I Can Add Points Infinitely - Chapter 55
“Why is Shen Lian being assigned to manage the Dongshi Valley mine? What’s the Sect Master up to?”
In the capital of Yan Kingdom, within a luxurious mansion, Fang Nan muttered with a frown.
Although he had been stationed outside for a long time and had not returned to the sect, Fang Nan had managed to place many of his loyal followers within the Azure Cloud Sect. Therefore, it didn’t take long for him to find out about Shen Lian’s newly assigned task.
“It might be something that the Fourth Senior Brother arranged,” mused Tang Shisi, a cultured young man standing beside Fang Nan. “I heard that recently, he returned to the sect and held a banquet, inviting many elders.”
Tang Shisi wore a simple robe and held a paper fan in his hand, always smiling faintly. He exuded a sense of elegance and grace. Anyone familiar with the Azure Cloud Sect would recognize him as the seventh-ranking core disciple, known as the “Smiling Scholar,” with a cultivation level of the fifth level of the Golden Core realm.
“Fourth Senior Brother has been competing with us for so long, ultimately losing, allowing us to secretly take control of the Dongshi Valley mine,” Tang Shisi analyzed quietly. “It seems he isn’t willing to accept his defeat, so he pulled some strings back at the sect and arranged for this newcomer, Shen Lian, to act as a scapegoat, trying to oppose us.”
Fang Nan nodded slowly, contemplating for a moment. “If the Fourth Senior Brother is behind this, it would be easier to handle. The real concern is if the assignment came directly from the Sect Master.”
“If that’s the case, the true intention behind it is rather thought-provoking.”
“Do you think the Sect Master is displeased with us?” Tang Shisi inquired.
“It’s hard to say,” Fang Nan replied, shaking his head. “We’ve been pushing our limits recently, and the Sect Master hasn’t shown any reaction, so I’m unsure.”
“What should we do next? How should we handle Shen Lian?” Tang Shisi asked.
“We cannot let it go!” Fang Nan decided with only a brief hesitation, his expression resolute.
He spoke in a determined tone, “We’ve worked too hard to secure the Dongshi Valley mine. Under no circumstances can we give it up. The resources produced there are crucial for our future development.”
“Here’s the plan,” he continued. “Try to avoid a direct conflict with Shen Lian. If he insists on intervening, give him a small benefit. Keep me informed of any developments.”
“Understood!” Tang Shisi nodded and quickly left.
Meanwhile, just two streets away from Fang Nan’s mansion, in a teahouse, Su Luo was leisurely drinking tea with a few young cultivators.
“Senior Brother, was it you who arranged Shen Lian’s assignment?” a young cultivator asked.
“Hehe…” Su Luo sipped his tea, shaking his head with a smile. “No.”
“Oh? So it was the Sect Master?” the young man’s eyes brightened.
“Correct,” Su Luo smiled as he set his teacup down. “I imagine that Fang Nan suspects it was me who pulled the strings. If he does, all the better.”
“Should we get involved?” the young cultivator suggested.
Su Luo shook his head again, his eyes flickering with thought. After pondering for a moment, he replied, “There’s no rush. Let’s watch for now and let them clash. It will give us a chance to gauge Shen Lian’s true abilities.”
“Why is a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator receiving so much attention from the Sect Master?” he mused.
“Understood,” the young cultivator nodded.
With Su Luo’s decision made, the others refrained from asking further questions, naturally steering the conversation to other topics. They continued to drink tea and chat leisurely.
At the Dongshi Valley mine.
Shen Lian remained unaware that his mission had become the focus of many covert interests. Because of the addition of many ordinary people to their party, their travel time had been extended further. What should have been a five-day journey stretched out over ten days.
By midday today, they finally arrived at the mine.
Looking around, Dongshi Valley was surrounded by mountains on all sides, with only one entry and exit passage. The center of the valley was relatively flat, with numerous wooden houses, enough to accommodate over a thousand people.
Around the perimeter was a fence, mostly for decoration, with a massive circular formation used for actual defense, enclosing the entire valley.
The group slowly approached a large gate.
“Halt!”
“This is a restricted area of the Azure Cloud Sect. No entry for unauthorized personnel!” two gatekeeping disciples shouted, their eyes sharp as they glanced at the group.
“I am Shen Lian, here under the Sect Master’s orders to take over as the overseer,” Shen Lian declared, throwing his identification token over.
The disciple caught the token, glanced at it, and showed a slightly odd expression. Without saying much, he turned and ran inside.
Before long, a middle-aged man in luxurious attire emerged, leading seven or eight disciples.
“Ah, I didn’t expect Senior Brother Shen Lian to arrive so soon. My apologies for not welcoming you earlier!” the middle-aged man laughed loudly from a distance.
He ordered the disciples to open the formation and approached Shen Lian with a smile, returning the token to him.
Shen Lian accepted the token and politely replied, “I’m new here, so I’ll need your guidance.”
“No, no, not at all!” the middle-aged man waved his hand hastily. “I am Liu Zhiyong, temporarily in charge of managing the Dongshi Valley mine.”
“However, with your arrival, Senior Brother, the mine is now yours to oversee.”
“Uh… who are these people?” Liu Zhiyong asked, noticing the ordinary folk behind Shen Lian.
“These are my senior brothers and sisters who came along for the experience. The ones in the back are people we met on the way…” Shen Lian briefly explained.
“Oh, I see, I see. Please, come in,” Liu Zhiyong nodded, then waved to a disciple beside him. “Xiao Li, take them to settle in. Those who wish to work in the mines should report as usual.”
“Yes!” A disciple stepped forward and led the group of commoners away.
Liu Zhiyong then led Shen Lian and the others to the largest building in the valley.
“Senior Brother, please have a seat,” Liu Zhiyong said, motioning to a guest area. “Xiao Zhang, go and bring some tea.”
Shen Lian waved his hand and smiled, “No need for all the formalities. We’ve been traveling for a while and are quite tired. Could you find a few quiet rooms for us to rest?”
“Ah, of course,” Liu Zhiyong nodded quickly. “I received the sect’s message earlier and have already prepared the rooms.”
“Please follow me, Senior Brother. The best quiet rooms are on the second floor, and there happen to be five of them available.”
“Good,” Shen Lian agreed, following Liu Zhiyong upstairs.
Yun Xiong and the others kept silent, following behind like loyal attendants. Since arriving at Dongshi Valley, they had displayed a demeanor of absolute deference to Shen Lian, never voicing any opinions.
After inspecting the rooms, Shen Lian found them satisfactory. He wasn’t particular about his accommodations; whether it was the luxurious courtyard on Luoxia Peak or this simple wooden house, it made no difference to him.
Everyone retreated to their rooms to meditate and rest.
Only then did Liu Zhiyong respectfully turn and quietly leave.
Inside his quiet room, Shen Lian appeared to be meditating, but his spiritual sense had already silently expanded, covering the entire Dongshi Valley mine.
Downstairs, Liu Zhiyong quickly left the wooden building and slipped into a small wooden hut in a secluded corner. Inside, several disciples waited anxiously.
As soon as Liu Zhiyong entered, the disciples sprang to their feet with a clamor.
“Senior Brother, how did it go?” one of them asked urgently.
“Relax,” Liu Zhiyong replied with a smug grin, lowering his voice and waving his hand. “He’s just a novice. I’ve got him under control. No need to worry.”
“Everyone, just carry on with what you were doing. The situation in Dongshi Valley won’t change.”
“Phew… That’s a relief…” The disciples sighed with evident relief, their tense expressions easing.
Inside his room, Shen Lian “watched” everything unfold, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth.