The grand elder said many pleasant words about Fan Yong, as did the second through seventh elders. Zi Long didn’t listen to their words. Instead, he listened to the snivelling of normal disciples and to the voice in his heart.
If only I’d fought to see him, he thought. If only I’d pressured the grand elder instead of accepting his answer. Fan Yong had died aggrieved, and Zi Long held little belief in the grand elder’s explanation. His friend had been murdered, and the killer was still at large.
Following each elder’s speech, the sect disciples kowtowed three times as a single unit to show their deepest respect to the man who’d instructed and defended them all these years. Finally, once the large speech was finished, and the last three kowtows given, the elders also kowtowed. Then the grand elder threw a torch on the pyre. The fire slowly rose up and consumed Fan Yong, and the moment it touched his corpse, the flame burned bright violet. The last vestiges of his violet heart force joined with the flame as his body disappeared.
An hour passed as the fire burned. Zi Long, who was deep in thought this entire time, woke up to the grand elder’s words. “Why don’t you come join the elders for tea to warm up?” he said. Like Zi Long, he was drenched.
“I’d be glad to,” Zi Long said. “There are words I wish to say to all the elders.”
The grand elder nodded slowly and motioned for the others to follow him. They journeyed to the topmost cultivation cave on the violet spire and entered its comfortably dry guest hall. A violet flame burned near their seats, and its heat quickly dried off their soaked bodies and cultivation robes.
Before long, servants arrived with steaming cups of fireberry tea, a tonic that warmed them down to their bones. When the last of the cold had left them, the grand elder spoke.
“You mentioned earlier that you wished to speak with us,” the grand elder said cautiously.
Zi Long placed his teacup down before standing up. He bowed to everyone present. “Elders, there is no easy way to say this. Therefore, I’ll get straight to the point. I believe that Brother Fan was murdered.”
The elders gasped, and the grand elder frowned. “You mustn’t speak such grave words lightly. As I’ve told you before, he was in seclusion within the sect for two months. I personally saw him at the one-month mark, and his cultivation had taken a turn for the worse. I quickly sealed off the cave to prevent anyone from disturbing him.”
“Yet he looked deeply aggrieved,” Zi Long said. “Moreover, there’s this.” He summoned the violet key that he’d found in Fan Yong’s shack. The elders’ eyes flickered to the key, which they’d already guessed was in his possession. “This key was kept in a separate location from his body. It should have never left his person, but he chose to leave it behind just before entering seclusion. Don’t you find that odd? Furthermore, he made it difficult to inherit his violet heart force. Given these facts, I think it’s very likely that the murderer is among the elders. He was concerned that someone wanted to kill him to obtain these two things.”
The expression of every elder in the room darkened. An uncomfortable silence persisted for several moments before finally being broken by the grand elder. “I can’t accept your speculations,” he said crisply. “As the last man who saw him, you’re painting me as the prime suspect.”
“I’m not saying you are the culprit,” Zi Long said. “This sect specializes in deception, which to me indicates that you’re likely not to blame—not unless you’re playing a very dangerous game. There are many hidden means one could have used to kill him while pinning the blame on you. Therefore, I request that we contact the Church of Justice for an inquisitor to investigate.”
The second elder looked at him strangely. “Your words have merit, and it’s worth investigating Master’s death,” he said. “I believe it’s our duty as Master’s disciples to investigate. Unfortunately, you underestimate our lineage. While inquisitors can verify words spoken by normal cultivators, heart-force cultivators are immune to their abilities. Furthermore, even oaths sworn to the heavens are suspect.”
Zi Long frowned. He’d never considered this possibility. “Then we must thoroughly investigate everyone’s activities over the past half year,” he said. “I can only feel comfortable passing on Brother Fan’s inheritance once this matter is resolved.”
The grand elder’s eyes narrowed. “The inheritance is vital to our sect. We cannot conduct member initiations without the key. Furthermore, the violet heart force you inherited is our sect’s reserve strength. Only by using the massive accumulation of violet heart force can we direct the guardian spirit.”
