C25 The Conspiracy Behind Qing's

Guided by Cui, Lee Yu ventured beyond the confines of the small lakeside pavilion for the first time, leaving the dense, verdant woods behind him.

As he journeyed in the carriage over a considerable distance, Lee Yu's view through the carriage window was one of grandeur and awe. The route was lined with exquisite structures, while the dappled light filtering through the dense foliage outside danced across his vision, adding to the spectacle.

The soldiers encountered along the way exuded an aura of blood and fire, clearly the mark of seasoned warriors from elite units seasoned by battle.

Their destination was the grand hall at the heart of the Qing's Family estate. The dining hall soared ten meters high, its walls and ceiling adorned with luminous stones that were seamlessly integrated into the murals, creating a radiant ambiance.

Unbeknownst to Lee Yu, this was a reception of the highest order, in a hall that had gone unused for years.

Seated at a table that could comfortably host thirty diners, with people filling the seats on either side, Lee Yu and Qing Heng exchanged glances from a distance.

"This is our first meal together. Are you finding your accommodations comfortable?" Qing Heng inquired, savoring a slice of meat with elegance before gesturing to the others at the table. "These are all members of the Qing's Family. They were available today, so it's a good opportunity for you to meet them."

Lee Yu nodded in response, "I'm very comfortable, thank you for your concern, County Duke." He couldn't help but think that these were no ordinary members of the Qing's Family.

His eyes swept over the table, taking in the men and women present. Each one exuded the commanding presence of those long accustomed to power, the kind of successful individuals who were usually too busy to spare a moment, let alone share a casual meal. Was it their recognition of his talent that had freed up their time?

The sole exception was Qing Anqi, whose small stature left her feet swinging beneath her stool. Aside from her, Lee Yu sensed that he was undergoing an informal but intense scrutiny.

The others at the table appraised him with a mix of curiosity and judgment, each harboring their own inscrutable thoughts.

The spread before us was lavish, a testament to the Qing's renowned kitchen in the Imperial City, home to the empire's finest chef. The County Duke, having no inclination to engage in conversation, simply immersed himself in his meal.

And so, the dinner concluded with little fanfare, the County Duke's initial remarks the only attempt at dialogue.

Once we finished, Cui appeared at the door to escort Lee Yu back to his dwelling by the lake.

"What's your take on this?" Qing Heng asked, setting aside his silverware. With the exception of Lee Yu and Qing Anqi, the rest remained.

Silence hung in the air until the woman in the third seat broke it. "It's hard to believe. He's truly reached the Eighth Grade. Did his cultivation really begin today?"

Qing Heng confirmed with a nod, "To be precise, he started this very afternoon."

He vividly recalled Qing Yi delivering the cultivation technique around noon.

"The Emperor is nearly at his wit's end these days. We must secure the Thunder Bloodline for ourselves," a burly elder stated firmly. "We need to take control of it first."

Qing Heng agreed. The Thunder Bloodline was unique, not just for its ability to command imperial relics, but also because there had never been two individuals with the Thunder Bloodline at the same time. The evening's discussions aimed to strategize control over it, a matter so crucial it had drawn the Qing's top brass together. The future investments were not decisions to be made lightly.

Having previously suffered from a scarcity of 'Emperor's Equipment,' the Qing's wouldn't consider letting go of their newfound Thunder Bloodline.

The presence of the Thunder Bloodline guaranteed an Emperor's Equipment, though Qing Heng couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret that the bloodline had not awakened within one of their own.

"Isn't there some forbidden medicine left in the clan?" inquired the one-armed elder from the fifth seat, his tone sinister. "A dose of that, and won't he be as docile as a dog?"

"That's ill-advised. It could compromise his potential," countered another immediately. "To achieve the Eighth Grade in a single day suggests immense potential. With proper guidance, he could very well ascend to the First Grade."

"If we aim to elevate him to First Grade, I'm afraid even the combined efforts of our entire clan won't suffice. And should we invest a massive amount of resources, there's the risk he might become rebellious..."

