“Something strange?”

Xu Qi An asked in surprise. Seeing Sun Xuanji’s lips move, he quickly pushed the paper and brush forward:

“Senior Brother Sun, no need to waste your precious words.”

Sun Xuanji thought for a moment, testing: “If… I…”

Five minutes passed, and Xu Qi An yawned, pointing at the writing materials.

Sun Xuanji sighed, resigned once again, and wrote:

“I’ve collected twenty scattered dragon qi, Li Miaozhen, Chu Yuanzhen, and Hengyuan have collected six dragon qi together. How many have you collected?”

“Fourteen!”

Xu Qi An answered immediately. These days he’d been like a child with pocket money, counting every day, not missing a single copper.

“Exactly thirty in total.”

Sun Xuanji nodded, writing rapidly: “Then the Buddhist sect, Witch God Cult, and Hidden Dragon City, without Earth Book fragments, couldn’t possibly have collected more than us, right?”

“Naturally.”

Xu Qi An nodded in confirmation.

“But somehow, I’ve gradually been unable to find dragon qi hosts. These past days I’ve been searching non-stop, operating the cannon platform across various regions, yet it’s become very difficult to find dragon qi hosts.”

After writing, Sun Xuanji silently watched Xu Qi An, seemingly hoping for his insight.

“Are we running out of dragon qi hosts?”

Xu Qi An voiced the first thought that crossed his mind.

Sun Xuanji shook his head, bending to write: “Nine is the supreme number—nine crucial dragon qi, ninety-nine scattered dragon qi.”

I see… Xu Qi An immediately understood. Their side had collected thirty scattered dragon qi, and the Buddhist sect, Witch God Cult, and Hidden Dragon City couldn’t possibly have more.

Because this was determined by fate—the three factions couldn’t possibly collect more than him, who carried fate itself.

Then where had the remaining dragon qi gone?

Xu Qi An’s mind stirred, his gaze sharpening: “Is there an unknown force collecting dragon qi in secret?!”

“So you think so too.” Sun Xuanji nodded.

Xu Qi An frowned silently, his mind flashing through the continent’s powers: the Buddhist sect in the Western Regions; the Great Feng court in the Central Plains; the Witch God Cult in the northeast; and the royal lineage in Hidden Dragon City.

These were the forces already involved.

Those not yet involved included the beast barbarians of the Northern Borders; the Poison Clan of the Southern Borderlands; and the remnants of the Myriad Beasts Nation.

The Northern beast barbarians could be eliminated first—after the wars earlier this year, they needed to rebuild. Even if they obtained dragon qi, they lacked the military strength to take the Central Plains.

“The Poison Clan is possible. Back then, the Heavenly Poison Elder stole fate to repair the Confucian Saint’s seal. Dragon qi is also a form of fate.”

“The Myriad Beasts Nation’s ultimate goal must be restoration, reclaiming their homeland, but they can’t overcome the Buddhist sect. If I were the Nine-Tailed Fox, I’d form alliances first to take down the Buddhist sect.”

“Grabbing dragon qi at this point is meaningless—it would only strengthen Hidden Dragon City’s rebels, who are Buddhist sect allies.”

After analyzing internally, Xu Qi An said: “The Poison Clan?”

Sun Xuanji nodded, lowering his head to write:

“Can’t rule out that possibility, but I think we shouldn’t just focus on major forces—we should also watch for smaller factions or individuals capable of controlling and finding dragon qi.”

Xu Qi An asked: “What does the Observatory Master think?”

Sun Xuanji shook his head.

After a pause, he continued writing:

“Now let’s discuss enemy intelligence.”

“According to reliable sources, one of the nine dragon qi hosts may have appeared in Yu Province but was recently abducted by mysterious figures. Based on witness descriptions, I believe it was the Azure Dragon Seven Mansions.”

“They acted in broad daylight, very brazenly.”

One of the nine dragon qi… Xu Qi An fell back against his chair, pinching his brow.

Although he’d told Mu Nanzhi his bottom line was losing two dragon qi when faced with it, he felt inexplicably frustrated.

“Anything else?”

Releasing a silent breath, Xu Qi An asked.

“The two East Sea Dragon Palace sisters are helping the Witch God Cult collect dragon qi. Logically, one of the nine dragon qi hosts should be in the Jing, Xiang, or Yu provinces. We should be mentally prepared.”

Sun Xuanji was still writing when Xu Qi An urgently asked:

“Why didn’t you kill them?”

Sun Xuanji shook his head: “Didn’t dare!”

“Hm?”

Xu Qi An made a questioning sound.

“One of the twins hosts Nalan Tianlu’s divine consciousness. Like Daoists, witch doctors rely on divine consciousness as their foundation. Even without a physical body, their combat power isn’t greatly reduced.”

“I encountered them at a distance once. The twins didn’t notice me, but Nalan Tianlu locked onto me… Fortunately, I ran fast—transmission formations are really useful.”

Xu Qi An looked up to see fear and relief on his Senior Brother’s face.

Nalan Tianlu was killed by Lord Wei, and I’m Lord Wei’s successor… Xu Qi An pinched his brow again.

“I understand.”

He slowly exhaled, forcing a smile: “Senior Brother Sun, let’s discuss something interesting.”

Sun Xuanji thought for a moment, dipped his brush in ink, and wrote:

“Junior Brother Yang has left the capital. Master Observatory Head gave him a task.”

“How is that interesting?”

Xu Qi An thought to himself, I’d assumed he’d been suppressed by the Observatory Master again.

“It’s like this: Junior Brother Yang tried to take advantage of Master’s consciousness wandering to announce donating all the Celestial Observatory’s wealth at the Heaven Sacrifice ceremony…”

The brush moved lightly across the paper. Reading these words, Xu Qi An mentally exclaimed “Good heavens!” repeatedly.

