Chapter Fifty: The Dispute
After hiding in the mine for three days, Qu Yiqiu clutched several jade slips containing the locations of demon lairs and flew toward the City Lord’s Mansion, heading straight for the Hall of Military Merit.
“Junior Sister Fairy, you’re here! Do you need to exchange for any resources?” Yuan Zhengqing’s eyes lit up as he greeted her warmly.
Qu Yiqiu had a good impression of this senior brother, who was rather fierce, and she smiled, saying, “Senior Brother Yuan, I’ve come to report the locations of demon lairs.”
Yuan Zhengqing was taken aback for a moment, then smiled, “Did you record the locations in the jade slips, Junior Sister? Just hand them to me. If the information proves true, you’ll receive half the merit points for each demon eradicated.”
“But investigating demon lairs is extremely dangerous. Junior Sister, it’s best to do it only once. After this, you should join your fellow disciples—otherwise…so many demon lair reports?” He spoke as he took the jade slips from Qu Yiqiu, but as he did so, he realized her handover wasn’t finished.
He stared in disbelief at the pile of jade slips in his palm.
Qu Yiqiu said apologetically, “Senior Brother, I’ve actually been investigating the demon cultivators’ old hideouts since I entered Qunan City. I prepared for a long time, but I’m not sure if the information is reliable. I can only ask you to publish it and see if it holds up.”
Yuan Zhengqing composed himself, replying solemnly, “No problem, Junior Sister, rest assured—even if most of the information turns out to be false, as long as one is true, you’ll receive the sect’s reward.”
“That’s wonderful, thank you, Senior Brother Yuan!” Qu Yiqiu beamed with delight.
Yuan Zhengqing was dazed for a moment, inwardly vowing that even if most of these reports were false, he would publish them all and mobilize every squad leader to scour the sites, testing each one until the real demon lairs were found!
Such a pure, kind, and beautiful junior sister—falling prey to demon cultivators’ deception was only natural. He must protect her innocent heart!
After handing over the jade slips, Qu Yiqiu left the Hall of Merit and returned to the mine to cultivate.
Yuan Zhengqing, as promised, took out a transmission talisman and summoned the leaders of all thirteen squads, distributing the jade slips.
Jiang Shuangyan toyed with her jade slip, smiling lightly, “Senior Brother Yuan, can you ensure the locations recorded in these jade slips are accurate?”
“Yes, Senior Brother Yuan suddenly issuing so many demon lair reports is suspicious. Are you sending us on a wild goose chase?” Third squad leader Qi Yongfeng chimed in.
Of the thirteen present, only these two voiced doubts; the others remained skeptical but subdued.
Chi Yushu held his jade slip silently.
Yuan Zhengqing’s eyes flashed with uncertainty as he raised his voice, “Demon cultivators are cunning and treacherous. The sect’s investigations of lair locations have always been half true, half false. I can’t guarantee the authenticity, and even if the Sect Master were here, he couldn’t promise the information is one hundred percent reliable!”
Xia Changhan smiled, “Enough, enough. Junior Sister Jiang, Junior Brother Qi, why be so eager for merit points? Even if only one of these reports is true, we should investigate. After all, our purpose here isn’t just for merit, but for the sect and the people of the world!”
Yuan Zhengqing clapped his hands in approval, laughing, “Junior Brother Xia, as the top disciple of Dailuo Peak, you speak with great sense!”
Jiang Shuangyan’s face darkened; she shot Xia Changhan a sidelong look and waved her hand, “Let’s go, there’s no need to waste time here!”
As she moved, her three loyal followers immediately followed her out.
Qi Yongfeng laughed, “Since Brother Xia cares so much for the world, he should take more jade slips to test. Don’t just talk, act—don’t trick others into doing the work!”
“Yes, Brother Xia, take more reports to investigate. With you leading, we juniors will dare to follow!” The other squad leaders chimed in, delighted to see Xia Changhan bogged down by possibly false reports, unable to earn merit points.
