The cave walls gave off a pale white glow, like the inside of some skeletal beast.
Past the long corridor, the space opened up.
In the central cavern, a scarlet carpet unrolled. On either side stood the masked Bone Messenger and the red-robed, seductive Miao Qing.
Behind each of them clustered black-robed figures, splitting into two factions.
The scarlet carpet ran to the far end.
There, bone formed the steps, flesh the platform. Atop the platform sat a throne built of bristling bone spikes.
On the throne sat a skeleton. Frail, withered — a gust of wind might scatter it.
But a voice came from that hollow mouth: "Tell me, then. Where has that Nether Candle gone?"
A black-robed elder threw himself to his knees: "Your subordinate is useless!"
The voice stayed hollow, emotionless: "And who, then, is responsible for this ruinous operation?"
The elder's eyes flicked to the Bone Messenger — who stood stone-still, no intention of speaking for him. The elder slammed his forehead to the ground: "Your subordinate... deserves death."
Before the words faded, he jerked his head up, horrified: "Elder! Please—"
A cold wind seemed to pass.
A black robe crumpled to the ground. Beneath it, only a pile of bone dust.
He was dead.
"He does deserve death." The skeleton went on: "The Bone Path has survived this long on broken arts. The Nether Candle is a treasure of our sect, passed down in secret — it can help me complete the lost arts. And you let it slip through your fingers!"
The Bone Messenger spoke: "I recall the Holy Maiden had set a backup plan."
Miao Qing smiled, all charm: "With the Messenger's opening move, there was room for my follow-up. But it's been days now. My people have gone silent. Killed by Wei Lin, or eaten by some stray cat or dog — who can say?"
The Bone Messenger laughed: "What opening move? I know nothing of it."
"Enough." The skeleton on the bone throne said: "Wei Lin used the Nether Candle as bait, so he knows we of the Bone Path slapped his face. But he doesn't know what the candle means to us. He's killed his fill — he won't watch it so closely now. I want you to search high and low. Find out who holds the Nether Candle."
"Yes." All heads bowed.
"And: I have great plans in the State of Yun above. Keep your movements low." With that, the skeleton collapsed, bones scattering across the throne.
Miao Qing waved a hand, and the cavern emptied. Only the Bone Messenger remained with her.
The Messenger snorted: "The Third Elder burned himself to condense the Ghost Gate phantom. Was that so the Great Elder could go show off in the State of Yun?"
"Who can say?" Miao Qing's brow furrowed: "The Great Elder seems to have lost interest in finding the Dao Child."
"Hahaha." The Bone Messenger walked off, hands clasped behind his back: "The Dao Child absent, he acts as Saint Sovereign. The Dao Child appears, and he is only the Great Elder again. What do you think he'll choose?"
...
Every time Jiang Chen went to the arts faculty, his mind wandered.
Simple: he had not laid his foundation. No matter how brilliantly the instructors lectured, he could only rehearse in his head.
Compared to the other students, Jiang Chen actually preferred the scripture classes — listening to the old masters explain the great Dao and the sages' texts pleased him.
But he dared not skip the arts faculty either, and this class was Ironface Xiao's.
No one remembered Ironface Xiao's real name. Only seventh-rank Heaven-Piercing realm, but his command of basic arts was deep and seasoned.
Before class, Jiang Chen sat on his cushion, dazed.
He was still going over last night's Blessed Land challenge, but no more detail would come. The fight had ended before he even drew his sword: an arrow ended it.
He had fallen from the Jade Altar to the twenty-fifth ranked Bright Heaven Altar, losing another hundred merit a month — down to 1,650 points. Adding the 190 left over from deducing the Four-Spirit Body Refining Art, he had 1,840 merit in total.
Beyond the Ethereal Realm, he had four hundred Dao merit to his name. That was his whole cultivation fortune.
Zhao Yan, though he would not use an academy pill for his own opening, had traded for one anyway — to hide something, probably. He did not explain, and Jiang Chen did not ask.