If he’d succeeded, with civil and military officials and the emperor as witnesses, even the Observatory Master would have trouble taking it back.

If other white-robed artificers tried this, the court wouldn’t believe them and would notify the Observatory to retrieve their deranged disciple.

But Yang Qianhuan was the Observatory Master’s third disciple, a mighty Fourth Rank expert who could represent the Observatory to some degree.

Xu Qi An remained composed, knowing that with the old schemer’s methods, the drama king would never have his day.

“To avoid detection, Senior Brother Yang used food to tempt Junior Sister Caiwei into helping him monitor Master Observatory Head. But Master had anticipated this and gave the Heaven’s Mechanics Disk to Junior Brother Song to suppress Yang immediately if he left the Star-Watching Tower. Junior Brother Song was more enthusiastic about this than anyone.”

“Fifth Junior Sister also contributed greatly—she’s always been obedient, always following Master’s words.”

Xu Qi An was stunned, thinking this was like some Celestial Observatory version of Internal Affairs…

The Observatory Master had gained experience, knowing to use disciples to check other disciples.

“What task did the Observatory Master give Senior Brother Yang?”

“Unknown. I only know he left with Junior Sister Caiwei—she was also sent away.”

“…” That fool Chu Caiwei, if you’re not smart enough, don’t get involved in such life-threatening matters.

“That’s all my intelligence.”

Sun Xuanji said.

Xu Qi An thought for a moment, then told him about the Cosmic Divine Mirror and his deal with the Nine-Tailed Fox.

“Senior Brother Sun, what do you think?”

After long contemplation, Sun Xuanji wrote: “She must control part of Shenshu’s remains.”

His meaning was that since only Buddhist secret methods could remove the Demon-Sealing Nails, the Nine-Tailed Fox’s confidence in making such a promise suggested she controlled part of Shenshu’s remains.

I think so too… Xu Qi An nodded: “That’s all I needed.”

Sun Xuanji nodded, clear light rising from his feet, enveloping him as he left.

Seeing this, Mu Nanzhi, who had been sitting primly on the bed maintaining a noble consort’s bearing, let out a breath.

She glared at the man in annoyance: “Always coming in the middle of the night, isn’t it annoying? Don’t you understand the principle of propriety between men and women?”

She remembered the last time when Xu Qi An was pressing her in bed, Sun Xuanji had also appeared.

“Senior Brother Sun always notifies us before coming. Last time we just didn’t understand his ways and weren’t prepared. Besides, when you’re in the jianghu, you can’t be too formal—guest rooms are just temporary stops.”

Xu Qi An casually consoled her.

Digesting the intelligence Sun Xuanji had brought, his heart felt heavy.

……

Quanrong Mountain.

The hundred-li Quanrong Mountain was the founding place of the Martial Arts Alliance, centered around the verdant courtyards of the Alliance Leader’s mansion.

The peaks faced each other like fighting dragons and tigers, surrounded by mountain azaleas and green waters, with rising clouds and mists—a sight of incomparable beauty.

One-armed Old Zhou was a centurion of the Martial Arts Alliance. Normally, even in the Alliance full of experts, a centurion would be considered a pillar.

Unfortunately, One-armed Old Zhou had no real authority.

It was said the Alliance had maintained the military structure left by the old leader unchanged for six hundred years.

He’d exchanged his right arm for the centurion position. Old Zhou was originally a guard who, about a month ago, had escorted Cao Qingyang’s wife and children to visit their maternal family when they were ambushed by enemies.

Old Zhou lost his right arm then, taking a blow for Cao’s children.

Since then, he’d been promoted from a mere guard to a centurion, receiving a centurion’s treatment but without real power.

As a martial artist at the Essence Refining realm, after losing his right arm, his combat power was nearly negligible.

The one-armed Old Zhou carried a pot of wine, facing the cold wind as he knocked on the door of a certain courtyard.

The gate opened, revealing a middle-aged man in thick cotton clothes, smiling broadly:

“Elder Brother, you’re finally here. The dog meat is fragrant—quick, come in.”

The middle-aged man was tall and thin with particularly long arms. His name was Wang You, a bow-wielding sentry.

The two entered and sat at the table enjoying strong wine and dog meat, drinking hot broth, their bodies comfortable despite the cold winter.

“Elder Brother, you’re something, trading one arm for a centurion’s treatment, set for life. Not like me, spending all my money on women.”

Wang You sighed with feeling, complaining endlessly.

Old Zhou drank and laughed heartily: “What’s life for if not to sleep on women’s soft bellies?”

They drank and ate, chatting about everything. After several rounds, Wang You asked casually:

“Elder Brother, you said last time that Alliance Leader Cao’s twin daughters survived the enemy’s palm strike—is that true?”

Old Zhou hiccupped, saying loudly:

“Why would I lie? I was closest to them then, lost my arm protecting those kids.”

“*Hic*~ I saw those little ones take a palm strike with my own eyes. They seemed lifeless then—why else would the enemy leave? But guess what? In less than half a quarter-hour, they woke up.”

Wang You smiled: “You must have seen wrong.”

Old Zhou angrily slapped the table: “Why ask me twice if you don’t believe me?”

Wang You immediately apologized with clasped hands.

Soon after, they finished the dog meat hotpot, and Old Zhou left contentedly.

The drunkenness vanished from Wang You’s eyes. He walked to the bedside, pulled out a box from underneath, took out writing materials, and laid them on the table to write:

“Martial Arts Alliance Leader Cao Qingyang’s children suspected to be dragon qi hosts.”