True Person Xuan Chen

"Lin Chan went out early."

At this moment, only Wang Yunxuan and Zhou Sheng were in the small courtyard, so Wang Yunxuan answered.

"Where did he go?"

One of the young men asked.

"He should be... you're Sword Sect disciples! Young master! They're from the Shu Mountain Sword Sect, come quick!"

Recognizing their identities, Wang Yunxuan shouted excitedly.

The young man frowned. They had no time to waste on two mortals now.

Zhou Sheng heard Wang Yunxuan's voice, quickly jumped out of bed, threw on a coat, and walked out.

"Senior brothers! Two senior brothers, I am the Heir of the Marquis of Wei. Take me up the mountain, I'm willing to go and cultivate."

Zhou Sheng spoke even more excitedly than Wang Yunxuan.

After being out for so long, he had finally met immortals.

"It's not yet the time for mountain opening, and we have no authority to take mortals up. We're here to find a youth named Lin Chan. Have you seen him?"

One of the more gentle Sword Sect disciples stepped forward.

"I am the Heir of the Marquis of Wei! The Marquis of Wei of Rong Country!"

Zhou Sheng said loudly.

"Never mind the Marquis of Wei—even the Crown Prince of Rong Country or the Emperor of Rong Country wouldn't be allowed!"

The other Sword Sect disciple said impatiently.

"You, where did Lin Chan go?"

He turned to look at Wang Yunxuan.

"Probably to the herbal shop. He often goes there."

Under the Sword Sect disciple's gaze, Wang Yunxuan answered instinctively.

Having gotten the information, the stern Sword Sect disciple immediately took off on his flying sword.

"Sorry for the trouble."

The gentler one followed as well.

"Wait! Take me with you, I want to go to Shu Mountain too!"

Zhou Sheng hurriedly chased after them, but no matter how fast he ran, he couldn't outpace a flying sword.

At Qian's Herbal Shop, Lin Chan was trying to pry information out of Shopkeeper Qian when two young men carrying swords walked in.

"Lin Chan! Come with us!"

Seeing Lin Chan and confirming he was the Portrait Person, they walked over.

"Senior brother!"

Shopkeeper Qian, already middle-aged and nearing old age, instinctively bowed at the sight of the two Sword Sect disciples.

This was Shu Mountain's rule—regardless of age, a Registered Disciple must address an Inner Sect Disciple as "senior brother."

"This has nothing to do with you. No need to be nervous."

The gentler young man said to Shopkeeper Qian.

"You're Sword Sect disciples. What do you want with me?"

Lin Chan was completely baffled. He had no idea what he'd done wrong—he didn't even know any Shu Mountain Sword Sect disciples!

"Don't be nervous either. Our Uncle-Master Xuanchen just wants to ask you a few things. Come with us up the mountain, that's all."

The gentle young man said.

"I don't know what's going on. How can I just go with you?"

Lin Chan said.

But with the two of them blocking him, running was out of the question. Before leaving, he wanted to at least get some answers.

"Uncle-Master Xuanchen only told us to bring you up the mountain. He didn't say why. But don't worry—our Shu Mountain is a righteous sect. We don't kill innocent people."

The gentle-faced young man explained patiently.

Lin Chan thought back over his life from childhood to now. He had basically never done anything wrong. With no way to escape, he could only nod in agreement and follow them out.

The two Sword Sect disciples flanked Lin Chan, as if to prevent him from fleeing.

Outside the herbal shop, the gentler-faced young man summoned his flying sword and extended a hand to Lin Chan.

"Let me take you. My skill's not bad—you don't have to worry about falling. But you'd better behave yourself. If you fall from the sky, I won't be responsible."

The young man said with a smile.

Lin Chan nodded and stepped onto the flying sword. It felt like walking on a tightrope, constantly afraid of falling.

The young man's Sword Riding was as good as he'd claimed. The whole way, Lin Chan didn't feel any jolts and quickly got used to it.

Then, under their guidance, he soared into the sky and arrived at a mountain peak that pierced the clouds.

Scattered across the peak were countless palace structures.

The two led Lin Chan to a well-positioned palace.

"Uncle Xuan Chen! The person has been brought."

The two stood outside the hall, hands clasped behind their backs.

"Good! You may withdraw."

A calm voice came from within the hall.

Hearing this, the two Shu Mountain disciples who had brought Lin Chan immediately took their leave.

"Young friend, please come in and speak."

The voice sounded again.

Lin Chan walked dazedly into the hall and saw a man and a woman, both clad in dark ochre Daoist robes, seated upright on high cushions.

Both appeared young, with skin clean and fair like ice and jade. Their eyes were closed, as if in deep meditation.

When Lin Chan entered, the female cultivator opened her eyes and shot him a fierce glare.

Though her features were exquisite—the most ethereal woman Lin Chan had ever seen—he could faintly sense a murderous intent from her.

"So it's you, who stole my merit!"

The female cultivator said without any goodwill.

"Junior Sister! I told you long ago not to manipulate merit. Since things have come to this, why dwell on it?"

The male cultivator spoke calmly.

"That merit wasn't yours, so you can afford to be magnanimous."

The female cultivator was still dissatisfied, turning her glare to the male cultivator.

He smiled without a word, and she could say no more.

Lin Chan, however, was utterly confused.

Merit?

What merit?

"Now, how should this matter be handled?"

The female cultivator asked.

"Since it's come to this, do you still intend to kill him? Go back for now. I'll handle this."

The male cultivator said helplessly, knowing that if he didn't intervene, the Lin Chan before him would likely be in trouble.

"Senior Brother, interrogate him thoroughly!"

The female cultivator said angrily, then stood up and departed on the wind.

The male cultivator watched her retreating figure and sighed.

Then, he looked at Lin Chan and casually used his magic to bring a cushion from a corner of the hall, letting it land before Lin Chan.

"Sit down and speak."

The male cultivator said gently.

"Yes, Immortal Master!"

Lin Chan imitated the male cultivator's posture and sat cross-legged on the cushion.

The moment he touched the cushion, Lin Chan felt his anxiety dissipate, replaced by calm.

"You're from the Lushan Lin Family?"

The male cultivator asked.

"No, I'm from the eastern part of Rong Country, a small city called Yulin City."

Lin Chan immediately refuted, unwilling to be associated with the Lushan Lin Family.

"That's not important."

The male cultivator smiled, then took out a bronze Bagua mirror from his sleeve.

Urged by his magic, the mirror flew into the air, growing larger, and shone its light on Lin Chan.

The male cultivator glanced at Lin Chan's reflection in the mirror and said:

"This is the Void Clarity Mirror. It can see through your heart and discern truth from falsehood. Please answer my questions honestly, so I can determine how to handle your case properly."

"Immortal Master, what crime have I committed?"

Lin Chan couldn't help but ask.

This man was interrogating him like a criminal, making him feel deeply uneasy.

"It's a long story. On your way to Shu Mountain, did you encounter a tiger—a massive ferocious tiger with brow markings like an eye?"

The male cultivator asked.