28: Chapter 28 Council Chamber

At the hour of Si, Lu Chen stood at the entrance of the Council Hall.

The Council Hall was located in the deepest part of the inner sect, a three-story building with green bricks, grey tiles, and upturned eaves. A plaque hung above the lintel with the words "Danxin Council" written in gold, shimmering under the sunlight. Two Inner Sect Disciples stood at the door, wearing deep blue robes with jade plaques engraved with the word "Guard" hanging from their waists. They glanced at Lu Chen but did not stop him, pushing open the wooden doors to let him inside.

The interior was larger than it appeared from the outside.

The main hall could accommodate over a hundred people, filled with long tables and chairs. The tables were covered with white cloths, upon which sat tea bowls. At the far end was a high platform with a single chair, its back carved with the pattern of a Pill Furnace.

No one was there.

Lu Chen stood in the middle of the hall and waited.

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea later, footsteps echoed from behind. A man walked in from a side door—about forty years old, not tall, slightly plump, with a round face that looked very kind. He wore an ink-green robe, and three jade plaques hung from his waist: "Danding," "Sect Head," and "Xuantian."

This was the Sect Head.

"You are Lu Chen?" The Sect Head's voice wasn't loud, but it was clear, like the tolling of a bell.

"Yes."

"Sit." The Sect Head pointed to a chair by the table while he took the main seat, picking up a tea bowl for a sip. "Elder Zhou told me about you. Grey Spirit Root, Level 4 Qi Refining, holder of a bone fragment. She thinks quite highly of you."

Lu Chen sat down. "What did she say?"

"She said you are the person least afraid of death she has ever met." The Sect Head set down the tea bowl and looked at him. "You know, in the Danding Sect, being 'unafraid of death' isn't necessarily a compliment. Dying is easy; living is what's difficult."

"I've never thought about dying. I think about how to live."

The Sect Head's lips twitched slightly, as if he were smiling or perhaps savoring the words. "Well said. Then let me ask you—how do you want to live?"

"Cultivate, enter the Inverted Tower, and find the truth of longevity."

"And then?"

"And then come out alive."

The Sect Head stared at him for a few seconds. "You think you can come out alive?"

"I don't know. But I will try."

The Sect Head nodded, pulled a piece of paper from his sleeve, spread it on the table, and pushed it over. A diagram was drawn on the paper—a structural map of the Inverted Tower. It was much more detailed than the one Qin Wu had drawn, with each level marked with a name and its approximate range.

"This is the secret map of the Inverted Tower passed down within the Danding Sect. It was left by the Founder Zhou Ding." The Sect Head's finger traced from the first level to the fifth. "The first level is Forgetting Kin, the second is Forgetting Friends, and the third is Forgetting Compassion. A Grey Spirit Root can enter the first three levels. The fourth level is called 'self-oblivion.' Only those who have lost their compassion can enter."

"What about the fifth level?"

The Sect Head's finger stopped at the fifth level. "The fifth level has no name. The Ancestral Master only drew an outline without labeling the contents. He wrote a sentence in his notes—'In the fifth level, there is no longevity, only the price of longevity.'"

It was the same as the last line shown on the bone fragment.

"What is the price?"

"He didn't know. Or perhaps he knew but didn't write it down." The Sect Head put the map away. "I didn't call you here today to talk about the Inverted Tower. It was for something else."

"What is it?"

"Qin Wu."

Lu Chen's fingers curled slightly.

"Three days ago, Qin Wu came to the Danding Sect to find you. He was intercepted by the Law Enforcement Hall, and Elder Sun personally ordered him to be imprisoned in their dungeon." The Sect Head's voice was flat, devoid of emotion. "Do you know why he came looking for you?"

"I don't know. I've already forgotten him."

The Sect Head looked at him, something unidentifiable in his gaze. "Do you know what 'forgotten' means?"

"It means the friendship is gone. But my thread remains." Lu Chen raised his left wrist, revealing the white thread. "The thread is here, so the person is here. Regardless of whether I remember or not."

The Sect Head was silent for a few seconds. "Elder Sun won't release him. She says Qin Wu is from the Loose Cultivators Alliance and that trespassing into the Danding Sect warrants three months of imprisonment according to sect rules. But I know she won't release him because Qin Wu knows things she doesn't want others to know."

