Shifting Responsibilities Conceal Hidden Rifts, a Fading Light Casts an Auspicious Sign on Life and Decline

(Thanks to the God of Super Orichalcos for the 10,000 coins)

---- Phoenix Cry Prefecture, Office of the Duke of Qin

The hall was surrounded by many high-ranking officials. Sha Shan's embarrassed and ashamed expression gradually turned into indignation. His injuries were not serious, but his robes were disheveled and he looked rather pathetic.

The expressions of the high-ranking officials in the hall varied. Some, like the advisor Xu Lingzhi, were filled with righteous indignation; others, like the bodyguard Gui Baifu, remained calm and composed; and still others, like the chief clerk Zhu Tong, seemed lost in thought.

If an outsider were to see this, they would probably find it quite amusing.

However, the atmosphere in the hall couldn't remain silent forever. Finally, after being reminded by her colleague beside her, Zhu Tong came back to her senses and coughed lightly.

"We are all ministers in the same court, how could we make things so awkward? It's hardly a pleasant situation."

Upon hearing this, Sha Shan's resentment deepened, and his tone betrayed a hint of anger. "Judging from what Chief Clerk Zhu saying, it seems this matter is going to be blamed on me?!"

"Commander Sha, you flatter me. What grudges are there? What's a little disagreement between colleagues over official business?! I'll find a day to invite Marquis of Martial Peace out for a banquet, so I can apologize to Commander Sha."

Qin Sufu's attempt to smooth things over had barely left his lips when Sha Shan coldly snorted, "Ha, you, apologize?!"

After uttering those three words and revealing his dissatisfaction, Sha Shan never looked at Qin Sufu, the military commander, again. Because of the latter's background, even though Qin Sufu had been in the Office of the Duke of Qin's mansion for a long time, Sha Shan really didn't think much of him.

"Commander Qin is about to be appointed as a high-ranking official in another region. He just needs to settle all the details of his departure. Since this matter involves the Duke's personal guards, you don't need to worry about it too much."

Xu Lingzhi spoke with an air of righteous indignation, as if she had no recollection that she herself was facing the same experience of being sent to a post outside the capital as Qin Sufu.

Qin Sufu remained unfazed despite being snubbed by both men.

He was clearly used to such scenes in the Office of the Duke of Qin. He didn't get angry when his attempt to smooth things over was rejected, nor did he care about the looks he was getting.

He simply withdrew his scepter without making a sound, returned to the ranks of people, and remained silent.

Zhu Tong, who was presiding over the meeting, sighed deeply. People from the capital were used to being arrogant and spoiled, and he was already used to it. He knew that this trend was a bad thing, but he, who also came from a humble background, had no intention of saying a word.

If it weren't for the fortunate opportunity he had in his early years to become a disciple of the chief disciple of the Chancellor Gui, his situation in this hall today wouldn't be much better than Qin Sufu's.

Xu Lingzhi, having gained the upper hand, showed no pride, only taking it for granted. Afterwards, she swaggered into the hall and loudly proclaimed, "The Duke's personal guards are the Duke's personal guards. Kang Dabao's disobedience to the Duke's personal guards is tantamount to disobeying the Duke."

According to Xu, the registrar should issue a letter on behalf of the duke, summoning him to the court for questioning and reprimand. This would also help to rectify the conduct of families within his jurisdiction and serve as a warning to others.

Even though Zhu Tong that these young masters from the Aristocratic Clan were extremely arrogant, after hearing these words, his expression still became unusually distorted and strange.

On the contrary, Gui Baifu had always been of one mind with Xu Lingzhi, stood up and said something fair:

"The title of Marquis of Wuning Prefecture was personally bestowed by the Emperor, and he has distinguished himself in battle. How can he be treated so lightly?! Furthermore, with the Duke absent, who in the Duke's mansion has a higher rank than him?! And who can step forward to speak up and punish him?!"

Surely this trivial matter shouldn't be brought before the Prince Consort himself! Should we expect him to personally intervene?! Gentlemen, if that's the case, it's likely a small matter will escalate into a major conflict, and neither side will gain any advantage.

Gui Baifu was indeed of extraordinary status, and he and Zhu Tong had always been in perfect harmony. When he spoke, his words carried a weight a level higher than those of the others.

