Chapter 24

Chapter 23. Did You Come from Zhongnan? (3)

"Why are you so late?"

Zhaogel anxiously looked outside.

The sky was beginning to lighten in the distance, yet Qingming had not returned. If he didn't come back by morning, the elders of the sect would realize he was gone.

Chaos would ensue.

Leaving Huashan without permission was already a grave offense. If Qingming, who returned late to Huashan, were to be seen in his black nightclothes, it would be even worse.

'It would be hell.'

He absolutely did not want to see that happen.

"Stay calm."

"But, Senior Brother."

Yunzhong shook his head.

"He's not that stupid. He'll return before it's too late. As long as nothing goes wrong."

And no matter how he thought about it, he didn't think anything would happen to that monster. At worst, he would just be a bit late.

"Still, you can't predict human actions, right?"

"True."

If he were human.

Just as Zhaogel stretched his neck out the window, the door burst open.

"Tsk."

Zhaogel and Yunzhong's heads snapped around.

"Junior Brother!"

Qingming was entering the room, opening the door.

Holding a mask in one hand, Qingming closed the door and quickly took off his nightclothes, then started to change into his Daoist robes.

"Is everything alright?"

"That's what we should be asking. Is everything alright?"

"What do you mean, 'what'?"

Qingming chuckled.

"I was treated well and even got some extra money."

"From who?"

"What was his name? You... Anyway, he's there. The owner of the fabric shop."

"Huh?"

Zhaogel and Yunzhong's eyes widened. Seeing their reactions, Qingming chuckled, recalling the earlier situation.

'Not funny at all. Really.'

Yu Zhongshan, assuming Qingming was from Zhongnan to tidy up Huashan, had revealed all the information, even what Qingming didn't need. He also tried hard to impress his name on Qingming.

'Well, well.'

While it was good that things went smoothly, he couldn't help feeling a bit bitter.

Yu Zhongshan's list of famous sects clearly didn't include Huashan. Even after seeing Qingming's sword technique, he didn't think of Huashan.

While it was true that the Plum Blossom Sword Technique was no longer Huashan's symbol, shouldn't someone who lived in Huayin all his life know that Huashan once specialized in it?

He might have thought that a young person with such abilities couldn't exist in Huashan's current state, but the bitterness remained.

'Well, bitter is bitter, but at least it's easier now.'

Starting with the intention of exposing his identity, it was a good thing that he remained hidden.

"How did it go?"

"......Tsk."

In response to Zhaogel's question, Qingming shook his head.

"The kids can't do anything on their own. Get some rest."

"......You're a kid too."

"Enough. Gather the others. We need to train."

"Again today?"

Qingming glared.

"Listen well, Senior Brother."

"Huh?"

"Rain or snow or wind. From today on, we don't miss a single day of training! Even if a heavy snowfall or a cold snap hits! Even if Huashan collapses, there are no days off!"

Zhaogel nodded with a determined look.

'I'm prepared!'

Wasn't this the reason he decided to help and follow Qingming? If he could become stronger through training, he was willing to do anything. Training without rest was what he wanted.

"I'll line them up right away. Then you...?"

"Ah, I'm not going."

"Huh?"

Qingming turned to look at Yunzhong with a disinterested face.

"Do you know how we train?"

"......Yes."

"Do the same."

"Then what about you?"

"I have something else to do."

Qingming waved his hand, and Yunzhong sighed.

"Alright. We'll train just among ourselves today. But only this once."

Yunzhong's face became more serious.

"Remember, this training is only possible because of you. If you don't plan to quit halfway, you need to be there."

"Understood."

The reason the three disciples of the Plum Hall could endure such rigorous training without complaint was because Qingming stood there with a stern look. No matter how much Yunzhong, as the eldest disciple, tried, he couldn't replace Qingming.

"Alright."

As Zhaogel and Yunzhong left the room, Qingming lay down on the bed.

"Now, what should I do?"

His head hurt.

That damned justification.

If he could just sweep them away without worrying about others' opinions, it wouldn't be so difficult. But since he was representing Huashan, he couldn't ignore others' gazes.

If Qingming's actions only added to his bad reputation, there would be no hesitation. But now, that was impossible. No one would think Qingming acted alone.

It was impossible for a child his age to do such things alone.

Everyone would point fingers, saying Huashan was using Qingming to do their dirty work and hiding behind a child.

That wasn't what Qingming wanted. He needed to find some justification.

"Justification. Justification...... Ugh."

Qingming pulled at his hair.