"What things?"

"The Polygonatum Case," the Sect Head said. "Part of the batch of polygonatum that Wang Fu sold illegally flowed into the Loose Cultivators Alliance. Qin Wu was the middleman. He knows who the buyer was, and he knows who was behind Wang Fu."

"Behind Wang Fu is Vice Hall Master Liu. Behind Vice Hall Master Liu is Elder Sun." Lu Chen looked at the Sect Head. "You've known all along."

"I knew. But there was no evidence." The Sect Head stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open. The wind blew in from outside, carrying the chill of autumn. "The Law Enforcement Hall is Elder Sun's territory. I cannot enter. I need someone to help me obtain the evidence."

"Why me?"

"Because you are not from the Law Enforcement Hall, nor the Alchemy Hall, nor any other faction. You have a Grey Spirit Root; you have no Foundation and no way out. You won't be bribed, and you won't be intimidated." The Sect Head turned to look at him. "And, you want to save Qin Wu."

Lu Chen did not deny it.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Enter the Law Enforcement Hall dungeon. See Qin Wu. Ask him—who was that batch of polygonatum sold to, who signed for it, and who received the money." The Sect Head took a copper plaque from his sleeve and placed it on the table. "This is a temporary pass for the Law Enforcement Hall. With this, you can enter once. But only once."

"Elder Sun has people in the dungeon. If I enter, she will know."

"She won't. Because before she finds out, I will reassign the dungeon guards," the Sect Head said. "Under the guise of a 'Sect Head Inspection.' You will have half a shichen."

Lu Chen picked up the copper plaque and examined it. The front was engraved with "Law Enforcement," and the back with "Temporary."

"Half a shichen is enough."

"One more thing." The Sect Head took a small porcelain bottle from a drawer and placed it on the table. "A Disguise Pill. After taking it, you can change your appearance for one shichen. Your face is too conspicuous; too many people in the Law Enforcement Hall recognize you."

Lu Chen also took the porcelain bottle. "Why are you helping me save Qin Wu?"

The Sect Head looked at him. "I'm not helping you. I'm helping myself. Elder Sun has operated in the Danding Sect for thirty years; her roots are deep. I need to uproot her. Qin Wu is that blade."

"As am I."

"Correct. You are too." The Sect Head returned to his chair and sat down, picking up his tea bowl. "So don't die. If you die, my blade breaks."

Lu Chen stood up. "When do I leave?"

"Tonight. At the hour of Zi. The back gate of the Law Enforcement Hall."

"Understood."

Lu Chen turned to leave.

"Lu Chen."

He stopped but didn't look back.

"Qin Wu has been in the dungeon for three days. I don't know if Elder Sun's people have tortured him. But you must be prepared—he might not be the person you remember."

"I've already forgotten him. I'm seeing the thread."

Lu Chen pushed open the door and walked out.

The sunlight was blinding. Squinting, he stood on the steps of the Council Hall, looking at the distant mountains. Qingniu Ridge was on the other side of the mountains, out of sight. But the Inverted Tower was there. Qin Wu was also there—beneath the ground of the Danding Sect.

"The hour of Zi."

Lu Chen returned to the Pharmacy and showed the copper plaque and the Disguise Pill to Old Zhou. The old man took them, looked them over, and handed them back.

"The Sect Head sought you out?"

"He did."

"What does he want you to do?"

"Enter the Law Enforcement Hall dungeon and see Qin Wu."

Old Zhou's expression shifted. "The Law Enforcement Hall dungeon? That's Elder Sun's territory. Once you go in, you might not come out."

"The Sect Head said he would reassign the guards."

"He says he'll reassign them, and they're just gone? Elder Sun has operated the dungeon for thirty years; her eyes and ears are everywhere. Even if the guards aren't there, the hidden sentries will be." Old Zhou lowered his voice. "When you go in, don't take the main path. There's a secret passage beneath the dungeon built by the Founder back then. The entrance is in the dry well behind the Law Enforcement Hall."

"How do you know?"

"Because I've been down there." Old Zhou's voice grew even lower. "Looking for Li Gusheng's body. I didn't find it. But I found the secret passage. It leads to the lowest level of the dungeon. If you enter from there, you won't be discovered."

Lu Chen looked at Old Zhou. "You've been down into the Inverted Tower?"

