Crow Immortal
Chapter 29: Steward Lu

As Steward Wang’s sharp voice echoed throughout the Spirit Fields, the various servant disciples stepped out of their stone houses and the Spirit Fields, gathering toward where the Purple-Robed Steward, Steward Wang, and others stood. 

The Purple-Robed Steward did not lag behind; standing midair with his feet on a floral magical artifact, his gaze was as sharp as a hawk’s, sweeping over the assembled disciples. 

Two inner disciples stood behind him, slightly lower on the side, while Steward Wang and other outer disciples voluntarily descended on banana leaves, positioned just below the inner disciples. 

This lineup formed an upward-tilting wedge shape, with the Purple-Robed Steward at the apex, clearly displaying the hierarchy and status differences. 

After a short while, once all the servant disciples had gathered, the Purple-Robed Steward spoke. 

“How many servant disciples assigned to the Spirit Fields have yet to arrive today?” 

Steward Wang quickly checked the roster, scanning through it, and promptly reported, “Including Zhang Shan, a total of five people have not shown up today.” 

“The residences of Zhang Shan and Liu Lan, I will personally search. As for the other four who are missing, you go look for them. If you catch someone, bring them here for questioning; if no one is found, find out their whereabouts carefully. When those people return, scrutinize and interrogate thoroughly.” 

With that command, the Purple-Robed Steward descended from the sky. Steward Wang looked tense and led the way, entering Zhang Shan’s stone house to examine carefully. 

The Purple-Robed Steward’s face was stern. With a glance, he fixed his gaze on Zhang Shan’s stone bed. 

The stone bed had already been flipped over, and the underside of the bed board was engraved with a roaring beast’s head pattern. 

Underneath the bed was a large, black hole the size of a water jar, emitting a rank stench. 

“Raising Spirit-Stealing Mice at most counts as a violation of sect rules, but this unique beast-taming and controlling pattern is definitely from the Spirit Beast Sect.” 

The Purple-Robed Steward said coldly. 

“This Zhang Shan must have been bought over by the Spirit Beast Sect.” 

Steward Wang echoed repeatedly, “Steward Lu is absolutely right. Zhang Shan has the Five Spiritual Roots aptitude and has been in the sect for twenty years. The Spirit Beast Sect could not have used him for their layout from the very beginning. They must have recruited him through the Green Sprout Market in recent years.” 

The Purple-Robed Steward paid no mind to Steward Wang’s agreement and asked, “Why did you suspect Zhang Shan had problems and come to search?” 

Steward Wang lowered his voice, “At first, this disciple did not notice anything. I only felt that Zhang Shan’s leaving the Spirit Fields was reckless. I planned to report to the steward’s office and let the outer disciples track and handle someone leaving secretly.” 

“But unexpectedly, this person handed over cultivation resources to the unrelated Liu Lan and then hurriedly left. This act is greatly against cultivation logic, so I immediately sensed something was wrong.” 

The Purple-Robed Steward folded his arms behind his back. “Not bad. You act tyrannically in the Spirit Fields but haven’t wasted your entire brain.” 

“On the path of cultivation, the only possibility is parents supporting children; never the other way around. Even married couples or partners have to keep accounts clear. Zhang Shan, a twenty-year-old servant disciple in the Spirit Fields, struggling so much in cultivation, why would he support a stranger?” 

Steward Wang’s face was stunned, cold sweat streaming down his forehead, and his lips trembling. 

He had thought that bullying some insignificant, hopeless servant disciples would go unnoticed, but it turned out the sect’s stewards had been watching all along? 

This seemed like praise but was actually a much clearer warning. 

“Steward Lu, your keen insight is unmatched. My dirty deeds cannot be hidden from you!” 

Steward Lu said coldly, “If nothing happens, and no one reports you, these trivial matters do not need to be mentioned. But once trouble arises and you come rushing, these small things become your fatal weakness.” 

“In the future, be more lenient in dealing with others. Leave some room—that’s not just for others, but also for yourself.” 

