Luban Lock

Tang Zhan was an inner disciple of the Azure Wood Palace and knew far more of the inside story than the others.

According to him, the Azure Wood Palace had reached the limit of its tolerance for the barbarians' incursions.

Great Qi had three sects in all. The Azure Wood Palace was situated farthest north and bore the barbarians' pressure alone.

The Supreme Sword Sect and the Asura Sect lay to the southwest and southeast respectively, bordering no territory of the Barbarian Tribe.

Twenty years ago, during the great war between humans and barbarians, the Supreme Sword Sect and the Asura Sect had also contributed, but they had still been defeated, and the border had retreated eight thousand li.

All that territory had originally belonged to the Azure Wood Palace.

They had already been deeply dissatisfied over the matter, and now that the other two sects continued to stand by with folded arms, the Azure Wood Palace no longer wished to endure it.

Thus, they had steeled themselves: if they were made to face the Barbarian Tribe alone again, the Azure Wood Palace would break the net even if the fish died, offering no resistance and allowing the Barbarian Tribe's army to drive straight in.

When that happened, Great Qi's people would be plunged into misery, and no one could hope to come out well.

The move had indeed worked. According to reliable information, the Supreme Sword Sect and the Asura Sect had sent people to visit the Azure Wood Palace and discuss joining forces against the Barbarian Tribe.

The situation at the border might be turning around.

Everyone was overjoyed to hear the news.

The dark clouds over Qin Fei's heart also dispersed considerably, though he felt it was still no time to relax.

For one thing, Qinghe Market had fallen, leaving a million Rogue Cultivators homeless.

As the largest market in the area, Shangyu Market was bound to see a great influx of displaced people, and unrest was almost inevitable.

Everyone needed to prepare early, lest they lose their lives in the turmoil.

Everyone agreed with the suggestion. They could use the newly established merchant association to purchase the items they needed and strengthen themselves.

Senior Caiyi stood behind the merchant association, so no one would dare make an open move against them.

As long as they did not divert public assets and produced decent results, even Caiyi would turn a blind eye.

After all, this was one of the benefits of setting up the merchant association.

Qin Fei had long since decided what he needed. He asked the merchant association to help him purchase an array. Blocking detection was the bare minimum; ideally, it would also fend off enemies.

After all, his production capacity was expanding, yet there were still only a few simple restrictions in his courtyard. That was rather hard to justify.

If he could obtain a decent array and use it together with his Late Qi Refining Flame Martial Envoy, he would have nothing to worry about.

Such a thing was truly hard to find. Fortunately, the merchant association was there; otherwise, he could only try his luck on the black market.

Tiezhu and the others thumped their chests and promised to notify him as soon as they heard anything.

They exchanged voice transmission talismans. The merchant association would open in a few days, and they would meet again then.

Before leaving, Tiezhu had everyone raise their cups once more and loudly celebrated the five of them joining forces again. Only then did the gathering end.

On his way home, Qin Fei looked at the bustling market and could not help feeling rueful.

Who could have imagined that beneath this prosperity, a tide of refugees numbering in the millions was about to strike?

If Tiezhu and the others had not brought this news back from the Azure Wood Palace, he might still have been in the dark, just like the others on the streets.

The Lin Household must have received the news long ago, yet they had kept it secret all this time.

Perhaps the Lin Household was not ready either, or perhaps they too were waiting for the displaced people to arrive. There was no way to know.

As for Qin Fei, all he could do was strengthen himself so he could gain a firm foothold amid the upheaval.

Back at the courtyard, Qin Fei went underground and plunged into the secret chamber.

The Heavenly Craft Creation Pavilion was about to upgrade, and he wanted to unlock new blueprints before the refugee tide arrived.

But just as he settled down to crafting, a shout suddenly came from the innermost secret chamber.

It was the woman named Yunxiu.

Qin Fei frowned slightly and walked straight up to her.

Yunxiu's complexion had improved considerably, and since she was already quite attractive, she looked rather winsome.

Qin Fei showed her no tenderness, however, and said coldly:

"There was no grudge between us to begin with. You brought the barbarian soldiers to me to save yourself, and that's how you ended up like this. Am I right?"

