Chapter 104 Setting Out for Lingwu County

Having completely connected the clues, he was now setting out with Yanhong to search for the legendary token of the Salt Gang—the Eye of the Heavens.

Li Zisheng was well aware of Yanhong’s subtle hints. Yanhong was untrustworthy; compared even to Ling'er, Yanhong could not be relied upon. Yet his reason for choosing to cooperate with Yanhong first was quite simple. He already shared a personal connection with Ling'er, which precluded a purely transactional partnership. A pure alliance allowed for calculated maneuvering, whereas personal ties introduced extraneous considerations, and complications.

"Hall Master, what would you have me do?" Li Zisheng’s address had subtly shifted, placing himself on equal footing with Yanhong.

Yanhong caught the nuance of the change immediately, and the realization brought a genuine sense of satisfaction.

"Master Li, rest assured. What you stand to gain by cooperating with us will far exceed anything that little girl Ling'er could ever offer."

Yanhong departed Li Zisheng’s quarters with a content heart.

Balian had remained standing behind Li Zisheng the entire time, hearing every word of the conversation between him and Yanhong.

"Young Master, can this Yanhong truly be trusted? I still feel Miss Ling'er is somewhat more reliable than her."

Balian looked at Li Zisheng with cautious hesitation, offering his own counsel.

Li Zisheng had already made up his mind and paid little heed to Balian's doubts. Instead, he turned back, offering Balian a faint, reassuring smile.

"Balian, do you know who matters more to us?"

"This dull-witted servant does not know."

Balian truly could not answer the question. Neither Yanhong nor Ling'er could be entirely trusted by his young master or himself, making it impossible to determine whose assistance would ultimately prove more valuable. Thus, he had no answer to give.

Scratching his head in defeat, Balian remained silent.

Li Zisheng smiled again, keeping the answer to himself. He merely instructed Balian to prepare some food and wine, making sure the provisions were as light and portable as possible.

Balian hurried off to make the preparations.

Li Zisheng picked up his small cloth pouch. This time, however, the pouch contained something new—a comprehensive guide to seal script. By studying it, he hoped to decipher the true meaning behind the celestial sacrifices.

Most importantly, it might bring him one step closer to the truth behind his mentor's death.

He had commissioned Yanhong to find this seal script guide for him, and she had raised no suspicions whatsoever regarding his request—a fact that pleased Li Zisheng greatly. Had he asked Ling'er for such a text, she undoubtedly would have questioned his motives. That was the difference between them.

Shortly after Li Zisheng and Balian finished their meal, Yanhong arrived right on schedule.

"Master Li? We can set off now."

Yanhong’s crisp voice echoed into the room. Li Zisheng and Balian strapped their prepared packs securely to themselves.

"Might I ask where the Hall Master intends to take us?"

"Lingwu County."

"What? Lingwu County? Could it be that the Mt. Yi Stone Inscriptions are in Lingwu County, or has Deng Qing's faction moved into the area?"

Li Zisheng could not conceal his astonishment. Lingwu County was not far from Huile County and Tianshui Village—his very home. Deng Qing’s faction was bent on rebellion; if things went awry, the safety of his family would be directly threatened. It was a perilous place to be, and once the fires of war ignited, the surrounding populace would suffer terribly.

"Master Li is truly well-informed. Indeed, Deng Qing has already gone to Lingwu County. Rumor has it that the genuine Mt. Yi Stone Inscriptions have appeared there, drawing the scouts of various major factions to arrive ahead of time in preparation to seize them."

"The Mt. Yi Stone Inscriptions are in Lingwu County?"

"Precisely. Their emergence was simply too difficult for Deng Qing's side to completely suppress. He covertly transferred them from Lecheng in Lingzhou to Lingwu County, little realizing that this very act exposed the secret of his possession, turning the relocation into a grave blunder.

"The Mt. Yi Stone Inscriptions are not something Deng Qing is meant to hold. Moving them in secret like this has undoubtedly invited immense trouble. Thus, our trip to Lingwu County is virtually guaranteed to succeed. Deng Qing can no longer stir up any great waves; he is like a locust at the end of autumn, with only a few days left to jump."

Yanhong finished with a confident smile, and Li Zisheng offered a compliant nod.

Despite his outward agreement, Li Zisheng did not naively believe that Deng Qing lacked any means of defense. Deng Qing’s plan for the inscriptions had clearly been meticulously laid. Even if the news of his possession had leaked, Li Zisheng suspected that Deng Qing had released it intentionally, likely to lure the prominent figures and heroes of various factions into Lingwu County. Though the ultimate motive remained unclear, a deep conspiracy undoubtedly lay beneath the surface.

"Aside from the Hall Master, which other factions are involved in this venture?"

"Master Li, besides the two of us, there is the Second Young Master of the Zhang family from Huachi in Qingzhou, the Eldest Young Master of the Hua family from Anding in Ningzhou, the Eldest Young Master of the Liu family from Xiaoguan in Wuzhou, and the Third Young Master of the Zhou family from Menshan in Yanzhou."

Li Zisheng had not anticipated that within a single day, Yanhong would manage to ally with representatives from several major powers.

"The Hua, Zhou, Liu, and Zhang families are all renowned gentry and powerful clans, holding considerable sway throughout the Guannei Circuit."

"Hall Master, I have one more question. Are we truly going with just this handful of people? Deng Qing commands a formidable army; wouldn't going with just a few of us be tantamount to throwing our lives away?"

"Ah, Master Li, that is where you misunderstand. The inscriptions in Deng Qing's hands are merely a decoy. The true Mt. Yi Stone Inscriptions lie hidden within a valley. A radius of ten miles around this valley is perpetually shrouded in thick fog, and the terrain is exceedingly rugged, preventing large formations or numerous troops from entering. Only small squads can make their way through one by one. Of course, that is only part of the reason. More importantly, the valley holds far more than just the inscriptions. Even if one were to find them, the strength of a few individuals alone would not suffice to carry them away. Above all else is the legendary Eye of the Heavens. It is said to possess profound sentience, utterly intolerant of an overwhelming human presence. If too many people gather near it, it will simply vanish. Its miraculous nature does not end there; the Eye of the Heavens is known to choose its own master."