The Inevitable Trend

Qiu Zhiheng looked at Juanzi, Mengzi, and Xiaoshan, then turned his gaze back to Lian Buda, whose face was flushed crimson. "Senior, are you a grandmaster of the Slip Cultivator doctrine?" Qiu Zhiheng was a man of vast experience, but he had never heard of Slip Cultivators. It was only because Juanzi and the others kept repeating the term that he went along with it. His guess that Lian Buda was a grandmaster stemmed from the fact that this senior had actually dismantled the body of a three-headed person. Such a feat was far beyond the realm of Qiu Zhiheng's comprehension. Lian Buda felt too embarrassed to keep up the pretense and came clean. "I belong to the Oil Cultivator doctrine. My identity must not be revealed under any circumstances." Qiu Zhiheng nodded. "Rest assured, Senior. Not a word spoken here today will ever leave this courtyard. I have witnessed your craft, and I admire it from the bottom of my heart. In the future, your doctrine is bound to flourish, and if you ever need any assistance from me, I will never hesitate. Right now, I only want to ask you one thing: having applied this technique, can it be undone? We have an urgent matter at hand, and these three cannot remain apart." Everyone fixed their eyes on Lian Buda. Extremely flustered, Lian Buda kept his head down, vigorously wringing his hands. "Think about the logic of it. If a gear rusts, applying a bit of oil makes it turn again. If parts are wedged too tightly together, a bit of oil allows them to be pulled apart. But when have you ever heard of oil gluing things back together?" Qiu Zhiheng pressed him for clarification. "In other words... it cannot be done?" Lian Buda nodded. "I certainly can't do it. If you were to track down a Glue Cultivator, perhaps they could." Qiu Zhiheng was struck dumb. At a critical juncture like this, where on earth was he supposed to find a Glue Cultivator? Lian Buda sighed and looked at Qiu Zhiheng. "Actually, I don't think this is a bad thing at all. Juanzi and the others were together for so many years. They seemed compatible on the surface, but in truth their hearts were never united. They were merely getting by together. Juanzi comes from an honest, decent family and just wants to find a husband and marry. Mengzi only cares about brandishing blades and spears; he belongs on a battlefield. And Xiaoshan harbors lofty ambitions—he wants to establish a harem. These three could never truly share a life. Now that they're separated, it's actually for the best!" Xiaoshan nodded in agreement. "I think it's a great thing too. Stuck with them, how would I have managed my harem—" Juanzi slapped Xiaoshan across the face, and Xiaoshan rubbed his cheek. Though he felt a little aggrieved, Xiaoshan was quite pleased with himself. Being able to rub his own face was a wonderful thing. Mengzi lowered his head and muttered, "How are we going to face Seventh Master..." Qiu Zhiheng looked around at them, his eyes losing focus. He could not hear what anyone was saying, yet their movements remained crystal clear before his eyes. He remembered doing his utmost to maintain an air of polite composure as he took his leave from the residence of the "new monarch." Walking down the street, Qiu Zhiheng's hearing had still not returned. The cool wind brushed against his face in gentle gusts, yet he could not hear the slightest whisper of a breeze. When Lian Buda had first arrived at Santoucha alongside Lightbulb, Qiu Zhiheng had not trusted him much. Later on, when Qiu Zhiheng was confronted by powerful foes, Lian Buda stepped in multiple times to help. Only then did Qiu Zhiheng become convinced that this secluded master was genuinely here to lend a hand. The safety of the "new monarch" had always been Qiu Zhiheng's greatest worry. He had stationed this master by the new monarch's side to protect them, never imagining it would lead to such an outcome. Upon returning to the underground city, Qiu Zhiheng entered his courtyard and sat in a daze until Luo Zhengnan and Tan Jinxiao came looking for him. "Say, Master Qiu, how did things go?" Tan Jinxiao had to repeat the question several times before Qiu Zhiheng could faintly catch his words. "Things went fairly well. Everything is fine!" Qiu Zhiheng nodded, uncertain whether he should tell them the truth right now. Luo Zhengnan said, "I went to see them once before. I've never seen