Chapter 252: Sham Reputation

Second Young Master Fang drank a cup of wine with the Seven Clans and left Lingwu Sect.

Leaving alongside him were the members of Shoushan Sect who had come for him, Yun Huan Sect’s predetermined core disciple Meng Qing’er, Leshui Sect’s predetermined core disciple He Zhenzhang, and Nine Immortals Sect’s core disciple Meng Zhixue. Strangely, although they could have kept these disciples, unexpectedly, neither Yun Huan and Leshui Sects who had shown goodwill towards Second Young Master Fang, nor even Nine Immortals Sect, detained them.

Among the Qi Refiners, it was secretly passed on that Second Young Master Fang left to gather Dragon Stones to aid Old Master Fan.

Because he had formally agreed in Old Master Fan’s presence to help resolve the Spirit Well matter.

Someone of his status and position naturally wouldn’t break his word; once he promised, he was sure to contribute.

Therefore, the plan driven by Old Master Fan and the Seven Clans was also progressing swiftly with unprecedented smoothness.

Everywhere the influence and businesses of the Seven Clans reached, countless Dragon Stones were being dug up through various channels, converging into a shared merchant convoy of the Seven Clans. This convoy was then closely guarded by the strongest Qi Refiners of the Seven Clans and the County Mansion.

Dragon Stone was a luxury item among Qi Refiners.

Such a treasure could also be used for cultivation, and the magical power it refined was almost comparable to Innate Qi.

It was said among people that the methods of Qi Refiner cultivation broadly fell into four categories: studying, spiritual transfer, breathing exercises, and pill consumption. The Acquired Qi gained from studying was the purest, called Haoran Qi, closest to Innate Qi, while pill consumption contained the most impurities and posed the greatest problems. However, these were just the methods accessible to ordinary Qi Refiners. Truthfully, there was another Qi refining method.

That was to absorb the Dragon Qi within Dragon Stones.

The Acquired Qi cultivated through this method was exceptionally pure, rivalling even that gained from studying.

The reason people didn’t include Dragon Stones in common Qi refining methods was simply because Dragon Stones weren’t something everyone could obtain.

Especially the Seven Clans—on the surface, they had no legitimate channel to procure Dragon Stones.

After all, Dragon Stones were generated within Dragon Veins and allocated by the Divine Palace. Despite their deep resources, the Seven Clans were not sects and lacked an overt avenue to acquire Dragon Stones. Of course, this was only overtly…

The facts proved that not only did the Seven Clans possess Dragon Stones, but the quantity was also quite astonishing.

And now, these Dragon Stones were rapidly gathering and being transported to Qingjiang, becoming a bargaining chip for the Seven Clans in their negotiation with Old Master Fan.

“Still worth it…”

On a secret merchant caravan, a Qi Refiner from the Nanli Clan sighed softly, holding up a crystal-clear stone from a crate. “Old Master Fan was ruthless, demanding nearly all the reserves the Seven Clans built over the years in one go. Still, he’s a reasonable man. Though the terms seem harsh, they are exactly what the Seven Clans need most right now…”

“For the Seven Clans, the most precious thing is never specific treasures… it’s access, trade routes!”

……

Meanwhile, in another place, the convoy of Qi Refiners from the Seven Clans escorting Young Master Bai, Bai Huaiyu, was slowly traversing the void, heading back towards the Bai Family. They moved very slowly, seemingly waiting for someone to appear and try to intercept or assassinate.

Unfortunately, after several days of travel, not even a shadow was seen.

The Bai Family had already come to meet them, rendezvousing above the Red Forge Mountain.

From the Bai Family came a plump steward. He first thanked those responsible for escorting Young Master Bai Huaiyu and then spoke with a heavy sigh, “I come bearing Elder’s command. Young Master Huaiyu, with his remarkable talent, has always been Elder’s most beloved grandson. Who would have thought this young master could commit such folly, sabotaging his own clan’s foundation?”

Hearing this, everyone chimed in supportively: “Young Master Bai might have had a moment of poor judgment…”

“Alas, indeed!”

The Bai steward sighed deeply, glancing into the Dharma Ship where the Bai scion sat completely immobilized by seals, tears welling in his eyes. He lamented, “Elder watched him grow up, personally guided his cultivation, treasuring him like a prized gem. How could he bear to see his beloved grandson return to the clan only to be executed according to the clan’s rules? Gentlemen, please, take pity on Elder’s feelings!”

The Qi Refiners of the Seven Clans immediately grasped the steward’s implication.

Elder couldn’t bear to see his beloved grandson killed, but this Bai youth had committed a grave offense requiring death.

Therefore…

They promptly hauled Bai Huaiyu out onto the mountainside, forcing him to kneel facing the Bai Family’s direction.

Bai Huaiyu cried out in terror, “Why? Why do you get to kill me? It was you! It was Grandfather! He said it was to test me, entrusting me with the dealings in the south! I was just an accountant! He decided everything, even what was traded! How… how can you kill me?”

The old steward, seeing Bai Huaiyu’s terrified, tearful expression, wept openly: “I cannot bear to watch this any longer… Just do it!”

