Saving the White Moonlight Chapter 25

Yan Zhuguang said she would not bother with the quest. No matter how anxious the system was at the side, it was useless.
Since its host had always seemed certain and never missed a step, the system could only pretend she was resting and gathering strength, preparing to kill that enemy in one blow.
Most importantly, the system was afraid its host would think it was pointing fingers at her and become annoyed. Even if it wanted to urge her to be more active, it did not dare say it. When the system faced its host, it was always especially timid.
So no matter how worried the system was about the main quest, it could only hold it in silently.
With the system afraid to speak nonsense, Yan Zhuguang enjoyed much more peace. Yun Mixue did not let her leave Ice-Snow Cottage, so she spent most of her time cultivating. It just so happened that Yun Mixue had brought her a wood-type cultivation manual. Even if she might not use it as her main path, it was still good as cover.
Time slowly passed in cultivation.
No matter how lively and earth-shaking the outside world became because of the sect master matter in Fenghua Immortal Sect, Yun Mixue’s Ice-Snow Cottage was always calm.
Yan Zhuguang cultivated in Ice-Snow Cottage for nearly a month. At last, Fenghua Immortal Sect’s sect master succession ceremony ended.
During this time, no matter how busy Yun Mixue was, she always found time to come back and keep Yan Zhuguang company. She talked with her, or, when Yan Zhuguang asked, “cleared up her confusion.”
Because Yan Zhuguang behaved well during this period and did not sneak out again, Yun Mixue finally relaxed a little. Out of guilt for keeping Yan Zhuguang inside Ice-Snow Cottage, she almost granted every request. When she had time, she was also willing to tell Yan Zhuguang about Fenghua Immortal Sect.
Through this, Yan Zhuguang slowly found out the things she wanted to know.
Ahem. Though she was considerate of Yun Mixue’s tiredness, this matter involved Yun Mixue after all. She could not truly leave it alone. She still had to find the person causing trouble in the dark, so that person would not make more trouble later.
Fenghua Immortal Sect was a great sect, with countless disciples under its name. Saying there were tens of thousands would not be too much. Fenghua Immortal Sect’s disciples were split into six types. From highest to lowest status, they were titled disciples, core disciples, inner sect disciples, registered disciples, outer sect disciples, and servant disciples.
Some outer sect disciples had no hope of entering the inner sect, so they chose to enter the inner sect to serve others. This type of disciple was a registered disciple. If they were lucky enough to be favored by an inner sect elder or a titled disciple, they might be specially promoted into the inner sect.
He Sheng from before was a registered disciple. Her name was recorded with the outer sect, and her treatment was better than an outer sect disciple’s, but lower than an inner sect disciple’s.
Core disciples were inner sect disciples who were under one hundred years old and had reached Core Formation.
Titled disciples were added on top of core disciples. The top one hundred core disciples could receive personal titles and become titled disciples.
After becoming titled disciples, they had the right to take part in sect management. Better benefits also opened to them one after another. Because of this, the fight to become a titled disciple was very fierce.
This ranking was held once every five years. If someone’s strength fell out of the top one hundred, their title would be taken away, and they would be lowered to an ordinary core disciple. Their rights would also be taken back.
These rules were a mature promotion system Fenghua Immortal Sect had built over many years as a great cultivation sect. It was fairly fair, and it could also push disciples to work hard in cultivation.
Yan Zhuguang had been brought back to Fenghua Immortal Sect by Yun Mixue. She also had a heavenly single spiritual root. With this kind of talent, as long as she did not die halfway, her future was without limit. Becoming an inner sect disciple was certain.
When Yun Mixue spoke of this, she encouraged Yan Zhuguang to try her best for the status of core disciple, or even titled disciple.
It was not for vanity or resources.
Titled disciples were the best among Fenghua Immortal Sect’s disciples, and they were also the most respected. Becoming a titled disciple was a sign that one’s strength had been recognized. Although Yun Mixue did not want Yan Zhuguang to care too much about gains and losses, that did not stop her from supporting Yan Zhuguang in having a reasonable goal.
However, although Yan Zhuguang was quite interested in the status of titled disciple, her first goal was still information about those titled disciples. She guided the topic in that direction without showing it.
As a little girl who was about to enter the sect, it was normal for Yan Zhuguang to be interested in those bright and impressive titled disciples. Yun Mixue did not suspect anything and told her about those disciples in general.
In short, among the titled disciples Yan Zhuguang cared about, there were nearly twenty with ice or water spiritual roots. Ice spiritual roots were fewer. There were only about two. None had a single ice spiritual root like Yun Mixue. Most had two spiritual roots.
Of those nearly twenty people, ten were not active in the sect. They had either gone out for training or were in closed-door cultivation. These ten happened to include the disciple with an ice spiritual root, so they could be ruled out.
Following the clue of ice and water spiritual roots, Yan Zhuguang now roughly circled nine titled disciples who might be suspects.
By coincidence, Gentle Sword Immortal Chu Ningyan, who had gone to Yimiao Sect with Yun Mixue that day, was one of them. She had metal and water spiritual roots.
There was also another one who had some connection to Yun Mixue. She was Yun Mixue’s younger clan sister. Her surname was also Yun, and her name was Yun Changyue. She had a single water heavenly spiritual root.
Yan Zhuguang circled these two people and made them key targets to observe.
Titled disciples were easy to investigate, but elders were not so easy.
To avoid making Yun Mixue suspicious, Yan Zhuguang broke her questions apart and asked them in scattered pieces. As for the elders’ situation, she could not ask rashly.
Of course, in Yan Zhuguang’s view, those elders were not very suspicious. They did not have any major conflict of interest with Yun Mixue. There was no need for them to scheme against Yun Mixue like this.