an emperor, but Juanzi and the others truly look intimidating. They carry an unspeakable aura." "Yes, quite intimidating." Qiu Zhiheng clutched his chest, feeling a stabbing pain in his heart. Tan Jinxiao remained uneasy. "I'm telling you, this matter cannot be treated lightly! I've seen Juanzi too. Nothing fundamentally wrong, but there's a constant stream of minor flaws in how they move their hands and raise their heads. Especially Mengzi—he's good fighting material, but when it comes to acting, he's totally off track. All of that must be fixed. When that old bastard Qiao Yi arrives, Juanzi must intimidate him completely. While they're still exchanging pleasantries, we'll strike secretly from the shadows, and success will be guaranteed!" Qiu Zhiheng felt his hearing fail him again. Watching their mouths open and shut, he had no idea what they were saying. Once Tan Jinxiao and Luo Zhengnan departed, Qiu Zhiheng sat alone in the courtyard, murmuring to himself, "What on earth am I supposed to do?" At eleven that night, Qiu Zhiheng's wife, Zhuzi, arrived. Before coming, Zhuzi had sent word through an acquaintance, so Qiu Zhiheng knew she was arriving today. But with his anxiety burning feverishly, he had completely forgotten to go to the station to meet her. Zhuzi did not blame him. Entering the room, she held him affectionately for a while, only to find him staring blankly, utterly unresponsive. Sensing something was amiss, Zhuzi asked, "Zhiheng, what happened to you?" Qiu Zhiheng's eyes reddened, and tears began to fall. "Wife, what am I going to do?" "What do you mean, what are you going to do? What are you crying for?" "Seventh Brother set up a new emperor for the Inner States and edged out their old emperor. Leaning on this new emperor, we've pulled off quite a few major feats on our side—massive endeavors, all of them." Zhuzi nodded. "I know about that, but that's no reason to cry, is it?" Qiu Zhiheng wept, "Seventh Brother entrusted this new emperor to me, but I failed to keep watch over them. The three-headed person split into three separate people! Now the Inner States are sending people to meet their new emperor—what are we going to show them? If the Inner States find out, everything we achieved before will be ruined, and Seventh Brother will be thoroughly discredited! Such a monumental matter, and it completely fell apart in my hands!" Qiu Zhiheng was no stranger to hardship. Had he been a thoughtless, careless man, he would never have broken down in tears like this. It was precisely because he was intelligent and understood the full ramifications that he knew this consequence was far beyond what he could bear. After turning it over in her mind, Zhuzi finally grasped the stakes. She had wanted to offer him some comfort, but fear overwhelmed her, and she punched Qiu Zhiheng on the arm. "I told you not to run around out here and just live honestly in Yaowanggou, but you refused to listen! What can we do now? How should I know what to do?" Just as husband and wife were at their wits' end, a servant came to report that someone was requesting an audience. Zhuzi went out and ushered the visitors inside. Two figures stepped down from the carriage: one had two heads, and the other had one. The two-headed one was Liangwucai, while the single-headed one was Zhong'er. Upon seeing Qiu Zhiheng, Zhong'er cupped his fists in salute. "Brother Qiu, you and I aren't very well acquainted. I am Seventh Master's subordinate, as the two older sisters can attest." Liangwu nodded. "Master Qiu, this is Seventh Master's most loyal subordinate from the Outer States." Liangcai added wistfully, "By what means this youth managed to conquer Seventh Master's heart, none can say." Qiu Zhiheng had a favorable impression of Zhong'er. The lad had arrived alongside Lightbulb and Lian Buda and had helped Qiu Zhiheng handle many tasks. Zhong'er said to Qiu Zhiheng, "Brother Qiu, the two sisters told me that aside from the Luo sisters and their retainers, no one else has ever seen the new monarch, correct?" Qiu Zhiheng frowned. "What do you mean by that?" Zhong'er replied, "I mean exactly what I said. Since no one else has seen the new monarch, we must waste no time and fabricate a new one." Qiu Zhiheng shook his head. "How could it be that simple?" Zhong'er countered, "It isn't that difficult either. Juanzi and the others had no royal bloodline