Hidden Moth-Chapter 564 - 322: Piaocai Staff Illustration Hidden in the Artifact

Chapter 564: Chapter 322: Piaocai Staff Illustration Hidden in the Artifact

The surveillance on Zhao Ci definitely has other arrangements by the Ancestral Hall, and He Kao’s mission belongs to a separate covert line, mainly to prevent accidents and to safeguard at crucial moments.

He Kao has two advantages, one is the Invisibility Ability, and the other is the Shadow Reflection Realm.

Zhao Ci has been sealed, and now only two people and two things can lift his seal. The two people, of course, are Jiang Daozhen who applied the seal himself, and Zhao Sanjin the patriarch. As for the things, they are the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror and the Shadow Mirror.

With the Shadow Mirror in hand, He Kao can also lift Zhao Ci’s seal, which is equivalent to the miraculous use of the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror. More importantly, he can observe through the Shadow Mirror whether Zhao Ci’s seal has been secretly lifted.

This is both supervision and protection for Zhao Ci.

He Kao cannot and does not need to watch Ci twenty-four hours a day, only needs to periodically confirm his situation in secret.

All of these tasks are not easy, not only labor-intensive but also very risky, yet who calls him the Hidden Moth, and besides some things are most suitable for him to handle.

He Kao simply nodded, as the saying goes, "When the master has a task, the disciple shall undertake the labor," and several elders view him as an inheritor, so he cannot just take advantage without working hard.

Seeing that everything that needed to be explained was explained, Jiang Daozhen clapped his hands and said, "Time to eat! Before I go into seclusion, I’ll try Xiao Kao’s culinary skills and have a special dish from Phoenix Tail Town."

As they walked outside, He Kao casually asked, "I sensed recently that someone has cultivated the Insect Concealment Skill and broken through to a high-tier cultivation, who among you is it?"

He Kao originally thought it was Jiang Daozhen, but after learning about Jiang Daozhen’s recent state, he knew it was unlikely, so it should be one of either Elder Gu or Elder Li.

Unexpectedly, the three elders all shook their heads and said, "It’s not me."

Then they stopped together, Gu Chun and Li Xiuyuan did not look at He Kao but cast questioning glances at Jiang Daozhen, the Grand Calculator, and even He Kao looked at him.

Aside from them, He Kao has so far only taught the Insect Concealment Skill to Ye Liangcheng, Lan Jiwan, Gao Xue’e, and Chang’an Residence, among whom Lan Jiwan has the highest cultivation, having just broken through to Tier Four Cultivation in the Micro-Entry Skill and becoming a Tier Four Artisan.

Even if Lan Jiwan started cultivating the Insect Concealment Skill from scratch, it would be impossible to break through to a high tier in a short period. Besides, even if it was her, He Kao should have known immediately... so who could it be?

This really requires consulting Jiang Daozhen, just not sure whether he can deduce anything from such a clueless situation.

Jiang Daozhen slightly closed his eyes, contemplated for a moment, then opened his mouth to say a name: "Zhang Yanfei."

Is this the thought process of a Tier Seven Grand Calculator? Immediately provided the answer! He Kao had heard of Zhang Yanfei, who is Wu Yanjun’s teacher in the detention center.

Zhang Yanfei is a sorcerer from the Micro Realm Sect, previously served as librarian and dean of Nanhua Academy of Fine Arts, and was arrested due to an accidental event four years ago.

It was the final stop of the "Eastern Country Traditional Mystical Culture Tour Exhibition" at Qi Yuan, on the last day of the exhibition, visitors discovered that the Nanhua Academy of Fine Arts had exhibited a modern crude imitation of the Tan Xian’s Walking Stick Painting.

The exhibitor insisted that it had been swapped during the exhibition, while the organizer claimed that it was a fake from the beginning.

He Kao knew, the painting actually was swapped, and it was Huang Xiaopang who did it. Although he had a background in fine arts, his skill was far too poor to forge such a work convincingly, anyone could see the flaw at a glance.

But all this was unimportant as the police investigation later found that many precious ancient paintings from Nanhua Academy of Fine Arts had successively appeared at overseas art auctions, and the originals had been replaced with high-quality fakes.

Thus, the prime suspect Zhang Yanfei was arrested.

However, this case ultimately became a mystery due to its complexity; the prosecution kept organizing evidence, Zhang Yanfei stayed in the detention center for over half a year, was released for medical treatment, and passed away a month later.

Zhang Yanfei’s death took away all the blame, the truth would never be uncovered, and others remained undisturbed.

On Wu Yanjun’s side, He Kao heard another hidden story related to the case that Zhang Yanfei told his disciple while in the detention center.

