The Fifty People Who Disappeared

Qi Xiao pondered recent sect matters in her heart, then went to Li Wangyan’s cave abode.

“Senior Sister has come to visit me of her own accord today?
Is there something important?”

He was bare-chested, covered in sweat, looking as if he had just been exercising.

Qi Xiao thus said, “I wasn’t aware Junior Brother also practiced body refinement techniques.”
“You flatter me, Senior Sister.
Back in the mortal world, I also considered whether, if I could never restore my cultivation, I should become a pure body cultivator.
But even body cultivation requires opening major acupoints throughout the body.
With my cultivation crippled and my dantian blocked, I could only pursue body cultivation halfway.
Thinking ‘halfway is better than nothing,’ I trained this way.
Though I couldn’t achieve the full merit, it was my hope at the time.”
He smiled self-deprecatingly.
“Now, it has become a habit.
If I don’t practice a little every day, I feel somewhat uncomfortable.”

Your words leave me no good response.

“…Junior Brother isn’t inviting me in to sit?”
“This…”
“Is there some inconvenience?”

Li Wangyan chuckled lightly.
“Inconvenient… not really.
It’s just that my cave abode is humble, and I fear Senior Sister might find it uncomfortable.”
“The furnishings in your cave abode were all arranged by me.
What is there to be humble about?
Is Junior Brother complaining that I didn’t equip you with good things?”
Li Wangyan smiled wryly.
“Senior Sister, you can’t say that!
I’m very satisfied with what you arranged…
It’s just that I have few personal belongings.”
“So that’s it.
When I furnished the place, I thought you’d certainly have some personal items, so I didn’t provide more private things.
I can accompany you to look for some later.
There is a marketplace within the sect, as you know.”

Speaking of which, there’s a scent in this cave… not particularly unpleasant…
But—
Do body cultivators emit a strange odor when training?

She maintained her composure.
“By the way, Junior Brother, regarding the incident from five years ago, I have already ordered a new investigation.”
“Oh?”
Li Wangyan seemed surprised.
“Senior Sister means…?”
“The events back then were indeed bizarre.
I will help you investigate the circumstances clearly…
to save you the trouble and effort.
Even if you seek revenge, cultivation is still the most important.”
Li Wangyan looked at Qi Xiao with puzzlement.
“Why is Senior Sister suddenly being so kind to me?”
“After careful consideration, I feel your actions are reasonable.
My attitude yesterday was poor…
Mainly, the sudden transformation into a woman made it difficult to remain calm.
At that time, I harbored resentment towards you, hence my behavior…
I hope Junior Brother can forgive… this senior sister.”

She changed her self-reference.

Li Wangyan found this very interesting.
His gaze swept over Qi Xiao repeatedly, then he said, “Senior Sister… has cultivated?”
“As a cultivator, one naturally cannot neglect cultivation.”
“Senior Sister, that’s a bit utilitarian, isn’t it?”
“Well, since things have already come to this, should I keep complaining about fate?
We cultivators, aside from cultivation, everything else is trivial.
It was this senior sister’s lack of broad-mindedness yesterday.”
“Senior Sister, you make me appreciate you even more.”

Qi Xiao simply smiled.

“Then I’d like to ask Senior Sister, once the truth is uncovered and my innocence is proven, how does Senior Sister intend to deal with those disciples?
They are also disciples of Dao Sword Peak, right?”

How should I deal with them?
Shouldn’t that be how YOU deal with them?
“Junior Brother is now a steward of Dao Sword Peak.
Affairs within the peak naturally fall under your purview.
This senior sister grants you the authority.
You may act according to your own judgment.”
“Senior Sister isn’t afraid I might act too drastically?”
“I trust you.”

Although she said that, what Qi Xiao actually thought was, ‘What’s it to me?’
They’re just a bunch of Foundation Establishment disciples; they can’t affect much.
If those disciples had real talent, they would have caught my eye long ago; why would I need to pay attention?

But words still needed to sound pleasant.

“I will not fail Senior Sister’s trust.”

Qi Xiao nodded with satisfaction.
“In that case, this senior sister will take her leave.
Await my news; I will surely give you a satisfactory explanation.”
“I respectfully see Senior Sister off.”

After Qi Xiao left, Li Wangyan returned to his previous spot, smiling.
“That was close, Master!
Senior Sister almost discovered we were… exercising.
I nearly had to turn into a body cultivator for real!”

True Master Dao Sword’s figure materialized.
She whispered sharply, “You scoundrel!
Couldn’t you have just pretended not to be in your cave?
At a time like this!
You actually opened the door for her!”
“Of course.
Senior Sister holds the first place in my heart.
If Senior Sister comes to my cave, no matter what, I certainly cannot let her come in vain.
As for Master… actually, I think it wouldn’t matter even if she found out, right?”
He said with a smile.
“After all, after learning the Mystic Maiden Mirror can increase cultivation speed, Senior Sister doesn’t even mind being transformed into a woman.
Her heart for the Dao is truly firm.
Even if she knew about the relationship between Master and me, she probably wouldn’t care, right?”
“In fact, if I told Senior Sister that dual cultivation with me could further speed up cultivation, she might even take the initiative to climb into my bed…
Ah, but I don’t have such a method at the moment, of course.”
“You…”

True Master Dao Sword truly couldn’t refute Li Wangyan’s words, because she knew Qi Xiao was exactly that kind of person.