to begin with; Seventh Master manufactured the whole thing. Now, so long as we find an entirely reliable three-headed person, what harm is there in making another?" Qiu Zhiheng still shook his head. "It's far too risky. An entirely reliable three-headed person is hard to come by, and persuading the Luo sisters won't be easy either." Zhong'er had already considered all of this. "Brother Qiu, I know it won't be easy, but it's far better than sitting on our hands and doing nothing. There are things in the Outer States you might not know: Seventh Master has used his title as Prince Pingyuan to secure immense benefits for Puluo Province. If this issue with the new monarch cannot be explained away, his standing as Prince Pingyuan will collapse, and many of Puluo Province's interests will no longer be sustainable." Qiu Zhiheng rubbed his temples. Beside him, Zhuzi urged, "Zhiheng, I think what this brother says makes sense." After weighing the situation back and forth, Qiu Zhiheng made a call to Ma the Fifth. When Ma the Fifth hung up the telephone, his temples throbbed with a dull ache. The investigation into the newlands remained unresolved, and now trouble had broken out in Santoucha as well. Feng Daiku had earnestly advised Ma the Fifth to stay out of the newland affair as much as possible, but Ma the Fifth could not keep his hands off it. The Ma family was already embroiled in the matter, and it was very likely to drag him down with it. Fortunately, Lu Chunying, Chu Huaiyuan, and Qin Tianjiu were all willing to help, allowing the investigation to make some headway. Lu Chunying arrived at Xiaoyaowu and reported her findings regarding the newlands to Ma the Fifth. "Fifth Brother, He Jiaqing has brought in more manpower on his end. He hasn't paid much attention to Old Master Ma's plots of land; instead, he's focusing all his efforts elsewhere. I suspect this whole business isn't as straightforward as it seems." Ma the Fifth examined the intelligence provided by Lu Chunying with great care, unable to fathom He Jiaqing's true intentions. Meanwhile, He Jiaqing was looking over the photographs Datou had brought back, listening to Datou's explanation. "These photos were taken across different newlands. They're all barren, without a single blade of grass." He Jiaqing nodded with a smile. "Brother, you've found the right place." Shen Rongqing could not understand. Newly generated newlands never grew grass; what was so special about that? On what basis could Datou have found the right place? Duan Shuqun studied Datou's investigative materials carefully and realized the logic behind it. These parcels of newland were directly contiguous. Newly generated newlands were randomly dropped into Puluo Province by the Inner States, scattered here and there, interspersed among existing newlands. For several newly generated newlands to form an unbroken expanse was the greatest anomaly of all. Having looked through the materials, Shen Rongqing was thoroughly convinced. Although Datou had received more manpower and resources from He Jiaqing, he had indeed approached the task with exceptional diligence. He Jiaqing turned to the three of them. "Earlier, I received word that Chaoge has tightened security at Wenyuan Pavilion, doubling the size of the guard force. Do you know why?" Shen Rongqing pondered for a moment. "The covenant deeds for the local spirits are still kept inside Wenyuan Pavilion, and they don't want them stolen again." He Jiaqing nodded. "Any other deductions?" Shen Rongqing thought for another moment, then looked up suddenly. "An even more important covenant deed has been added to Wenyuan Pavilion." "Not just one—a whole cluster of them," He Jiaqing said, shaking the stack of photos in his hand. "The covenant deeds for these local spirits are all inside Wenyuan Pavilion. Going forward, the Inner States must defend it with everything they have, because they've staked a tremendous amount of capital on these territories." Duan Shuqun asked, "The Inner States deliberately made the territories of these local spirits form a continuous expanse, but how was that accomplished?" "Enfeoffment with carried land!" When he obtained the intelligence from Zuo Anna, He Jiaqing had already seen the clues. "The Inner States are making a massive gamble here, but if they win, the payoff will be enormous." Shen Rongqing was utterly astonished. She had to