“This inkstone’s origin may be somewhat familiar to you. Actually, its time in the palace isn’t particularly long—it was presented as tribute during the reign of the previous emperor, Emperor Wu, from Duanzhou. However, Emperor Wu spent his days indulging in frivolous amusements and had no interest in scholarly pursuits, so naturally, this inkstone served little purpose. Later, when the current emperor ascended the throne, all the writing implements previously used by Emperor Wu were stored away in the imperial collection. Three years ago, a fire broke out in the palace, and after the incident, it was discovered that the treasure vault had been robbed. Among the missing items were a batch of porcelain, a chest of rare ancient books, and this very inkstone.”
“At the time, this puzzled everyone greatly. Although this inkstone was stored in the same vault as the porcelain and books, it was actually located quite far from them. More curiously, there were many other famous inkstones placed beside it, some of which were far more valuable. Anyone breaking into the palace to steal treasures would be racing against time, grabbing items and fleeing quickly. Why would the thief risk wasting time to specifically target this seemingly unremarkable inkstone?”
“In fact, after the incident, the Embroidered Uniform Guard pursued the case and captured several accomplices, including one who had actually entered the vault. Surprisingly, none of them mentioned this inkstone among the stolen treasures. Even the thief who entered the vault could clearly describe the porcelain and rare books, but claimed he had not specifically taken the inkstone.”
At this point, Sixth Master lightly shook his head and said, “To be honest, at first I didn’t think much of it either. After all, it was just an ordinary inkstone. Whatever oddities surrounded it, I assumed were mere coincidences. But then, at the beginning of this year, the inkstone suddenly reappeared, and those who came into contact with it began to die one after another. You were even involved, which finally caught my attention. I retrieved the old records and carefully reviewed them, discovering these unusual details.”
After retrieving the inkstone from the Shun Tianfu (Shun Tianfu, a local government office), I personally examined it. Heh, to be honest, despite my cultivation level, I couldn’t fathom its secrets. There must be something extremely sinister hidden within this inkstone. However, after repeated attempts, I detected no trace of any sealed object. Instead, it felt as though something had merged completely with the inkstone—almost as if the inkstone itself had cultivated to the point of developing its own spirit.
“All those who previously touched the inkstone died in a state of madness, so whatever resides within must possess the ability to control minds and disrupt souls. At first, I was deeply concerned for you, but at the time, I couldn’t openly explain everything. Thus, I had you brought into the Embroidered Uniform Guard and arranged for someone to observe and protect you daily. Fortunately, for reasons unknown, you remained unharmed.”
“I hadn’t anticipated that you would coincidentally break through to the foundation-building stage later on, so there’s no need to go into further details. A few days ago, I heard you had fainted inside the warehouse. At first, I assumed it had something to do with your restricted golden core. But today, seeing you and examining the inkstone again, heh, I suspect it’s not that simple. Although the inkstone still emits a faint evil aura, it no longer possesses the powerful malevolence it once had. If I’m not mistaken, you must have entered the warehouse that day intending to take the inkstone, and something unexpected occurred, breaking the seal? And your ability to sense the invisible thief in the warehouse recently—was that also connected to this inkstone?”
At this point, Mei Qing couldn’t help but secretly admire Sixth Master’s insight. Although Sixth Master hadn’t witnessed the events firsthand, his guesses were remarkably close to the truth. Yet, no matter how clever Sixth Master was, he could hardly imagine the true nature of what lay within the inkstone.
Mei Qing hesitated briefly before slowly saying, “You’re absolutely right, Sixth Master. This inkstone indeed possesses some strange qualities. However, I myself am not entirely clear on what exactly is going on.”
With that, he recounted his experiences from the moment he first came into contact with the inkstone. Many of these events were already known to Sixth Master. But the sensations Mei Qing felt while interacting with the inkstone, and the changes in his body, were things Sixth Master could not possibly know.
Of course, Mei Qing didn’t reveal everything. He kept his cultivation secrets and the figures and scenes he had seen within the inkstone completely to himself.
Mei Qing had begun to suspect—perhaps the answers to the strange occurrences within his body lay within this inkstone. But with his current cultivation level, he couldn’t yet grasp its mysteries. This was a matter of utmost importance, and unless it involved Bi Zhen, he would never trust anyone else with the truth.
Yet, to uncover the inkstone’s secrets, he would need Sixth Master’s help. Therefore, Mei Qing chose his words carefully. He explained that the inkstone’s evil energy had entered his body, clashing with the existing seal, and both had canceled each other out, leaving only residual traces that he could now sense. That was why he could detect the inkstone’s presence. Later, when the inkstone was stolen, the residual energy vanished, allowing him to sense something was wrong and ultimately locate the thief.
Sixth Master listened without comment. After a moment’s silence, he asked, “Mei Qing, what are your thoughts on the thief’s attempt to steal the inkstone?”
Mei Qing frowned and replied, “I’ve been thinking about it too, but I still can’t make sense of it. The thief clearly came prepared, targeting this inkstone specifically. Even within our own organization, very few people would know where it was stored. How could the thief have known? Furthermore, what importance does this inkstone hold that someone would go to such great lengths to steal it? And finally, who exactly is this thief, capable of hiding and moving freely within the warehouse, completely unaffected by the protective formations?”
These three questions had long troubled Mei Qing. Now that Sixth Master had asked, he eagerly looked to him for answers.
