Chapter 112: Chapter 110: The Dragon Head Situation
Inner Sect Disciples of the Bright Void Sect all wore white robes, their corners embroidered with gold thread. They had a refined, noble air that was completely different from the gray and blue clothes of the Outer Sect Disciples.
Even in an Immortal Sect, there was a hierarchy.
Regardless of age or Cultivation depth, Outer Sect Disciples had to address Inner Sect Disciples as Senior Brother or Senior Sister.
It was a sign of respect.
"S-Senior Brother."
Looking at the Inner Sect Disciple uniform on Zhu Ju, the brutish-faced Cao Xiong’s expression twisted. He gritted his teeth and lowered his head.
"I heard that Senior Brother Zhu has attained the Innate Realm and stepped onto the path of the Dao. I was overjoyed and came especially to offer my congratulations."
As he spoke, he presented a brocade box.
SWISH!
With a single beckoning motion of his hand, Zhu Ju made the brocade box land beside him.
The box opened, revealing over a dozen Spirit Crystals, two bottles of Elixirs, and a few clumps of condensed Evil Qi.
"Junior Brother is very thoughtful."
A faint smile on his face, Zhu Ju spoke slowly,
"I also had a sudden insight. After a few days of seclusion, I was fortunate enough to break through, all thanks to Brother Shen’s Innate Pill."
"A few days in seclusion?" Cao Xiong looked up.
"These past few days, Senior Brother has been in secluded Cultivation?"
"Indeed." Zhu Ju nodded, his expression unchanging.
"Counting carefully, I have been in seclusion for nearly seven days. My foundation was too shallow, after all, but fortunately, the breakthrough was perilous but not fatal."
"I see..." Cao Xiong looked thoughtful.
’If Zhu Ju has been in seclusion this whole time, then he has nothing to do with Wei Fei’s death. It was just a coincidence. That makes sense. Wei Fei is one thing. But Huang Er was an Innate Qi Refiner who had broken through One Acupoint. How could someone who hadn’t even reached the Innate Realm possibly kill him? Not to mention the several disciples from the Five Poison Sect.’
He didn’t think Zhu Ju was lying. After all, it would be easy enough to find out whether he had made any appearances in the last few days.
Little did he know.
Zhu Ju had always been a recluse, often disappearing for ten days or even half a month at a time. No one knew where he went, and even if they inquired, they wouldn’t find any useful information.
With the hostility in his heart gone, Cao Xiong also smiled. "Senior Brother is so young, yet you’ve already attained the Innate Realm. Given time, you will surely reach the Dao Foundation Realm."
"It is our great fortune that the Dragon Head Lineage has you, Senior Brother!"
"You flatter me," Zhu Ju laughed heartily.
"Junior Brother, you flatter me!"
"There’s something you may not know, Senior Brother." Cao Xiong changed the subject, saying,
"As a Steward at the mines, people say I exploit my fellow disciples. But they don’t know how difficult things are for the Dragon Head Lineage. Even you, Senior Brother, have your monthly Spirit Stone allowance docked and recalculated. If we don’t pinch every penny, we simply can’t get by."
"Buying Elixirs, distributing Spirit Stones, maintaining the Sect’s operations... I am just taking the blame for Brother Zhuang!"
He had an emotional expression and shook his head repeatedly.
As for this Brother Zhuang he mentioned, Zhu Ju knew a little about him. He was Zhuang Loupan, one of the Core Disciples.
Although his rank was low, his Cultivation was not. He was an Innate who had broken through Six Acupoints, his strength second only to Fifth Senior Sister Pei Jingque and Second Senior Brother Zhong Wen, who had recently announced his seclusion.
"Junior Brother has gone to a lot of trouble."
Zhu Ju gave a noncommittal nod.
"I understand."
"Thank you for your understanding, Senior Brother." Cao Xiong looked grateful. After exchanging a few more words to build rapport, he finally took his leave.
Watching Cao Xiong’s back recede into the distance, the smile on Zhu Ju’s face slowly faded, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
The congratulations.
They were only the beginning.
Next, the Ding Brothers, Yan Bohu, and others came to visit one after another.
Even Xu Lai, whom he had only met twice, shamelessly showed up and offered a few Spirit Stones.
From this, one could also see that the Bright Void Sect was far inferior to the Profound Clarity Sect.
Jiang Ke, as an Outer Sect Disciple of the Profound Clarity Sect, was a failure who had been driven back to the Mortal World, yet he had managed to accumulate over a dozen Spirit Stones and even had a storage pouch.
In contrast, in the Bright Void Sect...
Xu Lai was quite outstanding among the Outer Sect Disciples, yet his congratulatory gift was merely a few Spirit Crystals. The disparity was obvious.
"Congratulations, Senior Brother!"
"Felicitations, Senior Brother!"
Ning Ruxue, who had come alone to offer her congratulations, smiled charmingly.
