Murim's Weakest Princess-Chapter 163: The Leak

The rest of the day went by fairly quickly, and Anji found herself having spare time in the evening for the first time in a week. Her notes and book collection had also grown considerably. Pearl dropped by with her earlier to give her some books recommended by Senior Researcher Mo. There were no additional chores, as she had done them all before eight in the evening.

Drying her hair, Anji looked at the pile of new books. Should she take a look at them first? Her shifu did not ban her from reading books that she had at hand. These were given to her by other people, even if they came from a library. Anji followed the rules. A little concession should not hurt. After all, loopholes would always exist for those who needed a way out.

Deciding to start with Researcher Xi’s textbooks, Anji poured through the pages effortlessly. Even if the Academic Central had many weird people, their knowledge and effort remained top-tier. Were all talented academics crazy? What was the Academic Zone Disease? Anji wrote a letter back to the Celestial Dragon Sect, including an inquiry about this unknown disease, to Doctor He. The symptoms were similar to a mental illness that made controlling emotions difficult.

While Anji occupied herself that evening reading Researcher Xi’s notes, various people in the Mystical Qilin Sect busied away, working hard to improve Anji’s situation. In the Academic Central, Researcher Xi reassembled the dissected talismans she received from the child and modified them to work on a new invention that would change how laundry duties worked forever in the sect. At the same time, Senior Researcher Mo was making his way to the Observation Tower, where the other senior researchers were gathered. They agreed to hold a weekly meeting to discuss the successor’s initiation trials.

After teleporting up to the highest security room, Senior Researcher Mo entered a room and greeted the other senior researchers who had taken time out of their busy schedules to attend the important meeting.

"Where’s the sect leader?" he asked.

Another senior researcher who looked almost as old as Anji’s father shook his head.

"She hasn’t returned to the sect yet. However, we received word yesterday that she would be delayed by another week due to complications. We should also send more people discreetly to keep an eye on the northern barrier. The leak was located there."

The leak... that’s right. There was a reason why Anji was situated in the western district on top of all the other convenient amenities. Not only was it the furthest place from the northern barrier, but it was also Yan Ping’s strongest fortress. Her cottage might be shabby on the outside. However, it was the safest place because she erected many invisible traps and barriers in case an emergency occurred.

"Is she investigating the culprit alone?" a female senior researcher asked. "Do we have new information?"

Shaking his head, the senior researcher from before explained how the spiritual messenger Yan Ping sent only briefly summarised her urgent situation.

"The sect leader ordered us to focus on internal defences, but we are not to make any external changes. The Celestial Dragon Sect is luring the enemies away. However, Hong Nian Niang’s investigative efforts still require more time. The sect leader is the only one who can identify the enemy spellcaster’s signature. Not all of us here know every single person who had been granted permission to leave the sect. After all, the records of these people have been erased when they leave. Only the sect leader with access to the Record Tomb will know."

The Record Tomb was something created by the second sect leader of the Mystical Qilin Sect. As per tradition, only the sect leader can grant permission to sect members and remove the oath-binding spell that every member must take before entering the sect. If they leave the sect without removing the oath binding spell, they would suffer from amnesia, and their cultivation bases would also be suppressed to a Solid Core level. People like Song Geying, who had been expelled, would never be able to recall their time in the Mystical Qilin Sect or make further progress in cultivation. Those granted special permission to leave the mountain will also have all their access to re-enter the sect removed. Their access tokens were stored in the Record Tomb, and their contribution records during their time with the sect. Instead of having their name written on official inventions and documents, everything would be replaced with a generic, nameless placeholder. Without access to the Record Tomb, knowing which graduate was in charge of which research project was almost impossible.

Changing the subject, a strict-looking senior researcher asked how Anji’s secret evaluation went. Researcher Xi might not have a rank. However, she was known as a protege within the sect which Yan Ping raised. Xi Hua rejected the promotion to become a senior researcher three times because she was more dedicated to the path of learning and did not want more responsibilities. When the senior council started pressuring her to accept the position, she packed up and sought refuge in the Academic Central, isolating herself completely.

Due to her natural political circumstances, the senior council sought her help to become an impartial judge of Anji’s calibre, something regular researchers would not be able to do. The first few researchers who assessed Anji were all clowns with personal problems. After one of them almost killed Anji from an experiment gone wrong, they decided to stop entrusting regular researchers with the trials.

"Although her knowledge is not on par with Xi Hua, she has gained approval very quickly," Senior Researcher Mo reported. "However, we both noticed something the sect leader failed to inform us during the observation. I’m unsure if she is aware of this. Considering that she only has her second sight, she must have overlooked it. Either that or Anji has developed her new ability unconsciously over the three years of self-studying at the Celestial Dragon Sect."

Delving into explaining Anji’s weird glowing eyes, Senior Researcher Mo theorised that the child must have had an unknown awakening.

"I don’t know when it will activate, but Anji does not seem aware of her changes. There were several signs clearly indicating the influence of her cultivation level. Yet, strangely enough, her cultivation core is stuck in the Strengthened Core foundation with no signs of improvement."

Combined with the sect leader’s odd request that Anji be properly taken care of, from food to medical checkups, the senior researchers concluded that the strange phenomenon was akin to a qi blockage or defect. The sect leader must have known about Anji’s difficulties but saw the huge potential despite her slow growth.

"What do we do now?" the lady senior researcher asked. "The pond is too small for such a bright child. The western district cannot teach her anything more, and the Academic Central is not safe for someone with a weak constitution. We don’t know when the sect leader will return."

A heavy silence filled the air as the senior council mulled over their options. If it were a regular disciple, such a person would be placed under the jurisdiction of the most compatible senior researcher, as in the case of Ke Xing. However, Anji was the sect’s successor. Only Yan Ping was qualified to take over the reins of Anji’s education. The sect leader might be upset if they had a hand in Anji’s education because she might have plans to groom her successor differently.

"Pearl said that Anji has been banned from going to any libraries. However, she is studying from a set of books the sect leader entrusted her as part of her self-studying curriculum. What if we follow the textbook the sect leader made to teach Anji until she returned?" Senior Researcher Mo suggested.

Seeing how there were no better options, the senior council agreed. Nobody knew what kind of textbook Yan Ping had created. In the first place, she was physically blind. How could a blind person write textbooks? It was strange.

Curious about the textbooks and also wanting to meet the successor child, the senior researchers started bickering over who should find Anji first. Wisely, Senior Researcher Mo excused himself. Once these bored people reach a conclusion, someone will tell Pearl to relay the new situation to Anji tomorrow.