As soon as the words were spoken, all the cultivators in the hall fell into deep thought. After a period of silence, Sha Shan, still unwilling to give up, finally spoke up, his words filled with righteous indignation:

"Even if what Gui Qinwei said is truly insightful, this matter still needs a public discussion. If there is no resolution, and everyone follows the arrogant behavior of the Chongming Sect, what will become of the authority of the government?! What will become of the established order and etiquette?!"

What Sha Shan said resonated with all the cultivators in the hall.

In the Office of the Duke of Qin's mansion today, there's hardly any room left for cultivators from the surrounding areas. For most of the scions of powerful families from the capital region, there's no habit of reasoning with local cultivators.

Having arrogance ingrained in their very bones, they had long since become accustomed to the local cultivators' obsequiousness.

Let alone vying for a fleeing demon within the Gongfu Road, even those who covet Spirit Vein, blessed mountains, precious objects, and beautiful women will be offered up by sensible individuals at the opportune moment.

The prejudices in their hearts cannot be erased by the small amount of "local produce" that Kang Dabao has never been late with on holidays and birthdays. If things were normal, many places might even offer some convenience.

However, the mere sight of the Chongming Sect committing what they perceived as rebellious acts provoked their widespread anger.

As the noise in the hall gradually increased, Zhu Tong could no longer maintain his detached demeanor. He could only raise his hand in a gesture of restraint, and after the hall quieted down, he spoke calmly again:

"Commander Sha, don't be anxious, he will explain to you. Since this matter occurred in Cloud Horn Prefecture of Shannan Circuit, it is the Earl of Fengen's responsibility to handle it."

He was also a nobleman personally bestowed by the current emperor, and a disciple of the Prince of the South. Moreover, he was always resolute and strong-willed, so he could not bear to see Commander Sha suffer such humiliation at the hands of Kang Dabao.

I believe that if we jointly write a letter and send it to the Shannan Circuit General Administration Office, the Earl of Fengen will know how to handle this matter.

"Given this incident, instead of questioning the Duke's office, the governor is ordering one governor to attack another. Regardless of the final outcome, this will likely damage the Duke's prestige. Your words, sir, are rather inappropriate."

Xu Lingzhi responded in a deep voice, clearly dissatisfied with what Zhu Tong had said.

After he said this, the quiet in the hall turned into a great commotion again. Gui Baifu frowned, thought for a while, but still remained silent.

Zhu Tong looked around, sighed inwardly, but didn't hesitate for long before speaking again:

"Since you gentlemen are unwilling to follow my suggestion, then let us jointly petition the Prince Consort and see what kind of assignment he will give after he finds out."

The other cultivators also objected, clearly harboring some resentment towards this Silver Saber Prince Consort, who came from a similarly humble background.

After all, they're not True Person, and it's rare to get close to them. If I were to actually go and ask for a meeting to explain the whole story, there's no guarantee that things wouldn't get complicated and I'd end up getting caught up in the gossip.

Seeing that his proposals had been met with disapproval from the other cultivators in the hall, Zhu Tong also adopted an embarrassed expression.

"I, Zhu, am of limited talent and lack any other solutions. However, the Duke's mansion is currently filled with wise men and exceptional individuals. Therefore, I request that you all seek other capable advisors; I will no longer concern myself with this matter."

After speaking, Zhu Tong simply waved his hand and left. The cultivators in the hall reacted indifferently, as if they had become accustomed to it.

Only after Zhu Tong's figure disappeared from the cultivators' sight did someone realize. "Why didn't anyone stop her?"

"Who knew that Chief Clerk Zhu would act so casually?" Sha Shan seemed to realize this too, and turned to look at Gui and Xu: "Brothers, what should we do now?!"

Xu Lingzhi's face was extremely ugly. He hadn't expected Zhu Tong to actually abandon the mess. It wouldn't have mattered if the person in charge left, but if that person was also responsible, then it was rather embarrassing.

Knowing that family members know their own affairs, Xu Lingzhi felt that it was difficult to bring over the Nascent Soul ancestor of her family at the moment. If she were to take the lead and offend Kang Dabao, who was nicknamed "the one who holds grudges," to death, it probably wouldn't be a happy thing.

Neither he nor the most indignant Sha Shan had any ideas for the time being, so they all hoped that Gui Baifu came from the best family, would speak up.

The latter did not refuse, but instead said:

"Since there is no set procedure, then let us follow what Chief Clerk Zhu suggested earlier and ask the Shannan Circuit General Administration Office to question Chongming Sect and have the Earl of Fengen seek an explanation from the Marquis of Martial Peace."

