Elder Shen had been sitting right where he was supposed to, peacefully going through the Treasury's registers like he liked doing in his spare time.
The cool wind of spring made the gate of the sect a comfortable place to spend time in.
However, this comfort was short-lived, as someone approached him from the road that led into the sect, coming to a stop right in front of him and blocking the wind.
Elder Shen did not recognize this disciple. He could only sense that this young man was a first-layer cultivator, meaning he was a part of the recently recruited generation.
"Good evening to you, elder," said the young man in a haughty voice. Elder Shen's dislike toward him grew instantly.
"Say what you're here to say," Shen Ping replied in an impatient tone.
"I'm here to invite you, elder. I sincerely hope that you'll come to attend our event." said the youth as he handed elder Shen a flyer.
Shen Ping grabbed it in annoyance and went through its contents with a cursory glance.
And then he froze.
Blinking slowly, he read the words on the flyer once more, this time more slowly, pondering over each line.
His reading finished, Shen Ping looked back at the young man's countenance with confusion.
"What the hell is this?" he asked, slamming the flyer down on the table. "What are you trying to do?"
The flyer had only a few lines written on it, accompanied by a picture of a book.
Do you suspect that your daoist partner/ fiancee has bought the abominable book named "How To Make a Harem'?
Are you angry that he dares to harbor such thoughts?
Are you angry at the sect for promoting such disgusting books?
Are you worried that you might be seduced by one of these harem seeking bastards?
Look no further.
This is your salvation.
The book that will tell you how to counter their disgusting tricks and keep your daoist partner in check.
HOW TO COUNTER HAREM SEEKERS: A PERFECT GUIDE TO A BLISSFUL MARITAL LIFE
Underneath the flyer was the address of the Black Sheep Mountain Peak where the book would be sold tomorrow afternoon. The colorful picture of a book sporting that title was drawn below.
"I just told you, elder. I'm inviting you to the event! As a guest, surely your presence shall attract more disciples! That way, we're even willing to share with you some profit!"
Mu Ran didn't look at all intimidated by elder Shen's outburst.
"You were so helpful in promoting that book earlier! That gave us the idea."
Elder Shen leaned back in his seat, expression heavy.
"Han Xuhan could not have written a second book. My people have kept him under observation. He had nothing in his home that suggests the existence of a second manuscript."
Mu Ran nodded. "You're right. He didn't write this one. It was I, the enigma about to turn the world of literature upside down, who wrote this book after seeing that abominable creation that my underling Han Xuhan had come up with. As his boss, it is my duty to correct his wrongdoings!"
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"Bullshit!" Shen Ping Slapped a palm on the table again in anger.
"Do you think you can just lie in front of me and get away? It's clear as a day to me that you wrote no such thing!"
Mu Ran rubbed his chin. "Well, you're half correct. I've not completed writing the entire manuscript yet. After all, I only started a couple of hours ago."
"....And you think you can complete it, copy it, and sell it within tomorrow?"
"I am twenty-three percent confident of my success, yes! Why that is so, I won't tell you, of course. Trade secrets, old man!"
"...."
Shen Ping stood up from his seat and leaned forward a few degrees, eyes cold.
"Say, disciple Ran, what if you don't manage to leave this place till tomorrow evening? Or maybe you leave gravely uninjured..."
"The flyers are still gonna fly all across the sect. I'm the author of the book, not the advertisement manager. Someone already has been working arduously in that post...wait, how did you know my name?"
The intimidation didn't appear to work on Mu Ran. Shen Ping narrowed his eyes and decided to give it a go.
Soundlessly, a spell was released. The dao of deceit began to reshape Mu Ran's reality, Mu Ran's perception. With a wave of his hand, Mu Ran's cultivation was nullified and the qi in their surroundings became too chaotic to be absorbed.
"Does confronting an elder at his full power fall within your plan as well, disciples?"
Shen Ping whispered to himself, watching Mu Ran's eyes glazing over bit by bit.
And then, they returned to normal.
"...."
Mu Ran looked around, his gaze rather odd. Shen Ping noticed the alertness and ferocity despite still being confounded by the development.
How the hell did a brat at the earliest stage of the Physique Transformation realm solve his illusion spell?!
It was supposed to be nearly unbeatable even if the target was at the peak of the Soul Reformation realm!
Shen Ping felt a cold chill crawling down his spine.
For the first time, things had spiraled out of his control in this little trial. The culprit appeared to be Mu Ran...but Han Xuhan's visage popped up in his thoughts immediately.
"Alright, elder," Mu Ran suddenly spoke in a normal tone. "I'll take my leave now. The flyers have already been distributed by now. See you tomorrow!"
Despite his ordinary tone, Shen Ping sensed the brutality of a predator in his eyes. The aura was fading slowly, but it was still there, faint as the waning daylight, yet still fierce enough to leave an impression, a strong impression.
Watching his retreating figure, Shen Ping retraced his thoughts.
If these flyers had been truly published, the disciples of the sect would realize fast that despite the sect's nominal approval of the first book, someone here was clearly supporting the second book.
Things could go two ways then.
If the advertised book is not sold tomorrow evening, the disciples shall form the impression that the sect had prevented the publishers from doing so.
This would be a disaster, because it would indicate that their previous nominal approval was an act, and they clearly wanted no competition to harm their current business. This book would be a fatal slap to whoever had written the former book.
Many disciples were still trying to buy the first book, while a great number of disciples were dissatisfied with the fact that the sect had let such a vile book to be sold on their premises, with their permission.
Making it evident that the sect was involved with the business directly, rather than nominally, would enrage these disciples. Shen Ping knew that by tomorrow, a majority of the disciples would realize that the book was a trollish creation. They'd feel betrayed. In the ideal scenario, they would blame the mortal businessmen, not the sect.
But in this scenario...the sect's reputation would be dragged into dirty mud instantly.
However, the second scenario was different. Han Xuhan, who was possibly one of the perpetrators of the plan, should be in danger by now, which was why Mu Ran had come to deliver this threat.
Saving Han Xuhan immediately was the only way to salvage the situation. Once he did that, the rest of the conundrum could be solved easily.
Shen Ping felt like he had figured it out. Han Xuhan had written the second book long before coming to strike the deal with him. This second book was the insurance, in case someone backstabbed him, just like the current situation.
No wonder he had left to track down the caravan of the mortals so simply! Han Xuhan knew he could compel elder Shen to follow his tracks soon. If something happened to him, the books tomorrow would never be sold!
"Well played, disciples, well played," Shen Ping muttered as he began to walk towards the valley outside the sect. On his way, he picked up a dry tree-branch to wield in case he needed to fight.
Two of his people were waiting for him in the plains, near the caravan of the mortals.
"Location?" he asked the lady with the dove.
"Outside the valley, at the foot of the mountain on the left," she pointed carefully.
"Anything particular about his behavior?" Shen Ping asked, passing by the two of them.
"He seemed quite collected for someone so desperate. Good trait," the man spoke.
"What's Xiao Wang's cultivation level again?" Shen Ping enquired.
"Fifth layer of the Physique Transformation realm, through the practice of a technique stolen from the Hearthold Sutra of the Northern Wandering Monks."
"Zhang Shi and his colleague must be completely charmed by him then. Tsk tsk...
By the way, have you been able to feel 'happiness' yet?" Shen Ping turned toward the man.
"No progress," the man said.
Shen Ping sighed and disappeared into the valley at a lightning-fast speed.