“We’re too vulnerable without it,” the fourth elder agreed. “While it’s proper that we investigate Master’s death, the sect’s leadership must be decided as soon as possible.”
“My apologies, Brother Zi,” the seventh elder, Mu Qian, said. “While I do respect you, and I agree that this matter should be investigated, the sect’s well-being must be considered above all else.”
“Then who should I give it to?” Zi Long asked, holding up the violet key. A cloud of purple mist formed a bubble around it. Without the cloud’s approval, no one would be able to snatch it from his hand.
“The grand elder is the most senior of us disciples,” the third elder said. “It’s only right that the key and the heart force go to him.”
“Although he’s the most senior, he doesn’t have the temperament of a leader,” the fifth elder cut in. “I think Second Brother is the most suitable choice.”
“Second Brother will be dying soon, so it makes no sense to have him inherit this responsibility,” the sixth elder cut in.
“Inheriting Master’s legacy may give him a turning point and extend his life,” the fourth elder said firmly. “I support Second Brother. Seventh Brother, have you made your decision?”
“I haven’t,” the seventh elder said, smiling. “Thus, we are once again at an impasse.”
Zi Long chuckled lightly. “You can’t even decide amongst yourselves, and you want me to give up the inheritance?” he said. “And what if I give the inheritance to the murderer? Wouldn’t that make me the worst friend in existence?”
“We still don’t know if he was murdered,” the fourth elder said. “Thus far, it seems like speculation on your part. I, for one, think that Master left the key behind as a precaution. Perhaps he never kept it on his person in the first place, in case someone tried to steal it.”
“You’ll have to do far more than dismissing my words as speculation to convince me,” Zi Long said, holding up his hand. “Believe me when I say I want Brother Fan’s sect to flourish. I’m willing to perform any heart-force initiations you ask me to, and I’ll defend the sect with my life. But I’d rather die than hand over his inheritance before we get to the bottom of this.”
An uncomfortable silence reigned over the room. Seeing that Zi Long wasn’t willing to hand over the reins any time soon, the agitated elders calmed down.
“Then we’ll have to inconvenience Brother Zi to stay in the Violet Heart Sect for the time being,” the grand elder said, clasping his hands in thanks. “This way, we’ll be able to protect you, request initiations, and keep you up to date on the investigation.”
None of the other elders protested his “suggestion.”
“How can I refuse your polite invitation?” Zi Long said, fully aware of the implications. “I won’t make things difficult for you. I will cultivate in my cave for the time being. Let me know if you require my assistance.”
“Thank you for your understanding,” the grand elder said. “I’ll be posting guards at the entrance to ensure you aren’t disturbed.”
“Much obliged,” Zi Long said. “Then, if that’s everything, I’ll be taking my leave.” He bowed and headed for the exit.
“I’ll escort you there, Brother Zi,” the seventh elder said. He quickly bowed to the other elders and ran out the door with him. They walked down the slippery steps toward the eighth cave, where Zi Long turned around to bid the younges
t elder farewell.
“No need to accompany me inside,” Zi Long said. “Don’t worry. I won’t try to slip past you all.”
He was under house arrest, after all, and the elders wouldn’t let him leave until they got what they wanted. The silver lining to the situation was that he’d get to supervise them all in return.
Just as Zi Long was about to turn around, the air shimmered with a hint of violet as a small bubble appeared around them. It was the seventh elder’s heart force. To his surprise, it was much thinner than the heart force the other elders possessed, barely stronger than that of a core disciple in the sect.
“Is there something you need, Elder Mu?” Zi Long asked.
“Truth be told, I’m really not sure what to think,” Mu Qian said. “If it were many months ago, I would have supported first brother. But now? Now I’m not so sure. His temperament… It’s different than it used to be.”
