Chapter 1987 - Cloud Mist Pearl King

A mission chosen by a disciple carried entirely different obligations from one imposed by the sect. Before committing himself, Zheng Ruhai needed to know which kind of mission Liu Wuxie had undertaken.

The reaction came as no surprise to Liu Wuxie. The elders looked at each other in astonishment, then handed back the mission sheets.

Now that they understood these duties came directly from the sect, the Law Enforcement Token made sense.

“You can count on our full cooperation, Brother Liu,” Zheng Ruhai said. He had meant to offer little beyond a perfunctory response, granting Liu Wuxie an audience only because of the Law Enforcement Token. The weight of responsibility resting on Liu Wuxie had exceeded anything he had expected.

“You have my gratitude, Elders,” Liu Wuxie replied politely. With their support, his missions would become considerably less difficult.

“No thanks are necessary. We’re fulfilling our duty. Gathering information on every force in the city should require a day, though I’ll aim to finish by tonight,” Zheng Ruhai said with confidence.

“There’s no need to rush. I’m heading to the Cloud Mist Manor and won’t be back before the day after tomorrow. Until then, watch the Yan, Liang, and Wen Clans. I believe they’ve been dealing with the Heavenly Alliance in secret. For now, simply look out for anyone suspicious,” Liu Wuxie said. Even if the clans had not formally joined the Heavenly Alliance, he felt certain that negotiations were already underway.

“You intend to visit the Cloud Mist Manor?” Zheng Ruhai asked, his brow furrowing.

“Has something happened there?” Liu Wuxie asked. The elder’s expression made him concerned.

“Strange things, according to the reports I’ve received. Their Cloud Mist Pearls keep vanishing, and no one can explain how. Everyone believes a thief is responsible,” Zheng Ruhai said.

Collecting useful intelligence was one of the branch's responsibilities. Zheng Ruhai supplied all the reports on the city’s clans that Yuan Shao and Ning Chi had requested.

“The Cloud Mist Manor used to be a second-tier sect. Even they haven’t been able to uncover the cause?!” Liu Wuxie asked.

“I don’t have the particulars. They’re calling for anyone who can help, though. They are offering a thousand-year-old Cloud Mist Pearl King as a reward for finding the thief,” Zheng Ruhai replied, sharing everything he knew.

“A thousand-year-old Cloud Mist Pearl King? That’s quite an offer,” Liu Wuxie said, rubbing his nose as an unusual light shone in his eyes. Obtaining it could carry him to the sixth level of the Profound Immortal Realm.

Add the rewards from his three missions and a month in the Heavenly Lake, and advancement to the Origin Immortal Realm would be all but assured.

“Isn’t the Cloud Mist Pearl King the reason you’re going, Brother Liu?” Zheng Ruhai asked, confused. Liu Wuxie sounded entirely unaware of the manor’s troubles.

“I have other business there. It's getting late, so I’ll entrust the Mulberry Sea City's matters to you both,” Liu Wuxie said, getting up and cupping his hands.

“It’s a long journey to the Cloud Mist Manor. Let me arrange an escort,” Zheng Ruhai said. The teleportation array covered its part of the journey in only an hour, but a dangerous stretch of road remained beyond it.

“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary. I have the Law Enforcement Token. No one can harm me,” Liu Wuxie replied, declining courteously. He didn't want anyone following him and watching his movements.

“Of course. I overlooked that. Even an Immortal Venerable cannot break through its defenses,” Zheng Ruhai said with a wry smile. Once activated, it would form a defensive barrier around Liu Wuxie. Even Ren Chou and his combined attack couldn't kill him once the shield was up.

Liu Wuxie took his leave. The branch’s teleportation array connected only to the Azure Jade Palace. To reach the Cloud Mist Manor, he needed to take the city’s array.

Both Zheng Ruhai and Ren Chou accompanied him personally to the gate. By now, Azure Jade Palace disciples streamed in and out, and many turned their attention to the three.

Every day, disciples departed to train or fulfill missions. Their movements kept the branches bustling, resembling the activity at the Azure Jade Palace.

“Travel safely, Brother Liu,” Zheng Ruhai said, cupping his fists. Ren Chou, too, had assumed a more courteous manner, concealing whatever resentment he still harbored for the sake of appearances.

“Until we meet again,” Liu Wuxie replied, returning the salute and walking away.

As he passed, the guards bowed their heads. Neither dared look him in the eye.

“Who was that brat? What made both elders come out to see him off?” several disciples whispered, scarcely believing the scene.

His outer disciple robes marked Liu Wuxie as someone at the bottom of the Azure Jade Palace’s hierarchy. Even true disciples owed deference to Immortal Venerable elders. Yet those elders had shown him courtesy, leaving the watching disciples unable to account for it.

