31: Chapter 31 Ledgers

tianxuan calendar · 18th Year of Taiping, Late Autumn

The Account Book had been tucked in Lu Chen's chest for three days.

In those three days, he hadn't flipped through it once. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but that he didn't dare. He wasn't afraid of the contents; he was afraid that after reading it, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from acting immediately. The Sect Head was right—if he acted now, Elder Sun would retaliate. He could afford the price of that retaliation, but Qin Wu couldn't, Qian Youwei couldn't, and Old Zhou couldn't.

So he waited.

Alchemy by day, Cultivate by night. His hands were still shaking, but it was a bit better than a few days ago. Old Zhou said his body was adapting—the Grey Spirit Root was growing too fast, and his body couldn't keep up, but now it was.

"Caught up?" Lu Chen looked at his hands. They were still shaking, but the magnitude was smaller, from a major tremor to a minor one.

"It's caught up." Old Zhou poured the ground medicinal ingredients into a bowl. "In a few more days, they shouldn't shake anymore."

"And then?"

"Then your cultivation speed will return to normal. Not faster, but normal." Old Zhou looked at him. "Have you felt lately—like you don't care about anything?"

Lu Chen thought for a moment. "Yes."

"For example?"

"For example, Sun Qian being transferred to the Teaching Hall as a Handyman—I don't care. Vice Hall Master Liu bringing people to arrest me—I don't care. Accountant Qian saying he's going to die—I also don't care."

Old Zhou was silent for a few seconds. "That means your compassion is disappearing. It doesn't vanish all at once; it fades bit by bit. Today you feel indifferent, tomorrow you won't care, and the day after, you won't even have the 'feeling' of caring."

"I know."

"You know, yet you keep moving forward."

"Yes."

Old Zhou didn't speak again. He turned around and continued grinding the ingredients.

On the fourth day, Su Qing came.

Today she wore a light grey robe, her hair tied with a white ribbon. There was a bit of color in her face, and she looked more spirited than before. She held a letter in her hand, just like last time—a white envelope with 'To Lu Chen' written on it.

"The Veiled Person has sent another letter."

Lu Chen took the letter and opened it.

Inside was only one line: 'Elder Sun knows you have the Account Book. Within three days, she will act. Be careful.'

Lu Chen folded the letter and tucked it into his chest. "How does he know I have the Account Book?"

"I don't know. But he's right every time." Su Qing looked at him. "The Account Book is in your hands?"

"Yes."

"Let me see."

Lu Chen pulled the cloth bundle from his chest, opened it, and handed her the Account Book. Su Qing took it and flipped through it page by page. Her face grew paler as she read, and when she reached the page with the Pill Formula, her hand stopped.

"A Pill Formula? She sold a Pill Formula?"

"The complete recipe for the small foundation establishment pill. Sold for five hundred Spirit Stones."

Su Qing's hand was shaking. "This is the Foundation of the Danding Sect. Left by the Ancestral Master. How could she—"

"She could." Lu Chen took the Account Book back, wrapped it up, and tucked it away. "In Elder Sun's eyes, the Danding Sect isn't her School; it's her business. Everything can be sold, as long as there's a price."

Su Qing was silent for a long time. She leaned against the wall, eyes closed, her breathing heavy.

"What do you plan to do?"

"Wait. Wait for the Sect Head to be ready, wait for me to be ready, and wait for compassion to disappear."

"How long will it take for compassion to disappear?"

"I don't know. Maybe a month, maybe a year, maybe tomorrow."

Su Qing opened her eyes and looked at him. "Aren't you afraid—that when your compassion is gone, you'll even forget 'why you wanted to bring down Elder Sun'?"

Lu Chen thought for a moment. "If I forget, I forget. As long as the thread is there."

"Thread?"

He lifted his left wrist, revealing the white thread. "This is Qin Wu's thread. I don't remember him, but the thread is there. As long as the thread is there, the person is there. Bringing down Elder Sun isn't out of hatred for her; it's to save Qin Wu. Even if I forget why I need to save him, the thread will remind me."

Su Qing stared at the white thread for a long time. "You really are a strange person."

"How so?"

"You don't care about anything, yet you care about a thread."

Lu Chen looked down at the white thread on his wrist. "Because the thread is the only thing left. Family is gone, friendship is gone, and compassion is almost gone. When compassion is gone, I'll have nothing left. But the thread remains. With the thread, I'll know I still have one unfinished task."

"What task?"

"Save Qin Wu. Enter the Inverted Tower. Seek longevity."

Su Qing said no more. She turned and left. Her footsteps were light and soon became inaudible.

On the night of the fifth day, while Lu Chen was performing Qi Channeling, he heard a knock at the door.

