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Yang Long said, "You mustn't leave. If you go, not only will the Yang Family have no successor, but I will also be implicated. The family head will surely think that I forced you out, and then I will have no way to defend myself. My quarters might even be taken back. Ming Family Head would announce you as the next successor, so you absolutely cannot leave."
"Alright then, I won't take the position of family head," I replied.
After returning to our rooms, I was still somewhat shocked by today's events. Now that I had become a Core Formation Stage cultivator, those in the Divine Transformation Realm would seem like ants before me, easily crushed. However, this rapid growth in power brought me increasing unease.
In the Yang Family, I was respected and valued by the elders. Yang Long treated me like a brother; there were no disputes, no biases, no oppression here, and countless Elixirs available for me to consume.
The next morning, all members of the Yang Family were summoned in front of the Yang Family Imperial Hall. When Yang Xuanzong announced that I would be the next heir, everyone cheered. They were all Perfect Golden Core cultivators and favored children of the family. The Yang Family would surely establish the Imperial Hall atop the Central Plains Fertile Land in the future.
After the meeting dispersed, many relatives from the Yang Family sent people to invite me over as guests. I politely declined each invitation and only realized upon returning to my room at Zhengxin Hall that my doorway was piled high with exotic treasures.
I had no idea who sent these items and could only instruct a few maidservants to take them to Yang Long. However, after a while, one of the maidservants returned and said, "Young Master instructed that all these items belong to Young Master Yang Hao; he doesn't want any of them."
With no other choice, I accepted all these items. Later that night, a Dao Child knocked on my door. After letting him in, I saw he was carrying several bottles of pills.
I said, "The family head sent you here with these? They're all top-tier pills needed for Core Formation Stage?"
The Dao Child replied, "Yes, Young Master Yang Hao. This bottle contains the strongest Vitality-Enhancing Divine Pill, Primordial Golden Pill for Core Formation Stage; this bottle is a Creation Pill made from Earth Spirit Essence..."
"That's enough; you can go now," I waved him off.
The Dao Child bowed to me and left the room. I stood up and opened the pill bottles to carefully smell them. My beast companion sniffed out the fragrance and tried to snatch a pill from my arms.
I held onto it tightly and murmured to myself, "The pills must be fine; they are all top-grade pills recorded in alchemical texts. Suddenly treating me so well and making me their future successor—could it be that my luck has finally arrived? No, that can't be right; they haven't asked about the Book of Life and Death or the Martial Dao Classic at all. That's too strange."
As night fell and the moon rose above the treetops, there was no one in the courtyard of Zhengxin Hall. I quietly slipped out through the door and flew up to the roof before heading down towards Yin Mountain.
I arrived at the residence of Yang Wanru and her grandfather once more. I felt they had something important to tell me but couldn't figure out why they hesitated.
Leaning against the window, I watched as both grandfather and granddaughter slept soundly inside their Tile House. I quietly placed various medicines prepared for them on the Bluestone Slab at their door, clearly labeling each medicine's name and dosage.
I walked along the lakeside path down towards the mountain base and soon reached the road leading out of Yinshan Yang Family territory. Several disciples from the Yang Family stood guard at the mountain gate, their eyes unblinking.
I was about to descend the mountain when I suddenly sensed something unusual ahead. Dao Qi extended to explore the path, and I soon realized there was a barrier in front of me.
"The world outside is chaotic right now. Several minority tribes are fighting on Yin Mountain, and a number of their people have fled to my Yang Family, only to be captured. The family head has ordered the mountain gates to be sealed. Why are you here in the middle of the night instead of cultivating in your chamber?"
Hearing the voice, I looked up to see Li Chang'an standing atop the towering gate statue, his expression emotionless as he questioned me.
"I felt a bit restless and wanted to take a stroll down the mountain. I've grown tired of the delicacies here; it would be nice to wander through some tribal night markets," I replied.
Li Chang'an said, "There are no night markets on Yin Mountain. You should head back quickly; it's getting late. Tomorrow morning, someone will come to summon you to the Yang Family Scripture Repository for an important task."
"Then I'll head back," I said, turning towards the mountain, feeling increasingly uneasy. Was it just a coincidence, or was Li Chang'an secretly watching me? Despite having avoided everyone, how was I still discovered?
I had a nagging feeling that perhaps I was under soft confinement.
Before dawn broke, I rushed to the lakeside near Zhengxin Hall to find Yang Wanru. She had recovered significantly from her illness and greeted me with a cheerful smile. "Brother, you're here!"
"Wanru, is your health better now?" I asked.
"It got better yesterday! Your medicine is amazing. I waited for you all day but you never came," she replied.