The boy bragged he would open his meridian with the super-ultimate-most-perfect pill — but he only had the one, so there was none to spare for Jiang An'an.
Jiang Chen asked him how many merit points such a "super-ultimate-most-perfect" pill would cost.
Zhao Yan did not say. He just patted Jiang Chen's shoulder and told him to work hard.
In short: raising a little sister rich — the road was long.
As his thoughts wandered, Ironface Xiao took the podium.
Jiang Chen snapped to attention, wearing his best diligent expression.
"Some people think that just because they've made a little progress, they can let their tails fly to the sky. The road of cultivation is long. Young people, keep your eyes ahead." Ironface Xiao coughed. "Now then. Let's discuss the practical applications of the Stone Skin Art in combat..."
Jiang Chen's heart lurched. He could not think why he was being singled out again. But he dared not show it. He looked even more earnest.
When class ended and Ironface Xiao left, Huang Azhan pounced from a corner.
"Agh, that stone face! He's out to get you — can you take that? Tonight let's go smash his windows. In and out. You in?"
Seeing Huang Azhan, Jiang Chen understood at once why he was being singled out. Spreading fire from the city gates to the fish in the moat.
He kept close company with Huang Azhan, so Ironface Xiao had written him down too.
"Go yourself if you want." Jiang Chen would not join that stupidity.
"I'm telling you, this time I have a meticulous plan..."
"Stop!" Jiang Chen cut off the endless scheme and changed the subject: "We're having dinner with Senior Brother Li Yun. Coming?"
"Hmph, you don't trust me. Last time I was drunk, otherwise that Xiao—" Huang Azhan saw Jiang Chen already walking off and hurried after him: "I'm coming!"
Zhao Yan tossed out lazily: "Everyone pays their share of the bill."
Huang Azhan pretended not to hear, draping an arm over Ling Chuan's shoulder and resuming his revenge plan.
Ling Chuan, easy-natured, would never join the mischief — but he would not sneer at it either.
Young Master Zhao had no weapon against this particular senior — the man's face was armor-plated, nothing got through.
The meal was organized by Li Yun, who had invited Jiang Chen and said he could bring friends.
The place was Suhuai House — more refined than the Moon-Gazing Tower, but vegetarian at its core. Jiang Chen and his crew, who liked meat and drink in large quantities, had never really visited.
When they entered the private room, only Li Yun was there, seated alone.
They all knew each other well, so there was little ceremony. Straight to the food.
Du Hu had the least patience for vegetarian food, especially the so-called miracles of making vegetables taste like roast chicken or beef. Luckily he was not here, so no one had to suffer it.
Over the meal, Huang Azhan told a story.
Word was that Lin Zhengren, back in Riverview City, was full of himself — at his welcome banquet he had announced to all that he had been unbeatable at the Three-City Trial, that Three Mountain City and Maple City had no one left. Zhu Weiwo heard of it not long after returning to the academy, picked up his spear, took a lone boat down the Green Willow River, and followed the Clear River straight to Riverview City.
By now he had probably already crossed weapons with Lin Zhengren.
Jiang Chen doubted it: "From what we saw of Lin Zhengren at the trial, that's not his character. He wouldn't say such things, surely?"
Li Yun laughed: "Senior Brother Zhu was just looking for an excuse to go beat him up. Whether he said it or not doesn't matter! Since the rumor spread, then he said it."
He had more contact with Zhu Weiwo and knew the man better.
Jiang Chen had met him only once, but he agreed it fit Zhu Weiwo's style.
"What nerve!"
"Impressive!"
"All hail the senior brother!"
"Enough — he's not even here." Li Yun waved a hand and cut to the point: "Three Mountain City is being hammered by beast tides lately. Yesterday their city lord put out a bounty, inviting experts to help clear the beasts. It's the biggest operation there in years. I'm putting together a team to go. What do you say — will you come with me?"