Chapter 205: One Is More Pathetic Than the Last

Well, when a person chooses to spend their time eavesdropping, she is no different from the “pathetic weakling” she mocks.

To discuss this rationally, Zhou Qingmu had indeed intended to find a sufficiently stable and reliable “older ally” from the start.

This line of thinking was absolutely sound. After all, given Little Gu’s popularity, he certainly had no shortage of beautiful women around him. Furthermore, young people generally preferred girls close to their own age.

In such a situation, if those of the older-sister type wanted to compete, they needed a proper strategy.

Zhou Qingmu’s original plan was to exchange information with True Monarch Liuyun Suyu. They would first test which type of older woman Little Gu preferred, and then gradually show him the benefits of a mature woman.

For example, being reliable, knowing when to advance or retreat, being able to provide support at critical moments, and being able to suppress the official documents from the Night Guard Division, the Imperial Academy, and the Imperial Observatory without batting an eye when Little Gu caused some outrageous commotion.

—It should have been a win-win deal.

As it turned out, this True Monarch senior, who had lived for over ten thousand years, was even more pathetically incompetent than she was.

Zhou Qingmu watched the moon-white figure in the water mirror awkwardly trying to change the subject, feeling for the first time what it truly meant to have “entrusted her hopes to the wrong person.”

She sighed silently once more, then shifted her thoughts to justify the situation to herself.

At least, she could consider herself to have helped provide some support.

Yesterday’s arrangement had, in the end, secured a chance for True Monarch Liuyun Suyu to be alone with Little Gu. Even if that True Monarch had dropped the ball at the critical moment, the opportunity itself was real. With True Monarch Liuyun Suyu’s status and means, she could surely find a way to reclaim her dignity later.

Zhou Qingmu comforted herself in this manner, her vermilion brush leaving a small red mark on the official document.

Just thinking about it, however, made Zhou Qingmu feel even more pitiful.

Despite holding the great power of the Vice Director of the Night Guard Division and having so many opportunities to use her position for her own benefit, the first time she truly “abused her authority,” she had actually used it to pave the way for someone else.

Thinking of this, Zhou Qingmu suddenly felt like her own head was starting to look a bit green.

—Could it be that I truly have some unspeakable, bizarre fetish?

She suppressed the thought and began to counsel herself.

No, no, no. The only reason she was putting so much effort into helping True Monarch Liuyun Suyu was because the True Monarch was a rare and valuable ally. If she showed some favor today, how could the True Monarch not return the favor in the future? This was a long-term investment and had absolutely nothing to do with any strange fetishes.

With this self-consolation, she finally managed to push that unsettling thought back into the depths of her heart.

Zhou Qingmu turned her gaze back to the water mirror and let out a long sigh.

Next time, no matter what, it would have to be her turn to take the stage.

...

On the other side, Gu Chengming naturally had no idea that his Vice Director was “abusing her authority.”

Just as True Monarch Liuyun Suyu had said, that Longevity Sect Perfected Man was an element that had to be dealt with. If he could find the man's whereabouts, Gu Chengming naturally hoped to contribute his own modest strength to help True Monarch Liuyun Suyu eliminate this major threat.

Of course, the prerequisite for all of this was “finding” the whereabouts of that Longevity Sect Perfected Man.

As a True Monarch who had attained a Dao Throne on the main branch of the “Unfettered River,” if this Longevity Sect Perfected Man was determined to hide, most True Monarchs would likely be unable to find him, let alone Gu Chengming.

But since both the Imperial Observatory and Zhou Qingmu had expressed their desire for him to participate in this matter, they clearly had a lead on the man.

Just as Gu Chengming expected, the next day, a True Monarch whom Gu Chengming had only heard of but never met came to the Night Guard Division to find him.

—The Director of the Imperial Observatory.

The Director wore a slate-gray Daoist robe. His figure was lean, and there was no overwhelming pressure in his eyes; instead, they held a gentle air, much like an old scholar.