"I had matters to attend to yesterday," I explained. "By the way, Wanru, why are you up so early?"
"Grandfather wakes up this early every day to clean the Dojo and courtyard. When he gets up, I get up too," Yang Wanru said.
"Then aren't you part of the Yang Family?" I finally couldn't hold back my curiosity and asked.
Yang Wanru's expression changed dramatically; she bit her lip and said, "Brother, I've folded many Thousand Paper Cranes. Let me show you."
I nodded and followed her as she led me toward the forest behind the Tile House. It was a Red Maple Forest, with leaves scattered everywhere like blood staining the setting sun.
Every branch of the maple trees was adorned with Thousand Paper Cranes. I didn't understand why Yang Wanru wanted to show me these. As I walked deeper into the forest, I saw that at its end lay mounds upon mounds of graves. Each grave was covered with circular mounds made from iron shovels; hundreds of earthen mounds stood without a single tombstone in sight.
I did not understand why the Yang Family had such a place. Turning back to look at Yang Wanru, I saw her eyes glistening as she gazed at the Thousand Paper Cranes swaying gently in the breeze.
Some of the cranes were already torn or damp from the rain. I vaguely noticed that there seemed to be words on one of the cranes, so I unfolded it.
Inside, it read: "Brother Yang Yan, return safely."
Yang Wanru suddenly lowered her head, fiddling with her sleeve as she said, "My mother said before she passed that if we fold a total of nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine Thousand Paper Cranes, we can save a person's life."
"Is someone watching us from the shadows?" I looked around but saw no one. However, Yang Wanru seemed very cautious, as if even a whisper could be overheard; she didn't even dare to mention Yang Yan's name.
During my time at the Yang Family, I had asked several servants if they knew someone named Yang Yan, who had been sent to Qingyun about ten years ago when he was around fourteen or fifteen years old. No one recognized him. Yet now, Yang Wanru used a crane to tell me that Yang Yan was her brother.
"Wanru, I need to go to the Scripture Repository; the family head has summoned me for something," I said.
Yang Wanru nodded and asked, "Brother, can you hold me for a moment?"
I squatted down and embraced Yang Wanru. She quickly slipped something into my arms and said, "Brother, it's for you."
I nodded and replied, "I'll keep it safe."
I looked at Yang Wanru's radiant smile as she waved goodbye to me. For some reason, I suddenly felt as if it were a farewell forever.
After returning to the side room of Zhengxin Hall, I took out what Yang Wanru had given me—a neatly folded crane. When I unfolded it, it read: "Tonight at Hai hour, meet at South Mountain Peak."
"Young Master Yang Hao, the family head has sent me to call you to the Scripture Repository," came a voice from outside.
I burned the crane with my Dao Fire and coldly replied, "Understood. I'll change my clothes; wait for me at the door."
After stepping out, I followed the young man who had summoned me to the Yang Family's Scripture Repository. Yang Xuanzong and Li Chang'an seemed to have been waiting for quite some time. I bowed respectfully to Yang Xuanzong, who said, "Hao need not be overly formal. The reason for calling you so early is not of great importance. The elder managing the Scripture Repository is quite old now. You are well-versed in many subjects and possess extensive knowledge; it is only fitting that you take on the role of scripture keeper for now. This period will allow you to consolidate your cultivation and stabilize your Golden Core while also benefiting from our family's collection of texts."
As he spoke, Yang Xuanzong handed me the golden token of the Scripture Repository elder. I accepted it obediently without further hesitation.
Li Chang'an said, "There are quite a few Dao Books here that need organizing. I've assigned several people to assist you. You should be able to finish within half a month; consider it your task. Now, go ahead and get busy. We have some family matters to attend to."
I nodded and watched as Yang Xuanzong and Li Chang'an left.
Looking at the twenty or so people in front of the Scripture Repository, I turned to the vast Scripture Repository of the Yang Family. A thin young man behind me asked, "Elder Yang, when do we start organizing?"
I replied, "Right now. Let's go inside together."
A group of people followed me into the ancient Scripture Repository. Once everyone was inside, the door closed automatically, plunging us into darkness.
My Dao Fire shot out, illuminating the oil lamps on the walls of the Scripture Repository. I turned back to the group and asked, "Are you scared?"
"Elder Yang, what are you planning to do?"
I said, "Nothing much. Just making sure you all stay here quietly. The Yang Family members either bring me medicine or ask me to read books. Since they are so eager for me to increase my cultivation, I might as well take over this Scripture Repository and let you all keep watch."
The people stood frozen in place, unable to move, with a Silver Needle inserted into the back of their necks.
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