Outer Court Elder

Fu Qian said nothing, merely shifting his gaze onto Chen Yan.

Chen Yan's breathing immediately hitched, and the circulation of true qi throughout his body was greatly restricted.

This Martial Suppression Elder of Qingchan Peak was probing Chen Yan with his Spiritual Sense.

In the cultivation system of this world, once a cultivator reached the Spirit 통 Realm or above, they could use their Spiritual Sense to examine another person's cultivation level.

Of course, this was ineffective against cultivators whose realm surpassed that of the examiner.

Chen Yan's realm had remained stalled at the Qi Condensation Realm even after more than twenty cycles of reincarnation. Before Fu Qian, he should have been as transparent as a sheet of blank paper.

But not long ago, he had just obtained the Hidden Immortal Art.

It allowed Chen Yan to disguise his cultivation.

In Fu Qian's eyes, Chen Yan's cultivation at this very moment was at the late stage of the Body Tempering Realm.

"Tell me, child. What happened in the outer court?"

Very soon, the Martial Suppression Elder lost interest in Chen Yan's utter ordinariness.

"Reporting to Elder, this disciple personally witnessed Steward Song of the Shang Gong Hall in Qingchan Peak's outer court die inside a cell at the Detention Center."

Chen Yan said.

Fu Qian's expression did not ripple in the slightest upon hearing this.

"Xiyao, what do you think?"

He then spoke slowly.

"This disciple does not know. I only felt that rashly going alone to the Detention Center to verify it might be inappropriate, so I returned to report to Elder."

Chu Xiyao replied.

"Hmph."

Fu Qian snorted disdainfully.

"Now you know how to be steady?"

Chu Xiyao looked embarrassed.

"Elder..."

"Enough. Go to Hidden Edge Pavilion and find Elder Li. Have him bring a few capable helpers and head to the outer court at once to investigate."

As he spoke, Fu Qian turned his head again and returned his gaze to Chen Yan.

"As for this child, I'll send someone to escort him back to the outer court."

The moment his words fell, the cuff of Fu Qian's sleeve stirred without wind. A Dharma Seal then emerged from within, gleaming with golden light.

Fu Qian immediately crushed the Dharma Seal in his hand.

The next instant, two figures appeared beneath the eaves of Cangwu Hall. Both wore fitted black garments and beast-faced fanged masks.

Both were cultivators above the Qi Sea Realm.

"Take this child to the outer court and find Lin Qifeng. And ask that bastard properly for me how he manages the outer court, to let someone murder a prisoner right under his nose."

Fu Qian instructed the two Qi Sea Realm cultivators.

Chen Yan raised an eyebrow slightly.

Lin Qifeng was the name of the outer court elder.

It could be said that throughout the entire outer court, Lin Qifeng held the greatest authority.

Yet Lin Qifeng himself had only just reached the Qi Sea Realm.

To Fu Qian, cultivators of the Qi Sea Realm were people he could summon with a wave and dismiss with a flick of his hand.

Rather than wanting to escort Chen Yan back to the outer court, Fu Qian was more likely using this as an excuse to send people over and hold the outer court elder accountable.

However, no matter how dissatisfied Elder Fu might be with Lin Qifeng, at most he could only trade barbs and send two people over to disgust Lin Qifeng with a few words. He could not take any actual action.

Because Lin Qifeng was the Personal Disciple of Yun Yichen, the current sect master of the Empty Mountain Sect.

Though he was the most disappointing one, Yun Yichen's placement of him in the position of outer court elder could still be considered putting him to the best possible use.

Of course, no matter how talentless or useless Lin Qifeng was, in Chen Yan's eyes, he was still like a heavenly god.

The gap between the Qi Sea Realm and the Qi Condensation Realm was simply too vast.

If the gap between Qi Condensation Realm cultivators and Martial Spring Realm cultivators was already more than tenfold, then even between Martial Spring Realm cultivators and Qi Sea Realm cultivators of equal talent, the difference could still reach more than tenfold.

"Let's go."

The two Qi Sea Realm cultivators slowly walked over to Chen Yan's side and said to him.

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"Thank you for your trouble, Seniors."

Chen Yan said respectfully.

And so, Chen Yan left Cangwu Hall and was flown back to the outer court by the two Qi Sea Realm cultivators.

The residence of the outer court elder was Wenyuan Hall, located at the very center of the outer court.

At the same time, this was also the outer court's core seat of power.

The hall's upturned eaves cleaved through the moonlight. Chen Yan followed the two Qi Sea Realm cultivators down onto the bluestone steps without stirring a single mote of dust.

The hall doors opened soundlessly. A middle-aged man draped in a loose Crane Cloak sat behind a Rosewood Desk.

He slowly raised his head to look at the three men at the doorway, then resumed grinding tea leaves.

"Two from Qingchan Peak, with one from the outer court?"

With that, Lin Qifeng gave a soft laugh.

"You certainly know how to pick your time. Coming to my Wenyuan Hall so late at night—what do you want?"

"Elder Fu Qian of Cangwu Hall ordered us to deliver this outer court disciple to you. He also instructed us to pass along a message to you, Elder Lin."

The Qi Sea Realm cultivator on the left spoke with considerable respect.

Though their cultivation realms were close to Lin Qifeng's and they were all in the Qi Sea Realm, their statuses within the sect were worlds apart.

After all, Lin Qifeng was the Personal Disciple of the current sect master, Yun Yichen.

Never mind that he was now an outer court elder—even if he were a mere menial at the mountain gate, ordinary people would still have to treat him with the utmost respect upon seeing him.

"That old Fu?"

Lin Qifeng raised his eyes slightly.

"What message did he have you bring?"

"How exactly are you running this outer court, to let someone kill a prisoner right under your nose?"

The Qi Sea Realm cultivator on the right said.

"Oh?"

Lin Qifeng's tea-grinding hand paused.

"Ahem... Elder Lin, those were Elder Fu's exact words for us to convey to you."

The cultivator hurriedly explained.

"I'd like to hear who was killed while locked up in the Detention Center."

Lin Qifeng asked.

"Steward Song of the outer court's Shang Gong Hall."

"Song Mingde?"

As an outer court elder, Lin Qifeng naturally knew who the Steward Song of Shang Gong Hall was.

The outer court elder was, in practice, the highest authority in the outer court, but Lin Qifeng did not involve himself in its daily affairs.

Those affairs were handled entirely by the outer court superintendent, while the stewards of each hall were all subordinates of that superintendent.

Below the stewards were clerks, whose status was on the same level as instructors and disciplinarians.

Below them came the overseers selected from among the ordinary disciples, responsible for grassroots work.

"Yes, him."

One of the Qi Sea Realm cultivators behind Chen Yan said.

"I have a question for you two as well."

Lin Qifeng smiled.

"Even if Song Mingde is dead, what does that have to do with your Qingchan Peak?"

But his smile did not reach his eyes.

"Or is Qingchan Peak up to some little trick that cannot bear the light of day?"

The two Qi Sea Realm cultivators fell silent for a moment before speaking again.

"Song Mingde had a very important piece of intelligence. That intelligence is very important to the sect..."

"Are you playing dumb riddles with me?"

Lin Qifeng said.

"No, it's just that we don't know the specific details either..."

"Then go back to Qingchan Peak and send someone who does know to speak with me."

That was what Lin Qifeng said.

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