31: Chapter 31 Black Mist

On the thirteenth day of the first lunar month, Fenchun Terrace opened once more.

The Jiang Family had no tally.

Yet, the Zhou Family still summoned a member of the Jiang Family, claiming that all managers of the Cold Households in the outer mountains were required to attend and receive orders. Jiang Chengning went alone.

He was now at the second stage of Qi Refining, and walking the mountain paths felt easier than before, but this level of cultivation was still like a grain of sand beneath Fenchun Terrace.

On the terrace, the Cultivators of the Zhou Family stood together, while below, the Cold Households crowded together, everyone clutching their tallies with nervous expressions.

The rule of a three-year cycle was being implemented for the first time this year.

Accountant Zhou Chengli stood before the terrace, reading out the tally counts for each household. "The Jiang Family is a criminal household and is not included in the regular tallies." When he reached this point, his gaze swept across the crowd, landing on Jiang Chengning for a fleeting moment as if by accident, before shifting away.

Jiang Chengning kept his eyes lowered and did not meet that gaze.

The first to go up from below were the old Cold Households.

The Shi Family of Shimen Gap had good luck this year.

The Shi Family originally had an old Qi Refining practitioner named Shi Yuanjian, who was in his sixties. He had guarded the Green Gravel Sand Pit for many years, was usually taciturn, and his eyes always carried the grey, cold aura of the sand pit. In the past few years, the Shi Family had failed repeatedly in receiving Spring; one time a meridian was injured, another time Qi was dispersed, and the family's vitality was nearly severed.

The one who went up on the terrace this year was Shi Yuanjian's youngest son, Shi Lin.

He received a first-grade Rain Water. Shi Lin was thin, but his hands did not tremble. He followed the "Inheriting Spring Guide" step by step; although it was extremely difficult, he ultimately managed to push that breath past his chest.

The Shi Family now had a second Qi Refining practitioner.

Shi Yuanjian stood below the terrace, his back straight, only relaxing slightly at this moment.

The He Family also succeeded.

He Qi had been guarding the Yin Vine in Xiaoliujian all these years, and his personality had become increasingly gloomy. Previously, He Mao had ruined half his Meridians, and the He Family had not dared to compete for nearly two years. This year, He Qi's niece, He Zhaoqin, sixteen years old, went up to receive a breath of Start of Spring. She had a good foundation and her Qi flowed smoothly; although she nearly lost her rhythm midway, she ultimately stabilized.

The Wang Family also succeeded.

Wang Laosi's face was as stiff as a stone. When Wang Jingbao's cousin, Wang Jingliang, came down from the terrace, he grabbed him to steady him, cursing with harsh words, but his eyes were red.

The Sun Family chose a Junior from a branch line, but they were quickly defeated; fortunately, there was no danger to life.

Sun Changshui sat below the terrace and did not speak for a long time.

The Chen Family failed this year.

A youth from Chen Baisheng's household went up and also received a first-grade Start of Spring. Halfway through, his Qi dispersed. Fortunately, it dispersed early, so his Meridians were not injured. When he was helped down by Chen Baisheng, his face was full of shame. Old Crow Chen did not come, only telling Chen Baisheng to pass on the message that as long as he was alive, it was fine, and he could go back to drying herbs as usual.

In this round for the old Cold Households, the Shi, He, and Wang Families all succeeded, while the Chen and Sun Families failed without injury.

There was already low murmuring below the terrace.

The several managers of the Zhou Family also had various expressions on their faces.

This success rate was far higher than in previous years.

The six Cold Households newly introduced to North Pass then went up.

These six families were those the Zhou Family had picked one by one from the foot of the mountain over the past two years, living in the new houses at North Pass, guarding the newly opened irrigation ditches and farmland for the Main Peak. Each family had one mountain-opening tally.

Out of the six, five succeeded.

Only the child from the Lu Family had their Qi disperse and did not succeed, though they remained safe. The remaining five families—Liang, Tao, Meng, Han, and Jiang—each had one person enter Qi Refining.