He entered the hall and first nodded to Gu Chengming, offering a few friendly praises like “the younger generation is to be feared” and “the stability of the capital’s dragon qi is all thanks to your efforts.”

After hearing this, Gu Chengming’s heart actually grew more alert.

Usually, the more pleasant a senior’s praise was, the more troublesome the task they were about to give you would be.

Sure enough, the Director took a light sip from his tea cup before cutting straight to the chase.

“As you know, Little Friend, the current situation in the Great Qian is not exactly bright,” the Director said in a steady, slow voice. “Though we had your help in resolving most of the hidden dangers regarding the capital’s dragon qi, the Great Qian is currently facing demon threats invading from the north and various sects causing internal unrest. Every single matter is piled up before us, leaving us spread thin.”

He paused, his gaze falling back on Gu Chengming, his expression sincere. “Therefore, it is not that the court intends to set aside the hidden danger of the Longevity Sect, but rather that the more pressing matters at hand have already drained eighty or ninety percent of our energy.”

“Regarding this Longevity Sect True Monarch, after discussing it with my colleagues, we have all agreed that it is most appropriate to leave the matter to you.”

Gu Chengming’s brow twitched. He was about to offer a few polite words of refusal when the Director added another sentence.

“Some things are not meant to be spread outside, but as you are now a pillar of the Great Qian, you ought to know.”

Hearing this, Gu Chengming realized the real topic was coming. He swallowed his polite refusals and straightened his posture.

The Director then continued, “The reason we have consistently failed to pull the Longevity Sect up by its roots is not that we are unwilling, but that we are unable. I assume you have heard of the titles of the ‘Near Heaven’ within the Longevity Sect.”

“Near Heaven is the supreme position within the Longevity Sect, holding the powers left behind by a long-fallen Dao Throne branch.” The Director’s tone grew heavy. “To put it bluntly, the Near Heaven of the Longevity Sect should have all been True Monarch material.”

Gu Chengming’s hand holding the tea cup couldn't help but pause.

The Director nodded, as if he had long expected this reaction. “For hundreds of years, we have used the momentum of the Great Tribulation to suppress them layer by layer, managing to lock the cultivation limit of this lineage within the Fifth Realm.”

“But as the Great Tribulation approaches, this suppression is rapidly losing its effect. More importantly, they have recently employed some unknown method to gain the ability to ‘pull into the present’ previous generations of Longevity Sect Perfected Men from past spacetime.”

“The Imperial Observatory observed that in the battle at the Hehuan Sect, you killed one of the three parts of the ‘Beihuan’ Near Heaven trinity.”

“And our latest observation is...” The Director’s gaze lowered slightly. “The original ‘Beihuan’ has disappeared. Taking his place to sit upon that Near Heaven seat is the very Longevity Sect Perfected Man you encountered in the Cuiping Mountains.”

Gu Chengming’s expression became subtle.

So in the battle at the Hehuan Sect, he thought he had killed someone, but in reality, he had just cleared a spot for that Near Heaven seat?

He suppressed his urge to complain and remained outwardly calm as he listened to the Director continue.

“Recently, there have been frequent anomalies in the celestial phenomena above the capital. According to the Imperial Observatory’s deductions, it is most likely that another True Monarch is trying to use Wangyue’s remains to achieve some purpose.”

The Director took another sip of tea, his expression grave. “When I deduced this matter, I found that it is faintly connected to several strands of karma involving you. Combined with existing clues, there is a seventy to eighty percent chance that the True Monarch who wishes to visit is that Longevity Sect Perfected Man.”

“As for the specific location... the Unfettered River lineage is naturally inclined toward concealment. The Imperial Observatory can only provide a rough range.”

Saying this, the Director pushed a thin scroll of maps toward Gu Chengming.

Gu Chengming took it and swept his divine sense over it. The map marked a range of hills in the northern suburbs of the capital.

The Director gave a few more instructions on the details of finding the person before letting out a light cough. He seemed about to move on to the next topic, but his tone became somewhat hesitant.

