Chapter 407: The Ancient Dao Mausoleum

Just as the heavenly thunder descended, a white dragon instantly connected heaven and earth.

In the distance through the curtain of rain, a point of black light, like a falling meteor, flashed past and headed toward Shenyun Prefecture City.

The Astronomical Observatory, though an independent institution, did not have its own separate office building; instead, it was tucked away in the southwest corner of the Prefecture Government Office.

On ordinary days, few people came or went, only one old Daoist and three young children.

The gate was dilapidated and the buildings were old, but the seven-story Star Observation Platform in the center of the courtyard stood somber and upright; eroded by a hundred years of wind and rain, it only appeared more ancient and profound.

This Star Observation Platform was built of large stones; a hundred years had passed, and the gaps in the stone steps and railings were piled with moss. Yet, the large platform at the top remained as smooth as a mirror, no different from when it was first built, as if a hundred years of time had never flowed over it at all.

Gu Daoling's hair was already gray, but there was not a single wrinkle on his face, and his eyes were calm and gentle. At this moment, he was wearing coarse linen clothes, sitting in the hall drinking tea.

While drinking tea, he would occasionally look toward the Star Observation Platform outside, which stood unmoved in the wind and rain. His gaze was like that of someone looking at an old friend.

Suddenly, a streak of black light, fast as lightning, darted over, traced a smooth arc in the wind and rain, and landed steadily before him.

The figure stood still; the person who had arrived was Zhu He.

Although Zhu He's movements were swift, he did not bring a trace of wind or rain inside, and his clothes were completely free of rainwater.

A powerhouse of the Dongming Realm already acts by the power of the Law, transcending the mundane world.

Zhu He glanced at Gu Daoling, a flash of joy in his eyes, then shook his sleeve and sat down not far from Gu Daoling's side.

Gu Daoling did not mind, took an extra teacup from the wooden tray, and poured a cup of tea for Zhu He.

Zhu He looked at Gu Daoling and said, "Daoling! It seems I haven't been to this Shenyun Prefecture for a few years, have I?"

Gu Daoling said, "Mm. About twenty years, I suppose."

Zhu He sighed and said, "Coming back again, many things have changed. But this Star Observation Platform is still the same."

Gu Daoling smiled for once and said, "Senior Brother, twenty years have passed, and you are still the same. Still so pretentious."

Zhu He drank the tea and laughed, "You fellow, you tear me down as soon as we meet."

Gu Daoling restrained his smile, looked at Zhu He, and asked, "What did you come here for this time?"

Zhu He said, "That fellow Zhu Shizhong died without rhyme or reason. I came to see how exactly he died."

Gu Daoling sneered and said, "Twenty years later, I thought you, Senior Brother, would have shed some of your worldly air. I didn't expect you to run all this way just to watch a junior playing with lightning."

Zhu He was mocked repeatedly by Gu Daoling, but he didn't have a shred of temper. His little Disciple had spoken like this since childhood; hundreds of years had passed, and this was how they had always been.

That Zhu He was so tolerant of Gu Daoling was not only because of their deep bond as fellow disciples, but also because he truly admired his little Disciple in his heart.

Put it this way: in the current Taiyi Sect, the one with the most hope of succeeding the Sect Master after Lv Yinlin and advancing to the Nascent Soul Realm was not the current Sect Master Chu Qiushan, but this little Disciple of his, Gu Daoling!

Zhu He said, "How could I have your temperament, Senior Brother? Staying in this Astronomical Observatory for over a hundred years. A few years ago when I saw the Ancestor, he even asked about you, wondering when you would go back to see him."

Gu Daoling said, "An old monster and a little monster, what is there to see? Don't look at him asking about you; if I really went, he certainly wouldn't give me a good look."

Zhu He said, "That is because you are too stubborn, Disciple, insisting on cultivating according to your own ideas. The Ancestor wants you to follow the path he has explored."

Gu Daoling suddenly stood up; the rain in the courtyard had stopped at some point, and his eyes were somewhat deep. "His path is only suitable for himself."

Zhu He shook his head and sighed, "Better not to meet. I see you two; even if you met, you wouldn't get along."

As Zhu He spoke, he also stood up and said, "Daoling, I'm leaving. I brought you a bag of tea; I put it on the table."

