Chương 34: 2-2

[…Host, is everything alright?] Seeing Yu Qingyu's state, 520 couldn't help but ask.

Yu Qingyu just shook his head in response. 'I won't be able to pull it off. Ever!'

520 remained silent for a while. After completing four missions with Yu Qingyu, it had a pretty good grasp on its host's psyche. Thus, it was able to figure out where the issue laid without even asking.

After analyzing all the possible solutions, it finally proposed, [How about Host proclaims that you changed your preferences and are now interested in men?]

Yu Qingyu blinked a few times, dumbfounded. What was 520 even talking about? '…People don't just change their sexual orientation like that,' he explained. 'Besides… I'm only here to do the mission. How can I possibly seek romance with anyone, when I know that I will be leaving soon, never to return?'

520 didn't understand Yu Qingyu's sentiments, but it was not about to argue with its host's wishes. [What does Host intend to do in that case?] it asked instead.

'Hmm…' Yu Qingyu started pacing around the room, rubbing his chin. Suddenly, he stopped, and hit his palm with a fist. 'I know! I will go meditate in isolation, for a month or so. Then I'll claim I had an enlightenment, and I'm no longer interested in secular affairs!'

[That won't be necessary. It happens that Gu Huiji has just returned from solitary cultivation last night, so Host can claim to have already reached said enlightenment then.]

'Is that so?' Yu Qingyu furrowed his brows. Rubbing the crease formed on his forehead, he tried to recall all the information about the recent events at the sect that 520 transferred to him. The sheer amount of knowledge that flowed into his brain just a moment ago was overwhelming, making him slightly dizzy and confused, unable to process it properly.

'Well, if that is the case, then it should be fine, I guess?' he said finally, after his mind cleared up a bit.

[Host doesn't need to worry too much. Even if the other sect members notice anything amiss about Host's behavior, they might at most check whether Host is not possessed. And the results would turn out negative.]

Although 520 might have intended for its words to sound reassuring, that didn't amount to much. After all, even if everyone else were to assume he simply changed, Liu Wei would still be able to pick up on that.

His identity would be eventually discovered, and he had to accept that. It was not the end of the world. As long as he managed to at least conceal his mission, he still had a chance to succeed.

Which is why he decided not to take any action for now. Focus on training all of his disciples as a good master should, and try to figure out Liu Wei's identity first.

As the sun was slowly climbing higher in the sky, he decided it was time for him to finally go out. He reached for his outer robe, which was in a darker shade of purple than his inner one, and put it on. Although he was not used to wearing such clothes, he instinctively knew how to wear them properly, probably because of all the skills and knowledge he inherited.

His peak was… disorderly to say the least. There was no fixed training schedule. His disciples spent most of their time either messing around, or sparring with each other. Most of them didn't even bother regularly attending lectures, which were supposed to be compulsory for all the disciples within the sect! And all of this, of course, was caused by the example given by their shizun, Chunren Peak Master Gu Huiji, who cared very little about discipline, and lived his own life freely. It was only thanks to his exceptional cultivation and martial arts that he was able to maintain such a position.

The good thing about it was that at least Yu Qingyu didn't have to worry about acting out of line. The only things considered 'out of line' around here were dishonesty, injustice, mistreatment of others, and so on. Which were things that Yu Qingyu also disliked!

Strolling among the trees and small houses, Yu Qingyu passed by many sect members of different ages, who greeted him with a smile. Although he only had seven disciples of his own, plenty of other members were also residing at his peak, falling under his jurisdiction.

'By the way,' Yu Qingyu addressed 520 as he walked. 'Who do you think Liu Wei might be this time? One of my disciples?'

In the previous world, Liu Wei had taken the identity of Ye Chaodan, one of his teammates. So it was reasonable to assume that he would get a significant role assigned this time as well, as somebody close to him. His disciples seemed like an obvious target… And the most inconvenient one for Yu Qingyu.

[That is certainly a possibility,] 520 replied. [However, he could also take over a random sect member, another Peak Master, or even the Sect Leader.]

A person passing by threw a quick surprised glance at him, seeing as Yu Qingyu tripped on a tiny rock on the ground, and almost ended up falling flat on his face. He quickly regained his balance, cleared his throat, and carried on as if nothing happened. Inwardly, however, he was in a state of panic, his heart thumping heavily in his chest. 'Sect Leader? That is possible?'

[Yes, it is.]

That would be terrible news. Becoming Sect Leader would give Liu Wei way too much power over him!

'What about Zhao Weixin? He cannot take over my target, can he?' he asked anxiously.

[Technically, he can. Although it's fairly unlikely.]

All the blood seemed to have drained from Yu Qingyu's face. Then, the task would really reach an insane difficulty level!

As he was fretting over what the system had just told him, he finally reached the training field, where most of his disciples were.

He cast a quick glance at them. Two of them were currently missing. Out of those who were present, two were sparring with each other, one was training with a dummy, and another one polishing the sword. The last one was sitting under the tree, hidden in its shade, reading a scroll with a focused look on his face. He had a short stature, a scrawny body, and an extremely pale complexion.

That was Zhao Weixin, the target of his mission, and his oldest disciple, aged 21. Aside from being the oldest, he was also… the weakest. Both in cultivation and martial arts.

Yu Qingyu's face dropped a bit. Although he already knew about it before, the young man in front of him looked even more feeble than he expected. How was supposed to suddenly turn him into a strong candidate for the Peak Master? And his was the peak that specialized in sword arts on top of that! To be Gu Huiji's successor, one needed to possess exceptional prowess when it came to sword fighting.

"Shizun!" a cheerful voice suddenly called from behind him.

As Yu Qingyu was envisioning his bleak future, the two missing disciples had finally arrived. Aged 17 and 18, with tall and muscular statures, donning high ponytails and the sect's purple uniforms, were his two most promising disciples, Xue Hongxi, courtesy Molin, and Han Jiuding, courtesy Yanwu.