“Yes, yes, this disciple understands… I will remember this well!” Steward Wang wiped his cold sweat and said repeatedly. 

“Let’s go. Check Liu Lan’s residence.” 

Steward Wang immediately led the way. When they arrived at Liu Lan’s stone house, he whispered an introduction. 

Liu Lan had only joined the sect a few years ago. She was only sixteen this year, with Three Spiritual Roots aptitude, and had already cultivated to the Qi Refining Third Layer. She was expected to enter the outer disciples around eighteen or nineteen years old. 

“Zhang Shan might have been trying to coax this little girl into becoming his Dao partner or deliberately befriended an outer disciple in advance. So far, we have not found any suspicious signs in Liu Lan. She doesn’t seem like someone arranged by the Spirit Beast Sect. She has never been to the Green Sprout Market.” 

After Steward Wang finished speaking, Steward Lu carefully inspected everything but found nothing unusual. “Indeed, she does not seem suspicious, but we cannot be careless. Keep a close watch on her. If she’s confirmed to be bought over as well, then you, Steward Wang, should quit your post and go to the Southern Li Kingdom to slay demons!” 

“Yes, Steward Lu.” 

With this, the investigation here concluded. On the other side, two inner disciples had also finished searching with the outer disciples. 

They brought in a male disciple wearing only a middle robe, his lower legs and feet bare. 

“Steward Lu, the other three went to the market district to exchange goods. This one was masturbating inside the room and refused to come out.” 

The disciples couldn’t help but stifle laughter, some even burst out snickering. 

Being summoned by the sect but busy with masturbation and unwilling to come out—what a strange fellow! 

Steward Lu’s face darkened, and his Foundation Establishment realm aura suddenly erupted. “Bastard!” 

“Did you come to Wangu Valley just to do such filthy things?” 

The half-dressed masturbating disciple was immediately overwhelmed by the aura, pinned to the ground, unable to move. 

Other disciples, sensing Steward Lu’s anger, quickly suppressed their amusement and watched silently without showing expression. 

“Wang Hui, severely punish this confused bastard as an example for others!” 

Steward Wang responded promptly, struggling to keep a straight face as he dragged the masturbating servant disciple aside and pushed his head into a water jar. 

“You ungrateful beast! You entered the immortal sect but don’t cherish the cultivation opportunity. Drink some water to sober up!” 

Steward Lu withdrew his gaze and scanned the crowd again. 

Han Yu tried to restrain himself and dared not look at the figure wearing a bamboo hat a few steps away—Old Taoist Li. 

Steward Lu noticed Old Taoist Li in the crowd and pointed, “The one wearing the bamboo hat, take it off.” 

All the disciples turned to look, and Han Yu’s heart suddenly tightened as he also looked over. 

Old Taoist Li’s head had red hair! 

Li slowly removed his hand from the bamboo hat, revealing white hair—haggard, aged, and sickly-looking. 

“This disciple Li Quan greets Steward Lu.” 

Steward Lu was stunned, “You’re so old but still haven’t entered cultivation? How did you join as a servant disciple?” 

“Disciple only received the sect token at over ninety years old and has Five Spiritual Roots aptitude, so cultivation is barely possible. That’s how I had the chance to join the sect…” 

After Li’s explanation, Steward Lu understood. 

“You look like this and still choose cultivation—it’s not easy.” 

He said this, then ignored him—an old man like that, frail and with Five Spiritual Roots, who would bother to recruit him as a spy? What a joke. 

Passing smoothly, Li lowered his head, and Han Yu relaxed. 

Han did not know what method Li used to temporarily hide his red hair, but as long as Li was safe, Han Yu would not be implicated. 

Steward Lu then asked the two inner disciples, “Besides Zhang Shan, have you searched the other four’s residences?” 

“Steward Lu, we have searched them. Only one strange object remains uncertain. We request Steward Lu to take a look.” 

One inner disciple used a control object technique to send a silver-white spindle-shaped item before Steward Lu’s eyes. 

Steward Lu glanced at it and snorted coldly, “So, they have arrived too!”