Chapter 350: The Identity of Lü Qingzhu

The work of repairing the palace lasted only four days, for a total of five Contribution Points.

This job was a bit more strenuous; we had to carry timber and stone from the bottom of the valley to a spot not far from the palace at the summit.

That palace is an old sacrificial hall, where the spirit tablets of past ancestors are enshrined.

Their group was only responsible for hauling the timber and stone to the designated spots on the summit. The actual repair of the palace would be handled by another group.

These Registered Disciples were all Martial Artists, but the timber and stone were quite heavy, and the mountain paths were rugged, so after these four days, they were all quite exhausted.

On this day, having finally finished the four days of labor, they received their stamped slips and prepared to go to the Guanglu Courtyard to exchange them for Contribution Points.

Ximen Kankan shook the slip in his hand and muttered, "Timber here, stone there! Is this work for humans? Isn't this work for oxen and horses? You picked and chose, and you picked this kind of job?"

Shen Mizhi also looked at Duan Rong with a suspicious expression.

Duan Rong said, "Four days can earn five Contribution Points. This is already quite good. Do you think Contribution Points are easy to earn? In the Sect, we are just oxen and horses."

"Think about it, you only earn eighty-five points a year working in the Weapon Workshop," Duan Rong said, turning his head to look at Shen Mizhi. "You get a bit more in the Elder Council, but that's only ninety-five points a year."

Once Duan Rong said this, Ximen Kankan and Shen Mizhi both fell silent. That was true; they only received that many Contribution Points for a year of work, so calculating it this way, five points for four days was indeed not a small amount.

Although the work was a bit heavy, they were all people who practiced martial arts, so it wasn't as if they couldn't handle it.

Xiao Yu smiled and said, "Alright. Regardless, we finally got started, didn't we? We'll look for more next time. Let's go back first and have a good meal."

Hearing this, Ximen Kankan's eyes immediately lit up. "The soup made with those sour fruits last time tasted good; shall we have another pot this time?"

As Ximen Kankan spoke, he was already drooling.

Xiao Yu said, "You're the only one with a greedy mouth. The job of hunting for game is yours then."

Ximen Kankan curled his lip. "Haven't even eaten yet, and I'm already being assigned work."

The four of them returned to the mountain peak of Shang Xiangyu. Through their concerted efforts, Xiao Yu quickly cooked a pot of delicious, thick soup. The other three smelled the enticing aroma, and their saliva was already flowing.

Seeing that it was cooked to perfection, Xiao Yu served each of them a bowl of soup.

Holding their stone bowls, they sat by the campfire at the cave entrance and slurped it up.

After a full meal, everyone felt as if they had been restored to full health. They sat lazily at the cave entrance and began to chat.

Just as they had been chatting for a while, a bolt of lightning suddenly tore across the sky!

That lightning, like an electric dragon, ripped the entire sky open, followed by a deafening rumble of thunder that echoed through the near and far valleys.

A torrential downpour poured into the Endless Great Mountains without any warning.

The pervasive mist vanished in an instant, and the rain in the dark night, carrying a heavy, fishy scent, filled every corner of the great mountains...

Lightning, thunder, and heavy rain—the summer of Changliu Mountain had arrived just like that...

The rainstorm came fast and left just as quickly.

The group had just ducked into the cave to take shelter and wiped themselves off with towels when, in the blink of an eye, the rain stopped.

Shen Mizhi stepped out of the cave first, only to see a sky full of stars and a moon like a jade plate; the night sky was as clean as glazed tile.

The light of the stars and moon spilled into the Endless Great Mountains. Without the obstruction of the mist, the water droplets on the trees shimmered with a faint light, ethereal and dreamlike, like a fairyland.

"Come out and look!" Shen Mizhi called out softly.

"Look at what?" Ximen Kankan said. "Did a dog bite you?"

Saying this, Ximen Kankan and the others all walked out of the cave.

After they left the cave, they all fell silent.

Three months into the mountains, the environment had always been overcast and foggy. Suddenly, the fog dissipated and the clouds scattered, and for the first time, Changliu Mountain revealed its true face from beneath its mysterious veil to them.

The moon was bright, the galaxy was vast, the moonlight was clear, and everything was serene.

