Free Web NovelChapter 18: Chapter 17: A Change in the Dharma Items
The Ministry of Affairs Hall managed all general duties within the Tai Su Sect, holding vast authority, especially over the distribution of cultivation resources other than Daoist Scriptures and Spells. Consequently, its halls were always busy. At every moment, Attendant Daoist Children rushed in and out, while Law Enforcement Disciples patrolled with Dao Soldiers and Warriors. The hall was constantly thronged with inner and outer sect disciples coming to conduct their affairs.
The activity reached a peak at high noon. From time to time, streaks of light and Magical Artifacts would land before the entrance. Sect disciples, some in standard-issue Daoist Robes and others in various attire, entered the main hall, where Daoist Children guided them to different sections to handle their business.
Suddenly, a commotion arose at the entrance. A moment later, a strikingly handsome Daoist with flowing sleeves strode into the hall. The other disciples all respectfully fell back a step.
A quick-witted Daoist Child immediately spotted him, hurried over, and bowed. "Senior Brother..." freewёbnoνel.com
The Daoist Child’s expression suddenly went blank as he seemed to recognize the man before him. He quickly plastered on an eager, ingratiating smile. "Junior Martial Uncle Xu! This way, please, this way! Are you here to collect the items for a True Disciple? Steward Zhu has been asking about you for a long time!" He hastily summoned another Daoist Child to announce the arrival and then led the way to the rear hall.
This man was, of course, Xuzhuang. Ever since his official ceremony as a True Disciple, his name and face had naturally spread throughout the sect. He was known by all.
Several other Daoist Children nearby had only been paying him slight attention, but upon hearing the name "Junior Martial Uncle Xu," they jolted in surprise. They all rushed forward to pay their respects. After Xuzhuang was seated in the rear hall, some of the more clever ones quickly served him fragrant Spirit Tea and Spirit Fruits.
Xuzhuang had no objection and sampled the Spirit Tea for a moment. The Daoist Child who had gone to announce him came running back out. He shot a look around, and the other Daoist Children quickly stood up straight. Just then, a stout Daoist with a round head, large ears, a tall hat, and a wide sash walked out. His voice arrived impatiently before he was even fully in view:
"HAHAHAHA! Senior Brother Xu, you’re finally here! Old Zhu has been waiting anxiously for you!"
As he spoke, he strode up to Xuzhuang, his face beaming with a sincere smile, his eyes crinkled into thin slits.
Xuzhuang didn’t act conceited. He rose to greet him and clasped his hands. "Steward Zhu, I have only just formed my Golden Core and am but a junior in learning. How could I be worthy of being called Senior Brother? You may call me Junior Brother or by my name."
"Ah! Senior Brother, you are too humble." Steward Zhu showed a look of strong disagreement. "You, Senior Brother, formed a high-grade Core and are a True Disciple who carries the Dao! You are destined to inherit the lineage of our Tai Su Orthodox Sect. We don’t possess such talent; we just handle mundane affairs serving the sect members. Calling you Senior Brother is only proper, only proper."
Xuzhuang smiled and didn’t argue the point. After they both sat down, he got straight to the point. "I was tied up with various matters the past few days, and I apologize for making you wait, Steward. I’ve come to the Ministry of Affairs Hall today to settle all my affairs and collect my items, so as not to delay your hall’s other important business."
"Hahaha, what important business could possibly compare to yours, Senior Brother!" Steward Zhu took a sip of Spirit Tea and chuckled. "Rest assured, Senior Brother. Old Zhu has already taken care of all the mundane procedures for you. You just need to look them over."
He then took out a slip of paper and handed it to Xuzhuang to review. He called out for an attendant, and a Daoist Child quickly answered, hurrying to the back of the hall to give notice. A moment later, he led several Little Daoist Children into the hall in a single file line, each carrying a wooden tray laden with various items.
