NOVPUB◎Accountability, the Scapegoat◎
The sixth day of the sixth month, Year of the Rabbit.
A gentle breeze and warm sun graced the crystal-clear sky.
Martial heroes from all corners of the land, led by Lu Jianwei, marched in grand procession toward the Carefree Sect.
The spectacle was meticulously recorded in The Annals of Jianghu.
By mid-morning, thousands had gathered at the sect’s mountain gate, forming solemn ranks with an awe-inspiring presence.
At the forefront stood a tall woman, flanked by other top-tier martial masters.
Even though the gatekeepers had anticipated such a scene, their legs trembled uncontrollably, their minds reeling.
Lu Jianwei cast a sidelong glance.
Shangguan Huai immediately understood. "The Alliance Leader’s Decree is hereby presented—Helian Zheng, Sect Master of the Carefree Sect, is summoned to receive it!"
His voice, amplified by his formidable inner energy, pierced through the mountain gate, reaching the rostrum adorned with a soaring Kunpeng.
The platform bristled with disciples, weapons in hand, poised for battle.
Their elders had warned them: the letters circulating through the martial world were forgeries, a conspiracy between the Eight Directions Inn and the Mystic Mirror Bureau to frame the Carefree Sect and seize control of the martial arts realm.
The sudden rise of the Eight Directions Inn reeked of treachery, and as the foremost sect in the land, the Carefree Sect bore the brunt of this scheme.
Today, they might have to fight to defend their home.
The mountain gate creaked open, revealing ancient stone doors carved with a figure riding a Kun, treading upon auspicious clouds—a vision of transcendent freedom, embodying the essence of "carefree."
Lu Jianwei stepped through first, followed by Pei Zhi, Ling Zong, Zhao Xian, Shangguan Huai, Helian Xue, and others.
As they ascended the winding path to the rostrum, the Carefree Sect disciples parted grudgingly, their eyes burning with resentment.
"Sister Xue?"
"It really is her! How could she side with them?"
"Rumors say she betrayed us long ago—didn’t she stop us from harvesting Gubaitou in Dianzhou?"
"Exactly! And then she volunteered to work at that inn. What was she thinking?"
"Hush. She’s still the Sect Master’s daughter."
"Does that excuse her actions?"
Whispers of "traitor" reached Helian Xue’s ears. Her face paled, lips pressed into a thin line.
Lu Jianwei flicked her sleeve, sealing the disciples’ mouths with a surge of inner energy. The square fell deathly silent.
The crowd: "…"
Truly, the innkeeper’s methods were as domineering as her reputation.
Helian Xue’s cheeks flushed with color, her tension easing. As a member of the Eight Directions Inn, she was under Lu Jianwei’s protection—no one could touch her now.
Whatever familial ties she once felt for Helian Zheng had evaporated after hearing Amuyan’s story.
What did she have left to fear?
"Boss, I can handle it," she murmured, unwilling to let Lu Jianwei compromise her principles for her sake.
Lu Jianwei replied lazily, "I just found them noisy."
"…"
"Innkeeper Lu’s authority knows no bounds," a deep voice echoed from the grand hall.
Lu Jianwei halted at the foot of the white jade steps and hurled the Alliance Leader’s Decree like lightning toward the throne.
Infused with the power of a ninth-tier martial master, the token was unstoppable.
Had Helian Zheng been merely an eighth-tier expert, even catching it would have destabilized his energy.
He could have dodged—but dodging would have shamed the dignity of a sect master.
If the leader of the Carefree Sect yielded to an innkeeper’s challenge, wouldn’t the world laugh at him?
A sharp glint flashed in Helian Zheng’s eyes.
Straight to the point—Innkeeper Lu lived up to her reputation.
He caught the decree, feigning a stumble as he suppressed the impact.
"Young Innkeeper Lu has already reached the ninth tier as a Martial Sovereign. I am indeed outmatched."
His words stoked the disciples’ indignation.
So what if she was a ninth-tier master? Did that give her the right to bully them on their own turf?
The letters hadn’t even been verified as his, yet she barged in and humiliated their sect without question!
Lu Jianwei smiled faintly. "Sect Master Helian flatters me."
"Xiao Ke, he’s really good at playing the victim," she mused inwardly. "Look how easily he’s fooled his disciples."
Xiao Ke retorted, "Don’t forget—the Carefree Sect still has a ninth-tier ancestor in seclusion."
"This isn’t serious enough to drag out their old monster."