“There is one other thing I must entrust to you, Little Friend.”

Gu Chengming was startled, then heard the Director continue, “I must ask you to pay more attention to Vice Director Zhou’s safety during this period.”

Gu Chengming was slightly stunned. “The Vice Director?”

Logically, Zhou Qingmu’s recent breakthrough to the Sixth Realm was a major event in the entire cultivation world. Who would dare to move against her at such a time?

The Director saw his confusion and said slowly, “Have you noticed, Little Friend, that none of the True Monarchs you have met have ever introduced themselves to you by their true name?”

Gu Chengming was stunned. He subconsciously ran through the names in his mind.

The Master, the Director, True Monarch Liuyun Suyu, the Red Dust Immortal... All he had heard along the way were titles, Daoist names, and elegant aliases. Indeed, not a single True Monarch had given him their actual name.

The Director explained, “It is because the step beyond True Monarch is the most dangerous threshold in the cultivation world. Once a true name is exposed, others can use that single name to issue a curse from tens of thousands of miles away through the Path of Karma.”

“In the cultivation world, True Monarchs have countless means, but no matter how many life-saving techniques one has, they cannot stand against someone holding their name.”

“Therefore, the first major task every cultivator must perform after ascending to True Monarch is to completely erase their name from the three paths of time, history, and karma. From then on, that name no longer exists in the world.”

The Director paused. “And Vice Director Zhou is currently in this dangerous period of ‘Name Erasure’ not yet being complete.”

Gu Chengming’s heart sank.

The Director continued, “I am not being alarmist. The Longevity Sect’s Perfected Men are most skilled at causing trouble through karma. If he learns of Vice Director Zhou’s breakthrough, he might take action during this window.”

“Therefore, I hope you can pay more attention to Vice Director Zhou’s movements during this time.”

Gu Chengming heard this and subconsciously wanted to say, “Director, you think too highly of me.”

Zhou Qingmu was a solid Sixth Realm cultivator, the Vice Director of the Night Guard Division, and one of the top experts of the Great Qian. No matter how high his reputation was, he was still only in the Fourth Realm. If someone truly tried to curse Zhou Qingmu from afar, was he supposed to rush forward and eat the curse for her?

But he couldn't say that, as he had too much of a track record.

In a sense, he did often do things that a Fourth Realm cultivator shouldn't do, or even shouldn't think of doing.

Gu Chengming pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement. “I understand.”

The Director finally let out a slight sigh of relief. He set down his tea cup and took two items from his sleeve.

This made Gu Chengming blink in surprise. The previous entrustment was already significant; he had thought that was the extent of the Director’s visit. But now, the Director was taking out more items, clearly having another request.

And while the Director had been grave when discussing the Longevity Sect and Zhou Qingmu, his movements now were exceptionally gentle. Even the way his sleeves moved carried a hint of caution, making him seem like a different person.

Gu Chengming was just starting to feel strange when, in the next instant, he saw clearly what the two items were.

An exquisite silk-embroidered sachet and a letter with a pale red wax seal.

Gu Chengming was stunned the moment he took them.

The sachet was embroidered with a pattern of two butterflies fluttering around plum blossoms, the stitches fine and delicate. The paper of the letter even carried a hint of floral fragrance.

The scent of a young girl wafted toward him, making Gu Chengming momentarily unable to react.

He looked up at the Director, his gaze inevitably holding a hint of subtlety. “Director, this is?”

The Director coughed lightly, a rare look of a “father running errands for his children” appearing in his expression. “This is something Huayi asked me to pass to you on my way.”

“She has been weighed down by a very pressing task lately and truly cannot find the time to come see you herself.” The Director’s tone held a bit of pity. “She could only take this opportunity to send some things over to express her feelings of longing.”

Gu Chengming realized what was happening and quickly thanked him with a serious expression. He hurriedly felt around in his storage pouch and picked out a jade pendant he usually carried, one that was quite warm and smooth, and presented it to the Director with both hands.

“Please, Director, pass this to Lady Huayi for me.”

