Free Web NovelChapter 592: Chapter 85: Hidden Affection
The proposal to collect the relics of the First Generation Sect Leader was a last resort. After all, they had already examined the relics in the Myriad Forms Garden, yet Wang Jiu, wielding the Demon-Pointing Sword at the time, hadn’t found many issues. Thus, they had to accept a rather tenuous explanation: the First Generation Sect Leader obtained the Demon Race’s heritage from the Primordial Ruins, hence the myriad connections.
As the organization in Xiangzhou Continent with the most primordial resources under its control, it was not inconceivable that the Saint Sect Leader had acquired and brought into practical use the Demon Race’s heritage.
But the Heaven-Confusing Scroll was different. According to the Sect Leader, it was clearly a Demon Language Dictionary detailing all the arcane secrets of the Demon Script, penned by the First Generation Sect Leader himself.
Who could write a Demon Language Dictionary?
Even those with the most profound understanding of the Demon Script, like Wang Jiu and Lu Jintong, were far from the level of compiling a dictionary, let alone the Xiangzhou people who had only gathered meager scraps from the Primordial Ruins.
Only a member of the Demon Race, and necessarily a high-ranking Upper Demon, could write a Demon Language Dictionary—Lower Demons had limited control over the Demon Script vocabulary, with many superior divine technique-laden scripts inaccessible to them.
The Heaven-Confusing Scroll certainly recorded superior Demon Script—there was a superior word contained within Yimila.
The source of such a manuscript needs little explanation; in the Jiuzhou Era, there was only one possibility, and even in the Xiangzhou Era, it’s hard to conceive of any other explanation.
"Dear, is it possible... that something went wrong with the Demon-Pointing Sword after you returned to life?"
Wang Jiu shared Zhao Chenlu’s sentiment, but at this point, the Demon-Pointing Sword was a memory; flogging a dead horse was pointless.
"Let’s take another look at the relics first. Last time we relied too heavily on the Demon-Pointing Sword; perhaps we overlooked something."
——
The matter was pressing; the Sect Leader acted swiftly and had assembled the relics of the First Generation Sect Leader stored in the Myriad Forms Garden by before dusk, awaiting the esteemed presence of Wang Jiu and Zhao Chenlu.
"Here are all the items. Now I need a reasonable explanation—what exactly is going on?"
Wang Jiu entered the humble room once again, glanced around, and shook his head: "Is there more?"
"What else do you want?"
Wang Jiu said: "Are these all of the First Generation Sect Leader’s relics? None others were left behind?"
The Sect Leader immediately frowned, somewhat troubled: "Things from two thousand years ago—even preserving these is already quite difficult, what more do you expect...?"
Wang Jiu said: "If these are all, then we can’t proceed further."
The true reason Wang Jiu wanted to review the relics was rooted in his distrust of the Demon-Pointing Sword. During earlier examinations, he had judged the First Generation Sect Leader’s relics for any direct connections with the Demon Race using the Demon-Pointing Sword. This method was simple, swift, and accurate, proving formidable during the Jiuzhou Era.
But now, unable to trust the Demon-Pointing Sword, he needed a different approach to re-examine those relics, relying solely on the experience and wisdom of the Celestial Divine Sword in banishing demons to analyze their connection to the Demon Race.
The conclusion remained the same.
Although there were myriad connections to the Demon Race, they were within normal bounds. The Xiangzhou Continent was reborn from fragments of the Immortal Demon battlefield, incapable of completely erasing the Demon Race’s influence. The absence of any connections to the Demon Race in the Two First Generation Sect Leaders’ relics would be even more suspicious.
But so the situation stagnated once more, forcing Wang Jiu to inquire whether any more relics had survived.
The process of civilization over two thousand years is indeed excessively prolonged; even for the prospering Immortal Dao of Jiuzhou Continent, few things survive two millennia, not to mention the markedly different conditions in Xiangzhou, where human life spans are much shorter than in Jiuzhou. The same span of years sees many more generational turnovers, making historical preservation more challenging.
Yet, the First Generation Sect Leader’s relics, as founder of Xiangzhou civilization, still seemed too few.
In the two millennia since their demise, although a great many significant events unfolded in Xiangzhou Continent, the ruling structure remained unchanged. "One Sect, Three Academies, Seven Great Families" is a phrase that has been passed down for two thousand years, unchanged to this day. In such a stable structure, there shouldn’t be so many relics of the Saint Sect First Generation Sect Leader missing.
"But indeed, we only have these in the Myriad Forms Garden." The current Sect Leader knitted his brows tightly, "The First Generation Sect Leader seemed to intentionally avoid leaving traces; despite their momentous accomplishments, they left no writings or descendants, akin to those chivalric characters in tales, concealing their merits and names. The relics kept in the Myriad Forms Garden somewhat violate their wishes. According to their instructions before departure, we should have destroyed all traces left in the world. But in that context, no one dared stand up to do so!"
Zhao Chenlu nodded in understanding.