A blade flashed, striking towards Bai Huaiyu’s neck!

……

Inside the County Mansion, various Chief Wardens, Divine Generals, and Secretaries bustled about energetically. Like insects sleeping all winter, suddenly reawakening with spring to unleash pent-up zeal, they gathered, catalogued, and sorted through piles of old records. They selected useful dossiers, potentially helpful ones, or those too crucial to lose, sending them via transmission arrays to Lingwu Sect.

One Secretary strode coldly ahead of them, loudly admonishing: “I know how sluggishly you usually perform. I know how fond you all are of wealth, of sparing your own effort. But now is different. Old Master Fan has given a strict command: regardless of the effort required, the Ghost Official must be found. Whoever slacks off on this matter… Watch your head!”

Hearing this, everyone worked with extra caution. No one dared court bad luck now.

Who didn’t know? This Secretary Mo had just been promoted – a trusted agent of the Seven Clans. His posting to the County Mansion was specifically to monitor and ensure that the full weight of the County Mansion’s efforts went into nailing the Ghost Official!

The Seven Clans and Old Master Fan were poised for their ultimate cooperation.

The Seven Clans’ offering to Old Master Fan was the Dragon Stones.

And Old Master Fan’s first major gift to the Seven Clans… was the Ghost Official!

……

“This… shouldn’t run into any more unexpected snags, right?”

In the main hall of Lingwu Sect, Old Master Fan listened as his elderly servant reported each new development point by point. His weathered face grave, he asked softly. His white hair and beard mirrored a dormant volcano, brewing with suppressed fury.

“It won’t!”

The old servant reported respectfully with a smile: “The Seven Clans, naturally, are on it. This concerns their lives and fortunes; they are more dedicated than anyone. As for the Six Sects… Some are displeased, particularly about the temporary hold on the Dragon Stone allocation. But what can they say now? If they express dissent now, it would be tantamount to opposing Yuan Shen Kingdom, opposing the entire Qingjiang region…”

“As for the populace of Qingjiang City… well… The Holy Maiden of the Moon Tribe of the Witch Clan has arrived at the Spirit Well site, initiating the necessary arrangements. Moreover, word of Old Master Fan sacrificing his entire fortune to purchase Dragon Stones to save the city, and a person of your stature humbling yourself to plead with the younger Second Young Master Fang – these stories are becoming celebrated tales of virtue, spreading like wildfire…”

“The people now not only deeply recognize your immense righteousness but are also voicing criticism. Many blame that Second Young Master Fang for being unreasonable – requiring someone like you to humble yourself for such an act of saving the city is utterly…”

“Good!”

A trace of icy satisfaction flickered across Old Master Fan’s face. His eyes narrowed slightly. He murmured softly, “I still have some lingering unease. That Fang youngster is ambitious and unruly, all sharp edges. Though he promised easily, obedience is unlikely. However… right now, he also seeks reputation. Let’s see how, under the people’s whispers, if he fails to deliver the Dragon Stones… where will his precious reputation come from then?”

……

“How certain are you of locating that Ghost Official?”

On the side of Nine Immortals Sect, three elders looked towards Divine Eye Young Master Lu Xiao, almost buried under a mound of dossiers, and couldn’t help asking.

Lu Xiao paused briefly. He nearly said one hundred percent, but hesitated slightly, saying instead, “Seventy percent!”

“Decent enough!”

The Grand Elders exchanged a glance. Elder Ge stated firmly, “Emerging from seclusion and capturing the Ghost Official is indeed a significant achievement. But regarding previous matters, we relayed them back to the sect and discussed them with the Sect Leader. His intent aligns with ours: After you capture the Ghost Official… you must accomplish one more thing. That is to engage Second Young Master Fang in an open, fair duel… and you must defeat him!”

“Defeat him?”

Lu Xiao set his dossier aside, his smile a mixture of weariness and skepticism. “I… am in the Golden Core Realm. You want me to defeat him?”

“Your cultivation realm is higher than his, so victory itself carries no great honor…”

The three elders stated solemnly together. “But we will strive to devise a method making it seem you fought on equal footing. That way, once you defeat him, your reputation will genuinely be that of having bested a scion of the Fang Family… This benefits everyone.”

Lu Xiao remained silent for a long time. “Frankly… I’ve no desire to clash with the Fang Family again.”

“In talent, I fall short of that eldest Fang brother. In scheming and strategy… this Second Fang Young Master isn’t inferior to me either.”

“Even now, his plan failed not by my hand, but Old Master Fan stepped in. What bearing does this have on me?”

……

“That’s not for you to consider!”

The three elders emphasized sternly, “This Second Young Master Fang… he’s a hedgehog. You cannot strike him or scold him; touch him and you get pricked. Yet now is precisely the only moment to openly defeat him without crossing any lines. Toppling his reputation through a public duel is also the sole approach you can employ without restraint, without inviting backlash… Therefore, this time, you must win!”

Lu Xiao picked up the dossier again. He muttered softly, barely audible, “Somehow… I always feel you value him… more than you value me…”