Sha, Xu, and the others were still dissatisfied, but none of them dared to challenge the Sect Leader Kang Da himself. So they all listened to Gui Baifu's words and sent a joint letter.

However, when Qin Sufu stepped forward to affix the seal of the Commander, Sha Shan coldly shouted, "Commander Qin, how long do you intend to keep this public meeting a secret?!"

The former had no intention of arguing, but seeing that the Sha Shan had already stepped forward and were blocking his way, he calmly and respectfully asked:

"If Commander Sha is so worried, he can ask the Duke to refrain from sending anyone to the Military Academy during the next meeting at the Duke's residence and to wait for further instructions."

Seeing that all eyes were drawn to their argument, Gui Baifu sensed that the divide between the Earth and Guest cultivators in the Duke's mansion had deepened. He immediately realized what was happening and called out, "Fellow Daoist Sha."

Sha Shan wasn't entirely ignorant of the bigger picture; however, as he stepped aside, he coldly said, "I hope Commander Qin knows better than to act rashly."

Qin Sufu didn't even respond, but simply clasped his hands in thanks to Gui Baifu, sealed the seal, and left.

This unexpected turn of events silenced the previously lively hall. Gui Baifu sensed something was wrong and, watching Zhu Tong's departing figure, sighed softly to himself, "You're quite clever; you managed to clean up the mess perfectly."

Gui Baifu's fingertips rubbed the cold teacup on the corner of the table, his gaze sweeping over the scattered brushes and ink in the hall.

The edges of the jointly signed memorial scroll were slightly curled by the candlelight, as if no one had the confidence to actually hand it over.

The night wind outside the corridor blew into the window frame, stirring up a few pieces of paper that had fallen to the ground. One of them was a crooked ink mark that Qin Sufu had accidentally smeared when he stamped the paper, which was just like the chaotic state of the Duke's mansion at this moment.

He raised his hand and extinguished the half-burnt candle. As the firelight dimmed, the sound of the guards changing shifts suddenly came from afar, the clappers striking the blue bricks with a somewhat urging tone.

"What the ancestor said is true. This empire of the Kuang Household cannot be cleaned up by just having more Nascent Soul emerge from the Kuang Household. The Office of the Duke of Qin was clearly newly established, and the dukes of the mansion should have been ministers of the prince's residence."

But where is there even a trace of newness within? It remains exactly the same as the imperial court, rife with corruption. This world can only be saved if the founding emperor were to escape his predicament!

Once the joint memorial scroll was covered with official seals, Gui Baifu didn't say a word to the others and turned to step out of the hall.

His robe brushed lightly against the dust on the threshold, leaving a barely perceptible trace that was instantly swept away by the night wind.

Just like the barriers and hidden worries in the hearts of the cultivators in the hall, they seem to have disappeared, but in fact they have long been rooted and are just waiting for a spark to ignite.

---- Yangming Mountain

Sect Leader Kang Da was unaware of the squabbling and intrigue within the Office of the Duke of Qin's mansion. Ever since obtaining the Mani Treasure Leaf from Gada, he had returned to the sect without delay.

After landing, he first instructed his disciples to spread the word that Yuan Jin, the second elder of the Chongming Sect, had recently obtained Core Formation and was going into seclusion to form the Core Formation, refusing to see any outsiders. Only then did he go to Green Lotus Courtyard, find his wife's younger sister Fei Wanqing, and solemnly hand over the Mani Treasure Leaf to her.

"I've managed to fulfill my mission and live up to the old master's expectations," Kang Dabao said with a sigh of relief, while Fei Wanqing's beautiful eyes were filled with astonishment.

They had all heard their two elders say that the Mani Treasure Leaf was extremely rare, but they never imagined that their brother-in-law would have such skill, managing to obtain it in such a short time.

The matter was of great importance, so Fei Wanqing didn't say much more. She simply held the Mani Treasure Leaf carefully in her bosom and thanked her profusely.

"This treasure concerns the future of the Ying Prefecture Fei Household, Wanqing I cannot linger. I will certainly explain my brother-in- Wanqing's great contribution to the two elders."

Although this was exactly what Sect Leader Kang Da wanted, upon hearing Fei Wanqing's words, he still had to say magnanimously, "It's our own business, why be so formal? As long as we haven't delayed the important matters of the two elders, that's good enough."

A hint of gratitude welled up in Fei Wanqing's eyes. Just as she was about to take her leave, she heard Kang Dabao speak up, "The journey to Ying Prefecture is quite long. I wonder if Wanqing is prepared?"