admit that all her previous thoughts seemed terribly shallow in the presence of He Jiaqing. "In doing this, aren't the Inner States afraid of the peddler's retribution?" He Jiaqing looked toward Datou. "When you went to the newlands, what were those local spirits doing?" Datou thought back. "I didn't see anything unusual. I didn't even catch a glimpse of the local spirits." He Jiaqing chuckled. "Did you hear that? Those local spirits haven't done a single thing; they haven't even shown their faces. What could the peddler possibly do to them? Slay them simply because their lands border each other? That would make no sense, nor would it conform to the rules the peddler established himself." Shen Rongqing thought it over and added, "If they do nothing, they won't pose a threat to Puluo Province in the future either." He Jiaqing shook his head. "It isn't that they won't do anything; it's a question of when they choose to do it. The Inner States possess great patience, and their numbers will only grow. More local spirits will flock to join them. By the time they actually make their move, stopping them will be nearly impossible." Donning a night-travel suit, He Jiaqing prepared to head out. Before leaving, he specifically instructed, "Under no circumstances must word of this leak out." Following the coordinates Datou had gathered, He Jiaqing traveled alone to the newlands, using a Travel Cultivator treasure to inspect all thirteen territories. The location was not particularly remote, but among the newlands it was by no means prominent either, lying some distance from the older lands. Transporting supplies would present certain logistical difficulties, but according to He Jiaqing's preliminary estimates, the problem was well within manageable bounds. He drew a map, a satisfied smile appearing on his face. From beside him, the peddler offered his praise. "A territory this vast—even if you only saw it in a dream, it would wake you up laughing." Startled, He Jiaqing put away the map and bowed deeply to the peddler. The peddler waved a hand dismissively. "You scattered information all over the place just to ensure I would find out about this, didn't you? You calculated that I would come, so why bother putting on such a flustered act?" He Jiaqing shook his head. "It isn't fluster, but because I am asking a favor of someone, I must tread with care." The peddler paused, rolling a cigarette. "You're asking a favor of me?" "Yes. I have an important matter to request." "What is it?" "I want to ask you to grant me the chance to rid Puluo Province of a hazard." "Rid it of a hazard?" The peddler looked around. "They haven't caused any harm in Puluo Province. How do you plan to rid us of them?" He Jiaqing replied, "By the day they actually do cause harm, it will be too late to eliminate them. That is why you need someone to do your dirty work." "Do my dirty work?" The peddler took a drag from his cigarette. "You think I don't have people to handle dirty work?" "You do, but that person isn't suited for this," He Jiaqing had prepared his case well in advance. "If the goal were to slaughter every living creature in a territory down to the last scrap of armor, Critic would be ideal. But there aren't that many living beings on these lands; there are only thirteen local spirits. Though they haven't held their posts for long, they are all cultivators above the clouds. Thirteen experts above the clouds working in unison might be more than Critic can handle. Besides, even if Critic succeeded, cleaning up the aftermath would be difficult—he's far too ostentatious. What you need is a thief, someone who can get the job done for you quietly in the shadows." Pinching the cigarette between his fingers, the peddler considered the proposal. "And once it's done, these territories fall to you?" He Jiaqing did not deny his intentions. "You are a fair man. Helping you always yields a reward. Slaying thirteen local spirits without making a sound will be no easy feat. When the time comes, you can decide how much is appropriate to bestow upon me. This matter isn't worth your trouble—you have far too many other things to worry about. I hear quite a bit is happening over at Santoucha as well. Leave these territories to me to deal with." The peddler smiled and nodded at He Jiaqing. Back in Santoucha, at the residence of the new monarch, Qiu Zhiheng, Tan Jinxiao, and