Chapter 846: Entering the Game

Chen Yang traveled by wind, and the whole group hurried back in high spirits. The man in the black robe stroked his beard and smiled, looking very pleased. Fei Tongcai, meanwhile, chatted with his cousin, Fei Tonglu, about old times, laughing uncontrollably.

During their cultivation, their ancestor, Fei Wangbai, had been publicly slain by Si Yuanli with a single sword. This event had become a deep-seated trauma for every member of the Fei family. Yet, as the two now reminisced about the past, their faces were alight with happy smiles, utterly devoid of any shadow.

Upon crossing the river, they were met by a gathering of Fei family members who came to greet them. Unaware of the reason for the two men's immense joy, the others simply joined in the cheerful banter as they proceeded towards the lake.

To their surprise, as they reached the northern shore of the lake, they saw a well-mannered and elegant Foundation Establishment cultivator standing by the bank. It was Cui Jueyin, who was supposed to be guarding the river.

Cui Jueyin’s smile faltered slightly. He came face-to-face with Chen Yang and was about to speak, but Chen Yang, looking bright and cheerful, loudly declared:

"Greetings, Lord Cui! What a coincidence!"

This outburst left Cui Jueyin stunned and bewildered. Who was Chen Yang? Normally, he spoke in a deep, powerful voice and seldom smiled. Where did this boisterous, laughing demeanor come from? His relaxed features made him look almost unrecognizable.

"Protector Chen…"

Cui Jueyin responded, his expression of doubt slowly receding, and spoke gently:

"I am here by order of the Head Family to escort Protector Chen and Fellow Daoist Fei to the lake. The grand formation at Cold Cloud Peak requires repairs. Please proceed to the nearest manor peak to rest. I will not accompany you further."

Fei Tongcai nodded repeatedly, then sent the rest of the group back with Fei Qingya. He and Chen Yang separated from them, joining Cui Jueyin’s side, and flew towards the lake. Upon arriving at the grand hall, they found it completely deserted.

Cui Jueyin closed the main doors and smiled at Fei Tongcai:

"Fellow Daoist, please rest for a moment. I will take Protector Chen to make our report."

Fei Tongcai nodded with a faint smile.

Fei Tongcai’s demeanor towards him was peculiar. Despite being merely a Qi Refining cultivator from the Fei family, he showed no deference or fear towards Cui Jueyin, a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator. Instead, he treated him with an unusual familiarity, as though they were colleagues.

Chen Yang witnessed this without the slightest hint of displeasure. He accompanied Cui Jueyin out of the hall and said with a smile:

"Lord Cui, I encountered a true genius in Jiangbei… someone with an unyielding spirit, whose will cannot be broken by intimidation…"

Cui Jueyin, however, showed a flicker of reluctance, seemingly disinclined to listen, and interrupted:

"What about Fei Qingya…?"

"We can discuss that in detail later!"

The two entered the hall, which remained empty except for Li Jiangqian, who sat grim-faced in the center, his eyes narrowed. He looked wary, as though two fearsome beasts had just entered.

As Chen Yang and the other man stood before the hall, Cui Jueyin bowed deeply, while Chen Yang offered a slight gesture of respect. Li Jiangqian, meanwhile, set down his vermilion brush, lowered his head to read the scrolls, and said nothing.

The atmosphere in the hall instantly became heavy. Chen Yang's cheerful smile slowly stiffened. Cui Jueyin knelt steadfastly on the ground, a faint sheen of sweat appearing on his neck. The entire grand hall remained utterly silent.

As time slowly ticked by, Cui Jueyin finally spoke in a low voice:

"Reporting, Patriarch… I fear… Baiku Commandery truly is… where that person has taken residence."

Chen Yang remained standing rigidly, his face etched with confusion, a sight that made Cui Jueyin sweat profusely. Then, they heard Li Jiangqian softly say:

"Wake Lord Chen up."

Cui Jueyin quickly rose, performed hand seals, and cast several spells in succession. Yet, Chen Yang remained unresponsive. Left with no other choice, Cui Jueyin rolled up his sleeves and, taking Chen Yang by surprise, slapped him hard across the face twice.