"Ancestor Tianqin said that as long as a message is sent to him, he will wait at the Chen Craft School in the Desert Sea Circuit. Ancestor Tianqin said that the Chen Craft School leader, Guyangzi, is a close junior, so there is no need to worry."

The Sect Leader Kang Da had traveled to Ying Prefecture several times before, and after hearing what Fei Wanqing said, he immediately reviewed the geography along the way in his mind.

Having calculated that the Desert Sea Circuit was located between the two places, I felt much more at ease.

However, being extremely cautious, after pondering for a while, he still asked, "Isn't it necessary to ask a few sect leaders in Phoenix Cry Prefecture to escort us along the way?!"

"At this time, the clan elders are all figures who have come under the scrutiny of others. Making any rash moves could lead to unforeseen complications," Fei Wanqing replied crisply, then explained further, "Ancestor Ye Shui has bestowed upon Wanqing the method of concealment and movement, so my brother-in-law need not worry."

"Yes, that's good."

---Several months later, in Capital Circuit, Ying Prefecture Fei Household

Fei Tianqin entered Fei Ye Shui's cultivation cave with a joyful expression. After arriving at the Core-Embracing Terrace, he still hadn't seen Fei Ye Shui's true form. He immediately felt that the abundant Spiritual Qi in the cave seemed to contain wisps of deathly energy, which was extremely repulsive.

The old bird's originally bright mood immediately dimmed considerably. It then used its Divine Sense to locate the spot before flapping its wings to find Fei Ye Shui in front of it.

Fei Ye Shui, already looking quite old, now showed signs of fatigue as he leaned against the black jade couch.

Her white hair was not tied up, but scattered on the edge of the bed. Each strand of hair was like withered grass that had been exposed to frost and snow for a hundred years, with a dry gray color. A few strands clung to her cheeks, and you could even see the slightly brittle cracks at the ends of the hairs, as if they would break at the slightest touch.

His eye sockets were sunken, as if his Spiritual Qi had been drained away, but his pupils were not completely cloudy; occasionally, a glint of light would flash in his dim yellow pupils.

Like a spark suddenly bursting forth from a candle in the wind, it was instantly swallowed by death, yet it shone brightly in that very moment, clearly relying on sheer willpower to hold on and prevent its Divine Sense from collapsing.

Hearing Fei Tianqin's footsteps, he slowly raised his eyes. When his dim yellow pupils turned to the person coming, a very faint trace of dullness flashed across them, and then the golden light shone brightly again.

His voice, as if squeezed from rotten wood, was so hoarse it was almost inaudible, yet every word was enunciated precisely. "It's my brother! How did it go, Kang boy?!"

"It's done," Fei Tianqin said, forcing a smile as he took the Mani Treasure Leaf from the feather. "I brought Wanqing back to the clan's territory today, and I checked the quality of this Mani Treasure Leaf on the way; it's indeed genuine."

"Indeed, my foolish brother was not mistaken." Fei Ye Shui took the Mani Treasure Leaf into his hand, carefully examined its veins, and then praised, "As expected of something Original Response Temple distributed to this generation of Buddhist disciples, it is truly of Higher Vehicle."

With a flick of his sleeve, a jade-colored dressing case appeared before him. He pointed, and the top layer of the case opened. Fei Tianqin, seeing two more Mani Treasure Leaf inside, exclaimed in surprise:

"How come my brother still has such a treasure?!"

"Where are these treasures?!" Fei Ye Shui shook his head and smiled, "They were all obtained from elsewhere by my foolish younger brother through racking his brains and exhausting all means while you were picking up Wanqing, brother."

Seeing that Fei Tianqin still seemed puzzled, Fei Ye Shui explained further, "How can we entrust all our hopes to a junior when it concerns the very survival of our clan?! We must seek stability within stability to make things right."

Fei Tianqin agreed wholeheartedly and nodded repeatedly.

Fei Ye Shui then carefully examined each of the spiritual materials in the dressing case in front of Fei Tianqin. Not only the Mani Treasure Leaf, but also other precious items, she had also made extra preparations.

He was clearly drawn to this last, high-quality Mani Treasure Leaf; even the dimness in his eyes brightened, and his withered fingertips trembled in mid-air before he could barely steady himself with the incantation to draw the hexagram.

The skin at the knuckles was taut and shiny, like thin paper stuck to bone, as if it would crack at the slightest pressure.

