Bai Heng learned the origins of those two from Granny Jiang.
In the latter half of the night at the mountain god temple, Granny Jiang activated the restriction and spoke directly.
“That Daoist is called Zhou Yuan. He is Yun Qing’s junior martial brother and received quite a bit of care from Yun Qing. Early-stage Golden Core. He only just broke through.”
Bai Heng’s ears twitched slightly.
Granny Jiang continued.
“He had been in closed-door cultivation trying to reach Golden Core for the past twenty years. He only came out of seclusion last month and heard the news of Yun Qing’s death.”
She paused.
“A few days ago he received word that the orphaned son of his senior martial brother Yun Qing had been found. He volunteered and brought several disciples with him.”
Bai Heng was silent for a moment.
“He does not know about the spiritual root theft?”
Granny Jiang shook her head.
“He does not. The higher-ups who truly know the inside story would never let him know.”
She looked at Bai Heng.
“They deliberately sent someone like him — upright in conduct and unaware of the truth — to handle appearances. Only then can the effect of clarification be achieved. As for the Feng Clan woman…”
Granny Jiang spoke.
Bai Heng understood.
“Feng Qingyue. Early-stage Golden Core. Within the Feng Clan she counts as someone who handles matters fairly and has a gentle temperament. She has a small reputation.”
She paused.
“She was also sent only to clarify matters as ordered.”
Bai Heng narrowed her eyes slightly.
“She also does not know the inside story?”
Granny Jiang nodded.
“Most likely not. The Feng Clan’s higher-ups sent someone like her because she is the best candidate for putting on a show.”
She looked at Bai Heng.
“Have you not noticed? Although she brought several people with her, she specifically instructed her disciples to be gentle and courteous and not to use their status to pressure others.”
Bai Heng recalled the Feng Clan disciples she had seen during the day.
They had indeed been very well-behaved, standing outside the courtyard and not going inside.
They had waited at the Qin family entrance until midnight before finally staying at the inn.
When Granny Jiang said this her tone carried a trace of mockery.
“Anyone can put on a show.”
Bai Heng was silent for a moment.
“Then what do we do now?”
Granny Jiang thought for a bit.
“The experts from the other clans and sects will not stay idle. Since Golden Core cultivators from the Qingxu Sect and the Feng Clan have appeared, they will not be able to sit still either.”
Granny Jiang looked at her, her gaze deep.
Bai Heng’s ears stood slightly upright.
“Just watch. The real show has only just begun.”
As expected, the next day more new people arrived in the village.
They were not hidden scouts. They came openly and aboveboard.
First came someone from the Han family — a middle-aged man with a square face and simple clothing who did not put on any airs.
Yet Bai Heng could sense that the aura on his body was rich and steady, even stronger than Zhou Yuan’s.
He was also at the Golden Core stage.
The Han family was one of the three great clans of the Li Kingdom.
In terms of foundation they were not much inferior to the Feng Clan.
Next came someone from the Yuehua Sect — a young woman wearing moon-white Daoist robes with a cold and clear temperament.
When she entered the village her gaze swept across the surroundings and paused for an instant on the slope where Bai Heng squatted.
Bai Heng did not move.
The woman withdrew her gaze and followed the Han family member into the village.
Someone from Cangfeng Valley also arrived — a sword-carrying youth with a cold and stern face who spoke little.
He stood at the village entrance, looked around, chose an empty spot, and sat down cross-legged.
The person from Danyun Mountain was a middle-aged woman with a round face who loved to smile.
She brought many medicinal pills and distributed them to the village elders and children.
For a time the village became quite lively.
Bai Heng squatted on the rock and watched those people enter the village one after another.
The Han family, Yuehua Sect, Cangfeng Valley, and Danyun Mountain — the four great sects and three great clans of the Li Kingdom — had all arrived except for the Wang family, which was still busy at the secret realm.
Bai Heng was not surprised that the Wang family had not come.
If they wanted to make more moves in this small village the core restrictions still required the Wang family.
As the number one array and mechanism clan in the Li Kingdom they were needed to undo the restrictions on the secret realm side.
Matters there were more important.
There was no need for them to come.
People from the Liang family and the Lu family also arrived.
It was Lu Mingshuang’s mother who came.
Bai Heng saw from afar that woman walking along the mountain path.
Her clothing and appearance were no different from those of an ordinary noblewoman, yet the bearing she carried made it obvious at a glance that she was no ordinary person.
Mid-stage Golden Core.
Lu Mingshuang went forward to greet her and called out “Mother.”
The woman nodded and followed her toward the courtyard.
Xu Cheng stood at the courtyard entrance and performed a respectful salute.
The woman glanced at him and smiled without saying anything further.
Representatives from both families had arrived.
The Liang and Lu families had been marriage allies for generations.
Sending one elder was enough to represent both houses.
Bai Heng withdrew her gaze and thought about Granny Jiang’s words.