Luo Zhengnan stood together, staring at the "new new monarch" Ma the Fifth had brought over. The general configuration of this "new new monarch" matched Juanzi and the others: a man, a woman, and a child. Ma the Fifth introduced them: "These three are named A'song, A'xiu, and A'fu. Completely reliable people, though there are certain rules that will have to be taught to them gradually." As they spoke, A'song produced a flatbread and sneakily fed a bite to A'fu. A'fu ate too hastily and sneezed, spraying crumbs and snot all over the place. A'xiu hurriedly wiped A'fu's face with her sleeve, licking off the stray crumbs stuck to the fabric while she was at it. Luo Zhengnan said nothing. Qiu Zhiheng did not know what to say. Tan Jinxiao could contain himself no longer. "Are you having a laugh? You came here to pull a fast one? What kind of bollocks is this? How on earth is this an emperor? Here I was thinking about bluffing Qiao Yi so we could strike from the shadows, but who the hell could this fool? Fifth Master, you can't be doing this to us! If I'd known it would come to this, I wouldn't have bothered messing around with you all—I'd have gone to gather my men and waited for the battle to start!" Luo Zhengnan tried to soothe him. "Master Tan, don't get impatient just yet. Let's hurry up and drill them. None of us know what an emperor is supposed to look like anyway. A few more days of practice should be enough to shape them up." Tan Jinxiao shook his head. "Can this sort of thing be trained in a few days? How long did Juanzi and the others practice? Where did Juanzi go, anyway? Why did she quit? What the devil actually happened?" Qiu Zhiheng still did not dare reveal the truth. Lian Buda's ability to separate a three-headed person would set off an unimaginable storm if word ever got out. Luo Zhengnan said, "Let's all cool off and not rush. We don't even know when Qiao Yi is coming!" Meanwhile, Xie Gong asked Qiao Yi, "Elder Brother, when are we heading to Puluo Province?" Qiao Yi laughed. "What would we go to Puluo Province for?" Zhu Jin was taken aback. "Didn't we agree to go to Puluo Province to meet the monarch? I've already prepared all my men, and I was even thinking of having a proper fight with them!" Qiao Yi shook his head. "I said I was going to Puluo Province, but I never told them when. If the matter hangs over their heads for a month, they'll have to stay on guard for a month. If it hangs over them for a year, they'll have to stay on guard for a year. I'll keep them on edge every single day. Tell Bo City to get ready; we hold the sacrificial rite again in three days." Zhu Jin gasped in surprise. "Brother, another sacrificial rite? Just how many newlands do you intend to make?" Xie Gong said nothing, knowing there was a deeper design behind this. Qiao Yi let out a long sigh. "Creating newlands is merely a means; their quantity is meant to shape the overall situation. Yet you two still fail to grasp the inevitable trend within it. A single newland makes him guard with utmost vigilance. Ten newlands keep him on edge. A hundred newlands will leave his mind in utter disarray. The chaotic situation in the Demonic Land is difficult to crack precisely because the peddler intends to achieve victory amid the turmoil. I shall counter chaos with chaos, throwing him into such exhaustion and distress that when the time comes, rounding up that motley rabble will be as easy as taking an object from a pocket!" Zhu Jin did not quite understand, but Xie Gong grasped the essence of it. Having expelled the Sage and freshly seized power, Qiao Yi already showed Xie Gong the promise of conquering Puluo Province. A gentle breeze swept by as Qiao Yi stood before the window, gazing out in the direction of Bo City. "What is the inevitable trend? The newlands are the trend!" In Bo City, upon the sacrificial altar within the Nine Gates: A'yi cast the Mad Cultivator skill, Insane and Witless, reducing all the guards stationed at the altar to a state of mindless stupor. On the surface, these guards appeared completely normal, but in reality their minds were blank. They did not know why they were standing watch here, nor were they aware of the consequences if an intruder breached the altar. A'yi and Li Banfeng wielded brushes and small knives, painstakingly scraping soil from the crevices between the altar's stones—the residual seed soil