Chapter 116: Lan Lou—The Junior Disciple Makes a Valid Point

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After wandering around and confirming that no Purple Mansion cultivators were sneaking in the streets here, Cao Chengyu decisively began his operation. He glanced at the titles of various secret cultivation techniques and spells, then tossed them into their respective storage pouches. As for the restrictive seals, he forcibly broke their frames with brute force.

A violent breakthrough.

If someone were stationed here, they would have noticed immediately; but this place was originally prepared for disciples and followers, so there were no self-destruct seals or similar defenses installed.

He took what he wanted comfortably, planning to erase the seals on the jade slips and scriptures later before reading them, which was a bit troublesome.

Soon, this library floor, tailored to the needs of Purple Mansion cultivators, was emptied by his efforts.

The vast bookshelves stood empty, some racks missing wood pieces as if gnawed by dogs, with chunks gone here and there.

Uneven and utterly lacking in aesthetic appeal.

Preparing to head to the Golden Core floor according to plan, he found the entrance sealed by a restriction requiring a token from a Golden Core elder or vein master to enter.

Cao Chengyu was a bit troubled.

He could force it open, but that might cause the entire floor to collapse; such a commotion would attract unwanted attention.

The sect leader and the senior elders were still alive; he couldn’t be too reckless.

“Damn it, I’ll have to learn some formations later, otherwise I can’t get the good stuff right in front of me.”

After pondering for some time, just as a malicious plan began to form in his mind—

Footsteps echoed; someone was coming up!

He ducked instinctively behind a bookshelf.

His gaze fixed on the stairwell; there weren’t many Purple Mansion guards left in the Five Elements Sect. Who could it be?

The visitor wore a simple blue Dao robe, tall and slender, with a fair face showing surprise. She glanced back at the sign on the stairs.

This was definitely the Purple Mansion floor. Where were the cultivation techniques? All my secret skills were here!

Her small head filled with great confusion.

This woman was Lan Lou.

Hesitating briefly, she pressed on; she had come to fetch some fourth-grade sword techniques for her good sister Chen Yuqing.

The Golden Core floor was above. Speaking of good sisters, she was a bit envious—her talent was on par with Lan Lou’s, but her father was the sect leader, and she was the most beloved daughter.

At a young age, though only a Purple Mansion early-stage cultivator, she had already become the Gui Water vein master of the Water Element Peak, while Lan Lou was still next door miserably doing fortune-telling.

She had heard that Chen Yuqing was going on a journey to the Eastern Territory with her father for training and asked Lan Lou to bring her some fourth-grade sword manuals to study and practice along the way.

Envy!

The situation here could be dealt with after returning—

With this thought, Lan Lou quickened her pace and, arriving at the stairwell to the next level, took out a golden token.

Hidden, Cao Chengyu’s eyes lit up.

Well, well, you with your thick eyebrows and sharp eyes, I didn’t expect you to come to take advantage of the chaos too. Seeing the Purple Mansion floor ransacked without reacting, your real target was upstairs.

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No, whoever sees it gets a share!

Cao Chengyu’s mind raced as he cleared his throat and stepped out from hiding.

“Ahem…”

“Uh, Sister Lan, whoever sees it gets a share—you can’t forget me.”

“???” Lan Lou.

“Junior brother?!! Hey~↑ What are you doing here?” Lan Lou’s surprised expression was genuine.

Cao Chengyu was instantly embarrassed. Something felt off?? He quickly recovered and made an excuse.

“I came in ahead of you, originally to get a Dao scripture for the master, but… you saw what happened.”

He shrugged helplessly, playing innocent, then produced the Yin-Yang Daoist’s token for Lan Lou to see.

“This place is like this now. I wanted to leave, but you came up, so I hid immediately out of fright.”

“After all, this situation is like having yellow mud fall into your pants—it’s either crap or something just as bad…”

Lan Lou glanced at the token, still a bit puzzled. For example, why hadn’t he come out first to explain? She prided herself on having some friendship with Cao Chengyu; was she not trustworthy?

Also—

“What do you mean ‘whoever sees it gets a share’?”

“…” Cao Chengyu.

Despite his growing skill at playing dumb, he was at a loss for words this time.

“N-no… not ‘whoever sees it gets a share,’ Sister, you misheard. It’s… a haunted place.”

“Is that so.”

Lan Lou gave him a suspicious look but nodded graciously.

“Alright, I believe you. You go first; I’ll vouch for you later.”

“…Okay, thanks…”

Cao Chengyu took several cautious steps, constantly looking back. The moment Lan Lou turned away, he slipped back behind the bookshelf, slowly creeping toward the upstairs stairs.

He nearly slapped himself—almost exposed, luckily Sister Lan’s thoughts were simple.

Since it had come to this, he’d just force it!

Either he’d die trying or succeed; he wouldn’t give up.

Seeing the entrance open, Cao Chengyu’s body flickered, transforming into a streak of blood-red sword light that dashed upstairs. He swept across bookshelves and walls, grabbing everything without even looking.

If something wouldn’t budge, he just raised his sword and sliced it in half—half was better than nothing.

Lan Lou, however, was looking down, pondering the earlier events, not noticing a sword light streaking just above her head.

“I have a feeling junior brother is acting suspiciously, but I can’t quite pinpoint it. Maybe… I should divine for him? No, I’ll wait until later. Too troublesome now.”

She hurried up the stairs.

“! (◎_◎;)” Lan Lou.

Help me, tell me this is just a hallucination!

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The scene before her was even more chaotic than the floor below. Apart from a few jade slips remaining, some scriptures were only half there!

And cut vertically, making them impossible to read. Thieves!

Just as she tried to use the Spirit Crane Technique to send a message to Chen Yuqing, a red sword light wrapped around a figure suddenly rushed past her head.

“Thief, stop!”

Lan Lou shouted, channeling her power, throwing several round copper coins with square holes forward.

A Qimen formation suddenly unfolded with the copper coins as the center.

Instantly, Cao Chengyu was trapped, but having experienced a Qimen duel with the Venerable Wanxiang, he was seasoned. Without pausing even a breath, he pierced straight through.

“What! How is this possible?”

Lan Lou hurried in pursuit.

By the time she reached the Purple Mansion floor, the sword light was gone. She continued chasing downward and saw her junior brother slowly walking down.

She rushed over.

“Junior brother, did you see a red sword light?”

“Sword light?”

Cao Chengyu looked shocked.

“Could it be the thief who ransacked the Purple Mansion floor?”

“That’s right. When I went upstairs, the thief was collecting Golden Core scriptures. After fighting me, he was severely wounded and escaped.”

Lan Lou said this expressionlessly, looking very convincing.

Cao Chengyu struggled to keep a straight face and shook his head.

“Sister, I didn’t see any red sword light. Maybe it was a decoy by the thief? He might still be hiding upstairs?”

Lan Lou paused.

“Makes sense. Let’s go search upstairs.”

“…”

“Why aren’t you coming?”

Cao Chengyu was speechless.

“Sister, I’m only mid-stage Dao body. With my short arms and legs, going up would be suicide.”

“True. Then go to the Water Element Peak and notify Gui Water vein master Chen Yuqing to come over.”

“Alright.”

With that, Lan Lou guarded upstairs while Cao Chengyu was in charge of sending messages, completely unaware of the cunning gleam in his eyes.