"Not serious?"
"Compared to ascending to the grandmaster realm, this is trivial."
"…Fine," Xiao Ke conceded. "But when you say that, maybe remember you’re technically a ‘ninth-tier ancestor’ too?"
Lu Jianwei: "My goal is different—I’m just trying to go home. Still, that ancestor is a wild card. Best stay cautious."
Xiao Ke: "…"
You’ve got an answer for everything.
Lu Jianwei ascended the steps.
The hall’s plaque bore the characters for "Carefree," its strokes unrestrained, exuding an air of untamed elegance.
Inside, twelve eighth-tier elders sat in attendance, dwarfing Lu Jianwei’s entourage in sheer numbers.
Though the martial artists outside outnumbered the sect’s disciples, their unity paled against the Carefree Sect’s ironclad discipline.
Neither side held a clear advantage.
Helian Zheng rotated his thumb ring. "Since you’ve come all this way, surely you’ll allow me to play host? Innkeeper Lu, Alliance Leader Ling, Dean Shangguan—please, take your seats. As for…"
His gaze swept over Pei Zhi, Helian Xue, and the veiled figure. "Commander Pei, as an agent of the Mystic Mirror Bureau, you may wait outside. A’Xue, you too. And this masked guest—the Carefree Hall has no place for those who hide their faces."
"Sect Master Helian is in quite a hurry to dismiss guests," Lu Jianwei said breezily, seating herself. "They’re with me."
Pei Zhi and the others followed suit, occupying the remaining seats meant for Ling Zong, Zhao Xian, and Shangguan Huai—leaving the three standing awkwardly in the hall.
The crowd: "…"
Innkeeper Lu truly spared no courtesy.
"A’Xue, have you forgotten the sect’s teachings?" Helian Zheng chided, indirectly targeting Lu Jianwei.
Lu Jianwei countered, "Surely the Carefree Sect isn’t so stingy as to deny three seats?"
Trapped by his own decorum, Helian Zheng had no choice but to arrange additional seating for Ling Zong’s group.
"Servants, begin the banquet."
Attendants streamed in, bearing wine and delicacies. Cups were filled, and the hall buzzed with forced civility.
Helian Zheng raised his glass. "To our guests."
Ling Zong moved to reciprocate—only to find his companions motionless. His arm hovered mid-air, stranded between toast and retreat.
Were they really discarding all pretense?
Helian Zheng’s eyes darkened. "Innkeeper Lu, what is the meaning of this?"
"The wine is exquisite, and Sect Master Helian's kindness is appreciated by Lu," Lu Jianwei's tone shifted abruptly. "However, the reason I and these martial heroes have come here is not to indulge in feasting. Let’s dispense with such formalities."
The crowd: "..."
If only you’d said this before the banquet was set up. Now you’ve made Sect Master Helian lose face.
"Shopkeeper Lu, you’ve traveled a long way, and our sect prepared this banquet to welcome you. Are you saying we were wrong to do so?" a Carefree Sect elder frowned and asked. "Why must you humiliate our sect like this?"
Zhao Xian sneered, "Does the Carefree Sect even have any face left to lose?"
"You—"
"Spare me the nonsense," Zhao Xian had long lost patience. "Helian Zheng, stop wasting time. The whole world knows about your secret correspondence with Zhuang Wenqing. Since you’ve already received the Alliance Leader’s decree, why not confess your crimes sooner?"
The grudge between the Sky Pillar Hall and the Carefree Sect ran deep. Zhao Xian had no intention of giving Helian Zheng any respect.
Today, he had come to trample the Carefree Sect into the mud.
Helian Zheng replied indifferently, "False accusations are easily made."
"Your letters with Zhuang Wenqing were crystal clear."
"Letters can be forged."
"But the words exchanged between you and Zhuang Wenqing—who else could have known them besides you?"
Helian Zheng rubbed the jade ring on his finger. "What exactly did the letters say?"
"Xie Tongshu was present that day. Why pretend ignorance now?"
"Elder Xie?" Helian Zheng turned to Xie Tongshu. "Did Elder Xie tell me anything?"
Today, the Carefree Sect faced judgment from the martial world. As elders of the sect, Xie Tongshu and Yin Sui had no choice but to attend the assembly.
Xie Tongshu ignored him.
"Brother Xie went into seclusion as soon as he returned to the sect," Yin Sui explained on his behalf.
"Did you hear that, Elder Zhao?" Helian Zheng smiled faintly.
