Heaven’s Shadow

In the Sunlight Hall on Tian Kun Peak, only Xian Yue Zhenren and Du Kong Zhenren remained, with no one else present. Their relationship was quite familiar, so their conversation was more informal.

However, Du Kong Zhenren was taken aback when Xian Yue Zhenren suddenly inquired about He Yi, his disciple. He said, “Still in seclusion for self-reflection? Sect Leader, you’re asking about this…”

Xian Yue Zhenren sighed, not responding immediately. He gestured for Du Kong Zhenren to sit beside him and signaled for tea to be brought in.

Once the tea had been served and the attendant had left the hall, Xian Yue Zhenren took a sip from his cup. He noticed Du Kong Zhenren’s praise for the tea and gave him a sidelong glance, saying, “This tea is Xiao He.”

Du Kong Zhenren nodded. As a long-time member of the Heavenly Soldiers Hall, he had seen many things and knew well about the prestigious Xiao He tea. However, he smiled wryly and said, “This Xiao He tea is indeed excellent, but I’ll probably not be able to get any more from the Yi family in the future.”

He did not elaborate on why he would no longer be able to obtain the tea, but both he and Xian Yue Zhenren were aware that it was due to the incident involving He Yi’s younger brother and the Yi family. With the Yi family and Kunlun Sect now at odds, obtaining this tea was no longer an option.

Du Kong Zhenren shook his head, pushing away the unpleasant thoughts, and turned his attention back to Xian Yue Zhenren, saying seriously, “Sect Leader, you called me over and suddenly asked about He Yi. Is there something you need to discuss?”

Xian Yue Zhenren nodded and, after a moment of contemplation, said, “There was a murder case in the Flowing Fragrance Garden the other day. A servant disciple from our sect died under mysterious circumstances. Have you heard about it?”

Du Kong Zhenren nodded. “I heard about it but haven’t gone to see it myself. I only know a rough outline. What is it, Sect Leader?”

Xian Yue Zhenren took out a document from his robe and handed it to him, saying lightly, “This document details the situation in that house. Take a look for yourself.”

Du Kong Zhenren took the document with some confusion. After a brief glance at Xian Yue Zhenren, he began to read. As he read, his brows furrowed, and his expression grew more serious. For a while, the only sound in the vast Sunlight Hall was the rustling of pages.

After a while, Du Kong Zhenren finished reading the document. His face had grown somber, and he said in a deep voice, “The demonic sect is so audacious; they are truly overstepping!”

He then seemed to recall something and looked at Xian Yue Zhenren. After a moment of hesitation, he said, “Sect Leader, with such a situation, and you suddenly asking about He Yi, do you intend for him to…”

“Have him come see me,” Xian Yue Zhenren interrupted, rubbing his temples. “I know you have high expectations for He Yi. However, the recent incident involving his younger brother has stirred public anger. He, as the elder brother, also has his shortcomings. It’s inevitable that he faces some punishment.”

Du Kong Zhenren’s face showed a hint of pleasure as he stood up and said, “Of course. If it weren’t for you, Sect Leader, stepping in to smooth things over, Qian Deng and Ming Zhu from the Hundred Herbs Hall might not have let the matter go so easily. I have always been grateful for that.”

Xian Yue Zhenren nodded, looking at Du Kong Zhenren with a trace of satisfaction. “It’s good that you understand. Over the years, as the sect leader, I’ve always faced dissatisfaction from some within the sect. They say that when my master retired to Winter Peak, the sect leader position should have gone to Elder Shi Tianlan. Sigh… The attitude of some junior brothers, like Qian Deng and Ming Zhu, has been ambiguous. Only you, after many years in the Heavenly Soldiers Hall, have remained unwaveringly supportive.”

Du Kong Zhenren sneered and said, “Sect Leader, don’t be upset. Everyone knows what those few are plotting. They just want to seize more opportunities on the peaks of the Tianqiong Mountains. It’s laughable! Besides, when the succession was decided, we all stood in the Sunlight Hall. Even Elder Shi Tianlan hasn’t spoken up about it; when did it become their turn to make a fuss?”

