Illumination

Zheng Zhuxi? The Zheng Zhuxi of the Xiaoming Sect whom Brother Youyang had mentioned? Ding Songyan suddenly felt as though he had searched high and low only to stumble upon the very person he needed. He had long wanted to make direct contact with someone from the Xiaoming Sect, yet circumstance had never permitted it, leaving him with nothing more than a few passing words on occasion. Looking back now, he suspected that his thoughts had been subtly manipulated by Yan Changqing's "old friend," prompting him to "voluntarily" come up with all sorts of excuses to procrastinate. And once Yan Changqing had bestowed the "seed" upon him, he had barely spared the thought another moment. After all those twists and turns, the trustworthy Zheng Zhuxi whom Ren Youyang had spoken of had taken the initiative to seek him out. Observing the young woman's expression and demeanor, then recalling her tone and choice of words, Ding Songyan formed a rough assessment in his mind: A proud individual indeed. This aligned completely with the rumors and descriptions—that her mother was the sect master of the Xiaoming Sect, her father a high-ranking court official, and her own talent exceptional… As these thoughts flickered through Ding Songyan's mind, he cupped his hands in a respectful greeting to Zheng Zhuxi. "Greetings, Heroine Zheng." At present, he only hoped she truly was as Ren Youyang had described: eager to champion righteousness and most willing to aid those of humble standing. Zheng Zhuxi nodded faintly and asked solemnly, "I have reviewed your dossier. Do you truly not recall what treasure you traded with Chen Yuliang?" Hearing this, countless thoughts raced through Ding Songyan's mind, sparking one idea after another. He seized upon one, assuming a conflicted, fearful expression, before speaking with hesitant deliberation: "Standing before Heroine Zheng, I dare not conceal anything. I truly forgot, but Wang Yishu mentioned at the time that it was The Esoteric Classic of Mountains and Seas." When dealing with someone so proud, one had to let her discover that she had easily accomplished what others could not, and effortlessly extracted the truth that others had failed to obtain. Only then would she form a favorable impression of the person she questioned. Moreover, Ding Songyan was taking a gamble: In the aftermath of Chen Yuliang's affair, the party most likely to have acquired that copy of The Esoteric Classic of Mountains and Seas was Zhen Manor! This way, the authorities represented by the Yi clan and the Xiaoming Sect would inevitably fixate on Zhen Manor as a primary target of scrutiny. With their eyes watching, tomorrow's impending events would gain a favorable variable. Though this would also cast suspicion upon Ding Songyan himself, compared to his other predicaments, it was hardly worth fretting over. Between two evils, one chose the lesser! He felt like a man walking a narrow ridge with abysses on either side; he could no longer afford to overthink every risk. Zheng Zhuxi listened in silence. Gradually, a smile surfaced on her face, shallow dimples appearing that could rival the bright moon in the sky. "The Esoteric Classic of Mountains and Seas, was it…? Why did you not mention this earlier?" "I heard that the major sects forbid others from privately possessing or coming into contact with The Esoteric Classic of Mountains and Seas, and I was terrified that speaking of it would land me in prison," Ding Songyan answered truthfully. "Heroine Zheng, your renown precedes you as someone who pities the poor and defends the weak without implicating the innocent. I am willing to place my trust in you." The corners of Zheng Zhuxi's mouth curved slightly, and she nodded with amusement dancing in her eyes. "Zhen Manor likely cautioned you against spreading word of this as well. Why reveal it now?" "I fear Zhen Manor means to do me harm." Having found a topic unrestricted by either the hazy green "seed" or Yan Changqing's "old friend," Ding Songyan answered without the slightest stammer. "Brother Youyang informed me that Zhen Manor has continually sent retained experts to shadow me." Zheng Zhuxi murmured in acknowledgment and glanced down at the exquisitely crafted glass palace lantern in her hand. "You are well-acquainted with Ren Youyang of the Zhenling Sect?" "We share some friendship." Ding