CHAPTER 71: CHAPTER 37: USING THE HIDDEN MOTH AS BAIT

Facing Gu Chun’s questioning, Jiang Daozhen’s expression was like a child playing tricks: "I did not participate in the Hidden Moth affair, nor did I try to find it, nor do I have any thought of competing for any Hidden Moth object.

You and I both know that thing can’t be found, so why bother?

As for yesterday’s incident, I neither showed up nor took action, I just said a word, and it has nothing to do with the Hidden Moth affair, are you saying I can’t even speak?"

Gu Chun kept silent, still staring at Jiang Daozhen. Jiang Daozhen felt a bit uneasy being stared at and finally spoke: "You say I am unfair, but there’s no absolute fairness, and it’s hard to say what fairness truly is.

Stopping Lin Qingshuang from taking a disciple may not necessarily be a bad thing.

So many good-for-nothings, as soon as they hear a rumor, they swarm like flies on rotten eggs. The situation has escalated so much, now everyone knows He Kao is the son of the Hidden Moth.

Lin Qingshuang came to Qi Yuan, claiming to investigate the death of Lin Hua Lei. And Lin Hua Lei’s demise was due to targeting He Kao, yet she suddenly takes He Kao as a disciple, what would others think?

Even if Lin Qingshuang tells the truth, few would believe it. Then the Jianghu rumors that follow won’t be about trivial gossip between me and the Wild Phoenix but will be that Lin Qingshuang has obtained the Hidden Moth object.

She has long stayed away from the Magic Sect’s disputes, living in seclusion in Hengzhou, can she withstand such dangerous storms?

So if she truly takes He Kao as a disciple, it’s not good for her or He Kao. Being inside the game, she can’t see clearly... I’ve spoken the truth, why are you still looking at me like this?"

Gu Chun: "As a Calculator, you’ve been quite talkative today."

Jiang Daozhen: "Weren’t you the one who had to ask me? And these trivial matters can be figured out with a bit of brains, no need for a Calculator."

Gu Chun: "I know you too well! The saying goes that explaining is concealing, perfectly fitting you. Is there something on your mind? If we trace back to this matter’s sources, I fear it might also link back to you?"

Jiang Daozhen: "Whose saying is that, isn’t it something girls say to scold their boyfriends? I’m just an old man who sets up a chess stall."

Gu Chun: "Still denying? The Leopard Claw Pendant that Lin Qingshuang took was the same one He Kao wore since he was little, whose handiwork is it? I thought it over, old Carpenter Zhou, He Kao’s grandfather, what high master could he know?

Your hometown Xiaowan Village isn’t far from Puhu Village, is it? Within a hundred-mile radius, besides you, who else possesses such skill?"

Jiang Daozhen mumbled guiltily: "Where are Xiaowan Village and Puhu Village now, they’re all merged into Jiangbei New District Pugang Town."

Gu Chun ignored him and continued: "If He Kao wasn’t wearing that Leopard Claw Pendant, these things wouldn’t have happened. Once it’s found out that his father might have been the Hidden Moth back then, that Leopard Claw looks more and more suspicious, hard not to make people doubtful!

Qian Guran from Qi Observation Sect was the first to make a move, then others followed, except for Ye Hui’s daughter, all of them with decent skills, even the fakes they crafted seemed real, definitely not ordinary items.

Lin Hua Lei was the second to make a move but was spied on by Liang Kai, costing him his life. If Liang Kai hadn’t disappeared or appeared alive later, do you think Lin Qingshuang would let it go?

If Lin Qingshuang killed Liang Kai, what would Zhao Hai Zhen do? If Zhao Hai Zhen is feeling protective of his junior and dares to confront Lin Qingshuang, given her temper, she would likely not treat him kindly, and might even kill Zhao Hai Zhen, what would Wan Zhongle’s reaction be?

If Wan Zhongle went to find Lin Qingshuang, then what about the Wild Phoenix? You, as a Calculator, shouldn’t you foresee all these after the first event unfolded?

If that Pendant was crafted by you, you couldn’t stay completely uninvolved."

