Kongyuan Mountain Disciple

When Chen Yan raised his question, he had no reservations whatsoever.

After the constant refreshes of Reincarnation Record Points over the past few reincarnations, Chen Yan had finally figured something out.

Whether he could survive was not important in the slightest.

If the current reincarnation developed in a direction completely beyond his control, one that could bring irreversible consequences at any moment—

Then he could choose to smash the pot and break the jars, using his own life to obtain more information.

That way, he could secure a more advantageous outcome in the next reincarnation.

That was precisely what Chen Yan intended to do now.

He showed not the slightest fear toward Elder Yuechi, a Wanhua Realm cultivator. Instead, he placed himself on more equal footing with him.

And the old man standing outside the cell seemed not to feel any anger over Chen Yan's presumptuous conduct.

He was remarkably calm.

"Whether you're playing dumb or truly can't grasp the situation,"

Elder Yuechi said,

"you and I are already grasshoppers tied to the same rope."

It was unclear whether Chen Yan had tied Lin Qifeng and Yue Chi to that rope, or whether Lin Qifeng and Yue Chi had tied Chen Yan to it.

But to Chen Yan, being tied to the same rope as a Spirit 통 Realm powerhouse was undoubtedly an honor.

"If the matter of covering for you is exposed, then the consequences you, I, and Qifeng will face will all be unbearable."

"What do I need to do?"

Chen Yan asked.

"Tell me what Qingchan Peak—or rather, Fu Qian and the others—are trying to do."

Elder Yuechi said.

"I can tell you, but you must first tell me what you intend to do."

Chen Yan said.

"We do not want Empty Mountain Sect to become a second Zhengshu Cult."

Elder Yuechi replied.

The Zhengshu Cult had been the initiator of the earthshaking "Slay Calamity Cause" campaign a thousand years ago.

Yue Chi said that his and Lin Qifeng's goal was to keep Empty Mountain Sect from becoming a second Zhengshu Cult.

It was unclear whether he meant that he did not want Empty Mountain Sect to launch a second "Slay Calamity Cause," or that he did not want Empty Mountain Sect to become a sacrificial victim in the struggles between Chenping Continent's major powers.

If it was the former, Chen Yan could understand why Yue Chi and Lin Qifeng disliked Fu Qian.

Because Fu Qian's lineage was a staunch supporter of the Calamity Cause theory.

Empty Mountain Sect's current scale and influence in Chenping Continent could rival twenty Zhengshu Cults at their peak.

"Fu Qian is looking for a list."

Chen Yan answered frankly.

Though he still could not completely trust Yue Chi, after all, Lin Qifeng's original intention in accepting him as a disciple had simply been to use him.

At the same time, Chen Yan was also using Lin Qifeng.

It was just that Chen Yan was ultimately the subordinate party, making him far more passive in this mutually exploitative relationship.

But now, they had voluntarily tied their futures to his.

Just as Yue Chi had said, they and Chen Yan were now grasshoppers tied to the same rope.

And they had paid a certain price for it as well.

"A list?"

The old man looked rather puzzled.

"There is a disciple in the Outer Court named Zhang Xishun. He has been under Empty Mountain Sect for twenty years, yet he is still a late-stage Body Tempering Realm Servant Disciple."

Chen Yan said.

"Remaining stuck in place for decades is nothing unusual in the Outer Court."

Yue Chi said.

"But his true cultivation is at the Qi Sea Realm. He has merely been taking Realm Suppression Pills over a long period, suppressing his cultivation at the Body Tempering Realm."

Chen Yan continued.

"Zhang Xishun's name is on that list."

After a brief silence, Yue Chi slowly spoke:

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"Those people on the list may be trying to overturn something."

"Elder Fu Qian thinks so too."

Chen Yan said.

"You seem to have a very favorable impression of that old man Fu Qian. I have to warn you, that old man Fu Qian is no good person."

Yue Chi spoke with meaningful intent:

"But do you have a good impression of Fu Qian, or of that little girl who came to see you not long ago?"

"It has nothing to do with anyone."

Chen Yan said:

"The people on the list want to kill me because they suspect I know their secret. That is why I have no choice but to cooperate with Qingchan Peak."

"Why not tell your master?"

"Because I don't trust him, and I don't trust you either, Martial Uncle."

Chen Yan answered frankly.

"Hmph."

Yue Chi merely snorted and said nothing more.

Because it was indeed so. If he had been in Chen Yan's position, he too would have found it difficult to trust a master and Martial Uncle who had only wanted to use him as a messenger.

"Enough. This incident has already been classified as Lin Qifeng and his disciple cheating. As for the death of Song Wencheng's disciple, it was an accident. You can be released later today."

Yue Chi said.

"No other punishment?"

Chen Yan asked.

"Yes, of course there is!"

Yue Chi's expression instantly turned ugly, and he raised his voice:

"Lin Qifeng is stripped of his position as Outer Court Elder. Xue Xiu, the martial arena steward, will temporarily serve as acting Outer Court Elder. Lin Qifeng is assigned to reflect at the Back Cliff of Kongyuan Mountain, and his stipend is docked for ten years!

"Yue Chi, elder of the Alchemy Hall of Kongyuan Mountain, assisted Lin Qifeng in cheating, knew of it but failed to report it, and has his stipend docked for three years!"

Chen Yan could hear the deep resentment in Yue Chi's words.

As an elder of Kongyuan Mountain's Alchemy Hall, Yue Chi's annual stipend was around two hundred Superior Spirit Stones.

That was not actually much, because even a single mid-grade spirit artifact was worth more than a hundred Superior Spirit Stones.

As an Alchemy Hall elder, Yue Chi had no shortage of ways to rake in wealth.

Thus, compared with having his stipend docked, what Yue Chi cared more about was the face he had lost over this matter.

A dignified direct disciple of the Sect Master, the helmsman of Kongyuan Mountain's Alchemy Hall, had actually colluded with an Outer Court Elder to cheat in the Outer Court Grand Competition.

It would have been one thing if it had been the sect competition, but they had cheated even in the Outer Court Grand Competition!

If word got out, people would laugh at him for the rest of his life.

When Yue Chi had been implicated by Lin Qifeng, he had nearly wanted to slap his bastard junior brother to death.

"What punishment will I receive?"

Chen Yan continued to ask.

"We two have already shouldered the whole matter for you. What punishment does a junior like you still want? How about you compensate this old man for the three years of stipend I was cheated out of?"

Yue Chi grumbled.

"..."

Chen Yan could only choose silence.

Six hundred Superior Spirit Stones were undoubtedly an astronomical sum to Chen Yan.

In the Outer Court, his monthly stipend was five inferior spirit stones. One hundred inferior spirit stones could only be exchanged for one Superior Spirit Stone.

"Once you are released, hurry back to your residence and pack your things. Zhao Bin will come to the Outer Court to pick you up before sunset today."

Yue Chi said.

Zhao Bin was Elder Yuechi's disciple. When Chen Yan had rushed to Kongyuan Mountain's Alchemy Hall that day, he had met Zhao Bin once as well.

He was that young man in the yellow robe.

"Where is he taking me?"

Chen Yan asked.

"Your master, Lin Qifeng, is no longer an Outer Court Elder. Once he is released from the Back Cliff of Kongyuan Mountain, he will remain on Kongyuan Mountain as well. As Lin Qifeng's disciple..."

As he spoke, Yue Chi gave Chen Yan another meaningful look:

"From this day onward, you will be a true Kongyuan Mountain disciple."