Chapter 128
The dormitory room arrangements were all scrambled, and the disciples living together were also of different levels.
This caused the disciples standing in the corridors to be partly curious and confused, while others fell into deep thought.
Agricultural School Saint Ou Rushuang's voice transmission repeated three times, as if trying to persuade the other party to voluntarily hand over the Silver River Water.
The Five Elements Light Core that Yu Sui had placed on Mei Liangyu's floor was pressed against a corner of the eaves, quietly observing the people on scene, also noticing the Technical Arts School Saint, Changsun Zi, who had emerged from the instructor team.
Changsun Zi was Nian Qiuyan's master and also highly valued and appreciated this disciple. With her divination and astrology abilities, it wasn't impossible for her to know that Nian Qiuyan was the one who stole the Silver River Water.
But if Nian Qiuyan's three trigrams could indeed block three Saints, then the first one to guard against would be Changsun Zi.
Nian Qiuyan was now quietly following behind Changsun Zi, watching as she instructed the instructors to search the disciples' dormitories.
The instructors each held a green bamboo rod. The emerald bamboo was verdant green, emanating a jade-like dim green glow. After unlocking, they entered rooms using the green bamboo rods to probe their way, seeking to sense the presence of Silver River Water.
Nian Qiuyan's dormitory was further back, so it wasn't his turn yet.
Changsun Zi also didn't speak to him, scanning the disciples in the corridor with her gaze as she said coolly: "Anyone who knows about the theft of Silver River Water but conceals and fails to report it will be punished equally."
These words seemed intentional.
Zhang Xiangyun and Luo Fu's expressions didn't change, listening and dismissing it.
A disciple muttered quietly: "We'd like to know which bastard is so bold too."
Following Changsun Zi's words, Ou Rushuang's voice came through the dormitory again, repeating her words: "Regarding the theft and concealment of Silver River Water, those who know but fail to report will be punished equally."
The message was transmitted layer by layer.
Sheng Hao leaned lazily against the door, only feeling that tonight was full of troubles.
Mu Mengbai craned his neck to look forward, saying quietly: "This Silver River Water has been searched for several months. Where did tonight's tip come from?"
Sheng Hao answered casually: "Didn't they say the message came from the Communication Courtyard?"
"How did the Communication Courtyard find out, by looking at Wind-Listening Rulers?" Mu Mengbai took out his own Wind-Listening Ruler. "Could it be that the person who stole Silver River Water told someone through Wind-Listening Ruler that they stole Silver River Water, and was discovered by the Communication Courtyard?"
Sheng Hao wasn't interested in this matter: "Go ask the Communication Courtyard yourself."
"No, this is the point!" Mu Mengbai pointed at his Wind-Listening Ruler with a solemn expression. "If they were discovered this way, wouldn't the Communication Courtyard know everything we usually send?"
Sheng Hao felt his worry was somewhat late: "As long as the Communication Courtyard wants to, they indeed can, but the Six Kingdoms expressly forbid it. If they steal messages without official documentation, then the Communication Courtyard itself would be in trouble."
After hearing this, Mu Mengbai was even more puzzled: "Then through what channel did the Communication Courtyard learn about it?"
"Use your brain to think." Sheng Hao couldn't stand seeing him act stupid, also lowering his voice: "If the academy gave orders for the Communication Courtyard to crack our Wind-Listening Rulers, the Communication Courtyard could legitimately look at these messages. That means the person who stole Silver River Water was stupid enough to expose the information in their Wind-Listening Ruler."
"The second possibility is that someone reported it to the Communication Courtyard through Wind-Listening Ruler."
Mu Mengbai drew in a sharp breath, his mind also following Sheng Hao's train of thought: "For the first possibility, the academy would have definitely ordered an investigation long ago, but the Communication Courtyard found no useful information. Tonight's incident was obviously sudden, so it must be that someone reported it to the Communication Courtyard!"
Sheng Hao didn't care who reported it or who stole the Silver River Water, it had nothing to do with him anyway.
Today he had received a letter from his second brother in distant Qingyang Imperial Capital through Blackbeard. The beginning was just simple brotherly greetings and updates about Lady Sheng's situation, telling him to be at ease. But the ending mocked him for meddling in Yu Sui's affairs all the time.
If he wanted to be a proper elder brother, then be a proper elder brother. If he didn't have the heart to be an elder brother, then don't cause trouble for others.
Sheng Hao was so angry he tore up the letter directly.
As if he had been a proper elder brother!
After Sheng Hao finished talking with Mu Mengbai, his mind returned to this matter, feeling stifled, his thoughts gradually wandering. He didn't hear what Mu Mengbai said.
The one who came to their floor was Legalist School Saint, Yu Sheng.
The old man's expression was cold, his eyes clearly showing the four words "unapproachable."
Mu Mengbai whispered to Sheng Hao: "Once this old man arrives, even if there's no Silver River Water, something will inevitably be discovered."
Speaking of Silver River Water, no one received more attention than Gu Qian.