Five new Qi Refining practitioners.

At this, even Accountant Zhou Chengli was silent for a moment.

The public Spring provided by the Main Peak was indeed stable, and the people had been carefully selected, but the Cold Households had never had such a consistent success rate in receiving Spring. The Zhou Family had spent two years building up the foundation, and this area of North Pass had finally truly taken shape.

Jiang Chengning stood behind the crowd, but his heart sank little by little.

There were more Qi Refining practitioners.

Previously, Spiritual Qi resources on the mountain had become scarce following the destruction of the Feng Family and the decline of the Liu Family. But now, only three years later, the number of Qi Refining practitioners had exploded, and the landscape of the Cold Households had changed completely.

The little bit of "usefulness" the Jiang Family originally had was being erased bit by bit.

The last to go up was the Ji Family.

The one the Ji Family put forward this year was actually that youngest son.

The Ji Family's youngest son was named Ji Huaisheng, fifteen years old this year.

At fifteen going up on the terrace, there was suddenly a faint stir below.

There was a common knowledge among the Cold Households that sixteen was the most stable age to receive Qi. At fifteen, the body was not fully developed, and the Qi apertures were not fully opened; forcing the intake of Spring could lead to physical injury at best, or destroyed Meridians at worst. Although the Zhou Family's rules did not explicitly write "fifteen is forbidden," over these years on Fenchun Terrace, no one dared to send a fifteen-year-old child.

Accountant Zhou Chengli also looked toward the Ji Family.

The Ji Family manager, Ji Huai, spoke a few words in a low voice.

Accountant Zhou Chengli asked again.

Ji Huai bowed and nodded, still insisting.

A moment later, Accountant Zhou Chengli waved his hand.

"Since it is your Ji Family's own choice, you must bear the consequences of life and death yourselves."

Ji Huaisheng then went up to the terrace.

He had not fully grown yet; his shoulders were narrow, his face pale, and when he stood on the terrace, his hands were tucked into his sleeves, looking timid. Several people from North Pass below whispered that the child was like this in daily life, lowering his head when seeing people and speaking little.

Jiang Chengning stared at him.

Jiang Xingchuan had said that this child had worked as a medicine boy in the apothecary at Sangyin Small Market a few years ago and had even pointed out the road to Old Grave Slope to that winter Cultivator. Back then, he was very composed, his eyes clear, and though he didn't speak much, every word hit the mark.

Jiang Xingchuan had already entered the main genealogy, his spiritual platform was clear, and his memory would not easily be wrong.

But the Ji Huaisheng on the terrace right now seemed like a different person.

The Zhou Family gave him a first-grade Start of Spring.

The most stable, and also the least likely to have issues.

That breath of Spring Qi fell into the cup, very faint. When Ji Huaisheng held the cup, his hand trembled, and it nearly spilled. Someone below laughed softly, but was silenced by the person next to them.

He closed his eyes and took in the Qi.

The Spring Qi entered his body, and it actually succeeded smoothly.

Fifteen years old, Start of Spring, first grade, it succeeded smoothly and evenly.

Accountant Zhou Chengli's brows twitched slightly, then he announced the name according to the rules. The Ji Family breathed a sigh of relief. When Ji Huaisheng came down from the terrace, he was still in that timid manner, head lowered, as if frightened by being watched by so many people below.

Beside him, his mother held his hand, lowering her head to say something, seemingly comforting him.

Jiang Chengning did not look at him again.

When Fenchun Terrace dispersed, a light rain began to fall on Qingsang Main Peak.

Jiang Chengning returned to Niubei Hollow, his sleeves half-wet. Everyone in the house was waiting for him. Jiang Yuhe sat by the table, but her complexion was paler than usual.

As soon as he entered the door, Jiang Yuhe looked up and said, "Father, something is wrong."

Jiang Chengning hung up his outer robe.

"You speak first."

Jiang Yuhe's fingers pressed against the table, her voice very soft.

