Chapter 147: Can’t You Be a Little Serious?

“Greetings, Steward Lin.”

Liu Chen turned to see Steward Lin from the Hundred Affairs Hall on Purple Bamboo Peak. As it happened, Liu Chen needed the steward’s help. After all, he still had the Xiao Family’s Snowflake Sword, which, according to Senior Brother Yang’s speculation, would bring in at least one hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

“No need for formalities, Young Friend. Follow me.”

Steward Lin waved his hand. He wasn’t sure why Liu Chen’s cultivation now registered as Body Tempering Early Stage. When he’d first met him, the young man was already at the Body Tempering Peak. After a month-long trial in Fire Dragon Valley, even without breaking through to the Meridian Passage Realm, his strength should be second to none among the Inner Sect Disciples who had yet to advance.

The only issue was that, according to the information compiled by the Hundred Affairs Hall, the various factions’ assessments of this Young Friend Liu focused more on his status as a Second Grade Spirit Chef than on his actual strength.

Steward Lin didn’t know why, but he wouldn’t ask directly. ‘Perhaps the Peak Master instructed it.’

“Steward Lin, forgive me for asking, but the Peak Master is…?”

Liu Chen couldn’t help but ask. ‘My master should be the acting Peak Master. At least, that’s what he was before the Fire Dragon Valley trial.’

“Peak Master Mo, of course. Three days ago, the Soul Lamp of Purple Bamboo Peak’s former Peak Master was extinguished. The acting Peak Master has now officially become the Peak Master of Purple Bamboo Peak.”

Steward Lin added in a low voice that he wasn’t entirely clear on the details. But because of this, even though Purple Cloud Valley had triumphed in the Fire Dragon Valley trial, the atmosphere wasn’t celebratory. Instead, it felt oppressive.

If the former Peak Master had left Purple Cloud Valley of his own accord to pursue a higher Realm, everyone would have wished him well. But based on the last message received, it was highly likely the previous Peak Master had been killed.

“Thank you, Steward Lin.”

Liu Chen was a little stunned. While it was a good thing his master had become the Peak Master, the previous Peak Master’s Soul Lamp had been half-dead for so long. For it to be abruptly extinguished now was highly abnormal.

“By the way, I heard, Young Friend, that you acquired the Xiao Family’s Patriarch’s Token at the Black Market?”

Steward Lin couldn’t help but ask this as they walked. Liu Chen, who was following him up the stairs, froze for a moment. ‘Senior Brother Yang definitely wouldn’t have leaked the news… That means the only others who knew are Senior Brother Ren and Senior Brother Xie.’

“Don’t overthink it. The Black Market in Purple Cloud Valley is secretly managed by the Hundred Affairs Hall, precisely to ensure the safety of you disciples.”

Steward Lin felt compelled to explain. He was the one who had taken both Liu Chen and Yang Haichen to the Marketplace. If anything had gone wrong, he would have been unable to shirk the blame, so of course he paid a little extra attention.

The two of them had entered the Black Market, and then the Xiao Family had caused a commotion. It wasn’t Yang Haichen’s first time at the Black Market, so it was quite clear who the problem had centered around.

“The Snowflake Sword is indeed in my possession. I was planning to return and hand it over to the Hundred Affairs Hall for them to handle.”

Liu Chen breathed a sigh of relief. ‘If those two senior brothers—whom I had a good impression of—had been the ones to leak the information, I would have had to keep my distance from them from now on.’

“You don’t want it?”

Steward Lin turned to look at him. If Liu Chen wanted to keep the Snowflake Sword, Purple Cloud Valley certainly wouldn’t be worried about any measures the Xiao Family might take. It was bought at the Black Market, after all. ‘If you Xiao Family are so capable, why did you let the Snowflake Sword end up in the Black Market?’

“It’s useless and a hassle.”

Liu Chen took out the Snowflake Sword and handed it to Steward Lin, who nodded and put it away.

