“At first glance, all this seems reasonable. However, you lack concrete evidence for either the First Diviner or the Northern Border King,” analyzed Daoist Jinlian.
“The Northern Border King has long been guarding the frontier, and I don’t know him well. Neither do you. It’s somewhat presumptuous to hastily judge him as having ulterior motives.
“Moreover, the Northern Border King is a Third-Rank Warrior. In the future, he might even break through to Second Rank. Whether he wants to be emperor is another matter entirely. Heh, of course, power has always been tempting. It would be equally presumptuous for me to claim he won’t rebel.”
“Reaching Second Rank doesn’t conflict with becoming emperor,” Xu Qi An offered his perspective. “This is just my hypothesis, yet to be verified. Once I gather evidence, it will be clear whether the Northern Border King is the mastermind behind this.”
“But Daoist,” Xu Qi An sighed, “I’m at a dead end in my investigation. Although Emperor Yuanjing ordered me to take charge of this case, the Northern Border King was a prince with a powerful army. I can’t openly investigate his residence.
“The old First Diviner of the Celestial Observation Bureau is feigning illness. I can’t possibly go to the Star-Gazing Tower to question him. It’s very difficult.”
“Emperor Yuanjing?” Daoist Jinlian narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Xu Qi An with a peculiar look.
“It’s been many years since I’ve heard a court hound dare to address him so,” the Daoist remarked with surprise. “It seems I’ve overlooked something.”
“Overlooked what?” Xu Qi An asked instinctively.
“Devotee, you have the makings of a rebel,” the old Daoist assessed.
I don’t, you’re talking nonsense, don’t falsely accuse me… Xu Qi An put on a serious face and said earnestly, “I am loyal to His Majesty.”
Daoist Jinlian didn’t expose him.
“This case runs deep. Daoist, do you have any advice for me?” Xu Qi An earnestly sought guidance.
“You were quite clever when pretending to be a Confucian disciple in the Tiandicircle,” Daoist Jinlian teased.
I knew you were watching our scheme in the group chat with that sly smile of yours… Young Master Xu inwardly grumbled about this old fox.
“Let me analyze it for you. There are several inconsistencies in your description,” said the Daoist.
“Please, go on,” Xu Qi An’s eyes immediately lit up.
He chose to have an open and honest exchange with the old Daoist because he valued the other’s wisdom and rich experience.
Old foxes may be despicable, but as allies, they often give a sense of security.
Daoist Jinlian pondered briefly before saying, “The first inconsistency is the First Diviner’s inaction. If it were the first-generation First Diviner of the Celestial Observation Bureau trapped in Sangbo, he should be the most anxious. But he’s very quiet… Well, it’s possible that cunning old fox has already left the Star-Gazing Tower and is acting in secret.”
Xu Qi An nodded silently.
The first-generation First Diviner and the current First Diviner must be at odds. The reason was simple: with the master trapped, the disciple comfortably assumed the position of First Diviner, controlling the Celestial Observation Bureau. Their master-disciple relationship had deteriorated. Otherwise, with the First Diviner’s First-Rank strength, even the Daoist Leader of the Human Path couldn’t have stopped him.
“The second inconsistency is Emperor Yuanjing. The day after the Sangbo incident, he lifted the city lockdown. Heh… Don’t you find it strange? It’s like releasing a tiger back to the mountains.”
Xu Qi An immediately said, “I’ve thought about these two issues. My guess at the time was that perhaps opening the gates was to lure the snake out of its hole… Well, I can’t access or understand the state of the First Diviner and Emperor Yuanjing. Their level is too high.”
“That’s the idea,” said Daoist Jinlian. “You didn’t come to talk to me just about this, did you? Does Number Six have something to do with the Sangbo case?”
“To be precise, Monk Hengyuan’s junior disciple might be related to this case. After he lost contact unexpectedly, I became more certain of this guess.”
“So you’ve indeed been to Qinglong Temple and learned about Hengyuan’s identity,” Daoist Jinlian wasn’t surprised. Then he asked, “Junior disciple?”
“There’s a monk at Qinglong Temple named Henghui. Over a year ago, he eloped with Prince Yu’s eldest daughter, Princess Pingyang. Prince Yu was deeply affected and became bedridden. This incident involved a power struggle between the nobility and civil officials,” Xu Qi An poured a cup of water, took a sip to moisten his throat, and continued:
“To help Princess Pingyang evade the search, Monk Henghui stole a device from Qinglong Temple that conceals one’s aura. I suspect that device later fell into the hands of Zhou Chixiong, a Hundred-Households of the Imperial Guard.”
Daoist Jinlian listened patiently, frowning at times and pondering at others. After Xu Qi An finished, he spoke, “So, you want to investigate Henghui’s whereabouts through Hengyuan to verify your guess?”
“Yes, this is currently my only breakthrough. Daoist, do you remember? Hengyuan said his junior disciple was abducted, while the abbot of Qinglong Temple said Henghui eloped. Hengyuan might have obtained some clues while investigating away from Qinglong Temple…”
“You hope I can help you find him.”
