Chapter Thirty-Three: Schemes from the Shadows, the Wang Family of Zhoushan

In the thatched cottage of the Dao Inquiry Temple, the gathered practitioners took their seats.

After the exchange of greetings, Xuan Ming looked at Xuan Xu and Xuan Su, who were brimming with spiritual essence, and said with delight, "Congratulations to Junior Brother Xuan Xu and Junior Sister Xuan Su. You have moved one step closer to the realm of the True Man."

The two bowed in return, not daring to be remiss. "It is thanks to your guidance, Senior Brother. Without the Yin-Yang Foundation Establishment Manual, we would never have attained such insights, nor would our cultivation have reached a new level, allowing us to glimpse that threshold."

They were sincere in their gratitude. Both had been stagnant at the peak of Refining Essence for a long time, unable to advance further. They had expected to spend their lives in this state, just like their predecessors, until they withered away. They had not anticipated this sudden turn of events, where the rise of Senior Brother Xuan Ming had brought them hope. After two years of studying the Yin-Yang Foundation Establishment Manual, they had finally achieved success, seeing the same scenery their founder had once beheld.

"We are of the same school; there is no need for such formalities," Xuan Ming said, stroking his beard. He was pleased to see his fellow practitioners succeed. The higher their cultivation, the less he had to worry about.

Moving past these pleasantries, the group turned to the matter at hand. Xuan Xu glanced at Xuan Yin, who understood and explained, "Senior Brother, although there was a hidden compartment in Old Master Chen's room, there were no secret letters. It seems that even if such things existed, they would have been destroyed after being read, leaving no evidence behind."

"However, where there is action, there is a trace. We carefully combed through the Chen clan's genealogy and annals, mapping out their century-long connections. We discovered that Old Master Chen once had a younger brother."

"Though he passed away young, he spent half a year in Fengyang Prefecture while traveling for his studies, serving as a page for a cadet branch of the Wang family of Zhoushan. Upon returning to his clan, he appeared to have no further contact with the Wangs, but when combined with another piece of information, it becomes quite intriguing."

Xuan Yin looked toward Xuan Kong, who took up the thread. "Senior Brother, during my recent time in Fengyang Prefecture gathering intelligence, I happened upon an old acquaintance of Senior Brother Xuan Ye. From him, I learned that the presiding divine officer that night was named You, given name Nankui, hailing from the scholarly You clan. He has a nickname: the 'Harmonious Divine Officer.' His clan has always valued harmony above all else, and this Divine Lord Nankui certainly follows in those footsteps. That night was likely an unintentional blunder."

Xuan Yang could not help but interject, "What harmony? Isn't that just muddled compromise?" After receiving a few stern glares, he immediately fell silent, straightened his posture, and feigned ignorance.

Xuan Ming remained silent, and Xuan Kong continued. It had to be admitted that this junior brother’s talent for gossip was truly suited for intelligence gathering. Though he hadn't dug up much about Nankui after his advancement to the Qi Refining stage, he had acquired plenty of information from his time at the Refining Essence stage.

Gifted from birth and having grasped the true meaning of "harmony," Nankui had reached the Qi Refining stage by the age of thirty and was highly regarded by the You clan. Once, while attempting to mediate a dispute, he was beaten black and blue by the heirs of two rival families, the Lin and the Yu, who had united against him. Afterward, the two heirs became friends. While Nankui spent two months recovering from his injuries, he was credited with the "success" of his mediation, and his cultivation even broke through—a legend that persists to this day.

He had also been quite close to a direct descendant of the Wang family of Zhoushan. In their youth, they had been quite reckless, following in the footsteps of their elders by frequenting brothels, claiming it was the "romantic nature of scholars," and visiting all twelve famous flower houses of Fengyang Prefecture.

One would paint portraits of the courtesans—vivid and lifelike—with his *Record of Jade Maidens* still circulating in secret, banned yet ever-present, treasured by many debauchees and old hands, making him a guest of honor at the houses. The other would spend his time in these establishments mediating fights, lecturing men not to let the pursuit of women harm their harmony, and certainly not to squander family wealth on them. He was collectively boycotted by all the flower houses and has been barred from entry ever since.

Xuan Ming raised a hand, stopping the incessant chatter of Xuan Kong. That was enough. The point had been made: Divine Officer Nankui and the heir to the Wang family had known each other since youth and had a close relationship.

Xuan Ming turned his gaze to Xuan Xu. Since Xuan Kong could find no more, the breakthrough lay with his junior brother, the Abbot. Understanding the hint, Xuan Xu spoke, cutting straight to the core.

