Chapter 48: Where It Appears, War Follows
The two "porters" seemed to possess considerable knowledge of the Zhen estate’s layout. They circumvented the household guards, patrolmen, and disciples posted along the route with practiced ease. In only the time it took to drink two cups of tea, they had reached the vicinity of Riverwaves Hall.
They paused, concealing themselves in the shadows beside the building, in no rush to barge in.
One of the "porters" was Small Boat Gang leader Ma Hanjiang in disguise. He turned his gaze toward his partner.
Riverwaves Hall was currently packed with people, many of them powerhouses—perfect conditions for his partner’s exploitations.
Ma Hanjiang only hoped that once chaos erupted, they could finish quickly, achieve some result, and withdraw from the Zhen estate as fast as possible.
In his view, this operation only needed to demonstrate that the Small Boat Gang always repaid its grudges. Under no circumstances could they be spotted by the county or prefectural authorities, or the Gang’s legitimate enterprises would be uprooted entirely. After all, the emissary beside him belonged to the Capsized Vessel Sect of the Twenty-One Heretical Ways and was listed on the universally recognized Nine Prisons Ranking as one of the Malevolent Gods, and was a Subtlety Attuned Grandmaster.
The other raised his broad hat slightly higher, revealing a face that seemed dipped in white dye and bright red lips that appeared cast from the material of a bird’s beak.
Brimming with bloodthirsty malice, his eyes swept the area. Motes of radiance appeared in the air around him, faintly outlining a great eagle with a white head, red beak, and black markings. His hands slid free from his sleeves, shaped like tiger claws.
An indescribable aura of violence and murderous intent rippled outward, spreading silently in all directions, seeping into Riverwaves Hall.
Ma Hanjiang hurriedly gathered his focus to resist the influence.
But the more he suppressed his emotions, the more aggrieved he felt.
Why should the Four Waters Brotherhood be allowed to set traps for the Small Boat Gang while the Gang cannot strike back?
Why should the Zhen family be allowed to stir up so much trouble while the Gang cannot retaliate in full?
Why? Why?
I’ll make the Zhen household’s blood run like rivers!
...
At the top of the tallest watchtower, a prefectural constable rushed up without pausing to bow and thrust a sheet of paper toward Tao Wenshu.
"Sect Master Tao, the Martial Prohibition Bureau in the Flame Capital has replied.
"Three members of the Ding household have been identified!"
Since Zheng Zhuxi reported Ding Songyan’s problems and her own suspicions to the prefectural office the previous night, the authorities had assigned agents to watch each member of the Ding household, sketch their likenesses, and cross-reference them against wanted lists. Simultaneously, they had used three different methods to send overnight reports to the Martial Prohibition Bureau in the Flame Capital. Ning Province was right next to the Flame Capital, not far at all, so the reply came today.
This did not mean the authorities were certain the Ding family was problematic—the Zhen household warranted far more attention. But since Ding Songyan was involved, every person close to him had to be investigated without exception.
After Tao Wenshu took the papers, Zheng Zhuxi leaned in curiously, examining the portraits and reading the text below.
On the first sheet she saw a drawing of Ding Shengyi, but with two antennae covered in blood-red scales protruding from his forehead, and skin that was reddish in tone.
The corresponding text read:
Qiu Chen. Disciple of the Moth-God Sect in the Feng Kingdom. Listed in the Nine Prisons Ranking under Death Intent Prison. Assessed as Form Transfigured. Forty-five years old. Previously active only in the Feng and Yu Kingdoms. Expelled from the Moth-God Sect for pursuing the ultimate moth seed by transforming his own sect brothers into moth-men. A scourge upon the region.
He wanted to also turn moth patriarchs and moth matriarchs into moth-men to see if it would produce a better, stronger transformation? Truly worthy of a place on the Nine Prisons Ranking... Zheng Zhuxi clicked her tongue, feeling that "Ding Shengyi" was almost single-minded in his devotion.
The Nine Prisons Ranking was established jointly by the foremost orthodox sects. It catalogued notorious individuals among the heretical paths, allowing jianghu members to track them or gauge their strength upon encounter.
