Before long, Lin Yongfeng came over carrying a pile of clothes.
"Junior Brother, take a look. I just picked these out for you—they should fit you well."
"Thank you, Senior Brother." Chen Fan accepted the clothes, looked them over, and put them straight into his Storage Bag.
"Why thank me, Junior Brother? We're fellow disciples. What's there to thank me for?
Come on, I'll take you to choose a fine Cave Mansion."
As he spoke, Lin Yongfeng pulled Chen Fan outside.
Chen Fan felt like he was almost unable to bear Lin Yongfeng's enthusiasm anymore, so he could only passively follow along.
Before long, the two arrived at the Cave Mansions where the Inner Disciples lived.
"Junior Brother, as long as a Cave Mansion here is unoccupied, you can choose it freely."
Chen Fan looked in the direction Lin Yongfeng pointed. There were five entire mountain peaks, dotted with Cave Mansions.
The moment he entered the Inner Disciples' residential area, Chen Fan sensed that the Spiritual Energy here was far denser than in the outer sect.
"Junior Brother, look. Every Cave Mansion here has a set of protective formations.
Once you choose your Cave Mansion and use your Sect Token to identify it, that Cave Mansion will belong to you alone.
From then on, only your Sect Token will be able to open the Cave Mansion's formations."
"Thank you, Senior Brother, for clearing up my confusion. If I had been alone, I would inevitably have needed some time to figure it out."
"You're being so polite again, Junior Brother. If you keep talking like that, you're looking down on me, your Senior Brother." Lin Yongfeng even looked a little angry as he spoke.
"Alright, alright, this Junior Brother misspoke." The more Chen Fan watched, the more he felt that Lin Yongfeng's behavior was strange, but he still went along with him.
He wanted to see what medicine Lin Yongfeng was selling from his gourd.
Lin Yongfeng began leading Chen Fan onward. Whenever they came to the entrance of an empty Cave Mansion, he would always ask, "Junior Brother, what do you think of this Cave Mansion?"
Chen Fan did not particularly care which Cave Mansion he lived in. He kept choosing only because he wanted to observe Lin Yongfeng more closely.
"Junior Brother, I think that Cave Mansion is quite good. Its Spiritual Energy is denser than elsewhere, so cultivating there will surely yield twice the result with half the effort."
Chen Fan looked toward the Cave Mansion Lin Yongfeng pointed at. Its Spiritual Energy was indeed noticeably denser than that of ordinary Cave Mansions.
Still, he did not make a decision right away. Instead, he asked, "Senior Brother, do you live here too?"
"Of course. Where else would I live?" Lin Yongfeng had accompanied Chen Fan for so long without him choosing a place that he was growing impatient, though he still forced himself to answer calmly.
"Then I must trouble Senior Brother to tell this Junior Brother where your Cave Mansion is. You helped me so much today, and next time this Junior Brother can visit Senior Brother at your Cave Mansion."
Chen Fan had always felt that Lin Yongfeng was far too enthusiastic. When something was abnormal, there had to be something fishy. Could Lin Yongfeng have set his sights on the fortuitous encounter I mentioned?
"Ah?" Lin Yongfeng was momentarily puzzled. Could he have discovered my intentions?
Though doubtful inwardly, Lin Yongfeng kept a straight face and said, "My Cave Mansion is on Lingxiu Peak, Cave Mansion No. 55."
He had merely made up that location on the spot. In any case, he was not afraid of Chen Fan looking for him. Even if Chen Fan did, he could pretend not to be there or claim that he had moved to another Cave Mansion.
"Alright, this Junior Brother has remembered it. I'll certainly visit Senior Brother when I have time."
Chen Fan had already noticed Lin Yongfeng's unnatural manner. The location he had just given was probably false as well.
"Senior Brother, you worked hard accompanying me for so long today. I feel rather embarrassed about it too. I won't keep choosing—I'll take the Cave Mansion Senior Brother recommended."
As he spoke, Chen Fan walked toward the Cave Mansion Lin Yongfeng had just pointed out.
Lin Yongfeng, standing where he was, felt somewhat surprised. How had Chen Fan gone from being so picky to suddenly making a decision?
Still, it did not matter. It was fine as long as he had chosen.
Lin Yongfeng looked at Chen Fan, a gloomy glint appearing in his eyes.
At that moment, Chen Fan suddenly turned around. "Senior Brother, come help me take a look."
Chen Fan's sudden turn made Lin Yongfeng's expression change with a swish. He couldn't have noticed, could he?
Lin Yongfeng immediately put on a beaming smile. "Coming, Junior Brother."
Chen Fan had seen Lin Yongfeng's earlier expression clearly and sneered inwardly. Hehe, after pretending all day, you can't keep it up anymore?
Still, Chen Fan did not take it too much to heart and began examining the Cave Mansion he had chosen.
Several lines of small writing were inscribed beside the Cave Mansion's entrance.
"Lingyun Peak, Cave Mansion No. 23."
By then, Lin Yongfeng had come over. "Junior Brother, take out your Sect Token and press it against those words. The Cave Mansion's formation will bind itself to your Sect Token."
Hearing this, Chen Fan took out his Sect Token and pressed it against the words "Cave Mansion No. 23."
In an instant, a burst of radiant light flashed before Cave Mansion No. 23.
Then, what seemed like a transparent membrane appeared before the Cave Mansion. It was likely the protective formation.
Holding his Sect Token, Chen Fan walked forward and passed through the membrane. The protective formation offered him no obstruction whatsoever.
Chen Fan stood at the Cave Mansion entrance. "Senior Brother, would you like to come in and sit for a while? Have a look around my Cave Mansion?"
To Chen Fan's surprise, Lin Yongfeng waved his hand. "No need. Junior Brother, you've chosen your Cave Mansion, and my task is complete. Rest well today. I'll visit you another time."
With that, Lin Yongfeng turned and left.
However, the expression on Lin Yongfeng's face after he turned away was quite thought-provoking.
Seeing Lin Yongfeng refuse his invitation, Chen Fan frowned. Did I misunderstand him?
"Forget it, it doesn't matter. Even if I really misunderstood him, I didn't show anything just now anyway."
Chen Fan turned around, opened the Cave Mansion's doors, and walked inside.
As expected, Inner Disciples' Cave Mansions were excellent. There was a whole other world within; a so-called Cave Mansion was not truly just a cave.
The protective formation outside the Cave Mansion probably also had the effect of an illusion formation.
The outside and inside looked completely different. Within the Cave Mansion was what seemed like a paradise beyond the world.
At the entrance was a modestly sized pool, flowers growing in the pond and fish swimming in the water.
Inside the Cave Mansion were flowers, grasses, trees, and woods, with stone benches, stone chairs, and a pavilion all fully furnished.
Further ahead stood a row of rooms, complete with a bedroom, cultivation room, and kitchen.
"The Inner Disciples' living quarters really are far better than those in the outer sect.
Unlike that outer sect place, where there was only a thatched hut.
I wonder whether outsiders can be brought into the Inner Disciples' residential area.
No, tomorrow I should still find someone and ask.
And living in such a fine place, how could I not bring Junior Brother Yu here and let him envy it properly?"
The more Chen Fan thought about it, the more delighted he became. Yu Xingsi was the only friend he had made in the Qingyun Sect.
As the saying went, when would the bright moon appear? Raise a cup and sing, and two became companions.
At the thought of drinking with Yu Xingsi, Chen Fan felt a little guilty again.
"Should I report my recent situation in the Qingyun Sect to Master now?
Master seems not to have arranged any tasks for me lately.
Could it be that Master already knows about my drinking?"
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