Discovering the Problem

More than half a month had passed since Wei Kuang and the others had come to visit.

That day, Zhou Qing was practicing the Iron Pellet Technique when he suddenly heard a knock at the door.

He opened the courtyard gate and saw Yuan Hongying standing outside in a bright red dress, pretty and poised.

Zhou Qing asked, "What brings you here, Junior Sister?"

Yuan Hongying asked, "I wanted to ask Senior Brother whether there are any tasks I can take on."

Zhou Qing shook his head. "I check the notice board three times a day, but I haven't seen any tasks posted. I'm afraid the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall does not have many tasks either."

Yuan Hongying said, "That is strange."

Zhou Qing asked, "How so?"

Yuan Hongying said, "There is a courtyard near where I live. An older sister from one of the previous two classes lives there. We often saw each other coming and going, and over time, we became acquainted."

"I noticed that she had been going out frequently lately, so I asked her why. That was when I learned she had taken on a task at the Pill Hall's Spirit Garden, tending spirit plants."

Zhou Qing smiled. "It seems I missed the tasks. I'll pay twice as much attention from now on, and I should be able to pick up some. When the time comes, I'll give the first one to you, Junior Sister."

Yuan Hongying shook her head. "I'm afraid it is not that simple."

"I made discreet inquiries with that older sister and learned that disciples from her class, even those from the next class down, often received tasks. After doing a rough calculation, the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall posts at least two or three internal affairs tasks each day, and perhaps more than a dozen on busy days."

"Even if Senior Brother occasionally missed one, it would be impossible for him not to see a single task in half a month."

Only then did Zhou Qing realize something was wrong.

He asked, "Did Junior Sister ask your neighbor about the reason?"

Yuan Hongying said, "She is only an ordinary disciple and knows nothing about Senior Apprentice's authority, so she does not know the details."

Zhou Qing nodded. "Go back for now, Junior Sister. Let me first look into the situation."

Yuan Hongying bid Zhou Qing farewell and left.

Zhou Qing pondered where he stood for a moment, then closed the gate and headed for Wei Kuang's residence.

For matters involving the inner workings of Azure Cloud Sect's various departments, Wei Kuang was the most familiar with them.

Before long, he arrived at Wei Kuang's residence.

After learning why Zhou Qing had come, Wei Kuang said, "I had also been wondering lately why Senior Apprentice had never assigned any tasks. So it turned out that you hadn't received any tasks at all."

Zhou Qing said, "I only noticed today that something was amiss, so I came to ask you. You are far more familiar with Azure Cloud Sect than I am. Can you tell which area might have gone wrong?"

Wei Kuang focused and thought for a while. Suddenly, he frowned, as if something had occurred to him.

Zhou Qing asked, "Do you have a lead?"

Wei Kuang hesitated. "I vaguely heard before that Fang Yuhe is close to Elder Chengguang of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall. Before the hall posts internal affairs tasks, they send someone to notify Fang Yuhe first, allowing him to prepare in advance. Could this be related?"

Zhou Qing said, "If your information is true, then Fang Yuhe is most likely behind this. He is using his informational advantage to snatch up every task as soon as they are issued, then distribute them himself, leaving us with no tasks to take."

Wei Kuang asked in confusion, "But why would he do that?"

Zhou Qing said mockingly, "Nothing more than giving me a show of force. The sect's tasks are resources meant to subsidize disciples. If I cannot receive tasks, that means cutting off one source of resources for my junior brothers and sisters. It also means obstructing their immortal paths."

"What face would a Senior Apprentice in such a state have left to face his junior brothers and sisters?"

Wei Kuang's face filled with indignation. "Damn it! I used to respect him so much!"

Zhou Qing asked, "I am rather curious. What background does this Fang Yuhe have that Elder Chengguang is willing to collude with him like wolves in the same den?"

Wei Kuang said, "One of Fang Yuhe's ancestors is currently in secluded cultivation at Living Dead Cliff."

"The sect has always treated Elders in closed-door cultivation generously. First, because of their resolve to stake their lives on the Dao, and second, because they may one day break out of seclusion and become Golden Core True Persons."

So that was it.

Zhou Qing nodded.

Wei Kuang said, "Senior Apprentice, let us go to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall now and demand an explanation from Elder Chengguang."

Zhou Qing said, "It would be useless. They will not admit it. They could simply claim that I was not attentive enough and missed the task postings, while we have no evidence proving that they colluded."

Wei Kuang said, "For Elder Chengguang to personally deal with Outer Disciples is already a shameful matter. Now that Outer Disciples have come to his door, I refuse to believe that, as a Foundation Establishment expert, he would continue doing something so undignified."

Zhou Qing did not know whether to laugh or cry. This little brother thinks far too well of people.

He was certain that going to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall for an explanation would yield no result. But there was nothing else to do, and ever since arriving at Azure Cloud Sect, he had not returned to Azure Cloud Mountain. He could take the opportunity to have a look around, so he set off with Wei Kuang down Violet Cloud Mountain and toward Azure Cloud Mountain.

Violet Cloud Mountain was more than ten li of mountain road from Azure Cloud Mountain. Neither of them could fly through the air, and it took them nearly half an hour to reach the foot of Azure Cloud Mountain.

As the lowest-ranked of Azure Cloud Sect's four halls, the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall was located near the foot of the mountain.

The two had just stepped through the vermilion gates of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall when they saw several people approaching, chatting and laughing.

Walking at the front was Elder Chengguang.

Chengguang was already over seventy years old, yet he looked like a young man of around thirty. He was short and stout, with a fat body. Though he wore Daoist robes, he looked more like a butcher who had stolen a Daoist priest's clothes and put them on.

To Chengguang's right, chatting and laughing merrily with him, was Fang Yuhe. Behind them followed several stewards from the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, as well as Outer Disciples who frequently associated with Fang Yuhe, including Liu Bingxuan.

At the sight of Zhou Qing and Wei Kuang, the people who had been laughing instantly fell silent. They exchanged looks with secret smiles on their faces, then waited for the two to approach.

"Wei Kuang, I heard that this class's Dao lectures have ended and that a Senior Apprentice has been selected. I imagine the position must have fallen to you. Congratulations."

Elder Chengguang spoke with a beaming smile.

Ignoring Elder Chengguang's words, half mockery and half provocation, Wei Kuang went straight to the point. "Elder, this disciple has come regarding the matter of taking on tasks."

Elder Chengguang said, "To take on tasks, you need only check the notice board on the Spirit Realm Network."

Wei Kuang said, "That is precisely the problem. Our Senior Apprentice has not seen a single task on the notice board for half a month. I ask Elder to give this disciple an explanation."

Elder Chengguang said, "Perhaps he was too lazy and overlooked them."

Wei Kuang's brows shot up. "Why must Elder deceive me? My Senior Apprentice checks the notice board three times a day. Even if he missed something on a particular day, it would be impossible for him to miss everything for half a month. I think it is Elder who has done something with a guilty conscience!"

"Insolence!"

Fang Yuhe shouted sternly, "Wei Kuang, you are becoming more and more unruly. You dare show such disrespect to your elders and superiors? Is this what your Senior Apprentice taught you?"

Wei Kuang still wanted to argue, but suddenly felt a hand settle on his shoulder.

He turned and saw Zhou Qing smiling at him. "Wei Kuang, let's go."

"But..."

"There are no buts."

Zhou Qing said, "Elder is a senior expert. Would he bully us juniors? From now on, I only need to pay twice as much attention to the Spirit Realm Network."