Those clans and sects had indeed been unable to sit still.
They claimed they wanted to investigate the truth before anything else and give Yun Zhuo justice.
In reality they would not allow the Qingxu Sect and the Feng Clan to easily take Yun Zhuo away.
Yet Bai Heng knew exactly what they were thinking.
The secret realm.
Yun Qing’s relics.
And in terms of priority, that legendary new disciple as well.
None of them wanted to miss out on these things.
Some were probably also simply joining the excitement or simply causing trouble for the Qingxu Sect and the Feng Clan.
Zhou Yuan and Feng Qingyue stayed one night at the inn.
The next day they went to the Qin family again.
This time they did not bring many people, only two disciples each.
Qin Shi and his wife were still afraid, yet better than the day before.
Qin Yun stood in the courtyard looking exhausted.
Clearly he had not slept all night.
Zhou Yuan looked at Qin Yun and was silent for a moment before speaking.
“Yun Zhuo, I know you do not believe us. Yet your background is fact.”
He took out a jade slip from his bosom.
“This belonged to your father. It carries his aura. You can sense it.”
Qin Yun did not take it.
He simply stood there and looked at Zhou Yuan.
“I already said I am not going.”
Zhou Yuan sighed.
“You do not have to go. That is fine. Yet you should know who your father was, who your mother was, what they did for you, and why they died.”
He paused.
“This is your right.”
After a long while Qin Yun finally spoke while remaining silent.
“My father is Qin Shi. My mother is Li Lianhua.”
He paused.
“I do not remember the things you spoke of. I also do not want to know.”
Zhou Yuan looked at him with a complicated gaze.
A moment later he put the jade slip away and nodded.
“Very well. I will not force you.”
He turned and walked out of the courtyard.
Feng Qingyue followed behind him.
When she reached the entrance she looked back at Qin Yun once.
That gaze held a trace of sympathy and a trace of helplessness.
Qin Yun stood in place and watched their retreating figures without moving.
Qin Yu ran out from the house and grabbed his hand.
“Brother.”
Qin Yun lowered his head and looked at his younger sister.
“It is fine.”
He said softly.
“Brother is here.”
Qin Yu nodded and leaned against him.
Li Lianhua stood at the doorway with a worried expression.
Qin Shi stood beside her with a complicated look on his face yet still could not say a single word.
That evening an additional person appeared in Xu Cheng’s small courtyard.
Lu Mingshuang’s mother sat in the courtyard drinking tea while listening to Xu Cheng and Lu Mingshuang speak about the events of these past few days.
“That child refuses to go?”
Xu Cheng nodded.
The woman was silent for a moment and sighed.
“That is only natural. Anyone in his position would not leave with strangers.”
She paused.
“Then just watch him for now. We can talk again once he has thought things through.”
Xu Cheng nodded.
Lu Mingshuang stood to the side, seeming to want to speak yet hesitating.
The woman glanced at her.
“What do you want to say?”
Lu Mingshuang hesitated for a moment.
“Mother, those rumors…”
The woman waved a hand.
“Rumors are rumors. The truth is the truth. Until everything has been investigated clearly no one should jump to conclusions.”
She looked at Lu Mingshuang.
“You two have done well these past few days. Continue watching over that child. Do not let anyone harm him.”
Lu Mingshuang nodded.
The woman stood up and walked toward the house.
When she reached the doorway she suddenly stopped.
“As for the Liang family matter, decide for yourself. But do not forget your surname.”
Finished speaking, she walked inside.
Xu Cheng stood in place and remained silent for a long while.
Lu Mingshuang looked at him and wanted to say something, yet swallowed it back.
Moonlight spilled down and the mountain forest was completely silent.
Bai Heng squatted on the rock and gazed at the village below the mountain.
There were many more lights than usual.
The disciples from the various clans and sects were still talking inside the inn.
The lamp in the Qin family courtyard was still lit.
She watched for a long time before withdrawing her gaze.
Footsteps sounded in the forest.
Mu Xuejun walked over and sat down beside her.
“Quite a few people came today.”
Bai Heng nodded.
Mu Xuejun gazed at the distant village.
“That child refuses to go.”
Bai Heng did not speak.
Mu Xuejun was silent for a moment and suddenly asked.
“Little White sister, do you think he has already guessed something?”
Bai Heng’s ears twitched slightly.
Mu Xuejun also did not answer and simply sighed.
“This child is smarter and more perceptive than I thought.”
She also stood up and patted the dirt from her clothes.
“I am heading back. I will go see him again tomorrow.”
Bai Heng nodded.
Mu Xuejun turned and walked down the mountain while speaking.
“Little White sister, you should rest early as well.”
Bai Heng gently flicked her tail and answered with a sound of agreement.
Mu Xuejun left with a light laugh and disappeared into the forest.
Bai Heng withdrew her gaze, used her fox steps, and returned to the rock cave after a few flashes.