Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 221 - One Hundred and Seventy-Six: The Pond

Chapter 221: Chapter One Hundred and Seventy-Six: The Pond

Duanhai Waterfall was teeming with people, and its adjacency to the Myriad Manifestation Sect gave the natural splendor of this waterfall a different significance.

There were noble sons from various sects who came to play, scholars who came to admire the view and compose poetry, and impoverished families dragging their children and kin, hoping to try their luck and gain entry into the sect.

The former two groups mostly lingered in riverside taverns and Hook Bars, while the latter gathered atop the embankments.

To one side the bustling, lively crowd; to the other the sprawling, desolate palace complexes, kept separate by the chasm of the waterfall.

Due to the proximity of the waterfall, low-ranking disciples with weak cultivations used either waterproof materials or engraved waterproof formation patterns on the buildings to prevent dampness from seeping into their bodies, allowing them to walk through comfortably and dry.

On that corridor leading to the sect’s vital areas, the sound of footsteps echoed, identical to how they had over a month ago.

"Fifth Elder, were those guys still squabbling at the sect assembly yesterday?"

The middle-aged man with a goatee sounded a touch weary.

Fifth Elder glanced at his old friend:

"I was about to ask you—didn’t you go either?"

"...."

At this, they both fell silent. A moment later, the man with the goatee sighed deeply:

"Day in, day out, they quarrel, point fingers, pass the blame, and can’t make any progress. It’s the same whether you go or not. How is the situation on your end?"

Upon hearing this question, Fifth Elder slowly turned his head to take in the view.

The scenery here was magnificent, offering a full panorama of the cascading waterfall.

After observing for several moments, Fifth Elder finally spoke:

"That imbecile, Second Elder, has been pressuring me to dispatch someone to investigate. How can I investigate? How dare I? It’s been so long with no word from Ji Wencheng and the other two; they’re most likely in trouble. Sending people now would just be like trapping ourselves, wouldn’t it?"

The goateed man cracked his knuckles, making a "crack" sound:

"Three Great Grandmasters, gone without a trace. Could it be Primordial?"

Fifth Elder shook his head:

"That’s not the issue right now. We need to quickly find a solution. Half a month ago, our undercover operatives in the nearby counties reported that troops were moving towards Shengshan County. And here we are, still with no progress in our discussions."

The goateed man nodded:

"Indeed."

He paused, then as if recalling something, he asked in a low voice, "I remember at the time of the incident, Xiaohe and that simpleton named Li were in Shengshan County. What happened to them?"

Upon hearing this, Fifth Elder shook his head:

"Xiaohe is alright, just a bit traumatized and probably under house arrest by the Sect Master. She should come to terms with it eventually, but that simpleton surnamed Li... he’s probably already dead."

"Dead?"

The goateed man furrowed his brow.

A Fourth Grade Integration Body at twenty—if Li Erzhu had achieved enlightenment within two years, it was very likely the Sect Master would have groomed him as a son-in-law.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have allowed Xiaohe to spend so much time with him.

Fifth Elder narrowed his eyes and said in a low voice:

"On the way back to the sect, he told me he wanted to go back to Shengshan County to kill demons."

The goateed man’s eyebrows rose questioningly:

"Kill demons in the midst of a beast tide?"

After a pause,

Fifth Elder’s eyes showed a trace of complexity as he remembered Li Erzhu kneeling before him and saying:

"Fifth Elder, I can never repay the sect’s kindness in this life, but could you let me go back there to kill demons? Or... could you just end my life with a sword strike?"

"I... my conscience just can’t rest easy."

Squinting enigmatically, Fifth Elder said in a low voice:

"You watched him grow up; you know what he’s like."

"....."

The goateed man seemed stunned, recalling the lad’s temperament, he huffed:

"He asked you to kill him?"

"Yes."

"Such folly."

"Which is why I let him go kill demons," Fifth Elder said with a smirk.

At this, the goateed man frowned:

"Aren’t you afraid he’ll spill the beans?"

Fifth Elder’s smile turned cold:

"His nature is such that he won’t forget the sect’s immense grace toward him.

"The Sect Master’s direct disciple dying in Shengshan County can clear some of our suspicion, presenting more value than if I had simply slain him."

The goateed man massaged his temples:

"It’s a pity, though. Such a person could have been an excellent tool if used properly."

Fifth Elder cast a sidelong glance at the goateed man, and with a profound look, he said:

"Maybe so, or maybe...it no longer matters...."

"....." The goateed man looked puzzled.

Without further conversation, the two reached the end of the corridor. The doors of the Great Hall for discussions came into view.

Upon entering,

The atmosphere was not as somber as last time but rather noisy.

The various voices of about a dozen people merged, making the place seem more like a noisy small-town market than an important assembly for the sect’s high-ranking officials.

One elder, pointing his finger accusingly at a resplendently dressed young man, shouted:

"He Jigu! You just care about your own Henghai Commerce Guild, don’t you? With such a huge plan involving the entire sect, does Shengshan County add up to a total of fifty thousand silver? You had to withdraw early, turning a blind investigation into one with a clear target. You’ve certainly put us in the spotlight, haven’t you?!"

The young man, clutching a folding fan, slammed it down on the table:

"You drunkard, stop your yelling. Aren’t you most to blame for this failure?! You were responsible for coordinating and inspecting the formation. If it hadn’t failed, how could we have been defeated?!"

"Nonsense! There’s no way the formation could have failed!"

"Then explain how it got broken! The Grand Illusory Fog Formation is Xu Xinyao’s, that formation expert’s, masterpiece. But since we’re on the subject, you old drunk... The formations you’re responsible for are so disappointing. The sect invests so much annually, yet not only can you not replicate the Grand Illusory Fog Formation, but we also have to buy the Soul-Attracting Formation from someone else! Do you have any idea how much silver that costs?!"