Xiao Ran almost got scared by this old man who had approached so close.
Fortunately, with the Art of Resonance protecting his body, he quickly steadied his mind.
He realized the reason this old man had walked so close was probably simply...
Nearsightedness.
Next, the old man abruptly asked Xiao Ran's question: "Who are you?" Xiao Ran thought to himself, shouldn't this line be asked by me?
As a young, unfamiliar face appearing in the Elder Council room, besides being the Sword-Wielding Elder's new disciple, who else could he be?
Chunwa and Qiuchan were also startled by this old man. Because the distance was too close, they had to raise their short, thick little necks, look up in an exaggerated manner, and peer closely.
"Se-Senior Uncle Mo... Mo Xia..."
The two little girls were also extremely curious.
True Person Moxia, the artifact-refining elder, had lived in seclusion on Sword-Tempering Mountain for years on end, sharpening one sword in ten years and rarely going out. He only made a symbolic appearance when the Elder Council was convened, but he hadn't expressed any opinions at the meetings for decades.
Why did he suddenly run over in front of Xiao Ran and ask who he was?
Chunwa didn't think much and immediately introduced the old man to Xiao Ran: "This is our sect's Sword-Tempering Elder, True Person Moxia."
Xiao Ran had already heard the two little girls introduce True Person Moxia earlier, and thought to himself that since this old man sharpened a sword in ten years, no wonder he had sharpened himself into nearsightedness.
Qiuchan then introduced Xiao Ran to the old man:
"This is the direct disciple Senior Uncle Lingzhou just took—"
Before the name could even be reported, the introduction was rudely interrupted by the old man.
"I am not asking who you are now, but who you were before."
I used to be a great socialist successor! Xiao Ran asked: "Why does Senior Uncle ask this?"
The old man put his hands behind his back, a pair of deep, gloomy old eyes staring straight at Xiao Ran.
"Because you seem to have some opinions about the Sword Fence Wall..."
Even this was seen through? Could it be that the Sword Fence Wall was your masterpiece? Xiao Ran didn't understand much about Spirit Runes, but its architectural level was quite high! Who would have thought that a sword-tempering master was actually an architectural expert.
Xiao Ran hurriedly used what he had just learned to explain: "Just like a steamed-bun shop clerk who knows nothing about the art of painting, when faced with a pinnacle masterpiece of painting, they can only utter a word of good or not good. Senior Uncle really needn't mind this disciple's clumsy view."
A pinnacle masterpiece of painting? The old man stroked his beard; these four sides of the sword fence were indeed his peak work.
However, this new disciple seemed to have different views on its details.
"What old man sees in your eyes is not the pinnacle, but... flaws."
Xiao Ran felt very strange.
This old man saw that he had slight opinions on certain details of the Sword Fence Wall.
Yet the old man didn't, like other people seeing a mortal direct disciple, curiously use divine sense to observe him from top to bottom.
From beginning to end, he didn't use his divine sense to look at Xiao Ran even once.
It was as if in his eyes, cultivation level was just a trivial matter, and the Sword-Wielding Elder must have had special considerations when selecting material.
The old man's tone seemed like interrogation, but within his deep and gloomy pupils, there seemed to be a suppressed brilliance faintly present.
Xiao Ran cupped his fists in a salute and said: "It was this disciple who was being abrupt."
The old man smiled and shook his head.
"No one can stop abruptly before the Heaven-Guarding Sword Fence without being harmed by its heaven-guarding will."
Xiao Ran was left speechless.
Just at this moment, a voice as ethereal and neutral as clouds drifted over from outside the door: "Everyone has arrived, let's begin."
The old man looked slightly regretful, and said:
"Perhaps... at some time after the Elder Council, Junior Nephew Xiao can come to Sword-Tempering Mountain for a visit, and this old man will definitely brew tea to receive you."
With those words spoken, he took his seat, leaving only Xiao Ran feeling slightly puzzled.
Brew tea to receive him?
Are the elders of this sect all this amiable?
Not far away.
Lingzhou Yue beckoned for Xiao Ran to take his seat.
Close to the start of the meeting, she finally saw the scene that had just unfolded.
She hadn't expected that this blockhead True Person Moxia would actually take the initiative to strike up a conversation...
When abnormal things happen, there must be demons! Lingzhou Yue's sword-like brows furrowed slightly, as she realized the matter wasn't so simple.
Could it be that this old rascal has also taken a fancy to my precious disciple? Doesn't he even understand the principle of first come, first served, and that a prized flower already has an owner!
Waiting until she converged with Xiao Ran, she vigilantly asked:
"What did that old man say to you?"
Xiao Ran answered truthfully:
"Senior Uncle Moxia wants disciple to go to Sword-Tempering Mountain for a visit when I have time, and he will definitely brew tea to wait."
Brew tea to wait?
Lingzhou Yue gave a dry cough, leaned close to Xiao Ran's ear, and said in a soft voice:
"This old man sharpens a sword in ten years, when would he have the time to study the art of tea? It's definitely a trap, you mustn't go."
Xiao Ran hadn't planned on going anyway, but purposely pretended to obey his Master's words.
"I will strictly abide by Master's instructions."
Xiao Ran's filial piety and respect for his master inexplicably gave Lingzhou Yue a sense of distance, bringing an illusion that she might lose him at any moment.
Thus she pulled Xiao Ran closer, raised her arm to wrap it around Xiao Ran's shoulder, and smiled: "Don't be so polite. I'm very easy to get along with, plus everyone is young, there's no need to be overly restrained, unlike getting along with older people, which easily creates a generation gap."