"Senior Brother, you’re not even twenty, yet you’ve already reached the Innate Realm. Your future is certainly promising, and the Dao Foundation is within your grasp."
"Heh..."
She let out a soft sigh.
"I’m not as good as you, Senior Brother. I have neither the Talent nor an Innate Pill."
"Hmm?" Zhu Ju’s expression darkened.
"How did you know I took an Innate Pill?"
’He had never told anyone about getting the Innate Pill from Shen Youx, yet not only did Wei Fei know, but Ning Ruxue knew as well! Could it be that she was the one who snitched?’
"This..." Ning Ruxue froze for a moment.
"I heard it from Ding Peng."
"Ding Peng can read lips, and his hearing has been incredible since he was a child. He overheard Brother Shen giving you the Innate Pill back then."
’Ding Peng?’
Zhu Ju was speechless.
’That guy has a big mouth. Thankfully, my breakthrough to the Innate Realm didn’t take long. Otherwise, the fact that I had an Innate Pill would probably be known to everyone by now.’
"I see."
Zhu Ju sighed.
"Thank you for the congratulations, Junior Sister. I still need to continue my secluded Cultivation. If there’s nothing else, please leave."
"Senior Brother." Ning Ruxue swayed her hips and quietly drew closer.
"Why must you keep people at arm’s length? Besides Cultivation, isn’t there anything else you care about, Senior Brother?"
"If you have something to say, Junior Sister, just say it." Zhu Ju’s eyes were downcast, and a cold aura emanated from him.
"I am indeed busy with important matters."
"Senior Brother." Ning Ruxue’s pretty face paled slightly as she said in a low voice,
"For a Cultivator, the four essentials—wealth, companion, technique, and location—are all indispensable. There’s a reason why wealth holds the primary position."
"Doesn’t Senior Brother Zhu want some extra income?"
"Hmm?" Zhu Ju’s expression shifted slightly.
"You can help me get extra income?"
"That’s right," Ning Ruxue said.
"Whether it’s Iron Evil Stones, condensed Evil Qi, or other things from the mines, I can help you obtain them, Senior Brother."
?
"On what grounds?" Zhu Ju asked curiously.
"The mines are the foundation of the Dragon Head Lineage’s inheritance, a place of utmost importance. By what right can you take things from there?"
"Heh..." Ning Ruxue rolled her eyes.
"Ever since joining the Immortal Sect, you’ve ignored worldly affairs and focused only on bitter cultivation, Senior Brother. Naturally, there are some things you wouldn’t know."
"The Dragon Head Lineage has no Dao Foundation master presiding over it, only a few Core Disciples, and just two people at the Late-Stage Innate Realm."
"With such strength, how can they sit on a mountain of treasure?"
She clasped her hands behind her back and paced as she spoke.
"You may not know this, Senior Brother, but the mines have long been infiltrated by outsiders. They’re like a sieve."
"It’s not just Loose Cultivators and the Five Poison Sect from the outside; even the Celestial Sword and Flying Phoenix lineages have planted their own people in the mountains."
"As far as I know..."
Ning Ruxue held up a single finger and said,
"Of the Iron Evil Ore, Iron Evil Stones, and condensed Evil Qi produced by the mines, less than ten percent actually ends up in the hands of the Dragon Head Lineage’s disciples!"
"Ten percent!" Zhu Ju was startled. He knew a little about the situation, but he hadn’t realized it was this exaggerated. He couldn’t help but ask,
"Does no one care about this?"
"Care?" Ning Ruxue sneered.
"Nowadays, everyone in the Sect, inside and out, is trying to find ways to profit for themselves. Who would be willing to bother with it?"
"Do you think Senior Sister Pei doesn’t know?"
"She’s well aware of it. But she understands even better that the Dragon Head Lineage’s strength is completely insufficient to suppress the problem, so she simply turns a blind eye."
Hearing this, Zhu Ju couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath.
’Has the corruption in the Dragon Head Lineage really reached such a state? In the end, their strength is just too weak. Even knowing that people are embezzling from the mines, a True Disciple doesn’t dare to intervene.’
He narrowed his eyes in thought, then spoke slowly.
"I need some Iron Evil Stones—the kind that have had their Evil Qi assimilated."
"I can do that!"
Ning Ruxue’s eyes lit up.
"Three for one Spirit Crystal. There are people in the mountains willing to do it."
"Get me ten to start," Zhu Ju said.
"If it works out, the deal continues."
’Since everyone is reaching out to grab their own benefits, he naturally didn’t mind doing the same. Besides, he had another use for the Iron Evil Stones.’
"Alright!" Ning Ruxue nodded.
"No deposit is needed for this transaction, but Senior Brother... it’s not easy for an Outer Sect Disciple to enter and exit Dragon Head Peak."
"I heard Inner Sect Disciples have a special Token?"
"We’ll talk after you bring me the ten Iron Evil Stones." Zhu Ju waved his sleeve.