Steward Zhu called a Daoist Child forward and said with a smile, "Senior Brother, please take a look. This is the full attire for a True Disciple: a Daoist Robe, a jade crown, a Magical Robe, a golden sword... Your fame as a True Disciple is known throughout the Tai Su Sect, so you may not need these on a daily basis, but they are yours to have."
He then went through them one by one in detail. "A Thousand-year-old Thunderstruck Wood Magical Sword. Although it’s a standard-issue Magical Artifact, it was refined by the Celestial Craft Daoist with thirty-two layers of Celestial Spirit prohibitions... A bottle of Five Qi Advancing Pills, a small cup of Jade Sun True Sand... I imagine Old Zhu needn’t elaborate further..."
He listed a total of eleven items in one breath, but at the end, a troubled look appeared on his face.
"Hm?" Xuzhuang raised an eyebrow. Seeing the steward’s pained expression, as if he had something difficult to say, he felt a flicker of surprise. ’There are twelve items for a True Disciple. There’s no reason for anything to go wrong.’ After a moment of contemplation, he remained silent, waiting for Steward Zhu to speak.
Steward Zhu looked troubled for a good while. Seeing that Xuzhuang remained silent and didn’t ask, his face twitched, and he cursed inwardly. He had no choice but to speak up. "There are twelve items for a True Disciple, as I’m sure you know, Senior Brother. Eleven of them are here now. But there is one more—a Sixth-Transformation Golden Core. The Ministry of Affairs Hall doesn’t have one at the moment. Please give Old Zhu a little more time... three months at most. No, two months! I will definitely have it ready for you, Senior Brother."
’So, something did go wrong after all.’ Xuzhuang’s expression didn’t change, but his mind was already racing.
The "Golden Core" in Sixth-Transformation Golden Core was not the same as a cultivator’s Golden Core; rather, it was a category of medicinal pill. Unlike ordinary pills, it was typically refined from materials like metals, minerals, and jade. Ingesting it would cause one’s five qi to become imbalanced, so it was not meant to be swallowed. Instead, it was either refined in a "transformation furnace," held in a cultivator’s mouth, or placed outside the body, where one would breathe essence into the pill to draw out and utilize the pill’s energy. The term "Sixth-Transformation" was a unique quality grade specific to these Golden Cores.
No wonder Steward Zhu had been so reluctant to speak. Xuzhuang had already delayed his visit for quite some time, and now the Ministry of Affairs Hall had failed to prepare everything properly. If he were to press the issue, the steward would surely be held responsible.
If it were any other item, he might have let it go, but the Sixth-Transformation Golden Core was directly related to his cultivation.
Xuzhuang was silent for a moment before finally granting Steward Zhu’s wish and asking, "The Sixth-Transformation Golden Core is a crucial item for the cultivation of the sect’s Golden Core Cultivators. The Celestial Furnaces of the Danxia Institute refine them nonstop. How could there be a shortage?"
Steward Zhu gave a bitter smile. "To be honest with you, Senior Brother, someone recently spent a massive amount of merit points to exchange for all the Sixth-Transformation Golden Cores in the Ministry of Affairs Hall’s inventory. It was almost time for the Danxia Institute to deliver the next batch of Golden Cores, so your little brother didn’t think much of it and gave them all to him... But when the time came, there was no word from the Danxia Institute. I sent people to urge them several times, but they gave no reason, only saying they would deliver them with the next shipment."
Xuzhuang immediately caught the hint in Steward Zhu’s words. "So the problem is with the Danxia Institute, not your fault, Steward. Could you tell me, Steward, who at the Danxia Institute is responsible for handovers with your hall?"
Steward Zhu coughed twice and said in a low voice, "As far as I know, it’s an elder of the Danxia Institute, Chen Yuanji of the Chen Family from the Junyang Six Islands."
"Oh?" ’The Chen Family?’ Xuzhuang sneered. ’Just as I expected.’