True Person Yinyue behind them: "..."
A generation gap?
The Hall of Affairs.
Five light-cyan wooden long desks embroidered with red patterns were arranged in a pentagonal, mutually facing stance.
These were the seats of the Sect Master and the four great elders.
Each direct disciple stood behind their respective Master's long desk to listen in.
Except for the fixed Sect Master's seat in due north, the remaining four seats were casually occupied.
Lingzhou Yue's strength ranked first among the four great elders, yet she sat in the lower-left southeast position, ceding the upper-left northeast position to True Person Yinyue.
Xiao Ran stood slightly behind and to the side of her, his mind full of generation gaps.
He felt deeply remorseful.
But there was no help for it, he was only a mortal, unable to suppress the impure thoughts brought by hormones through cultivation level.
He could only divert his attention.
So he looked around.
True Person Moxia, the Sword-Tempering Elder who had just struck up a conversation with him, was sitting in the northwest position.
Theoretically speaking, this was a more honorable position than the other three elder seats.
It also matched his status.
According to Chunwa and Qiuchan's introduction, Zongzhi Mountain was situated at the tail end of a fire vein, while the surface water sources were extremely abundant. Therefore, since ancient times, it excelled in forging and artifact refining, with sword-tempering as its specialty.
The swords and flying swords produced by Zongzhi Mountain sold well throughout the True Spirit Continent, which was the primary reason Zongzhi Mountain could stand firm during the Dharma Ending Era.
Among this, Sword-Tempering Elder True Person Moxia had rendered prodigious service and could be said to be the backbone of Zongzhi Mountain, sitting in this position convincingly.
Behind True Person Moxia.
His direct disciple was a tall, thin young man who used an iron ring to seal his eyes and ears, carrying quite a bit of ancient martial sci-fi feel.
A famous teacher produces a brilliant student, but this person was named Gao Shi, and it was said he might surpass his teacher in the future, representing the future of Zongzhi Mountain.
It was said that he was originally a sword-polisher with supreme talent, but his thoughts scattered and he had too many ideas, making him easily distracted by external objects. Consequently, True Person Moxia had forcibly fitted him with an Eye Sealing Ring. From then on, he turned a blind eye to affairs outside the window, and with one hand only polished the big treasure sword.
When Xiao Ran looked at him, he was also looking at Xiao Ran, with green light flashing across the gloomy iron rings, making one's hair stand on end.
Xiao Ran hurriedly withdrew his gaze.
The southwest position.
Sat the great villain in the words of Chunwa and Qiuchan, the Disciplinary Elder—
Huangfu Qun.
This was a stern, unsmiling middle-aged man with a hidden fierce expression on his face. His facial features looked as though they were carved, yet without any sense of handsomeness, giving only a gloomy and terrifying impression.
The direct disciple standing behind him was a fat man who likewise wore a rigid face.
Named Luosheng, according to the two little girls his original name was Huangfu Luosheng, and he was Huangfu Qun's son. His talent was ordinary, and he relied on resources and bitter cultivation to reach the standard of a direct disciple.
In Zongzhi Mountain, this was almost an open secret.
From start to finish, the father and son closed their eyes to rest and recuperate, not looking at anyone else at all.
Finally.
Xiao Ran looked toward the north.
The long desk was empty.
The Sect Master had not come.
Beside it, a white-robed cultivator with neutral features stood all alone; it was precisely the one who had previously notified them of the Elder Council's convocation, Master Boyun.
Unlike the gentleness during their first meeting, this time, Xiao Ran felt a powerful aura emanating from Master Boyun.
Chunwa and Qiuchan said that Master Boyun was the strongest person in the sect besides the Sect Master and Lingzhou Yue, even stronger than the other three elders.
Xiao Ran guessed that a junior suddenly becoming formidable in front of a gathering of seniors probably meant something was about to happen.
Not seeing the Sect Master, Disciplinary Elder Huangfu Qun sternly asked: "Where is Sect Master Senior Brother? Why hasn't he arrived yet."
Master Boyun explained: "Because a Wraith suddenly broke into the Mountain-Guarding Grand Array, causing Master's old injuries to relapse. He has just decided to have this disciple preside over things on his behalf."
"You?"
Huangfu Qun's face carried a flush of anger, his eyes full of suspicion.
Xiao Ran could understand why the Disciplinary Elder was so arrogant, not even putting the Sect Master in his eyes.
With the arrival of the Dharma Ending Era, the cultivation world suffered heavy losses. To jointly resist the Wraiths, all sects in the True Spirit Continent jointly formed the Dao Alliance.
The Dao Alliance emphasized laws and regulations, and would parachute a Disciplinary Elder into every sect.
The Disciplinary Elder's duty was to monitor and adjudicate all illegal matters within the sect, and even the Sect Master couldn't act arbitrarily.
However, for independent major sects like Zongzhi Mountain, the Dao Alliance's power was difficult to penetrate, and its Disciplinary Elder was still appointed by the sect itself, only needing to report regularly to the Dao Alliance.
This invisibly elevated the status of the Disciplinary Elder.
Being stood up, Huangfu Qun was not satisfied with Master Boyun's explanation.
"Senior Brother didn't come in person, couldn't he send a voice transmission?"
Master Boyun hurriedly made a obeisance and said: "Master observed the celestial phenomena at night and deduced that the spiritual energy concentration in the cultivation world might drop sharply in three years. Therefore, the old senior wants to try breaking through and undergoing tribulation within three years."
"What!"
Huangfu Qun's fierce eyes surged with shock as he slapped the desk and stood up.
The crowd was also shocked into speechlessness.
Before you continue