left behind from the previous sacrificial rite. It was grueling labor. Every single stone crevice had to be combed through, and in the end they managed to scrape together only a small bag of seed soil. Li Banfeng kept his voice low. "We went through all this trouble to come here just for this tiny bit of dirt?" Making this journey had indeed been extraordinarily difficult. A'yi had stretched the power of Hulu Village to its absolute limits just to infiltrate Bo City's Nine Gates. And to accomplish anything within these Nine Gates, they needed numerous specialized methods to evade the various surrounding mechanisms and hidden armaments. No one else could be counted on; Li Banfeng was only able to assist A'yi by relying on his talents as a tier-four Homestead Cultivator above the clouds. "This bit of soil is quite a lot already." A'yi wiped her sweat and weighed the pouch in her hand; it came to just over a jin. Li Banfeng remarked, "We've been toiling away for more than two hours." A'yi tied the soil behind her waist and pulled out a chisel, gently probing the crevices of the stone. "If we want to get more soil, we have to figure out how this altar was constructed. If we can carry a stone back with us, we might be able to discern its unique materials and craftsmanship." As she spoke, A'yi produced pliers, a drill, and a small saw. Looking at the tools she had brought along, one could tell this was by no means her first time doing such work. Yet after Li Banfeng waited another two hours, A'yi had still failed to pry loose even a single stone. The stone of the altar was undeniably sturdy, but it shouldn't have been so hard that not even a flake could be chipped away. A'yi was clearly holding back out of caution. Li Banfeng stepped forward. "How about I help you?" A'yi shook her head. "No! The space beneath this altar is riddled with mechanisms. Apply the wrong amount of force, and the mechanisms will trigger." "If they trigger, so be it. It's not like we can't escape!" A'yi shook her head again. "Even if we escape this time, what about next time? This is the territory of the Nine Gates; do you think getting in here is easy? Once the Inner States tighten their guard, we won't have another opportunity to come back." Li Banfeng stared in surprise. "You're remarkably clearheaded today." A'yi wore an intensely serious expression. "I have to be clearheaded! When handling such an important task, one must never go mad; the proper sequence must be strictly maintained. If we fail to get the stone and cut off this lead in the process, won't we lose everything?" After another ten minutes or so, A'yi wiped her sweat and gave up. "Old Seventh, let's go." "Why leave now?" Li Banfeng blinked. "We haven't gotten the stone yet." "There's no time left," A'yi said, shaking her head. "Once seed soil leaves the altar, it loses its efficacy within five hours. I must hurry and bring this soil back to Hulu Village." Scraping the soil had taken more than two hours, and digging at the stone had consumed another two. Time was indeed running short. A'yi touched the button on her sleeve, and the entrance to Hulu Village appeared. "Let's go, Old Seventh!" Reaching the doorway, A'yi realized Li Qi was not beside her. Looking back, she saw him walking straight into the center of the altar. A'yi's eyes widened, and she waved her hand frantically, not daring to shout aloud. "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and—" Li Banfeng waved his hand back, signaling for A'yi to leave first. A'yi had no idea what he was waiting for. She saw Li Banfeng pull out a black-and-white patterned glove. He whispered something to the glove. A'yi could not catch his words, but she saw a white cloth sack emerge from the glove. She recognized that cloth sack. When Li Banfeng visited Hulu Village, he had weighed out ten jin of explosives, and they had been packed into this very sack. Two jin of explosives could obliterate half a mountain. Here were ten jin. A'yi's eyes rounded in shock, and she murmured at Li Qi, "Are you crazy? What on earth are you doing?!" Li Banfeng embraced the sack of explosives, a tender, intimate smile spreading across his face. It was a smile A'yi knew all too well. Mad Cultivator skill: Mad and Overbearing. Rumble! A plume of smoke and dust billowed into the sky. The sacrificial altar of Bo City in the Great Shang blew straight to pieces.