Sixth Master seemed to read his thoughts and chuckled, saying, “You clever boy—you’ve been vague and evasive about your own experiences, yet you’re quite bold in seeking answers from me.”
Mei Qing smiled slightly, though his expression showed no hint of embarrassment. He knew Sixth Master, a shrewd old fox, had noticed his omissions. But since Sixth Master hadn’t shown any sign of displeasure, Mei Qing was more than happy to feign ignorance.
Without saying a word, Sixth Master reached over and rang a small bronze bell on his desk. Moments later, footsteps approached the door, and Wu Bing entered swiftly, carrying a scroll. He placed the scroll on the desk before respectfully retreating.
Sixth Master picked up the scroll, flipped through it, grunted, and then tossed it back onto the desk, saying to Mei Qing, “This little thief actually has quite a background. Take a look for yourself.”
Mei Qing stepped forward and carefully read through the file.
It turned out that after the thief was captured, he had remained stubbornly silent. However, the Embroidered Uniform Guard had their own methods, and soon uncovered his identity. He was none other than the infamous “Monkey God,” a notorious master thief.
According to the file, the thief’s real name was Hou Shen, and he was the final disciple of Tie Jia, the former leader of the Thieves’ Sect, known as “Three-Inch Nail.” Although Hou Shen hadn’t been active for long, he had already pulled off several high-profile heists, earning his nickname “Monkey God.”
After finishing the file, Mei Qing looked up with a puzzled expression and asked, “If Hou Shen isn’t a cultivator, how could he bypass the protective formations in the warehouse and move freely within? Moreover, if he’s a member of the Thieves’ Sect, he wouldn’t have stolen this inkstone without reason. Who, then, sent him?”
Sixth Master snorted and said, “Precisely because he isn’t a cultivator that he could enter the warehouse. His invisibility technique must be unrelated to cultivation—it doesn’t rely on spiritual energy, so the formation couldn’t stop him. Either it’s a unique skill exclusive to the Thieves’ Sect, or he possesses some rare innate ability. That’s why he could move freely and hide at will within the warehouse. I must admit, I overlooked this point. The warehouse defenses need further improvement. Even the leather pouch used to hold the inkstone must be an unusual item—once the inkstone was placed inside, not even a trace of its energy could be detected, which is clearly no ordinary object.”
Mei Qing nodded in agreement. Indeed, experience often brought wisdom, and Sixth Master’s reasoning likely represented the only plausible explanation.
“As for who sent him…” Sixth Master mused, “This suggests two things. First, there must be a traitor within our own ranks. Otherwise, how could anyone know where the inkstone was kept or understand the details of the formations inside our warehouse? Second, the person who ordered the theft must have learned about the inkstone’s significance only recently. After all, the inkstone has been stored there for quite some time—why wait until now to steal it? If I’m not mistaken, it was your fainting episode that caught someone’s attention. They realized the inkstone’s importance and thus sent this monkey to steal it.”
Mei Qing could only nod. Sixth Master’s insight was far beyond his own. Yet, the only people who knew about his fainting episode and his contact with the inkstone were a handful—Qian San, Zhao Dayou, and perhaps a few others close to them. The identity of the traitor remained to be uncovered.
“There’s one more thing I don’t understand,” Mei Qing said. “What’s so important about this inkstone that someone would risk breaking into our warehouse to steal it? Although I’m not well-versed in underworld affairs, I know that someone like Hou Shen wouldn’t act without a significant incentive.”
Sixth Master sighed, “That’s the very question that has puzzled me. From the moment this inkstone reappeared, it has been surrounded by mystery and strangeness. But whoever ordered the theft must understand its secrets. Moreover, I can’t help but feel that this matter is somehow connected to you.”
Seeing the questioning look in Mei Qing’s eyes, Sixth Master waved a hand and added, “I have no proof, but I can’t help suspecting such a connection. In any case, you should be extra cautious these days.”
Mei Qing was momentarily speechless. He felt that Sixth Master was holding something back. Although Sixth Master had always seemed protective of him, his precautions had seemed unusually intense, as if he had known all along that someone would target Mei Qing. There must be some hidden secret he didn’t know about. Now, as Sixth Master hinted at a connection between the inkstone and himself, Mei Qing sensed there was more to it.
After a long silence, Mei Qing cautiously asked, “Since Hou Shen is already in our hands, can’t we extract some information from him?”
Sixth Master shook his head and said, “You don’t understand the rules of the Thieves’ Sect. Considering he dared to steal from our inner ranks, ordinary interrogation methods won’t work on him. Besides, this young man holds a high status within the sect. Although our organizations are on opposite sides of the law, there are still certain understandings between us. We can’t go too far.”
Mei Qing was somewhat surprised. He hadn’t expected even the mighty Embroidered Uniform Guard to have such constraints when dealing with a thief.
As if sensing Mei Qing’s thoughts, Sixth Master chuckled and said, “There are many subtleties here. I actually have some acquaintance with the boy’s master, Tie San. We sometimes even rely on their help. This young man’s reckless attempt and subsequent capture can be lightly punished, but applying heavy interrogation would be difficult. We can’t afford to strain relations over a single incident. Of course, if you have another way to make him talk, feel free to try.”
Mei Qing thought for a moment, then grinned and said, “In that case, with your permission, I’d like to take charge of this matter myself.”
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