Jiang Daozhen: "So, it’s best if Liang Kai is truly dead!"

Gu Chun: "Are you sure Liang Kai is dead?"

Jiang Daozhen: "Even if he could come back alive, he’d just die again. When I first heard the news, I thought it was you who made a move."

Gu Chun: "When I came to Qi Yuan, I indeed thought of killing him, but someone acted faster. Based on various clues it should be the Hidden Moth... Almost got swayed by you, you haven’t said what that Pendant is all about?"

Jiang Daozhen: "Did you see what just happened? There exists that kind of person in the world, that year a guy came to the market, played a game of chess with me as he passed by, lost, and shamelessly refused to pay the two dollars and even tried to overturn my chess stall..."

In He Kao’s memory, the old man used to charge five dollars per game at his stall, but this happened in a time when it was two dollars per game. This goes to show how quickly prices were rising across the Eastern Country in those years.

Carpenter Zhou was also there at the time, and stood up for Jiang Lao by grabbing that man, preventing him from bullying the old man. During the scuffle, Carpenter Zhou’s pocket was torn, and a Leopard Claw fell to the ground, which Jiang Daozhen picked up afterwards.

Next time at the market, Jiang Daozhen saw Carpenter Zhou again, greeted him cheerfully and thanked him again, inviting him to sit down for a game, and said he didn’t have to pay even if he lost.

Carpenter Zhou played a game of chess with him and surprisingly won, Old Man Jiang took out two dollars. Carpenter Zhou, however, shook his head repeatedly, saying that since there’s no need to pay if lost, he shouldn’t accept money if he won, so he simply didn’t take it.

Jiang Daozhen no longer insisted, then took out a Leopard Claw and asked Carpenter Zhou if it was the one he accidentally dropped last time? Carpenter Zhou nodded and said yes, he heard it could ward off evil, intending to make a pendant for his eldest grandson to wear, so he had it in his pocket that day.

With Carpenter Zhou’s skill, processing such an item wouldn’t need anyone else’s help, it was made by him. However, the Beast Claw was in Jiang Daozhen’s possession for a month and was already through a ritual when returned.

Although Jiang Daozhen was not a Micro Realm Sorcerer, he already had Tier Six Cultivation, it was no surprise for him to craft such an item. This incident happened when He Kao was three years old, and his father Zhou Du was still alive.

After hearing all, Gu Chun smirked: "Turns out you were involved! Did you know back then that carpenter’s son Zhou Du was the Hidden Moth?"

Jiang Daozhen: "I cannot say I know, nor can I say I have calculated it; it’s merely a guess. But such guessing is meaningless, as we can’t ask the Hidden Moth to verify it."

Gu Chun: "Is the rumor true? Have you now surpassed the Tier Seven Grand Calculator?"

Jiang Daozhen: "What garlic, let alone green onion!"

Gu Chun sighed: "Every time you don’t want to speak seriously, there’s definitely a problem. Have you really made a breakthrough?"

Jiang Daozhen: "It’s not that easy. I always feel just a bit short; otherwise, I wouldn’t have to daily brave the sun and rain, running here to set up a stall to earn a hard living."

Gu Chun: "Under this shade, how is there any sun? As for rain, I haven’t seen you set up a stall when it rains."

Jiang Daozhen: "Who said there wasn’t? I’ve come even on days with gentle wind and light rain."

Gu Chun: "Don’t always change the subject! You forbade Lin Qingshuang from taking disciples. With her temperament, she certainly won’t be content. Don’t forget, she was once close friends with Wild Phoenix. Do you think she won’t seek an explanation from Wild Phoenix?"

Jiang Daozhen shrank his head: "Aren’t you here? If Wild Phoenix comes looking for trouble, you must clear things up for me... We’ve known each other for so many years; surely you’re not unwilling to help with this little favor."

Gu Chun: "You wait till there’s trouble to talk about our relationship?"

Jiang Daozhen changed the topic: "Let’s talk business; what do you think? Why did you persuade the Ancestral Hall to issue an order? Doing this is akin to announcing to everyone that the Hidden Moth is in Qi Yuan. Don’t you think something might happen?"

