31: Chapter 31 Caught in the act

The Chiyan Sect has fifty-three peaks.

Each peak is a relatively independent unit, governed by an Elder, with a main hall on the mountainside or summit, and scattered with many courtyards.

Among them, twenty-seven peaks have particularly dense Spiritual Qi, converging into a "Spirit Cave," which are naturally occupied by the twenty-seven strongest Elders.

Near each Spirit Cave, there are also secondary areas rich in Spiritual Qi, which are occupied by the Disciples of each peak according to their strength and status.

Inner Sect Disciples Cultivate in these places.

Official Outer Sect Disciples also have the opportunity to Cultivate near the Spirit Cave, but they must take turns.

Xia Shaoxin is a Utility Disciple in the Utility Courtyard of Nanxiang Courtyard at Xueyan Cliff.

At the end of the Yin hour in the morning, when the sky was just barely brightening, he had to get up and follow Nangong Yi and the others out to sweep the floors.

After sweeping the front and back of the main hall, he had to go to the Emerald Pool at the foot of the mountain to fetch water.

Xueyan Cliff has developed a Spirit Field at the foot of the mountain to grow Spirit Rice.

The Emerald Pool is a spring that mixes with the earth vein's Spiritual Qi, making it the most suitable place for planting Spirit Rice.

Only after finishing this could they go to the dining hall to eat.

The food was prepared by another group of Utility Disciples, and it was only the Utility Disciples' turn to eat after the Inner Sect Disciples and Outer Sect Disciples had finished.

Then there was a little time to rest.

In the afternoon, they still had to do some odd jobs arranged by the steward; by the end of the day, they were exhausted to death.

They only had a little bit of time, and everyone would huddle in the collective dormitory on the large kang, meditating to Cultivate and perceive the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

When Xia Shaoxin followed the others to clean the main hall, he saw that huge stone tablet.

Unfortunately, there was not a single character on it.

Nangong Yi told him that one must possess a Chiyan Sect identity token to see the characters on it.

The prevention of peeping was done to the extreme.

Xia Shaoxin asked quietly, "Can't you tell me the Cultivation Technique you saw?"

Nangong Yi glared at him fiercely, "Our Sect's Cultivation Technique emphasizes comprehension. If someone else tells you, it's called taking a shortcut, which will seriously affect your Foundation. Therefore, the Sect strictly forbids private instruction and prohibits so-called exchange of insights."

Xia Shaoxin stared blankly, not daring to say anything more, and muttered, "But when will my token be ready?"

"Who knows? The token is a Magical Artifact, and those Senior Brothers who make Magical Artifacts are arrogant; who would dare to ask!"

There was no other way, so he had to wait.

Every time they cultivated in the room, he would tactfully retreat outside.

Two days later, suddenly, while everyone was cultivating, a young man dressed in the attire of an Inner Sect Disciple suddenly burst into the Utility Courtyard and shouted, "Where is that new guy named Xu Su?"

Xia Shaoxin didn't react, and it was only after the person shouted twice that he suddenly remembered this was the fake name he was using.

He hurriedly stepped forward, "It's me."

The man looked him up and down fiercely, the corners of his mouth curling up in contempt, "Follow me."

Xia Shaoxin followed in confusion. The man kept walking up the mountain until they reached a small courtyard and walked in.

The courtyard gate behind them closed automatically, and then the man threw out a small birdcage. It was originally only the size of a thumb, but it grew in the wind and covered Xia Shaoxin inside.

"This, this is... a Magical Artifact?" It was Xia Shaoxin's first time seeing someone use a Magical Artifact, and he was inexplicably excited.

He even forgot that it was trapping him.

The man circled the birdcage twice, nodding continuously, very satisfied with his Magical Artifact.

"Heh, let me introduce myself. I am an Inner Sect Disciple, surnamed Shao, named Junwei."

Xia Shaoxin was all smiles, "Hello, Senior Brother Shao."

Senior Brother Shao Junwei's expression changed, and he shouted, "Speak, who exactly are you? Why did you sneak into the Chiyan Sect? What is your purpose?"

Xia Shaoxin was stunned. Was my identity discovered?

"Not talking, huh? I'll hand you over to the steward, and you'll be in big trouble."

Xia Shaoxin's mind was very flexible. He felt that what this person said made sense; if he had discovered his identity and didn't report it directly, it meant there was room for maneuver.

