Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Li Guanqi didn’t take the previous matter too seriously. He had merely used the opportunity to disgust those people a little. The real game hadn’t even begun yet.

Make a move? He’d only just set up the board.

If tricks that small were enough to throw the other side into chaos, the whole thing would be terribly boring.

Since arriving at the Heavenly Intelligence Pavilion, Li Guanqi had done almost everything in the open. He could have been far more discreet. He could have slipped out of his courtyard, evaded watchful eyes, and entered the Yellow Tower without anyone noticing. But compared to his current approach, sneaking around would only have invited more suspicion. And right now, he stood alone, with little support. The only pieces at his disposal were the Dark Pavilion Guards.

Buzz!

“Pavilion Master, here is the information you requested.”

From the shadow beneath Li Guanqi’s feet, a hand stretched out, offering a jade slip. Li Guanqi cursed.

“Next time, just stand in front of me and hand it over! Why stick your hand out from under my crotch?”

The hand froze. “Understood, Pavilion Master.”

“You’re Ge Qi, correct?” Li Guanqi said.“Yes.”

“Why can’t I contact Ge Yi?”

Ge Qi replied, “None of the Dark Pavilion Guards know each other’s identities. And Ge Yi seems to be… different. He’s never shown himself.”

A sharp glint crossed Li Guanqi’s eyes. “I see. You may go.”

The shadow disappeared.

Li Guanqi lowered his head and examined the jade slip. It listed a series of names along with their detailed backgrounds.

Su You. Song Minghui. Guo Zizhuo.

Su You, 139 years old. Entered the Heavenly Intelligence Pavilion at thirteen. Originally served in the Purple Tower as an intelligence officer, then transferred to the Blue Tower for eight years. Afterward, he settled in the Yellow Tower as a mid-level administrator.

Li Guanqi slowly closed his eyes. The image of a middle-aged man surfaced in his mind. There was a faint mocking smile on the man’s lips. His figure was thin and his gaze was calm, yet beneath it all, there was a trace of hidden ridicule.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Li Guanqi’s lips.

After reviewing the information of the other two people, he confirmed their details. Then he took out the Pavilion Master jade token and said softly, “Come to the rear mountain to see me.”

Inside the Yellow Tower, Su You sat at his desk handling paperwork. His expression didn’t waver. Only his brush slowed.

Thump. A slightly overweight man dropped another stack of documents in front of him. He looked down and said, “Calculate the profits from the Black Sect Northern Territory this year.”

Su You merely glanced at him. “Understood, Black Hall Master.”

With a satisfied nod, the man turned and walked away, humming a tune with his hands clasped behind his back.

Once he was gone, Su You changed into the plain robes of a Yellow Tower disciple. His facial muscles shifted, altering his appearance. Before slipping away, he tossed a wooden puppet onto the desk, its aura identical to his own. The space beside him warped, and he vanished from the room.

Su You’s years in the Heavenly Intelligence Pavilion had made him extremely cautious. When he first heard Li Guanqi’s voice, he hesitated. He could guess at some of his intentions, but he didn’t believe an outsider like Li Guanqi could stir up real trouble in a place where relationships and factions ran so deep.

As Su You arrived at the edge of the Heavenly Intelligence Pavilion’s domain, within a hidden valley, a potent spatial force instantly seized him and yanked him away.

Inside a bright, empty space, Li Guanqi looked at him and smiled. “I knew you’d come.”

Su You bowed. “Su You of the Yellow Tower greets the Pavilion Master.”

Li Guanqi waved a hand, bringing out a table and two chairs. “Sit. Let’s talk. No one knows we’re here.”

Su You bowed again and sat down. He seemed like the quiet type, not one for idle talk. But the look in his eyes told Li Guanqi that he was far from ordinary.

They sat facing each other. Li Guanqi said nothing. Su You said nothing either.

Li Guanqi smiled. “You’ve been silent since you walked in. Aren’t you curious why I called you here?”

“If you have something to say, Pavilion Master, I trust you’ll say it,” Su You said.

Li Guanqi’s expression turned playful, his fingers tapping the table. He knew Su You was waiting for him to throw out bait. Whether he’d bite depended on whether it was big enough.

“Work for me,” Li Guanqi said, “and I’ll make you the Black Hall Master.”

Su You’s pupils contracted, but he didn’t buy it. Li Guanqi had only just arrived. He didn’t have that kind of power. The hall masters responsible for the Six Territories inside the Yellow Tower were all Yuan Hongyi’s people. Displacing them would be next to impossible.

For the first time, Su You looked Li Guanqi in the eye. He said quietly, “You can’t do it. I still have ledgers to review. I’ll take my leave.”

Li Guanqi chuckled softly. “Whether I can do it is my problem. You only need to give me your answer.”

Su You, already turning to leave, paused. He looked back. “If you can accomplish it… from that day forward, I’m yours.”

Li Guanqi shook his head. “No. You wouldn’t be mine. How could you possibly be mine?”

Understanding flickered in Su You’s eyes. He nodded. “Su You understands.”

“Go on back,” Li Guanqi said with a wave.

After returning to his room, Su You retrieved the wooden puppet. A sharp light flickered in his eyes. He knew the Yellow Tower’s internal structure better than anyone, and he couldn’t imagine how Li Guanqi intended to raise his standing in a way that would convince the others.

Once Su You left, Li Guanqi sat alone, rubbing his forehead. His intention was simple: to plant an insider within the Yellow Tower. But this particular man had a will of his own. Whether he could actually push Su You into position required careful thought. The method couldn’t be too direct, either. If he simply forced the appointment with his authority, Yuan Hongyi wouldn’t be able to stop it, but he’d guard against Su You from day one. The whole arrangement would be pointless.

“Ge Qi.”

“Here.”

“Investigate the Yellow Tower’s Black Hall Master, Huang Bin. Habits, preferences, temperament—everything. As detailed as possible.”

“Understood.”

Before long, a full report on Huang Bin appeared on Li Guanqi’s desk.

Li Guanqi read through it, a grin spreading across his face. A plan formed in his mind. “Greedy and lustful…”

He looked at Huang Bin’s personality and preferences, nearly laughing aloud. “Thirty-six wives and concubines. That alone isn’t fatal. But the greed… Heh heh.”

He took out the Heavenly Intelligence jade token and sent a voice transmission. “I recall you mentioned Huang Bin asked you to check some ledgers?”

Su You didn’t understand why Li Guanqi was asking. “Yes. But they can’t possibly have problems. Huang Bin prepared them himself.”

Li Guanqi smiled. “Bring me a copy of the account books.”

He murmured to himself, “Even if there’s no problem, one can always create a problem.”