It was divided into nine prison levels, each corresponding to a tier of heretical practitioners. Death Intent Prison was the sixth prison, representing the Form Transfigured of the Great Proliferation Realm. Malevolent God Prison was the seventh prison, representing Dharma Realm Grandmasters.
"The Ding family really is compromised. Ding Songyan truly has jackals before him, tigers behind him, and he sits in a demon’s lair himself." Zheng Zhuxi could not help but exclaim.
After "Ding Shengyi’s" page, Tao Wenshu turned to the second sheet. It depicted Bull Ding, but with horse-hair covering his body, a serpent’s tail, and hooves for feet.
Li Zhi. Between twenty-two and twenty-five years old. Origins unknown. Possesses the Celestial-Human Ten Forces Secret Script. Major bandit of New Yu. Listed in the Nine Prisons Ranking under the Soul Breath Prison. Assessed as Mortal Surpassed. He frequently kills people at random on the roadside, seeking neither beauty nor wealth. However, he has been spotted multiple times in pleasure houses, narrowly escaping each time.
So the "Ding family" has two people on the Nine Prisons Ranking. Truly no simple bunch... Zheng Zhuxi shook her head as she read.
To make the Nine Prisons Ranking required either formidable strength, a record brimming with evil, or exceptional potential.
Tao Wenshu quickly turned to the third page.
This one depicted Liu Yuzao, her face lovely and without abnormalities.
Qi Xiaoxiang. Between forty and forty-five years old. Origins unknown. Martial arts unknown. No overt record of evil. Three years ago, miners at Shou Mountain rioted and slaughtered each other in an incident suspected to be orchestrated by her. Over three hundred people died horribly, and Shou Mountain copper output ceased for half a year. Active only in the Yu and Gan Kingdoms; her other activities are unknown. Given her appearance, she likely has a concealment art or has someone regularly masking her true form.
Tao Wenshu handed the three sheets to Zheng Zhuxi and turned to the constable who had served as their courier.
"Inform Magistrate Lin that he may now personally pay the Zhen household a visit. He must delay whatever may be about to happen.
"The agents watching Qiu Chen, Li Zhi, and Qi Xiaoxiang must be swapped out immediately. At minimum, Mortal Surpassed."
The constable did not turn to descend. Using the paper and brush kept ready in the watchtower, he wrote down these two instructions, then handed the paper to one of the Yi clan members on surveillance duty.
The Yi clansman first wound the paper around an arrow shaft and secured it. Then he aimed at the northern watchtower, drew back his bowstring, and shot out the white-feathered arrow.
The arrow shot forward with a whistle. It did not slow even after a thousand feet, nor did it catch fire.
It traversed nearly half the city, gradually slowing, arcing downward, yet threaded unerringly into the northern watchtower, where it was caught by a hand covered in dark blue-black scales.
After the constable descended from the watchtower, Zheng Zhuxi glanced at the two Yi clan members focused on their surveillance and whispered to her mother, "Mother, why didn’t you simply protect Ding Songyan directly instead of letting him enter the Zhen estate?
"You clearly already had people watching both the Zhen household and the Ding family."
Tao Wenshu tilted her head slightly and glanced at her daughter.
"By the time I had the full picture, Ding Songyan had already entered the Zhen estate.
"As for Magistrate Lin and the others, which do you think matters more to them—the possible location of Kunlun, or Ding Songyan?"
Wh— Zheng Zhuxi froze.
Tao Wenshu spoke in a gentle voice that carried an unmistakable tone of instruction.
"If you truly wanted to save Ding Songyan, you should have found a different pretext to report to the authorities last night, rather than laying out his problems in full. You needed to make them pay attention without paying too much attention. Don’t assume that everyone thinks like you—that every life is paramount.
"As your mother, I’m proud of your sincerity, your eagerness to help out of righteousness, and your compassion for the weak. But doing things well requires strategy. You cannot assume that everything will work out simply because your intentions are good. You are still too young, with no jianghu experience. Take more lessons now so you won’t suffer greatly in the future."
