The Pill Hall's Gathering

The next day.

Following Lin Qifeng's instructions from the night before, Chen Yan arrived at the boundary stele of Kongyuan Mountain early in the morning.

As the Empty Mountain Sect's Main Peak, Kongyuan Mountain rose amid a sea of clouds, its reflection cast high against the heavens.

Golden light shimmered at the summit beneath the sun, and ten-thousand-foot rays of dawn, sharp as blades, cleaved into the bamboo forest along the cliffs.

Above the mountain gate were carved four great characters: "Kongyuan Freedom."

A disciple guarding the mountain stood before the gate. When he saw the Outer Court robes Chen Yan wore, he immediately puffed out his chest, his arrogance swelling by several degrees.

As a disciple of Kongyuan Mountain, he seemed to find it only natural that he should feel superior to those Outer Court Disciples.

"Stop. Your passage document."

The guard called Chen Yan to a halt and spoke.

Naturally, Chen Yan could not stand the guard's haughty manner. Even Chief Chu Xiyao of Qingchan was not as overbearing as this man.

So Chen Yan said nothing, merely tossing the token from his waist to the guard.

The guard caught the token and looked at it closely. His expression immediately changed.

"Outer Court Steward... Lin the Personal Disciple's token?"

Although Lin Qifeng's cultivation was only at the Qi Sea Realm, and he was currently still part of the Outer Court, he was Yun Yichen's disciple nevertheless.

A Personal Disciple of the Sect Master—those four words alone were enough to crush the overwhelming majority of Empty Mountain Sect disciples in sheer presence.

"Junior Brother, you... what is your relationship with Lin the Personal Disciple?"

The guard's attitude instantly improved, and he even began to act somewhat submissively.

"I'm merely here on Elder Lin's behalf to handle a few matters at Kongyuan Mountain. I hope Senior Brother can make this convenient."

Chen Yan replied.

There was no need for him to flaunt himself everywhere, telling everyone he met that he was Lin Qifeng's Personal Disciple.

Past experience had taught Chen Yan that, unless necessary, it was best to keep a low profile.

"Of course. Please go ahead, Junior Brother."

The guard stepped several paces aside, clearing the way for Chen Yan.

Compared with the Outer Court, the Inner Sect was much more deserted.

That was because there were fewer Inner Sect Disciples to begin with, and they were all more focused on secluded cultivation.

Kongyuan Mountain's alchemy hall stood in the southeastern corner of the peak, a five-story tower.

As Chen Yan neared the alchemy hall, the number of Kongyuan Mountain disciples around him began to increase slightly.

They all cast curious, appraising looks his way, but their curiosity did not linger on Chen Yan for long.

An Outer Court Disciple in the Inner Sect was certainly a rare sight, but he was still only an Outer Court Disciple.

Chen Yan entered the alchemy hall. Behind the counter on the first floor stood a young man about his age, roughly seventeen or eighteen, dressed in a yellow robe.

The young man was propping up his chin, seemingly dozing behind the counter.

When he heard footsteps entering the alchemy hall, the young man slowly opened his eyes, then stared blankly at Chen Yan standing before him.

"Senior Brother."

Chen Yan took the initiative to greet him.

Though they were about the same age, Chen Yan still addressed the other as Senior Brother.

This was mainly due to the difference between the Inner Sect and the Outer Court.

The Inner Sect took precedence over the Outer Court—this was common knowledge.

"An Outer Court Disciple?"

The young man asked.

"That's right."

Chen Yan answered.

"Lin Qifeng—did Martial Uncle Lin send you?"

The young man continued.

Chen Yan paused slightly.

"That's right."

"Did Martial Uncle give you a token?"

"Yes."

"Give it to me."

Chen Yan removed the token engraved with the four words "Outer Court Steward" from his waist and handed it to the young man.

"Wait a moment."

After confirming the token's authenticity, the youth in the yellow robe turned and headed for the stairs behind him.

About five minutes later, the youth returned to the counter.

"Elder Lin asked me to come here for the Body Tempering Fluid..."

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"Master is waiting for you upstairs."

The youth cut Chen Yan off.

This youth's Master?

