Chapter 378 - 200: Boating on the Lake

Chapter 378: Chapter 200: Boating on the Lake

「Two minutes later.」

Yang Wenqing exited Director Lu Xun’s office.

The jade box containing the Clear Heart Pill now lay quietly in his Storage Bag. This turn of events had been completely unexpected for Yang Wenqing.

Being short one Clear Heart Pill was just that—a tangible loss. The prize for the grand competition would likely still be listed as a Clear Heart Pill on the surface, but in reality, they would find some other way to take it back.

Yang Wenqing couldn’t understand the Provincial Hall’s actions, because they were completely unnecessary.

Shaking his head, he pushed aside these unanswerable thoughts for the time being.

Regardless, getting the pill was a tangible benefit. He quickly walked out of the main office building’s core area, led Lan Ying into a relatively secluded corner of a stairwell, and after confirming no one was around, he activated the encrypted communication Array with his master, Qin Huaiming.

When the Array connected, Qin Huaiming’s voice came through first. "You’re out from Lu Jingming’s? You got it, right?"

"Did you already know, Master?" Although Yang Wenqing was sure his master knew in advance, he allowed a hint of confusion to enter his tone, playing along.

"How could they possibly succeed without me knowing? I may be on my own, but I have several senior brothers," Qin Huaiming replied with a chuckle.

Then he added, "The Provincial Hall had originally decided on Zhou Moxuan this time. That’s why they specifically set the age limit for the competition to under thirty-five. It was tailored almost exactly to Zhou Moxuan’s age, all to ensure he could secure that Clear Heart Pill and pave the way for his future attempt at Foundation Establishment."

Yang Wenqing had a flash of understanding.

"They just didn’t expect you to come out of nowhere," Qin Huaiming said, a faint trace of pride in his voice. "But don’t you dare underestimate the world’s talents because of this."

"The Three Sects Grand Competition you’ll face next is the real battle of titans. Your opponents will be from the Beixuan Sect and the Yunji Sect, and the age limit will be forty."

"And forty is the minimum age when most Cultivators with superior aptitude attempt Foundation Establishment. You’re only thirty-two, so you’ve naturally had six or seven fewer years to practice than them. That’s enough time for some geniuses to cultivate from the First Transformation of Bone Marrow Cleansing all the way to the Fifth Transformation!"

"Most importantly, everyone practices the Yuqing Orthodox Arts. You’ll all be familiar with each other’s techniques and weaknesses. The contest will come down to purer control of Spiritual Qi, adaptability, and mental fortitude. There’s no room for luck."

"I will remember your teachings, Master. I dare not be the least bit complacent," Yang Wenqing replied solemnly.

"Good, as long as you understand." Qin Huaiming’s tone softened. "Since the matter with the Provincial Hall is settled, you should start preparing. I’ll arrive at the Provincial Government capital tomorrow morning to meet you, and then I’ll take you directly to the sect’s residence. The Three Sects Grand Competition is still a few days away, but it’s necessary to get familiar with the environment beforehand. I can also help you stabilize your Cultivation."

"Yes, Master," Yang Wenqing agreed, then asked, "But I still don’t understand. The Provincial Hall could have done nothing, and this Clear Heart Pill would have likely still been mine. Why go through all this trouble?"

"Because you are now a disciple of the Xuanyue Lineage. In many people’s eyes, you’re no longer just an ordinary local Cultivator, but someone from a prestigious house. If you had obtained the Clear Heart Pill without any obstacles, especially when none of your opponents could last a single round against you, it would have surely bred discontent among the rank-and-file guards. That’s not something the Provincial Hall wants to see."

Understanding dawned on Yang Wenqing. After a bit more small talk, the master and disciple ended the communication. He looked down the quiet hallway, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.

His trip to the Provincial Government capital had come to a premature, albeit unexpected, conclusion. There was no spectacular battle in the arena under the watchful eyes of the crowd, no flowers and applause. There was only a pill lying in his Storage Bag and a piece of ’urgent business’ that needed to be handled discreetly.

But this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. He had saved time and energy, avoided needless exposure, and more importantly, acquired a tangible resource.

He looked down at Lan Ying, who was perched on his shoulder, head tilted, preening a feather on her chest with her beak.

"Lan Ying."

"Hm?" the little one responded lazily from within his Spirit Sea.

"Tomorrow, I’m taking you somewhere new."

"Is there good food?" Lan Ying’s eyes immediately lit up.

"Yes, lots of things you’ve never seen before."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s hurry back and pack!" Lan Ying perked up at once, flapping her wings and urging him on.

Yang Wenqing smiled, straightened his collar, and strode out of the stairwell, heading back the way he came.

When he reached the main entrance of the building, Tang Yuan, Gao Zhen, and Yang Wenjian were still waiting for him. Surprisingly, Jin Ming hadn’t left either. He was leaning against a nearby pillar, but straightened up immediately upon seeing Yang Wenqing and approached with that familiar teasing grin on his face.

"Brother Yang!" Jin Ming leaned in, lowered his voice, and asked with poorly concealed curiosity, "What did the Director’s office want with you? So secretive."

Yang Wenqing wore his usual smile. His gaze lingered on Jin Ming’s face for a moment before sweeping over the concerned expressions of Tang Yuan and the others. He replied offhandedly, "Just a small work-related discussion. We can talk about it when we get back."

Hearing this, Jin Ming tactfully chose not to press the issue. He just said, "Oh," then changed the subject with a laugh. "I thought that punk Zhou Moxuan had gone to tattle again. I’m not just saying this, but that guy is a real piece of work, a petty scoundrel. I have no idea how he’s going to overcome the Heart Demon of the late Third Transformation."

Yang Wenqing just smiled and didn’t reply.

Chatting idly, the group returned to the quiet little courtyard at the Wang family’s villa.

The afternoon sun filtered through the bamboo leaves in the courtyard, casting dappled shadows and warming the stone table and stools. The group sat around the table as Yang Zhong prepared some light tea and a few snacks characteristic of the Provincial Government capital. Lan Ying flew up to the roof on her own, preening her jewel-like feathers in the sunlight.