Songyan did not exaggerate. Zheng Zhuxi's sparkling eyes shifted slightly. "Then why have you continued visiting Zhen Manor every single day?" Ding Songyan ventured carefully, "Zhen Manor forbade me from telling anyone." Oh—he could actually say this! On the surface, the words seemed ordinary, yet when set against Ding Songyan's willingness to reveal Zhen Manor's involvement with The Esoteric Classic of Mountains and Seas just moments ago, the contrast immediately took on a peculiar, intriguing quality. Both matters involved Zhen Manor, so why could one be disclosed while the other could not? What was the difference, and what manner of restriction was at work? Furthermore, being able to say those words validated an intuition Ding Songyan had harbored. Ever since Zheng Zhuxi appeared carrying that lantern, its light washing over his face, he had felt the hazy green "seed" in his sea of consciousness grow less active, seemingly suppressed by a conflicting affinity. Had Zheng Zhuxi possessed a higher realm and deeper cultivation, he might have temporarily broken free from the constraints of Yan Changqing and his "old friend." *It truly is like this. Many marginal restrictions have loosened… Is this an expression of the 'penetrating obscurity' quality attributed to the two goddesses, Xiaoming and Zhuhuo?* At this thought, Ding Songyan wished he could immediately pay a visit to Zheng Zhuxi's mother—the sect master of the Xiaoming Sect, an expert renowned within the Dharma Realm—and beg her to cast a thorough illumination over him. Zheng Zhuxi pressed her lips together, clearly sensing something amiss. With a thoughtful look, she changed her question: "Do you know that, aside from Zhen Manor's retained experts, someone from the Moth God Sect—who once covertly controlled Chen Yuliang—has also been tailing you?" "I am aware." Ding Songyan remained thoroughly composed. "Ren Youyang told you?" Zheng Zhuxi was not surprised. Ding Songyan measured his words before replying, "Brother Youyang indeed discovered the other group of trackers, but it was I who informed him about the Moth God Sect." "You? No wonder he suddenly went to the county yamen requesting records on the Moth God Sect." Zheng Zhuxi looked at Ding Songyan with curiosity. "How did you come to know of it?" Ding Songyan closed his mouth, smiling without a word. He had forgotten what he was supposed to say once more. A core matter like this remained bound by restrictions. Zheng Zhuxi raised an eyebrow. Recalling the contradictions in his earlier words, she lowered her eyelids slightly, lost in thought. After only a few breaths, her smile returned, dimples reappearing. In that instant, Ding Songyan felt as though he were gazing upon the radiant brilliance of a rising sun. "Do you trust me?" Zheng Zhuxi asked with a smile. "I am willing to trust Heroine Zheng," Ding Songyan replied without hesitation. At this point, he was desperate enough to plead with a dog by the roadside or clutch at any floating straw on the river, let alone someone of her stature. Zheng Zhuxi nodded with satisfaction. She handed the glass palace lantern to a fellow sect member, then drew her sword from its gold-and-red scabbard with a crisp shing. The blade, clear as autumn water, swiftly took on a dim, warm candlelight hue. Zheng Zhuxi said with a light smile, "If you trust me, open your mind and body. I shall lend you a strand of sword intent. "This sword intent will linger at your Shanzhong acupoint—your Crimson Palace of the middle dantian—and remain there for three days. "Over these three days, should anyone use a 'moth seed,' witchcraft, gu sorcery, or any other method to make you do something against your will, you may draw upon this sword intent to pierce through to your marrow sea and ward off one attempt." When she mentioned "any other method," the smile in Zheng Zhuxi's eyes deepened slightly. "Heroine Zheng, my gratitude knows no bounds!" Ding Songyan could hardly have asked for more. This was precisely what he needed. His sole concern was whether Zheng Zhuxi's sword intent could truly withstand a single forced manipulation from Yan Changqing or his "old friend." After all, according to the martial world rumors Ding Songyan had heard in recent days, this Heroine Zheng was barely twenty years of age and had begun "aperture crafting" only half a year ago. Her