Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

Nowadays, each task has a designated person in charge to carry it out.

Yang Tian has mobilized the entire clan to secretly investigate Yan Wenjiu's background, but has not yet reported the latest progress.

Xiao Hongyun is killing two birds with one stone by investigating internal traitors and eliminating dissidents. He is conducting the investigation in a legitimate manner, but it won't be quick to see results. At the very least, we will have to wait patiently for some time before we can see any progress.

Jin Wei and Zhi Qi are still trying to win over the officials of the Five Departments. Whether the Luo family gang knows about it or not, they will not give up on the plan. So far, the results are good. They have already won over Bi Muge, an official in charge.

As for Bi Muge, the divination does not lie. Since it shows auspiciousness, it must be beneficial to him. However, he still needs to take precautions and remain suspicious, because caution is the key to long-term success.

There were many things to do, and each one was a big deal, but everything was handled in a clear and organized manner, without any sense of chaos.

With the mental strength that Zhou Qingfeng has cultivated so far, he is more than capable of handling complex and ever-changing situations with ease.

There's not much left to do but wait for news, because I've already laid the trap for the Luo family gang, and the knife is already at their throats. The Luo family gang are the ones who should be worried.

Since it was all about waiting, whether it was sitting and waiting or cultivating, Zhou Qingfeng had the time and energy to start cultivating. After a moment's thought, he ordered the servants to come to the study in the mansion.

After holding the weapon for a moment, he rushed over.

He faced Zhou Qingfeng, bowed and clasped his hands: "Young Master, urgently summon Zhiqi, what are your orders?"

Now that we're in the manor, there's no need to address each other as "Commander" in private, as it would seem too formal.

Zhou Qingfeng sat on the desk, holding the Record of Gods, Ghosts and Demons, reading it. He looked up at Zhiqi and said indifferently, "I need the Resonance Cicada to study new spells. You will handle this personally."

Upon hearing this, Zhiqi knew that this was the young master's private matter. Normally, such matters would be handled by Jin Wei, the top confidant, and it would not be his turn. However, this did not mean that Jin Wei had fallen out of favor and that he had gained power.

Rather, it was because Jin Wei was winning over the officials of the Five Plum Blossom Divisions to expand the young master's influence and control. This important matter could proceed smoothly without him, but without Jin Wei, things would definitely go wrong.

He held his weapon, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Yes, young master."

Zhou Qingfeng nodded and said, "Go ahead and do it. I need it."

He held the weapon, bowed his head, clasped his hands, took a few steps back, and turned to leave.

Zhou Qingfeng suddenly called out, "Wait."

Upon hearing this, Zhiqi instinctively turned around on the spot, clasped his hands, and faced Zhou Qingfeng: "Young Master, please give your orders."

Zhou Qingfeng folded a corner of the Record of Gods, Ghosts and Demons and closed it again. He stood up and said, "There's something I need you to investigate."

He carefully explained to Zhiqi the characteristics of the demonic spirit possessing a person.

"For a demonic spirit to possess a person's body, it must have a powerful physical vessel with considerable cultivation and realm. However, the demonic spirit cannot be controlled by its host."

"It grants the possessed person the wondrous ability to make their words obey the law. The possessed person's words will dominate, influence, and control others. You can try to find out more by following these characteristics, and then report back to me if you have any information."

Upon hearing this, Zhiqi clasped his hands in obedience and quickly departed.

Zhou Qingfeng stood still, his brows slightly furrowed.

He felt that the Resonance Cicada and the Word Demon Spirit would be difficult to collect. If they were easy, his master would have already studied the False Words to True Form Technique long ago, so why would he have been forced to give up after collecting only two auxiliary materials?

However, we should still send someone to try it out; if we're lucky, we might find something.

Time flies like an arrow; five days have passed in the blink of an eye.

Zhou Qingfeng cultivated for two hours every day, but his magical power increased at an extremely slow rate, far from comparable to the seventh level of the White Bone Foundation Building Tower. Fortunately, with the assistance of various evil-grade pills containing evil energy, his cultivation speed was steadily improving, which was better than nothing.

Today, having nothing to do, Zhou Qingfeng strolled around the garden in the mansion, enjoying the flowers. A group of maids and servants followed behind him to serve him. He was certainly not bored, but he couldn't say he was having any fun either.

In a greenhouse in the back garden, the old cripple, leaning on a single crutch, was carefully tending to the newly planted maple trees, which were surrounded by flowers, plants, and exotic fruits.

Zhou Qingfeng strolled into the greenhouse and said with a smile, "Mr. Liao, there are many rare and exotic fruits and flowers in the greenhouse. I've been looking at you for a while and I noticed that you like maple trees the most. Why is that?"

This is a flower room that Zhou Qingfeng spent a lot of money to build for the old cripple. It was because he accidentally discovered that the old cripple was very interested in these flowers and plants when they spent time together that he built a flower room in his mansion to cater to his interests.

The old cripple bent over, fertilizing the flowers, plants, and trees, looking just like a flower farmer: "Of all the flowers vying for beauty, I love maple leaves the most, because when the maple leaves turn red, they always remind me of someone."

Zhou Qingfeng glanced back at the dozens of servants and maids waiting outside the flower room and waved casually.

Upon seeing this, dozens of servants and maids respectfully bowed and retreated. Although they retreated, they did not go far, remaining within sight of Zhou Qingfeng, ready to await his command at any moment.

Zhou Qingfeng squatted down and reached out to touch the maple sapling, jokingly saying with a smile, "This maple tree is so small, I don't know how many years it will take for you to grow it to maturity."

The old cripple said, "Maple trees usually take twenty years to mature, but I have the patience to wait."

Zhou Qingfeng shrugged: "Alright, you just said that when the maple leaves turn red, you always think of someone. Who is that person? Is it someone very important to you?"

The old cripple gazed at the maple leaves, a touch of sadness appearing on his face: "Yes, a very important person."

Zhou Qingfeng grew increasingly curious and asked, "Lover? Family?"

The old cripple knelt on one knee, stretched out his withered hand, and gently stroked the maple seedling. His tone became somewhat dejected: "I don't want to say it yet. You will know one day in the future, but not now."

Zhou Qingfeng clicked his tongue: "Mr. Liao, you really have a lot of secrets. With our friendship, what can't we talk about openly? You've helped me so many times, and I, Zhou Qingfeng, am not an ungrateful person. If you really have difficulties, I will definitely find a way to help you solve them. If I can't solve them myself, I can ask someone else to help you solve them."

The old cripple sighed: "Alright, even if you don't come looking for me, I'll come looking for you in a few days. Fine, I'll tell you today. I need you to help me find someone. As long as you help me find this person, I'll tell you everything you want to know."

Zhou Qingfeng perked up, seeing his chance to repay the favor: "Alright, Mr. Liao, just tell me who you're looking for. As long as they're in the Sword Tower, I'll dig three feet into the ground to find them for you."

Years of accumulated favors have left Zhou Qingfeng heavily in debt. He has always wanted to repay these favors, but the old cripple is indifferent and has nothing that Zhou Qingfeng needs to help with, which makes Zhou Qingfeng very upset.

Because Zhou Qingfeng knew very well that while most things in this world are easy to repay, debts of gratitude are the hardest to repay.

Upon hearing this, the old cripple slowly uttered four words: "The person I'm looking for is called First Red Leaf. Take me to see her."

Zhou Qingfeng paused, as if something had occurred to him, and felt a little uneasy. He tentatively asked, "Mr. Liao, I'd like to ask what you want with First Red Leaf, who you are to him, and what your relationship is."