âNumber Twenty-nine!â
âNumber Twenty-nine!â
âNumber Twenty-nine!â
In the Hall of Three Corpses, Elder Chu Jiaolin called out three times without reply.
The Devil Heaven Lord could no longer keep his eyes closed. He opened them and asked coolly, âNumber Twenty-nine, how long has it been since he returned?â
The Celestial Realmâs central region was dotted with immortal sects and rich in resources. The number of packbearers in the Hall of Three Corpses had grown so large that they no longer bothered with namesâthey were simply numbered.
Elder Chu Jiaolin hurried forward. âReporting to the Immortal Lord: Number Twenty-nine has been absent for quite some time. He wasnât here when we submitted the offerings last month, and he is missing again now. Shall I send someone to look for him?â
On the fifteenth of every month, packbearers were required to turn in all their storage rings to the Hall of Three Corpses. Occasionally, a packbearer who had gathered too few resources would claim to be busy counting them outside rather than face punishment; Chu Jiaolin usually turned a blind eye. After all, who didnât have special circumstances? Moreover, Number Twenty-nine sometimes sent him small gifts, earning his special favor.
But two monthsâ absence was excessiveâand being called out by the Devil Heaven Lord himself, Chu Jiaolin dared not cover for him. He knew this seemingly mild-mannered sect lord was ruthless enough to keep countless evil immortals in line.
Tapping his fingertip lightly on the table, the Devil Heaven Lordâs voice turned cold. âLiving or dead, you must show me proof. The rules cannot be broken. You have three days to answerâor you need not return at all.â
Chu Jiaolinâs face drained of color, but he dared not refuse. He bowed and left the hall.
... Two days later ...
Three controlled sect lords brought Ye Yu shocking news: the Zhuxie Sect had indeed been stolenâopenly and by three female immortals! They were now inside the Wuwei Tower!
At first Ye Yu refused to believe it, until he recalled the scene with Xu Nanqiao two days earlier. His face changed instantly.
No wonder that ruined sect looked so familiarâit was the former Zhuxie Sect!
It was like a family failing to recognize its own temple. Back when Zhuo Lanqing and Shangguan Jiujiu sought an abandoned sect to renovate, they unwittingly took the Zhuxie Sectâs ruins. The Zhuxie Sect, reduced to a single survivor, Zheng Nanxiu, now lay at the heart of this mess.
What should he do? He remembered Zheng Nanxiuâs tears and felt a headache coming on. Zheng Nanxiu was intent on rebuilding her sectâwhat would she do if she learned they had stolen it? She would surely collapse in despair.
He needed an explanationâand fast.
âHey, whatâs the matter? Why the long face today?â
Zhuo Lanqing and Shangguan Jiujiu approached, noticing Ye Yuâs troubled expression. They had both been beaming latelyâpleased with their sectâs expansion.
âWhy am I upset? Because of you ~NĐŸvĐ”lđght~ two!â
Ye Yu recounted everything. Zhuo Lanqing and Shangguan Jiujiu listened in disbelief. They had thought it was merely a discarded sect, never realizing it belonged to Zheng Nanxiu.
âZhuxie Sect... I remember a stone stele, but I threw it away!â Zhuo Lanqing grabbed her head in horror at her social suicide. Recently she had grown close to Zheng Nanxiu, even vowing to help her punish whoever stole the sectâand now the culprit was herself.
âWhat do we do now?â Zhuo Lanqing asked, mortified.
âYou ask meâI ask whom?â Ye Yu groaned. His head ached just thinking about it.
Before any solution emerged, a figure appeared at the hall entrance: Zheng Nanxiu herself, her expression grave. âYouâre all here. I have something important to tell you.â
Doomed! Had Zheng Nanxiu already discovered the truth? Zhuo Lanqing hid behind Ye Yu; Shangguan Jiujiu pretended to sip tea, nudging Ye Yu forward.
Ye Yu protested, but with no choice, he stepped up. âUm, whatâs so important you came all this way?â
Zheng Nanxiu walked in and looked around seriously. âLately Iâve felt that the grounds behind your mountain sect are actually the Zhuxie Sect.â
Ye Yu, Shangguan Jiujiu, and Zhuo Lanqing all gasped. Was this the legendary immortalâs intuition? It felt overwhelmingly strong!
Ye Yu wanted to explain, but Zheng Nanxiu raised a hand to stop him. âDonât rush. ListenâIâve found even more evidence underground: ruins unmistakably from the Zhuxie Sect.â
Their hearts sank. Caught red-handed! Shangguan Jiujiuâs hand trembled on her tea cup; Ye Yu forced a smile. âFinished? Can I try to explain?â
Zheng Nanxiu shook her head, brow furrowed. âNo need. Thereâs nothing you can sayâIâve already figured it all out.â
Ye Yu clenched his robes, at a loss. Zhuo Lanqing buried her face in Ye Yuâs back; Shangguan Jiujiu remained silent.
âI... must be bewitched,â Zheng Nanxiu sighed helplessly. âEver since I came to your Wuwei Tower sect, something felt off. I thought it was just homesickness. But when I uncovered those ruins beneath your sect, I finally realized the truth.â