Chapter 84: Isn’t This Three Zero?

"Hiss—! This doesn't make sense! This shouldn't be happening!"

Su Qinian plucked another strand of his beard, utterly baffled.

"So, Pavilion Master, is this my master's memorial tablet?" Li Qingran looked at Su Qinian with hopeful eyes, her hands nervously clutching the hem of her skirt.

The Pavilion Master had been staring at the tablet for over ten minutes.

Could there still be a problem?

"Well, how should I put it?"

Su Qinian finally looked away from the tablet, which was missing a character, his expression complicated.

The tablet read "Chen [missing character] An." The middle character was missing.

Li Qingran's master was named Chen Huaian, but with a missing character, it was impossible to confirm if this tablet belonged to Chen Huaian. However, Li Qingran's master had claimed to be a former Supreme Elder of the Sword Pavilion…

Su Qinian was completely confused.

His memory told him that the Sword Pavilion had no Supreme Elder named Chen Huaian.

But the tablet in the ancestral hall told him that there was indeed an ancestor-level figure in the Sword Pavilion named Chen [something] An.

Because the tablet was placed at the very top, and with the missing character, combined with his memory of there being no Chen Huaian, he had simply skimmed over it without a second thought. If Li Qingran hadn't checked the tablets he had already looked at, they might have missed it entirely.

Could it be that when he joined the sect, this senior named Chen [something] An had indeed gone out to travel the world?

Had his random nonsense turned out to be true?!

Su Qinian took the tablet to the female sword cultivator outside, with Li Qingran quickly following.

"Senior Sister Lin, you joined the sect earlier than I did. Do you remember a senior named Chen [something] An?"

The woman in white turned around, her beautiful face immediately darkening. She pulled out the scabbard from her waist and smacked Su Qinian on the head. "Who told you to mess with the tablets in the ancestral hall? Do you want a beating?"

Despite being the Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion, Su Qinian didn't dare to resist.

He just lowered his head and endured Senior Sister Lin's scolding.

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"A Chen ancestor? I do have some vague memories, but I've forgotten the specific name." Lin Yuxi carefully placed the tablet back in its original position, then turned to the two juniors and said calmly:

"That ancestor left to travel the world very early on. He was a fellow disciple of our master's master. This tablet is very old. The disciples who used to guard the ancestral hall didn't take good care of it, and a mischievous sect guardian beast once clawed at it, which is why the middle character is missing."

Su Qinian felt his vision darken.

He hadn't expected his offhand remark to turn out to be true.

"Is there any other information about that senior?" He wanted to confirm it once and for all.

"Hmm…" Lin Yuxi frowned and thought for a moment, then said, "That ancestor did leave behind a saying, which is inscribed on the stone tablet at Wanjian Peak."

"So the words on the Wanjian Peak tablet were left by the Chen ancestor?" Su Qinian was greatly surprised. "I always thought it was left by our master."

"This disciple hasn't had the chance to visit Wanjian Peak yet. May I ask what the words are?"

"It's fine to tell you." Su Qinian paused, stroking his beard, and said, "The words are only eight characters long, but they are as powerful as a rainbow and perfectly summarize the sword intent cultivated at Wanjian Peak—'When the heavens collapse, there is only one sword!'"

Su Qinian swayed his head, immersed in the arrogance of those words.

Li Qingran, however, blinked, her eyes wandering slightly.

Although the words were powerful, they didn't sound like something her master would say. Her master's words would have been more ethereal.

But that wasn't important.

The master of the past was the master of the past.

The master of the present was the master of the present.

So much time had passed, and her master had experienced so much more. It was normal for his words to be slightly different now.

"That settles it." Su Qinian struck his palm with his fist, summarizing to himself. "Li Qingran, your master Chen Huaian is not a Supreme Elder of our sect, but he is an ancestor. Perhaps when he left the sect, his position was that of an elder, and now it's difficult to define his position in the Sword Pavilion, which is why he told you he was a Supreme Elder."

Li Qingran didn't speak.

Actually, her master hadn't told her; she had asked.

"Since your master is one of the ancestors of our Sword Pavilion, we must handle this matter properly. Go back and ask your master where he is now and what kind of poison he's been afflicted with. The Sword Pavilion will spare no expense to find the antidote for him!"

Su Qinian's words were resolute. He was truly going all out.

Not to mention the Sword Pavilion's spirit of never abandoning any disciple.

Just the weight of the words "Sword Pavilion ancestor" was worth them selling everything to save him.

If they could bring this Sword Pavilion ancestor back, what would the Qingyun Sect amount to?

The Sword Pavilion could mobilize en masse and storm the Qingyun Sect.

They could dig up all the spirit stones in the Qingyun Sect and have the Sword Pavilion's guardian beast mate with the Qingyun Sect's mother snake. Would the Qingyun Sect dare to say a single word of protest? Would they?!

"Hehehe!"

Su Qinian thought of something amusing and laughed like a true sword cultivator.

"Su Qinian! Moving the ancestor's tablet without permission—go to the Discipline Hall and receive a hundred lashes."

A cold voice sounded from behind, startling Su Qinian so much that he shuddered.

"Ah, Senior Sister, I'm the Pavilion Master now, so…"

"Even the Pavilion Master must be punished." Lin Yuxi closed the door to the ancestral hall and said coldly, "What? If you don't go now, are you waiting for me to drag you to the sect square like when you were a child and whip your butt with a cane in front of all the Sword Pavilion disciples?"

Su Qinian's face turned green, and he quickly retreated with Li Qingran.

He knew this Senior Sister was fully capable of doing just that.

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"Pavilion Master, this disciple would also like to visit the Scripture Pavilion."

Although Su Qinian had already agreed to handle the matter, Li Qingran still felt it was necessary to take a two-pronged approach. Her master's poisoning couldn't be delayed. If Su Qinian couldn't resolve it, perhaps she could find a solution in the Scripture Pavilion.

"Go ahead." Su Qinian waved his hand dismissively. "The Scripture Pavilion is at the peak of the northern mountain. Remember to follow the rules there."

He summoned his flying sword, ready to head to the Discipline Hall.

But then he turned back, his face darkening as he looked at Li Qingran.

"Qingran, about today's matter…"

Li Qingran's expression turned serious, and she clasped her hands solemnly. "This disciple only went to the ancestral hall with the Pavilion Master to look at the tablet and then left. I didn't see anyone, and no one said anything to the Pavilion Master or this disciple. This disciple also doesn't know where the Pavilion Master is going now."

"Hmm~" Su Qinian stroked his beard with satisfaction. "Good girl!"

With that, he soared into the sky on his flying sword.

Li Qingran also breathed a sigh of relief.

She untied the bell from her waist and summoned the crane, then rode it toward the northern peak.

…

Thud, thud—!

Early in the morning, Chen Huaian was still in the middle of a dream when two loud bangs came from outside his door.

He groggily opened his eyes. "What now? Did the game send another item?"

On the sofa, Ba Ji also opened its eyes, its golden cat pupils flashing with a cold light.

[The smell of blood, and the scent of that little thief from before…]

Chen Huaian got up and opened the door.

A strong smell of blood hit him, making him frown.

He saw a trail of blood leading from the window at the end of the hallway to his feet.

And at his feet, a small figure was curled up in a ball. The person was wearing a summer uniform from First High School, soaked in blood and mud. Their messy hair was matted with blood and grime, obscuring their face.

A little girl had collapsed at his doorstep?

And the key point was—he recognized her!

"Isn't this Three Zero?"

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