Lin Qingzhu turned a page in the roster, keeping her voice low.
"As of the hour of the rooster today, two hundred and seventy-three factions have arrived."
"Nineteen are immortal vein factions, forty-six are ancient aristocratic clans of the second rank or higher, and the rest are subordinate sects or alliances of unaffiliated cultivators."
She paused, then drew another thin booklet from her sleeve. The words "Illness Register" were written on its cover.
"I compiled this from the visiting cards submitted by the various factions, sorting them into three grades by the severity of their Corruption."
"Seven severe cases, twenty-three moderate ones, and even more mild ones. I'm still verifying those."
Zhou Xuan leaned against the stone wall of the Secret Chamber, his legs crossed and his right hand resting on his knee. The dark-gold Token Master Mark on his palm had already faded considerably compared with a few days earlier.
He did not open his eyes, merely grunted in acknowledgment.
"Among the seven severe cases, are any close to Great Hua?"
Lin Qingzhu leafed through the booklet.
"Two. One is the Purple Sun Daoist Sect, which borrowed a mineral vein from Grand Hua Old Ancestor the year before last. The other is the Canghai Aristocratic Clan. An elder from their direct lineage married one of Great Hua's personal disciples."
"The other five are all long-established factions with no real ties to Great Hua."
Only then did Zhou Xuan open his eyes.
"Did you accept those two factions' visiting cards?"
"Yes, but I haven't replied."
Lin Qingzhu set the booklet on the stone table. "How do you want to handle them?"
"Leave them hanging for now."
Zhou Xuan worked his stiff neck.
"At tomorrow's Judgment Assembly, those two factions' reactions will matter more than their conditions."
"Let them decide for