"These days, I have been using Listening to Rain to look at our family. At first, I only saw a bit of black fog, very faint, like the shadows of rain in the distance. Today, it suddenly thickened."

The room fell silent at once.

Lin Suwen looked at her.

"How thick is it?"

Jiang Yuhe closed her eyes.

"Like black clouds before a storm; it has already pressed down to the roof ridge."

Jiang Xingchuan's expression changed slightly.

Jiang Shoushan stood by the door, his fingers curling slightly.

Jiang Chengning sat down, not in a hurry to ask. He recounted what he had seen on Fenchun Terrace, piece by piece.

The Shi, He, and Wang Families succeeded. The Sun and Chen Families failed without injury. Of the six newly entered families, five succeeded. The Ji Family's fifteen-year-old Ji Huaisheng went up, received a first-grade Start of Spring, and also succeeded.

When he reached this point, Jiang Xingchuan immediately looked up.

"Fifteen?"

Jiang Chengning nodded.

"Fifteen."

"Is he still in that state?"

"Timid."

Jiang Xingchuan fell silent.

Jiang Chengning said, "Let's put the Ji Family aside for now."

Jiang Xingchuan frowned.

"Aside?"

"The Ji Family is strange, but right now, what is making the Jiang Family face death may not be the Ji Family."

Jiang Chengning moved the cup on the table to the side, his voice very low.

"If we are talking about Cold Households, even if the Ji Family forms an alliance with the He Family and the Shi Family, they would not dare to easily move against the Jiang Family."

He looked up at everyone.

"On the surface, the Jiang Family has five Qi Refining practitioners: myself, Suwen, Yuhe, Xingchuan, and Shoushan. Although we hide some of our true strength, what is known outside is not insignificant. The Sun Family has ties with us, and we have formed a marriage alliance with the Chen Family. If the Ji Family pulls in the He Family and the Shi Family, and then the Wang Family, they would only be able to force a mutually destructive outcome."

"The newly entered Cold Households have only just entered Qi Refining; their roots haven't even taken hold, let alone being able to make a move against the Jiang Family."

Jiang Yuhe whispered, "Then where does the black fog come from?"

Jiang Chengning said, "Right now, there are only two possibilities that could lead to the destruction of the Jiang Family."

"First, the Zhao Family breaks into Qingsang Main Peak, and the Zhou Family collapses in a short time."

After he finished speaking, he shook his head.

"The Zhao Family is powerful, with the New Dharma monks pressing at the foot of the mountain, and they have personal disciples from the Chengtian Sect backing them."

"But the Zhou Family still has five Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and the Zhou Family hasn't even had a single person injured, not even at the Qi Refining level; the Main Peak Formation is also still there. If a real fight breaks out, the Zhou Family might not necessarily win, but they wouldn't be defeated so quickly that they couldn't even protect the Cold Households."

Lin Suwen had already understood, and her expression sank bit by bit.

"Then that leaves only the second possibility."

Jiang Chengning nodded.

"The Zhou Family wants to move against the Jiang Family."

No one in the room spoke.

The sound of rain outside the window was pattering.

Jiang Chengning continued:

"In previous years, the Zhou Family didn't kill the Jiang Family because the outer mountains lacked people. With the Feng Family wiped out, the Liu Family merged in, and several people died or were crippled on Fenchun Terrace, the Jiang Family was useful. Increasing taxes, withholding tallies, life tablets, criminal household status—these were all ways to make us wear shackles while guarding fields and paying taxes for them."

"Now it is different."

"This year, the old households succeeded four times, and the new households succeeded five times. The new irrigation ditches, new fields, and new houses at North Pass are already established; the Zhou Family no longer lacks people. The Jiang Family's five Qi Refining practitioners have instead become the household most likely to upset the balance among the outer mountain Cold Households."

"Even if we behave, the Zhou Family might not believe it."

"Since they can replace us, why gamble on the Jiang Family not rebelling in the future?"

Jiang Xingchuan's brows were tightly knitted, his fists clenched.

