Chapter 26: Once Upon a Time, There Was a Mountain, and Within It, a Celestial Cave

Zhou Qing asked leisurely, “What did they want to talk to you about?”

“Well... it’s a long story.”

Qin Jiajia seemed to hesitate. “You know how you said a while ago that you wanted to investigate those evil cultivators who attacked you? The higher-ups had me go with several other veteran agents to inspect the power plant where the evil cultivators had previously appeared. Then we suddenly ran into a cultivator...”

She briefly recounted what had happened. Zhou Qing listened in silence, deep in thought.

He had originally intended to use this opportunity to ask about the incident that had triggered the True Fire, but there was no need anymore.

“...After the other agents and I woke up, the medical department said that our examinations showed nothing wrong and told us to return and rest while awaiting further orders. The moment I got back to the dormitory, I was summoned to headquarters for questioning. At first, they had me describe everything that happened at the power plant in detail. Then, little by little, they brought up what I told you in the park last time. They questioned me extremely thoroughly...”

Her voice paused. When she spoke again, there was a trace of nervousness in it.

“I told him what you had told me before... You know, the story about how, a long time ago, a great power sent a girl to ask for your help in dealing with their enemies. But that senior official’s face turned pale when he heard it... Did I say something wrong?”

“It was only a story. There was no harm in telling it,” Zhou Qing said. “What arrangements have they made for you?”

“Me? I’ll probably be reassigned temporarily.”

Qin Jiajia continued, “Because of this accident, the investigation has been suspended. Nothing actually happened, but the director said that I had come into direct contact with the enemy, and that continuing to work as an agent would carry a certain degree of risk. For the time being, they’re transferring me to one of our partner organizations to do some research-related work. It’s basically further training after joining the organization, and it also lets me keep a low profile. Once things settle down, they’ll transfer me back.”

“That is for the best.” Zhou Qing gave a slight nod.

With that True Fire within her, he was not particularly worried about Qin Jiajia’s safety. But now that she had become entangled with the affairs of his past, she was bound to attract unnecessary attention. That would be no good for her or for the people around her.

As a fledgling cultivator, there was nothing good about getting too close to the center of the whirlpool.

“Let’s set that aside for now. The senior official surnamed Lu who questioned me said he wanted to pay you a personal visit. He asked me to pass along the message and find out what you thought.”

Her voice dropped almost to a whisper. Though she claimed merely to be passing on a message, she sounded as cautious as if she were reporting a secret.

“He has made very serious preparations this time. I heard he’s even bringing along an expert from a sect. I believe that sect is called... Nine Li.”

...

Among the famous mountains of the Guanzhong region stood Mount Zhongnan.

Within the mountain lay a hidden paradise known as Nine Li.

A single mountain peak supported the sect’s grand hall. Disciples dressed in sect robes hurried through every corner of the building. Looking out across the surrounding mountains, one saw clouds rising amid rosy mists, while flocks of birds wheeled through the sky.

This was the “immortal realm” depicted in countless poems and songs: a hidden paradise existing between reality and illusion, a place where spiritual energy gathered and cultivators made their homes.

After the Immortal-Mortal Cooperation Accord was established, the authorities had once proposed helping each sect rebuild its residence, replacing the old architecture with more comfortable modern facilities. But hidden paradises existed in unusual ways, making it impossible for large machinery such as cranes and excavators to enter. Moreover, the ancient cultivators were generally unwilling to see homes they had inhabited for centuries demolished by excavators. As a result, most sects’ hidden paradises still retained the appearance they had possessed a thousand years ago.

The Nine Li Sect was no exception. The architecture throughout the sect bore the style of the Sui and Tang dynasties, orderly and magnificent.

A pair of cloth boots touched down on the long flight of steps. A man in blue robes descended lightly and landed outside the sect’s main hall. When the disciples at the entrance recognized him, they hurriedly clasped their hands in greeting.

“Administrator Jiang, you have returned.”

Jiang Ruifeng nodded in acknowledgment. Then he raised the document pouch in his hand, whose opening was sealed with the official seal of the Environmental Sanitation Bureau.

“Go inform the elders that I have an important matter to report. It is of the utmost importance.”

“The sect master and the elders are inside the hall at the moment, but...”

The gatekeeper glanced at the doors behind him. “The Buddhist school sent people to visit today. They are currently conferring with the elders, though the discussion should be ending soon.”

The Buddhist school?

Jiang Ruifeng was about to ask for more details when the doors to the elders’ hall opened at that very moment. Several monks in kasayas emerged and headed toward the exit of the hidden paradise.

Jiang Ruifeng frowned slightly and stepped aside to let the Buddhist monks pass, as if afraid of becoming tainted by some foul aura.

For various historical reasons, Nine Li and the Buddhist school had never enjoyed a good relationship. After entering the modern era, the major supernatural powers had maintained a delicate balance under official mediation. Many old enemies had begun to establish a degree of superficial communication with one another, but it was only superficial.