Amid this targeting, Chi Yushu suddenly reached out, “Senior Brother Yuan, how many jade slips are left? Give me half.”
Everyone was stunned; the noisy room fell silent.
Xia Changhan and Yuan Zhengqing were equally surprised.
“Junior Brother Chi, are you sure you want that many? I have over forty slips left,” Yuan Zhengqing swallowed.
Chi Yushu’s expression didn’t change; his voice was gentle, “Give me half. I’ll find them.”
Yuan Zhengqing hesitated. Chi Yushu was the most promising disciple—if all these reports were false, he’d offend the sect’s most gifted first disciple.
“Senior Brother Yuan, don’t be partial. I want half as well,” Xia Changhan smiled, reaching out to help him out of the dilemma.
Yuan Zhengqing breathed a sigh of relief, delighted, “Very well, I won’t be partial. I’ll give ten jade slips each. If you don’t find any demon lairs, you can come back to the Hall of Merit for more!”
Chi Yushu nodded, “That will do.”
Qi Yongfeng eyed the two with a strange look, “Even if Junior Brother Chi is a prodigy, isn’t this a waste of precious time?”
Chi Yushu accepted the jade slips, calm and unmoved, “Brother Qi, it’s too early to say. Perhaps more than one report among these is correct.”
“Brother Qi, there’s no need to persuade Junior Brother Chi. This campaign is fair competition. If he chooses these jade slips, we have no grounds to object.” Another squad leader joined Qi Yongfeng.
Others added, “Yes, Junior Brother Chi’s abilities are greater than we imagined. What’s there to worry about? Maybe he’s deliberately wasting time so we can catch up!”
Xia Changhan snorted lightly, “Enough, everyone’s got their jade slips. No need to linger here!”
“Let’s go, let’s go. Our squads’ total merit points lag far behind theirs. Hanging around won’t get us anything!”
“Junior Brother Chi is truly noble, taking on such a tricky task.”
“They’ve saved us a lot of trouble. The top disciple of Nine Sword Peak truly lives up to his reputation!”
A few squad leaders said their piece, cupped their fists to Chi Yushu and Xia Changhan, and quickly departed.
Qi Yongfeng swept a mocking glance over the two, cupped his fists, and flew off on his sword.
Yuan Zhengqing felt a pang of emotion.
Fortunately, Chi Yushu and Xia Changhan had taken so many jade slips.
Otherwise, he couldn’t fulfill Junior Sister Fairy’s request!
“Junior Brother Chi, Senior Brother Yuan, I’ll take my leave,” Xia Changhan said, bidding farewell.
Once all the squad leaders had left, Chi Yushu still showed no sign of departing.
Yuan Zhengqing was puzzled, “Is there something you want to ask, Junior Brother?”
Chi Yushu frowned slightly, “Senior Brother, you hadn’t handed out any jade slips recently, but today you suddenly have so many records of demon lairs. Did one person submit them all?”
Yuan Zhengqing nodded, “Junior Brother, you’re astute—yes, they were all handed in by the same junior sister. As for her identity, I must keep it confidential.”
He couldn’t risk that gentle, otherworldly junior sister’s reputation. If word got out she submitted unreliable reports and played everyone, she’d attract much resentment.
He couldn’t let her fall into such a predicament!
Chi Yushu pondered for a moment, then didn’t press further. He only said, “Senior Brother, save a few more jade slips for me. I believe at least half of her reports are accurate.”
With that, Chi Yushu sped out of the Hall of Merit.
Yuan Zhengqing was momentarily dazed, murmuring, “Did Junior Brother Chi sense something? Otherwise, given his temperament, he wouldn’t say such things.”
He looked down at the remaining jade slips in his storage pouch, lost in thought.
If half of these demon lair locations are correct, then how many merit points will Junior Sister Fairy earn…
Impossible, impossible!
Yuan Zhengqing suddenly looked up, startled by his own wild imagination.
He wiped the cold sweat from his brow, inwardly telling himself that surely Junior Brother Chi didn’t mean what he was imagining.