Gu Daoling's gaze shifted, and he said, "Leaving as soon as you finish watching the lightning?"

Zhu He said, "That kid Duan Rong used that object to draw down the heavenly thunder, which means Zhu Shizhong definitely died by murder. That is all I need to know. Now is not the time to tear off the mask; if I stay any longer, something will happen. I had better return to the mountain first."

Gu Daoling sighed and said, "How old are you, still struggling and fighting over these things? Is it worth it?"

Zhu He said, "I am not just fighting for myself; there is a whole crowd of people following me. I am different from you, Senior Brother; I can no longer see the path of the Great Dao. I live for worldly fame and fortune."

Gu Daoling said, "Senior Brother, fame and fortune ruin the body."

Zhu He smiled and said, "It is just a matter of success or failure; there is no 'ruin' about it."

As the two spoke, they couldn't help but look at each other and smile. They had been like this since they were children, arguing after only two or three sentences, and neither could convince the other. Now that they were hundreds of years old, they were still the same upon meeting.

Zhu He put away his smile, looked at Gu Daoling for a moment, and suddenly said, "Alright, Senior Brother is leaving."

After Zhu He finished speaking, he suddenly turned into a streak of black light, passing through the house and courtyard, and shot into the sky.

Gu Daoling's figure appeared at the doorway in an instant without warning; he suddenly cupped his hands in a salute toward where Zhu He had gone, his eyes pale and deep.

A long time later, Gu Daoling walked back to the side of the small table, only to see a small bag of tea leaves placed on the edge of the table.

Gu Daoling picked up the tea leaves and sniffed them before his nose; the familiar fragrance stirred up many memories. He had not tasted this tea from Changliu Mountain for many years.

Gu Daoling weighed the light bag of tea in his hand and muttered, "Stingy, coming all this way and only bringing this little bit..."

At the Wild Lake ten miles outside the southeast suburbs of Shenyun Prefecture, the heavenly thunder dissipated, and the wind and rain stopped.

Zhu Cheng and Zhu Peng both looked at Duan Rong with astonishment and joy.

A sharp light flickered in Wang Maochun's eyes. Duan Rong had used that object to draw down the heavenly thunder, which meant that the Secretariat Director Zhu Shizhong had not died from a natural disaster, but from murder.

A dignified Secretariat Director, a First-Rank Official, and also the bloodline of a Sect Elder—to think someone actually dared to murder him!?

The political situation in this Shenyun Prefecture is truly becoming more and more chaotic!

The summer rainstorm came quickly and dispersed quickly; once the dark clouds scattered, the sun came out again! But one could only see the surface of the Wild Lake, white and shimmering, covered in a layer of fish killed by the lightning.

Duan Rong suddenly leaped, darted into the lake again, scooped his hand into a certain spot in the center of the lake, and returned to the shade of the trees not far from where Wang Maochun and the others were standing.

Duan Rong opened his hand, and on his wet palm was a pitch-black object.

Wang Maochun, Chen Shanmeng, and Ge Hengtai all narrowed their eyes; the appearance of the object in Duan Rong's hand was almost no different from the piece of pitch-black wood they had seen in the hall of Ge Hengtai's residence.

Duan Rong looked at Ge Hengtai and said, "Since this object can draw down heavenly thunder, those craftsmen cannot shirk the blame for the death of Secretariat Director Zhu Shizhong! May I ask, Lord Ge, can the Dali Temple make arrests now?"

Ge Hengtai had originally been questioning Zhu Cheng and Zhu Peng for handling the case with reckless accusations and disregard for human life, but now that things had reached this point, Duan Rong asking such a question in public made it seem as if he were intentionally obstructing the investigation.

Ge Hengtai's expression became even uglier, and he said heavily, "Of course! Since the Dali Temple is handling the case normally, this official will naturally not interfere!"

Zhu Cheng, Zhu Peng, and Duan Rong, having received these words, immediately spurred their horses away from the crowd and returned toward Shenyun Prefecture.

Wang Maochun watched the three of them ride away and said to Chen Shanmeng beside him, "No wonder Lord Zhu He wanted to transfer this kid here. This person has some ability."

