TM CH58

Chapter 58 The Seal-Conferring Ceremony

Just like him, Shen Qi had initially followed clues and traces all the way to the East Sea. He had deduced the possible route that Fang Yuanqing might have taken and finally discovered new leads while investigating several old docks.

To build the Xixin Prison, Fang Yuanqing had led a fleet out to sea many times. Some of the old sailors in the area still remembered this. Over a decade ago, they had witnessed the fleet leave, but since then, there had been no return.

“Fang Yuanqing and his wife were deeply in love, and they had children. If he were still alive, how could he not have returned in over ten years?”

There had only been departure, but no return. Where could one search in the vast sea?

Rong Qi naturally knew that this deduction was not wrong. However, Shen Qi had simply reported the facts, only to have his eyes gouged out and his face disfigured.

How laughable that he’d actually felt a flicker of surprise over ‘Shen Qi is still alive,’ but it turned out that this world had many more ways of tormenting a person.

At that moment, a female disciple’s voice came from outside the room.

“Left Protector, the Palace Master has ordered that you immediately bring Fang Yuanqing into the palace.”

Shen Qi: “Understood.”

He turned to unlock the iron chains around Fang Yuanqing’s body, while saying to Rong Qi, “If you leave now, I’ll pretend I never saw you.”

Rong Qi stopped him. “No, I’ll go with you.”

Shen Qi: “……”

Although most of his authority as the Left Protector had been revoked, he still had a few subordinates left. Rong Qi, wearing the face of Zhang Song, blended into the group.

By the time they arrived at the main hall of Lihuo Palace, the ceremony was already halfway through.

From a distance, Zou Yuchuan sat solemnly at a high seat. He was nearing middle age, his hair turning gray, but his face showed no sign of aging. Only his eyes, deep and dark like a bottomless pit, bore the marks of time’s passage.

Xu Yan knelt humbly at Zou Yuchuan’s side, his posture respectful and deferential.

Shen Qi held the end of a chain, the other end tied to the battered, bloodied form of ‘Fang Yuanqing.’ Before coming here, he had specifically ordered someone to clean him up, combing the man’s messy hair back to reveal his sharp features.

Many in the hall had seen Fang Yuanqing in the past. As they caught sight of his familiar face, whispers immediately rose among them.

Zou Yuchuan: “Has anyone visited the courtyard in the past few days?”

Shen Qi: “No.”

Zou Yuchuan: “It seems the Fang family and the Wulin Alliance have decided to abandon him.”

He rose slowly from his seat, then walked over and raised his hand to lift Fang Yuanqing’s chin, forcing him to turn towards him.

Zou Yuchuan’s gaze swept slowly over Fang Yuanqing’s face, studying his features with apparent care. Finally, his eyes landed on the completely dissimilar eyes. A look of disgust crossed his face as he said, “Then let him die.”

The words had barely left his lips when a cold gleam flashed from the sword’s edge.

Without hesitation, Xu Yan slit the man’s throat.

The hall fell silent for a moment. ‘Fang Yuanqing,’ his eyes wide open, slumped to the ground, blood slowly seeping out from under him, staining a large patch of red.

Xu Yan spoke calmly, “Master, Fang Yuanqing is dead.”

Rong Qi turned his gaze away. He hadn’t expected Zou Yuchuan to order the execution of this imposter so swiftly and decisively.

Everything happened so quickly that the crowd, now snapping out of their stupor, couldn’t help but flinch. No one dared to look any longer.

Zou Yuchuan turned and ascended the steps, resuming his seat at the high platform. He surveyed the crowd below, who were now frozen in fear, and spoke indifferently, “Fang Yuanqing did much for the Wulin Alliance when he was alive, yet when he fell into trouble, not a single family member showed up. A great hero, so easily dying at the hands of my Lihuo Palace. Truly pitiful.”

His voice was slow and unhurried, his tone so gentle it almost seemed like genuine sorrow for Fang Yuanqing’s fate.

“The righteous sects of the Wulin Alliance are nothing more than a group of cowards, afraid of even rescuing their own people.” Zou Yuchuan suddenly chuckled. “Since that’s the case, what more do we have to worry about?”

He waved his hand, and someone immediately stepped forward to present a message tube.

Zou Yuchuan casually unfolded the letter. “A month ago, a scout from Jizhou reported that Sun Zhiyi had gathered several experts from the Wulin Alliance and wiped out more than ten of our strongholds in Jizhou and the surrounding areas. Now, Sun Zhiyi has come to our Shengzhou territory with his group.”

He swept his gaze across the people in the hall. “Since we’re here today, I’d like to hear your thoughts.”

At first, no one dared to speak.

After a brief silence, one person from the crowd finally spoke up, “The Wulin Alliance is truly despicable. This grudge must be avenged!”

“Palace Master, we are willing to lead the charge and capture that old man surnamed Sun!”

“Although Sun Zhiyi’s martial arts skills are mediocre, he never acts alone. Capturing him won’t be easy.”

“Shengzhou is the territory of Lihuo Palace. Even if he has experts protecting him, can he really stand against so many of us?”

“In my opinion, we should take advantage of their absence from Jizhou, take a detour to raid the Wulin Alliance’s main base and also capture and kill their family members left in Jizhou. We can kill two birds with one stone.”

…

For a time, the atmosphere in the hall was impassioned, with each person offering their own plans and suggestions.

Zou Yuchuan raised his hand slightly, and immediately, the hall fell silent.

He spoke slowly, “It is said that among their group is Fang Lian. Although he’s young, his talent is remarkable. I’m interested in meeting him. Who here is confident they can bring him to me?”

The people below hesitated, their faces betraying uncertainty. Fang Lian had been a top martial artist for many years, and ordinary people stood no chance against him.