Suddenly, a ray of light streaked across the starry night sky.

It was a meteor!

At this moment, that meteor was like a tear from the Cangqiong.

The tear passed without a trace...

Even someone as mischievous as Ximen Kankan clasped his hands tightly at this moment, closed his eyes, and made a wish.

The four of them were very happy in their hearts. Ximen Kankan hurriedly asked Duan Rong what he had wished for. Duan Rong smiled and said, "To marry a wife who is good at bearing children and have a big, chubby son."

Ximen Kankan said, "Vulgar, absolutely vulgar!"

Duan Rong was just joking, but for some reason, as soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yu's face turned bright red.

Under the light of the stars and moon, Shen Mizhi looked at Xiao Yu's expression and seemed to understand her feelings at this moment very well.

Xiao Yu treated her like a younger sister, and she also regarded Xiao Yu as family in her heart.

She had grown up in a stifling family since she was a child, but she felt a sincere and intimate warmth from Xiao Yu.

Shen Mizhi turned her head to look at Duan Rong, but Duan Rong seemed not to have noticed Xiao Yu's shyness at all; he just looked at the endless galaxy with flickering eyes, wondering what he was thinking...

After all, the four of them had worked for four days, and although the starry sky was beautiful and melancholy, weariness gradually welled up, and they each went to sleep.

Early the next morning, there was no more mist in the valley, and even the morning light seemed brighter.

The four of them agreed to go to the Guanglu Courtyard together to take on tasks in five days, and then prepared to return to their respective places.

Duan Rong had nothing to do, so he said he would see them off.

Ximen Kankan patted Duan Rong on the shoulder and said with a lewd smile, "How did you become so polite? Could it be that after sleeping with me for a few days, you've developed feelings?"

Duan Rong coughed and made a retching gesture.

Xiao Yu and Shen Mizhi were amused by the two of them.

They first slid down the iron cables from Shang Xiangyu's mountain peak to the mountain peak where the Lower Courtyard was located.

The four of them were still whistling on the iron cables when the sun suddenly emerged, its golden light blinding, rising from the east, while the distant mountains were lush and green, and the shadows of cranes drifted by...

Looking down from the iron cables, the group saw that it was suspended ten thousand fathoms high, with the valley bottom invisible, and Ximen Kankan's neck couldn't help but shrink...

They jumped off the iron cables, landed on the mountain peak of the Lower Courtyard, and walked slowly along the cliff wall.

The direction they were heading now was exactly the opposite of the direction they had first entered the Sect and parted ways after leaving the Lower Courtyard, so the first place they reached was the iron cables near Taipu Hall.

After Xiao Yu and Shen Mizhi said their goodbyes, Duan Rong took the Beast Skin Wrap and tied it tight for Xiao Yu, then escorted Xiao Yu to the iron cable, whispering, "Be careful."

Xiao Yu gave a soft hum, heart rippling with sweetness and melancholy.

Xiao Yu glided along the iron cable into the mid-air of the valley; just then, Ximen Kankan also intended to glide away, but Duan Rong suddenly called out to stop him.

"Kankan!"

"Ah..." Ximen Kankan turned his head, thinking Duan Rong had something to say, but never expected Duan Rong to kick him right in the backside, sending him flying out.

With a 'Whoosh—', Ximen Kankan slid a long way off.

Duan Rong said, "What did you think I came here for? I came all this way just to land that kick."

"Duan Rong, you just wait... I..." Ximen Kankan shouted on the iron cable, but the mountain wind howled, and Duan Rong could no longer hear what he shouted after that.

Shen Mizhi stood behind Duan Rong, lips pursed in a smile; Duan Rong turned back, glanced at Shen Mizhi, and said, "Let's go, I'll see you to the iron cable over there."

The iron cable Shen Mizhi needed was for the Elder Council, which was still some distance away.

The two walked silently along the cliff wall, neither saying a word. The cliff wall was bare, with nothing on it but a few scattered ferns.

Duan Rong casually plucked a fern branch and swung it in his hand as he walked.

Seeing they had reached the vicinity of the iron cable Shen Mizhi used to glide to the Elder Council, Duan Rong suddenly said, "Mizhi..."