"I have. The first level. Then I came back up." Old Zhou's eyes dimmed. "I saw Li Gusheng on the first level. Not the real person, but an illusion. He asked me—'Why didn't you come looking for me?' I couldn't answer."

Lu Chen was silent for a few seconds. "Where is the entrance to the secret passage?"

"There's a locust tree behind the Law Enforcement Hall, and next to it is a dry well. There's a loose stone at the bottom of the well; move it, and that's the secret passage." Old Zhou took a rope from a shelf and handed it to him. "Ten zhang long, that should be enough."

Lu Chen took the rope and tucked it into his robe.

"Be careful," Old Zhou said. "There's something in the dungeon. It's not human."

"What is it?"

"I don't know. But I heard breathing in the secret passage. It wasn't human breathing; it was something—very large."

Lu Chen didn't press further. No matter what was in the dungeon, he had to go down.

Because the thread was still there.

Midnight. The hour of Zi.

Lu Chen stood under the locust tree behind the Law Enforcement Hall. The moon was bright, casting a stark white light on the ground. The dry well was to the right of the locust tree, its opening mostly hidden by weeds; one wouldn't notice it without looking closely.

He cleared away the weeds and looked into the well. It was pitch black; he couldn't see a thing. He tied one end of the rope to the locust tree, threw the other end into the well, and then slid down, gripping the rope.

The well walls were damp and felt icy to the touch; he could feel water droplets dissolving in his palms. After sliding down about three zhang, his feet hit the bottom. The bottom of the well wasn't deep, but it was very narrow, barely enough for one person to turn around.

He crouched down and felt the stones at the bottom. He felt them one by one until he reached the fifth stone, where his hand felt a loose one—it could be wiggled. He pulled it away with force, revealing a hole. The hole wasn't large, just enough for a person to crawl through.

A gust of wind blew out of the hole. It wasn't an ordinary wind; it was cold, the same chill as in the Inverted Tower.

Lu Chen pulled a Fire Striker from his robe and blew on it twice. A flame flickered to life. He bent down and crawled inside. The secret passage was narrower than he had expected; he could only move forward by crawling on his belly. The stone walls scraped his shoulders, and with every move, he could hear the sound of his clothes rubbing against the stone. After crawling for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the passage suddenly widened.

He could stand up.

He stood up and held the Fire Striker high. The secret passage here opened into a space about one zhang square, with stone on all sides. Words were carved into the walls—the same script as in the Inverted Tower. "Law Enforcement Hall Dungeon, built by Founder Zhou Ding. Use this secret passage to reach the lowest level of the dungeon. If descendants have need, they may use it."

Lu Chen continued forward. The secret passage branched ahead—left went up, right went down. To the left were stone steps; to the right was a slope. He thought for a moment and went up. The stone steps were very steep, each step quite high, requiring effort to lift his legs. After climbing about twenty steps, he reached a wooden door. The door was very old, the wood rotting; it opened with a single push.

Door behind was a room. It was small, about one zhang square, with dry straw spread on the floor and a wooden bucket in the corner. An oil lamp hung on the wall; its flame was still lit, weak but enough to see by.

A person was sitting in the room.

In black clothes.

Thin.

Their face was very pale.

So pale they didn't look like a living person.

The person looked up at Lu Chen. Their eyes were black, as black as ink, without any luster. Their lips were covered in dry skin, several layers thick, some already cracked and seeping blood. There were injuries on their face—a bruise at the corner of the eye, a split lip, and a bloodstain on the cheek that had dried into a dark red scab.

"Who are you?" the person asked. Their voice was very raspy, as if their throat had been rubbed with sandpaper.

Lu Chen looked at him. He didn't recognize him. The face was unfamiliar. But the thread on his wrist—that white thread, six loops, seven knots—was the same as the one on this person's wrist.

"The thread on your wrist, who tied it?" Lu Chen asked.

The person looked down at his own wrist. He also wore a white thread, identical to Lu Chen's—six loops, seven knots. He stared at it for a long time, then looked up at Lu Chen, a flicker of light in his eyes. It wasn't the light from the Fire Striker, but a light emanating from deep within his eyes, weak but definitely there.

"You don't remember either?" the person asked.

"I don't remember. But the thread is here."

The person's lips twitched slightly, as if he were smiling or perhaps crying. "The thread is here. So the person is here."

