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墨書 Inktalez
After the moonlit night, the Breeze gently caressed every object it cherished, like the plants in the courtyard and the small trees in front of the hall, adorning the path between the grand palace. Crossing through the faint light of dawn, it witnessed the arrival of a new day.
Just like the weather, sunlight tore through the shroud of night, accompanied by several shadowy figures rushing towards the Pavilion where the leader resided, as if something significant was brewing.
After the meeting, all participants of the Convention had been finalized. Among the shadows, one person hunched over yet appeared remarkably spirited; their hair was unusually well-groomed, and the wrinkles on their face were obscured by an unknown Vitality, making it hard to believe this was a man already in his sixties.
Another person had also donned formal attire today—a well-fitted golden top adorned with the emblem of Jiangshan Hall, paired with golden trousers that were only worn for ceremonies. Tailored by a skilled seamstress, they were not only comfortable but also nearly flawless on the wearer.
This individual was Ziyuan, holding the participant list for the Convention. According to established rules, every four years, a new batch would enter the Trial Ground, with each hall allowed to recruit up to three students. Thus, participants consisted of these three students. Ziyuan's Jiangshan Hall served as an educational base for Water Attribute practitioners. Although it bore the Water Attribute label, it had also nurtured a few students of other attributes.
As listed, Jiangshan Hall's participants included Wan Fang from a lineage of two metal attribute families; he was tall and robust with striking features and was quite famous for his spear skills among the five halls. The Water Attribute representatives were two sisters from a local background named Colorful Clouds and Xi Yang. Though petite in stature, their appearance exuded an unusual strength and an imposing presence that commanded respect without anger. Despite their fierce exterior, they also possessed an endearing charm reminiscent of dolls. Their Water Attribute techniques were well-known throughout the Trial Ground and held in high regard by Ziyuan.
The inexplicably reported participant from Eternal Life Palace included his eldest disciple Xing Bang, a renowned Wood Attribute hero with considerable fame among his peers. Proud and ambitious due to his extraordinary talent, he had been recognized after just a year and a half of training and already possessed abilities surpassing those of Liangyi Hero. However, due to fewer missions undertaken, his achievements ranked lower, preventing him from being awarded the title of Liangyi Hero.
The second student reported inexplicably was Xun Mei, who shared Xing Bang's Wood Attribute. Known for her mastery akin to You Long's giant wood mystique, she was one of the few female students in the Trial Ground. Her patience and meticulous nature caught attention from her superiors, including her sister Xue Wu, who now stood out among her peers as part of the Four Aspects Hero group.
Qianwen had already reviewed the remaining members on the list and did not press Ziyuan further but instead inquired about the date of the event.
"According to past traditions, there is still a month and a half until this year's Double Ninth Festival. It serves not only to honor our predecessors but also to nurture our newcomers," Ziyuan calculated dates while noting that with Convention approaching and all lists finalized, another pressing issue loomed—Ran Xing.
Despite having issued an announcement, it was still difficult to resist Xing Han’s relentless application to assign his family's cook to work under Ziyuan’s supervision. His reasoning was tied to his daughter's recovery time; he wished to provide her with home-cooked meals as compensation for his absence.
Qianwen nonchalantly handed this application to Ziyuan as if holding a rolled cigarette. "It seems this implies your work has been lacking in providing for his daughter’s meals; it must be quite taxing."
"No, Commander. Why didn't he mention this when Luo Yue initially assigned him here? He chose this moment instead; I suspect he has ulterior motives." Ziyuan seemed to realize something; she had arranged Xing Han's people without prior notice but now faced this reasoning that hinted at deeper intentions.
"This arrangement can be approved; you and You Long will oversee Luo Yue and Ran Xing together—it should suffice. If necessary, Meng Jiang should also be involved; he is currently responsible for security at Trial Ground. If anything unusual occurs, he will coordinate with you. However, ensure that everything remains under your control before Convention to avoid any mishaps," Qianwen appeared unconcerned about Xing Han’s actions but continued organizing matters related to Convention.
First and foremost, personnel must ensure thorough verification of documents; any inquiries regarding Ran Xing could be handled at discretion.
Next was Meng Jiang, who could take decisive action against any suspicious individuals with Ziyuan's permission when necessary.
Finally, regarding Xing Han, since he had replaced Ziyuan's people with his own, the personnel removed from Ziyuan's side would be strategically positioned near Xing Han's residence under Meng Jiang's arrangement, all in the name of enhancing security, and handled according to the second directive.
