Volume One, Chapter 63: This Makes No Sense.

“It’s resolved? That easy?” The Gu Master looked at the message on his phone and immediately felt a weight lift from his heart.
Still, he found it odd, though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why.
But the photo had indeed been sent. Tapping twice, the Gu Master forwarded the image to Ye Qingming, then pocketed his phone, looking somewhat disappointed.
“What a pity. I wonder what tomorrow will bring.”
He murmured to himself, gazing at the moonlight cascading from the sky, quietly contemplating the events that would unfold with the dawn.
A growing sense of anticipation filled his heart, excitement bubbling up so much that he found it hard to sleep.
Meanwhile, in Li Jingshou’s home, the group sat around a table. Li Jingshou looked at Fang Longcheng and the other two, saying, “Tomorrow, as long as we confirm that Ye Qiang was murdered, we’ll move in straight away to arrest Ye Qingfeng, right?”
Fang Longcheng nodded. “That’s correct. As soon as we verify the truth of the message we just received, we’ll immediately proceed to arrest Ye Qingfeng under the ordinances for cultivators. If he resists, we’ll execute him on the spot.”
Just as they were laying out their plan, a letter had drifted in from outside, its contents revealing the truth about Ye Qiang’s death.
Though Li Jingshou and Fang Longcheng had their doubts about the cause of Ye Qiang’s demise, without evidence, Fang Longcheng and his team didn’t dare to act outright; they could only offer covert support. But the arrival of this letter instantly galvanized them.
There’s a world of difference in their procedures at Institute 509 when there’s a criminal charge versus when there isn’t. Without a charge, they could only provide private assistance, but with evidence of a crime, they could mobilize additional personnel outright. No matter how many tricks Ye Qingfeng might have up his sleeve, could he really withstand the might of Institute 509, with its century-old legacy?
“Tomorrow morning, you two head to the location mentioned in the letter. Chongli and I will go to intercept the wedding. As for Tong Yan and Tong Qianjin, you two coordinate with the reporters outside—the headline should read: ‘Ye Qiang, Chairman of Shanshui Group, Murdered by His Own Son.’” After Li Jingshou finished assigning tasks, everyone threw themselves into their preparations.
Li Jingshou dragged a stool out of the villa, glancing at his phone. There were still five hours left before their operation.
Even though he was unsure of Ye Qingfeng’s abilities, he knew full well that as someone who’d only just begun his cultivation, his chances tomorrow were slim at best.
“What’s wrong? Getting cold feet, little cultivator?” Chongli brought her own stool over, sitting beside him, her eyes narrowing like stars caught in their depths.
Li Jingshou snorted softly. “Afraid? I never learned the meaning of the word ‘fear’ as a child. Why would I be afraid now?”
“Then why are you shaking?” Chongli asked, curiosity twinkling in her gaze.
“I’m not afraid, just... nervous,” Li Jingshou protested.
Chongli reached out and ruffled his hair. “Relax. Nothing’s going to happen. Your brother—my senior brother—he’ll definitely come. And as long as he’s here, nothing is impossible.”
“Tomorrow’s dangerous... Maybe you shouldn’t go,” Li Jingshou said. “You’re one of Maoshan’s rising stars. If anything happens to you, I’d never forgive myself.”
Chongli waved it off. “In the past, when demons ran rampant and chaos reigned, many of my Maoshan brothers died slaying monsters and defending the Way. The grandmasters grieved, but none ever tried to stop us. In fact, they always joined us in descending the mountain to fight evil. Do you know why?”
Li Jingshou guessed it must be for some noble reason, just like in the dramas. “Because they had to?”
Chongli shook her head. “There’s no such thing as ‘have to’ or ‘must.’ We could’ve stayed on the mountain, hidden away. No demon or ghost would dare trouble us; in times of chaos, our Daoist robes are as good as a pass.”
Seeing the confusion in Li Jingshou’s eyes, Chongli grinned slyly, as if her scheme had succeeded. “But we still chose to descend the mountain. Want to know why?”
Li Jingshou nodded obediently. “Yes, I do.”
“It’s because we can’t bear to see innocent people slaughtered. It’s because we have compassion in our hearts. Anyone can die; everyone will die eventually. Many of our most skilled elders could have become the next head of the sect, but they all went down the mountain anyway.”
“My master’s generation is the same. The head of the sect isn’t necessarily the best at cultivation, but his heart is the most compassionate.”
After hearing her words, Li Jingshou finally understood what made Maoshan, that orthodox Daoist sect, so formidable.
Fear of death is human nature, embedded in our very being. But death comes for all—how one dies, and for what cause, is the choice of those who walk the righteous path.
Chongli had been taught this from a young age, so she’d long come to terms with life and death.
This kind of nonchalance was precisely what drew Li Jingshou to her.
“I don’t know if I’ll survive tomorrow,” Li Jingshou said. “If I don’t make it, will you promise me one thing?”
Chongli gazed at his earnest expression, pondering for a moment. “You’ll have to tell me what it is before I agree.”
Li Jingshou replied, “Take care of my brother and sister-in-law for me. And look after yourself—live well.”
Chongli was surprised. “Are you serious? You haven’t known Jiang Chen for very long—why are you so devoted to him?”
Li Jingshou looked up at the moon, his eyes full of clarity. “Because he’s been so good to me—exceptionally good. So whoever he wants to protect, I’ll protect too. Whatever he wants to do, that’s what I want to do.”
A short time doesn’t mean a shallow bond. Ever since Li Jingshou acknowledged Jiang Chen as his elder brother, Jiang Chen had watched over him without reservation—giving him sealing relics, teaching him cultivation techniques, never once holding back. Having never known familial warmth, Li Jingshou understood how precious this feeling was.
Chongli checked the time and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe. I’m not exactly weak myself...”
Her vision began to blur; her head grew heavy and foggy. The young man before her, though, was smiling.
“You—Li Jingshou! You actually drugged me!” Her eyelids grew heavy, and if not for her willpower, she would have already succumbed.
Li Jingshou stood up. “I’m sorry, Chongli. Tomorrow is too dangerous—I can’t let you go. Call me a bastard, call me a dog if you like, but you’ll have to wait for my return to curse me out.”
Chongli couldn’t hold on any longer and fainted, mumbling, “You fool!”
“Foolish? Maybe.” Li Jingshou smiled and gently lifted her onto the sofa.
Xu Congcong, witnessing this, frowned. “You know, an extra fighter means more strength. It’s dangerous to go alone.”
Li Jingshou stroked Chongli’s cheek. “As long as I’m alive, there’s no reason to let the woman I love take risks. That’s just not right.”
……