Shen Mizhi turned her head, looking at Duan Rong's hesitant expression, her eyes flickering.

Duan Rong said, "It's like this... I have a matter I'd like to entrust you to help me inquire about."

"What matter?"

Duan Rong said, "Do you know Lv Qingzhu? She was one of the Sect Emissaries who oversaw the Talent Selection Meeting when we were in Xiangu County."

Shen Mizhi's eyes rolled, and she said, "I know her. What about it?"

Duan Rong gave a somewhat awkward smile and said, "Since you are in the Elder Council, you should be able to find out about her. Help me inquire. What is her situation exactly within this Sect?"

After all, Lv Qingzhu was his first woman.

The night they spent together in the dilapidated temple in the wilderness of Xiangu County was an indelible mark for Duan Rong.

It wasn't that he truly wanted to get entangled with Lv Qingzhu again; he had figured it out during this time—having Xiao Yu was enough for him.

But if there was a chance, he still wanted to know what kind of person Lv Qingzhu really was.

Duan Rong still remembered that when Lv Qingzhu left, someone had used a Cloud-Feather Mad Eagle to pick her up.

Originally, Duan Rong hadn't understood clearly, but in the three months since entering the Sect, he had learned that only Elders of the Elder Council had the authority to mobilize a Cloud-Feather Mad Eagle.

In that case, was the person who came to pick up Lv Qingzhu with a Cloud-Feather Mad Eagle that day a certain Elder of the Sect?

This question had been lingering in Duan Rong's heart for these three months; he really wanted to know.

Shen Mizhi looked at Duan Rong with suspicious eyes and said, "Why are you asking about her?" Shen Mizhi's question was actually asked on behalf of Xiao Yu.

Duan Rong said, "Don't ask so much. Just help me inquire about it."

There was a hint of determination in Duan Rong's tone.

Shen Mizhi said, "Alright then."

She had indeed heard the name Lv Qingzhu mentioned a few times by those Maids over the past three months, though she hadn't paid much attention. Since Duan Rong wanted to know, she would just go and ask those people.

After Shen Mizhi glided onto the cableway, Duan Rong turned back to a certain iron cable; he prepared to go to the Medicine Pavilion to settle accounts for two hours before exchanging for the medicinal ingredients to refine Zhengyang Pill, as he planned to try refining a batch of Zhengyang Pill to practice his skills.

Before noon, Duan Rong returned from the Medicine Pavilion to this mountain peak of Shang Xiangyu.

He first sat outside Shang Xiangyu's stone chamber to process the medicinal herbs, then sat quietly, carefully reviewing the information in his mind regarding alchemy.

It wasn't until dusk fell that Duan Rong carried the processed medicinal ingredients into the cave where Shang Xiangyu usually refined Pills.

At dawn, Duan Rong returned to his own cave with a gloomy expression; he had divided the amount for one batch of Pills into three parts to refine, but all three parts were scorched.

"It seems refining Pills is truly a technical job!"

After all, Duan Rong had the Spirit Tool of Shang Xiangyu's long-time personal possession that he had devoured in his mind; although he had ruined three portions of ingredients, he quickly discovered where the problem lay.

Although he was very clear on the steps and details, he found it difficult to grasp the heat.

If the heat was too high, the medicine would scorch; if the heat was insufficient, the medicinal power could not be extracted.

But grasping the heat was elusive; it wasn't enough just to know it—it required practice.

Inside the cave, Duan Rong pondered repeatedly, going over the delicate details of the final moments of his three refining attempts against the information in his mind, repeatedly deliberating and analyzing.

Deep in the cave, Duan Rong's eyes suddenly lit up; he knew why he had scorched the medicine all three times.

Because Shang Xiangyu's speed was far faster than his; if he only controlled the heat according to the memory points in his mind, he was already too slow—he had to advance Shang Xiangyu's memory points.

Once Duan Rong figured it out, he suddenly felt exhaustion wash over him; he had spent an entire night in that cave refining medicine three times and pondering repeatedly.

At this moment, once he stopped his thoughts, he felt his Divine Soul wither.

Duan Rong lay down on the Hammock and fell into a dead sleep instantly.

