Volume One: Another World Chapter Twenty-Five: The Secret Plot Behind the Qing Family

Led by Xiaocui, Li Yu stepped out of the confines of the lakeside pavilion for the first time, leaving behind the dense, verdant woods. He rode in a carriage for a considerable distance, and through its windows, his impression was solely one of grandeur and magnificence. Along the way, they passed many exquisite buildings, and outside, the shifting shadows cast by swaying branches and leaves further confused his vision.

Soldiers lined the route, exuding an aura of blood and fire. Clearly, these were battle-hardened elite troops who had seen combat.

Their destination was the grand hall at the heart of the Qing clan’s domain. The dining hall soared ten meters high; its walls and ceiling were embedded with luminous stones, seamlessly integrated into murals, blending art and light.

Li Yu was unaware that this was an exceptionally high-level reception. The hall had not been used for years, such was its exclusivity.

Seated at a table that could accommodate thirty diners simultaneously, Li Yu found both sides lined with people. Across from him sat Qing Heng, their gazes meeting from afar.

“This is the first time we’re dining together. Have you been comfortable lately?” Qing Heng elegantly tasted a piece of steak, then gestured to those seated at the table. “These are all members of the Qing clan. Everyone is free today, so it’s a good chance to meet.”

Li Yu nodded. “I’ve been well, thank you for your concern, Lord.” And surely, these must not be ordinary members of the Qing clan.

His eyes swept across the table: men and women alike, all radiated the dignified air of those long accustomed to authority. These were the sort of accomplished people who wished for two days in every one; it was implausible they would squander time eating and drinking with someone they had no connection to. Perhaps they had made time because he had demonstrated his talent.

Only one exception stood out—Qing Anqi, whose small feet dangled beneath her seat. Aside from her, Li Yu suspected he was undergoing a face-to-face evaluation.

The others at the table were sizing him up as well, with curiosity, scrutiny, and observation. Each gaze carried its own inscrutable meaning.

The meal before him was sumptuous; the Qing clan’s kitchens were renowned throughout the empire, employing its finest chefs. Seeing Qing Heng had no further words, Li Yu simply lowered his head and ate.

The meal concluded just so, with no further exchange save for Qing Heng’s initial remarks.

Afterwards, Xiaocui entered and escorted Li Yu back to his lakeside residence.

“What do you all think?” Qing Heng set down his utensils. Everyone except Li Yu and Qing Anqi remained.

No one spoke. After a long silence, the woman seated third spoke first. “It’s unbelievable. He truly is at the eighth rank. Did he really begin cultivating only today?”

Qing Heng nodded. “Strictly speaking, he started cultivating this afternoon.”

He remembered clearly—he’d only arranged for Qing Yi to deliver the technique at noon.

“The emperor is nearly mad with desperation lately. We must keep the Thunderblood in our grasp,” rumbled a burly man. “We should secure him first.”

Qing Heng nodded. The Thunderblood was unlike any other lineage—not only could it command Imperial Artifacts, but never had two individuals possessed it at the same time. Securing control was the main purpose of this post-dinner discussion, and the reason for gathering so many high-ranking members; the future investments would not be decided by one alone.

The Qing clan, having suffered from the lack of an Imperial Artifact, would not let the unexpected acquisition of a Thunderblood slip away.

Thunderblood meant there would certainly be an Imperial Artifact, but alas, it had not awakened in a clan member. Qing Heng felt somewhat regretful.

“Doesn’t the clan still have some forbidden drugs?” The fifth seat was occupied by a one-armed elder, who spoke in a sinister tone. “Give him a dose, and he’ll obey like a dog.”

“That’s unwise—it’ll affect his talent,” objected the person beside him. “He entered the eighth rank in a day; with proper cultivation, even the first rank is possible.”

“To cultivate up to the first rank would require the strength of the entire clan, and vast resources. If he turns against us...”

Arguments erupted.

Qing Heng nodded, which was precisely why he had summoned all the clan’s high-ranking members. In truth, had Li Yu not shown his talent, the Lord would have already sent Qing Yi with the forbidden drugs.

Yet, such terrifying talent gave him pause; there were many ways to control a person, but all would affect their abilities.

He hesitated, thus convened the council.

The woman in the third seat glanced at Qing Heng and the empty spots vacated by others, her beautiful eyes glinting with a smile. “If his rank is insufficient, even controlling an Imperial Artifact won’t benefit us much. I’ve reviewed the records.”

“From what I’ve seen regarding the Stone Village incident, this young man values loyalty and affection. He’s also concerned about Mu Yinhua. Perhaps we should arrange for Anqi to deepen the bond. Rather than a fifth- or sixth-ranked Thunderblood, we might aim for a third-ranked pillar of the clan.”

The elder in the second seat opened his half-lidded eyes. “I agree.”

At those words, the debate ceased. Qing Heng clapped his hands. “Since there are no objections, let’s proceed to draft the plan accordingly.”

…

Back at his lakeside cottage, Li Yu remained unaware that a group was already plotting his future elsewhere. Fortunately, the outcome was peaceful.

Taking advantage of the absence of attendants, Li Yu summoned his thoughts and returned to Blue Star.

First, he dealt with missed messages on his phone; several missed calls on wx, the profile picture showed a pretty girl.

“It’s that old man from the auction house,” Li Yu opened the chat page. Beneath the missed calls were several voice messages, which he converted to text.

[Why haven’t you answered, young friend? Please reply when you see this. The auction of your ginseng is complete; we need to settle the payment.]

[There’s an auction in a few days. Weren’t you interested before? Would you like to come along?]

I’d like to, but I have no time for leisure… If the people of the other world discover my disappearance, it would be disastrous.

Li Yu regretfully declined the invitation, explained he was busy for now, and closed the chat. Then, he opened Huang Xiu’s chat and messaged: I’ll be busy for a few days, I’ll come back to tutor you soon.

To avoid arousing suspicion, Li Yu rented a nearby house.

Having dealt with these matters, he summoned his thoughts and returned to the other world.

No sooner had he arrived than he heard a knock at the door. He breathed a sigh of relief, composed himself, and called out, “Come in.”

A woman in her twenties entered, graceful and clad in red—it was Xiaohong, another attendant.

“Master, here are the thunder-attribute divine items you requested,” Xiaohong brought in two pieces of lightning-struck wood. “To advance from the eighth to the seventh rank, the most important thing is accumulation of spiritual power. The Lord said he’ll soon gather the necessary techniques for you.”

Without techniques, there was no way to enter the next stage. So, at present, there was no possibility of further advancement? Li Yu quickly dispelled his disappointment: after all, this phase was one of accumulation.

In the seventh rank, the hallmark of a Divine Path cultivator was that spiritual power became liquid—a denser, more abundant reserve. To transform the spiritual power’s form in the dantian, many cultivators lingered at the eighth rank for decades.

It wasn’t unwillingness, but inability, for if the transformation failed, some spiritual power would dissipate, and regathering it was a lengthy process.

Li Yu said nothing, merely gestured for Xiaohong to place the lightning-struck wood by the table. This time, the advancement required spiritual power to liquefy, which likely fell outside the scope of his ‘cheat,’ so he felt no urgency to cultivate, but rather recalled something important.

Had he forgotten to check in today?

The system requires seven consecutive days for a cycle—this was his first cycle since unlocking it. What would the reward be on the final day? Li Yu stroked his chin. Would it be a random pick from the three options?