"Slap! Slap!"

Both blows were delivered with considerable force, leaving Chen Yang's cheeks flushed. He stumbled back two steps with a dazed expression before collapsing to his knees with a thud. His lips trembled uncontrollably, as if he wanted to speak, but no sound escaped him.

Li Jiangqian could only rise, still avoiding looking at Chen Yang, and turned his face to the side. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed wisps of purple smoke drifting and swirling on the ground. Seizing the moment, he bowed respectfully and said:

"Greetings, True Person!"

A woman in an autumn-yellow robe then stepped into the hall from outside. Cui Jueyin reacted swiftly, bowing respectfully. Only Chen Yang remained standing rigidly in the hall, cupping his hands and asking:

"May I inquire which True Person is before me…?"

At this, Li Jiangqian was at a loss for words. He could only remain kneeling and respectfully pleaded:

"True Person, I beg you… please save him…"

Fortunately, Tinglan was quite magnanimous and acted as if she hadn't heard. She joined two fingers together and lightly touched Chen Yang's glabella.

Chen Yang immediately stumbled back a step. His two eyeballs instantly turned a bright yellow, then burst into a brilliant light, incinerating completely and leaving only two dark, empty sockets. He collapsed to the ground with a thud, and the back of his clothes became visibly drenched.

He fumbled around for a moment, then, ignoring the dripping blood and tears, began to kowtow with thudding sounds. Tinglan casually picked up a sheet of Xuan paper from the desk, then took a vermilion brush and, with a few swift strokes, sketched a pair of eyes.

She then tossed it towards Chen Yang's face, and two eyeballs sprang forth from his dark, empty sockets. Only a blank sheet of Xuan paper floated gently to the ground.

Tinglan had not yet achieved the Life Divine Ability, so the technique of disabling his eyes first and then creating new ones was clearly a clever workaround. She allowed Chen Yang a moment to recover, then softly spoke:

"Now that all your respective roles are complete, the True Monarch has naturally appeared. This is rather good; finding the Master so quickly saves us a lot of future trouble…"

Her tone was light. She looked at Chen Yang, who was still bowing his head, and smiled:

"You're quite capable indeed, to still be able to sweat in the Master's presence."

Chen Yang’s eyes now held only profound terror and apprehension. His hands, propped on the ground, appeared pale and trembled slightly. Li Jiangqian then respectfully offered:

"Reporting, True Person, there is still a Qi Refining cultivator present who personally witnessed the Master's return. He is nearby… Would you like to see him?"

Tinglan shook her head, took her seat at the head of the hall, her expression betraying a slight shock, and gently said:

"There’s no need to see him. He’s beyond saving. His original consciousness has been utterly annihilated. What remains is merely the person the Master believes him to be. If the Master thinks he is cheerful, he will be cheerful; if the Master thinks he is optimistic, he will be optimistic. Should the Master ever decide he ought to rescue him, he would pick up a blade and go, and no one could ever bring him back."

"As for… you…"

Tinglan glanced at Chen Yang and softly continued:

"After all, you are at Foundation Establishment, and I intervened promptly. Just lie low until the Master departs, and this matter will be considered resolved."

In that brief period, Li Jiangqian had observed a great deal. Chen Yang's abnormal behavior, and Cui Jueyin's ultimate unawareness, clearly indicated a much broader influence. He then whispered:

"Should he be isolated from everyone… and kept alone…?"

Tinglan pondered for a moment before replying:

"That’s up to you. As long as no one mentions anything about the Master, he is harmless to people and animals. However, it's still advisable to limit contact."

"As for that young girl…"

Tinglan swept her gaze across the group again and softly said:

"Provide her with a quiet environment and have a few female cultivators from the Fei family live with her. There's no need to select talented ones."

Li Jiangqian quickly nodded and bowed respectfully:

"This junior understands."

Tinglan said meaningfully:

"You must understand, the Master will depart sooner or later, but these girls may not be able to leave. Even mortals become highly desirable; not a single piece of their remains would be left. If they are cultivators… their utility would be immense. The unruly and difficult ones are not suitable, but the gentle, amiable, or even aloof and pure ones… these are truly excellent material."

