Plans on Every Side, Winds Rise over Qingshan (Please Bookmark, Recommend, and Keep Reading)

Chapter 14: Plans on Every Side, Winds Rise over Qingshan (Please Bookmark, Recommend, and Keep Reading)

Qiao Xuan, Wenren Jie, and Young Master Kongxu exchanged glances.

They were no fools, their heads turned by dreams of slaying demons and making their names known throughout the world.

Each had his own aims. They had gathered here for profit.

Qiao Xuan wanted official appointments for himself and his disciple, securing a stable future.

Wenren Jie wanted fame and the cultivation method Qingshan County had promised.

Young Master Kongxu wanted fame and several resources he needed that Qingshan County would provide.

Xu Xiao wanted to help her close friend and uphold her sect's reputation.

As for Jiang Sheng, there was even less need to explain. Had the demon in the Taiping River not been so close to his cultivation grounds on Qingping Mountain, he would never have bothered with Qingshan County's survival.

All of them had gathered because their interests were involved. Discussing matters in public was one thing.

But entering someone else's secret chamber on someone else's turf? If something happened, their corpses might rot before anyone discovered them.

Besides, although Zhang Qing trusted her intimate friend Xu Xiao most, Jiang Sheng had been personally invited by Zhang Qingyun, the magistrate of Qingshan County. Who could say there was no collusion between them?

What if slaying demons was merely a pretext, and their real aim was to catch all these rogue cultivators in one net?

While the others weighed their options, Xu Xiao was already the first to enter the hidden chamber.

Only after carefully sensing his surroundings did Jiang Sheng say, "If this were your county's secret chamber, I would certainly not care to accompany you."

"But as the Moon-Embracing Sect is a golden core sect of Qing Province, I am willing to place some trust in it. Miss Zhang, do not disappoint me."

Wenren Jie laughed at that. "Daoist Jiang speaks reason. Naturally, I trust the Moon-Embracing Sect's reputation."

Seeing Wenren Jie agree, Young Master Kongxu gave a delicate smile. "Heh, indeed! If we cannot even muster this much trust between us, what talk can there be of slaying demons?"

Old Qiao Xuan puffed away at his tobacco pipe and nodded his agreement.

Once they had all entered the secret chamber, Zhang Qing followed them inside.

The chamber lay roughly a hundred feet beneath the county office's rear courtyard, well concealed.

Clearly, Xu Xiao had only just created it. Its furnishings were simple, and magical power flowed along its walls. It was evidently a chamber intended for a single use.

Once inside, Zhang Qing first poured tea for everyone, then took out a map of Qingshan County and spread it before them.

Jiang Sheng examined the map. It depicted the mountains and rivers within Qingshan County in considerable detail.

Qingshan County bordered Qingping Mountain to the east and the Taiping River to the south. Apart from Qingshan County Seat, it contained fifteen towns and more than two hundred thousand residents. Nearly half the population lived in the county seat, while the remainder were scattered among the towns.

Qingping Town stood where Qingping Mountain met the Taiping River. With a thousand households, it enjoyed exceptionally favorable surroundings.

Seeing that none of them had touched their tea, Zhang Qing paid it no mind. Instead, she pointed at the map. "Please look here. The Taiping River crosses our county, flowing through no fewer than seven towns. Nearly half of Qingshan County lies along its banks."

"Although there are many villages and towns along the Taiping River, our annual river god grand sacrifice is always held at the same location: East River Town."

Jiang Sheng looked at East River Town's location. It stood closest to the Taiping River and was particularly prosperous, with a large population and many roads. It was indeed a fine place.

Zhang Qing continued, "Of course, that is not what I wish to discuss."

Her eyes shone as she looked at them. "Everyone, Qingshan County has sent invitations far and wide, summoning heroes from Qing Province to slay the demon. The matter has caused such an uproar that everyone must believe we intend to kill it during the river god grand sacrifice."

A shadow flickered through Young Master Kongxu's eyes. "Is that not the case?"

"Of course not!"

As Zhang Qing spoke, her bright eyes brimmed with satisfaction. "Something everyone knows is no secret. How could a plan known to everyone possibly succeed?"

"Although the demon in the Taiping River has always slept on the riverbed, waking only for the annual river god grand sacrifice, who can guarantee it has no eyes and ears outside?"

"Therefore, our true operation will not take place on the day of the river god grand sacrifice, but before it! Only by catching the enemy unprepared can we defeat it!"

After hearing Zhang Qing's explanation, Jiang Sheng and the others nodded.

Indeed, her plan was clever. First, she had made a tremendous stir, drawing everyone's attention to the river god grand sacrifice. Then she would secretly cross by another route and seize the opportunity to strike down the demon. It was undeniably an ingenious move.

Simple, yet highly effective.

After a moment's silence, Wenren Jie asked, "Then what of the others?"

"Bait!" Zhang Qing answered without hesitation. "Father will tell them we intend to attack the demon during the river god grand sacrifice, to see whether any of its eyes and ears are hidden among them."

"Afterward, I will lead them into action ahead of time. If there really is a spy among them, the demon will certainly awaken early, and the operation will inevitably fail. The demon will then let down its guard and return to sleep."

"If there is no spy, it will simply become a frontal assault. Once they have probed the demon's abilities and strength, you will make your move and slay it!"

