Chapter 2207: Clues
After concluding his business with Realmless, Lu Yin thought for a while before pulling Zenith Mountain back out. This time, he went in to speak with Elder Qing Xing. "Is there anyone on the rear battlefield from the Hidden Earth Society?"
Elder Qing Xing nodded. He was basically in Lu Yin’s pocket, so the older man was willing to share everything that he knew. "There’s one, an Array Master. We recruited him long ago because of his talent for lockbreaking. He eventually went to the rear battlefield, and then he accepted a Realm Array Master as his teacher. Unfortunately, the Realm Array Master has already died."
"Contact him, and then I’ll give you some more instructions," Lu Yin said.
Lu Yin could not simply wait for Xia Xing to visit Virtue Archives; he had to force the matter.
Xia Ziheng regarded Yu Hao as valuable because of how important Grandmaster Gu Yan was, and Yu Hao was believed to be the Array Grandmaster’s apprentice. Given how important an Array Grandmaster was to the Xia family, others would see the man in the same light. For example, the Celestial Frost Sect.
However, no matter how valuable Grandmaster Gu Yan was, Shenwu’s Sky might not be willing to immediately send out someone like their sect master. If the man did not make the trip quickly, then Lu Yin would have to force the man out. However, Lu Yin’s identity as Yu Hao was not enough to pull that off. Thus, he needed the Celestial Frost Sect to help him with this.
In the following days, Lu Yin frequently met with Bai Weiwei, and there were even times when he took the initiative to go find the woman. All of this caused Nong Siniang to grind her teeth from aggravation.
***
Far away, on the rear battlefield, Xia Yan, the general of the second array base, returned to his base in exhaustion. "Please repair the sourcebox array."
"General, Array Master Luo has already arrived and is repairing the defensive sourcebox array," someone replied.
The news caught Xia Yan off guard. "Don’t those Array Masters usually make a point of dragging things out and forcing me to call them out myself? Why is he being so proactive this time?"
The man replied, "Array Master Luo stated that he has just returned from Grandmaster Gu Yan’s residence."
This was surprising. "He was visiting Grandmaster Gu Yan's home?"
"That is what Array Master Luo said."
Xia Yan waved a hand to dismiss the people. He then checked on the reports of what had recently happened in the Higher Realm and the Middle Realm. Even if Xia Yan was stationed at the rear battlefield, he would not allow himself to be completely ignorant of the rest of the Perennial World.
After spending a long time reviewing the various reports, Xia Yan stepped out and approached the array base’s headquarters. There, he saw an exhausted looking middle-aged man sitting, surrounded by four or five cultivators who acted as servants. This was typically how Lockbreakers were treated on the rear battlefield.
Xia Yan was already used to seeing such things, so he walked straight over.
When the middle-aged man saw Xia Yan approach, he quickly rose to his feet and bowed. While Lockbreakers would act arrogantly and self-centered around most people, they would not dare to put on a show of arrogance in front of someone like Xia Yan. After all, he was the second array base’s general, as well as a Semi-Progenitor. "Greetings, General."
Xia Yan nodded and smiled at the Lockbreaker. "You’ve worked hard, Master Luo."
The middle-aged man replied, "It’s only as things should be."
Xia Yan spoke a bit more, putting on a show of being concerned for Master Luo’s well-being. "By the way, I heard that Master Luo just visited Grandmaster Gu Yan, no?"
Master Luo respectfully said, "Yes. All of us juniors love to go visit the Grandmaster to receive his teachings any time the opportunity comes up. It’s well known that Grandmaster Gu Yan is the most accomplished Lockbreaker that humanity has. Exchanging just a few words with him can be enlightening.”
"When I saw the Grandmaster this time, he seemed even more impressive than ever before…"
The obvious reverence in Master Luo’s voice as he spoke of Grandmaster Gu Yan was not at all surprising to Xia Yan. While the Grandmaster was known for his odd personality, and many people did not like the man, including even some Lockbreakers, it was undeniable that there were others who idolized Grandmaster Gu Yan. This was also one of the reasons why the Xia family valued Grandmaster Gu Yan so much. In addition to his own personal abilities, his influence spoke for itself.