When no one stepped forward, Zou Yuchuan sighed. “Every time we reach a moment like this, I can’t help but miss Rong Qi even more. If he were still here, I wouldn’t have to worry about such things.”

Rong Qi: “……”

Zou Yuchuan turned his gaze to Xu Yan. “Xu Yan, do you have someone in mind?”

Xu Yan: “Junior Brother Shen has excellent martial arts skills and is not burdened with other duties. He is the perfect choice for this task.”

Shen Qi scoffed, then cupped a palm over a fist towards Zou Yuchuan. “Qi is willing to share Master’s burden.”

Zou Yuchuan waved his hand, and the matter was settled.

The Wulin Alliance issue was temporarily put aside, but the seal-conferring ceremony had not yet truly ended.

Zou Yuchuan took a seal from his robes. “I’ve said before, whoever among my three disciples can retrieve the Tianyuan Manual will be the new Young Palace Master of Lihuo Palace. Today, at this ceremony, I will hand this seal to my eldest disciple, Xu Yan.”

The people of Lihuo Palace naturally knew of this contest and understood that the conclusion had finally come today. The Right Protector had vanished without a trace, his life or death unknown. The Left Protector had been mutilated and severely punished. It was clear who the victor among the three was.

Zou Yuchuan held the seal. “Is there any dissent?”

The people below immediately knelt. “We will follow the Palace Master and the Young Palace Master!”

The voices rose like waves, one after another.

Only Rong Qi remained standing, gazing across the crowd at Zou Yuchuan from a distance.

Zou Yuchuan noticed him and a flicker of interest passed through his eyes. He pointed at Rong Qi and said, “You, do you have any objections?”

The voices immediately quieted, and everyone looked up, only to see an ordinary face.

Someone recognized the face. “Zhang Song?”

Rong Qi expressionlessly walked past the crowd, directly to Zou Yuchuan, and knelt down to perform a bow.

“Master.”

Xu Yan looked at him in astonishment.

Zou Yuchuan raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised. “You’re still alive?”

Rong Qi removed his human skin mask, revealing his true face.

“This disciple was stranded at sea for several months and only recently managed to return to shore. Upon hearing that Deputy Palace Master Xu had obtained the Tianyuan Manual, many doubts arose in my mind, and I was unsure where to begin asking.”

Zou Yuchuan became slightly intrigued. “From the sound of it, you’ve uncovered something?”

Rong Qi: “Master, this disciple is incompetent. I did not find the Tianyuan Manual.”

Zou Yuchuan’s eyes darkened. “If you didn’t find it, then what is there to discuss?” He glanced at Shen Qi, his voice low, “Lihuo Palace has no room for useless people. Even if you managed to survive the sea, it doesn’t mean you’re exempt from punishment.”

Rong Qi: “Master, do you know why the Fang family did not come to Fang Yuanqing’s rescue?”

Zou Yuchuan: “You know?”

Rong Qi: “Half a year ago, Fang Lian and I set sail together. We encountered a storm and were stranded on a deserted island. On that island, I met a man.”

Zou Yuchuan frowned. “Who?”

Rong Qi looked at Xu Yan and slowly spoke a name, “Fang Yuanqing.”

An uproar spread through the hall as everyone’s gaze turned in unison to the lifeless body of ‘Fang Yuanqing’ lying on the ground.

Rong Qi sneered. “Of course, it’s not the one lying on the floor.”

Zou Yuchuan’s eyes darkened as he fixed his gaze on Rong Qi. “Continue.”

Rong Qi, unwilling to keep them in suspense, spoke plainly, “Fang Lian saw him too. The two of them were reunited as father and son. Unfortunately, Fang Yuanqing ultimately stayed on the island. Since Fang Lian knew his father’s whereabouts, he would not have come to Lihuo Palace to rescue a… suspicious person based on a mere jianghu rumor.”

Every word he spoke was true, yet he phrased them ambiguously, inviting speculation.

Xu Yan: “Right Protector Rong, you’ve said so much, but it’s all just your side of the story. Do you have any evidence?”

Rong Qi sneered. “Evidence?” His gaze swept over the body on the ground, and the implication could not have been clearer.

No matter how finely made the mask on ‘Fang Yuanqing’ was, it could still be peeled off. He didn’t believe Zou Yuchuan was truly unaware. If that weren’t the case, why would he need to waste his breath arguing?

“Perhaps you all remember that Fang Yuanqing once mentioned the Xixin Prison?”

Xue Yu: “Xixin Prison? Is that the rumored sea prison where many demons… cough, I mean, martial arts masters from the past were held?”

Zou Yuchuan said in a deep voice, “It is not a rumor. It is very much real.”

Rong Qi gave him a subtle glance, his mind racing. Zou Yuchuan knew about this?

Beside them, Shen Qi asked, “Could it be that the Xixin Prison is located on that deserted island? Are those people still alive?”

Rong Qi: “Most of them are dead. Only one disciple from the Ying Sect survived.”

Zou Yuchuan’s voice grew heavy as he asked, “Did you truly see Fang Yuanqing?”

Rong Qi reached into his robes and pulled out the Criminal Record, handing it over. “This incompetent disciple only managed to obtain a record of the names of those imprisoned.”

Zou Yuchuan took it and flipped open a page. His expression shifted slightly as he turned several more pages, stopping when he reached the last one. There, in clear handwriting, were the words ‘Fang Yuanqing.’ His face showed a complex, unreadable emotion.

“It’s his handwriting.” Zou Yuchuan tucked the register into his robes, his gaze on Rong Qi now filled with a strange glimmer. “You truly are a good disciple of mine. To have found him in the vast sea… Tell me, where is that island?”

Rong Qi didn’t speak.