Yunxiu fell silent. Faced with the facts, she could not argue.

"Now I've offended you. If I let you go and you decide to take revenge, what am I supposed to do?"

Yunxiu did not know how to answer and remained silent.

She wanted to say that she would never take revenge, but she understood that it would mean nothing.

"Although I covet your inheritance, it's protected by a restriction, so I can't obtain it. That means you're no longer of any value to me.

"After thinking it over, it seems killing you is the best choice. Am I right?"

Yunxiu said nothing. She knew Qin Fei was right; in his place, she would have made the same choice.

The Flame Martial Envoy slowly approached from a distance, each step like a heavy hammer striking her heart.

She understood that when the puppet reached her, it would be the moment of her death.

Qin Fei turned and left the secret chamber, seemingly having accepted that outcome.

But when he reached the doorway, an urgent voice finally called out behind him.

"Fellow Daoist, wait. It was indeed wrong of me to lead the barbarian soldiers to you. I offer you my sincere apologies."

"There was no grudge between us to begin with. If I can help you obtain the Heavenly Secrets Sect's inheritance, could you let me go?"

Qin Fei stopped, but his heart remained completely unmoved.

"They say a man's words are kind when death is near, but it seems you have no good intentions."

Yunxiu understood that a single sentence could not persuade him and would only make Qin Fei think she was making excuses, so she continued:

"Last time, you used deception to coax me into reciting the inherited Cultivation Method, but there's a restriction in my body, so that method could never work."

"Even if a Foundation Establishment expert searched my soul directly, it would only scatter my soul, and they still wouldn't achieve their goal."

"Under these circumstances, everything seems to have reached a dead end, but have you considered why the Lin Household still has me wanted?"

Qin Fei studied her quietly. He found her quite clever: rather than pleading for mercy to no purpose, every word she said struck a chord with him.

His interest was indeed aroused, and he gestured for her to continue.

Yunxiu swallowed and went on:

"The Lin Household has me wanted because they know the Thousand Mechanisms Sect has always passed down its teachings through an inheritance item, and that item is on me."

Qin Fei raised an eyebrow, not entirely believing her.

He had already searched her that day and found nothing useful.

"If you really have an inheritance item, I can let you go. But if you're lying to me..."

The Flame Martial Envoy stepped forward, its scorching presence pressing down on her until she could barely breathe.

"I understand, but there's one thing I must make clear beforehand."

"The Heavenly Secrets Sect's inheritance isn't recorded in books or passed down by word of mouth. It's all hidden in the inheritance item, and how much one can comprehend depends entirely on one's own talent."

"I can hand it over for you to study, Fellow Daoist, but if you fail to comprehend anything, you can't make trouble for me afterward."

Qin Fei glanced at her and said coolly:

"You don't seem to be in a position to bargain."

Yunxiu dared say no more. She took a deep breath, then pressed one hand to the center of her brow.

Her face gradually contorted, and she seemed to be suffering tremendous pain.

But she did not stop, instead continuing to circulate her Qi.

Before long, she suddenly opened her mouth and spat out a strange object made from just a few interlocking wooden pieces.

"Hah-"

After taking several heavy breaths, Yunxiu's complexion improved somewhat.

She picked up the strange object she had just spat out and explained:

"This is my Heavenly Secrets Sect's inheritance wood lock. If you can unlock it, the truth will reveal itself. You'll know whether I'm telling the truth as soon as you look at it.

"I should warn you beforehand, Fellow Daoist, this lock is extremely difficult to solve, and each person can only try once. Once you fail, you'll never have another chance."

Yunxiu handed the inheritance item over, but a trace of slyness flashed deep in her eyes.

Although she had warned him that it was difficult, she had not said that the wood lock had a total of 108 lock faces, and that the difficulty doubled with each one solved.

Even in the Heavenly Secrets Sect, no one had ever fully solved it.

Even she herself had only solved a dozen or so stages and obtained some Qi Refinement Cultivation Method mnemonics.

As for Qin Fei, he had fallen into thought as soon as Yunxiu produced the inheritance wood lock.

It was not because the object was marvelous, but because:

He recognized the wood lock.

In his previous life, it had been called a "Luban Lock."