The room erupted into countless debates.

Qing Heng nodded in agreement; this was precisely why he had summoned all the high-ranking members of the Qing family to deliberate. In truth, had Lee Yu not demonstrated his talent, the County Duke would have already sent Qing Yi with the forbidden medicine.

But faced with such extraordinary talent, the County Duke hesitated. There were many ways to control someone, yet all invariably impacted their talent.

His uncertainty led him to convene this meeting for counsel.

The trio of women glanced at Qing Heng, then at the similarly vacated seat. A hint of amusement twinkled in their eyes before one spoke, "If we're not of sufficient rank, controlling the Emperor Equipment will be of little benefit to us, according to the data I've reviewed."

"Considering how this young man has dealt with Stone Village, he's clearly someone who values bonds and righteousness, and he's shown concern for Mu Yinhua. Perhaps we should have Anqi foster a closer bond with him. Better to bet on securing a Third Grade linchpin for our clan than a Fifth or Sixth Grade Thunder Bloodline."

The elder on the second seat opened his half-lidded eyes and declared, "I concur."

With that, the dissenting voices fell silent. Qing Heng clapped his hands decisively, "With no objections, let's proceed to draft the plan accordingly."

...

Back at his lakeside cottage, Lee Yu was blissfully unaware of the group that had been plotting his future elsewhere. Thankfully, the outcome they settled on was a benign one.

Seizing a moment of solitude, Lee Yu's thoughts shifted, and he found himself back on Blue Star.

He began by checking his phone for any missed messages. There were a few calls he hadn't answered, from a pretty girl's profile.

"It's the old man from the auction house," Lee Yu mused as he opened the chat. Below the missed calls were several voice messages. He played them, converting the audio to text for easier comprehension.

Hey, why aren't you answering your phone? When you get this message, hit me back, okay? The ginseng auction's all wrapped up, and we need to sort out the payment.

There's an auction coming up in a few days. You were keen on it before, right? How about we check it out together?

I'd love to, but I can't afford to waste time... It'd be a disaster if the folks from the Otherworld caught on to my absence.

Lee Yu, with a tinge of regret, declined the invite, explaining his busy schedule before closing the chat window. Then he messaged Huang Xiu: "I'm tied up for a few more days. I'll be back to help you out soon."

To keep from being detected, Lee Yu rented a house nearby.

Once he'd taken care of everything, Lee Yu focused his thoughts and returned to the Otherworld.

No sooner had he arrived than he heard a knock at the door. He steadied himself and invited, "Come in."

The woman who entered was in her twenties, graceful and clad in red—Hong, another maid.

"Master, here are the thunder attribute divine items you requested," Hong said, presenting two pieces of thunderstrike wood. "To break through from Eighth to Seventh Grade, accumulating spiritual energy is key. The County Duke has assured that he'll hasten the collection of the necessary cultivation techniques for you."

Without the right cultivation technique, advancing to the next stage was out of the question—meaning no progress for now. Lee Yu quickly shook off his disappointment; after all, this phase was all about building up reserves.

At Seventh Grade, a Divine Dao cultivator's spiritual energy becomes liquid, denser, and more substantial. To transform the spiritual energy within the dantian, many cultivators linger in the Eighth Grade for decades.

It's not that they lack the desire to advance; it's that they can't. An unsuccessful transformation means a loss of spiritual energy, and regathering it is a lengthy process.

Lee Yu kept his comments to himself and simply gestured for Hong to set the thunderstrike wood on the table. The current goal was to liquefy the spiritual energy, which might just be beyond the scope of his 'cheat code.' So, Lee Yu wasn't rushing his training. Instead, his mind turned to another pressing matter.

Did he forget to clock in today?

The system operates on a seven-day cycle, and this is the first cycle since its activation. Lee Yu stroked his chin, pondering, "Could it really be a random selection from one of the three options?"