Chapter Thirty: The Sect Leader's Ultimate Investigation Plan

The setting sun was about to dip below the horizon. The cargo ship did not return to the bustling Qinghong Dock, as the crowds and prying eyes there made it unsuitable for the business at hand. Instead, it sailed toward Pier Seven on the Outer Ring Road. The ordinary people on deck were gathered together and would soon undergo a strict screening—to distinguish those truly ignorant of the ship’s smuggling from those complicit. The outcome would determine whether punishment awaited them, or perhaps something far more severe.

At the bow, Tang Zicong clasped Bai Yujing’s hand, his face full of gratitude. “If it weren’t for you, Master Bai, I fear none of us would have survived today.” His palm was still cool to the touch, the aftershock of danger not yet faded.

Bai Yujing responded with humble composure. “You flatter me. I was merely fulfilling the obligation of the commission.”

A hint of embarrassment flickered across Tang Zicong’s features. “My apologies—the reward will be delayed a little.” The payment for this commission wasn’t coming from his own pocket, but from official funds. For small sums, approval was swift, but this case involved the Second Tail—the amount had soared to one hundred million, surpassing even most Class A commissions. Such a sum could not be released lightly; it would require layer upon layer of scrutiny before the government would pay out so vast a reward.

Bai Yujing’s expression remained tranquil. “That’s fine. I’m not in urgent need of the money.”

“Thank you for understanding, Master Bai.” With a sigh of relief, Tang Zicong enthusiastically pulled out a pack of cigarettes, offering a Zhonghua to Bai Yujing. “If there’s ever another operation, I hope you’ll keep us in mind.”

“I don’t smoke. If there’s a next time, just send the commission to Azure Cloud Sect. But please, try to shorten the lead time—waiting this long every time is hardly ideal.”

“Of course, of course.” Tang Zicong nodded repeatedly. This time they were still strangers, but with the foundation of cooperation now laid, there would be no need for Bai Yujing’s constant presence in the future.

“I have official duties to attend to, so I’ll take my leave. Next time, let me treat you to a meal.” Tang Zicong had a mountain of work awaiting him. This operation wasn’t just about catching the traders; everyone from the Li family was to be rounded up. Each person and faction involved would have to be interrogated, one by one. Catching spies was always a matter of pulling up weeds by the roots.

He gripped the shrunken Bluefeather and used the Yu Step to leave the bow.

Bai Yujing had no intention of staying, either. He glanced at his three companions. “We’ve been promoted to a Class C sect. Tonight, let’s find a good restaurant and celebrate.”

Tiya smiled. “Master, with your abilities, have you ever thought about exploring the Demon Realm? I heard that at the national convention, the Azure Emperor once again proposed an expedition into that world.”

She was, in truth, attempting to flatter him into volunteering for a deadly trip.

“The Demon Realm…” A trace of melancholy crossed Bai Yujing’s face. “I’ve been there before. It’s vast as the cosmos, and the monsters there are solitary by nature. Sometimes you can travel for days before encountering a single creature. I spent about half a year there, and I doubt I even saw a corner of it. To purge the Demon Realm is no overnight task. For now, I’ve decided to focus on strengthening the Azure Cloud Sect.”

As he finished, a brief silence descended on the bow. Tiya’s smile stiffened, Liu Shuangling’s eyes flashed with surprise, and even Zhu Ying’s icy face showed a rare ripple of emotion.

Even she, a half-demon from a remote mountain village, had heard of the Demon Realm’s fearsome reputation. The first wave of explorers, gathered from spiritualists at home and abroad—all at least fifth tier—numbered in the tens of thousands. Yet such a force was utterly lost in the Demon Realm, annihilated without making the slightest ripple. And yet, this man had wandered there for half a year and returned unscathed. Was he preternaturally lucky, or simply unfathomably powerful?

The three women all felt the former seemed more likely.

…

After the celebratory feast, everyone went their separate ways.

Tiya returned to her mansion, where crystal chandeliers cast a warm golden glow from above. Her mood was bleak. The more she learned of Bai Yujing’s strength, the more daunting the task of catching up to him seemed. More troubling still, she had yet to glimpse the limits of his power.

Restless, she chose to practice her calligraphy, brushstroke after brushstroke upon the rice paper. When she finally came to herself, the paper was filled with bold, murderous characters. She set down her brush, crumpled the paper into a ball, and tossed it in the trash.

After a moment’s thought, she took out her phone and searched for news of the spatial disturbance in Shanghai. Sure enough, a resourceful netizen had happened to be filming the seascape and captured the dramatic scene of the Second Tail’s invasion from the Demon Realm. The shaky camera bore witness to the videographer’s shock. The video had over 130,000 likes, with more than 2,000 comments beneath.

Because the battle ended so swiftly, Bai Yujing’s face was never caught on camera—there wasn’t even a trace of his movement. The one who defeated the Second Tail seemed to appear from nowhere and vanish just as suddenly, leaving the comment section to speculate wildly: who could have struck the Second Tail back into the Demon Realm with a single blow?

Some guessed Fairy Si Yu, Luo Lingxi; others suspected the master of the Myriad Beast Sect, or perhaps the abbot of the Brahma Monastery, and so on. Tiya read the conjectures and felt a vague idea take root.

She continued scrolling through short videos, one after another, until she paused before a new clip. A glamorous hostess beamed at the camera. “The sixth season of the Young Elites Scripture Show is now open for registration! We welcome young talents from all sects. The winner will receive a five hundred thousand yuan prize, with the entire competition broadcast live—no backstage trickery, no set-ups. Contestants must be between nineteen and twenty-six years old.”

“The Young Elites Scripture Show?” Tiya mused. Perhaps this was an opportunity. If the Azure Cloud Sect could claim the championship, and she hired an army of online fans to pose as rabid supporters, they could stir up endless debates about the sect’s prowess. With luck, they could even provoke the Three Sovereigns or Five Emperors, drawing the ire of other sects and inviting them to challenge the Azure Cloud Sect in person.

She did not believe Bai Yujing could become invincible in just ten years, able to defeat every challenger. As long as he lost even once, she could estimate how long it would take to surpass him.

But who should enter the competition? She thought it over and realized she herself was not suitable. The Young Elites Scripture Show, aside from the publicity, was primarily a platform for major sects to promote their own rising stars. If she registered, she might be snubbed or refused—after all, the Pendragon family was well known in Shanghai. Zhu Ying wasn’t skilled in scripture competitions; that left only Liu Shuangling.

With this plan in mind, she quickly messaged Liu Shuangling: “Senior Sister, I have an idea. It might help us discover the Master’s limits, but I’ll need your cooperation…”

In her apartment, Liu Shuangling, cloaked in a black robe inscribed with high-level hidden spirit script, was preparing to go out. She saw her phone screen light up, unlocked it, and after glancing over the flood of messages from Tiya, replied with a single word: “Alright.”