Gu Chun sighed: "When I issued the order, Qian Guran, Lin Hua Lei, and Liang Kai were already watching He Kao. Don’t you think the secret won’t continue to leak?"

I did it to control the situation and protect the core of the Magic Sect. You know, there are more and more sorcerers today, yet the rate of those who can surpass Tier Four is increasingly low, and it’s becoming more difficult to find cultivated disciples..."

Jiang Daozhen: "But what about those disciples below Tier Four? The Ancestral Hall’s order might lead to misunderstandings, suggesting that matters involving the Hidden Moth are opportunities for younger disciples below Tier Four."

Gu Chun: "The order was only sent to the upper echelons. Some didn’t even inform their disciples; some used it as a warning to restrain their disciples, while others hinted for disciples to come... This reveals some distinctions.

While I want to protect these people, I also want to use this opportunity to perform some selection.

As for the sorcerers below Tier Four, there are more and more each year, and the situation is becoming increasingly chaotic. The times have changed, and people’s minds are more disturbed than ever, so it’s time to do some thorough cleaning!

I believe the elders of the Ancestral Hall share this sentiment, yet they are too hesitant to take firm action. Let me be the villain in this case; otherwise, why hasn’t anyone opposed it?"

In recent years, certain circumstances have been somewhat agreed upon by the elders of various Magic Sects. The societal changes are too rapid and intense; those living within them, the sorcerers, could not remain unaffected, while the sect’s response has often been somewhat delayed.

The Magic Sect was founded and the technique passed down for over two millennia, with the technique continually improved and sect rules constantly perfected, reaching a relatively stable state a thousand years ago.

Throughout the long agricultural society, despite several changes in dynasties and cycles of order and chaos, people’s production and living methods, as well as cultural customs, have changed little, or changed very slowly.

In those times, the vast majority of sorcerers were quite pure. This purity doesn’t necessarily refer to naiveté, but their pursuits were very clear, focusing solely on cultivating techniques.

This was almost an inevitable phenomenon; ordinary people, once granted the legendary secret inheritance, often devoted their entire lives to pursuing it. As for the various means of worldly operation, they were merely seen as guarantees for livelihood and survival.

However, in modern times, the pace of societal change suddenly accelerated, bringing about more and more unprecedented new situations. The Magic Sect’s management and supervision of disciples also had to make corresponding adjustments.

A rather paradoxical phenomenon is that the easier the communication and connection, the looser the organizational structure and cohesion of the Magic Sect become.

Especially in the last twenty years, the rate of change in lifestyle has been more dramatic than imagined. To say no more, both Gu Chun and Jiang Daozhen grew up in a time without mobile phones or the internet, making today seem like a different era.

Just yesterday, He Kao heard a gossip that the Ancestral Hall set a new rule a few years ago, prohibiting disciples from searching Magic Sect’s non-transferable keywords and corresponding content online, illustrating the issue from another angle.

Choices and temptations are increasing, moral and profit conflicts are becoming greater, especially for those with stronger abilities. Even if sorcerers are quite straightforward upon entry, they won’t forever remain so naïve.

Technique cultivation is arduous, and many have stopped seeing it as an aim, rather merely a means to satisfy personal desires or even evil thoughts.

The organizational structure of various Magic Sects, which became increasingly lax and more lenient towards disciple conduct starting two hundred years ago, has now reached a point where it’s due for cleaning and rectification.

Jiang Daozhen’s expression finally became serious as he looked up at Gu Chun and said: "You’re using the Hidden Moth as bait."

Gu Chun: "It just happens to be the right opportunity! It’s quite funny, actually. Among so many Magic Sect disciples, even myself included, we really don’t know who the Hidden Moth is. As a local, Elder Jiang, do you have any suspicions or calculated anything?"

Jiang Daozhen shook his head: "You, as a Calculator, wouldn’t understand. I can’t calculate this nor should I. Whoever it is, it remains the same; the Hidden Moth is unknowable and unseen."

Gu Chun: "This is precisely the part I cannot comprehend, and today’s visit is to seek your wisdom on this, old friend."

**