“So, Master, I’m not entirely clear why you want to hide it from Senior Sister.
However, I am magnanimous.
Since you, Master, are unwilling, I won’t force you.
After all, I am also a very filial disciple, don’t you think?”
“…”

You point that at me and call it filial piety?
“Enough of that useless talk.
Master, leaving things half-done is not a good trait.
A cultivator must be consistent from start to finish!”
“I… just get on with it…”

* * * *

Qi Xiao initially returned to her cave abode feeling satisfied, but soon, the news she received dispelled all her good mood.
She returned to the Peak Lord’s hall.

“Senior Brother Qi!
After returning last night, we immediately began investigating and discovered something astonishing.
That’s why we hurried to report today.
Please forgive our haste.”

Huang Longbing immediately began his report.
“Through our investigation—the senior and junior brothers who participated in that incident five years ago… have all disappeared.”
“Disappeared?
What do you mean?”

The three exchanged glances, each producing some documents.
“Fifteen disciples related to my Yellow Heaven Alliance—six withdrew from the sect for various reasons, such as lacking cultivation talent, family decline…
five were expelled from the sect for misconduct, and four perished while training outside.”

He Zaitian continued, “Ten disciples from my society are the same.
Withdrew, expelled, deceased…”
“Sixteen female disciples from my Qiao Lian Association are also the same,”
Qiao Lian answered.
“As for a few who didn’t join our groups, we investigated them as well.
Same result: left or dead.”

Such a thing?

Then, Huang Longbing added, “After discovering this, we conducted a deeper investigation.
The person behind this employed exceptional methods.
Apart from those who died, the others’ situations all appear very normal.
For example, those who withdrew had been telling others for years they might leave, so their departure seemed natural.
The same for those expelled for misconduct—it all happened quietly.
If one didn’t cross-check the list of fifty names… probably no one would notice.
With Senior Brother Li Wangyan’s case as precedent, generally no one dared investigate.”

He Zaitian couldn’t help but say, “Senior Brother Qi, this matter is likely not simple.
If we investigate recklessly, something extremely bad might happen.”

His meaning was quite clear.
It implied someone within the sect was targeting Dao Sword Peak.
If they had to point a finger, True Master Prison Law, who carried out the punishment back then, might be a lead.
And now that Qi Xiao had started investigating, she might have already alerted the enemy.

“The three of you, after returning, say nothing.
Act as if nothing happened.
Understood?”
She thought for a moment, then produced a token.
“This leads to one of my private cave abodes.
If you feel unsafe, go there and hide.
I will notify you when the matter is resolved.
This is dangerous.
I hadn’t anticipated something like this.
If we succeed in resolving it, you three will have rendered great service.
I will assist you in breaking through to Golden Core.”
“We thank Senior Brother!”

The three immediately knew something major was about to happen in the Heavenly Dao Sect.
Accepting the token from Qi Xiao, they returned, announced they were going into seclusion, and hid in the cave abode Qi Xiao provided, entering a period of prolonged concealment and cultivation.

Qi Xiao immediately went to her master’s cave abode.

She didn’t go to Li Wangyan.
If he heard the news, he might become too agitated and make poor judgments or decisions, which would endanger her and her master.

When her master opened the cave, she found her master’s face flushed, eyes moist with unshed tears.

“Master, you… have you been crying?”

She was taken aback.

True Master Dao Sword merely shook her head.
“I just suddenly thought of your junior brother’s situation.
Because of this master’s decision back then, he suffered so much…
A wave of sadness came over me.”
“Master is truly too soft-hearted and kind.”

Qi Xiao offered some flattery.
“Master, I have urgent matters related to Junior Brother that require your attention.”
“What is it?
Come in and speak.”

After Qi Xiao reported her investigation findings, True Master Dao Sword’s expression turned grave.

“Master, forgive this disciple’s presumption… regarding this matter, were you involved?
In the five years I have managed Dao Sword Peak, I failed to detect this—”

There’s a high probability True Master Dao Sword personally handled this.

“No, this has nothing to do with me.
I never considered taking action against those disciples…
Someone is covering their tracks, destroying evidence.
One can imagine that those who ‘withdrew’ are certainly dead as well.”

True Master Dao Sword finally understood.
The incident five years ago was different from what she had known.
She had indeed wronged Li Wangyan back then, but that was because he had colluded with demons, and she, for the sake of the Sect Leader position, had acted that way…
But… there was something off about this.

“Someone wants me dead.”

True Master Dao Sword’s tone turned icy.

“Master, during this trip, I was ambushed by demonic sect members.
If not for your junior brother saving me, I likely would have perished…
Could this be related to a traitor within the sect leaking my whereabouts?”
“This disciple dare not speculate.”

But both of them knew.
The Heavenly Dao Sect had an internal problem.
Among the six peaks of the Heaven Branch and the six peaks of the Dao Branch, there was definitely… someone who had truly colluded with demons.