Chapter 74: A Guilty Conscience Works the Hardest

“You are Qin Haoxuan?” Elder Xu stood before him, an unconscious air of superiority radiating from his body.

A thousand thoughts flashed through Qin Haoxuan’s mind, wondering why this elder had sought him out. He tried his best to keep his expression calm as he stood and offered a respectful bow. “This disciple is indeed Qin Haoxuan.”

“Come with me,” the elder said, his voice cold. He was about to lead him away.

Xuanji quickly interjected. “Excuse me, Elder Xu, but might you tell me why you are taking my disciple, Qin Haoxuan?”

A flash of annoyance crossed Elder Xu’s face. I am an elder from Emperor Peak. Do I really need to ask your permission to take one disciple from this backwater hall? But Xuanji’s rank as a Hall Master was nominally higher than his own, so he patiently explained, “During his initial test, Qin Haoxuan was identified as an Uncolored Seed. But it is impossible for an Uncolored Seed to root and sprout this quickly. His speed is comparable to a Gray Seed. After discussing the matter, several of us elders have decided to conduct a re-test of his Immortal Seed.”

Relieved that it wasn’t about Zhang Kuang’s death, Xuanji nodded. “I see. In that case, Hanzhong, you should accompany Qin Haoxuan.”

“Hall Master Xuanji,” Elder Xu said stiffly, “your nameless peak has no Immortal Cloud Carriage, and mine only has room for one more person.” With that blunt refusal, he turned to Qin Haoxuan. “Let’s go.”

Qin Haoxuan gave a wry smile. Most cultivators were unscrupulous in their pursuit of self-interest; the sanctimonious Master Guyun was a perfect example. If a Hall Master could be so treacherous, he found it hard to believe that this elder was acting out of pure benevolence. He secretly suspected that his rapid progress had made them think he possessed some great treasure, and this was merely a pretext to seize it. Though he had met kind seniors like Xuanji and Pu Hanzhong in the sect, he had also met vicious schemers like Guyun. His first instinct was to assume the worst.

He wasn’t the only one who was suspicious. Pu Hanzhong, who had been in the sect for decades, also sensed something was wrong. Since when were the reclusive, profit-driven elders of Emperor Peak so kind-hearted as to go out of their way for an Uncolored Seed? They had to have an ulterior motive. Thinking of the mysterious technique Qin Haoxuan had used to kill Yelu Qi, he grew anxious. Although sect rules forbade seniors from seizing the fortuitous encounters of their disciples, rules were often broken in the face of great profit.

What to do? Pu Hanzhong thought frantically, then sent a discreet, one-word message to Qin Haoxuan using a secret voice technique: “…Xu Yu…”

The elder led Qin Haoxuan out of the inner hall. In the courtyard, he summoned his immortal sword, which grew in the wind. He then tossed out a fist-sized model of an Immortal Cloud Carriage, blew a breath of immortal energy onto it, and with a hand seal and an incantation, the model expanded. It was a small carriage, with room for only one person. It was normal for elders in the Taichu Sect to own a private carriage, provided they had the resources to exchange for one.

Hearing Pu Hanzhong’s message, Qin Haoxuan instantly understood.

Elder Xu had sensed the use of the secret voice technique but, not having focused his mind in time, had missed the content. His face grew cold, and he shot Pu Hanzhong a look of sharp disapproval.

“Elder,” Qin Haoxuan said, bowing respectfully, “Junior Sister Xu Yu asked me to get some pills from my master for her. Could we perhaps make a stop at the Spirit Field Valley before we go…?”

Xu Yu? The elder fell silent. If it had been anyone else, he would have refused without a second thought. But Xu Yu was an Unsurpassed Purple Seed, a treasure to the entire sect. If that little girl were to complain to the Sect Master that he was delaying her cultivation, it would be a major problem. Besides, offending Xu Yu meant offending the entire Hundred Flowers Hall, which simply wasn’t worth it.

“Very well, we’ll make a stop at the Spirit Field Valley,” he said, and the two of them boarded the carriage and ascended into the sky.

Looking out the window, Qin Haoxuan watched as the nameless peak shrank beneath him. The mountains and rivers rushed by below, and it felt as if he could reach out and touch the clouds. He could see farther from up here, taking in most of the Great Islet Mountain range, even the faint, gloomy shadow of the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley in the distance.

They arrived at the Spirit Field Valley in what felt like an instant. The other disciples were curious to see him disembarking from an Immortal Cloud Carriage, but he had no time to explain. He rushed straight to Xu Yu’s quarters. Elder Chu came out to greet the visitor, and while the two elders chatted beside the carriage, Elder Xu learned more about the close relationship between Qin Haoxuan and Xu Yu, making him feel secretly glad for his earlier decision.

