"Quit putting on airs."
Fu Qian let out a cold laugh. He was deeply displeased with Chen Yan's attitude.
The difference in status between them was like a firefly compared to the bright moon.
That was why Fu Qian was so annoyed by Chen Yan's posturing.
A mere Body Tempering Realm disciple, someone he could crush with a single breath—how dare he put on airs in front of me?
Just because your master is Lin Qifeng?
Even if Lin Qifeng came here himself, wouldn't that fellow still have to respectfully call me Martial Uncle Fu?
The atmosphere in Cangwu Studio plummeted.
Chen Yan knew what had displeased Fu Qian, so he hurriedly explained:
"Elder, you've misunderstood. This disciple isn't trying to put on airs. It's just that the crucial evidence isn't with me right now."
"Then where is it?"
Fu Qian asked.
"With an Outer Court Disciple named Zhang Xishun."
Chen Yan replied.
"Zhang Xishun?"
Chu Xiyao, who had been listening to Chen Yan and Fu Qian's conversation from the sidelines, suddenly furrowed her brow.
"Is he the Outer Court Disciple who forfeited the fourth round of today's Outer Court Grand Competition before your match officially began?"
"That's right."
Chen Yan said:
"Zhang Xishun and I agreed to meet on the open ground in front of the Outer Court market at the hour of the Pig tonight. It'll be the perfect opportunity to capture him."
"I can help you capture him."
Chu Xiyao offered.
"Senior Sister Chu can't."
Chen Yan shook his head and refused.
"Why not? He's just a Body Tempering Realm disciple..."
As she spoke, Chu Xiyao suddenly froze.
She seemed to understand why Chen Yan had come to see Elder Fu Qian.
"You mean that Outer Court Disciple named Zhang Xishun has concealed his true cultivation, and his actual level is higher than Xiyao's."
Elder Fu Qian tapped his fingers lightly on the chessboard.
"Elder Fu is wise."
Chen Yan cupped his hands.
"So you've come to borrow people from me."
Fu Qian said.
"Yes."
"What kind of people do you need?"
"I hope you can send two Qi Sea Realm seniors to help me capture Zhang Xishun..."
Chen Yan had no idea what realm Zhang Xishun was actually in.
But since Zhang Xishun could slap him to death when he had already reached the early stage of the Martial Spring Realm, his cultivation had to be at least at the Qi Sea Realm.
As for a higher realm, such as the Spirit 통 Realm...
Chen Yan thought that was unlikely—almost impossible, in fact.
A Spirit 통 Realm cultivator!
That was a true colossus, in every sense of the word.
Even in a behemoth like the Empty Mountain Sect, which was hailed as one of the Five Great Sects of the Chenping Continent, someone at that level could secure the position of an inner sect elder.
And there were only a few hundred Spirit 통 Realm cultivators in the entire Empty Mountain Sect.
Outside a supersect like the Empty Mountain Sect, they would be revered by countless people wherever they went.
"..."
Fu Qian didn't immediately agree or refuse. He simply kept staring at the chessboard before him.
Then he slowly moved the black stone in his hand toward the board.
He first moved it toward the lower-left corner, then hesitated for a moment.
"Tap!"
In the end, the stone landed in the upper-right corner of the board.
"I'll go myself."
Fu Qian said.
Chu Xiyao and Chen Yan's hearts both nearly stopped for a moment. Then they tried to process Fu Qian's words.
"...Go yourself?"
Chu Xiyao's mind stalled.
"Elder Fu, you mean..."
"Is that so hard to understand? I'll personally capture that Outer Court Disciple named Zhang Xishun."
Fu Qian said.
According to Chen Yan, the Outer Court Disciple who called himself Zhang Xishun should be at least at the Qi Sea Realm.
Sending Qi Sea Realm cultivators alone to capture a Qi Sea Realm cultivator wasn't reliable enough.
There was too great a chance he might escape, and they might even alert him to their plans.
If that happened, it would be much harder to get another opportunity like this.
The Spirit 통 Realm cultivators on the peak were all elders. They weren't people Fu Qian could summon at will, and at best, he'd owe them a favor.
Since that was the case, he might as well capture Zhang Xishun himself.
Fu Qian was a Wanhua Realm cultivator, the sixth of the nine realms beneath the Immortal Realm and the third realm of the Middle Three Realms.
True Qi transformed into myriad forms; the Great Dao stretched through thousands upon thousands.
By now, Fu Qian had cultivated two thousand five hundred and sixty-three strands of Destiny True Qi.
Once he cultivated ten thousand strands of Destiny True Qi, he would truly reach the threshold for breaking through to the Upper Three Realms.
"Elder..."
Chen Yan was somewhat dumbfounded. He had never imagined Fu Qian would take action himself.
This was the Martial Suppression Elder, the third most powerful figure on Qingchan Peak!
Even across the entire Empty Mountain Sect, Elder Fu Qian was unquestionably one of the most prominent figures!
"Kid, I'll believe you this time."
Fu Qian said:
"If I don't get the result I want, I'll drag you to Wenyuan Hall myself and make that fellow Lin Qifeng answer for it. Then, no one will be able to protect you!"
"...This disciple understands."
Chen Yan gave a bitter smile.
Empty Mountain Sect, Outer Court,
the open ground in front of the market. It was the hour of the Pig.
Chen Yan's figure slowly appeared at one side of the open ground. Zhang Xishun had already been waiting there.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Chen Yan said.
"Not at all. I only just got here!"
Zhang Xishun said with a fawning smile.
"You've had a hard time, Senior Brother Chen, coming out so late to clear up my confusion about cultivation."
"It's what I should do."
Chen Yan replied with a smile.
"What you should do?"
Zhang Xishun raised his head and looked at Chen Yan in puzzlement. For some reason, Chen Yan's smile gave him the creeps.
Maybe it was just because the night was so dark.
"Senior Brother, I've reached the late stage of the Body Tempering Realm. I'm getting closer and closer to the stage where I'll open my meridians and draw in True Qi..."
It was the same explanation as in the previous Reincarnation, almost word for word.
It seemed he had prepared all of this in advance.
Just as in the previous Reincarnation, Chen Yan answered Zhang Xishun's questions one by one.
And after answering every question, it was time for them to part ways.
"I heard that Senior Brother Chen has been investigating Steward Song from Shang Gong Hall lately?"
Zhang Xishun suddenly asked.
Here it comes.
"That's right. I have been investigating Steward Song..."
Chen Yan put on a hesitant expression.
"Junior Brother Zhang, if I tell you something, can you promise not to mention it to anyone else?"
"Of course. I'll keep your secret, Senior Brother!"
Zhang Xishun replied firmly.
"Steward Song didn't leave the sect. He was murdered. Only the higher-ups in the Outer Court know about it."
"How could that be!"
Zhang Xishun feigned shock.
"Then, in Steward Song's secret chamber, I found a list. Strangely, your name was on it too, Junior Brother Zhang. To be honest, I agreed to your request because I wanted to ask you what this was all about."
Chen Yan said.
"No problem, no problem at all!"
Zhang Xishun waved his hand.
"Senior Brother Chen, could I take a look at that list?"
"Of course."
Chen Yan agreed.
Then he reached into his robes—
"It's with me."
Fu Qian's voice came from behind Zhang Xishun.
Before you continue