Zhao Xian’s face darkened. "Aside from Xie Tongshu, many Carefree Sect disciples were also present that day."
"Such a crude frame-up is obvious to anyone with eyes," another Carefree Sect elder retorted. "The disciples did report back to us, but we dismissed it as mere rumors and saw no need to trouble the sect master."
Zhao Xian scoffed, "What blatant lies! Helian Zheng, if you truly knew nothing, why put on this act today?"
"Elder Zhao, there’s no need for anger," Helian Zheng said leisurely. "I, too, am deeply puzzled. But since you all insisted on storming into our sect demanding answers, I, as the host, merely extended courtesy by preparing a banquet. Is there a problem with that?"
The crowd: "..."
"Xiao Ke, I’ve had enough of his nonsense," Lu Jianwei sighed inwardly.
Xiao Ke replied, "Then let’s cut to the chase."
"Sect Master Helian, in your letters with Zhuang Wenqing, you mentioned that over twenty years ago, you schemed your way to the sect master’s seat, then raised assassins using puppet gu to overthrow the martial world. How do you explain this?"
Helian Zheng chuckled. "Shopkeeper Lu, as I said, the letters were forged. Everyone knows the Carefree Sect strictly forbids gu sorcery—because I despise insects."
"If you hate insects, why keep one inside your body?" Lu Jianwei teased. "Sect Master Helian, your tastes are truly... unique."
Helian Zheng’s heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained calm. "Shopkeeper Lu, what are you talking about?"
"I said, there’s an insect in you," Lu Jianwei smiled. "Shall I help you coax it out?"
"Shopkeeper Lu, words shouldn’t be spoken carelessly."
He had investigated—after the arena incident, Lu Jianwei had indeed extracted the gu worm from Zhuang Wenqing’s brain. But the man was already dead, and the mother gu had died with him, making it easy to detect.
The love gu’s mother gu, however, was still alive and well.
This proved that while Lu Jianwei might have some knowledge of gu sorcery, she couldn’t possibly detect a gu emperor.
If she could, why had she allowed the arena chaos to unfold?
She was bluffing.
"I’m not speaking carelessly," Lu Jianwei said firmly. "Would Sect Master Helian like to see the evidence in my hand?"
She untied the brocade pouch at her waist and poured out a golden gu worm—no larger than a sesame seed—lying obediently in her palm.
"What evid—" His voice cut off abruptly.
Lu Jianwei slowly closed her fist, trapping the gu worm inside.
"Sect Master Helian should know that a gu worm, having drunk its master’s blood, not only forms a faint connection with them but can also retaliate upon death."
A surge of ninth-level internal force erupted from her palm, instantly reducing the love gu’s mother gu to dust.
Before Helian Zheng could react, he suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Raising gu worms wasn’t without risks. Though the gu resided within the master’s body, minimizing backlash, exceptions existed.
The love gu was indeed useful, but Helian Zheng’s status prevented him from using it personally—it would be absurd for a senior like him to enchant young martial artists.
Moreover, as a sect master who rarely appeared in public, the love gu was practically useless.
This outcome was something he had never anticipated.
Amuyan had assured him that a gu emperor couldn’t be detected by anyone but its master—not even a ninth-level gu master could perceive its existence.
So why?
Why did Lu Jianwei have the love gu emperor?
The hall fell into stunned silence.
Helian Zheng really had been raising gu worms!
Lang Ye shot to his feet, furious. "Helian Zheng! Didn’t you say Amuyan was dead?! How do you still have gu worms?!"
Ling Zong and the others perked up.
From Lang Ye’s words, it seemed the Carefree Sect harbored secrets far darker than imagined.
Helian Zheng’s composure wavered for a split second before he steadied himself.
He dabbed the blood from his lips with a handkerchief, then sighed with a bitter smile. "Shopkeeper Lu, your trap is meticulously laid—even going so far as to frame me with a gu emperor."
Lu Jianwei dusted the powdered remains from her palm. "You are the gu emperor’s master."
"Someone could have used my blood to refine the gu emperor," Helian Zheng said slowly, folding the bloodstained handkerchief. "How can you condemn me based on a gu emperor of unknown origin?"
"You’re a ninth-level Martial King. Who could easily take your blood?" Lu Jianwei raised an eyebrow. "Helian Zheng, do you take everyone here for fools?"
"Ninth-level?!"
"Helian Zheng reached ninth-level? Why haven’t we heard any rumors?"