Jiang Chengning glanced at him and continued:

"The Zhou Family doesn't need a real crime to kill the Jiang Family. Whether they say we colluded with the Zhao Family, or that the old Feng Family case was reopened, or that the tax accounts of Niubei Hollow are wrong, as long as the Main Peak decides to act, no one on the mountain can speak for the Jiang Family."

Lin Suwen asked, "Then what should we do?"

Jiang Chengning raised his hand, his fingertips tapping lightly on the table twice.

"Two paths."

"First, Shoushan goes to Baili Mountain tomorrow to find that Mountain Boar that has awakened its spirit."

Jiang Shoushan looked up.

"Migrate the entire family?"

"First, scout the path," Jiang Chengning said. "Baili Mountain is desolate, Spiritual Qi is thin, but it is rarely managed. If things come to a desperate end, the Jiang Family cannot all wait for death. As many as can go, should go; hide there first, then find a way to go further."

Zhao Xing heard this in the inner room, her hand subconsciously caressing her abdomen.

Jiang Chengning did not look that way and continued:

"The second path, which is also something we must do, is to stall."

"The Zhou Family dares to move against the Jiang Family now because there are many people who can replace us. Then, let's make sure these people cannot replace us in the short term."

Jiang Chengning's voice remained steady.

"The He Family, Wang Family, Shi Family, Ji Family, the five newly entered families—Liang, Tao, Meng, Han, and Jiang—and even the Sun Family and Chen Family; as long as conflict arises again among the outer mountain Cold Households, and a few more Qi Refining practitioners die, the Zhou Family will have to reconsider the usefulness of the Jiang Family."

Jiang Yuhe looked at her father.

"Father, you mean to incite conflict among the Cold Households?"

"Yes."

Jiang Chengning had no saintly heart; if it meant another family had to die in the Jiang Family's place, even if it meant betraying the Sun and Chen Families with whom they had ties, as long as the Jiang Family could survive, he would do it without hesitation.

"Behind the Jiang Family is a hand that once pushed the Feng Family to slip up, pushed Liu Zhaoquan into the game, and also pushed the balance among the Cold Households to tilt."

"That hand wants the Zhou Family's outer mountain foundation to be in chaos. Now, if the Jiang Family takes the initiative to start the game, it will likely reach out again."

"We don't need to know who it is."

"We only need to know that it will help fan the flames."

Jiang Chengning was silent for a moment; he understood that the hand didn't care at all about the Jiang Family's petty schemes. Driven by the turbulent waves, the Jiang Family had no choice but to act.

There is no clean heart in this world.

Jiang Yuhe lowered her head and looked at her palm.

The effect of the Signet of Seal for knowing the subtle and avoiding death allowed Listening to Rain to show her the black clouds, but it didn't give her a clean path to walk.

Jiang Xingchuan suddenly said, "I will do it."

Jiang Chengning shook his head.

"Your cultivation is not enough, and your techniques cannot hide people."

Jiang Shoushan said, "I will go to Baili Mountain."

"Hmm." Jiang Chengning looked at him. "You leave tomorrow. Remember, talk first; if that doesn't work, then we'll see. If that Mountain Boar can communicate, you must show him respect."

Jiang Shoushan nodded.

Jiang Chengning looked at Jiang Yuhe again.

"This time, it is Yuhe's turn. Yuhe's cultivation has reached the Late Stage, and killing those first or second-stage Qi Refining Cultivators is effortless. At the same time, she possesses a movement technique, Catalyzing Green; wanting to do certain things will be much easier for her than for us."

Jiang Yuhe did not hesitate in the slightest and immediately agreed.

The family genealogy lay spread out on the corner of the table, remaining still for a long time.

Zhou Wang watched this room of people from within the paper.

Everything Jiang Chengning said was nothing but cold, calculating schemes. This was the first time he had seen Jiang Chengning calculate every person as if they were tools, all for the sake of seeking a path of survival for the Jiang Family.

The sound of rain outside grew louder.

The surface of the water was rippled by the raindrops.