As mentioned before, the Tai Su Sect had spread the Dao for ten thousand years, producing generations of Primordial Spirit experts, countless True Disciples, and an incalculable number of Cultivators. Naturally, they had even more relatives and followers. Cultivators had long lifespans and were better able to protect their families and factions. Over time, the powers within the sect naturally became complex and deeply entrenched.
The Tai Su Sect had enjoyed long-lasting prosperity, but the factions within it had seen their own rises and falls. To this day, they had gradually formed what was known as the Five Clans and Seven Surnames, for a total of twelve great houses.
These twelve great houses had long and storied histories. Some ancient clans had existed since the very founding of the Tai Su Sect. They naturally controlled much of the sect’s authority and occupied many of its resources, and their descendants were exceptionally talented. Before Xuzhuang, four of the six great True Disciples were from these great houses.
The Chen Family of the Junyang Six Islands was one of the seven great clans among these twelve great houses.
Xuzhuang hadn’t gotten where he was today by being a pushover. He immediately said, "Steward Zhu, reasonably speaking, I could wait for you to handle this. But the Sixth-Transformation Golden Core is a crucial matter for my cultivation. What if I need a solution right now?"
"This..." Steward Zhu wiped nonexistent sweat from his brow with his sleeve and said with difficulty, "How about I report this to the Law Enforcement Hall immediately? The Law Enforcement Hall can send someone to question that Chen Yuanji. I’m sure the sect will give you, Senior Brother, and your humble little brother, a just resolution."
Xuzhuang was noncommittal. The Danxia Institute, or rather, Chen Yuanji, had certainly broken the rules, but it wasn’t as if he had committed some unforgivable crime. Even if the Law Enforcement Hall sent someone to question him, he would have plenty of excuses to delay. After all the back-and-forth, who knew how much time would be wasted? What difference would it make?
Xuzhuang was not a weak-willed person to begin with. A bold idea suddenly surfaced in his mind. After careful consideration, he made up his mind and said to Steward Zhu, "Steward, your method is excellent, but it’s far too slow. As a True Disciple, I have the responsibility to inquire about all matters within the sect. So, I will help you look into this matter!"
Hearing this, Steward Zhu cried out in his heart. ’How did this turn into me asking a True Disciple to help me look into the matter?’ But before he could think of any words to refuse, Xuzhuang had already called for a Daoist Child and told him to summon the Law Enforcement Disciples on duty patrolling the Ministry of Affairs Hall.
Steward Zhu grew frantic, and this time, beads of actual sweat appeared on his forehead. But try as he might, he couldn’t think of how to stop him.
A moment later, two Law Enforcement Disciples, each leading Dao Soldiers and Warriors, arrived outside the hall. After ordering their subordinates to wait outside, they entered the inner room and bowed to both men. "Greetings, Junior Martial Uncle Xu, Steward Zhu."
Xuzhuang nodded faintly. "Steward Zhu, please explain the situation to these two Junior Nephews."
The corner of Steward Zhu’s eye twitched violently, but he could only brace himself and recount the entire story from the beginning.
The two disciples took out slips of paper and carefully recorded Steward Zhu’s account. They exchanged a look, and one of them stepped forward. "Reporting to Junior Martial Uncle, we have recorded the details. Shall we return to the Law Enforcement Hall to report this now?"
"No need." Xuzhuang waved his hand. "I am here today to exercise my duty as a True Disciple and inquire into this matter on Steward Zhu’s behalf. One of you will remain here. The other will go to the Danxia Institute and summon Chen Yuanji. I intend to question him in detail myself."
The two exchanged another look. The second disciple immediately bowed. "Then this Junior Nephew will be on his way."
"Hold on." From the wooden tray still held by the Daoist Child, Xuzhuang picked up the golden sword engraved with his name, the symbol of a True Disciple. "Take this golden sword with you. You must bring him here to explain the reason for this matter clearly. If you cannot, I will have no choice but to hold Chen Yuanji personally responsible for this delay."
"Yes, sir!" The disciple took the Token, and without any delay, he left the hall, taking the Dao Soldiers and Warriors with him.