Xia Yan recalled what he had just learned about the recent events in the rest of the Perennial World. Was Yu Hao really Grandmaster Gu Yan’s apprentice? Could it be fake? Xia Ziheng hoped to use the possible apprentice to win Grandmaster Gu Yan over, but Xia Yan could not help but feel that something was off, though he could not figure out what was bothering him.
"Fortunately, the Array Grandmaster had some time, or else things would be the same as they have been for the last few decades, and I would not be able to receive any guidance from him at all," Master Luo said while heaving a sigh of relief.
Xia Yan's ears perked up. "Grandmaster Gu Yan has been unavailable for decades?"
Master Luo nodded, and then he seemed to think of something. "I heard that he accepted a very talented apprentice, which is quite enviable."
"Have you ever seen his apprentice?" Xia Yan asked, staring at Master Luo.
Master Luo shook his head. "I haven't, no. Aside from Grandmaster Gu Yan himself, no one has seen the apprentice. Though, according to Xiao Cui, the apprentice is quite good-looking."
Xia Yan's eyes flashed, and Yu Hao's face instantly appeared in his mind. Yu Hao… there was no denying that the young man was regarded as exceptionally attractive by both men and women. Could he really be Grandmaster Gu Yan’s apprentice?
"By the way, if Grandmaster Gu Yan is no longer as busy as before, is that because his apprentice graduated?" Xia Yan asked curiously.
Master Luo replied, "It’s possible. Fortunately, I also wasn’t busy these last few months, or else I still wouldn’t have been able to meet with the Array Grandmaster."
It kept coming down to the last few months. Things were lining up more and more. Yu Hao appeared and went after Xia Zhitong during that time. It seemed that Yu Hao really was the mysterious apprentice.
"However, the Grandmaster seemed a little odd." Master Luo seemed a bit conflicted as he continued.
Xia Yan's eyes flickered. "What do you mean?"
Master Luo hesitated, but Xia Yan just laughed. "Master Luo, there’s no need to be so careful with your words. We’ve worked together on this battlefield many times before, and we can be considered comrades in arms. It’s questionable whether any of us will leave this place alive, so what can’t be said between us?"
Master Luo realized that this was a rather accurate portrayal of their circumstances. He waved a hand, ordering his followers to pull back. Only when the two men were alone did the Array Master start quietly talking. "General, I'm going to be a bit blunt about a few things."
"No need to worry."
Master Luo continued in a hushed voice. "In the past, Grandmaster Gu Yan made no secret of his hatred for the four ruling powers, but when I just met with him, he actually took the initiative to ask about the Celestial Frost Sect, and he clearly did not sound as disgusted by them as before. It was very strange."
Xia Yan's expression changed slightly. The Celestial Frost Sect?
"Not only that, but he also asked me if the Celestial Frost Sect has any impressive female members in their younger generation," Master Luo continued.
Xia Yan frowned. "What else?"
Master Luo shook his head. "That’s all. I know very little about the Celestial Frost Sect as a whole, let alone anything about their younger generation."
Xia Yan let out a breath and quickly recovered himself. He patted Master Luo on the shoulder and smiled at the Array Master. "Grandmaster Gu Yan might have just heard some rumor or other. After all, both Junior Progenitor Bai Shaohong and the Celestial Frost Sect’s current successor are Lockbreakers themselves. Maybe he just wanted to compare them to his apprentice."
Master Luo replied, "That's true. Why didn’t I think of that? That should be it. You have a clear view of the bigger picture, General."
Xia Yan smiled and left, but as soon as his back was to Master Luo, the general’s expression fell. While Master Luo might not be able to understand what was happening, how could Xia Yan not piece the clues together? If Yu Hao really was Grandmaster Gu Yan’s apprentice, then the Array Grandmaster’s behavior made sense. After all, there was a truly impressive descendant of the Celestial Frost Sect already in Virtue Archives, and she was also said to be quite stunning.
After returning to his office, Xia Yan reviewed the available information on Yu Hao again and again. Some time later, the general reached out to Xia Ziheng. Shenwu’s Sky was already in a disadvantageous position, and if the Celestial Frost Sect managed to win Grandmaster Gu Yan over, then things would only grow worse.
The Celestial Frost Sect’s ambitions had been exposed long ago.