When Gu Qian heard the academy's voice transmission announcement, he was somewhat disbelieving. As the Dragon Lock was deployed, Gu Qian looked at the door he couldn't enter and his heart jumped.
He had thought this was an ordinary dormitory inspection, never expecting it to be connected to Silver River Water. The Floating Pagoda fragment was still in his room. Even if the inspecting instructors might not recognize it, being discovered was still not good.
With matters involving Silver River Water, there would definitely be Saints coming tonight.
Gu Qian's mind was filled with countless thoughts, while people around him frequently cast investigating glances at him, and the whispering he heard increased.
It was nothing more than talk about him previously breaking into Inverted Moon Cave and being framed for stealing Silver River Water. Now hearing the academy announce that Silver River Water was hidden in some disciple's dormitory, they immediately suspected Gu Qian again.
"Are you alright?" Ji Meng asked Gu Qian in a low voice. "The academy won't search our room first, will they?"
Huo Xiao said: "It's not impossible."
Ji Meng became anxious: "But didn't we clear our suspicions? The Silver River Water really isn't..."
He stopped speaking in time, using his eyes to indicate to Gu Qian: what should they do about the thing in the room?
They should have brought it out then.
Gu Qian said: "It won't be found so easily."
As long as no Saints came.
After all, no one had heard of Saints coming for dormitory inspections.
"How did the Communication Courtyard learn about the Silver River Water?" Ji Meng muttered.
Both Gu Qian and Huo Xiao thought of a certain possibility. Huo Xiao said: "Someone probably reported it to the Communication Courtyard."
When it came to matters related to the Communication Courtyard, Gu Qian always thought of the mysterious inscription he was cooperating with.
Gu Qian had also tried to find this mysterious person.
He had set his sights on disciples from Taoist School, Yin-Yang School, and Technical Arts School, because only these three schools might have access to Wind-Listening Ruler secrets, and he excluded everyone below Class A disciples.
He had suspects in mind but hadn't found concrete evidence.
Gu Qian thought for a moment, took out his Wind-Listening Ruler, opened the message interface with this mysterious person, and asked: "Did you do this?"
Naturally, he received no reply.
The instructors for this floor arrived late, still trapped in a malfunctioning Dragon Stairs. As the academy announced more and more information, without instructors to maintain order in the corridor, the disciples spoke louder and louder, making it the liveliest floor.
Outside the wall where no one could see, Wei Ren hung from sturdy, transparent spider silk, pressed against the wall. With one reach, he could touch the window of Gu Qian's dormitory. The window was tightly closed. He looked down below, seeing darkness nearby and the peach blossom grove in the distance.
There was no one around.
Wei Ren asked in a low voice: "Is searching for Silver River Water also part of your plan?"
His Wind-Listening Ruler lit up. Yu Sui replied: "Yes."
"What about the Saint arrangements?" Wei Ren said. "If a Saint comes to this floor, I'm not confident I won't be discovered."
Yu Sui: "No Saints will come to this floor."
The message she sent to the Communication Courtyard was now keeping the entire Communication Courtyard busy.
Not every floor would have Saints, but the academy would determine suspicious floors based on the Communication Courtyard's investigation of Wind-Listening Ruler information, then send Saints there.
So Nian Qiuyan's floor had Changsun Zi.
Sheng Hao's floor had Yu Sheng.
But Gu Qian's floor would not have Saints.
Aside from matters related to Silver River Water, Saints who had leaked information about Floating Pagoda fragments wouldn't want Gu Qian to have complications from the Silver River Water incident, where a search for Silver River Water accidentally uncovered Floating Pagoda fragments.
If this floor had accidents, the person who would arrive fastest would be the Saint who knew Gu Qian had obtained Floating Pagoda fragments.
Yu Sui told Wei Ren: "After you get the item, go to the first floor immediately and act like you just returned from outside and couldn't get into the dormitory in time."
People outside at this time were the safest and least suspicious.
Yu Sui had Blackbeard give her extra Wind-Listening Rulers, set message timing, sent them, then destroyed them.
On the other side, she had Blackbeard send some people to the academy's Lan Control Department, saying they suspected someone was using Lan poison, or had seen something similar to Lan poison somewhere, suspecting there was Lan poison nearby, then directing the clues to academy disciples.
The 24 Saints each had their own purposes. Some wanted to hide Lan poison, some wanted to hide Floating Pagoda fragments, and some sided with neither.
Though she currently couldn't move against Taiyi Academy's Saints, Saints could act against each other. As long as she threw out the information, naturally some Saints would take action.
The information given this time was too sudden, leaving others completely unprepared. In the haste, there would definitely be exposures.
The Five Elements Light Cores that Yu Sui had released had already seen several familiar Saints.
Military School's Leng Rouyin, Medical School's Jiang Shulan, School of Names' Elder Zhu.
And many more.
In the corridor, Gu Qian looked around and said in a low voice: "Try to unlock the Dragon Lock."
It would be more reassuring to get the Floating Pagoda fragment out.
Ji Meng and Huo Xiao provided cover while Gu Qian fiddled with the Dragon Lock.
