Chapter 33: The Elder’s Widow

Lu Chengfeng didn't put down his tea cup and, after a while, finally said, "Junior Brother, you're in the Affairs Hall, with the widest sources of information. Do you happen to know of any elders who recently passed away, leaving wives or concubines still residing on the mountain?"

Cai Zhang was taken aback by this question, replying with a slight start, "Senior Brother, are you asking about the widows of the elders?"

Before Lu Chengfeng could respond, a thought flashed through Cai Zhang's mind. He immediately remembered Rosuyi, whose master had only passed away recently, and yet she had quickly married into the family as the new mistress.

Had only a few days passed, and now he was considering it again? His heart felt a peculiar twinge, yet he simply chalked it up to his Senior Brother's unconventional tastes, his expression involuntarily growing strange.

Lu Chengfeng was, of course, aware of his thoughts, but he couldn't explain it and even felt he needed to mislead him a bit. After coughing twice, he said, "That's right. Ideally, she should be exceptionally beautiful and have a charming figure."

Initially thinking it was some serious matter, Cai Zhang couldn't help but laugh when he heard this. "Haha, Senior Brother, you certainly have unique tastes… I must say, I admire you for that…"

"With your natural talents, position, and status, choosing a fresh and fair young lady, or even one of the female disciples in the sect, shouldn't be an issue. Why is it that Senior Brother seems to favor these widows?"

He was about to continue when Lu Chengfeng shot him a warning glare, prompting Cai Zhang to quickly close his mouth and shrink back a bit.

"Enough with the idle talk. Just tell me whether you know or not," Lu Chengfeng said, feeling somewhat annoyed as he took a quick sip of tea to mask his embarrassment.

Cai Zhang stifled his laughter, finding that the once awe-inspiring image of his senior brother was, in this moment, suddenly much more vivid and down-to-earth.

Not wanting to further provoke him, Cai Zhang thought briefly before responding, "The elders' wives and concubines within the sect are mostly secluded from outsiders, so it's hard to tell who might be beautiful or not.

"However, there indeed are some elders who have passed away, for whom the Affairs Hall arranges monthly provisions and handles other small matters. I happen to know of a few."

"One example is Elder Li Yunfeng of Black Eagle Ravine in the outer peaks. Three years ago, he perished heroically in a duel on the martial arts scene, leaving behind a pair of children and an old wife."

"Then there's Elder Yunyan of Tianzhi Peak. She and Elder Li Muge, known together as the 'Twin Pillars of the Outer Peaks,' excelled at joint sword techniques. Their teamwork earned them fame across the martial world, admired as a legendary couple."

"Unfortunately, Elder Li Muge strayed into madness while training and has been in that state for a decade now. Elder Yunyan now lives alone on Tianzhi Peak, rarely seen by outsiders."

As Lu Chengfeng listened, Cai Zhang went on, listing a few other examples. However, they were all elders from the outer peaks, of varying strength, but not quite Lu Chengfeng's first choices.

Seeing that Cai Zhang's mouth was growing dry from talking, Lu Chengfeng filled his cup, and as if casually, asked, "Has there been any elder from the inner peaks who left behind a widow?"

"Inner peaks?" Cai Zhang paused, only then realizing that his Senior Brother might have a different purpose in mind.

Various thoughts spun through his mind. Could it be that his Senior Brother was eyeing the wealth left behind by a widow of an inner-peak elder? After all, the possessions of an inner-peak elder might spark greed in many people.

Yet, a second thought assured him that this didn't seem to fit his Senior Brother's character.

With a slight hesitation, Cai Zhang said, "The situation with the family members of the inner-peak elders is typically kept confidential within the sect. The Affairs Hall has repeatedly emphasized not disclosing such information lightly to outsiders."

Before Lu Chengfeng could reply, Cai Zhang added, "However, since it's you, Senior Brother, I won't withhold anything. Just promise me you won't let this information slip; otherwise, it could lead to significant trouble."

Seeing Cai Zhang's hesitant expression, Lu Chengfeng replied calmly, "Rest assured, Junior Brother. Whatever you tell me today stays between us. Not a third person will know." Cai Zhang accepted the tea from Lu Chengfeng, took a few sips to moisten his throat, and continued, "From what I know, there are currently seven families of inner-peak elders under the Affairs Hall's care.

"When an elder passes, their family is cared for by the sect for thirty years. If any family member shows promise, they are given priority for selection and training. If not, after thirty years, they are moved out of Yuncang."

At this, Lu Chengfeng was a bit startled. Seven elders from the inner peaks had died over just thirty years? These were no ordinary figures; each elder was a formidable presence capable of shaking the martial world.

"It seems the sect isn't so peaceful after all."

The thought of that earth-shaking beast roar, the sky-piercing sword aura, and the shadows that seemed to flit through the sect made him fall into deeper silence.

"These seven elders, I only know about three of them. The other four are managed by other stewards in the Affairs Hall and weren't assigned to my team."

"The three elders are Elder Chu Yin of Huanglong Peak, Elder Li Guan of Xuanhe Peak, and Elder Qin Feng of Xuanhe Peak."

Lu Chengfeng's pupils narrowed sharply. "Two of them were elders from Xuanhe Peak?"

Cai Zhang nodded, lowering his voice as he cautiously added, "I heard from others in the hall that these two elders died on the same day. At that time, there was a major incident in the sect, sparking fury among the upper echelons. Even the family members of these two elders almost got implicated."

Lu Chengfeng's heart began to race. He couldn't help but think of Xun Shuijing, the young master who had suffered an unfortunate fate. He was the husband of his cheap master and a peerless talent who had created the Five Elements Unity Sword Sutra.

He blurted out impulsively, "Junior Brother, do you know how long it has been since those two elders died?"

Cai Zhang thought for a moment before replying, "I only know from others in the sect, and I don't have all the details, but I believe it's been about twenty years."

It was as if a thunderbolt struck Lu Chengfeng's mind. Xun Shuijing had died precisely twenty years ago. To say there was no connection here would be a joke.

He faintly sensed he had touched upon some deeply hidden secrets within the sect, with Zhu Yuxian undoubtedly playing a pivotal role.

"For now, I'm just a minor figure. I mustn't rush into this, or it would be courting death."

Suppressing his curiosity, Lu Chengfeng shifted the topic, asking, "Among the widows of these three elders, is there one who is particularly beautiful? Age doesn't matter, so long as she has a captivating figure and extraordinary looks. Other details don't concern me."

Cai Zhang immediately gave him a teasing look, grinning as he replied, "I don't know about the other two elders' families, but Elder Li Guan took a young concubine only a month before he passed. At that time, she was only sixteen.

"Now, twenty years have passed, and she should be around thirty-six or thirty-seven. I once went to deliver supplies and caught a glimpse of her. She indeed has a stunning figure, brimming with allure. She's unforgettable.

"Though older, she retains a mature charm that's hard to forget."

Lu Chengfeng was elated upon hearing this. If he married her, wouldn't his martial prowess soar?

Especially since he'd just acquired the Mysterious Crane Thousand Shadows Sword Technique from Zhu Yuxian, any progress in his martial skills could easily be attributed to his swordsmanship talent.

Who would ever guess at the connection?

"Dear brother, tell me more about this

elder's widow." Lu Chengfeng, barely able to contain himself, grabbed Cai Zhang eagerly.