He then bowed and said earnestly, “Rest assured, Sect Leader. Those petty figures won’t be able to cause any trouble. Even if we consider the possibility, Uncle Bai Chen is still on Winter Peak. I’m sure they won’t dare to make a move. I’ll go get He Yi to meet you. If there’s anything you need, just let him know. He’ll do his best to help you and catch those hidden demonic sect remnants, so you won’t be disappointed.”

Xian Yue Zhenren nodded with a smile and said, “That’s very good.”

Du Kong Zhenren turned and left, walking with vigorous steps, clearly pleased. For someone of his cultivation and temperament, this kind of happiness was rare, but it showed how much he truly cared for his disciple He Yi, expecting great things from him. In fact, Du Kong Zhenren seemed even more pleased than if he had received good news himself.

Watching Du Kong Zhenren leave, Xian Yue Zhenren was left alone in the vast Sunlight Hall. He sat quietly for a moment, then sighed softly, revealing a trace of inexplicable fatigue on his face.

Even with his master, a Grand Master, still alive and with him holding the position of Sect Leader, how could these people still dare to gossip and criticize? Did they really have such courage?

Was it just those few of them who were at the Nascent Soul stage?

Xian Yue Zhenren smiled wryly, his expression growing heavy. He was afraid that there might be someone backing these people up.

※※※

In the Flowing Fragrance Garden, the competition to plant the hawthorn trees was disrupted by the sudden murder case. Not only had the leading Golden Core cultivators Yan Luo and Lin Sheng not returned for several days, but the remaining servant disciples were also at a loss, not knowing what to do.

However, life had to go on. Even amidst the frenzy of rumors, everyone still went to the fields every day. Although they didn’t know if the competition would continue, they had to keep working. Some were slack, some worked harder, and some were unusually diligent.

The particularly diligent worker was Lu Chen. He never slacked off during work hours, diligently completing all his tasks. During his free time, he joined others by the fields, discussing the recent upheavals and speculating about the unfortunate victim’s death. They imagined what the demonic cult’s rumored demons might look like if they were indeed involved.

People had no particular opinions about the mild-mannered Lu Chen. Some even kindly reminded him not to waste effort, as the absence of Yan and Lin for several days likely meant the competition was canceled or would be rescheduled. After all, with no one monitoring the process, there was no telling if something shady might have occurred.

Lu Chen just smiled and kept working, nodding in agreement. As long as he did his work, others had no reason to criticize him.

Two days later, Yan Luo and Lin Sheng returned to the garden. It seemed they had heard about the murder and had other arrangements from the sect, so they were called back.

However, despite their return, both Yan Luo and Lin Sheng, the Golden Core cultivators, looked grim and were in a bad mood. As most people had expected, they ignored the results from the past few days and announced that the competition was canceled. They would organize another one in the future to select a suitable candidate.

In the crowd, Lu Chen remained silent, while others were all smiles. Occasionally, some familiar fellow disciples joked with him, patted him on the shoulder, and imparted lessons like “heeding the advice of elders to avoid trouble.” Lu Chen could only smile wryly, nodding repeatedly, acknowledging that he had not fully grasped the truth of their words and would work harder in the future.

In summary, the matter seemed to be temporarily set aside.

However, a day later, an unexpected turn of events occurred. Yan Luo and Lin Sheng called everyone together again and, with complex expressions, announced that there would be no further competitions. The candidate for the position had already been chosen: Lu Chen.

The crowd erupted in astonishment, and Lu Chen himself was dumbfounded, clearly confused.

People crowded around the two Golden Core cultivators, questioning incessantly. Yan Luo, with a detached expression, said that this decision was final because it had been personally selected by Su Qingjun.

The crowd was shocked and more confused, with voices rising in clamor. Yan Luo glanced knowingly at Lu Chen, who stood quietly at the back of the crowd, and a smirk appeared on his lips, hinting at something intriguing.

In Chinese, **”Zhenren” (真人)** translates to “True Person” or “Real Person.” It is a term often used in Taoism and Chinese Buddhism to refer to a person who has attained a high level of spiritual enlightenment or realization. This person is believed to have achieved a profound understanding of the true nature of reality and possesses advanced spiritual and moral qualities.

In Taoist contexts, “Zhenren” might refer to someone who has reached a state of harmony with the Tao (the fundamental nature of the universe) and thus embodies its principles. In other spiritual traditions, it can denote a sage or enlightened master who has transcended ordinary human limitations.