Someone watching him saw this and shouted loudly: "Gu Qian! What do you mean by tampering with the Dragon Lock? Could it be that you really have Silver River Water in your room?"
This shout attracted other people who loved watching excitement, drawing many more gazes to Gu Qian, forcing him to stop his actions and turn to look coldly back.
The person who had spoken up to cause trouble was precisely the Legalist School disciple Sha Qian, who had always been at odds with Gu Qian because of Xun Zhiya.
Originally, Sha Qian had firmly believed that the Silver River Water was stolen by Gu Qian, who had entered Inverted Moon Cave, and wanted the Legalist School to judge him and expel Gu Qian from Taiyi Academy.
Who knew that just when success was within reach, a Nangong Sui appeared with the Di Su Balance Scale and saved Gu Qian.
Sha Qian was then retaliated against by Gu Qian and others, nearly having all his points deducted and being demoted to a Class C disciple, building up great resentment.
Now hearing about Silver River Water again, he once more firmly believed Gu Qian must have problems. Watching his every move, seeing him try to open the Dragon Lock made him even more excited. He stepped out from the crowd, pointing at Gu Qian and shouting loudly: "It's you, isn't it, the one hiding Silver River Water in the dormitory! Ji Meng and Huo Xiao are your accomplices. You should all be expelled from the academy!"
Gu Qian sneered: "If you want to go crazy, get lost."
Wei Ren took advantage of the noisy commotion outside and used spider silk to open the window, nimbly flipping inside.
The room had been tidied, looking clean and neat with everything properly arranged, obviously prepared for the dormitory-inspecting instructors.
Because of the dormitory inspection, locking or not locking the door was useless since it would be opened anyway. Gu Qian and the others wouldn't go far, staying by the entrance, so the door wasn't even closed.
This was convenient for Wei Ren.
Wei Ren was also pressed for time. He didn't pay much attention to other things and headed straight for Gu Qian's room according to Yu Sui's information.
The room door already had soundproofing effects. Wei Ren was very skilled at this sort of thing, and no one outside noticed.
Yu Sui helped him watch the movements inside and outside the room, telling Wei Ren the fragment's location: "On the table by the wall, second shelf, leftmost box."
"Use spider silk, don't touch it with your hands, it will leave fingerprints for him to discover."
"There's a School of Names secret lock requiring the correct name."
Wei Ren had spider silk wrap around the square black wooden box, taking it from the two-tiered wooden shelf to the table surface. He saw the black wooden box emit weak golden light, manifesting the School of Names secret lock's formation.
Yu Sui gave him the cipher to unlock the formation: "Wood Qian, Water Life, Fixed Kun, Complete Center."
Wei Ren quickly inputted this, and after unlocking the formation, there was still one final School of Names secret lock. Only by entering the correct box name could it be opened.
Gu Qian was the box's owner, only he knew the name.
Unfortunately, Yu Sui had seen it.
"Life Yao."
Following Yu Sui's information, Wei Ren successfully opened the black box.
Wei Ren was very calm when working, his heartbeat showing no fluctuation. His gaze calmly watched the slowly opening box, seeing the jade-green circular ring emitting gentle light inside.
Yu Sui glanced at the instructors still in the Dragon Stairs. The instructors were indeed cooperative, deliberately delaying their arrival time to let the disciples remain chaotic longer.
The instructors delayed, yet not a single Saint had come during this time.
This somewhat confirmed her speculation that among Taiyi Academy's Saints, some knew about Gu Qian obtaining fragments.
Plus, she had deliberately transmitted some unspeakable secrets through Wind-Listening Rulers to other disciples, making disciples who knew the truth furious. Now several floors above and below were cursing angrily, arguing more and more intensely. Some who loved watching excitement were fanning the flames, and floors where instructors hadn't yet arrived quickly broke into fights.
Wei Ren also had no mind to marvel at how ugly the Floating Pagoda fragment looked, efficiently taking out Dustless Soil to begin replication.
Replication wouldn't take much time.
After a moment, Dustless Soil spit out the fragment.
Just one.
The real Floating Pagoda fragment.
Wei Ren: "..."
Yu Sui saw this and raised an eyebrow lightly.
Wei Ren tried again. Dustless Soil attached to the fragment, the mud moving and growing on its own, completely enveloping it. After a moment, the dark brown mud spit out the fragment intact and fell back into the box, returning to calm.
"Can't replicate it." Wei Ren said calmly. "Seems the Floating Pagoda is quite special and cannot be replicated by Dustless Soil."
Even fake ones wouldn't work.
Yu Sui glanced at Gu Qian and others in the corridor and decided decisively: "Take it and go."
Wei Ren took the Floating Pagoda fragment, put the empty box back, and obediently returned the same way.
There was no time now to think about what Gu Qian would do after getting the fragment last night only to lose it tonight. This opportunity was rare. If they didn't take it now, who knew when they could get it again.
Whatever!
The one who would be troubled was Gu Qian anyway.
Gu Qian outside had just turned to look back at the room, always feeling that tonight was unsettling.