After waking up, Duan Rong went to the Medicine Pavilion again to exchange for a batch of medicinal herbs, again divided into three parts; after processing them on the large platform, he entered the alchemy cave once more.

Just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Duan Rong dragged his exhausted body out of the alchemy cave.

Three portions of ingredients, and all had failed again.

However, Duan Rong's expression was much better than yesterday's. Because that last time, he had almost succeeded.

Moreover, it was during that last failed attempt that his heart suddenly brightened, and he gained some personal insights into the heat for refining medicine.

He had a feeling that if he tried one more time, he would definitely succeed.

Just as Duan Rong was about to return to his cave to sleep, he walked to the cave entrance and suddenly saw a figure, several yards away, walking toward him along the cliff wall.

Duan Rong's heart stirred. "It's Shen Mizhi!"

In two days, Shen Mizhi had completely found out about Lv Qingzhu's affairs.

A bunch of Maids together loved to gossip; as soon as Shen Mizhi asked, several people rushed to tell her.

That day, she had risen two hours early, specifically to come and tell Duan Rong the news she had gathered.

Shen Mizhi stayed at Duan Rong's place for a full stick of incense's time; when Duan Rong saw her off, he couldn't describe what he felt in his heart—was it loss, or was it relief...

The situation with Lv Qingzhu is truly somewhat complex.

The position of Sect Master of the Taiyi Sect is produced through the nomination of the Elder Council.

Once every fifty years!

The current Sect Master of the Taiyi Sect is Chu Qiushan. Before becoming Sect Master, Chu Qiushan was the Chief of the Ruling Sect Justice Division and had performed countless meritorious services.

However, this Chu Qiushan has already sat in the position of Sect Master for over forty years, and six years from now will be the day he retires.

At that time, the Elder Council will have to nominate a new Sect Master.

And six years from now, there are only two people capable of competing for the next Sect Master.

These two people are both Elders of the Elder Council; one is Lv Zhongtang, and the other is Zhu He.

Of course, some people also feel that the Chief of the Ruling Sect Justice Division, Yang Sixuan, also has a chance, after all, Chu Qiushan was promoted from the position of Chief of the Ruling Sect Justice Division.

But, in fact, Yang Sixuan's chances are not great, because his qualifications are too shallow, and he has no foundation within the Sect. His only resource is the appreciation of the current Sect Master, Chu Qiushan.

And Lv Qingzhu is the only daughter of Elder Lv Zhongtang, one of the only two people qualified to compete for the next Sect Master.

But this is not the most important thing.

The most important thing is that this father and daughter of the Lu family are the bloodline of the Taiyi Sect's Ancestor, Lv Yinlin.

This Ancestor of the Taiyi Sect is an old monster of the Nascent Soul Realm who is already over a thousand years old.

For an old monster who has lived for over a thousand years, he has long since stopped caring about so-called bloodline matters.

Therefore, hundreds of years ago, Lv Yinlin stopped interfering in the Elder Council's nomination of the Sect Master.

It is just that the Elder Council has always reserved a nominal Elder position for the descendants of the Lu surname, which can be considered an explanation to this Sect Ancestor.

But the current situation has changed somewhat. When Lv Qingzhu was five years old, Lv Zhongtang took her deep into the mountains to pay respects to the Ancestor.

And for some reason, Lv Yinlin actually liked this little girl very much and kept her by his side to linger for several years.

In hundreds of years, this was the first time.

As Lv Qingzhu grew slightly older, Lv Yinlin cultivated her with even greater care.

Although Lv Yinlin does not ask about worldly affairs, in fact, he is the true master of the Taiyi Sect.

Lv Yinlin's attitude toward Lv Qingzhu immediately made the attitudes of those in the Elder Council toward Lv Zhongtang subtle, and many people even leaned toward nominating him as the next Sect Master.

Of course, there are naturally many who disagree; the old man has not asked about worldly affairs for many years, and Lv Zhongtang merely holds a nominal position in the Elder Council, so how could he be the next Sect Master?

Six years from now is the date for nominating the next Sect Master; these matters have long been spreading like wildfire inside and outside the Elder Council, and there is all sorts of gossip.

It is just that Registered Disciples like Duan Rong simply cannot access this information.

(End of this chapter)