Zheng Zhuxi’s mind was in turmoil. She felt both outraged at how others could act this way as well as deeply frustrated and guilty.
Tao Wenshu continued, her words both consolatory and educational, "Do you think Magistrate Lin and the others are wrong? That they’re callously ignoring Ding Songyan’s peril?
"But have you considered this? If this truly involves the location of Kunlun, and heretics obtain it and enter the Celestial Thearch’s palace, wouldn’t the world be thrown into chaos? Countless lives would be lost.
"Until they have absolute certainty, Magistrate Lin and the others do not want to alert their targets. They don’t want to corner the Zhen household and those heretics into desperate action. That would risk not only leaking information about Kunlun but also very likely endanger the innocent people in this city."
Zheng Zhuxi wanted to argue but could not find the words.
She herself felt there was some truth in what her mother said.
But... is it truly right to simply watch an innocent person walk into danger?
Tao Wenshu said softly, "Xi Xi, many matters and the choices involved, are not black and white, not simply right or wrong. They are often gray—both right and wrong at the same time.
"Focus on your martial arts. Only when they are strong enough can you take the path you hold in your heart. Only then, even after you understand how complicated the world truly is, will you still be willing to be a candle illuminating the long night."
As she spoke, Tao Wenshu glanced back toward the south side of the city.
"Within two hours, the Yi clan patriarch will arrive by flying vessel. Likewise for the Gold and Silver Twin Swords of the Self-Revering Sect.
"In another half day or so, Senior Tian of the Divine Empyrean Sect may arrive as well.
"As long as things can be delayed a while longer, those heretics will be unable to stir up any real trouble. The longer the delay, the safer Ding Songyan becomes. At that point, rescuing him will be effortless."
The Divine Empyrean Sect was located in Xiao Province, west of Ning Province. Their Grand Elder, Tian Shuyu, was one of the three Sages of Great Zhao.
From the previous night until now, the Dingjiang Prefecture authorities appeared to have done nothing, yet were quietly casting an inescapable net.
Zheng Zhuxi’s eyes flickered as she sank into bewildered thought.
...
The Zhen estate. Inside Riverwaves Hall.
Patriarch Zhen Qianfan pressed his right hand on the wooden box containing the huai fruit. He looked first at Su Chongxiao of the Celestial Maiden Sect, then at Ren Youyang of the True Spirit Sect, and spoke in a deep voice.
"The promise is not complicated, nor does it involve anything else.
"Within three days, should the Zhen household face danger, I ask that you provide your assistance once—provided it does not endanger your own lives. If all three days pass without incident, consider the promise fulfilled.
"Might I know who can accept this promise?"
Hearing this, Ren Youyang’s face darkened. His canine ears stood straight up.
Behind him, the guard named Meng Qingze felt an inexplicable surge of fury and resentment.
Meng Qingze, who bore strange patterns along the sides of his face, cultivated the Scripture of True Spirit Karmic Position, one of the True Spirit Sect’s two foundational arts.
This art offered three choices corresponding to three different paths: one was the Useless Divine Art, the second was Summoning Divine Possession, and the third was Flesh Ghost-Binding. Meng Qingze had chosen the latter.
Influenced by evil ghosts, he was perpetually steeped in yin energy, his violent impulses barely contained. He had to chant sutras and pray daily, restraining his desires as a counterbalance.
At this very moment, he felt an icy chill surge from the depths of his heart. Evil ghosts whispered ceaselessly in his ears, urging him to kill everyone who displeased him, to drink his fill of hot blood.
Why should I alone endure this torment?
Why do those who chose Summoning Divine Possession or those who cultivate the Chapter of Dao Following Nature, never have to suffer this?
Why?
His murderous intent crystallized. Meng Qingze suddenly turned and struck a palm toward his fellow sect member beside him—Qin Li, who cultivated the Summoning Divine Art.
His palm was tinged with a spectral green. It vanished bizarrely mid-strike, then reappeared just as eerily before Qin Li’s chest, slamming straight down.
