How Could a Golden-Scaled Fish Remain in a Pond?

Chen Yan turned his gaze back to the present.

Just moments ago, Chu Xiyao had told him that Fu Qian, the Martial Suppression Elder of Qingchan Peak, had personally bribed Song Mingde, a steward of the Outer Court's Shang Gong Hall.

The purpose was to have Song Mingde monitor the correspondence passing through his hands.

This was no difficult task for a steward of the Shang Gong Hall, and the reward Fu Qian had promised was exceptionally generous.

Qi Sea Realm cultivation, along with the position of an Inner Sect steward.

With such terms, there was simply no reason to refuse.

"And then?"

Chen Yan asked.

"Song Mingde began working for Elder Fu. At first, he copied letters. Later, he handled some other matters as well..."

"What matters?"

"Compiling a list of certain people."

"A list of what people?"

"Only Song Mingde himself knew. Song Mingde had no means of proactively contacting his Qingchan Peak superior, because an Outer Court steward with no backing, bought solely with benefits, could betray them at any moment."

Chu Xiyao said.

That was indeed true. What Elder Fu Qian had promised Song Mingde, those lurking in the shadows might not have been unable to offer as well.

About four months ago, Song Mingde said he seemed to have discovered something extraordinary, but he still lacked crucial evidence.

"And then?"

"Song Mingde began compiling the list he mentioned."

"So you mean Steward Song was killed because he compiled that list?"

Chen Yan raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know."

Chu Xiyao shook her head.

"By the time we wanted to find out what had happened, everything was already too late."

Song Mingde had died a miserable death in the Outer Court's Detention Center.

"So you believe Steward Song's list was connected to the disappearance of the Monster Suppressing Stone?"

Chen Yan continued.

"That is indeed possible."

Chu Xiyao replied.

Song Mingde had discovered something in the Outer Court. As his investigation continued, what lay behind it made his spine run cold, even filling him with terror.

He realized that if this continued, he would certainly die.

Thus, unable to contact his superior directly, Song Mingde chose to gamble away all the Spirit Stones in the hall's public accounts, hoping to draw Qingchan Peak's attention.

In truth, he had succeeded.

Chu Xiyao had come to the Outer Court in the dead of night to find Song Mingde, but she had still arrived one step too late.

"I'll help you, but on one condition."

Chen Yan said.

"What condition?"

Chu Xiyao asked.

"I'm helping only you, not Elder Fu Qian. So until the truth comes to light, don't tell anyone about this."

Hearing Chen Yan's condition, the White-robed Girl stood there hesitating for a while longer before finally nodding.

"Fine, I promise you."

Afterward, Chu Xiyao returned alone toward the courtyard where Qingchan Peak was staying in the Outer Court.

To the current Chen Yan, among all of Qingchan Peak, only Chu Xiyao was worth placing his bets on.

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In the previous Reincarnation, after seeing Steward Song's corpse, Chu Xiyao had stepped forward to protect him when that soft-voiced man intercepted and killed them on their way out of the Detention Center.

Though she had failed, the pity and guilt in Chu Xiyao's eyes when he died could not have been faked.

Chen Yan wanted to prevent the calamity that would strike two years from now.

Because he wanted to find the answer to a question: could fate truly be changed?

Chen Yan did not know. After all, no one could make sense of something like fate.

The direction of the training grounds was alive with a roaring crowd, bustling with people.

The young Outer Court Disciples were greatly enthusiastic about this Outer Court Grand Competition, and they were also filled with admiration for the Inner Sect elders and disciples of the sect.

There was not a single young Outer Court Disciple who did not hope to enter the Inner Sect someday.

But the slightly older Outer Court Disciples were not necessarily the same, especially those who had entered the Martial Spring Realm.

These Martial Spring Realm Outer Court Disciples had an extremely clear understanding of their circumstances. They knew full well that unless they encountered some tremendous opportunity, they had no chance whatsoever of breaking through to the Qi Sea Realm in this lifetime.

In the Inner Sect, Martial Spring Realm cultivators could rise no higher than Consular Disciples, and their treatment differed little from that of ordinary disciples, save that they had to shoulder more responsibilities.

But in the Outer Court, Martial Spring Realm cultivators were far more sought-after. Nearly every position in the Outer Court could be filled by a Martial Spring Realm cultivator.

Although ordinary Inner Sect Disciples received much better treatment than Outer Court Disciples, it was still nowhere near comparable to that of an Outer Court steward.

This situation often led Inner Sect Disciples above the Martial Spring Realm to seek positions in the Outer Court in order to obtain better cultivation resources.

Of course, not just any Inner Sect Disciple could do so. They had to have connections above.

For instance, the Outer Court's greatest well-connected figure at present was Lin Qifeng, the Personal Disciple of Sect Master Yun Yichen.

After more than twenty Reincarnations, Chen Yan had finally figured out the trigger behind the great calamity that would descend upon the Outer Court two years from now.

There were still two years left.

Within those two years, he had to recover the Monster Suppressing Stone that suppressed the Black Flood Dragon Remnant Soul. Otherwise, the greatest calamity suffered by the Empty Mountain Sect's Outer Court in a thousand years would arrive right on schedule.

But what if he failed?

In the next Reincarnation, would he have to try saving it all over again?

Watching the Outer Court Disciples busily preparing for the Outer Court Grand Competition before the training grounds, Chen Yan fell into a brief daze.

In that hazy moment, he saw a familiar figure before the training grounds.

She was not as playful and lively as before. Her bearing was steadier than in his memories, yet her beauty remained as moving as ever.

Cheng Ziying.

Suddenly, someone lightly patted Chen Yan on the shoulder.

"Senior Brother Chen."

A young man wearing the daoist robes of an Outer Court Disciple stood at some unknown point behind and to Chen Yan's side. The patterns on his cuffs and the jade plaque at his waist both proclaimed his identity.

It was Sun Lu, disciple of the Spirit Herb Workshop's steward.

"That person is..."

Sun Lu followed the direction of Chen Yan's earlier gaze and noticed the girl standing before the training grounds as well.

"Consular Disciple Cheng?"

Chen Yan's brow twitched slightly.

"You know her?"

"Of course. Consular Disciple Cheng is a standard-bearer among the Outer Court's younger generation. The training grounds' steward and masters of ceremony value her greatly. The steward of the training grounds even once considered taking her as his disciple."

Sun Lu said.

Consular Disciples were core disciples selected from among ordinary disciples. To put it bluntly, they were beasts of burden who handled errands for the sect's middle and upper ranks.

However, becoming a Consular Disciple also meant more opportunities to appear before the sect's middle and upper ranks. Should there be future opportunities for promotion or other benefits, these Consular Disciples would receive priority consideration.

"Then why didn't the training grounds' steward take her as his disciple in the end?"

Chen Yan asked.

Sun Lu merely smiled faintly, then cupped his hands toward Chen Yan.

"How could a golden-scaled fish remain in a pond? Everyone knows that Consular Disciple Cheng will sooner or later enter the Inner Sect, just as Elder Lin and you, Senior Brother Chen, will sooner or later return to Kongyuan Mountain."