Instead, these fellow titled disciples were more likely to hate Yun Mixue because she held the name of eldest senior sister.
Mm… But I cannot rule out some lunatics who simply dislike her and want to smear her name.
Though she could not ask about the elders, Yan Zhuguang did learn another piece of news.
Yun Mixue let slip that on the day He Sheng was driven out of Fenghua Immortal Sect, which was also the day the former sect master of Fenghua Immortal Sect died, the inner sect’s core elders had ordered all titled disciples who remained in the sect to stand by inside the sect, wait for orders, and not enter or leave as they pleased.
Titled disciples were reserve candidates for sect master. This was not limited to the eldest senior brother and eldest senior sister. Anyone who could become a titled disciple would not be poor in strength or talent. As long as the sect master chose them and most core elders agreed, that titled disciple had a chance to become the next sect master.
At that time, to keep the titled disciples’ hearts from wavering, the core elders did not tell them right away that the sect master had died. Only after Yun Mixue called Gu Chen back and the choice of sect master was settled did they notify the other titled disciples.
Even then, to prevent the core disciples from becoming unhappy and doing something improper, the elders still did not lift the order keeping the titled disciples inside the sect.
Of course, Yun Mixue could not possibly tell a little girl like Yan Zhuguang so many sect secrets. Most of this was guessed by Yan Zhuguang from Yun Mixue’s few words.
This news was very important.
Maybe He Sheng’s matter was even tied to the change in sect master.
“Do you know who the last sect master wanted as successor?”
Yan Zhuguang asked the system.
The system shook its head. “That was never mentioned in the plot. Host can only ask around by yourself.”
Yan Zhuguang nodded. She had not held much hope. If it were really that simple, it would not have become a main quest.
In that case, besides the nine suspects she had circled, she also had to add this mysterious person the former sect master had favored as successor. Of course, these two identities might overlap.
The little woods that day belonged to Fenghua Immortal Sect’s outer sect. She did not know how much that person hated Yun Mixue to risk being discovered and punished by the elders, leaving the inner sect to go to the outer sect and kill someone.
It would be good if she could check the records of titled disciples entering and leaving the inner and outer sect that day. Sadly, the current Yan Zhuguang could not do that yet.
Yan Zhuguang wanted to start with people who had grudges against Yun Mixue, but this was truly difficult.
With Yun Mixue’s kind nature, it was hard for her to have conflicts with others. Even if someone showed dislike toward her, she might not take it to heart.
No matter how Yan Zhuguang probed Yun Mixue, she found no clues at all.
Yan Zhuguang sighed softly. Forget it. She had never placed much hope in this good-hearted woman anyway. It was fine if Yun Mixue did not know. If there were people who wanted to harm her, Yan Zhuguang could secretly solve them for her.
This was her task to begin with.
The system was happiest to see its host actively complete tasks. When it noticed that Yan Zhuguang had begun investigating people who were hostile to Yun Mixue, the system gave her a clue.
“Host, the plot never mentioned Eldest Senior Sister being framed for murder. I think this should be because of Host’s butterfly effect.”
“Butterfly effect?”
“Uh, it means Host’s arrival changed how things developed, and that led to He Sheng’s death.”
“She did not die originally?”
“Yes. Originally, He Sheng was Eldest Senior Sister’s registered disciple. After Eldest Senior Sister died, the male lead even moved her to his side. Though she did not have many scenes, this person really did exist.”
She could live that long. In other words, the killer did not have any personal grudge against He Sheng. She had simply crashed into the wrong moment and lost her life because of it.
“I think it may have been killing in a burst of anger.”
“A burst of anger?” That description was quite fitting. If that was true, then it was even more likely the killer hated Yun Mixue because of the sect master succession. The biggest thing that happened that day was the male lead taking the sect master position, was it not?
Still, why not go after the male lead? Why go after Yun Mixue instead? Was this because kind people were easy to bully, so they picked the soft target?
Yan Zhuguang curled her lip.
She had already gathered enough clues. The most important thing now was to contact those suspects. If she had not even met them, no amount of guessing would help.
Luckily, she would soon have a proper chance to meet those people.
After the new sect master’s succession ceremony, Yan Zhuguang’s entry into Fenghua Immortal Sect was placed on the schedule.
Interestingly, she was not the only one who would take the spiritual root test. There were also people sent by families attached to Fenghua Immortal Sect.
It happened to be the new sect master’s first days in power. Each family took this chance to gather a batch of young talents and send them over. Aside from their own private motives, it also counted as seeking a good omen and showing the sect’s new spirit.
Early that morning, Yun Mixue came to find Yan Zhuguang. Her face was still gentle, but based on Yan Zhuguang’s observation, under her usual expression, she seemed to be hiding some nerves.
She was even more nervous than Yan Zhuguang, the person who would actually take the entry test.
Perhaps this was the worry of a “parent”?
Yan Zhuguang was not very pleased with that comparison.
Yun Mixue rubbed Yan Zhuguang’s head. “Zhuguang, do not be afraid. Senior Sister has already tested your spiritual root before. Nothing will go wrong. When the time comes, just follow the elder’s instructions.”
“Yes, Honored Senior Sister.”
In truth, she was not nervous at all. But after Yun Mixue said this, she had no choice but to cooperate and show a nervous expression.
Sigh. Since she is worried about me, I will reluctantly satisfy her.
Yun Mixue encouraged Yan Zhuguang. Only when she saw the nervous look on Yan Zhuguang’s face slowly fade did she let out a breath of relief and smile to comfort her. “All right. Come with Senior Sister.”