Li Jiangqian slightly raised his head, and understanding dawned on him instantly. A murderous intent flared within him, but he quickly regained his composure and respectfully said:

"Many thanks for your guidance, True Person!"

Tinglan then leisurely stated:

"Ning Wan is overseeing Li Quantao, his son, and the affairs in Jiangbei. It just so happened that I made this trip."

She looked at Li Jiangqian and smiled:

"The Li clan truly embodies the Wei Li, and Li Zhouwei is indeed a genuine White Qilin. This is excellent; they can even surpass the Tu Long Clan!"

Tinglan’s words seemed out of the blue, yet Li Jiangqian understood them perfectly. It was clear she meant that he, Li Jiangqian, remained largely unaffected and could calmly issue commands amidst these changes, which in turn solidified the True Person’s — and indeed, other True Persons’ — confidence in the Li family’s bloodline.

'A Son of the White Qilin… possessing a Golden Core bloodline… only such could partially escape the Master's influence.'

After speaking, she dissipated into purple smoke. Li Jiangqian respectfully bade her farewell, then calmly raised his head and took his seat at the head of the hall. Below, Chen Yang was drenched in sweat, clearly harboring a deep fear regarding his actions throughout the journey.

Li Jiangqian paused for a moment, then smiled:

"Protector Chen! Regarding the True Person’s divine decree… how should we select these Fei family women?"

Chen Yang respectfully replied:

"Fei family members who are prone to jealousy, restless, troublesome, and not closely related to our main lineage… supplemented by one or two gentle, kind, and kin-related Fei family members."

"A group of female cultivators will inevitably lead to disputes. We will provide them with resources, and if the Master finds himself displeased here and seeks some amusement, it will allow him to quickly vent his frustrations. In any case, the Fei family serves as his maternal lineage, and with his tight schedule, he will not linger in Jiangnan."

Li Jiangqian smiled:

"It seems Protector Chen has truly returned."

He picked up his brush and mused:

'The True Person's intention is quite clear. I wonder what the various immortal sects will think of Fei Qingya when the time comes. It's best to estrange her from the Fei family beforehand; this benefits both our family and the immortal sects, as it's an awkward matter.'

'Come to think of it, the last incident involving Chu Yi occurred in Yufu Commandery, right near the Purple Smoke Sect…'

Li Jiangqian briefly lifted his head, quickly made a connection, and then looked up to ask:

"That highly sought-after Qian Lizi from Purple Smoke's Shepherd Peak… she must be a hundred years old by now, Protector Cui. Do you know her real name?"

Cui Jueyin pondered for a moment:

"It seems… her surname is Han? As for her given name… that's very difficult to ascertain. She has cultivated under her Daoist title since joining the sect, making it hard to inquire about her original name."

"I understand."

Li Jiangqian nodded, lost in deep thought, and softly said:

"Protector Chen will be solely responsible for all matters concerning Fei Qingya. Everyone who has previously had contact with her will be replaced by female attendants. The peaks where she cultivates will also be sealed off, preventing anyone else from entering…"

"Especially my own family members."

Li Jiangqian had already made his plans.

'Since True Person Tinglan stated that whatever the Master perceives becomes reality, Chen Yang is now an amiable elder. Perhaps if he had gone earlier, that dissolute youth would have intervened, causing Chen Yang to draw his sword to assist, and thus setting a three-month pact…'

'Since he is now an amiable elder representing my Li family, any issues at Cold Cloud Peak will likely not fall upon the Li clan. Let them handle it themselves…'

He added one more instruction to reassure Chen Yang:

"Normally, you don't need to make contact. When the True Monarch arrives, find an excuse to enter seclusion. There will be no need for you to meet him again…"

"Yes!"

Chen Yang’s expression gradually calmed. He accepted the order and exited to the side. Li Jiangqian pondered for a moment, then instructed:

"Have Fei Qingyi come in."

Soon, the man entered from outside the hall. He had been confined to the continent since his breakthrough, unable to even leave the grand hall. His face was now etched with unease. He bowed before the hall and cautiously said:

"Greetings, Patriarch."

