Lying Low in the Martial World to Become a Saint

Chapter 469: Chapter 207: Resources

As night deepened, the main hall of Nine Heavens Peak—one of the Nine Great Inner Peaks of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect—was brightly lit, yet it illuminated only a handful of people.

Li Yu-jun sat high upon the Cloud Pattern Profound Jade Seat, the seat of honor. Her gaze was lowered, her Heart and Spirit having already sifted through the day’s various anomalies countless times.

Below her, a middle-aged man in the attire of the Nine Heavens Vein stood respectfully with his hands at his sides. It was none other than Luo Ziming, Li Yu-jun’s eldest disciple and the one who had followed her the longest.

"Were there any unusual occurrences today, either within or outside the Sect? Report everything to me, no matter how trivial."

Li Yu-jun’s voice, tinged with gravity, broke the silence.

Luo Ziming bowed slightly, his tone firm. "Reporting to the Vein Master, your disciple has already dispatched extra personnel to carefully patrol every peak, especially the areas around the main peak and the Celestial Treasure Tower. I also questioned all the Steward Disciples who were on duty today. Aside from the usual commotion caused by the Xu Wang Mountain selection, everything within the Sect is operating normally. We found no abnormal energy fluctuations or unusual personnel movements. Everything is... calm and peaceful."

"Oh?"

Li Yu-jun raised her eyes, her brow furrowed. "Are you certain there wasn’t a single anomaly?"

Luo Ziming’s spirit tensed. After a moment of careful recollection, he still shook his head. "Nothing was discovered. Master, did you perhaps sense something?"

He had followed Li Yu-jun for many years and knew his master would never raise a concern without reason. Her persistent questioning had to mean something.

Li Yu-jun contemplated for a moment before slowly recounting her meeting with Sect Leader Jiang Lishan earlier that day, as well as the tyrannical fluctuation of will—fleeting, yet powerful enough to make her heart pound. "...Although the Sect Leader was evasive, blaming it on an Exotic Treasure or a mishap in his training, his momentary lapse in composure and the gravity on his face were genuine. This is no simple matter."

Upon hearing this, Luo Ziming’s expression also grew solemn. "The Sect Leader is as deep as an abyss, a man who never lets his emotions show. For him to lose his composure, even for a moment... that fluctuation of will must have been extraordinary."

He pondered for a moment, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. Lowering his voice, he asked, "Vein Master, do you think... this could be related to the matter the Sect Leader has been secretly pursuing for all these years?"

"The Ancestral Inheritance?" Li Yu-jun’s pupils constricted as she slowly uttered the three words.

"Precisely!"

Luo Ziming’s voice dropped even lower, laced with a disbelieving excitement. "Although there are rumors within the Sect that the founding ancestor left behind a world-shaking inheritance in addition to the Four Great True Scriptures, it has remained an ethereal legend for thousands of years. Most dismiss it as baseless talk. But if the Sect Leader never gave up his search... then today’s disturbance, could it be..."

"The Ancestral Inheritance..."

Li Yu-jun murmured to herself, her expression shifting uncertainly. "If such a thing truly exists, and it was within the Celestial Treasure Tower, triggered by someone... That would be absolutely earth-shattering!"

At this thought, she quickly changed the subject. "The final list for today’s Xu Wang Mountain selection is out, isn’t it? Were there any standouts from the afternoon group?"

Luo Ziming quickly produced a list from his sleeve and presented it with both hands. "The list is here. There were indeed a few outstanding individuals from the afternoon who ranked highly, such as Qiu Qixing of the Four Seas Sect and Zhang Tao of the Jade Forest Sect. Both are exceptionally talented with solid foundations. They certainly have... some potential."

He paused before adding, "Even among those ranked between twentieth and fiftieth, there are a few who are very young with astonishing potential. Take the disciple from the Wutai Sect of Yunlin Prefecture, for instance, a young man named Chen Qing. He reached the Astral Force Realm before the age of thirty and ranked twenty-ninth this time, which is quite impressive."

Li Yu-jun took the list. With a sweep of her Divine Sense, all the information was instantly clear to her.

Her gaze lingered for a moment on the two words "Chen Qing". While his bone age, Cultivation, and rank were all decent—his youth being a particular advantage—in her eyes, which were accustomed to true genius, he was merely "decent" and nothing more.

’This boy’s potential might be worth watching, but his current Cultivation is only at the Early-stage Astral Force. There’s still a significant gap between him and the likes of Wu Anren or He Shuang, to say nothing of the True Disciples.’

’Could it not be the Celestial Treasure Tower!?’

’How could these ’outsiders’ possibly obtain the Ancestral Inheritance?’

’Besides, it’s still uncertain if this is even related to the Ancestral Inheritance at all.’

She took a deep breath, calming the storm in her heart. "But this is all just speculation, and we lack solid proof. The Sect Leader is being extremely secretive, so we can’t appear overly concerned, lest we tip him off."

"You’re absolutely right, Master."

Luo Ziming nodded in agreement. "Then what should we do now..."

"Investigate in secret."

Li Yu-jun ordered decisively, "Use our most clandestine assets to investigate without leaving a trace. Remember, you must not let the Sect Leader or the other veins notice our actions."

"I understand!" Luo Ziming replied solemnly.

"Compile detailed files on these people, especially the top thirty. We’ll simply keep a closer eye on them from now on."

Li Yu-jun handed the list back to Luo Ziming, her tone rich with meaning. "A school of new, energetic fish has swum into the pond. They’re bound to make a few splashes, perhaps even change the existing order. Watch them well. The waters are about to be stirred."

"Yes, I will watch them closely." Luo Ziming bowed, accepting his orders.

"Go on, then. Be discreet," Li Yu-jun said with a wave of her hand.

Luo Ziming bowed once more before quietly exiting the main hall.

...

「The next day, at the break of dawn.」

Chen Qing, Shen Xiuyong, and Nie Shanshan, who had decided to stay, escorted Sang Yanping, Chu Jinyun, and the others from the Wutai Sect and Xuanjia Sect to the foot of Guest Welcoming Peak to see them off.

With the exception of Nie Shanshan, the other disciples—Yan Yaoyang, Li Wang, Li Lei, Shi Ziyi, and Fang Rui—had weighed their options and ultimately chosen to return to Yunlin Prefecture with the Elders.

The path of an Outer Disciple was long and arduous, the future uncertain. It was better to return to their familiar sects, where they could still build a respectable future.

Nie Shanshan, her expression cool and distant, gave a deep bow to Chu Jinyun and Sang Yanping. "Master, Elder Sang, I wish you a safe journey."