Considering how busy Ji Zhi was with official affairs, letting him read memorials while recovering from his injuries would be inhuman. Jiang Li decided to note it down first and settle the score later. He briefly explained the situation to Ji Kongkong.
Once Ji Kongkong heard that she could be of help, she eagerly agreed.
“How far back in time can you trace?”
“Hehe, six hours!”
Ji Kongkong answered proudly. Her father had told her that according to all the records and scrolls available, her talent was the first of its kind in the entire Ji Clan. She was only at the Third Level of the Qi Refinement Stage and could already touch upon the Dao—and even use it freely.
It was simply unimaginable!
“Hmm, not bad,” Jiang Li said lightly.
His calm tone made Ji Kongkong secretly delighted, yet she didn’t know that Jiang Li was thinking something else—other people’s children at the Third Level of Qi Refinement could trace back six hours in time, while he, a cultivator at the Mahayana Stage, couldn’t even trace back a single second.
He carried Ji Kongkong through the skies toward the Heavenly Origin Dynasty. Her little white legs swung restlessly as they flew.
“Have you ever seen a dead person before?”
Jiang Li suddenly asked, realizing that she was only a seven- or eight-year-old child. Perhaps bringing her to view a murder scene from the past was too cruel—he didn’t want to leave a scar in her heart. Ji Kongkong fell silent for a moment, her voice soft and downcast when she finally spoke.
“I’ve seen one. There was an older sister who grew jealous of my talent and tried to kill me. But Mother shielded me... I want to work hard to comprehend the Dao of Time, to go back and see her again...”
Jiang Li did not ask about the details. He only reached out and gently rubbed the little girl’s head with compassion. After they arrived at the Heavenly Origin Imperial City, Jiang Li did not go directly to the Upper General’s Manor.
Instead, he took Ji Kongkong around the city for a while—drinking tea, eating pastries, and even listening to a story titled The Legend of the Human Emperor, which had absolutely nothing to do with the real Human Emperor. He even let her play with the Ruyi Gourd. Ji Kongkong laughed all the way.
When her mood had eased, Jiang Li still asked with concern, “Are you sure you’re ready? Don’t force yourself if you’re not. I have other ways.”
By “other ways,” of course, he meant contacting other members of the Zhou Clan—but he couldn’t say that to her directly. Now that he thought about it, he slightly regretted bringing Ji Kongkong along. The more he considered it, the more it was obvious—this was definitely that bastard Ji Zhi’s ploy to temper his daughter’s mind.
Ji Zhi hadn’t the heart to train the girl himself, so he handed the task to Jiang Li under the pretense of letting her help. It seemed managing state affairs wasn’t enough for the man’s scheming mind—he still had the time to play tricks on him.
“No problem at all.”
Ji Kongkong waved her tiny fists. She arrived at the Upper General’s Manor, then vanished from Jiang Li’s sight. Moments later, she reappeared, panting heavily.
“The killer appeared suddenly behind the Upper General. The general didn’t have time to react and was killed instantly. I couldn’t see the killer’s face clearly—but I saw him heading in that direction. He disappeared into a secret realm.”
Following what she described, Ji Kongkong led Jiang Li to a deep mountain outside the city. Though it was only halfway up the mountain, mist and clouds swirled around, limiting visibility to no more than twenty meters. It was the perfect place to conceal something.
Within the fog, Jiang Li spotted a Nascent Soul Cultivator leading a Golden Core Cultivator toward the entrance of a secret realm.
“See if the killer has come out of the secret realm,” Jiang Li said, asking Ji Kongkong to trace time once more.
Soon she gave him the answer.
“In these past hours, people have only gone in—no one has come out.”
There were too many suspicious points surrounding the killer. The Divine Repository Cult was also very mysterious. Jiang Li didn’t want to startle them and give himself away, so he decided to set this lead aside for now.
“May I ask, are the two of you entering the organization from here?”
Jiang Li approached with Ji Kongkong, politely addressing the two cultivators. The Golden Core Cultivator looked wary, but the Nascent Soul one gestured for him not to worry. He saw that Jiang Li was also at the Nascent Soul Stage, so he smiled politely and replied, “Fellow Daoist, you may be mistaken.
