Chapter 84: A Joyful Excursion to Little Yingzhou

March 27th marked exactly the twenty-first day since Ling Xuzi and Jin Donglou had perished, a period known in the mortal realm as the "third seven." The five peaks of Dan Cliff were shrouded in utter silence; except for the main peak, Crimson Wheel, not a soul could be seen elsewhere.

Crimson Wheel Peak itself resembled a landscape freshly dusted by snow, swathed in a solemn white from the foot of the mountain all the way to its summit. Thin mist curled through the air, and spirit banners fluttered gently. Thousands of disciples of Dan Cliff Sect, all clad in mourning white, stood in silent ranks outside the Grand Hall of Huahua, arranged according to their seniority and status.

The doors of the hall stood wide open, revealing inside the memorial tablets and incense table for the two fallen great ones, so that guests might pay their respects. The sect had suffered a grievous blow, and presiding over matters today were the two Peak Masters of the Wood Affinity: Mu Fengshan and Ying Qi. On the side of Water Affinity, Crimson Wheel Peak’s Hong Yexi and Jing Li assisted, while Huo Chuanxing, Yan Changqing, and others stood outside the hall, their faces gaunt and weary, spirits utterly depleted.

Though everyone was already aware that after representatives from the major sects finished honoring the dead, Mu Fengshan would formally assume the position of Sect Master, Mu Fengshan himself felt little joy. The Sect’s ancestral jade slip had vanished along with Ling Xuzi’s death, rendering the great protective array useless. He would become a Sect Master in name only; even on his own turf, he must yield to Symbol Scripture Sect. In the end, it was a matter of strength—though the Wood Affinity now basked in glory within Dan Cliff Sect, holding nearly all resources, Mu Fengshan’s cultivation was only at the late Nascent Soul stage. He was outmatched not only by Dai Mingchi of Symbol Scripture Sect, but also by the sect leaders of Little Yingzhou and Xianxia Cavern.

The thought of Little Yingzhou left Mu Fengshan smoldering. Word had reached him that the sect master of Little Yingzhou, Leyou, would personally attend the memorial today. Since the incident, Leyou had loudly insisted there was something suspicious about the deaths of Jin Donglou and the others, directing suspicion straight at Mu Fengshan. He had already foreseen that Leyou’s presence would ensure today’s gathering was anything but pleasant.

The earliest arrivals were several Nascent Soul and Core Formation elders from Mingchuan Sect. Their leading elder offered a few words of condolence to Mu Fengshan and the rest, then led his people to the hall to offer incense. One after another, other sects arrived: Yin Quan and Zhu Xian of Xianyun Sect, Sect Master Fei Yuan of Sanqing Gate, and even the often-estranged Xianxia Cavern sent an elder Nascent Soul cultivator. Representatives from all the great sects packed the hall, making the atmosphere heavy and oppressive.

Mu Fengshan knew the mood was due not only to the mourning of the dead but also the anticipation—everyone was waiting for Leyou and the people from Symbol Scripture Sect to arrive. The deceased had been among the foremost Daoist cultivators, and every sect was eager to learn the truth. Had the demonic cultivators truly returned in force, growing so brazen?

At that moment, the disciple in charge of announcements called out, “Sect Master Leyou of Little Yingzhou has arrived!”

Out of respect for the deceased, all visiting sects had chosen to descend at the observation terrace halfway up Crimson Wheel Peak, then proceed on foot to the summit. Leyou was no exception. He was a rare sight among Daoist cultivators—a corpulent man who usually preferred not to leave Little Yingzhou at all. Other than a few who had accompanied elders to Little Yingzhou, most in Dan Cliff Sect had only heard of him by reputation, never seen him in person.

Now, as a veritable wall of flesh drew closer at a surprising pace, all eyes were fixed on him. The few who accompanied Leyou had already walked past, yet it was only when he halted outside the Grand Hall of Huahua that the others realized—Leyou had brought quite a retinue with him today.

No matter his private displeasure, Mu Fengshan had no choice but to step forward. At least, in such a setting, he needn’t feign cheer. With a mournful expression, he greeted Leyou, offering a slight bow and saying, “Sect Master Leyou, you honor us with your presence. You have even brought so many elders of Little Yingzhou—all testament to the bond between our sects.”

Leyou did not disappoint those from the other sects who had come to watch the spectacle. He sneered, speaking bluntly: “I had no choice but to bring them. I fear someone might pose as a demonic cultivator and ambush us on the way. Better to be cautious than to die without knowing why.”

The other sects’ representatives all showed varying reactions. Mu Fengshan’s brow furrowed deeply, yet Leyou’s words, laden with implication, left him with no grounds for rebuttal. He could only reply dully, “Sect Master Leyou is being overly cautious.”

Leyou merely grunted in response, ignoring Mu Fengshan, and led his people forward to offer three sticks of incense each to Ling Xuzi and Jin Donglou.

He gazed up at Ling Xuzi’s memorial tablet, lost in thought for a moment, then suddenly turned and shouted at the thousands of Dan Cliff Sect disciples outside the hall: “Where are the Water Affinity cultivators of Dan Cliff Sect? The Nascent Souls of Crimson Wheel, Brocade, and Evening Tide Peaks—are they all dead?”

Faces among the thousands paled; even those of Leyou’s own retinue appeared startled, and an elder quietly urged, “Sect Master!” But Leyou stood as immovable as a mountain.

His shout made everyone realize that of the nearly ten Water Affinity Nascent Souls who once led the three peaks, only two remained: Ling Xuzi’s second disciple, Hong Yexi, and Huo Chuanxing of Evening Tide Peak.

