Lip Service

The high-grade Qi Guiding Pill from the Pill Hall on Kongyuan Mountain, together with these five Ice Soul Grass plants, had given Chen Yan—whose actual cultivation had now reached Qi Condensation Realm Peak—even greater confidence in breaking through to the Martial Spring Realm.

However, with Chen Yan's talent, the early stage of the Martial Spring Realm was likely to be his limit.

Ever since that day, Sun Lu had made a point of seeking Chen Yan out from time to time.

He hadn't shown any other intentions. He simply asked after Chen Yan's well-being and occasionally gave him some rare things.

Sun Lu was twenty years old this year, and his cultivation was at the middle stage of Qi Condensation Realm.

Yet he called Chen Yan, who was younger and had a lower cultivation level, Senior Brother without the slightest hesitation.

In fact, at first, Chen Yan had found it somewhat hard to get used to.

Sun Lu was also good at respecting boundaries. He maintained just the right distance from Chen Yan and never interfered with his life or cultivation.

He simply gave Chen Yan the occasional reminder that there was someone like him around.

Oh, right. There was also Sun Lu's master, Zheng Fuyue, an officer at the Spirit Herb Workshop.

The investigation on Qingchan Peak had also reached a dead end. There was no trace of the killer who had murdered Song Mingde, nor any sign of Song Mingde's list.

Chen Yan knew that beneath Empty Mountain Sect's placid surface, undercurrents were surging.

Time flew by, and the Outer Court Grand Competition drew nearer.

The Outer Court Disciples who had only joined in the past few years were especially excited, since this was a golden opportunity to advance to the Inner Court.

But most of the more senior Outer Court Disciples remained unmoved. They knew their own limits.

As the saying went, newborn calves feared no tigers.

There were still three days until the Outer Court Grand Competition officially began.

Inside Wenyuan Hall, Chen Yan stood behind Lin Qifeng, his gaze fixed on the entrance.

Then the doors slowly swung open.

A party of around thirty people strode into Wenyuan Hall in grand fashion.

They were the Inner Court elders who had come to observe the Outer Court Grand Competition, along with the "gatekeepers" of the Three Mountains Four Peaks.

Every year, in addition to the sparring and matches between the Outer Court Disciples, the Outer Court Grand Competition included a special event.

Disciples from the various Inner Court peaks would hold the challenge platform. If an Outer Court Disciple could defeat a "gatekeeper," they would immediately earn the right to enter the corresponding Inner Court peak.

Of course, defeating a gatekeeper was no easy feat.

At the very least, in the longest-lived of Chen Yan's lives—more than ninety years—no Outer Court Disciple had ever succeeded in challenging a gatekeeper.

Lin Qifeng stood in the middle of the hall, welcoming the elders from the various Inner Court peaks.

The cultivator at the very front was tall and thin, with golden cloud-and-crane patterns embroidered on the cuffs of his Daoist robe.

He was an elder from Kongyuan Mountain.

"Long time no see, Lin the Personal Disciple."

The tall, thin elder with the golden cloud-and-crane embroidery on his cuffs spoke.

From that one sentence alone, Chen Yan could tell that the elder from Kongyuan Mountain didn't seem to get along very well with Lin Qifeng.

It was all in the way he addressed him.

It was true that Lin Qifeng was the Sect Master's Personal Disciple, but he was now, above all, an Outer Court Elder.

At a gathering where an Outer Court Elder received Inner Court elders and disciples, calling him "Lin the Personal Disciple" as if in passing was, in truth, a way of expressing contempt.

"You're still alive too, Elder Song!"

Lin Qifeng said warmly.

Elder Song's face twitched slightly.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I thought you'd already passed away."

Lin Qifeng continued warmly.

"Heh. Lin the Personal Disciple is getting on in years, yet he still has the temperament of a child. I must say, I admire that."

As he spoke, Elder Song shifted his gaze to Chen Yan.

"I suppose your beloved disciple has had to put up with plenty of this, too?"

Chen Yan's mouth twitched. What did their argument have to do with him?

So he merely cupped his hands and bowed, saying nothing.

This wasn't the time for him to stand up for his master.

"If you have the time, come back to Kongyuan Mountain for a visit. Everyone misses you."

Elder Song said.

Those words alone seemed to strike a nerve with the irreverent Lin Qifeng, making him fall silent for a moment.

"Heh."

That was all Lin Qifeng said.

The elders and disciples from the other peaks might not know the truth, but those from Kongyuan Mountain all knew that Sect Master Yun had driven Lin Qifeng out.

Elder Song looked as though he'd won, holding his head high as he said no more.

Lin Qifeng exchanged pleasantries with the elders from each Inner Court peak in turn, going through the motions.

The elders who had brought their groups to observe the Outer Court Grand Competition weren't among the highest-ranking members of their respective peaks.

They were elders from places like the Martial Arts Hall and Shang Gong Hall.

Within the sect, the elder titles ranked from highest to lowest were Sword-wielding Elder, Elder Zhengfa, Martial Suppression Elder, and Dignity Elder. Below them came the elders of the various departments.

The Sword-wielding Elder was the foremost figure of a mountain peak.

In other words, Fu Qian of Qingchan Peak was actually its third-ranking figure.

The titles Sword-wielding Elder, Elder Zhengfa, Martial Suppression Elder, and Dignity Elder were collectively known as Peak Elders.

"Elder Lin."

An elder from Qingchan Peak cupped his hands toward Lin Qifeng with a smile.

Chen Yan followed the Qingchan Peak elder's gaze. When he noticed the cool, white-robed girl among the disciples standing behind the elder, he couldn't help but pause.

Chu Xiyao?

Chen Yan wasn't the only one who recognized her.

"Elder Lan, Qingchan Peak really takes the Outer Court Grand Competition seriously. You've even sent your Chief Disciple."

Lin Qifeng teased with a smile.

The Chief Disciple was the highest-ranking among a peak's disciples, as well as the most talented and powerful of their generation.

She was also the undisputed leader of the next generation.

It could even be said that the Chief Disciple represented her peak better than any elder below the rank of Grand Elder.

"This junior, Chu Xiyao, pays her respects to Elder Lin."

The White-robed Girl bowed to Lin Qifeng.

Then her gaze shifted toward Chen Yan, who stood behind Lin Qifeng.

Chen Yan couldn't read any emotion in her eyes, though they seemed to hold a trace of confusion.

How did you become Lin Qifeng's disciple?

That was probably the question behind her look.

"Chief Chu came of her own accord to observe the Outer Court Grand Competition. She won't take part, much less compete as a gatekeeper."

The man Lin Qifeng had called Elder Lan spoke up.

"If Chief Chu were to compete as a gatekeeper, I'd say Qingchan Peak really looked down on our Outer Court Disciples!"

Lin Qifeng laughed.

"Not at all. We're all disciples of Empty Mountain Sect. How could we look down on them? We can hardly wait to welcome them!"

Elder Lan said.

"Since Elder Lan says so, then how about some of the promising talents from our Outer Court—"

"Hey, as long as those promising talents can get past the gatekeeper Qingchan Peak has sent this year, I, Lan Wei, will take in as many as come!"

He sure talked a big game. Just wait until he was actually given someone—then he wouldn't be so happy.

Chen Yan grumbled inwardly.