It wasn't Su Qing—Su Qing didn't knock. It wasn't Old Zhou—Old Zhou would push the door open directly. It wasn't Zhao Ping—Zhao Ping would call out 'Senior Brother Lu' before knocking.

Who was it?

He stood up, walked to the door, and opened it a crack.

A person stood outside. Wearing a grey robe and a veil, their face was hidden.

The Veiled Person.

"Come in." Lu Chen stepped aside to let them in.

The person walked in and closed the door. They stood in the middle of the room, looking around—the wooden bed, table, chairs, Pill Furnace, and medicine rack. Their gaze finally landed on the Account Book on the table.

"This is Elder Sun's Account Book?"

"Yes."

"Can I see it?"

"No."

The person turned their head to look at him. The eyes behind the veil were brown, not large but very bright. They looked a bit like Su Qing's eyes, but it wasn't the same person.

"You don't trust me?"

"I don't."

"Then why did you let me in?"

"Because I want to know who you are."

The person was silent for a few seconds. Then they reached out and removed the veil.

It was a young man's face. In his early twenties, fair-skinned, with thin eyebrows, thin lips, and a pointed chin. He didn't look like a Cultivator; he looked more like a scholar.

"My name is Chen Xuan," the young man said. "Inner Sect Disciple, Qi Refining Level 6. Zhou Ran's Senior Brother."

Lu Chen's fingers curled slightly. Chen Xuan—Su Qing had mentioned that Zhou Ran had a Senior Brother at the Qi Refining Level 6 who was part of Elder Sun's faction.

"You're one of Elder Sun's people?"

"I used to be." Chen Xuan sat down on a chair. "Now I'm the Sect Head's man."

"When did you change?"

"Three months ago. The Sect Head talked to me once. He asked me—do you want to be Elder Sun's thug for the rest of your life, or do you want to be a human? I said I wanted to be a human. He said, then help me bring down Elder Sun."

"So you're a mole the Sect Head planted by Elder Sun's side?"

"Yes," Chen Xuan said. "The previous letters were all written by me. I told the Sect Head about Elder Sun's movements. I also leaked the clues for the Polygonatum Case to Qian Youwei."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because the Sect Head sent me. He said—Lu Chen needs to know he isn't fighting alone."

Lu Chen looked at Chen Xuan. "Do you know what's written in the Account Book?"

"I know. Pill Formulas. Elder Sun sold the Pill Formulas to the Ten Thousand Sword Sect."

"Aren't you afraid she'll find out you're the one who leaked the secrets?"

"I am," Chen Xuan said. "But I'm more afraid of being a dog for the rest of my life."

Lu Chen was silent for a few seconds. "What does the Sect Head plan to do next?"

"Close the net." Chen Xuan stood up. "In three days, the Sect Head will convene a Sect Assembly. All Elders, Hall Masters, and Inner Sect Disciples must attend. At that time, he will publicly announce the evidence of Elder Sun's crimes—the Account Book, the sound-recording jade, and witnesses."

"Who are the witnesses?"

"Qian Youwei. And—Sun Qian."

Lu Chen's His eyes changed.. "Sun Qian? He's willing to testify?"

"He has no choice. The Sect Head has something on him. Those five Spirit Stones he embezzled are enough to lock him in the Law Enforcement Hall's dungeon for three years. If he doesn't want to go to jail, his only option is to testify."

"Will Elder Sun admit to it?"

"No. But the evidence is enough to convict her." Chen Xuan walked to the door and put his veil back on. "The Sect Head asked me to tell you—you don't need to do anything at the assembly in three days. Just sit and watch."

"Why?"

"Because you're too conspicuous. If you sit there, Elder Sun will be distracted. Once she's rattled, it'll be easier for us to make our move."

Lu Chen thought for a moment. "Alright."

Chen Xuan pushed the door open and walked out. His footsteps were light and soon became inaudible.

The sixth day. The day before the Sect Head's assembly.

Lu Chen didn't perform Alchemy or Cultivate. He sat in the small room behind the Pharmacy and read the Account Book from beginning to end once more.

Ten years. From the 8th Year of Taiping to the 18th Year of Taiping. Five stalks of polygonatum, ten stalks of polygonatum, twenty stalks of polygonatum. Purple Lingzhi, Dragon Saliva Grass, thousand-year-old fleeceflower root. Pill Formulas. Spirit Stones. Entry after entry, all clear as day.

He looked at those numbers, feeling nothing in his heart. It wasn't anger—anger required emotion. It wasn't sadness—sadness required emotion. He just watched, like reading someone else's diary.

Old Zhou pushed the door open and came in, carrying a bowl of medicinal soup.