This left Hong Yexi, standing beside Mu Fengshan, in a terribly awkward position. Uncertain of Leyou’s intentions, but sensing Mu Fengshan’s mounting fury, he knew silence was not an option. He stepped forward, bowed, and said, “Might I ask what advice Sect Master Leyou has for us?” Huo Chuanxing also stepped up.

Leyou’s gaze swept coldly over them, his tone carrying a sorrow even he did not recognize: “I have bad news you may not have heard—your Water Sect’s Elder Ming Shui is not in the Demon Suppression Prison. He and Jing Baixi disappeared together heading north; most likely, both have met a grim end. Though my own cultivation is no greater than that of Sun Yougong or Elder Ming, after all that has happened, I cannot stand by, numb and indifferent. I despise those who are so cowardly and mute in the face of crisis.”

Mu Fengshan spoke icily, “Sect Master Leyou, what are you implying? I appreciate Little Yingzhou’s journey to pay respects, but I ask you to show some respect for us as well. Though Sect Master Ling and Elder Jin met an unfortunate end, Dan Cliff Sect still stands. If you make accusations, do so on solid ground, or we might suspect you of sowing discord with ulterior motives!”

Mu Fengshan, tall and broad, exuded the steadiness of a mountain—though not quite the same as Leyou’s own “mountain” of flesh, his presence inspired immediate trust in strangers.

Leyou regarded him with disdain, the fat on his cheeks quivering. He was about to retort when Huo Chuanxing, unable to hold back, spoke up emotionally: “Sect Master Leyou is right to scold us. My master relinquished his peak for the greater good and withdrew from sect affairs. How could he ever consort with demonic cultivators? He was a late Nascent Soul master! What benefit would he have in killing his own junior brothers? My master was framed—and my senior brother, too, was wrongly accused.”

He stepped forward and fell to his knees before the memorial tablets of Ling Xuzi and Jin Donglou. With the burdens of Evening Tide Peak weighing painfully on him, a dignified Nascent Soul cultivator was driven to weep and bow before all: “Sect Master, Elder, who was it that killed you, who framed my master and left him with a tarnished name even in death? Show us a sign from the beyond!”

As Huo Chuanxing, the Peak Master of Evening Tide, knelt and wept, his followers surged forward to kneel behind him. The gathering outside the Grand Hall dissolved into chaos.

Mu Fengshan’s face was ashen. Not yet official Sect Master, he could not overstep in front of the other sects. He shot Leyou a frosty glare and said, “Are you satisfied now, Sect Master Leyou? If you say the true culprit is someone else, then say so plainly, so we might avenge our fallen.”

Leyou seemed to find this amusing; he laughed—a sound without mirth. “How should I know who the killer is? But I do know this: in this world, all things revolve around ‘interest.’ Whoever benefited from their deaths is the one who cannot escape suspicion.”

This time, Mu Fengshan was genuinely furious. “Leyou! Do not make baseless accusations and slander us!”

Ying Qi, unable to bear it any longer, spoke up as well: “Sect Master Leyou, your suspicion is groundless. There’s little to gain from becoming Sect Master of Dan Cliff now—the demon cultivators are rampant, the situation perilous. Someone had to step forward to restore order, and by qualification, cultivation, and reputation, none could compare to Peak Master Mu. It was out of deep affection for the sect that he accepted. Are you trying to entrap us all?”

Leyou rolled his eyes at Ying Qi, making clear his opinion that “you’re all cut from the same cloth,” then ignored him, turning instead to Hong Yexi and the others: “If you Water Affinity cultivators find yourselves unwelcome in Dan Cliff Sect and can no longer stay, you are welcome at Little Yingzhou. As long as I draw breath, my doors will always be open to you.”

Mu Fengshan could bear no more, and shouted, “Leyou!”

Representatives of the other great sects hastened to intervene, even the elder Nascent Soul from Xianxia Cavern: “Sect Master Leyou, before the spirits of Sect Master Ling and Elder Jin, how can you speak so recklessly?”

Jing Li seized the chance to interject, “Thank you, Sect Master Leyou, for your concern for us Water Affinity cultivators, but the debt we owe our master is as heavy as a mountain. With his murder unavenged, our first duty is to find the truth at any cost and seek justice for him, Elder Jin, and my senior brother. Next, we must join with our Wood Affinity brethren to restore Dan Cliff’s honor. Now is not the time for anyone to flee to another sect in search of safety.”

Though Jing Li’s words were a clear refusal, he spoke with such righteous conviction that Leyou, after giving him a measuring look, took no offense.

After Leyou’s outburst, the scene before the Grand Hall was in utter disarray—wailing, kneeling at the memorial tablets, all order lost.

Mu Fengshan took a deep breath, about to speak, when suddenly a distant voice announced: “Sect Master Dai of Symbol Scripture Sect has arrived.”

A Soul Formation cultivator had come; the hall fell instantly silent.

A Dan Cliff disciple rushed up the peak to report to Mu Fengshan and the others: “Peak Masters, three elders from the Northern Prison have come as well, saying they are here to pay respects to the Sect Master and Elder Jin.”

Arriving together with Dai Mingchi, Mu Fengshan immediately surmised that these must be Master Gong and his companions returning. But the other sects, unaware, were all taken aback.

At that moment, Dai Mingchi and Master Gong’s party—seven or eight in all—ascended the peak. The several Nascent Souls from Symbol Scripture Sect were familiar faces, but three elderly strangers must have come from the Demon Suppression Prison. Yet at the end of the group trailed a young woman who drew every Dan Cliff disciple’s wide-eyed attention—was that not Fang Hongjian, Yan Changqing’s disciple from Evening Tide Peak?