“I’ll go talk to the Xiao Family on your behalf. We should be able to get a good amount of resources this time.”

After taking the Snowflake Sword, Steward Lin continued straight up the path. As for simply pocketing the sword for himself, he would never do such a thing. He wouldn’t do it for Liu Chen, and he wouldn’t do it for anyone else.

Liu Chen said nothing. He didn’t really care about the Snowflake Sword. After the Hundred Ghosts Elder killed the member of the Nangong Family, the sword had lost the purpose for which he had originally bought it. Besides, it was a mere two thousand Spirit Stones, the cost of a single serving of Spiritual Cuisine. ‘What’s there to care about?’

Steward Lin led Liu Chen to the highest deck of the Flying Ship, where a few small palaces were scattered about.

The moment Liu Chen set foot there, he saw his master nearby, with his master’s wife and two junior sisters a little farther off.

“I’m relieved to see you’re unharmed. Go with your master’s wife and get some rest.”

Mo Xuan instructed. Liu Chen bowed and walked over to his master’s wife and two junior sisters.

“What are the casualties?”

After Liu Chen had walked away, Mo Xuan looked at Steward Lin and asked. Although Purple Cloud Valley had gained the upper hand, the initial chaos of the Fire Dragon Valley trial had been a baptism of blood and fire; Purple Bamboo Peak could not possibly have emerged unscathed.

“Ten Inner Sect Disciples from Purple Bamboo Peak have fallen. Across all of Purple Cloud Valley, over a hundred Inner Sect Disciples have fallen, and the cultivation of dozens more will likely stagnate because of this.”

But it wasn’t just our sect. Thunder Mountain and Qingxu Hall didn’t fare any better. As for the disciples from the Noble Families, most of those who took risks perished, and most of those who sought direct profit didn’t achieve their goals.

“I will have to rely on you in the days to come.”

Mo Xuan nodded. Such casualties were not a major issue. Compared to the final message from the previous Peak Master, this Inner Sect Disciple trial was practically child’s play.

“It is my duty.”

Steward Lin nodded, then took his leave to handle other matters. With Inner Sect Disciples having fallen, the Hundred Affairs Hall had much to deal with, not to mention all the other miscellaneous affairs.

“Greetings, Master’s Wife.”

Liu Chen bowed slowly to his master’s wife. After the basic formalities were complete, Bai Qiulan led the three of them into the palace, making their way to a courtyard at the back.

This courtyard and the single room Liu Chen had lived in before were worlds apart. A single room here was as good as the entire courtyard he had stayed in for twenty days in Fire Dragon Valley.

“Dealing with the aftermath of the trial will take a long time. If you get tired, rest here.”

After giving a few brief instructions, Bai Qiulan returned to the main palace. Having gone from being a Steward in name only to officially becoming the Peak Master’s Wife, she now needed to help Mo Xuan manage affairs and could hardly find a moment’s rest.

“Congratulations to you both on reaching the Body Tempering Early Stage.”

Liu Chen observed Ji Suyao and Ye Linglong. He hadn’t seen them in a month, and they had somehow gone from Body Tempering Beginner to the Body Tempering Early Stage. That was a genuine surprise to him.

“You’re too kind, Senior Brother. Our cultivation was just piled up with Heavenly and Earthly Treasures. We’re nothing compared to you.”

Ye Linglong shook her head. On Purple Bamboo Peak, they had daily Spiritual Cuisine, and on the Flying Ship, they had daily Heavenly and Earthly Treasures. Under those conditions, it would be pathetic if their cultivation hadn’t improved.

“Can you just get to the point? A little while ago, you were just muttering to me, wondering if Senior Brother had anything to do with Nangong Mu’s death.”

Ji Suyao gave Ye Linglong a look of exasperation. Ever since news broke that the Nangong Family had been wiped out, Ye Linglong had been like a different person. Yet now that their Senior Brother was back, she didn’t even dare to ask.