Something I'd Like to Entrust to You

As for Ding Zuodong, Qiu Hu, and the others, the benefits they received were nothing short of enviable. The reason He Lingchuan hadn't put all the pills up for sale was that he needed to keep a share of dividends for his own people, as well as set aside a portion as future rewards for military merit. Rewards and punishments had to be not only clearly defined, but also prompt. Everyone needed to know that if they worked hard under him, their lives would only grow sweeter and sweeter. Of course, as the island master, the reward He Lingchuan kept for himself was the most generous. It was what he deserved. Moreover, He Lingchuan keenly observed that the guards' morale and spirit had completely transformed compared to two days ago. They were more spirited, more confident, and carried themselves with their backs unconsciously straight. This was because the ordeal of the night before last had been an unconventional battle for them. And they had won. Where did soldiers draw their confidence? From past victories. The more they won, the more confident they grew. At this stage, the guards had no wars to fight, so their experience that night had served as an excellent trial. He clapped his hands and called out to everyone, "All right, stop slacking off. Head to the other islands and get to work!" The Wind Lion Lords rushed out recently were limited in number, barely covering the critical areas of the islands. After the fury of the hurricane, the roads and thoroughfares on every island were blocked and needed men to clear them. He then summoned Wang Fubao. "I have an assignment for you: head to Baijiao Village west of Blade Harbor and track down any leads on Old Yu—that is, Yu Rong." Old Yu was the pawn the Lu father and son had used to instigate the Moqi uncle and nephew. Over the past few days, He Lingchuan had been so busy he could hardly catch his breath, but now that he finally had a moment to spare, how could he let the man off lightly? "The moment word reaches Blade Harbor that I am safe and sound, Yu Rong will know the Moqi uncle and nephew failed to seize the islands. He might not remain in Blade Harbor, nor will he necessarily return to Baijiao Village, but his ancestral home is in Baijiao Village, so there are bound to be personal belongings of his left there," He Lingchuan instructed Wang Fubao. "Track down these items and bring them to me. The more personal, the better; the more, the merrier." "Understood!" "Also, find a way to learn his Eight Characters of birth." ... The following night, another fall of Emperor's Flowing Dew descended. With their previous experience and no hurricane wreaking havoc, the Yangshan Archipelago dealt with the dewfall far more calmly. The night passed smoothly without incident. With that, both falls of Emperor's Flowing Dew had come to an end. Early the next morning, Wang Xingyi prepared to depart. As a high-ranking figure of Lingshan and the National Preceptor of Mou Kingdom, he naturally knew the general timing of the dewfalls, so he had waited until both had fallen before taking his leave. Having been delayed by the hurricane for two full days, his return to Mou Kingdom had become all the more pressing. Upon receiving the message, He Lingchuan came over to Bailang Villa, where Wang Xingyi was already packed and waiting specifically for him. "You have done very well these past few days. I've seen it all." Wang Xingyi glanced at Fang Canran. "I've been thinking it over for two days, and there are a few matters I'd like to entrust to you." He Lingchuan understood what he meant: the National Preceptor had observed him for two days, judged him to be fairly reliable, and therefore had tasks to assign him. It seemed he had passed National Preceptor Wang's test. He felt a slight wave of relief. "The National Preceptor is too polite. Is this a private matter, or official business?" "Official business." Catching his drift, He Lingchuan immediately dismissed everyone around them. He even went to the door himself to take a look, ensuring no outsiders were present before casually putting up a boundary barrier. "Please, speak." Fang Canran spoke first. "From time to time, those beneath Lingshan encounter small troubles that require specialized help to resolve. Sometimes, it is inconvenient for Mou Kingdom to intervene directly." Even great powers had their own difficulties. He Lingchuan understood in a flash and thumped his chest in assent. "I am willing to share Lingshan's burdens." Having just become acquainted with Lingshan, helping them solve more problems was the fastest way to build rapport, which would facilitate his own future plans. "I will have Songyuan convey these matters to you," Wang Xingyi said. "Naturally, there will be suitable remuneration for each." He Lingchuan gladly accepted. From now on, Fang Canran would essentially become Lingshan's mission dispatcher. Wang Xingyi pondered for a moment. "All right, let's turn to the main matter. You already know that there are immortals in Lingshan." He Lingchuan nodded. "Yes." Not only had he heard of them, but he had also seen one with his own eyes on the night Fang Canran caused havoc in Lingxu City. The azure bird soaring in midair, summoning storms at will, had been judged by Zhu Daniang to be at least at the level of a demi-immortal. Wang Xingyi sighed. "You are not yet a member of Lingshan, yet I must share a few core secrets with you." He Lingchuan smiled. "I leave it entirely to the National Preceptor's discretion. In truth, I don't necessarily have to hear them." If he didn't hear them, he wouldn't have to carry out the task. He wasn't under Lingshan, nor did he even have a formal cooperative relationship with Wang Xingyi yet. Was the old man already trying to pawn tasks off on him? Wang Xingyi chuckled, deliberately baiting him. "What, afraid?" Fang Canran had been shooting meaningful glances from the side, urging He Lingchuan to accept, but the latter refused to be provoked. "You may speak freely, National Preceptor. I will assess the risks myself." "This is a matter of top-tier secrecy, even to Lingshan." Wang Xingyi sobered, his smile fading. "If I tell you, and you refuse to take it on, it will only bring you harm." He Lingchuan understood immediately: if he learned these secrets and then refused to work for Lingshan, they would have no choice but to silence him. His own future plans required Lingshan's cooperation, or rather, their cover. Just when he was wondering how to draw closer to Lingshan without formally joining them, this old man Wang had delivered a pillow right to his sleepy head—or rather, handed him a mission. He had no intention of turning down such an opportunity. But before declaring his stance, He Lingchuan wanted to secure some benefits for himself. "May I ask, if this is a top-tier secret, why isn't it being handled by someone from Lingshan?" His expression was sincere, and his question was entirely pertinent. This time, Wang Xingyi hesitated even longer before saying softly, "Who in this world do you think understands Lingshan best?" He Lingchuan answered without thinking, "The Heavenly Palace, or rather, Lingxu City." The one who understood you best was often your sworn enemy; any minor flaw would be magnified infinitely in their eyes. "Indeed. The Heavenly Palace understands Lingshan just as Lingshan understands the gods. This pair of old nemeses has existed for far too long." Wang Xingyi lowered his voice. "The Heavenly Palace has our people within it, and vice versa." He Lingchuan pressed, "Are you saying that within Lingshan, there are also...?" Six hundred years had passed; they had long since infiltrated each other. "Lingshan is ethereal and untraceable, yet the Daoist orders and individuals connected to Lingshan exist in the physical world." Wang Xingyi let out a low sigh. "A man's heart cannot be read from his face." Elder Dao of the Mount Rong Sect had once said that Lingshan was a very 'loose' organization. With very few people at the very top, it was likely difficult for Beijia's spies to penetrate that inner circle. However, Lingshan maintained myriad connections with Mou Kingdom and other Daoist orders. And what were those myriad connections made of? People. Wang Xingyi was an old veteran who had rolled through organizations all his life. He knew full well that no matter how vigilant one was, as long as an organization was large enough and had enough people, moles and traitors were inevitable. It was true for Beijia, and just as true for Lingshan. From this, He Lingchuan could deduce that Wang Xingyi's commission truly was a matter of top-tier secrecy—so critical that he didn't even dare trust his own insiders.