Hidden Moth-Chapter 486 - 274: Observing Shadows, Portraying Forms, Sketching Mortal Life (Part 2)

Chapter 486: Chapter 274: Observing Shadows, Portraying Forms, Sketching Mortal Life (Part 2)

He Kao must cooperate with Elder Li to keep the secret. If there is any movement in Qi Yuan, he must promptly inform Elder Li, and if the situation is urgent, he may even need to "bring" him over.

If He Kao cannot reach Elder Li temporarily, then he should contact Mei Wenhua, the noodle shop owner at the entrance of Sesame Apartment.

Mei Wenhua is a Tier Five Heart Stealer of the Xingshen Sect, but he hasn’t taken on the role of Steward nor held any official position in the Sect. He has always been reclusive and low-key in cultivation. Let alone other Sect disciples, even disciples from his own Sect rarely know of him.

That’s why Elder Li specifically dispatched Mei Wenhua to Qi Yuan this time. Aside from a few people like Qian Guran, others do not know his identity, and many even mistakenly think of him as Elder Mei.

When Elder Li is not around, Mei Wenhua is the person in charge for the Magic Sect in Qi Yuan, and the personnel sent by the Ancestral Hall for investigation are under his command. The materials He Kao saw were collected and organized by Mei Wenhua during this time.

After Elder Li left, the "top expert" left by the Ancestral Hall in Qi Yuan was only the Tier Five Sorcerer Mei Wenhua.

He Kao couldn’t help but ask, "What about the other Elders of the Ancestral Hall? Why is it just you running around?"

Li Xiuyuan sighed and didn’t say anything but sent a divine thought.

The Ancestral Hall has seven Elders, which are the Sect Leaders of the Seven Great Magic Sects. The Second Elder Zong Zheng is stationed in Phoenix Tail Town handling daily affairs; he cannot easily leave, and any movement could attract everyone’s attention.

The two Elders Kang Rulin and Wild Phoenix were initially responsible for dealing with issues related to the Huiming Shi Family. This matter has subsequent implications, and these two Elders are still responsible, having secretly gone overseas.

The Shi Family has a branch that has transferred assets overseas, and the base of the Carefree Wanderers Alliance where Fabre belongs should also be overseas.

Since they can target the Magic Sect, it doesn’t make sense for them to come without reciprocating, so the two Elders are also pursuing the investigation overseas. Doing so is actually quite dangerous, as they can’t bring too many people and are operating within the other’s territory.

As for Elder Jiang, there are few people in the Lingxi Sect, and he is presently acting as a guardian in the Flower Shocking Grotto Heaven for Wei Luo who is in seclusion, so he can’t extricate himself at the moment. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Therefore, for now, the Elders in the Ancestral Hall who can act freely are only Li Xiuyuan and Gu Chun.

Gu Chun has always been the mobile force among the Elders to deal with emergencies, traveling the world and monitoring the actions of Magic Sect disciples without staying in one place for too long, and no one knows his exact whereabouts.

During this period, the investigation personnel of the Ancestral Hall haven’t been idle either. Since the end of last year until now, they’ve actually uncovered quite a few clues. Some of these clues could be of significant importance; Elder Gu is also busy with these matters and cannot be confined to Qi Yuan.

Are there other master-level experts in the Magic Sect? Though not many, there are indeed some, like the former Sect Leader of the Alchemy Sect, Supreme Elder Qi Nansheng, and Zou Tianjin’s master, the Micro Realm Sect’s Supreme Elder Guo Qianhuai.

These people are equivalent to retired elder statesmen, they either enjoy their twilight years or focus on cultivation and no longer concern themselves with many other matters.

The Magic Sect may still have some even higher-level predecessors alive but hidden away, not known precisely even by the Ancestral Hall. Unless the Magic Sect faces a critical existential crisis, these people will not appear.

Some other things were expressed more tactfully by Elder Li—

Mei Guyu’s "employment" in Qi Yuan is fundamentally her private endeavor, related to her personal cultivation, but unrelated to Sect affairs.

The Ancestral Hall issued a confidentiality order to those in the know, to minimize disturbances in her cultivation for her safety...this approach is actually sufficient.

Mei Guyu herself did not request additional protection from the Ancestral Hall, nor should she make such a request.