The imperial city is chaotic right now. We brothers just want to get away from the turmoil, that’s all. What organization are you talking about?”
“Fellow Daoist, perhaps look at this first,” Jiang Li said, raising his hand.
A faint golden light shimmered at his fingertip, peaceful and serene, dreamlike yet real. It was a wisp of Virtuous Merit Power he had separated earlier from the old man. The Nascent Soul Cultivator’s expression changed drastically.
He hurriedly covered Jiang Li’s hand, muttered a spell under his breath, and opened the secret realm, pulling Jiang Li, Ji Kongkong, and the Golden Core Cultivator inside.
“Fellow Daoist, that was reckless! The Power of the Divine Repository absolutely cannot be shown openly!”
As soon as they entered, the Nascent Soul Cultivator scolded him. Since the visitor carried the Power of the Divine Repository, he must know something of the cult’s inner workings. Whether friend or foe, once tested by one of the cult’s masters, the truth would come out.
He had faith in the methods of the Divine Repository Cult. Under the gaze of the Divine Repository Venerable’s statue, no one could stir up trouble.
“At that moment, the situation was urgent,” Jiang Li said calmly.
“Our family ancestor spoke in haste before his end and didn’t have time to explain clearly. I hope Fellow Daoist forgives me.”
“We brother and sister are both from the Long Clan of Dragon Chant City. My name is Long Li, this is my younger sister, Long Kongkong.”
Jiang Li clenched his teeth as he spoke.
“Some bastard City Lord somehow learned that our Old Ancestor was treating Long Sanshui’s injuries in seclusion and couldn’t be disturbed. He seized the chance to strike from behind. Our ancestor, though gravely wounded, fought back, but in the end, he lost by a hair’s breadth and fell.”
“We siblings are the last of the Long Clan. Before he died, our ancestor told us to come to the mountain nearest the capital, find the one veiled by cloud and mist at the mountainside, and that place would lead us to the organization.”
“He also gave me this golden light, saying that if we showed it to their people, they would understand everything.”
Jiang Li’s words were nine parts falsehood and one part truth, enough to sway the listener. The Nascent Soul follower of the cult was half-convinced. He had indeed heard that the Old Dragon Head of Dragon Chant City had been killed.
He also knew that while the man never joined the cult, he had dealings with Priest Li of the Divine Repository Cult—often delivering human catalysts to him. Could Priest Li have revealed the cult’s location to that old dragon? Unfortunately, Priest Li was currently away, and no one knew when he would return.
Ji Kongkong blinked and kept quiet. She recalled a story her father once told her—if she went traveling with Jiang Li, she might end up losing her own surname. It wasn’t something to worry about—it was a common occurrence.
“May I ask, Fellow Daoist, what type of power is this exactly? Why can’t I absorb it?”
Jiang Li asked. The cultist didn’t answer.
“Since you’ve come to this secret realm,” the Nascent Soul follower said after a pause, “you must join our cult. Coincidentally, with you two, we now have ten people. We can conduct the Initiation Ceremony. I’ll be presiding over it—you may address me as Master Feng.”
“I am Cheng Ziqi,” the Golden Core Cultivator introduced himself, though no one truly cared about his name.
Extending his Divine Sense, Jiang Li scanned the entire secret realm. The highest cultivation here was only at the Spirit Transformation Stage—the killer couldn’t possibly be one of them. How could someone at Spirit Transformation slay a veteran of the battlefield who had reached the Union Stage?
And yet, this secret realm had only one exit. Where could the murderer have gone? Jiang Li was confident that no one could hide from his Divine Sense—unless the person was an Immortal.
Since he couldn’t find the killer for now, he decided to see what this “Initiation Ceremony” was about. He handed the Ruyi Gourd to Ji Kongkong and whispered to it to stay alert and protect her. --- Thanks to book friends Hongyan Jingjie and Little Monster 233 for their votes.
Also thanks to book friend Dark Jazz for multiple votes of support.
(End of Chapter)