So, he stopped holding out and confessed, "I am a Bug Catcher from Dawu Mountain, named Xia Shaoxin."

"A Bug Catcher?" Senior Brother Shao Junwei was also stunned, "You are actually a Bug Catcher? Then you are of slave status, how did you leave Dawu Mountain?"

Xia Shaoxin hadn't made up a lie yet, and his brain was spinning rapidly.

Senior Brother Shao Junwei didn't give him a chance to think and asked urgently, "You didn't escape, did you?"

"Uh..."

"There is a Formation near Dawu Mountain. How did you get out without a token?"

"Eh..."

Xia Shaoxin stammered and didn't answer a single word.

"Since you have some means to be able to escape from Dawu Mountain, don't you know the relationship between Dawu Mountain and the Chiyan Sect? How dare you throw yourself into the net?"

Xia Shaoxin shook the birdcage hard, but it didn't move at all. He knew this was an immortal's Magical Artifact and it was impossible to escape.

He had to confess honestly.

He started from his ancestors: My family has been catching Poisonous Insects in Dawu Mountain for generations. My parents died there, my uncle died there, my grandfather died there. I am the only seedling left in the whole family...

He told the whole story until his grandfather was murdered, and he killed Li the Toad and the other two, and then killed the people in the Gu Bureau.

He naturally couldn't mention the Shangqing Profound Mirror, and he also concealed the strength pill, only saying that he was born with Divine Power, had rich combat skills, was both brave and reckless, and had good luck, which was how he overcame the few with many and killed all his enemies.

Senior Brother Shao Junwei's face, which had been tight, relaxed after hearing the rest of the story.

"Good, good, well killed!"

"We of the Chiyan Sect Cultivate the Great Dao of Purity and Non-Action. If one doesn't take revenge for a grudge, how can one be pure!"

Senior Brother Shao Junwei finally took back the birdcage.

"My Chiyan Sect is not under the jurisdiction of the imperial court. If the people you killed were not good people, then it doesn't matter."

Xia Shaoxin asked timidly, "Senior Brother Shao, we are complete strangers, how did you discover my name was fake?"

Senior Brother Shao Junwei took out a piece of paper and threw it on his head, "When making a Magical Artifact, there cannot be the slightest falsehood. Rewrite it."

Xia Shaoxin took it and saw that it was the paper he had written.

He was shocked in his heart. Is making Magical Artifacts this powerful? I really want to learn.

Senior Brother Shao Junwei led him into a room to the side, which was filled with various tools.

He hurriedly sat at the table and conscientiously filled in his true information.

"Go wait outside. Since you're here, take the token with you."

Xia Shaoxin retreated outside, and the door slammed shut automatically.

He could only hear the constant sounds of ding-ding, dang-dang from inside, the sounds of planes, chisels, and knives carving.

He stood in the courtyard and saw that there were only three rooms in the courtyard, with a plum blossom tree planted in the corner, which was quite elegant and quiet.

It was a bit of a distance from other courtyards. If not for the sound of carving in his ears, it would have been extremely quiet.

"It seems Senior Brother Shao occupies a courtyard all by himself."

Thinking that he had to live in a room with ten people and had to pay a huge sum of money himself, the Chiyan Sect really knows how to do business...

Soon, Senior Brother Shao Junwei walked out of the door and handed over a rectangular wooden token that could be held in the palm of his hand.

On it were engraved the words "Chiyan Sect Outer Sect Utility Disciple Xia Shaoxin."

On the back, his native place and birth date were engraved in very small characters.

He only heard Senior Brother Shao Junwei mutter a vague phrase, take out a carving knife, and make a cut on Xia Shaoxin's palm.

A bloodstain appeared instantly, and the token also flashed with a light.

"From now on, you can walk around the Chiyan Sect at will... uh, actually, you can't walk around at will. You are just someone who is a Disciple in name but a utility worker in reality. Don't wander into places you aren't supposed to go, or you'll be asking for trouble."

Xia Shaoxin put away the token.

"I killed people from the imperial court, and I hope Senior Brother will keep it a secret for me."

After saying that, he handed over three hundred taels of silver banknotes.

Senior Brother Shao Junwei pushed him out of the courtyard gate with one palm.

"Silver is useless to me."

"Besides, for such a big matter of yours, only taking this little silver is simply an insult."

"Get lost, and don't let me see you again!"