Jiang Daozhen once lived reclusively in Pugang Town for over twenty years, the protection by Gu Chun and Li Xiuyuan was actually personal and not Sect affairs.

Jiang Daozhen didn’t cause any commotion mainly because he hid well, and besides Li Xiuyuan and Gu Chun, no one else knew, there was no need for the Ancestral Hall to issue any confidentiality order.

But Mei Guyu came out to work, and unexpectedly it was in Qi Yuan, joining the company where He Kao works, making her too easily exposed.

Elder Li dispatched an investigation team to Qi Yuan, officially not for Mei Guyu’s private matter but because someone violated the Ancestral Hall’s confidentiality order.

The investigation thus launched is the legitimate Sect business.

As more investigation clues are needed, the personnel of the Ancestral Hall are becoming increasingly strained, and they can’t all station in Qi Yuan as bodyguards for Mei Guyu.

Mei Guyu’s private decisions mean she must bear the corresponding risks herself.

Of course, from a personal standpoint, Elder Li also sincerely hopes Mei Guyu does not encounter any issues, and as he leaves Qi Yuan, he will do his best to make proper arrangements.

After completing the briefing, Li Xiuyuan gestured, "You go back and rest now."

He Kao asked, "And you, sir?"

Li Xiuyuan replied, "I’m waiting for Mei Guyu, I want to chat with her. Some matters within the Alchemy Sect still need her, as Sect Leader, to decide.

She’s already off work and on her way back. You can meet her just as you head downstairs, and you may exchange greetings."

Hearing this, He Kao knew the matter they wanted to discuss was related to Steward Xing Rui. In Mei Guyu’s absence, the Alchemy Sect’s daily affairs were divided among three Stewards, but the issue to be addressed now was with Steward Xing Rui, thus needing the Sect Leader’s decision.

Upon hearing this, He Kao made sure to go downstairs and indeed met Mei Guyu at the apartment complex entrance.

Seeing He Kao, Mei Guyu was slightly surprised, nodded, and greeted, "So late and you’re going out, are you in the mood for a late-night snack? Let me treat you to barbecue?"

This appeared quite warm for her, even showing a faint smile.

He Kao quickly responded, "I’ll treat you another day. There’s someone looking for you upstairs and waiting."

"Someone?" Mei Guyu was slightly puzzled, glanced at the building in front of her, and then nodded, "Alright, another day then!"

The next day, the old artist Li Xiuyuan reappeared on the streets of Qi Yuan, still accompanied by a little admirer for sketching. This time the admirer was a different person but still quite attractive.

He set the location for sketching right outside the Sesame District entrance, drawing several paintings of the silhouettes of the five skyscraper apartment buildings, the district’s entrance, trees outside the gate, and a lively sketch of the noodle shop.

Li Gongcheng and Zhao Qingfang, having enrolled their son Xiaoliang in an art prep class for the entrance exam, with class times both in the afternoon and evening. Xiaoliang returns home for dinner and a break every afternoon, then goes to class.

When Xiaoliang and his mother returned in the afternoon, they coincidentally encountered Li Xiuyuan sketching. Xiaoliang deliberately paused to watch for a while, becoming more absorbed as he watched, not even hearing his mother’s urging to hurry home.

Li Xiuyuan put away his pen, turned, and smiled, "Child, do you know something about drawing?"

Xiaoliang replied, "A little, I’m attending art exam classes here in Qi Yuan."

Li Xiuyuan said, "If you’re so eager to learn, why not take the time to learn from me as well?"

Xiaoliang was about to speak but was pulled away by his mother, "Let’s hurry home for dinner, or you’ll be late for the night class."

In the elevator, Xiaoliang muttered, "Mom, I really want to learn from that person. Watching him draw was unexpectedly fascinating..."

Zhao Qingfang replied, "If you want to learn, you need to go to a legitimate place and find a real teacher. We want you to become an artist in the future, not a street performer."

Xiaoliang said, "How do you know he isn’t an artist?"

Zhao Qingfang said, "He doesn’t look like a good person, with that get-up, nor does the girl next to him seem like someone from a respectable family!"

Xiaoliang asked, "How can you tell?"

Zhao Qingfang said, "You lack social experience, in time you’ll understand, would your mom deceive you?"

Outside the district, Li Xiuyuan sighed softly, with an expression uncertain whether to laugh or cry.

**