"Are you Qin Wu?" Lu Chen asked.

"Yes."

"I've come to take you out."

Qin Wu shook his head. "I can't get out. Elder Sun placed a Restriction on me. If I step out of this room, the Restriction will trigger, and my spiritual power will be completely destroyed."

"What kind of Restriction?"

"I don't know. But she said—unless she personally removes it, whoever touches it dies."

Lu Chen was silent for a few seconds. "Then I didn't come to take you out. I came to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"The Polygonatum Case. Who was that batch of polygonatum sold to? Who signed for it? Who received the money?"

Qin Wu looked at him. "You're investigating Elder Sun too?"

"Yes."

Qin Wu was silent for a long time. He leaned against the wall, eyes closed, breathing heavily. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he opened his eyes. "The buyer was from the Ten Thousand Sword Sect. I don't know the name, but he wore a grey robe and a jade plaque with the word 'Sword' on his waist. The transaction took place at the foot of Qingniu Ridge. The polygonatum Wang Fu brought, fifteen stalks, sold for thirty Spirit Stones. The person who signed was Vice Hall Master Liu. The person who received the money was—Sun Qian."

"Sun Qian?"

"Yes. Elder Sun's nephew. He personally received the money and handed it to Wang Fu. Wang Fu gave him five Spirit Stones, and the rest went to Vice Hall Master Liu. Vice Hall Master Liu took ten, and the remaining fifteen—went to Elder Sun."

Lu Chen committed this string of names to memory. Wang Fu -> Sun Qian -> Vice Hall Master Liu -> Elder Sun. A clear line.

"Can you testify?"

"I can," Qin Wu said. "But I can't get out."

"You will."

Qin Wu looked at him. "Do you remember what we promised each other?"

Lu Chen thought for a few seconds. "I don't remember."

"We promised—to explore the Inverted Tower together. You forgot, but I remember."

Lu Chen looked down at the white thread on his left wrist. "I forgot you, but the thread is here. Since the thread is here, the promise remains."

Qin Wu's lips twitched. This time he was truly smiling, faintly, as if sighing.

"Go. If you stay any longer, you'll be discovered."

Lu Chen stood up, walked to the door, and stopped.

"Qin Wu."

"Um."

"Don't die."

"I won't."

Lu Chen walked out of the wooden door and into the secret passage. When he passed the fork, he stopped and glanced at the slope to the right. The slope went down, deep and bottomless. A wind blew up, cold and carrying an indescribable scent—like rotting wood, or perhaps aged blood.

"The lowest level of the dungeon."

He didn't go down. It wasn't that he didn't dare; it just wasn't the time.

He turned back toward the well.

By the time he returned to the Pharmacy, dawn was approaching. Old Zhou was still sitting in front of the Pill Furnace, holding a cattail leaf fan, fanning it rhythmically. When he saw Lu Chen enter, he looked up.

"Did you see him?"

"I did."

"Is he still alive?"

"He's alive. But Elder Sun placed a Restriction on him. He can't get out."

Old Zhou was silent for a few seconds. "Restrictions can be broken. But you have to find the person who cast it. Elder Sun won't break it, so you'll have to find someone stronger than her."

"The Sect Head?"

"It's possible. But the Sect Head won't offend Elder Sun for a Loose Cultivator," Old Zhou said. "Unless—you have enough leverage."

Lu Chen pulled out the paper—the Inverted Tower map the Sect Head had given him. He looked at the blank space of the fifth level.

"The leverage is in the Inverted Tower."

"You're going into the tower?"

"I'll enter once my compassion is gone."

Old Zhou looked at him, his gaze complex. "You're crazy."

"I'm not crazy. I just don't have a choice."

Lu Chen sat down, pulled out Spirit Stones from his robe, held them in his palms, and closed his eyes. Spiritual Qi surged into his Dantian. It was slow, but it was steadily rising.

The sun rose.

Sunlight shone through the window onto his face.

He did not open his eyes.

tianxuan calendar, 18th Year of taiping, Late Autumn.

Lu Chen, Level 4 Qi Refining.

Learned the full scope of the Polygonatum Case.

Met Qin Wu.

But Qin Wu cannot come out.

The Restriction remains.

The leverage is in the Inverted Tower.

Once compassion is gone.

He will enter.