"The assembly is tomorrow."

"I know."

"Are you nervous?"

"No."

"Afraid?"

"No."

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

Old Zhou placed the medicinal soup on the table and looked at him.

"You have truly changed. Not for the worse, just changed. You used to at least feel nervous. Now, you don't even know how to be nervous anymore."

"Is being nervous useful?"

"It is useless. But being nervous shows that you are still human."

Lu Chen picked up the medicinal soup and downed it in one gulp. Bitter. He was used to the bitterness; it didn't feel unpleasant.

"Whether I am human or not, the path must be walked."

Old Zhou shook his head, turned around, and left.

The seventh day. The Sect Head's assembly.

The Council Hall was packed with people.

Elders, Hall Masters, Inner Sect Disciples—over a hundred people, filling the hall to the brim. Lu Chen sat in the corner of the last row, with Su Qing beside him. She was wearing a formal dark blue robe today, her hair pinned up with a jade hairpin, and light makeup on her face, making her look very solemn.

"Are you nervous?" Su Qing asked in a low voice.

"I am not."

"I am afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Afraid that Elder Sun will retaliate. She is not the type to obediently plead guilty."

Lu Chen did not respond.

The Sect Head walked in from the side door, stepped onto the high platform, and sat in the main seat. He wore a formal dark green robe today, with three jade plaques hanging from his waist—Sect Head, Danding, and Xuantian. His face was expressionless, but his eyes were heavy, as if he were looking at a game of chess that had been played for a long time and was finally about to conclude.

"I have summoned everyone here today for one matter." The Sect Head's voice was not loud, but it was clear, echoing through the hall. "The Danding Sect has been established for over a thousand years, and we have never had a traitor. But today, I must announce—the Head of the Law Enforcement Hall, Elder Sun, has colluded with the Ten Thousand Sword Sect to resell the School's secret assets and sell off Pill Formulas."

The hall erupted in chaos. Some people stood up, some slammed the tables, and some shouted "Impossible."

Elder Sun sat in the front row, her face expressionless. She wore a dark-colored robe, her hair was combed very neatly, and the jade plaque of the Head of the Law Enforcement Hall hung at her waist. Hearing the Sect Head's words, she didn't even move.

"Elder Sun, do you have anything to say?" The Sect Head looked at her.

Elder Sun stood up, turned around, and looked at the people in the hall. Her gaze swept across every face and finally landed on Lu Chen in the last row. She paused for a second, then looked away.

"I do not acknowledge what the Sect Head has said." Elder Sun's voice was very flat, without any fluctuation. "He says I colluded with the Ten Thousand Sword Sect; where is the evidence?"

"The evidence is here." The Sect Head pulled that Account Book from his sleeve and held it up. "This is the backup ledger kept by the Law Enforcement Hall's accountant, Qian Youwei, recording every illegal transaction you have handled over the past ten years. Including—the Pill Formula for the small foundation establishment pill, which you sold for five hundred Spirit Stones."

Elder Sun's expression changed slightly. It was not fear, but surprise. She had not expected the ledger to fall into the Sect Head's hands.

"Ledgers can be forged."

"What about the sound-recording jade?" The Sect Head took out the sound-recording jade again and held it up. "This contains the recorded conversation between Sun Qian and someone from the Ten Thousand Sword Sect regarding the transaction. Sun Qian said personally—'My aunt asked me to tell you that you can increase the quantity next time.'"

The corners of Elder Sun's mouth twitched. "Sun Qian is my nephew; what does what he says have to do with me?"

"What about Qian Youwei then?" The Sect Head clapped his hands.

The side door opened, and Qian Youwei walked in. He was wearing a clean gray robe today, his hair was combed neatly, and his back was straight, not looking like a man over sixty years old.

"Qian Youwei, tell everyone what you know," said the Sect Head.

Qian Youwei stood in the middle of the hall, looking at Elder Sun.

"In the eighth year of Taiping, Elder Sun first made me create a false account. Five stalks of five-year-old polygonatum, recorded as 'Alchemy consumption' upon leaving the warehouse, were actually sold to the Ten Thousand Sword Sect. They sold for ten Spirit Stones; Elder Sun took eight, and I took two."

"In the tenth year of Taiping, the second batch. Ten stalks of polygonatum sold for twenty Spirit Stones. Elder Sun took fifteen."

"In the twelfth year of Taiping, the third batch. Twenty stalks of polygonatum, plus five stalks of lingzhi. Sold for fifty Spirit Stones. Elder Sun took thirty-five."

