Once something has been exposed, verifying the truth becomes very simple.
Especially in a world of high martial power like this one.
Heavenly Sword keenly sensed the shift in Lin Xiangwen's qi and blood and the change in his expression.
The reaction of wounded pride blazing into rage is not the same as that of a cornered man in a panic; the reaction of being falsely accused is not the same as that of being found out.
As one of the Nine Heavens and a spymaster, Heavenly Sword had no reason to doubt his own judgment.
He believed Lianshan Xin's words almost instantly.
Then he was left at a loss for words.
He only wanted Lin Xiangwen out of his sight as quickly as possible.
Heavenly Sword spoke, and though Lin Xiangwen was unwilling, he did not dare resist.
He could only glare at Lianshan Xin once more in furious humiliation, then practically flee in disgrace.
Once Lin Xiangwen had shut the door of the Imperial Library Pavilion, both Heavenly Sword and Qi Shiyun turned their eyes to Lianshan Xin.
Heavenly Sword's expression returned to normal, and he gave a slight nod. "You are indeed keenly observant. A person of talent, one might say."
Qi Shiyun raised an objection. "My lord, perhaps the Kong clan investigated Lin Xiangwen and informed Lianshan Xin in advance."
Heavenly Sword instructed her. "First, his origins are ordinary. If he could make the Kong clan go that far for him, that in itself would demonstrate talent and ability."
Qi Shiyun nodded, taking the lesson.
"Second, even if the Kong clan could discover that Lin Xiangwen has no interest in women, they could not discover that he..."
Heavenly Sword did not finish, but both Qi Shiyun and Lianshan Xin understood what he left unsaid.
Qi Shiyun's objection turned into amusement. "My lord, does Lin Xiangwen truly have designs on you?"
Heavenly Sword did not want to talk about it.
Lianshan Xin hurried to change the subject. A troll might be a troll, but one did not dance on a man's grave.
"A gnat toils all day long and cannot cross a single step, yet let it fasten to the tail of a fine horse and it crosses a thousand li; let it cling to a swan's wing and it ranges over the four seas. This student sincerely seeks an audience and asks to fasten himself to my lord's tail."
Heavenly Sword regarded Lianshan Xin, earnest in manner and humble in tone, and shook his head slightly. "You are no gnat."
Lianshan Xin said earnestly, "This student comes from ordinary stock. Even with a little talent, I cannot climb past the great clans. By comparison, the Nine Heavens value ability above birth. My lord's name resounds across the four seas, and you promote only the capable. You must be able to see this student's sincerity."
The Nine Heavens held enormous power, but in essence they could be called a super-deluxe version of an intelligence agency.
Advancement in such a department was much easier than in the orthodox bureaucracy. Of course, it was also far more dangerous, and the reputation it earned was not a flattering one.
Heavenly Sword said as much. "Whether in office or out of it, the Nine Heavens are called the court's hounds. With the Kong clan's backing, it would not be hard for you to gain the standing of an academy man. Later, by recommendation or by imperial examination, you could take the orthodox path through officialdom. Why insist on being a hound?"
He doubted Lianshan Xin's sincerity and his purpose.
Lianshan Xin answered his sincerity with sincerity. "I would not dare deceive my lord. This student also has ambitions toward martial arts—and even toward the legendary way of immortals."
Heavenly Sword did not laugh. Instead he agreed. "Who in this world does not?"
"But my aptitude is limited. If I cultivate the martial arts step by step, I will never break through the Body Tempering realm in this life. And with Body Tempering cultivation, no matter how good my marks in the civil examinations, the imperial court would never entrust me with any real responsibility. Only by performing a great service and obtaining a Qi Condensation Pill could I hope to keep climbing, or even catch a glimpse of the legendary immortal arts. Everyone says the Nine Heavens hold an immortal inheritance."
Everything Lianshan Xin said was true.