These two great figures, who swept away darkness and established civilization and order, held exceptional merits tantamount to a world-changing creation for the then Xiangzhou people. Such individuals, even if they wished for death, could not die freely; their existence had already become inextricably linked with the entire continent, beyond their control.
"The second-generation Sect Leader of the Saint Sect spent decades trying to curb the fervent reverence for the First Generation Sect Leader that pervaded the continent at the time. During this time, innumerable memorial halls and monuments for both Sect Leaders were erected across the continent, and it took the Saint Sect a long era to gradually erase their traces. As for the relics in the Myriad Forms Garden, they are now among the few surviving."
At this point, even Zhao Chenlu had to admit that finding more relics of the First Generation Sect Leader seemed impossible.
However, Wang Jiu thought of more.
"What about outside the Saint Sect?" the Celestial Divine Sword said, "Are their relics only preserved within the Saint Sect?"
Before the words were finished, Zhao Chenlu suddenly realized, "Yes, aside from other places, the Three Academies were personally founded by the two First Generation Sect Leaders and are intricately linked with them. Could it be that there are no collections of the First Generation Sect Leader’s relics?"
"This..." The Sect Leader was momentarily at a loss for words and, after pondering for a long time, finally said, "If you only look at the documents, the Three Academies did not privately retain any relics. After the First Generation Sect Leader left Xiangzhou, they responded to the call, handing over all related relics to the Myriad Forms Garden. However, no one really investigated this matter deeply. The Three Academies made significant contributions during the unification of Xiangzhou and were unfailingly loyal to the First Generation Sect Leader, never abandoning their post even in perilous situations. Even if they wished to preserve some memorabilia of the First Generation Sect Leader, we would have turned a blind eye. Now that you’ve mentioned it, perhaps among the treasures of the Three Academies, there really are relics of theirs."
With the Sect Leader’s words, the subsequent matters naturally followed.
As the current head of Cyan Lotus Academy, Wang Jiu went directly to the Academy’s extensive library, using his authority as the head to access the complete catalog, and found what he wanted on the first page.
The handwritten work left by the First Generation Sect Leader.
"Holy Record"
As the name suggests, this is a history book that records the creation and glory of the Saint Sect, documented by the First Generation Sect Leader in the form of a diary—a highly valuable first-hand account.
"How could this be in Cyan Lotus Academy?!" This time even the Sect Leader of the Saint Sect was greatly astonished, "We always believed that the Holy Record had been personally destroyed by the two ancestors!"
Clearly, there are many stories behind this, but now is not the time to tell them.
Wang Jiu, following the library index, found the location of the collection.
As expected, it was on the most critical shelf in the heart of the library, surrounded by numerous mechanisms, clearly indicating Cyan Lotus Academy’s regard for this book.
Next to the Holy Record, there was also a thick stack of ancient documents.
Wang Jiu stayed focused and didn’t flip through them, but Zhao Chenlu, with a lively spirit, didn’t look at the Holy Record first. Instead, he picked up the files next to it and couldn’t help but laugh after reading a few pages.
The documents detailed how Cyan Lotus Academy deceived the Saint Sect into getting this volume of the Holy Record and then swapped it back with a fake to keep the original.
At the time, the head of Cyan Lotus Academy, also one of the most loyal followers of the two Sect Leaders, the Cyan Lotus True Master, for the first time in his life violated the will of his masters and chose to preserve valuable historical data for them.
The documents on the shelf were internal procedural records of the Academy at the time. To legitimally retain the original, the Cyan Lotus True Master went to great lengths, skillfully manipulating the procedures to finally achieve his goal.
But compared to the complexities of that time, the handwritten work left by the two First Generation Sect Leaders was still more important. When all clues were exhausted, this Holy Record might be the only answer.
XX Year X Month X Day.
The first line on the first page was an indiscernible, blurred script, where the date should have been. It was replaced by a series of heavy ink spots. Judging by the ink marks, the writer’s mind was restless, appearing very peculiar.
However, the content that followed was impeccable.
"After much hardship, the Saint Sect is finally established, yet besides the two of us, the Sect currently has very limited reliable manpower and resources. We must grasp the key points to establish a foothold in troubled times. And currently, the key point is none other than Songgang Mountain."
That’s where the first page ends, and the Sect Leader explained, "Songgang Mountain was then occupied by a group of evil cultivators entrenched in a strategic location, wreaking havoc in Xiangzhou for years, skillfully maneuvering among several prominent families. After founding the Saint Sect, the two ancestors, along with the heads of the Three Academies, invaded Songgang Mountain, exterminating all evil cultivators, thereby proclaiming the might of the Saint Sect."
Wang Jiu furrowed his brows, turned to the second page, then almost immediately to the third and fourth pages... and then laid the book open in the middle of the Holy Record for a careful examination.
"The Li Family’s attitude has been consistently ambivalent. Convincing them will indeed require some effort."
The Sect Leader was about to explain upon seeing this page but was interrupted by Zhao Chenlu’s exclamation of surprise: "The Book of Hidden Emotions?!"
