See You in the Next Life

Chen Yan's heart clenched.

He had never expected Song Mingde's name to come from the mouth of this seemingly honest disciple standing before him.

After a moment's thought, Chen Yan decided to play dumb.

"What happened to Steward Song?"

he asked.

"Senior Brother Chen's acting seems a little clumsy."

Zhang Xishun's expression and voice remained humble and deferential.

But his gaze had grown sharper and sharper ever since.

Chen Yan's heart sank again.

True qi began surging endlessly from Chen Yan's Martial Spring, and the qi in his meridians began to circulate.

"Are you and Steward Song close, Junior Brother?"

Chen Yan asked.

"No, I've never met him."

"Then why..."

"Senior Brother Chen, are you close with the people of Qingchan Peak?"

Chen Yan didn't answer at once.

"I'll ask you one last question, Senior Brother Chen."

The dark-skinned, honest-looking man asked Chen Yan, though his expression had grown increasingly strange.

"Where is Song Mingde's list?"

"...I know what you are."

Chen Yan didn't answer Zhang Xishun's question directly.

"Is that so?"

Zhang Xishun laughed.

The next instant, Chen Yan reached out and grabbed for Zhang Xishun's shoulder, intending to subdue him at once.

Capture him alive!

This guy had to know the truth behind the calamity that would befall the Outer Court more than two years from now!

Yet Zhang Xishun only took half a step back and turned slightly aside, dodging Chen Yan's attack.

"Why resort to violence, Senior Brother Chen? We've always gotten along quite well, haven't we?"

Zhang Xishun said,

"I only want to know where Song Mingde's list is. Or has it already fallen into the hands of Qingchan Peak?"

He'd actually managed to dodge?

This guy's true cultivation was definitely above the Body Tempering Realm!

"Maybe it's already in Qingchan Peak's hands."

Chen Yan said.

At that, Zhang Xishun laughed.

"Senior Brother Chen really can't lie."

"What makes you say that?"

"If that list had fallen into that old Fu Qian's hands, I wouldn't be standing here talking to you as a living man."

"So you're on that list too?"

"I don't know."

Zhang Xishun shook his head.

"How about a trade? You answer my questions, and I'll tell you what I know."

After a moment's thought, Chen Yan said.

"Ask away, Senior Brother Chen."

Zhang Xishun said.

"Where is the Black Flood Dragon Monster Suppressing Stone that was sealed inside Caiyun Tower on Qingchan Peak?"

Chen Yan asked.

Zhang Xishun fell silent, then shook his head.

"Senior Brother Chen knows more than I expected, and your questions are sharper, too."

"Is that so?"

"But I can tell you where the Monster Suppressing Stone is. It's hidden somewhere in the Outer Court."

Zhang Xishun said,

"Now it's your turn, Senior Brother Chen. Where exactly is Song Mingde's list?"

"I don't know. That's all I know."

Chen Yan said.

Zhang Xishun simply stared at Chen Yan, who stood before him. There was something sinister beneath his honest appearance, a strange dissonance that was hard to put into words.

"It seems Senior Brother Chen is telling the truth."

Then Zhang Xishun sighed.

"Does Senior Brother Chen know why I told you where the Monster Suppressing Stone is?"

"I can guess."

Chen Yan replied.

"Clever!"

Zhang Xishun laughed, but this time there wasn't a trace of honesty in his smile.

Only cruelty and ferocity.

In a flash, Zhang Xishun lunged at Chen Yan, who had already been prepared.

Chen Yan raised his hand. True qi raced through all the meridians in his body, gathering at his fingertips.

Kongshan Finger!

A bolt of true qi with tremendous piercing power shot from the tips of Chen Yan's joined index and middle fingers, straight toward the space between Zhang Xishun's brows.

Chen Yan watched with his own eyes as Zhang Xishun's head was pierced through. But in the next instant, Zhang Xishun's figure suddenly vanished.

"Martial Spring Realm?"

Zhang Xishun's voice came from behind Chen Yan, laced with surprise.

"You can actually hide your cultivation. How did you do it?"

As far as Chen Yan knew, there wasn't a single Cultivation Method in this world that could hide one's cultivation—except the Hidden Immortal Art he'd received as a Reincarnation Reward.

Chen Yan had once tried to find records about the Hidden Immortal Art in the Library Pavilion, but in the end, he'd come up empty-handed.

He'd also once casually asked Lin Qifeng whether there were any Cultivation Methods that could conceal one's cultivation, but Lin Qifeng had flatly denied it.

"There are pills that can suppress your realm, but no Cultivation Methods that can conceal your cultivation."

That was what Lin Qifeng had said, giving Chen Yan a strange look.

"Why are you asking? You're a Body Tempering Realm weakling. Why would you need to conceal or suppress your cultivation?"

Chen Yan hadn't said anything.

That meant that as long as he didn't mention the Hidden Immortal Art, no one could judge his true cultivation unless he revealed it himself.

Back to the present.

"Senior Brother Chen, you really do have quite a few interesting secrets."

Zhang Xishun said playfully.

"Is that so?"

Chen Yan replied.

The moment Zhang Xishun dodged his Kongshan Finger, Chen Yan had immediately understood that he was no match for Zhang Xishun.

Not by a long shot.

If there really were no arts in this world that could hide one's cultivation, then the only possibility was that Zhang Xishun had used pills to suppress his true cultivation to the Body Tempering Realm.

And now, those restraints on his cultivation had been completely lifted.

"Enough, enough."

Zhang Xishun shook his head.

"It's time to hit the road, Senior Brother Chen."

"That's right. It's time to hit the road."

At that, Chen Yan lowered his hands and stopped circulating the true qi in his meridians. Then he slowly turned around and smiled at Zhang Xishun.

Zhang Xishun froze slightly. This time, he was the one who began to feel uneasy.

What was wrong with this guy?

Everything was clearly under his control. He'd lured Chen Yan here, and he could kill him at any moment.

Why was he so calm?

Wasn't he angry about it?

Or was there a trap?

"Go ahead, Junior Brother Zhang."

Chen Yan said slowly, gazing straight into Zhang Xishun's eyes, his own gaze utterly devoid of emotion.

"And... goodbye."

An inexplicable fear and unease welled up inside Zhang Xishun.

Kill him, kill him!

Kill him right now!

"Ah!"

Zhang Xishun roared and raised his right hand high, then lightly clapped it in the air.

A tremendous force descended from the heavens, smacking Chen Yan before him into a heap of flesh and blood.

[Reincarnation Ended]

[This Reincarnation Evaluation: B- (When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back at you)]

[Accumulated Cultivation: Martial Spring Realm Early-stage]

[Reincarnation Reward: Mid-grade Second-tier Magic Artifact, Shadow Binding Rope]

[Reincarnation Settlement complete. The host will return to the Previous Reincarnation Record Point, inherit the cultivation accumulated during this Reincarnation, and Restart Life]