standing on the Register of Orchids Under Heaven was rated as "Yiren," the sixth rank—not even equal to Chen Yuliang. Had it been her mother, Tao Wenshu, a first-rank grandmaster, Ding Songyan would have felt boundless confidence. Now, he could only pray that the Xiaoming Sect's techniques held a natural counter against the divine art practiced by Yan Changqing and his "old friend," yielding an extraordinary effect in that regard. He did not expect the sword intent to genuinely ward off a full manipulation; so long as it could snap him to his senses in time and grant him the will to struggle, that would be enough. "Protecting the realm and ensuring peace for the people has always been the duty of the Xiaoming Sect." Zheng Zhuxi thrust forward the sword bathed in dim candlelight, pointing it straight at Ding Songyan's chest. Ding Songyan did not evade or resist. Exactly as Zheng Zhuxi had asked, he opened his mind and body completely. The sword tip pierced his clothing and met his skin. A warm, yellowish gleam flashed and vanished, sinking into Ding Songyan's chest and drilling straight into his Shanzhong acupoint. It rapidly took the shape of a candle resembling a dagger, flickering with a dim, yellow flame. It faintly illuminated the Crimson Palace—the vessel that inherently embodied heart fire and gathered various qi—causing the obscurity within to recede outward. With a clear chime, Zheng Zhuxi returned her sword to its scabbard and nodded slightly at Ding Songyan. "You truly have no martial arts in you. "I have asked what I came to ask. Is there anything else you wish to say?" Ding Songyan weighed what could be spoken and what could not, and among the permissible, what would reveal the most to command the Xiaoming Sect's utmost attention. Soon, choosing to shoulder the risk, he asked with patent curiosity, "Heroine Zheng, where do you suppose a nearly complete copy of The Esoteric Classic of Mountains and Seas might originate?" Oh, he could ask this question as well… Had Zheng Zhuxi's technique weakened the restrictions to this extent, or had one of the two figures influencing his thoughts intended for this information to be leaked all along? Ding Songyan was puzzled at first, but the answer soon dawned on him: *Right! It was Wang Yishu and Chen Yuliang who originally 'told' me that The Esoteric Classic of Mountains and Seas was genuine and complete! And they were jointly controlled by the 'moth father' Ding Shengyi and Yan Changqing's 'old friend.' If they didn't want me to have the chance to ask this later, there would have been no need to bring it up in the first place!* "Nearly complete?" Zheng Zhuxi's expression shifted slightly. Pondering, she said, "Either there exists a formidable organization hidden in the shadows with well-placed moles across all the major sects, who finally pieced such a volume together after repeated comparisons and compilations of each sect's version of The Esoteric Classic of Mountains and Seas; "Or someone found the long-lost Mount Kunlun and entered the traveling palace of the Heavenly Emperor." *Found the long-lost Mount Kunlun and entered the traveling palace of the Heavenly Emperor…* Ding Songyan's gaze instantly froze, as if a bolt of lightning had struck his mind. He still remembered Yan Changqing saying that he had betrayed his sect to seize a treasure and suffered grievous wounds, which was how he had fallen into his current plight. Didn't the pieces fit together perfectly? A treasure capable of stoking Zhen Qianfan's greed to the point of betraying his greatest backer was certainly no ordinary object. And something that could drive someone of Yan Changqing's caliber—at least a grand master—to betray his own sect was rarer still. The lost Mount Kunlun and the traveling palace left behind by the Heavenly Emperor were more than enough to explain it all! *That copy of The Esoteric Classic of Mountains and Seas was probably transcribed by Yan Changqing's own hand as he studied The Sovereign's Annotated Classic of Mountains and Seas. No wonder he was able to deduce it…* *Was that copy placed in a hiding spot beforehand and unearthed by someone, or did it leak out from Zhen Manor? If the latter, what was Zhen Manor's purpose in letting it leak?* While Ding Songyan's thoughts swirled in turmoil, Zheng Zhuxi fell silent as well, her expression visibly shifting.