“Please, Daoist.”
…
Thousands of miles away in the south, under a bright moon and sparse stars.
Compared to the cold and dry winter of the capital, the climate in the south where the Gu Clan resided was humid. Even in the coldest season of the year, the Gu Clan members wore thin clothes.
Lina, wearing light cloth boots and a skirt that only reached her knees, exposed her long, straight calves.
Her features were delicate, with slightly thick eyebrows and light blue pupils that sparkled with innocent vitality.
Her wheat-colored skin made her look both healthy and wild, like an agile leopardess.
A large group of over a hundred people trudged through the wilderness, holding torches, and moving forward in silence.
Lina, with her light and bouncy steps, seemed somewhat out of place.
This time, she had come out to gain experience with the elders of her tribe. Their destination was the Extreme Abyss where the Gu God slumbered. The Gu Clan had seven tribes, who were both beneficiaries and guardians of the Gu God.
“Once I figure out the reason for the Gu God’s awakening, I can publish the information in the Tiandicircle, making all members owe me a favor. Provided that this reason doesn’t bring danger to the Gu Clan…” Thinking of this, Lina’s eyes lit up with a bright smile.
“Lina, be serious,” her brother Mosang turned back and reprimanded her in a low voice.
He had thick eyebrows and large eyes, with features three parts similar to Lina’s, except for a deep scar on his left face that marred his handsomeness. His fierce gaze made him look untamed.
Lina wasn’t afraid of her brother at all and pouted, “All my other brothers have sisters-in-law to scold. Only you don’t have a wife, so you just keep scolding me.”
Mosang was a bit helpless and just walked on with his head down.
Lina caught up with her brother, smiling and putting her arm around his shoulder, “I heard that the women in Great Feng are delicate and beautiful, with faces whiter than steamed buns. Mosang, let me steal a wife for you.”
Mosang snorted coldly, “What’s the use of a pretty wife? I need a woman who can tear apart a leopard with her bare hands.”
“But I heard from a friend that the Northern Border King’s wife in Great Feng is very beautiful, and so is the Crown Princess, and the Daoist Leader of the Human Path. They’re all stunningly beautiful women.”
Mosang immediately looked over, swallowing, “Then ask your friend how beautiful they are… Wait, where did you get such a friend?”
Lina ignored him and bounced ahead.
“Grandma of the Sky Gu, wait for me…” Lina left her tribe and approached the leader of the Sky Gu tribe, a hunched old woman.
The Sky Gu Grandma raised her deeply wrinkled face, her eyes clear, examining Lina, “Little one, what do you want from Grandma?”
“Grandma, I have a friend… well, a friend of a friend, who recently encountered some strange things,” Lina’s eyes rolled as she chose her words carefully. “He has incredibly good luck, unreasonably good.”
Lina had a reason for asking the Sky Gu tribe this question.
Legend has it that after the Gu God fell into a slumber, His spirit became the Heart Gu; His blood became the Power Gu; His venom became the Poison Gu; His liver became the Medicine Gu; His desire became the Desire Gu; His eyes became the Sky Gu; His body fluids became the Corpse Gu.
This was the origin of the seven tribes of the Gu Clan. There was also a legend in the Gu Clan that on the day the Gu God awakens, He will reclaim His power.
No one in the Gu Clan wanted this ancient beast, who was on par with gods and Buddhas, to awaken.
Among them, the Sky Gu represented the eyes of the Gu God, able to observe all things in the world and natural laws. Therefore, the Sky Gu tribe was responsible for creating the calendar, and the Gu Clan followed the Sky Gu tribe’s instructions for labor and farming.
Moreover, the Sky Gu tribe was proficient in divination, physiognomy, and other esoteric arts.
The Sky Gu Grandma said, “That must be a person with a lucky star, someone who does good deeds and accumulates virtues.”
Is Number Three a good person? Probably… Lina said, “But… his luck is about picking up silver. He picks up silver every day.”
But Daoist Jinlian said his situation wasn’t about merit.
“Picking up silver? What kind of luck is that? Little girl, you’re talking nonsense,” a middle-aged man from the Sky Gu tribe laughed loudly.
Laughter erupted around, dispersing the solemn atmosphere in the group.
This little girl from the Power Gu tribe is really interesting.
“Silence!” The Sky Gu Grandma suddenly scolded. Her face turned serious as she grabbed Lina’s hand, her grip so strong that it made Lina frown slightly.
“Little girl, where is this friend of yours? Quick, tell me…” The Sky Gu Grandma urgently inquired.
This… The people of the Sky Gu tribe looked at each other in bewilderment, unable to understand why a little girl’s joke had made the Sky Gu Grandma so agitated.
“Father, it seems something has happened,” Mosang stood on tiptoes to look ahead, seeing the commotion and the Sky Gu Grandma grabbing his sister’s wrist, shouting questions.
The leader of the Power Gu tribe nodded steadily, his voice full of vigor: “I’ll go take a look.”