It turns out ten years ago, Zhang Yanfei discovered that a Tan Xian’s Walking Stick Painting among Nanhua Academy’s collection might be a relic from the Alchemy Sect’s patriarch, so he notified the Alchemy Sect.

The Alchemy Sect sent people to Nanhua Academy, confirmed it as a true relic, and provided various ancient materials, asking Zhang Yanfei to produce a convincing imitation, hoping to take it back as a souvenir.

After the imitation was completed, both parties seemed to have conducted some negotiations, and the Alchemy Sect took the original.

Zhang Yanfei thereby left evidence of embezzlement, later was extorted by insiders to continue replacing original Nanhua Academy paintings with fakes, involving huge sums until the case broke...

Wu Yanjun probably wouldn’t lie, but Zhang Yanfei may not have told the truth. Because He Kao knows clearly, the original was not taken by the Alchemy Sect, it was later sent for national touring... now it is in He Kao’s hands.

Just now Jiang Daozhen revealed another hidden layer to the matter—that Zhang Yanfei faked his death and escaped, and had now cultivated the Insect Concealment Skill to Tier Four, able to sense the Grotto Heaven Summon!

If Jiang Daozhen hadn’t said this name, He Kao couldn’t have imagined this long-deceased person, but once he heard Jiang Daozhen’s hint, it seemed obvious, explaining many things previously incomprehensible.

The Grand Calculator really is formidable! He Kao’s feeling was like cheating on a test, impossible to solve without the answers, but once he peeked at the answers, it seemed so simple.

If anyone else could inherit the Insect Concealment Skill, then most likely it would have been Zhang Yanfei who once owned Tan Xian’s Walking Stick Painting’s original.

Because that painting is the portal to Floating Colors Grotto Heaven, or even the Grotto Heaven itself, where the immortal in the painting had a spirit, acting as divine guidance left by the patriarch, granting direction through specific rituals.

Even Jiang Daozhen was unaware of this back then, learning of it only later from He Kao.

Wu Yanjun also found his master’s death suspicious, suspecting foul play, and once pleaded with his elder to investigate the cause of death, but reportedly found no evidence.

If Zhang Yanfei faked his death to escape, of course, no evidence of foul play would be found. Even if Ye Hui found out he faked his death, he wouldn’t tell anyone, only help cover it up, as this was the best outcome for Zhang Yanfei.

Why did Zhang Yanfei send the original to the national tour, with the final stop precisely at Qi Yuan? It’s not surprising; he was likely seeking the Hidden Moth.

Only the Hidden Moth can see the painting’s secret, like how the Ancestral Hall attempted to lure out the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror using Zhao Ci, Zhang Yanfei should have also aimed to lure out the Hidden Moth with the painting.

As for what he intended to do after finding the Hidden Moth, whether to replace them or had other motives, only he could know.

Zhang Yanfei succeeded, as he indeed attracted the Hidden Moth, but got duped, never dreaming he would fall victim in that manner to Huang Xiaopang’s antics, everything happened too quickly.

To normal people, the Hidden Moth would likely directly take the painting, and if doing a swap, replace it with an inconspicuous fake; who would’ve thought Huang Xiaopang would hang such an unreliable imitation?

But given He Kao’s understanding of Huang Xiaopang, this is indeed something that he would do, one could only say that fate itself had a hand!

Having understood the cause and effect, He Kao asked for advice again, "If that person is indeed Zhang Yanfei, what is the best way for me to deal with him?"

Jiang Daozhen shook his head and said, "You can’t come to me for everything, you are the Sect Leader of the Hidden Moth Sect, this matters within your purview, examine the facts first then make a judgment, this is also your test."

Gu Chun also chimed in, "Xiao Kao, given your current cultivation methods, dealing with Zhang Yanfei is not difficult, the real test is how to handle such a situation, to see if you are a qualified Sect Leader."

Fortunately, Li Xiuyuan gave some guidance: "You can check the latest public test by the Ancestral Hall, refer to traditional principles and styles of the Magic Sect; if you face difficulties, you can come to me, but you’d better handle it yourself."

Why can he go to Li Xiuyuan? Because Jiang Daozhen is about to go into seclusion, and before Mei Guyu returns, Gu Chun needs to continue overseeing the Immortal Pot Grotto Heaven, making Elder Li the only one conveniently contactable.

As he walked out from the courtyard where the Artifact Pavilion is located, He Kao instinctively rubbed his shoulder and subconsciously puffed his chest, as yet another task was added, but it was the Hidden Moth Sect’s own issue.

**