"Junior Sister, please leave!"
The smile on Ning Ruxue’s face froze.
*
*
*
「Otherworld.」
「Yidu.」
Looking at the people before him, all the good mood Zhu Ju had felt since reaching the Innate Realm completely vanished, his expression turning cold and grim.
Since breaking through to the Innate Realm, he had rarely come to the Magic World, as he had been focused on stabilizing his Cultivation, breaking through Acupoints, and practicing the Ghost God Limit. When he did come, his stays were brief. The intervals between his appearances ranged from one or two weeks to as long as one or two months.
But every time he came, he gave specific instructions: the Zhu Mansion was not to be disturbed, and absolutely no unauthorized people were to be allowed inside.
And yet now... there were some outsiders.
"Just great!"
he said with a cold sneer.
"I am only away from the mansion for a while, and when did the Zhu Mansion unknowingly change its name?"
"Young Master Zhu." A middle-aged woman in the room looked apologetic and cupped her hands.
"I am truly sorry. We are only staying here temporarily. We intended to leave in a couple of days and had no intention of disturbing you."
Behind her were four other people, all with strange expressions.
"Temporarily?" Zhu Ju sat enthroned in a large chair, his eyes slightly downcast.
"Who gave you permission to stay here?"
"How come I wasn’t aware that besides me, the Zhu Mansion has another master?"
"Young Master Zhu," Tang Yan began.
"They are my friends. They came to Yidu and had nowhere to stay. I saw there were so many empty rooms in the mansion..."
"Silence!" Zhu Ju’s voice grew deep.
"Tang Yan!"
"Don’t forget, you are just a guard I hired to watch over the courtyard, not the mistress of this house."
"Your friends came from afar; you could have told them to stay at an inn or an Escort Agency. Who gave you permission to let them stay here?"
Tang Yan’s face paled.
She had seen that Zhu Ju was often away for long periods, and besides, her friends’ identities made it inconvenient for them to be seen in public.
Who would have thought she would be caught red-handed.
"Young Master Zhu." The middle-aged woman sighed.
"This humble one is Ye Baici. I was once from Yidu as well. We were indeed in the wrong this time. To show our apology..."
She pursed her lips and took something out.
"I’ve heard that Young Master Zhu’s Magic Cultivation has reached the level of Profound Light Like Fire, and that you are seeking a Secret Medicine and a Visualization Image to advance to the rank of Mage."
"This is Dragon’s Whisper Dew. It can be used as a Secret Medicine when breaking through. I hope you will accept it."
’A Secret Medicine?’
Zhu Ju raised an eyebrow and beckoned with his hand, pulling the object to him.
The Secret Medicines required for a Magician’s breakthrough were strange and varied. Some were naturally occurring Spiritual Medicines, while others were specially concocted Secret Medicines.
Dragon’s Whisper Dew was one of the latter.
It wasn’t cheap!
This was very strange.
’Judging by her generosity, she shouldn’t be lacking the money for an inn. So why choose the Zhu Mansion?’
Zhu Ju stared at Ye Baici, a flicker in his eyes.
"You are very generous, madam."
Gently stroking the Secret Medicine, he averted his gaze.
"Since you all wish to stay, you may continue to do so. However, Tang Yan, as a guard of the Zhu Mansion, you invited outsiders without asking."
"You must be punished!"
BANG!
The teacup on the table shot out like a sharp arrow, heading straight for Tang Yan.
SWOOSH!
Tang Yan instinctively drew her saber to defend herself, only to feel a Giant Power strike her in the chest. She immediately spat out blood and fell backward.
"Miss Tang!"
"Sister!"
The faces of the people behind Ye Baici changed drastically as they rushed forward to help her up.
Even Ye Baici’s eyes darkened for a moment, but she instantly regained her composure and looked toward Tang Yan with a concerned expression.
’A Mage! Although she hadn’t made any obvious moves, the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi had stirred imperceptibly at that moment. To be able to cause a change in the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi with a single thought. Obviously! This woman, Ye Baici, is a Mage! A dignified Mage, hiding her Cultivation and origins, lurking in the Zhu Mansion... what is her purpose?’
Zhu Ju didn’t understand, but he also wasn’t afraid.
’So what if she’s a Mage? At such a close distance, he wasn’t afraid even when he was in the Inner Qi Realm, let alone now that he has advanced to the Innate Realm. If they really fought, he was eager to see whose methods were superior: a Mage’s, or an Innate expert’s from the Main World.’
"Yangg Qiu."
Zhu Ju called for the mansion’s Steward.
"Go find Feng Hongda and ask if Xing Suanzi has time."
"Yes."
Yangg Qiu acknowledged the order.
No one noticed that when Zhu Ju mentioned Xing Suanzi, a flash of hatred appeared in Ye Baici’s eyes.
A hatred so palpable it was almost tangible!