"Buzz--"

As the incantation was performed, the hundreds of yellow oracle bone inscriptions embedded in the stone wall suddenly emitted a warm yellow spiritual light.

The light patterns flowed along the ancient engravings on the oracle bone inscriptions, starting as just a few scattered points, gradually connecting into thin lines, like stars being stirred by the wind, flickering layer by layer from the bottom to the top of the stone wall.

Finally, all the spiritual light gathered in mid-air above the Altar of Core-Embracing Terrace to form a fragmented yet coherent Qian hexagram. Dust from the edges of the hexagram fell down in a flurry, yet it never dissipated.

Fei Ye Shui's gaze was fixed on the hexagram, her breathing barely a whisper. She swallowed hard before interpreting it in a hoarse yet remarkably clear voice. "The first line of the Qian hexagram is 'Hidden dragon in the abyss,' and the fifth line is 'Flying dragon riding the clouds'—this is an omen of 'the dragon will eventually emerge from its hiding place, and the ancestral fire will never be extinguished!'"

As soon as he finished speaking, Fei Ye Shui couldn't help but cough twice. For the first time ever, a faint blush appeared on his withered cheeks, and his wrinkles gathered together, as if a stone that had been pressing on his heart for a long time had finally been moved half an inch.

The deathly aura clinging to Fei Ye Shui's sleeves seemed to shrink back under the pressure of the divination's spiritual light, yet it remained like an inescapable fog, clinging to the armrests of the Xuan Yu couch.

He raised his hand and pointed at the divination symbol. When the spiritual light at his fingertips touched the symbol, tiny specks of light fell onto the back of his hand, only to be instantly swallowed by the deathly aura.

Fei Ye Shui didn't care at all, staring at the divination chart and said, "Brother, look at this divination chart. Although it's incomplete, there's no flaw in the 'the dragon soaring too high will regret it' sign! This shows that the clan will survive this time without any fear of collapse!"

As he spoke, his voice still trembled, but it was filled with a forced strength, as if he wanted to use the auspicious meaning of the divination to force back the death energy in his body.

Fei Tianqin suppressed his inner turmoil and, looking at Fei Ye Shui's pale face with concern, said, "Brother, where could you have made a mistake in your divination? It is undoubtedly auspicious! Our Ying Prefecture Fei Household will surely prosper for generations to come."

Fei Ye Shui seemed somewhat oblivious to the oddity in Fei Tianqin's words, but simply insisted firmly, "Yes, yes, brother is absolutely right. After much hardship, I, Fei Ye Shui, have finally gathered all the precious items, bringing new life to the Fei Household!!"

After he finished speaking, a chill ran through his voice:

"The Baili Household, the Wen Mountain Cult, the Yuelu Su Household —they are all wolves and tigers!! But I must let you know why my Ying Prefecture Fei Household can be called the most powerful family in the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty!!"

"Brother, you should return to Phoenix Cry Prefecture."

Looking at the forced light in Fei Ye Shui's eyes, Fei Tianqin swallowed back the words of advice that were on the tip of his tongue, and only bowed and replied, "Don't worry, brother, I will set off back to Phoenix Cry Prefecture now, and I will keep an eye on which wind direction is best."

As the old bird turned around, his sharp eyes caught a glimpse of Fei Ye Shui's withered hand gripping the edge of the Xuan Yu couch tightly, his knuckles white. The deathly aura that had just been driven back by the spiritual light of the divination had wrapped around his sleeves like vines, and even the divination inscriptions on the yellow jade tablet beside the couch seemed to have darkened a bit.

The moment he stepped out of the cave, a low cough, barely suppressed, came from behind him, causing Fei Tianqin to pause, but he didn't dare to turn around.

It feared seeing Fei Ye Shui's pale complexion after the faint red faded, and even more so, it feared shattering the auspicious omen of "the dragon will eventually emerge from its hiding place, and the ancestral fire will never be extinguished," which could not conceal the withering of human life.

The wind outside the cave entrance carried the spiritual essence of the tribe, but it could not dispel the melancholy in Fei Tianqin's heart.

Chaos in the imperial court of the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, and the conflict between the local people and the Hakka in Phoenix Cry Prefecture.

Although there are many things outside that are difficult to get along with, none of them can compare to the anxiety caused by the lifeless aura of the broken hexagram on Core-Embracing Terrace.

As he took off, Fei Tianqin couldn't help but glance in the direction of the cave. He saw that glimmer of light flash in the thick clouds before being swallowed by the twilight.