Chen Shanmeng said, "In the last two or three years, he has repeatedly solved strange cases in the Southeast Four Prefectures and has quite the reputation as a 'divine detective.' Do you still remember the major Tainted Blood case from two or three years ago? That was also uncovered by him!"

"Is that so?" Wang Maochun's gaze shifted, and he said, "Isn't this just another Yang Sixuan?"

Chen Shanmeng chuckled and said, "That's really hard to say. A new emperor brings new courtiers, after all. Once this Sect Master Chu steps down, can the head of the Ruling Sect Justice Division avoid being replaced?"

Wang Maochun sighed, "It's just that with the two tigers fighting within the Elder Council, we are suffering along with them!"

As Wang Maochun said this, Chen Shanmeng suddenly gave him a meaningful look.

Realizing he had spoken out of turn, he immediately shut his mouth; Ge Hengtai was not far away. He was of Ge Rusong's bloodline, and within the Sect's Elder Council, Ge Rusong had always been at odds with Zhu He.

This time, Zhu He coveted the position of Sect Master, but Ge Rusong had strongly supported Lv Zhongtang, bringing him out to compete. The death of the Secretariat Chancellor Zhu Shizhong, when it came down to it, was simply a result of being strangled in the vortex behind this struggle for the Sect Master position.

The reason Lv Zhongtang and Ge Rusong took action to get rid of the Secretariat Chancellor Zhu Shizhong was also to weaken Zhu He's control over the secular world, merely to gain another bargaining chip for their struggle for the Sect Master position.

Although they had exhausted their efforts and used very secretive methods, they were still dug out by Duan Rong. If this were to be dug into deeply, I fear this disturbance would only grow larger and larger.

On this side, Duan Rong and the others were riding back to the city to make arrests, while the commoners gathered by the Wild Lake all began to scoop fish from the surface of the lake; some of those fish were nearly twenty pounds, requiring two people to hold them steady.

The vast, surging crowd all carried fish from the Wild Lake and headed toward the city!

It was joyful and quite a spectacle!

Duan Rong, Zhu Cheng, and Zhu Peng escorted that group of craftsmen from Ge Hengtai's residence to the Dali Temple.

Zhu Cheng immediately called for his deputy, Temple Supervisor Zhou Wei.

The structure of the Dali Temple was such that a third-rank Temple Rectifier was paired with a fourth-rank Temple Supervisor; once they were the deputy and the staff were equipped, they formed an independent unit responsible for trying the various cases assigned to them.

Zhu Cheng had been working with Zhou Wei for many years; this man handled matters steadily and was meticulous in his thinking, so Zhu Cheng had long since come to rely on him as a trusted aide, handing many important matters over to him to execute.

Zhu Cheng looked at Zhou Wei and said, "Lock this group of craftsmen in the Dungeon. You arrange it personally. Apart from the three of us, no one is allowed near them!"

"Yes!" Zhou Wei said, cupping his hands.

He glanced at Duan Rong; this was his first time seeing Duan Rong, but with the city in an uproar these past few days, since Duan Rong was standing with Zhu Cheng and Zhu Peng, he guessed his identity at once.

Zhou Wei led men to escort the craftsmen toward the Dungeon.

Zhu Cheng stood there, watching the group of craftsmen being led away; he turned his head and asked Duan Rong, "How should this batch of prisoners be interrogated? Brother Duan, do you have any ideas?"

Duan Rong rubbed his nose and said, "I don't know much about interrogation. You are the Dali Temple Rectifier; you should know more about this than I do. Now that the physical evidence is conclusive, they are already dead men. As for whether they are willing to spit out the person behind the scenes, it depends on whether they have any weaknesses in the other party's hands."

Zhu Cheng nodded thoughtfully.

Zhu Peng said, "Who can withstand the Dali Temple's torture instruments? Once they go in, they'll lose a layer of skin; I've never seen anyone who could hold out to the end without confessing."

About a quarter of an hour later, Zhou Wei came to report back, saying the prisoners were already locked in the Dungeon, and asked when Zhu Cheng would go to interrogate them so he could make arrangements.

Zhu Cheng said, "Let's go now!"

Zhou Wei's expression flickered, and he immediately led the way in front.

Duan Rong and Zhu Peng followed into the Dungeon.

