Chapter Sixty-Six: Primary Suspect

Stepping out of the Mountains and Rivers Gourd, Liu Junhuai found himself standing upon that vast, desolate land. He could no longer discern the exact location of Dragon Sacrifice Pool, but fortunately, the restrictive barrier was gone, and he could now travel by sword.

He mounted his flying sword and headed in the approximate direction. Within a dozen breaths, he caught sight of the waterfall, several tens of feet tall, by the pool’s edge, and controlled his sword to descend.

Below lay the site of the Dragon Sacrifice Pool massacre. Liu Junhuai had long been curious about what kind of trap those black-clad men had set to ensnare hundreds of cultivators here.

Landing on the ground across from the waterfall, he walked another mile forward, arriving at the place where he had once gathered Seven Star Grass. He still remembered, back then, being forced by a dozen burrowing rats to leap into the pool.

Recalling these events felt as if they had taken place a lifetime ago. In less than two years, he had already become a late Foundation Establishment cultivator—it all seemed like a dream.

The small grove where he’d found the Seven Star Grass had long since been reduced to barren land, clearly one of the main battlefields of the tragedy.

Liu Junhuai walked several miles deeper. The trees and wild grass showed little sign of destruction; this must have been the edge of the battleground.

Thinking back on his path, Liu Junhuai deduced that the main battle had taken place in the little grove and by the pool itself. Thus, the black-clad men must have concealed themselves underwater.

He remembered that he had once considered exploring the depths of the pool. Had he gone down then, he would have fallen straight into their ambush. He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly at his own luck.

Liu Junhuai’s deduction was not in error; the black-clad men had indeed lain in wait beneath the pool for two days, watching even his fight with the burrowing rats.

As he pondered whether to investigate the pool, his spiritual sense detected several flying swords hurtling his way from a hundred yards off. Liu Junhuai’s heart stirred. He found a secluded corner and slipped into the Tower of Myriad Phenomena.

A few breaths later, five flying swords descended, and five Foundation Establishment cultivators arrived in the wasteland.

One of them, a late-stage cultivator, said, “It should be here. Two months ago, several elders from the Sea God Hall came, and this must be the place they spoke of. The trees around are largely undisturbed. Their ambush must have been set in this pool.”

Liu Junhuai’s heart pounded wildly. He had not expected that a mere whim would lead him to uncover such a shocking secret, for the speaker was the same gaunt, gray-robed cultivator who had nearly discovered him that day—he had even searched behind the waterfall for him.

Hearing him claim it was his first time here made it clear he was covering up his absence during the incident. This Third Elder was likely one of the black-clad men’s spies in Fengling Nation.

Then a short, late Foundation Establishment cultivator said, “It’s been nearly two years since the massacre at the Dragon Sacrifice Pool. The investigation group formed by our thirteen great sects and five great families has found nothing. All we’ve determined is that it was an act of man, but who did it and why remains a mystery. Island Lord Wei of Long Whale Island has pressed for progress time and again. I have no face to attend this second anniversary memorial.”

An elderly, white-haired cultivator added, “Indeed, the pressure is immense. The families of those lost from the Ocean Sky Pavilion have been raising an uproar for over a month. My own wife has fled to her parents’ home. I say none of us should attend the memorial. We’ll only be scolded if we go!”

The Third Elder of Sea God Hall said, “Enough of your complaints. Since we’ve formed an investigation group, we ought to share our resources. Of the seven low-level cultivators who escaped, no sect will admit to them. How can anyone take this investigation seriously?”

A mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, middle-aged, retorted, “Don’t say that, Third Elder. Rumor has it your Sea God Hall’s Ye Qili also escaped, but you won’t admit it either. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire—a mere sixth-level Qi Refining cultivator isn’t worth making up stories about. Why not spread rumors about someone else? Is it because he’s your nephew? I even heard you’ve hidden him in the Gate of Fate. Is that true, Third Elder?”

The barrage of questions from the mid-stage cultivator clearly angered the Third Elder, who raised his fist to strike.

The others quickly intervened. Liu Junhuai only sneered inwardly; this Third Elder was a master of pretense—his anger was likely an act as well.

He recalled overhearing someone called Qili, whom this Third Elder had mentioned. That must have been Ye Qili.

Suddenly, a thought struck Liu Junhuai: could it be that the seven low-level survivors had been deliberately allowed to escape by the Third Elder himself? Otherwise, the escape of just one would be hard to explain.

Then what role did Shen Bingwen’s Foundation Establishment master, whom Shen Yihuan had mentioned, play in all this? The mystery was growing more intriguing.

After this, Liu Junhuai caught nothing of significance; the group merely quarreled like dogs from rival sects. Two even went to inspect the pool but, naturally, found nothing.

Once they left, Liu Junhuai exited the Tower of Myriad Phenomena and flew his sword straight out of Cloud Valley.

What he’d overheard at Azure Cloud Hollow brought him ever closer to the truth behind the Dragon Sacrifice Pool massacre.