The Buddhist school had suddenly come to visit Nine Li. Jiang Ruifeng did not know their purpose, but having been steeped in the sect’s traditions since childhood, he instinctively felt that nothing good could come of seeing those bald heads.

Only after watching the group of monks disappear through the gate did he instruct a disciple to deliver the message. Once he received an affirmative reply, he turned, crossed the threshold, and entered the main hall.

Beyond the heavy doors lay a broad council chamber. The nine elders sat divided between the two sides, accompanied by several administrators. At the center of the hall, an old man in a crane cloak stood behind the seat of honor. His beard and hair were pure white, his features tranquil and refined, yet he radiated an authority that inspired awe without anger.

He was the current sect master of Nine Li, Yan Guoyun. A Soul Transformation cultivator, he had lived for more than twelve hundred years. He was a genuine supreme expert and a living fossil; within China, fewer than ten people possessed lifespans comparable to his.

Perhaps because a “diplomatic exchange” had only just ended, the elders’ hall still held the remnants of heated discussion. Among the words that could be heard most often were “demonic monk,” “invasion,” and “old grudge.”

As Jiang Ruifeng entered, Yan Guoyun raised one hand. The surrounding commotion fell instantly silent, and everyone’s eyes turned toward the figure entering the hall.

“Administrator Jiang Ruifeng pays his respects to the sect master.”

Jiang Ruifeng clasped his hands. “The Environmental Sanitation Bureau has received two important pieces of information in recent days. I respectfully request that the sect master and all the elders be informed.”

“Speak freely.” Yan Guoyun looked at him, his expression still calm. “Is this about the Peach Blossom Spring matter reported earlier?”

“That is indeed one of them.”

Jiang Ruifeng nodded and presented the document pouch. “The Chinese authorities have been investigating it for several months. Many of the clues they uncovered correspond with historical records concerning the Peach Blossom Spring. They have now begun taking action against some of its peripheral members. I ask that everyone review the materials.”

The document pouch floated up from his hand. Sheets of paper slipped out on their own and drifted toward the old man in the seat of honor. Within the span of several breaths, they were rapidly turned over before gathering into a stack once more and falling toward the elders seated on either side.

“Spiritual energy has been surging recently, and many ancient relics appear to be showing signs of revival. I did not expect the Peach Blossom Spring to be among them.”

Yan Guoyun slowly shook his head and looked around the hall. “This matter must not be underestimated. Depending on the circumstances, we should send additional administrators and elite disciples into the mortal world. The elder in charge of external affairs should remain on standby. What are your opinions?”

A rustle of conversation arose on both sides. Words passed from seat to seat, like ripples spreading across the surface of water beneath a dragonfly’s touch.

“According to the historical records, the Peach Blossom Spring made no distinction between immortals and mortals. Its arts resembled those of a religious sect, and the annals contain numerous accounts of its people casting spells to invade the souls of humans and cultivators, then converting them for their own use. The mortal population today is dozens of times larger than it was a thousand years ago, making every person a potential target of the Peach Blossom Spring. Its danger may be even greater than before...”

“In the past, our sect relied on an alliance of the various Central Plains sects to form an Immortal Alliance, only then managing to suppress the Peach Blossom Spring. The human world is vastly different now. If they are truly the same old enemy, the other sects within the realm should not stand idly by. I believe we should observe the situation before taking action...”

“The Peach Blossom Spring excels at concealing its form and hiding its traces. I believe we should seek quality rather than quantity in our manpower. We should dispatch a small number of elite cultivators at the Golden Core stage or above to stand guard. As for large-scale reconnaissance, that should be left to the Chinese authorities...”

As an old enemy, the Peach Blossom Spring was clearly not a matter on which decisions could be made lightly. The dispute continued for the better part of an incense stick, with opinions still divided.

Only when the sect master at the center spoke again did the discussions throughout the hall quiet down.

“Administrator Jiang Ruifeng said moments ago that he had two matters to report. Let him finish speaking before we make a decision.” Yan Guoyun looked at him. “Aside from the Peach Blossom Spring, what is the other matter?”

“This matter may be even more important than the Peach Blossom Spring.”

Jiang Ruifeng remained composed, doing his utmost to keep his voice level.

“While searching for the Peach Blossom Spring, the Environmental Sanitation Bureau discovered traces left behind by a certain spell.”

“I was present at the scene and can state with certainty that the aura of that spell originated from the Infinite True Fire. Based on the intelligence currently held by the authorities, the person who left behind that True Fire was most likely... Zhou Wuqing.”

P.S. Several readers have asked about the chapter count, so I’ll answer here.

Before the book is officially released, the new-book period has a fixed daily word count of four thousand words. If there are two updates in a day, that means two chapters of two thousand words each. If there is only one update, then the two chapters are combined into a single four-thousand-word chapter. The total word count remains unchanged.