Mountain.”

By this point, Ye Qing was struggling to contain her emotions. She took several deep breaths and lowered her head.

Zhou Yi’s eyes narrowed further. “So, the cultivators of Qingcheng Mountain suffered near-total losses this time, but the medical branch remains mostly intact?”

Ye Qing looked a bit confused but nodded. “Yes.”

Connecting the dots—Xu Shiqing’s daughter’s defilement, the sudden appearance of the Black-Robed State Preceptor, and the monstrous beings in the valley—there was an unmistakable undercurrent of conspiracy.

If monsters had appeared in the valley, would the people of Qingcheng Mountain be unaware? After all, this was the primary route to Yingzhou City. The court’s troops sent to cleanse the area were slaughtered by these monsters and then transformed into abominations by the Black-Robed State Preceptor, who then turned on Qingcheng Mountain itself. This was no random act.

It seemed necessary to journey to the capital to uncover the truth behind these events. As for Xu Shiqing, regardless of his role, he appeared to be one of the greatest beneficiaries of this tragedy.

“How many of Qingcheng Mountain’s disciples outside the mountain do you know of?”

Ye Qing seemed prepared and produced a roster, sliding it toward Zhou Yi.

“I’ve marked it with a pen. Those in red are Elder Xu’s disciples, while those in black belong to our master’s lineage—the old clan leader’s branch.”

Zhou Yi skimmed through it. The number was not large—only three or four dozen, most marked in red, with only seven or eight in black.

“Contact them and have them return. How long will it take for them to arrive?”

“One or two days at most.”

Zhou Yi didn’t ask how she communicated. The way she delicately held the folded paper crane told him Qingcheng Mountain had its own secret methods of message delivery. Asking would only reveal his ignorance.

“Good. Close the mountain gate. When Elder Xu’s people arrive, have them wait outside and forbid entry. The old clan leader’s disciples may enter first. I’ll study the arts and make further arrangements once everyone is gathered.”

Ye Qing did not ask why, simply bowed in acknowledgment, and then withdrew without even arranging lodging or meals for the newcomers.

As she moved away, the stout man stepped forward.

“What do you mean we have to stay here? The old emperor knows his favored concubine is dead. Won’t he send troops to wipe out Qingcheng Mountain? This place isn’t what it used to be. With just us and the few on the roster, can we really hold them off?”

Zhou Yi beckoned silently with his fingers and entered the room without answering. The stout man looked puzzled but quickly followed.

Sophia was the last to enter. After sensing the surroundings and confirming no one else was present on Qingcheng Mountain, she closed the door.

“What exactly did you discover?”

Zhou Yi spread out the books of elemental arts—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—before them.

Sophia’s eyes widened in surprise as she gathered the volumes and skimmed through them. Her astonishment was unmistakable.

“This is the so-called Clan Leader’s legacy?”

Zhou Yi nodded but did not mention the two other books. Some things were best kept private; revealing all would only invite unwanted attention.

“There are many other books—on formations, martial arts, medicine, and more. But I doubt they will be of much use. These relate directly to our individual elemental natures, so I gathered these. Sophia, what is your elemental nature?”

“I am Fire and Wind, though my Wind affinity is very weak. Can I still train?”

Sophia’s interest was evident, but midway her brow furrowed, clearly worried about her half-cybernetic constitution. In the real world, she was no longer fully human.

Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow and handed her two books, giving Earth to the stout man and Wood to Cheng Zhi.

“We have a day. Each of you will have a room, with some food and water. Begin studying and see if you can improve. Stay close to me—if anything happens, we can watch out for each other.”

The stout man shook his head after a moment’s thought.

“Don’t go out. Boss, you should stay inside. Miss Su can stay here, and Cheng and I will be in the east room. That way we’re all together. If we split up and something happens, it might be too late to react. Besides, this house is far from the other halls.”

Sophia nodded, gratitude evident on her face when she looked at Zhou Yi. Because of him, she was not treated as a mere machine but as a person, just like the stout man and Cheng Zhi.

After years with Walden, she had always felt like she was being handed scraps, as if her energy was a bone tossed to a dog.

Despite years at the base, her abilities had barely improved.

Taking a deep breath, she suppressed her excitement.

“The stout man is right. This world is filled with unpredictable dangers, and cultivators’ powers are terrifying. It’s safer to stay together and watch out for one another.

“Especially considering your analysis—Xu Shiqing might be involved. If they come, they won’t stop easily. This could very well turn into a fierce battle.”