"Senior Brother, half a month ago, I personally visited the Tianzhuan Sect to pay my respects to True Man Yuanji and inquire about this matter."

"The Bureau of Broad Dharma rotates its twelve divine officers, representing the sects, great families, the Hundred Schools, and independent cultivators, all managed by a divine officer appointed by the imperial court. Each officer serves a one-month term, corresponding to the twelve earthly branches and the twelve months of the year."

"That month, it was Divine Officer Wang Sheng of the Wang family of Zhoushan who was on duty. He is the very person who is close to Divine Officer Nankui. He had urgent business that night and asked Nankui to stand in for him."

Xuan Ming’s expression turned solemn. Taken in isolation, it seemed like a mere coincidence, but when linked together, it was impossible not to suspect more. Perhaps, using Old Master Chen's younger brother as a link, the Chen family had secretly become an affiliate of the Wang family of Zhoushan. From then on, the Chen family guarded Fuyun County for them, performing their dirty work.

Therefore, when the True Truth Temple moved to eradicate the Chen family, the Wang family officer had used a borrowed knife to kill, having Divine Officer Nankui attempt to dissuade Xuan Kong. If it succeeded, all the better; if it failed, it would still buy time for the Chen mansion to survive. Even if it failed, the True Truth Temple would only vent its anger on Divine Officer Nankui afterward. If they were cleverer and investigated, knowing Nankui's personality, they might not even be able to vent their anger, simply chalking it up to bad luck. The Wang family would remain hidden and uninvolved.

It was just that Divine Officer Wang Sheng had not expected the True Truth Temple to be so thorough, to think several steps ahead, and to investigate every possibility one by one. They were of the mind that it was better to believe it true than to assume it false. They had spared no effort to comb through the century-long history of the Chen clan, searching for clues in the most obscure corners. He certainly had not anticipated that the True Truth Temple possessed a character like Xuan Kong—a master of gossip with connections to the Tianzhuan Sect—who could peel back the clouds and reveal the presence of the Wang family.

As for why the Wang family knew in advance that the True Truth Temple was going to request a Decree of Execution, Xuan Ming was not surprised. As an ancient family, they always possessed strange and marvelous arts.

"Regardless of whether it is true or false, we must secretly guard against the Wang family in the future. Some things cannot be fully trusted, yet they cannot be ignored."

"To defend against others is not to bear them ill will; it is for self-preservation," Xuan Ming concluded.

"Our True Truth Temple has done its best."

"The Wang family is powerful. To investigate further would only startle the snake and draw their attention, which would be counterproductive and invite disaster. Let this matter end here. You junior brothers need only keep it in mind. Currently, two things are of the utmost importance."

"First is your cultivation. Our True Truth Temple is a Daoist lineage; we must prioritize the cultivation of the Dao. If you can become True Men, our temple will stand firm, and regardless of the Wang family's attitude or the truth of the matter, it will no longer be of consequence."

"Second, the Dao Origin Assembly is approaching. You must properly handle all matters in the temple, diligently teach and select disciples, and prepare well to secure more quotas for our True Truth Temple."

The others realized this, rose, and bowed in agreement. "Senior Brother is absolutely right."

"Let them be as strong as they like; the breeze blows over the mountain. Let them be as arrogant as they like; the bright moon shines upon the river. As long as our True Truth Temple continues to grow stronger, and we maintain propriety on the surface, we have the protection of the Divine Dynasty’s laws. Even if the Wang family harbors malice, they will not dare to bully us too far," Xuan Xu said on behalf of the others.

Xuan Ming was satisfied. It was best that they understood. The Wang family was an ancient lineage with a continuous stream of Qi-refining scholars, a top-tier power in Fengyang Prefecture. He had feared they would be filled with anxiety.

Daoist cultivation is rooted in the heart. If the heart is unburdened, the path is clear. If the heart is unfettered, the destination is reachable. This was a good state to be in. Only when they were not shackled by fear could they overcome it, press forward, find the opportunity for a breakthrough in the midst of slim hope, and potentially attain the rank of True Man with a Four-Pattern Foundation in the future.

After they left, Xuan Ming stood in the courtyard with his hands behind his back, looking up at the blue sky and white clouds, his thoughts swirling. If the Wang family stood behind the Chen clan, was the Chen family's occupation of the True Truth Temple's Heaven and Earth quota their own intention, or were they instructed to do so, or perhaps both? And if it were the latter, what was the objective?

Despite his doubts, Xuan Ming would not risk anything to satisfy his curiosity. The boat would naturally straighten when it reached the bridge. As long as he was strong enough to weather the storms, the truth would eventually come to light.

A practitioner must prioritize cultivation. On this, he would never waver.