"Why would he hide it?"
Even the Carefree Sect elders looked doubtful.
Yin Sui frowned, then shook his head with a self-deprecating smile.
Helian Zheng: "Refining a gu emperor isn’t done overnight. Someone could have taken my blood long ago."
"Oh?" Lu Jianwei feigned surprise. "Who could have taken the blood of the world’s top sect master unnoticed?"
Zhao Xian interjected, "Exactly. And refining gu requires fresh blood. I consulted gu experts after returning this time—who would use years-old blood to refine gu? Helian Zheng, even lies need logic."
"I know nothing of gu refinement. I was merely speculating. Elder Zhao is well-informed—I stand corrected." Helian Zheng dismissed the rebuttal lightly.
Zhao Xian: "..."
"Even if you were ignorant, Elder Zhao has now clarified that no one could have taken your blood years ago to refine a gu emperor just to frame you," Lu Jianwei cut through his rhetoric sharply. "There’s only one explanation—you raised the gu emperor yourself. Everything you’ve said is a lie."
Helian Zheng fell silent for a moment before finally showing a trace of remorse under the silent gazes of the crowd.
"This is a disgraceful scandal of our sect. I had no intention of revealing it to outsiders, but since Shopkeeper Lu insists on condemning me, I have no choice but to clarify..."
"Enough with the nonsense," Lu Jianwei interrupted him. "Sect Leader Helian, hesitation doesn’t suit your style."
Her tone was far from polite—if anything, it was downright aggressive. Even Helian Zheng, with all his years of cultivated composure, found himself at a loss before her.
He rose to his feet, flicking his sleeve coldly. "Shopkeeper Lu is so domineering that you won’t even let others speak. No wonder A-Xue stopped listening to her own father after entering the Eight Directions Inn."
Lu Jianwei retorted, "Stop deflecting. Instead of wasting time, why not let everyone witness the so-called scandal you mentioned?"
The crowd nodded in unison.
Yes, yes! Hurry up and tell us what the scandal is!
Zhao Xian sneered, "Helian Zheng, are you just making up excuses to cover your crimes?" 𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑝𝘶𝘣.𝑐𝘰𝘮
"The sect strictly forbids the use of gu techniques, so why are you still raising insects?" Lang Ye slammed his broadsword loudly. "Just spit it out already—this dithering is unbearable."
Yin Sui added, "If the gu worms are merely a misunderstanding, Sect Leader, please clarify as soon as possible."
"Helian Zheng, you’re still as petty as ever," Luo Xianshan remarked bluntly.
Lou Qingyi said, "Be decisive. Don’t let others look down on the leader of the Carefree Sect."
Only Xie Tongshu remained silent, but his silence spoke volumes.
The other elders, though aligned with Helian Zheng, were at a loss for words—even they didn’t know what this "scandal" referred to.
Helian Zheng surveyed the expressions in the hall and sighed. "I assume you’ve all heard of the gu worm uprising in our sect over twenty years ago. Since then, gu techniques have been strictly forbidden."
"Wasn’t the mastermind behind the gu worm uprising twenty years ago already dead?" Zhao Xian’s face twisted with mockery. "Don’t tell me this gu emperor has something to do with that gu master from back then."
The timing was etched vividly in Zhao Xian’s memory.
Back then, the ninth-level Martial King of the Sky Pillar Sect had inexplicably clashed with the Carefree Sect’s Huan Martial King in Moonview City. After both perished in battle, the Carefree Sect was struck by the gu worm uprising, and Helian Zheng subsequently became the new sect leader.
The Sky Pillar Sect had tried to uncover the truth, and after painstaking investigation, they realized Helian Zheng was the one who benefited most from these events.
They had intended to confront the Carefree Sect, but just as one ninth-level Martial King fell, another abruptly appeared.
With their own ninth-level ancestor gone and the Carefree Sect still backed by a ninth-level Martial King, the Sky Pillar Sect stood no chance.
Yet, suspicion lingered over them like a dark cloud.
Over the years, the Carefree Sect rose to become the foremost sect in the land, while the Sky Pillar Sect failed to produce another ninth-level Martial King, never regaining its former glory.
Thus, the Sky Pillar Sect remained wary of the Carefree Sect.
Helian Zheng gave a bitter smile. "Elder Zhao is right—it does involve her."
"Wasn’t she dead?" Lang Ye exclaimed in shock. "What do you mean it involves her?"