"Does this even make sense! Damn it!"

Initially, all those businesses belonged to Huashan. But to have to pay money to the people who swallowed up Huashan's businesses! It was infuriating!

If he could just prove that those businesses originally belonged to Huashan and that those people manipulated the books when the higher-ups were away, it would be simple. Then, that measly 100,000 taels? He could just pay it back.

No, he didn't even need to pay it back. The money originally belonged to Huashan. What kind of interest was this?

So, if he could just prove that those businesses originally belonged to Huashan, everything would be solved.

"If it were that easy, I wouldn't be in this situation."

If there were records, Huashan wouldn't have been left helpless. When he was around, the children entering Huashan were all sharp.

If there were evidence, there would be no reason not to reclaim them.

From what he knew, when the demon sect invaded, all the records were lost.

"Is this my fault too?"

His stomach hurt. It really did.

Qingming rolled around on the bed.

"No! The head disciple should have kept important things in a safe place! A safe place!"

How much money was involved! To just leave it in the quarters......

"Huh?"

Qingming suddenly sat up.

Just leave it?

Just leave it?

'Is that even possible?'

What kind of person was the head disciple to just leave such important records?

'Try to remember.'

Qingming had never been interested in such matters. He knew money was needed to run the sect, but as a true martial artist and a true Daoist, one shouldn't be attached to worldly things.

Now, seeing the children at Huashan eating only porridge, he wanted to go back in time and beat his past self. But back then, Qingming was like that.

That's why the head disciple never showed Qingming the records. He would often hide them when Qingming was around.

"......Hide them?"

He tried to recall the vague memory.

The records in the head disciple's room never exceeded three volumes. To run Huashan, there should have been dozens of volumes. So where were the others stored?

'There must be another place!'

The head disciple's room had no need to store such things.

Even as the leader of Huashan, he was still a Daoist. The head disciple's room was extremely simple. If the records were stored in the cabinets, there would be no room for anything else.

Moreover, he had seen the cabinets opened a few times, and there were no records inside. So where were they?

"Then, was it true?"

He had once heard that Huashan had a secret storage room that only the head disciple could enter. It was just a rumor, but a well-known one.

Back then, Qingming could have verified the truth, but he didn't care enough to check.

'Wait. Come to think of it......'

A few things came to mind.

Since Huashan was a prestigious sect in Shaanxi, strange things occasionally came in. For example, forbidden dark arts manuals or secret techniques of past masters. Sometimes, legendary swords or treasures were acquired.

Where did all those things go?

Not in the treasury. If they were in the treasury, Qingming would have seen them.

They weren't sold either. Some of them would cause chaos in the martial world if they were released. If the head disciple had sold them, Qingming would have heard about it.

Then, where?

'There it is!'

There was a storage room for records and treasures.

And it wasn't far from here.

Since he couldn't leave Huashan to visit the storage room, it must be inside Huashan. A place no one knew about.

But was that possible?

To build a storage room in Huashan, where martial experts were as numerous as mosquitoes, without anyone noticing?

Qingming kicked open the door and rushed out.

There was only one place where it was possible.

The entrance must be inside the head disciple's quarters. If it were outside, it would be impossible to keep it hidden.

A place no one could enter without the head disciple's permission. In Huashan, that was only the head disciple's quarters.

'The head disciple's quarters haven't changed since the past.'

What did that mean?

Qingming, who had run out, opened his eyes wide.

Behind the pavilion where the head disciple's quarters were, there was a gentle hill.

'If a storage room was built, it would be impossible to hide it.'

But there was one way to build a storage room and keep it hidden.

By building it underground.

If the ground was dug under the quarters, it would have been detected by the sensitive experts. But if a tunnel was built to a storage room under the hill?

"Only a ghost wouldn't know."

Qingming laughed sinisterly.

'It's there.'

Thinking about it, it was strange.

In most sects, the head disciple's quarters were in the center of the sect to oversee everything.

Wouldn't it be strange if the emperor lived in a corner of the palace?

But the head disciple's quarters of Huashan were deep within Huashan, with nothing behind it.

Only that!

Qingming smiled at the small hill behind the head disciple's quarters.

"Looks like I'm going on a treasure hunt."

He felt as if the head disciple was foaming at the mouth from above.

"Understand, Senior Brother. We need to save Huashan first, right? I'll try not to touch anything and hand it over to the head disciple."

If possible. If possible.

After I take what I need.

If you feel wronged, come back to life.

"Hehehehe."

Qingming laughed triumphantly.