The Director glanced at the jade pendant.

The jade was warm all over, and one could tell at a glance that Gu Chengming had worn it for quite some time. The quality of the jade itself wasn't particularly rare, but the warmth carrying the owner’s scent would likely be enough for his seemingly lively but actually introverted female disciple to lie in bed and hold it while rolling around for three to five days.

The Director’s expression couldn't help but show a bit of fatherly satisfaction. He nodded and took the jade pendant, gave Gu Chengming a few more instructions regarding the Longevity Sect Perfected Man, and then rose to take his leave.

After seeing the Director off as he used the technique of shrinking the earth to leave the courtyard, Gu Chengming returned to his seat and took out the letter with the wax seal.

The wax seal was a small engraving of the character “Hua,” and the opening was carefully wrapped with a thin red silk thread, making one reluctant to open it too roughly.

Gu Chengming patiently opened the envelope and spread out the stack of letter paper, which was finely lined with silver powder.

“It has been many days since we parted at Falling Snow Pass. The affairs at the Star Platform in the capital have become increasingly busy. I often observe the stars in the middle of the night, and whenever I see the starlight flickering in the direction of the northern border, I think of the wind and snow of that day, and of the scene where you sat and talked with a smile.”

“The affairs in the Imperial Observatory are trivial and numerous; files pile up on the tables, and the star orbits never rest. I originally thought that a cultivator should be able to keep a calm heart and perform their duties, but recently, when I review the star trails, I occasionally find myself dazed. It seems my Dao Heart is still shallow, for a memory of old moonlight could actually make me miss half a page of star charts.”

“You are now tied to many affairs of the Great Qian; I imagine you are even busier than before. I have nothing much to help with, so I have chosen a star talisman for peace and embroidered it into this sachet. I wish for your affairs to go smoothly and for you to find a turning point whenever you encounter danger.”

“If you have free time, please do not forget to rest. Although a cultivator can fast, they should not even skip their tea and meals. That night at Falling Snow Pass, you looked radiant when you drank; I still remember it clearly.”

The last line of the letter seemed to have been written with a lighter, more cheerful hand.

“If there is an opportunity, I hope to drink wine and admire the moon with you once more.”

At the same moment that last line of text was read, the scent on the letter paper suddenly spread out, transforming the entire page into a river of stars.

The lamp-lit room was completely overwhelmed by this stream of starlight. Gu Chengming felt the scenery around him slowly transform into that night on the battlements of Falling Snow Pass within those flickers of starlight.

The snow was falling softly. In the distance, a lonely lamp on a beacon tower swayed in the wind. On the battlements, a jar of osmanthus wine was warming by a small stove. A stray lock of hair by Xu Huayi’s temple was gently lifted by the wind. She tilted her head, raised her hand to drain her cup, and her eyes reflected the sky full of falling snow.

This vision must have cost a significant amount of effort. The “painting intent” of an Imperial Observatory cultivator often didn't just paint the scenery, but also the celestial phenomena and thoughts of the time. For Xu Huayi to hide this scene within the letter, she had clearly prepared for a long time.

After the vision slowly dissipated, Gu Chengming folded the letter and placed it, along with the sachet, solemnly into the storage pouch he kept close to his body.

On the other side of the capital, the lamps at the Imperial Observatory’s Star-Gazing Tower had been burning since last night and had not been extinguished for a single moment.

...

Xu Huayi leaned over her desk, looking at the mountain of star-orbit files before her, feeling as though she was about to burn out.

Usually, when a normal government office got busy, it was just files upon files and documents upon documents. When the Imperial Observatory got busy, there would be an anomaly in the southwestern stars today, the capital’s ley lines would jump tomorrow, and the day after that, a Dao Throne would flicker on some True Monarch’s remains. The star orbits would light up, and everyone had to crawl out of bed to calculate.

Xu Huayi rested her chin in her hands, staring blankly at the small mountain before her, silently calculating how many more hours she had to endure to finish this pile of nonsense.