Qin Haoxuan entered Xu Yu’s room and, without waiting for her to speak, quickly took out the small snake and the Formless Sword. He placed them both in her hands. “Help me keep these safe,” he said urgently. “In the entire Taichu Sect, you’re the only person I trust to keep them safe and ensure they are not taken from me.”

Looking at the items, Xu Yu immediately understood that these were his greatest secrets. A warm feeling flooded her heart. That Brother Haoxuan would entrust her with such a secret was the ultimate sign of his faith in her.

Qin Haoxuan didn’t linger. He turned and left. He knew he could trust Senior Brother Pu Hanzhong as well, but his status was too low. Xu Yu, on the other hand, held a naturally high position as a Purple Seed, a status that even the great Xiaoyun Pavilion would recognize as supreme. The value of a Purple Seed was something outsiders could scarcely imagine.

Seeing him emerge, Elder Xu ended his pleasantries with Elder Chu, and the two of them boarded the carriage and headed straight for Emperor Peak.

The carriage stopped halfway up the mountain. After putting it away, Elder Xu prepared to lead him up the Heaven-Reaching Ladder. Aside from the Sect Master, the Grand Elders, and the patriarchs, no one had the privilege of flying directly to the summit. Anyone who tried would be treated as an invader and struck down by the mountain’s protective formation.

Just then, another elder happened by. “Brother Xu,” he greeted, “what’s the occasion? Taking a disciple in your carriage? Wouldn’t your sword be more convenient?”

Elder Xu glanced at Qin Haoxuan and snorted, his voice laced with arrogant pride. “How can a precious thing like an immortal sword be casually shown to a new disciple?”

Qin Haoxuan was surprised. He had thought the man was just an ordinary elder, but it seemed he possessed a true flying sword. His senior brother had told him that flying swords were incredibly rare in the sect. Talisman swords were common, but a real flying sword was a treasure. Even Elder Chu only had a talisman sword.

The other elder chuckled and gave Qin Haoxuan a dismissive look, but he didn’t notice. His attention was completely captivated by the scenery. It was his first time this high up on Emperor Peak. The view was like a painting, a paradise on earth. Pavilions and mansions dotted the landscape, intersected by babbling brooks. Though it was deep winter, the air here was as warm as spring, and flowers of every name and description bloomed in a riot of color, their fragrance mingling with the songs of birds. He also noticed that the spiritual energy grew denser the higher they climbed. Unfortunately, Elder Xu’s status wasn’t high enough to go all the way. After about a mile, he led Qin Haoxuan into a small courtyard.

Inside, three other elders sat in stern meditation. When they saw Elder Xu arrive with the boy, they all opened their eyes. Their gazes were as sharp as knives, sweeping over Qin Haoxuan as if to see right through him. He could feel their eyes probing him, as if he had no secrets left.

After a moment, one of them let out a surprised “Hmm?” and exchanged a look with the others. Disappointment was clear on their faces. They had found nothing unusual. The boy had some spiritual energy, but it was nothing more than the normal fluctuations of a newly sprouted disciple.

“Sit,” one of the elders said, pointing to a stone stool in front of him. Qin Haoxuan didn’t show any fear. He knew that the more timid he appeared, the more suspicious they would become. He walked over, bowed respectfully to the three elders, and sat down.

The elder placed a hand on his forehead, and a powerful wave of spiritual energy flowed into his body, probing every corner. It searched everywhere but found nothing out of the ordinary. His body contained only a faint trace of spiritual energy, and though his Immortal Seed had sprouted, the seedling was as frail as any other Uncolored Seed’s. There was nothing remarkable about him at all.

The elder withdrew his hand and shook his head in disappointment. “He is indeed an Uncolored Seed,” he sighed.

Another elder, still skeptical, spoke up. How could an Uncolored Seed sprout in three months? If he didn’t have a treasure, perhaps he had consumed some rare pill. He, too, placed a hand on Qin Haoxuan’s forehead and sent his own spiritual energy to investigate. But he was also disappointed. There was no treasure, nor any trace of a powerful elixir. The spiritual energy in his meridians was pitifully weak.

Seeing the elder’s disappointed expression, Qin Haoxuan felt a surge of relief. He had Yelu Qi to thank for this. If he hadn’t been forced to use the Formless Sword yesterday, completely exhausting the power of the Seven Star Mushroom, the elders would surely have detected its potent energy today. He would have had no way to explain it then.

Truly, it is hard to tell fortune from misfortune.

As the four elders sat in silence, a paper crane flew into the courtyard. They immediately recognized it as a voice message from Master Guyun and quickly took it to another room to listen.

“Gentlemen,” Guyun’s voice said, “I am quite fond of this child, Haoxuan, for his firm Dao Heart. I have been secretly providing him with resources to aid his cultivation. Please do not give him too much trouble. If you have any questions about him, you may come to me.”

(End of Chapter)