A deep sense of exasperation appeared on Li Jiangqian’s face. He stepped down, speaking with a tone of profound disappointment, as if scolding someone for not living up to their potential:

"True Person Tinglan just departed!"

This startled Fei Qingyi, who immediately prostrated himself, greatly alarmed. Li Jiangqian simply continued:

"How many times have I told you! Jiangbei is a critical matter for the True Person, and there are countless Purple Mansion cultivators involved. You nearly ruined their important affairs! If it weren't for the intervention from the lake, the entire Fei family would have become nothing more than a stepping stone for others!"

Fei Qingyi had never considered the situation so dire. He remained frozen in place, listening as Li Jiangqian said coldly:

"Listen carefully. Fei Tongcai has been afflicted by a spell, and no one is to see him. I will assign him to guard a ferry crossing near Jiangbei, a position within the continent that comes with several times the resources your clan receives, and much better treatment. When the time is right, we will retrieve him."

Fei Qingyi quickly began to express his gratitude, but Li Jiangqian waved his hand and softly said:

"There's an even more critical matter… Though Fei Qingya herself may not know, she is now the reincarnation of a True Person, and no longer truly a member of your Fei family. Several True Persons have specifically instructed that her cultivation method is unique, preventing her from becoming entangled in worldly affairs. She is not to see anyone and must cultivate at your Cold Cloud Peak. I will seal off those peaks and assign a few individuals to accompany her in her cultivation. If anyone from your family disturbs her, it will be a grave crime, leading to the annihilation of your entire clan."

Fei Qingyi had never imagined his family would face such a situation. His heart was filled with dread:

'Without the Purple Mansion realm, what right does one have to know anything at all? We are merely cannon fodder.'

Li Jiangqian continued:

"I am only entrusting you with this secret so that you may better manage your Fei family members. If it were to be leaked, attracting enemies, not only would your Fei family be utterly annihilated for harboring her, but our lakeside would also suffer immense repercussions."

His tone softened considerably as he quietly added:

"Fellow Daoist Fei, these matters are of utmost secrecy, known only to a select few including myself and Lord Cui. I am only telling you this out of deep respect for the friendship between our two families. This situation is now extremely grave. Because a direct descendant of your family appeared and disrupted the arrangements of others, and out of consideration for my family's reputation, they could not simply kill her. All the Purple Mansion cultivators are exceedingly displeased."

"This humble cultivator understands!"

Fei Qingyi’s hand, extended from his sleeve, was trembling. Li Jiangqian sighed:

"This individual reincarnated into Fei Qingya… in her previous life, she cultivated the 'Path of Heartlessness,' which is why she now cultivates Cold Qi. If you remain quiet and mind your own business, nothing untoward will occur. However, if you become too involved or touch upon certain things, and should something happen during her enlightenment—especially if she needs to kill to achieve her Dao—that will be no laughing matter."

He had successfully intimidated Fei Qingyi, who then expressed his profuse gratitude. Cui Jueyin, standing nearby, dared not even raise his head. It was then that Li Jiangqian instructed:

"Lord Cui, please accompany him and handle this matter properly. Do not meet her in person; just let the previously assigned individuals manage the arrangements."

The two quickly withdrew. Li Jiangqian then sat back down, letting out a frustrated sigh.

Li Jiangqian would never reveal the full truth to Fei Qingyi. One could not underestimate anyone's greed. If Fei Qingyi were to learn that his direct descendant had become the True Monarch's female attendant, it would undoubtedly spark a terrible upheaval. No matter how much Fei Qingyi was warned not to approach the True Monarch, the man would surely interpret it as a deliberate threat and might even try to get closer.

Yet, the reason given for bringing Fei Qingya back was his breakthrough, meaning he couldn't simply be locked away. This would undoubtedly become a significant hidden risk. For now, he could only fully reconcile the situation, which also aligned with the previous and prior series of commands.

"We'll just have to play it by ear…"

He picked up his brush, drafted a few commands, and frowned:

"I also need to see the Old Master and ask him to confine Uncle Zhou Ming, to make him suffer a little…"