Helian Xue lowered her head, her eyes filled with disappointment and scorn, her hands clenched tightly beneath the table.
He was really going to make her mother the scapegoat again.
Yin Sui’s expression hardened. "You didn’t kill her back then?"
"I thought I had." Helian Zheng’s gaze darkened with guilt. "But when news of the Alliance Leader’s decree arrived, I sensed something amiss and investigated personally. Only then did I discover..."
"Discover what?" Lang Ye pressed urgently.
"I found out that back then, she used a Perception Gu to deceive me—making me believe I had pierced her heart and she had fallen off a cliff. But I never imagined she survived! All these years, she’s been hiding within the sect, using gu worms to communicate with the outside world. She colluded with Zhuang Wenqing to sow chaos in the Central Plains’ martial world, and out of resentment, framed the Carefree Sect for everything."
The crowd fell silent.
"As you all know, she and I... once shared a past. I even taught her the Central Plains’ language and script. Mimicking my handwriting was child’s play for her."
Lang Ye’s chest heaved, his eyes reddening. "Where is she now?!"
The other four also fixed their gazes intently on Helian Zheng.
"After uncovering the truth, I imprisoned her in a mountain cave." Helian Zheng descended a step. "If you don’t believe me, you’re welcome to accompany me there."
Lu Jianwei interjected, "Sect Leader Helian, your words contradict themselves. Earlier, you claimed ignorance of the letters, yet now you say someone mimicked your handwriting."
"The letters truly weren’t written by me. I claimed ignorance earlier because I didn’t want to bring up this scandal."
"If an outsider caused trouble in your sect, that should only count as an unwarranted disaster. How is it a scandal?"
"The full explanation can wait until we see her."
He was eager to divert everyone’s attention to Amuyan, but Lu Jianwei wasn’t about to let him off so easily.
"If that gu master is still alive, why would she insist on staying in the Carefree Sect?"
Helian Zheng replied, "Because she wanted to steal my blood."
"You’re a ninth-level Martial King. Who could get close enough to take your blood without you noticing?" Zhao Xian sensed something off—his distrust of Helian Zheng ran deep.
Helian Zheng said, "She used a Perception Gu."
"If that’s the case, how did you discover her?"
"I broke through to the ninth level." Helian Zheng’s eyes turned icy. "A Perception Gu isn’t powerful enough to completely evade a ninth-level Martial King."
Zhao Xian scoffed. "Sounds like you’re scrambling for excuses. If that were true, you should’ve sensed the gu master hiding in your sect long ago. Why wait until the Alliance Leader’s decree arrived? Not to mention, your sect still has another ninth-level Martial King."
"Elder Zhao, it’s been over twenty years. She hid in the Abandoned Peak—why would I think to search there again?" Helian Zheng defended. "That elder has been in seclusion for years, never interfering in sect affairs."
Zhao Xian stood and flicked his sleeve. "Then let’s see what kind of gu master could evade so many experts in your sect."
"Everyone, this way." Helian Zheng descended the steps, his courtesy still impeccable.
The crowd in the hall followed.
Disciples of the Carefree Sect and wandering martial artists had been waiting outside, listening intently to the proceedings.
The younger warriors were brimming with questions.
What really happened during the gu worm uprising back then?
Why were Elders Lang and the others so agitated?
Was that gu master truly so formidable, hiding in the sect for over twenty years?
They trailed behind the senior experts, forming a long procession toward the Abandoned Peak of the Carefree Sect.
Half the disciples remained in the plaza, dispersing at their elders’ orders, vanishing to unknown locations.
The system’s map clearly displayed the green dots.
On the way to the Abandoned Peak, Lu Jianwei observed the movements of the other half of the Carefree Sect’s disciples and raised an eyebrow.
Though she wasn’t versed in esoteric formations, she could still discern some patterns.
Pei Zhi walked closely beside her when he felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned to look.
"Your hand," Lu Jianwei transmitted via internal energy.
Pei Zhi offered his palm, resting it on hers.
Her warm fingertips traced shapes on his skin. At first, he didn’t understand, but as the pattern became clearer, his fingers abruptly clenched, his expression tightening.
"The Jade Array," he said, "taken from the phrase 'perishing together like jade and stone.'"
Helian Zheng happened to turn back just then, catching sight of their clasped hands. He froze for a moment.
"So the two of you are entering the peak hand in hand?"
The others followed the sound of his voice, their expressions a mix of complicated emotions.
Truly, the recklessness of youth.