"However, Commander, I have another matter to report," Ziyuan suddenly shifted the topic, making Qianwen realize that there were deeper arrangements behind this seemingly simple personnel change.
It was about the network of spies Ziyuan had deployed throughout Jiangshan Hall yesterday. They seemed to have discovered someone strikingly similar to Xing Han while An Qi was revealing Ran Xing's recent situation to Luo Yue.
"It seems speed is of the essence; he understands that Ran Xing should be kept under close watch at this time. Since Xing Han dislikes him, he must be thinking of eliminating him quickly. Although it’s understandable for a father to protect his daughter, this is not how things were done before the Convention. You should handle it as you see fit without needing to report back, but the key point..." Qianwen suddenly paused, glancing behind as if a new guest had arrived.
"Although Ran Xing has made mistakes, he does not deserve to be punished severely. Since he shows remorse, we should guide him towards repentance and help everyone return to normalcy. We shouldn't continue fighting."
After some contemplation, Qianwen finished speaking, and it seemed Ziyuan also sensed an unusual shift in the atmosphere, though he hadn’t expected it to come so swiftly.
Ziyuan left with a hint of unease, and the new arrival was none other than Xing Han.
Before arriving, Xing Han had already learned about the change in security personnel through his butler. However, he saw no necessity for it.
"Master, what should we do now? We both know Ziyuan's methods; it's already quite difficult to manage an external assignment for a chef at this time. You can't expect the commander to do anything more," said Xing Han's butler with a worried expression as he carefully observed the unfamiliar guards standing outside through a narrow gap in the window.
"What’s there to panic about? It’s only natural for parents to show their children some affection; Commander Qianwen won’t object. However, this sudden change in defense is indeed unexpected and came much quicker than anticipated. But I believe resolving this issue only requires dealing with one person," Xing Han replied.
The butler’s eyes lit up as he instantly thought of the person Xing Han referred to—the one who caused harm—Ran Xing.
"Are you suggesting we deal directly with that kid? He’s someone explicitly prohibited from being removed by the commander; doing so could land you on the guillotine!" The butler quickly realized his head was on shaky ground and dared not continue speaking.
"Don’t worry; I won’t go that far. I just want to gauge this kid’s capabilities first; I won’t act directly," Xing Han said with a mischievous glint in his eyes, as if he had discovered a way to take someone's life without resorting to weapons.
The butler looked troubled as they awkwardly maneuvered between two unfamiliar guards. Meanwhile, Xing Han headed towards Qianwen, seeking an explanation.
Qianwen remained calm and called for a guard to bring tea while casually sitting by a stone table and inviting Xing Han to sit down.
"It’s been some time since we last saw each other; you must be anxious."
Xing Han immediately broke into a smile upon hearing this.
"Not at all, the leader's arrangements are always well thought out; I can only obey," he said modestly, which elicited a chuckle from Qianwen.
"What’s wrong? As a father, why do you act this way towards your daughter? Luo Yue's condition is improving; in due time, you two should meet. Don't you agree?"
With the conversation reaching this point, Xing Han seemed to realize that his unauthorized change of personnel had been exposed. He dared not speak, merely repeating that Qianwen was right.
Qianwen snorted coldly. The way this guy acted so obediently at this moment didn’t necessarily mean he truly accepted her authority.
"Since the food has been delivered, where are your people? Still at home making trouble? That’s not how a hero should behave." As Qianwen spoke halfway through, she downed a cup of tea, seemingly suppressing something. This made Xing Han immediately kneel on the ground.
"Leader," he said as his forehead hit the floor, beads of sweat visibly dripping down. His hands trembled involuntarily as he faced the silent Qianwen.
"There are laws of the nation and rules of the family; losing either makes it hard to prosper. I believe you understand these principles. We’ve already discussed some issues in our meeting; the public notice was jointly signed by everyone and is a matter of common acknowledgment." Qianwen continued while looking down at the kneeling Xing Han, her calm expression betraying her disdain.
"However, I have two sets of letters here. One set concerns Ran Xing's case, which everyone is aware of; guiding and educating him to ensure his power is properly restrained is advisable. The other part discusses expelling such individuals to maintain stability in the Trial Ground. You are aware of the current situation; some of your considerations are accepted by everyone, but going too far is not good. Sometimes, daring to offer advice is commendable, but now, saying too much could turn against you!" Qianwen placed a stack of red-taped letters on the table. At this moment, Xing Han dared not utter another word.
