Ice Soul Grass

"I wouldn't dare..."

Then Chen Yan began to grow nervous.

"I can only say that my old master was wrong about me!"

Lin Qifeng laughed heartily.

Come to think of it, Lin Qifeng had never seemed unhappy about being called a "good-for-nothing." On the contrary, he had always taken pride in it.

What exactly had happened back then to make the Sect Master expel Lin Qifeng from Kongyuan Mountain?

Chen Yan couldn't guess, and he didn't dare bring it up.

"Speaking of which, I called you here this time because there's something important I need to tell you."

Lin Qifeng said.

"Song Mingde's death remains unsolved to this day. The bodies of the two disciples on watch that night have also been found..."

Lin Qifeng paused briefly before continuing:

"One of those two disciples on watch was your friend, right?"

"Yes."

Chen Yan replied.

He felt a little nervous, afraid Lin Qifeng would keep asking about the two disciples and make him cooperate with the investigation.

After all, Chen Yan didn't even know them.

"Don't let it weigh too heavily on your heart. The Immortal Path is long, and partings and deaths are common. If anyone from Qingchan Peak comes looking for you, whatever they ask, just say you don't know. Let them make a fuss on their own."

Lin Qifeng said.

It seemed Lin Qifeng intended to take a hands-off approach to the matter.

"Yes, Master."

Chen Yan said.

That was the very attitude he had hoped to see from Lin Qifeng.

But Chen Yan himself absolutely couldn't stand idly by, because this might well be connected to the calamity that would befall the Outer Court three years from now.

"The fact that you're my disciple has spread. Most of the Outer Court stewards know that I, an Outer Court elder, have taken a disciple named Chen Yan. If you need help with anything in the future, don't hesitate to ask them."

Lin Qifeng said.

Chen Yan knew Lin Qifeng had taken him as a disciple for one simple reason: he needed a mouthpiece to communicate with Kongyuan Mountain.

There was another reason, too. Chen Yan was now connected to Song Mingde and Qingchan Peak, making Lin Qifeng even more eager to keep an eye on his movements.

"The last thing is the Outer Court Grand Competition two months from now."

Lin Qifeng said.

The Outer Court Grand Competition was held once a year, while the Inner Sect Grand Competition took place once every three years.

The Outer Court Grand Competition was a selection system used by the sect, and an excellent path for Outer Court disciples to enter the Inner Sect.

When the time came, people from the Three Mountains Four Peaks of the Empty Mountain Sect would come to evaluate the disciples participating in the competition and select promising candidates.

Yet every year, only a handful of disciples were chosen from the Outer Court to enter the Inner Sect.

"You must take part, and you absolutely must not break through to the Qi Condensation Realm before the Outer Court Grand Competition ends."

Lin Qifeng said:

"After three cycles of Body Tempering Fluid have cleansed your bones and marrow, you shouldn't be outmatched by most Body Tempering Realm Outer Court disciples. After all, your master is an Outer Court elder. I still have some face to save."

"Understood, Master."

In Lin Qifeng's eyes, Chen Yan wouldn't be outmatched by Body Tempering Realm cultivators.

After all, high-grade Body Tempering Fluid was a resource beyond the reach of ordinary Outer Court disciples, and it had a major effect on a Body Tempering Realm cultivator's combat strength.

But things would be different if Chen Yan broke through to the Qi Condensation Realm.

In truth, Chen Yan was at the peak of the Qi Condensation Realm.

It was only because he possessed the Hidden Immortal Art that his cultivation appeared to be at the late stage of the Body Tempering Realm.

In all his past reincarnations, not even in his first life had Chen Yan ever participated in the Outer Court Grand Competition.

He knew exactly how much he was worth.

Even later, when Chen Yan returned to the age of fifteen carrying a century's worth of cultivation, he had to conceal his cultivation and keep as low a profile as possible because of the "Calamity Cause."

But now, things had changed.

His current identity was that of the Sect Master's Personal Disciple and Lin Qifeng's Personal Disciple. Just as Zhao Bin had said that day, he could now be considered half a disciple of Kongyuan Mountain.

With access to all kinds of Inner Sect resources, it made sense that his cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds.

At the very least, no one could easily pin the label of "Calamity Cause" on him.

Even if Lin Qifeng saw him only as a mouthpiece rather than a true disciple,

others would still have to think twice about Lin Qifeng's standing before making a move against him.

Even a dog had to be beaten with an eye to its master, didn't it?

Lin Qifeng's only demand was that Chen Yan not embarrass him at the Outer Court Grand Competition. If he could win him a little face, all the better.

Chen Yan was quite confident he could do that.

At the peak of the Qi Condensation Realm, even if he suppressed his strength to the late stage of the Body Tempering Realm, he could easily crush those Body Tempering Realm cultivators.

After bidding Lin Qifeng farewell, Chen Yan left Wenyuan Hall.

He noticed that far more people than usual were watching him from the streets today.

That was only natural.

The news that Lin Qifeng had taken Chen Yan as his disciple had spread throughout the Outer Court.

After all, Chen Yan was now the only Elder's Personal Disciple in the Outer Court. Plenty of Outer Court disciples wanted to get a look at him.

"Senior Brother Chen!"

As Chen Yan walked down an Outer Court street, trying to get used to his changed status, a bright voice came from behind him.

A young man in an Outer Court robe strode toward him:

"I'm Sun Lu. Greetings, Senior Brother Chen!"

The young man stopped in front of Chen Yan and clasped his hands in a salute.

He looked a few years older than Chen Yan.

He humbly called himself a junior brother and addressed Chen Yan as senior brother entirely out of respect for his master, Lin Qifeng.

"Hello."

Chen Yan responded in a flat tone, dealing with this fellow disciple who had likely approached him with some ulterior motive.

"My master is Zheng Fuyue, a steward at the Outer Court Spirit Herb Workshop. He sent me to congratulate you on becoming the Outer Court's only Elder's Personal Disciple!"

The young man who called himself Sun Lu spoke loudly:

"I heard that you're still at the Body Tempering Realm, Senior Brother Chen. My master specially obtained five Ice Soul Grass plants for you, to help you reach the Qi Condensation Realm sooner."

As he spoke, Sun Lu took a fine wooden box from behind him and offered it to Chen Yan.

Ice Soul Grass was a medicinal herb with excellent effects. It helped cultivators protect their meridians and ease the strain of surging true qi.

According to the Outer Court's rules, disciples who had reached the Qi Condensation Realm or above could claim three Ice Soul Grass leaves from the Spirit Herb Workshop each month.

Each Ice Soul Grass plant grew more than twenty leaves on average.

It was said that Qi Condensation Realm disciples in the Inner Sect could claim one whole Ice Soul Grass plant every month.

It had to be said, this steward of the Spirit Herb Workshop, Zheng Fuyue, had really gone all out to get closer to Elder Lin by currying favor with the only disciple under him.

"Then please pass on my thanks to Steward Zheng."

Chen Yan smiled as he accepted the wooden box of Ice Soul Grass from the young man.

Lin Qifeng had just told him that if he needed help, he could ask the Outer Court stewards without hesitation.

So Chen Yan felt no qualms about accepting these five Ice Soul Grass plants.