As she spoke, a rare killing intent appeared on Zhang Qing's pretty face. "The demon will never imagine that another killing stroke awaits after the first!"

Qiao Xuan and the others looked at Zhang Qing. It was hard to imagine that such a young girl could devise a scheme like this!

"I have truly underestimated the people of this world. Miss Zhang, to use so many cultivators' lives as bait... one really cannot judge a person by appearances." Qiao Xuan gave her a surprised look.

Yet Jiang Sheng said calmly, "But Miss Zhang's method is the safest, is it not?"

"Who can be certain of the true strength of a water demon that commands hundreds of miles of river? If we do not send them ahead to probe it, are we supposed to risk ourselves instead?"

At those words, Qiao Xuan fell silent.

Indeed, someone had to test the demon's strength.

And testing it required pawns. Those pawns were destined to be sacrificed.

Which of them was not a rogue cultivator renowned throughout Qing Province?

Who would willingly become a lowly pawn doomed to sacrifice?

Thus, everything had been decided from the beginning. Zhang Qing had kept so many qi refining rogue cultivators around precisely to use them as probing pieces.

"Miss Zhang has a point," Wenren Jie said. "Someone must scout the road ahead. I believe this plan is workable."

Young Master Kongxu also looked as though it were only natural. "Those qi refining juniors have swarmed here like flies drawn to honey. Is it not because they want to make their names in Qing Province? Since they seek fame, they must bear the corresponding risks and costs."

Even Xu Xiao of the Moon-Embracing Sect raised no objection. Clearly, none of them placed much importance on the lives of those qi refining rogue cultivators.

From beginning to end, none of these people had come out of compassion or a desire to spare living beings from devastation. They had all been drawn here by their interests.

And this was the truest face of the world: at all times, strength spoke, and interests bound people together.

Without strength or backing, one was destined to be a pawn—or perhaps not even that.

How many rogue cultivators were lured by profit into becoming cannon fodder?

How many mortals who yearned for the immortal path were sold like pigs and sheep to sinister sects and demonic orders, reduced to heaps of expendable materials?

Even the orthodox path of Xuanmen upheld little more than its claim to orthodoxy. When their own interests were not involved, who had kindness to spare for the teeming masses?

Jiang Sheng had never been a kindhearted man, much less one who pitied others!

Meanwhile, in Dongjun Commandery City, certain districts remained brilliantly lit even late at night, as though it were broad daylight.

Those districts also had the greatest numbers of patrolling city guards. They even possessed dedicated inner waterways separating them from the other districts, proclaiming their extraordinary status.

These were the lineage estates of Dongjun's cultivating aristocratic clans.

Every so-called cultivating aristocratic clan was a powerful local lineage with centuries of heritage.

Either they had produced foundation establishment cultivators for several successive generations, or they had a purple mansion patriarch overseeing them. They were the local snakes of Dongjun, the true powers controlling the region.

In the world today, whether it was the Qi Kingdom on the Eastern Domain Continent, the Wei Kingdom, or the Chu Kingdom and other nations, the court and aristocratic clans invariably ruled together.

The imperial lineage was the largest cultivating lineage in the entire Qi Kingdom, while the aristocratic clans were the local cultivating lineages second only to it.

Although Dongjun's commandery governor was appointed by the Qi Kingdom's imperial household, once he arrived in Dongjun, he had no choice but to cooperate with these cultivating aristocratic clans.

Otherwise, he could not implement his policies at all, much less govern the region and collect taxes and resources.

Thus, Dongjun's cultivating lineages, particularly those overseen by purple mansion patriarchs, were effectively its local emperors.

The Cha Family was one of Dongjun's renowned cultivating aristocratic clans. With the purple mansion patriarch Cha Liangcai presiding over it, the family had enjoyed prominence for more than two hundred years.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Cha Family could remain prominent for another two hundred years.

Even if none of its descendants could open a purple mansion, maintaining foundation establishment cultivators in every generation would still ensure the lineage's wealth and glory.

At that moment, the Cha Family's purple mansion patriarch, Cha Liangcai, was speaking with a jade statue in a secret chamber.

"Did you know that Qingshan County's magistrate intends to eradicate the Taiping River's river god? If that avatar of yours wishes to keep absorbing Qingshan County's incense offerings, you had better prepare early." Cha Liangcai held a cup of spirit tea, looking thoroughly at ease.

The jade statue spoke. "I know. Whatever else you might say, that avatar of mine has early purple mansion strength. So long as you purple mansion cultivators do not intervene, a mere bunch of qi refining and foundation establishment cultivators cannot defeat it."

"That would be best."

As he spoke, Cha Liangcai seemed suddenly to recall something. In a seemingly casual tone, he said, "Come to think of it, after all these years of working together, I am still quite curious about your origins. Just who are you?"

"Thirteen early purple mansion avatars. Truly frightening."

The jade statue replied irritably, "Why concern yourself with that? All you need to know is that I can help you form your core!"

"As we agreed before, you help me gather faith and incense offerings in Dongjun, and I will help you form your core. Do not tell me you wish to go back on our agreement?"

"Do not forget: neither the Moon-Embracing Sect, the Azure Cloud Sect, nor the Heavenly Sword Sect will allow a fourth golden core power to appear in Qing Province."

Those words caught Cha Liangcai short. His expression darkened for an instant before returning to calm. "That is precisely why I chose to work with you."

Here is today's second update~

(End of chapter)