“What’s the name of the brat who just left?” several disciples asked, approaching the guards once Zheng Ruhai and Ren Chou had returned inside.

Inner disciples were not people the guards could afford to ignore. Senior Brother Huang looked at Junior Brother Wei. A malicious smile accompanied Wei’s answering nod.

“That was Liu Wuxie. He’s a new outer disciple, and he possesses fifty immortal roots,” Senior Brother Huang said ingratiatingly. To an outer disciple, an inner disciple occupied an exalted position.

All three men went still.

“You think you can lie to us? Who in this world has fifty immortal roots?” they snapped. Fresh from training, they were returning to the sect and had heard nothing of its recent events.

They moved at once to punish the guards for the supposed deception.

“We swear it’s true, Senior Brothers! Let the Heavenly Dao sever our path if we’ve told you even one lie!” the guards declared. They had bound their claim to a vicious oath. Such a punishment would prevent their cultivation from advancing for the rest of their lives.

The inner disciples drew back their auras and looked at one another.

“We have only three immortal roots apiece, and that barely carried us into the ranks of inner disciples. With a few more, we could certainly reach the Immortal King Realm,” the eldest said. He was already considering how to take Liu Wuxie’s immortal roots and refine them.

Most cultivators had no more than two or three immortal roots, making them hardly worth stealing. Extraction alone guaranteed nothing. Successfully refining even one out of five counted as an impressive result, since most immortal roots could not integrate with another cultivator’s body.

Prodigies such as Long Yuanxiong were another matter. Few dared prey upon them. Liu Wuxie was only at the fifth level of the Profound Immortal Realm. A lower cultivation meant weaker immortal roots and, consequently, easier refinement. The roots of a powerful cultivator resisted assimilation far more strongly.

For Golden Immortals, roots taken from a Profound Immortal were ideal. Had Liu Wuxie already attained the Golden Immortal Realm, even successful extraction wouldn't have guaranteed successful integration of his immortal roots.

“After him! Hurry!” The three set off before Liu Wuxie could move beyond their reach.

The guards watched them go and chuckled darkly.

“Liu Wuxie is a dead man,” Junior Brother Wei said through gritted teeth, malice saturating every word.

“Have we taken this too far, Junior Brother Wei? Deliberately turning others against Liu Wuxie like that?” Senior Brother Huang asked, frowning. There was something dishonorable about what they had done.

“Have you forgotten how he treated us? Whatever it takes, I’m settling that score!” Junior Brother Wei said, rubbing his swollen cheek. The memory of being sent flying stirred his murderous intent afresh. Nothing short of Liu Wuxie’s death could appease his hatred.

Liu Wuxie, meanwhile, knew nothing of the danger now chasing him. Two slaps across the guards’ faces had put his life at risk.

......

Hidden within the Yan Clan’s estate was a reception room that no one could enter without Yan Jingfu’s permission.

A concealed door swung open, and Liang Chengzhou and Wen Gongda stepped inside.

“Brother Liang, Brother Wen! Please, take a seat,” Yan Jingfu said, hastening to welcome them.

“Let’s dispense with ceremony, Brother Yan. I’ve heard the Azure Jade Palace may be preparing to act against us,” Wen Gongda said, declining to sit down.

“Can we trust the source?” Yan Jingfu asked. He had heard similar reports and summoned the two without delay.

Liang Chengzhou offered no comment. Of the three, he had always spoken the least.

“The information came from someone in the Azure Jade Palace’s upper echelons. I’d put the chance of it being reliable at no less than seventy percent.”

Complete unity was difficult to achieve in a sect as vast as the Azure Jade Palace. Many elders came from prominent clans and shared information with their relatives. Those relatives were often less careful about passing it on.

“Have they learned that we have joined the Heavenly Alliance?” Wen Gongda asked, frowning. Discovery could lead to severe consequences.

“Why should we be afraid? The Heavenly Alliance stands at the height of its power. If we eliminate the forces loyal to the Azure Jade Palace, they’ve promised to make our clans second-tier powers,” Yan Jingfu said, a hint of madness flashing in his eyes.

When the Heavenly Alliance had first approached them, they had hesitated, as many years of dependence had bound them to the Azure Jade Palace. Yet enough benefits could lure people into betraying their own families. What, then, was a sect to which they had no blood ties?

“We should speak to the Heavenly Alliance and make sure we have its protection. Better to be safe than sorry,” Wen Gongda said. He was the most cautious and fearful among the three.

“Set your minds at ease. We’re subsidiary clans, and we haven’t harmed the Azure Jade Palace itself. Joining the Heavenly Alliance alone won’t give them a reason to strike at us,” Liang Chengzhou finally said. His assurance eased the other two men to a certain extent.