“How so?” Zi Long asked. Trying to pry information from the elders had been like trying to pull up trees by their roots.
“I’m not too sure,” Mu Qian said. “I can’t quite put my finger on it, but given the situation, it’s a feeling I can’t discount. It’s also clear that Master suspected one of his own. Why else would he pass on his key and heart force to an outsider?”
“So you forced a stalemate to buy time,” Zi Long stated.
“I’m not sure who the best candidate is,” Mu Qian admitted, “but I do know this: If Master entrusted things to you, then you should decide how to move forward. If worse comes to worst, I’ll support you in becoming sect master.”
Mu Qian then bowed awkwardly and dispelled the heart-force shield. He walked back up to his cave, leaving Zi Long pondering in the rain.
“Just who does he think he is?” the fourth elder said indignantly. “He might have been Master’s friend, but that hardly makes him qualified to accept his legacy. I refuse to be toyed with by an outsider.”
“I’m sure Master had his reasons,” the fifth elder said. “Why don’t we just wait a while and investigate. I believe that Zi Long is a man of character. He wouldn’t withhold the inheritance after we’ve done our due diligence, the due diligence we should show regardless of what he does.”
“What worries me isn’t which one of us gets the inheritance,” the grand elder said, causing all other elders to quiet down. “What worries me is that it’s currently in the hands of an outsider. Given enough time, and the eventual interference of the Alabaster Group, the inheritance might become his forever.”
“Please explain why this is even an issue,” the second elder said. “I happen to think Zi Long is a talented man of excellent moral character. Our sect could only benefit with him as the leader.”
The grand elder sighed. “Do you remember the time when Mo De invaded the sect? How Master risked his life and summoned the guardian spirit?”
“I do,” the second elder said. “How could I not, given the damage I suffered to my soul that same day?”
“Then do you know why Mo De attacked us?” the grand elder asked. The other elders shook their heads. “Master didn’t know the exact reason, but he had a good guess. You see, our guardian treasure isn’t like most sect-guarding treasures. Though the violet heart seems like an ordinary crystal, it’s much more than that. In fact, it’s gotten us into trouble a few times over the centuries.
“Take five hundred years ago for example. We were a transcendent power on the continent, with two transcendents and many peak-core-formation cultivators to defend us. At that time, the continent was undergoing a turbulent war as a result of the reunification of the south. Many devil-aligned sects were causing havoc throughout the kingdoms in the north. Our sect lost nine-tenths of its members at the time.”
“Many sects were struck,” the second elder said. “And we all know it was a plot by the south intended to sow chaos among the sects and kingdoms. They succeeded and were able to reunify without external interference. What does that have to do with anything?”
“There was another reason,” the grand elder said wistfully. “And this reason was passed down orally between sect masters and their disciples since that last great war. The real reason our sect suffered such heavy losses was because our enemies wanted to obtain our sect’s guardian treasure, which happens to be a very valuable crystal for devilish cultivators. This is also why our predecessors had to lean on the Alabaster Group for protection, our sect masters becoming members when they were ready. They never told them the real reason they joined, and the Alabaster Group never asked.
“With the key, one could enter the Violet Palace that houses the violet heart. If enough people saw it, given enough time, our sect’s secret would be exposed. If it were one of you that had the key, I would feel confident that you would take the secret to your grave. But an outsider? What if he decides to steal the violet heart? Even if he didn’t, what if he took note of its true nature and reported it? Without a doubt, the Alabaster Group would take it for safekeeping. Our sect would then be left as defenseless as a newborn kitten.”
“That hardly seems to conform to the Alabaster Group’s code of conduct,” the fifth elder said. “They don’t steal, they protect. Perhaps revealing this secret would give us the opportunity to request reinforcements.”
“But is that a chance we can take?” the grand elder asked. “Without our guardian treasure, we are fish on the chopping block. Our position would sink lower than it already is until we finally disappear from the continent.”