"In the fifteenth year of Taiping, she began selling more valuable items. Purple Lingzhi, Dragon Saliva Grass, thousand-year fleeceflower root. Elder Sun handled it personally every time, and I was responsible for the accounting."

"In the third month of the seventeenth year of Taiping, she made me create the largest false account—three stalks of Purple Lingzhi, five stalks of Dragon Saliva Grass, and two stalks of thousand-year fleeceflower root. Sold for three hundred Spirit Stones. Elder Sun took two hundred."

"In the ninth month of the same year, she made me create a false account, wiping out the warehouse exit record of the Pill Formula. She sold the complete formula for the small foundation establishment pill to the Ten Thousand Sword Sect for five hundred Spirit Stones. That money did not pass through my hands; it was transferred directly into her account at the Xuantian Sect."

The hall was deathly silent.

Elder Sun stood in the front row, back turned to everyone, motionless.

"Elder Sun, do you have anything else to say?" The Sect Head asked.

Elder Sun turned around. Her face was expressionless, but there was a light in her eyes—not a light of fear, but something colder, like ice on a winter river, reflecting a blinding white light when hit by the sun.

"Is he finished?"

"He is finished."

"Then I have something to say as well." Elder Sun pulled a piece of paper from her sleeve and held it up. "This is a secret order from the Xuantian Sect's Council of Elders. It states—Danding Sect Leader Li Daoxuan, abusing power for personal gain, suppressing dissent, and misusing authority, should be immediately suspended for investigation."

The Sect Head's expression changed.

"The secret order arrived three days ago. I didn't bring it out earlier because I wanted to give you a chance." Elder Sun placed the secret order on the table. "Sect Head Li, you are now suspended. I will temporarily take over the affairs of the Law Enforcement Hall."

The hall erupted in chaos again.

Lu Chen sat in the last row, watching this scene. He felt nothing in his heart.

Su Qing's hands were trembling.

"Don't tremble," Lu Chen said in a low voice.

"She won."

"Not yet."

Lu Chen stood up.

The people in the hall saw him stand up and went quiet. Elder Sun turned around and looked at him.

"Who are you?" Elder Sun asked.

"Lu Chen. Alchemy Hall Disciple. Elder Zhou's successor."

"What do you want to say?"

"I want to say—Elder Sun, you forgot two people."

"Who?"

"Wang Fu. Vice Hall Master Liu."

Elder Sun's eyes changed slightly.

"Wang Fu was the handler, and Vice Hall Master Liu was the signatory. You alone could not have created so many false accounts. You had someone behind you helping you." Lu Chen took a step forward. "If the Sect Head is suspended, the next ones to be investigated will be the people who helped you create the false accounts. To save themselves, they will turn you in."

Elder Sun stared at him. "Are you threatening me?"

"It is not a threat. It is a reminder." Lu Chen stopped. "You can cover the sky with one hand in the Danding Sect, but you cannot cover the Xuantian Sect. The Xuantian Sect already knows about the Ten Thousand Sword Sect matter. The secret order was issued by the Xuantian Sect, but the investigation team is already on its way."

Elder Sun's expression finally changed.

"How do you know?"

"Because—the person wearing the veil told me."

No one in the hall spoke.

Elder Sun stood where she was, staring at Lu Chen, her eyes filled with hate, fear, and—unwillingness.

She turned around and looked at the Sect Head.

"Li Daoxuan, you won."

The Sect Head stood up. "I did not win. The evidence won."

He clapped his hands. Two people wearing Xuantian Sect robes walked in from the side door and approached Elder Sun.

"Elder Sun, you are under arrest. The charges are—colluding with the Ten Thousand Sword Sect, reselling the School's secret assets, and selling off Pill Formulas."

Elder Sun did not resist. She extended her hands and let those two people put the Spirit-Restricting Lock on her.

When she reached the door, she stopped and looked back at Lu Chen.

"You are the third. The first two are both dead. You will also die."

Lu Chen did not speak.

Elder Sun left.

The people in the hall slowly dispersed.

Lu Chen sat on the chair in the last row, holding that white thread in his hand.

Su Qing was beside him, looking at him.

"What you just said—about the Xuantian Sect's investigation team, is it true?"

"False."

"You lied to her?"

"Yes. But she does not know that."

Su Qing was silent for a few seconds. "You are crazy. What if she didn't believe it?"

"She believed it. Because she was afraid. Being afraid makes one believe."

Lu Chen stood up and walked out of the Council Hall.

The sunlight was blinding.

He squinted his eyes, looking at the mountains in the distance.

Elder Sun had fallen.

Qin Wu's Restriction had not yet been undone.

But it would be soon.

Once Beimin is gone.

He would enter the Inverted Tower.

To find the method to break all Restrictions.