Chapter Sixty-One: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes

Inside the valley, a small wooden cabin stood shrouded in darkness. Nothing could be seen clearly within the room; one could only make out the vague outline of something resembling a kang bed-stove, upon which a figure sat cross-legged. Another person knelt on the floor below. Whether these two were men or women, old or young, was impossible to distinguish for the moment.

Suddenly, an aged male voice rang out from the one seated above, scolding, “Useless fool, how have you been handling things? I told you to suppress the other two great families, yet to this day you’ve accomplished nothing! Since the Shi family disappeared, the other two have only grown more prosperous!” From the sound of his voice, it was clear this was a man of at least a hundred years.

The one kneeling on the ground replied, “Forgive me, Ancestor. It’s my incompetence. I could find no weakness in either of those families, unable to sow discord between them. The methods we used against the Shi family simply don’t work with them!” The robust tone revealed this was at least a man in his forties.

“Search, search, search—you’ve been searching for years and still have nothing to show for it. Are you just using the same words to brush me off? Do you think my time is running out, that I have only a few years left, and you can simply wait me out? Once I’m gone, you’ll escape my grasp, is that it?” The old man’s anger mounted, his voice growing ever louder.

“Ancestor, that’s not what I mean! How could I deceive you? If not for your support, I would never have become who I am today, much less taken the position of family head! I’ve always been truly grateful to you, and I have always worked hard for the family!” The man hastened to appease him, adopting a conciliatory tone, expressing his gratitude emphatically.

At this, the old man’s ire eased somewhat, and he sighed in resignation. “It’s good you know. Everything I do is for the family’s prosperity. Back then, I saw your drive and thought you would possess the same fighting spirit I had in my youth. That’s why I passed over your father and raised you up as head of the family. Yet, after decades in that position, you seem to have lost your edge and become so mild and indecisive.”

“Ancestor, I have truly been working hard! At least our relations with the other two families are far more harmonious than before. Now, the three great families coexist in peace, rather than constant struggle,” the man tried to highlight his achievements, seeking approval.

But this only further provoked the old man’s temper. He slammed the kang with his hand, making a loud thumping, and cursed, “Fool! What I want is for our family to become the sole cultivation clan in the mortal world, not to stand alongside the others. I do all this so that our descendants may monopolize the resources of the secular world. We cannot challenge the four great sects, but the mortal realm must be under our dominion alone. No wonder you’ve achieved nothing all these years—clearly, you’ve never truly tried! Idiot! Idiot!”

“No, no, Ancestor! I have been trying! And now I’ve found a good plan, which is why I came to discuss it with you,” the man dared not use further flattery, hastening to explain, afraid the old man might kill him in a fit of rage.

“What plan have you thought of? Speak!” Now that he sensed action, the old man ceased his scolding. In his heart, the family always came first; nothing else was of consequence. Clearly, he had been thoroughly indoctrinated in his youth.

“Recently, two young cultivators at the Fasting Stage have appeared here. Their backgrounds are unknown, and they haven’t revealed their true identities to anyone—only that they are brother and sister, named Chen Shiyi and Chen Xuan. I suspect even these names are aliases. They claim to be searching for a little girl named Yaya. My plan is to use them as leverage,” the man outlined his intentions, gauging the old man’s reaction.

“Do you have a concrete scheme? Lay it out, and I’ll judge its feasibility,” the old man responded calmly, immersing himself in the plan.

“I intend to have my son infiltrate their circle, gain their trust, and guide them step by step toward finding the child. We will then direct clues toward the other two families, creating trouble for them, until they provoke these two cultivators. People at the Fasting Stage have their pride; when the time comes, we need do nothing—they will handle matters themselves.” The man gave a rough outline of his plan.

“Be more thorough!” the old man demanded, dissatisfied with such a vague explanation. He wanted a detailed strategy, so he could spot any weaknesses and perfect the plan, ensuring nothing could go wrong.

“First, we must find the child before they do. I’ve already received word that she was taken to Mount Changbai by a rogue cultivator named Zhang San. Fearing the others might find her first, I spread the news. The area is now in chaos, with all the cultivators converging there. I plan to seize the opportunity to retrieve the child. Since the situation is urgent, I have already set this in motion and mobilized all our family’s resources. My son is on his way as well. I did not report beforehand; I beg your understanding, Ancestor.” The man, fearing reproach, hastened to offer a justification.

The old man nodded, agreeing that reporting first would have meant losing the initiative. “You did well this time. What is your next move?”

“Once we find the child, I’ll hide her away, and then…” At this point, the man paused. He suddenly realized that if their spies could infiltrate others, the reverse might also be true—one can never be too careful. He quickly stood up and moved close to the old man, whispering, “Ancestor, let’s speak softly. I fear there may be spies from other families among my own close aides, and one slip could ruin everything.”

Such caution reassured the old man—indeed, his choice of successor was not without merit. He beckoned him over, saying, “Come, speak beside me.”

Thus, the two men lowered their heads and whispered together for half an hour. Finally, the man stepped back, standing respectfully, awaiting instructions.

“Proceed as we discussed. Go and make the arrangements!” The old man gave his final orders. And so, within this dark little room, the two men set in motion a plot that would soon engulf the entire cultivation world of China in blood and chaos.

“Yes, Ancestor. I will see to it at once!” The man bowed respectfully and turned to leave.

“Wait!” the old man called, recalling something.

The man hurried back, standing with utmost deference. “Is there anything else, Ancestor? Please instruct me.”

“I am still uneasy about those two’s origins. Send someone to investigate further. No matter how well they hide, there will always be some trace—perhaps the site of the little girl’s disappearance. She is unlikely to lie, so clues may be found through her. Zhang San must be kept alive as well.” The old man, shrewd and cautious, added yet another instruction.

He continued, “Until we have answers, under no circumstances must harm come to the child. I won’t allow any trouble to befall our family. Caution is paramount. You may go.”

With these final instructions, the man bowed and left at once.