The second elder sighed. “Fine. We’ll continue to press him to cede the key. But how can we convince him? He’s not a pushover. He told us he wasn’t handing it over due to divided leadership, but that won’t stop him from making other excuses on the fly.”
“I have a plan,” the grand elder said. “It might not be the most honorable one, but deception is often required for the greater good.”
Chapter 30
“Master, master,” a servant shouted. He ran into a plainly decorated study, where a middle-aged man was busy writing with his left hand. His brushstrokes were steady but ill-coordinated, a mockery of his once elegant calligraphy skills. It was all he had left now that his spear-wielding days were over.
“What is it?” Zhang Yuanqing said, looking up from his latest work. The servant was uncharacteristically nervous. He was usually quite composed.
“Reporting to Master, Grandmaster Gu has come to pay us a visit,” the servant said, his eyes not daring to make contact with his superior’s.
“Grandmaster Gu?” Zhang Yuanqing said, his eyes brightening. “I owe him much, including my life. Please invite him into my study and arrange a feast to welcome him.”
“He predicted you might say so, and he asked me to tell you to hold off until your treatment,” the servant said.
“Treatment?” Zhang Yuanqing asked. The old doctor hadn’t treated him in years. “Please send him in right away.” He stowed away his calligraphy brush and blew off his latest work. It was a poem inspired by his greatest regret: the loss of his position and prowess. Try as he might, wielding a spear one-handed simply couldn’t compare to his previous deadly grace.
As he finished putting away his calligraphy supplies, Grandmaster Gu and two ladies entered his study. “I wasn’t aware that you’d brought other guests,” Zhang Yuanqing said, smiling. “Welcome to this humble one’s manor.” He gave them an awkward, one-armed bow, his right arm hanging limply at his side.
“No need for such courtesies,” Grandmaster Gu said, stopping his bow short and supporting him. “I would normally inform you of a visit in advance, but I couldn’t help myself after meeting my newest colleague. Dr. Yue has a special healing talent that can heal many grievous injuries, and I’m of the opinion that she can improve your condition. You might even be able to use your right arm like a normal mortal after she’s done.”
Zhang Yuanqing clenched his left fist and tried to move his right arm, which had long since lost all motor function. “Then I thank Dr. Yue in a
dvance,” he said. It wasn’t the first time Grandmaster Gu had proposed unsuccessful treatments, and it wouldn’t be the last.
Grandmaster Gu, I don’t think it was prudent to oversell my capabilities, Yue Bing sent to the silver-haired man beside her. What if I fail?
I’m ninety percent sure about the origins of your heritage, Grandmaster Gu replied. Just focus on healing him. Don’t hold anything back—I’ll take the blame if anything goes wrong.
“Come a little closer,” Yue Bing said.
Zhang Yuanqing stepped up and presented his limp arm. She used her finger to trace various qi pathways, instilling incandescent force into the paralyzed appendage as she moved. The entire arm was a wreck. Whether it be qi pathways, nerves, or meridians, they’d all wasted away. Furthermore, the damage continued toward his dantian. Although it hadn’t been pierced, the heavy damage to his qi pathways made it impossible for him to cultivate or even use his cultivation. Any attempt to do so might result in his death.
“Truly vicious,” Yue Bing said, shaking her head. “Many of these wounds could have been cured. Judging by the damage, the nerves in your right arm could have regained fifty-percent functionality, while your qi pathways could have regained twenty-percent functionality. Furthermore, those near your dantian could have fully healed over.”
“Your judgment is astounding,” Zhang Yuanqing said. “It was indeed as you say. At the time, I was a rising star in the Quicksilver Empire. One day, I was grievously injured in battle. They took me to the palace, where I was to receive the imperial physician’s care. Who would have thought that the fourth prince would fall ill at that moment, yanking away the imperial physician for an entire day?”
“Were no other physicians available?” Yue Bing asked. “Even a master-level spirit doctor could have treated you and greatly reduced any complications.”
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