The Dali Temple's Dungeon was gloomy, damp, and filled with dark shadows; Zhu Cheng followed Zhou Wei into the depths, and after only a moment, shrill screams rang out from the darkness.

Duan Rong and Zhu Peng did not go inside, sitting only at the entrance; after half a stick of incense had passed, Zhu Cheng walked out from the depths of the Dungeon, and one could see a few spots of blood and bits of flesh splattered on his fair face.

As soon as Zhu Cheng came over, Zhu Peng asked, "Have they confessed?"

"Not yet." Perhaps having just dealt with people, Zhu Cheng's expression was somewhat gloomy. "This was just an appetizer! No matter how tough a person is, they only have one breath; after three rounds, it will dissipate."

Zhu Peng said, "It's also mealtime, let's go get something to eat first."

Zhu Cheng's expression tightened; he had just tortured people and had no appetite at all, but seeing it was already mealtime, he instructed Zhou Wei to guard the prisoners well before walking out of the Dungeon with Duan Rong and Zhu Peng.

They stood at the entrance of the Dungeon, and Duan Rong asked, "What are we eating?"

Zhu Peng said, "Fish!"

As he spoke, he beckoned to a soldier, and the man walked over carrying two large white fish.

Zhu Peng took the fish from his hands and smiled, "This is fish caught from that Wild Lake. Let's go, go to my residence, and I'll make a stewed fish dish for the two of you. How about it?"

Zhu Peng's residence was not far from the Dali Temple to begin with, and the three of them rode their horses and arrived quickly.

Zhu Peng stewed the fish, simmered it over a small charcoal fire, and placed it in the cool room.

The fish from the Wild Lake was naturally very plump and delicious, and paired with tofu and green vegetables, it was incredibly satisfying. Not only did Duan Rong eat with great relish, but even Zhu Cheng, who originally had no appetite, actually ate some.

The three of them also drank some wine; after they had eaten for a while, Zhu Cheng suddenly stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "You two keep eating; I still have to go deal with those fellows in the Dungeon. I'll take my leave first!"

Zhu Peng said, "There's no rush for just this little while, is there? Finish eating before you go."

Zhu Cheng said, "I dare not eat any more. If I throw it back up while I'm dealing with them later, it would be too much of a mood-killer."

Zhu Peng's expression changed instantly, as if he had already seen the bloody scene in the Dungeon, so he did not try to persuade him further; Zhu Cheng rode his horse back into the Dali Temple in the night.

Zhu Cheng returned to the Dungeon; in the dark, damp cells, the dim lamps illuminated several people covered in blood, looking just like demons from hell.

Zhu Cheng coughed and said, "Have you thought it through? What happened just now was only an appetizer. If you really go through all the Dali Temple's torture instruments, I fear even demons would tremble!"

As Zhu Cheng spoke, he suddenly grabbed the scalp of the person beside him and pulled his face up. This person was the leader of this group of craftsmen. The lamplight shone on that face, and one could see his face was bruised and black, blood was spilling from the corners of his mouth, and his dilated pupils had actually already begun to lose focus...

This person had actually died of poisoning without anyone knowing when!

Zhu Cheng's heart turned cold, and he immediately checked the others; they all had the same symptoms.

Who was it? Who could enter the Dali Temple's Dungeon to poison them?

What level of defense did the Dali Temple have?

Zhu Cheng felt a cold current rise from the soles of his feet, shooting straight up his back.

He strode out and looked at the guards at the entrance, asking sternly, "Who has been in here just now?"

The guard could see Zhu Cheng's fury and said tremblingly, "Only Temple Supervisor Zhou went in for a while."

"It's Zhou Wei!" Zhu Cheng's scalp felt as if it were being electrocuted; he only just suddenly remembered that when he came in just now, he hadn't seen Zhou Wei.

"Where is he?"

The guard said, "Temple Supervisor Zhou said he had something to do and would be back shortly, telling us to keep a good watch."

Zhou Wei's steady, resolute face flashed through Zhu Cheng's mind.

This deputy had worked with him for many years. Over the years, this man had always been loyal and devoted.

He had also laid traps to test this man several times, but there had never been a slip-up, which was why he had gradually gained his trust. He had never imagined that this man would actually be a secret plant placed by his side.

Truly, he was hidden deep and buried well!

(End of chapter)