At that moment, a light footstep sounded outside the door, and the Director stepped in with his hands behind his back.

Xu Huayi’s eyes lit up instantly. She sat up straight, her eyes sparkling.

She pretended she was still seriously flipping through the files, but her peripheral vision was already secretly scanning the Director’s hands.

The Director saw her reaction and already knew what his disciple was thinking.

He strolled nonchalantly to her desk and slowly took the warm jade pendant from his sleeve, placing it on the very top of the mountain of files.

“Here.”

Xu Huayi’s gaze was immediately pinned to that jade pendant.

She looked up, maintaining a straight face as if to say, “I’m just asking casually.” “Did Fellow Daoist Gu...”

“He received the letter.” The Director stroked his beard, a rare look of teasing appearing in his expression. “Our little friend said to thank me for passing it along.”

Xu Huayi couldn't help but giggle foolishly. She maintained her sitting posture, but a finger resting on the files uncontrollably shifted toward the edge of the jade pendant, inch by inch. Halfway there, she seemed to realize her loss of composure and forcibly pulled her hand back into her sleeve.

“Thank you, Master.” Her tone was reserved, but the smile at the corners of her eyes and brows could no longer be suppressed.

The Director looked at her “insistence on acting calm and composed” and sighed. He thought to himself that his disciple was clearly a person who could hold her own in the imperial court, yet the moment she was involved with that young Fellow Daoist Gu, she immediately regressed to how she was before her coming-of-age ceremony.

Xu Huayi coughed and carefully chose a very proper phrasing. “Master, this deduction task of mine has indeed been a bit too heavy lately. Just now... cough, just now I was a bit distracted while deducing on the files. I fear that if I continue to force it, I might make a mistake.”

“I was wondering if I could be granted a day of leave.”

The Director looked at her pitiful, “burnt-out worker” face, then looked at her small hand that was hidden in her sleeve but still couldn't stop inching toward the jade pendant. Then he thought of the “object of longing” he had personally delivered just now—

Oh well.

“Go on,” the Director waved his hand. “But remember, you must return tomorrow.”

Xu Huayi sprang up from behind the desk with a speed that was completely unlike the burnt-out worker she had been just a moment ago. While thanking him, she tucked the jade pendant into her sleeve and turned to rush out.

The other Imperial Observatory disciples nearby saw her leave, their envious gazes almost becoming physical.

Someone whispered, “Senior Sister Xu actually managed to get leave.”

Another said gloomily, “Love can’t save an Imperial Observatory disciple, but it can make the Director soft-hearted.”

Xu Huayi ignored them all.

She returned to her residence, closed the door, locked it, took off her outer robe, and threw herself onto the bed.

It was as if all seven consecutive days of official work at the Imperial Observatory had been tossed out the door.

She held the jade pendant before her eyes and looked at it for a long time. The jade was warm and smooth to the touch, as if it still held the body heat of Fellow Daoist Gu from when he wore it.

Xu Huayi felt her heart completely melt with a “boom.”

She held the jade pendant, rolled over on the bed, wrapped herself entirely in the quilt, then poked her head out again and held the pendant to her nose to sniff it again.

—The scent of Little Gu.

Xu Huayi’s eyes filled with a nearly intoxicated mist. She pressed the jade pendant against her cheek and slowly moved it downward, past her jaw, past her neck, past her collarbone.

She held the jade pendant and buried herself in the deepest part of the quilt.

The young girl’s fingers twitched quietly beneath the quilt, then slowly moved down another inch.

She naturally began to seek her own release.

...

Outside the Director’s office.

The Director stood by the window with his hands behind his back, looking leisurely in the direction his disciple had just left. He stroked his beard and let out a gentle sigh.

“Huayi has truly been working hard lately.”

The old clerk beside him, who had just finished delivering documents, nodded in deep agreement. “Indeed, Director.”

The Director stroked his beard and nodded with satisfaction. “Young people, they need to have a good rest once in a while.”

“By now, she is likely back at home, having a quiet little nap.”