He still worried about Ajiu and the strange beast in the Coldwater Pool. Seeing night fall, he found a secluded spot deep in the mountains, surveyed his surroundings with his spiritual sense, then entered the Mountains and Rivers Gourd.

The moment Liu Junhuai appeared, Ajiu sensed him from ten miles away and arrived before him in just a few breaths. All nine of Ajiu’s heads nuzzled Liu Junhuai affectionately, its eyes full of fondness.

Liu Junhuai was exceedingly fond of Ajiu. After all, it was a divine beast! He even believed that dozens of cultivators at his own strength would not be Ajiu’s match.

He remembered Ajiu could fly and burrow, but he wondered just how skilled it was at earth diving.

No sooner had the thought entered his mind than Ajiu leapt into the air, dove straight into the ground, and reappeared more than a hundred yards away in just a few breaths.

Ajiu’s intelligence was clearly far superior to that of Azhi, and its spiritual sense could link directly to Liu Junhuai’s sea of consciousness. No sooner had Liu Junhuai desired to see Ajiu’s earth-diving, than Ajiu sensed it.

“Where are my three wives?” Liu Junhuai asked, seeing Ajiu’s puzzled look. “You know, Duoduo, Sitong, and Nini.”

Ajiu nodded at last, crouched down, and glanced back at Liu Junhuai. He understood—it wanted him to climb onto its back.

Liu Junhuai jumped lightly onto Ajiu’s back. With a joyful call, Ajiu flapped its wings a few times and arrived by the medicinal field.

Shen Duoduo and the others were waiting in the courtyard. When Shen Duoduo saw Liu Junhuai dismount from Ajiu, she clapped her hands in excitement. “Duoduo wants a ride too, Duoduo wants a ride!”

Ajiu looked back at Liu Junhuai. Seeing him nod, Ajiu crouched to let Shen Duoduo climb on, then flapped its wings and soared into the sky.

Wu Bini saw Liu Junhuai and ran to him in tears, throwing herself into his arms. “What’s wrong, Nini?” he asked in surprise. “Who bullied you? I’ll get revenge for you.”

Wu Bini sobbed, “It was Ajiu. It killed all our little animals. Duoduo didn’t care—she even cheered Ajiu on.”

Liu Junhuai turned to Mo Sitong. “Sitong, what happened?”

Mo Sitong laughed. “Ajiu probably hadn’t seen animals in ages. When it saw our pets, it was so fascinated that it grabbed them one by one with its nine heads, tossed them, chased after them, and tossed them again—until it played them all to death.”

Liu Junhuai couldn’t help but burst out laughing, which only made Wu Bini pound on him in annoyance, scolding him for being heartless.

Patiently, Liu Junhuai explained, “Ajiu has been alone in a cave for thousands, maybe tens of thousands of years. Of course it’s curious about new things. Just pity it, alright? It’s a divine beast—people out there have never even heard of such creatures, and yet we have one. Let it enjoy itself a little.”

Wu Bini pondered this and said, “If that’s true, then it really is pitiful. Tomorrow Sitong and I will go buy it a few more animals.”

Liu Junhuai turned to Mo Sitong. “Doesn’t Ajiu eat them?”

Mo Sitong replied, “Not at all! Ajiu thinks they’re beneath it. You should’ve seen its expression when Duoduo tried to get it to eat one—a look of utter disdain, then it just flew off.”

Liu Junhuai looked at Shen Yihuan, who smiled. “It’s true. That look was just like a person’s. This Ajiu is really smart.”

Liu Junhuai chuckled, feeling even more fond of Ajiu. It seemed destiny truly linked them, and his intuition had not been wrong.

He took out a bottle of mulberry wine, pulled Shen Yihuan to sit with him in the pavilion, and spoke of the Shen family affairs.

Shen Yihuan showed little surprise, only concern for Liu Junhuai’s safety. Hearing that Liu Junhuai was prepared, he relaxed.

Liu Junhuai brought out a sapling of Black Jade Lotus. Shen Yihuan snatched it up at once, not knowing what kind of spiritual herb it was, but sure it was precious.

After explaining how to cultivate it, Shen Yihuan treated it as a treasure, placing it in a jade box and tucking it close, his hand caressing it constantly.

Liu Junhuai then produced a storage ring. “Inside are spirit stones. When you three return to Cloud Valley, buy more seeds—bring Grandpa Wu along. Right, you haven’t met him yet, have you? Grandpa Wu is a Golden Core cultivator now.”

Shen Yihuan replied, “I know of him—Sitong told me. Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”

Liu Junhuai said, “Why don’t you cultivate too, Uncle Huan? We don’t lack resources, and with your health restored, we’d all be relieved.”

Shen Yihuan shook his head. “I’m not going anywhere, nor will I be in danger. With you here, my lifespan is assured. I’ve disliked strife since childhood. I just want to live as an ordinary person. There’s joy in that—let me be.”

Seeing his resolve, Liu Junhuai did not press him further.

After chatting for some time, Liu Junhuai finally remembered the monster in the pool and summoned Ajiu back with a thought.