"The leader speaks truly; these are heartfelt words that I will remember," Xing Han finally managed to say when Qianwen stopped focusing on the letters.
Qianwen quietly listened to Xing Han's performance of repentance but found his words rather nauseating and chose not to press further.
"You understand; that's enough said. But sometimes, the blade is at your throat; moderation is necessary. In due time, you must fulfill your duties. There’s no rule for a healthy daughter to avoid her father."
Xing Han understood immediately and expressed that he would prepare to visit Luo Yue right away. Seeing Qianwen nod and hearing two guards approach, he slowly stood up and took his leave.
At this moment, Ran Xing had begun writing an apology letter under An Qi's guidance. Although his handwriting was messy, after several readings by An Qi, it was deemed acceptable for submission to Teacher Ziyuan. Ran Xing also needed to write another letter to explain things to Luo Yue.
"Luo Yue, it’s rare for me to write to you today. It has been over half a month since my detention without seeing you; I miss you dearly. From what I learned from Teacher Ziyuan and An Qi, your injuries have healed well and you can now walk again. I look forward to your recovery and return. Regarding my hurting you, I have learned that I was controlled by Evil Thought at that time and do not remember it; I feel deeply guilty about this. If one day we can clarify this matter together with Teacher Ziyuan’s consent, we can meet in the bamboo forest behind the Trial Ground."
Ran Xing
An Qi looked at the letter written by his brother, which was quite eloquent. He patted his brother on the shoulder, praising him for his keen sense of opportunity.
"Do you think Teacher Ziyuan and Teacher You Long, along with Commander Qianwen, will agree to this matter?" Ran Xing asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice as he furrowed his brow while looking at An Qi, who was complimenting him.
"Oh, you don't know? Since you genuinely regret your actions, any decent person would give you a chance, even if they have deep-seated grudges. You mentioned that this wasn't your intention. Luo Yue and I, Teacher You Long, and Teacher Meng Jiang were all present. If your conscience is clear, why worry about Luo Yue misunderstanding you?" An Qi suddenly felt that while his brother's letter was well-written, he was overthinking things.
"Is that so?"
Ran Xing fell into thought. The letter was already written, and An Qi had to return to report back. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they parted ways.
Upon returning to the hall, Ziyuan saw An Qi coming back from Ran Xing's residence with two handwritten letters from him.
"Has anything unusual happened at Ran Xing's place recently?" Ziyuan asked immediately, suppressing the letters as he inquired about the strange occurrences since that morning.
An Qi was startled; he had only seen a few individuals who weren't wearing Jiangshan Hall attire and seemed to have visited but had no idea about their background.
"What kind of clothes were those people wearing? How many were there? What did they do here? Did Ran Xing interact with them?" Various thoughts raced through Ziyuan's mind. In such circumstances, some questions remained unclear, leaving room for others to exploit.
An Qi described everything he remembered in detail. It seemed these individuals had arrived just after Ziyuan had accompanied Qianwen to review the list.
"Listen carefully. For the next couple of days, you need to stay at Ran Xing's residence. Anyone who comes without a Jiangshan Hall insignia must be turned away at the door, regardless of their intentions. I'll discuss the meal delivery with Meng Jiang. You must keep a close watch on these matters; there can be no mistakes. Do you understand?"
Ziyuan's sudden authoritative tone startled An Qi, who was left shocked by the unusual uncertainty in Ziyuan's eyes. He wondered what these mysterious visitors had done during the time when both he and Ziyuan were absent.
"You mentioned before that people from Xing Han took over the kitchen here. I suspect these individuals might be using meal deliveries as a cover to convey something. That seems reasonable to assume, right, Ziyuan?" A deep voice approached them. Upon closer inspection, it was You Long accompanied by several individuals who wore neither Jiangshan Hall attire nor Xing Han family clothing. Each of them bore marks of chivalry but lacked any formal identity or title—even a chef's designation was absent.
It turned out that An Qi hadn't seen You Long all afternoon because of this situation! These individuals knelt in the center of the hall under two unfriendly gazes, trembling in fear. Ziyuan quickly unleashed Vitality to confirm that these people were not Evil Spirits before temporarily handing them over to You Long. He then hurriedly took An Qi to Ran Xing's detention location.
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