The Nine Heavens were one of the highest martial powers of the imperial court, and their line of transmission had never been broken. Many suspected that the greatest backing of the Nine Heavens was not imperial authority, but immortals who could keep producing masters of the Heavenly Rankings.
That too was one of the reasons many jianghu experts joined the Nine Heavens.
Heavenly Sword saw no trace of a lie in Lianshan Xin. He beckoned him forward, then personally took his pulse.
After a moment, something like regret entered Heavenly Sword's eyes as he looked at Lianshan Xin. "Your meridians are blocked. It must be a congenital deficiency—was your mother injured while she carried you?"
Lianshan Xin said with admiration, "My lord is not mistaken. My mother was injured while pregnant with me, and it disturbed her pregnancy, so it is very difficult for this student to break through the Meridian Connectivity realm on his own."
"Indeed, very difficult. The best method is to use a Qi Condensation Pill to skip over the Meridian Connectivity realm and reach the Qi Condensation realm directly. I understand now. You want to join Bailudong Academy because the academy's Chief Disciple receives a Qi Condensation Pill every year."
Lianshan Xin nodded. "That was this student's original thought—only, becoming the academy's Chief Disciple is terribly difficult. Rather than that, this student believes that if I perform a great service and join the Nine Heavens, I will have a better chance of receiving a Qi Condensation Pill as a reward from my lord."
Heavenly Sword smiled. "To you, a Qi Condensation Pill is indeed a priceless treasure. To me, it is nothing worth mentioning. If you truly perform a great service, I will not stint on the reward. But seeing through Lin Xiangwen alone does not yet qualify you to get your hands on a Qi Condensation Pill."
"What if this student could help my lord capture a Demon Cult fiend?" Lianshan Xin asked.
Heavenly Sword's eyes turned abruptly grave.
Qi Shiyun's heart tightened as well, and she spoke sternly. "Lianshan Xin, catching Demon Cult brats is not something to joke about."
Lianshan Xin gave Qi Shiyun a grateful look.
That word, "joke," was clearly meant to shield him.
An intelligence agency did not make jokes lightly. If Heavenly Sword took him seriously and he failed to catch any Demon Cult fiends, then by the ways of such an agency, his fate would be miserable.
But once the matter was labeled a joke, it carried far less weight.
"This student is willing to sign a military pledge," Lianshan Xin said seriously. "If this student truly helps my lord capture a Demon Cult fiend, I ask that my lord take me in. I will do all I can to assist my lord and make the Nine Heavens more glorious."
Heavenly Sword narrowed his eyes.
Recalling that Kong Ningyuan was the Vice Headmaster's student, he suspected the Kong clan was trying to cut its ties with the Demon Cult but did not dare offend the Demon Cult openly, and so was using Lianshan Xin as a channel to pass him information.
Seen that way, the credibility of Lianshan Xin's information was considerable.
But if the Kong clan was deeply entangled with the Demon Cult, this could just as well be a trap aimed at him.
Too many people in this world wanted him dead, and too many wanted the Nine Heavens to fail—that held true on both sides, friend and foe alike.
Arrows from behind were all the harder to guard against. He had to be cautious and suspicious, or he would have died long ago.
Lianshan Xin could see that Heavenly Sword half believed him and half doubted. That was only natural, and he understood it.
Dispelling Heavenly Sword's suspicion was simple enough: tell the truth and do real work.
"My lord, you need not suspect this student of harboring wicked designs. Quite apart from the fact that I would never dare harm my lord and have no ability to do so, simply because this student has something to ask of you and of the Nine Heavens, there is no need to doubt my intentions. My family is not poor, but I have practiced martial arts since childhood with limited aptitude, and these years have nearly drained the family's savings. Only sons of established clans have the standing to seek reputation. For now, this student can only seek profit."
He paused, then said something utterly honest. "Most of all—when a man can be an official, who would choose to be a rebel?"
Chapter 7