Chapter 3884: An Excuse For A Scheme

The world became strangely quiet as Lin Mu slowly moved through solid rock until he reached the office itself. Rather than emerging completely, he positioned himself within the ceiling.

A moment later, only the upper portion of his face appeared. His eyes quietly overlooked the room while the remainder of his body remained concealed within solid stone. His vitality stayed perfectly contained.

Anyone relying upon ordinary perception would never notice him. Even Immortal Sense would require careful examination to detect the faint disturbance. And should Taegong happen to glance upward, Lin Mu possessed more than enough speed to retreat into the ceiling before attracting attention.

He finally examined the room properly which resembled an office. A large desk occupied the center. Stacks of jade slips rested neatly along one side. Numerous documents lay arranged according to some internal system and several formation tools remained active nearby.

Behind the desk stood countless shelves filled with records. One entire wall had been transformed into a gigantic formation display while countless lines of text continuously appeared and vanished across its surface.

There were rows and columns showing numbers, item names, storage locations as well as quantity records.

Lin Mu observed the display for several moments. "It should be the inventory."

The scale impressed him as every storage chamber, treasures, and more logistical items were logged and were properly catalogued. Whoever designed this system clearly valued organization.

His attention shifted back toward Taegong as the elder entered calmly before taking his seat behind the desk. His expression had finally relaxed. He no longer carried the same open hostility displayed inside the treasury.

Instead... He appeared almost satisfied.

Taegong reached toward one corner of the desk.

TAP

His finger tapped a small rune carved into the wood and the desk immediately responded.

SHUA

Formation lines illuminated one after another as a communication array slowly emerged above the tabletop. Its structure differed considerably from ordinary communication talismans as several layers of concealment covered it.

The screen remained blank for several breaths.

Then...

SHUA

A figure gradually appeared.

The image lacked detail and only a dark silhouette became visible. Even so, Lin Mu quickly noticed several characteristics. The shoulders appeared relatively narrow, long hair flowed behind the silhouette and the posture possessed an unmistakable elegance.

Though completely concealed... Lin Mu instinctively felt the person behind the formation was a woman.

Silence lingered until the woman spoke.

"Speak." Her voice remained calm and controlled while bordering on the edge of cold.

Taegong immediately inclined his head slightly. It was a gesture carrying more respect than he had shown toward High Elder Shatter Peak.

"I got one."

The woman’s silhouette remained perfectly still. "What?"

Taegong slowly smiled. It was the same cold smile Lin Mu had seen earlier.

"An excuse." The room became silent.

The woman did not answer immediately while several long breaths passed. Finally the silhouette shifted ever so slightly.

Understanding had finally reached her.

"I see." Her voice remained composed. "So... You finally found your justification."

Taegong’s smile widened a little further. "Precisely."

Hidden within the ceiling, Lin Mu’s eyes narrowed.

His expression gradually lost every trace of Little Bull’s innocence.

’...An excuse?’ The meaning behind those two words carried implications he did not like very much at all.

Hidden within the ceiling, Lin Mu remained perfectly still but his eyes never left the formation screen.

The office had fallen quiet after Taegong uttered those two words: An excuse.

Those words alone had already revealed far more than Lin Mu had expected. This had never been about an unauthorized disciple wandering into the treasury. The treasury incident had simply provided an opportunity.

The woman remained silent for several breaths before speaking again.

"What do you intend to do next?" Her tone remained calm.

There was neither excitement nor concern. She simply wanted details.

Taegong leaned back in his chair.

"An excuse like this is rare." He folded his hands together. "Unfortunately, the one providing it is less valuable than I originally hoped."

The woman’s silhouette tilted slightly. "What exactly did you find?"

Taegong let out a quiet chuckle. "A newly recruited disciple somehow entered the treasury."

He briefly explained everything that had happened; Little Bull climbing the concealed tree, the barrier opening, the lack of authorization, his discovery inside the treasury, and the eventual arrival of High Elder Shatter Peak.

His version omitted very little.

Only the parts involving his immediate decision to attack appeared somewhat... adjusted.

Lin Mu quietly listened as at the very least, the man did not appear interested in outright fabricating every detail.

"So..." The woman remained thoughtful after hearing the explanation. "I have heard of this Little Bull."

Lin Mu’s attention sharpened.

"Oh?" Taegong sounded mildly surprised.

"He has attracted some attention recently." The woman’s voice remained composed. "There have already been several reports reaching the Core Court."

Lin Mu’s brows rose slightly. ’Already?’

He had expected his unusual physique to become known within the Wild Peak. Perhaps neighboring Peaks as well. But the Core Court hearing about him this quickly, surprised him.

"He apparently possesses a physique unlike anything Peak Head Mountain Roar has examined before." The woman continued. "There are also reports concerning his extraordinary affinity toward body cultivation."

"The Peak Head himself spoke highly of him." She paused briefly. "That alone is enough for many people to remember his name."

Taegong merely smiled. "Even better."

The woman looked toward him. "You find that favorable?"

"Naturally." His fingers lightly tapped the desk. "The more valuable the pawn... the greater the impact when it disappears."

Lin Mu’s eyes slowly narrowed. ’Pawn?’

That single word made Taegong’s intentions unmistakably clear. Little Bull was never the target, the Wild Peak was.

The woman did not immediately agree. "I advise caution."

Taegong remained silent.

"From everything I have gathered..." She continued calmly. "...Little Bull was accepted with considerable acclaim."

"The disciples like him, the Elders seem fond of him, and Peak Head Mountain Roar personally accepted him." She paused once again. "If you mishandle this... the Peak Head himself may intervene."

Her next words carried far more weight. "If that happens... You may find yourself crippled before accomplishing anything."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.