He seemed to have just addressed Lin Qifeng as Martial Uncle.

Under normal circumstances, ordinary Kongyuan Mountain disciples should address Lin Qifeng as Lin the Personal Disciple or Elder Lin, just like the disciple guarding the mountain gate.

In other words, this youth's Master was also a personal disciple of the Sect Master?

It seemed that Lin Qifeng sending him to Kongyuan Mountain for the Body Tempering Fluid had not been a spur-of-the-moment decision, but something arranged long ago.

As for why he was the one who came to Kongyuan Mountain in this cycle, it was probably merely a coincidence.

Even if it had not been him, Lin Qifeng would have sent someone else.

Upon reaching the third floor of the Alchemy Hall, a scorching medicinal fragrance rushed at him. Chen Yan looked in the direction from which the scent drifted and saw a bronze pill furnace behind a simple wooden screen.

Behind the pill furnace stood a White-haired Elder, idly turning a jade slip in his hand. He wore a Daoist robe embroidered with the Eight Trigrams, his white hair combed into a neat cloud-shaped topknot and pinned with a hairpin.

The instant the old man's gaze fell upon Chen Yan, he once again felt the True Qi throughout his body grow sluggish and obstructed.

At the same time, traces of Destiny True Qi's divine bearing flashed through the old man's eyes.

Another cultivator above the Wanhua Realm!

"Are you Qifeng's disciple?"

The old man slowly spoke in Chen Yan's direction.

"This junior is Chen Yan. Greetings, Senior."

Chen Yan hurriedly cupped his hands in salute.

"If we go by seniority, you should call me Second Martial Uncle."

The old man smiled.

Just as he had thought, the White-haired Elder before him was a personal disciple of Yun Yichen, the current Sect Master of the Empty Mountain Sect, and also Lin Qifeng's senior brother.

"Second Martial Uncle."

Chen Yan addressed him as the old man wished.

"Has Qifeng been well lately?"

The White-haired Elder continued.

Chen Yan hesitated for a moment, unsure how to answer. After all, he had only met Lin Qifeng for the first time last night, then inexplicably become his disciple.

"Everything is well."

In the end, Chen Yan could only give such an ambiguous answer.

"It has probably been over ten years since I last saw Qifeng. Ever since he offended Master that time, Master never allowed him to set foot on Kongyuan Mountain again, nor did he permit us to visit him in the outer court."

So something like that had happened?

He had initially thought Lin Qifeng had been dispatched to the outer court because the Sect Master wanted to keep the outer court entirely in his own grasp.

He had not expected that there had also been an intent to exile Lin Qifeng.

"Among Master's six disciples, Qifeng and I had the best relationship. Before he went to the outer court, he made an agreement with me: if some great matter ever arose, he would send his disciple to Kongyuan Mountain to find me."

The White-haired Elder continued.

So that was why Lin Qifeng had suddenly taken him as a disciple—to pass a message to his second senior brother?

"So, what happened over at Qifeng's place?"

the old man asked.

"An administrator from the Shang Gong Hall died in the outer court last night. His surname was Song—Song Mingde."

Chen Yan answered.

"Song Mingde?"

The White-haired Elder raised a hand and stroked his beard.

"Never heard of him."

"Song Mingde was an administrator of the outer court's Shang Gong Hall. He may have had some connection to Qingchan Peak. Martial Suppression Elder Fu Qian of Qingchan Peak seems to regard his death as very important."

"That old dog Fu..."

The White-haired Elder frowned, seemingly holding considerable resentment toward Elder Fu Qian.

But weren't those words a little too harsh?

Though the White-haired Elder before him looked much older than Fu Qian, Fu Qian was actually more than three times the White-haired Elder's age.

Moreover, Fu Qian was of the same generation as the previous Sect Master. By rights, even Yun Yichen would have to address him as Martial Uncle upon seeing him.

The White-haired Elder's fingers kept tapping the jade slip in his hand.

"However, when it comes to Fu Qian, I do happen to know something."

"Please speak, Second Martial Uncle."

"Fu Qian is searching for the 'cause of calamity.'"

said the White-haired Elder.

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