Entering the City

"Did you see the looks on those commoners' faces?"

Among the group, a female disciple in the early stage of the Qi Condensation Realm said excitedly to the male Outer Court Disciple beside her:

"Admiration, reverence, awe! Hahahaha! Is this what it feels like to be a cultivator?"

As they crossed the marketplace in Taiyun City and headed down an alley toward Cloud King's Mansion, the female Outer Court Disciple seemed unable to contain her excitement at her first trip down the mountain.

The other male Outer Court Disciple only smiled, though the pride in his expression was still plain to see.

On the way to Taiyun City, the Qi Condensation Realm disciples following Lu Li had each introduced themselves.

The female Outer Court Disciple was named Li Xiuxiu, and the male Outer Court Disciple was Zheng Fei.

"Quit your chattering."

A disciple from Yuanhua Mountain sneered from the side.

The Yuanhua Mountain disciple was named Qian Xun. From the moment they had met at the mountain gate, he hadn't once shown those two Outer Court Disciples a friendly face.

Li Xiuxiu and Zheng Fei weren't fools. They could tell Qian Xun had it in for them, so they simply treated him like he wasn't there.

"Looking down on ordinary mortals just to feel superior?"

Qian Xun continued berating them without a care:

"You've brought shame on the entire Empty Mountain Sect!"

His voice wasn't loud, but everyone present could hear him.

The atmosphere grew awkward at once, especially for Li Xiuxiu and Zheng Fei, who had been insulted. They both shot Qian Xun displeased looks.

"..."

But neither of them said a word in reply.

Qian Xun was an Inner Sect Disciple from Yuanhua Mountain. Their ages and cultivation levels were about the same, but who knew what kind of powerful connections he might have?

So, faced with Qian Xun's overbearing behavior and desperate need for attention, Li Xiuxiu and Zheng Fei chose to endure it and ignore him.

"It's only natural to be excited when it's everyone's first time traveling beyond the mountain."

Chen Yan, who had been watching from the sidelines, tried to smooth things over. He didn't want such a trivial matter to interfere with their mission.

It really wasn't a big deal. It was just vanity getting the better of them.

Thinking back to several Reincarnations ago, when Chen Yan had first come to Taiyun City wearing the robes of an Outer Court Disciple of the Empty Mountain Sect, he'd acted exactly the same way.

Who wouldn't enjoy being admired by a crowd?

"Excited?"

Qian Xun said, still displeased:

"If you can't even keep your emotions in check, what's the point of cultivating?"

"Don't overcorrect."

Chen Yan was at a loss for words. He left it at that, not wanting to get further entangled with him.

Of everyone there, Qian Xun had the worst personality by far.

Lu Li, walking at the head of the group, paid no attention to the juniors' conversation.

As long as they didn't cause trouble, he had no intention of interfering in their squabbles.

Then Qian Xun's gaze fell once more on the gold-embroidered Cloud Crane pattern on Chen Yan's sleeve.

After a moment's thought, Qian Xun spoke to him first:

"If I recall, this brother from Kongyuan Mountain is named Chen Yan?"

"That's right,"

Chen Yan replied.

"Funny thing is, the Outer Court Grand Competition cheating scandal that caused such a stir in the sect a while back involved a disciple of Elder Lin, the Outer Court Elder. He was called Chen Yan too."

Qian Xun said.

At his words, Li Xiuxiu and Zheng Fei both turned their eyes to Chen Yan.

Neither Li Xiuxiu nor Zheng Fei had been there for the Outer Court Grand Competition over a month ago.

They had no idea what Chen Yan looked like.

"After he killed Senior Brother Qi of Kongyuan Mountain by such despicable means, he was locked up in the Outer Court Detention Center. But after just half a month, they let him out..."

As he spoke, Qian Xun gave a cold snort, disdain flashing in his eyes:

"I say they should've executed that beast. How dare he plot against a heaven-gifted prodigy like Senior Brother Qi? He caused the sect such a tremendous loss!"

"Oh?"

Chen Yan raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I heard that after Lin Qifeng was stripped of his position as Outer Court Elder, that beast went with him to Kongyuan Mountain?"

Qian Xun stared at Chen Yan as he spoke.

"Perhaps. Sounds like you have quite a grudge against that Chen Yan, Brother Qian?"

Chen Yan asked.

"Of course I do. Letting a fame-hungry parasite from the Outer Court into the Inner Sect is a disgrace to the Empty Mountain Sect!"

As Qian Xun spoke, his gaze swept once again over the gold-embroidered Cloud Crane pattern on Chen Yan's sleeve.

"Smack!"

The next instant, a bright red handprint slowly appeared on Qian Xun's left cheek.

"Watch your mouth."

Chen Yan smiled at Qian Xun's swelling cheek as he spoke.

"You bastard!"

True energy coursed through the meridians in Qian Xun's body. As a cultivator in the early stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, his true energy was quite thin.

Just as he lunged at Chen Yan, a tremendous force clamped around his wrist, and the surging true energy within him was pressed back down.

"Cloud King's Mansion is just ahead. Don't cause trouble."

Lu Li spoke calmly, his hand gripping Qian Xun's wrist.

Qian Xun's face gradually turned red. He looked furious, but didn't dare make a scene in front of the Martial Spring Realm cultivator leading their group.

He was the sort who bullied the weak and feared the strong.

"Senior Lu, he started it! He struck first!"

Qian Xun protested.

"I know,"

Lu Li said calmly:

"But I didn't stop him just now. I've stopped him now, so this ends here."

"...Yes."

Qian Xun finally backed down.

Lu Li hadn't failed to stop Chen Yan. He simply hadn't wanted to.

From the start, Qian Xun had shown his disdain and malice toward the sect's Outer Court.

By a twist of fate, everyone there except him had some connection to the Outer Court.

Lu Li had deliberately let Chen Yan slap Qian Xun.

A satisfying slap, one that warmed everyone's heart.

Soon, Li Xiuxiu and Zheng Fei edged toward Chen Yan, looking at him with cautious curiosity.

"Are you really Elder Lin's Personal Disciple, Senior Brother Chen Yan?"

Li Xiuxiu asked.

"I am."

Chen Yan nodded.

"This junior is Li Xiuxiu. Greetings, Senior Brother Chen!"

"This junior is Zheng Fei. Greetings, Senior Brother Chen!"

The two of them bowed to Chen Yan in turn.

These two cultivators from the Outer Court, both in the early stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, looked to be only seventeen or eighteen.

They were undoubtedly among the most talented in the Outer Court. If things went well, they would either advance to the Inner Sect or secure a position as an administrator or even an executive in the Outer Court.

"Thanks to you, Senior Brother Chen, I won big at the betting tables in the third and fourth rounds. Though the odds weren't great."

Zheng Fei scratched the back of his head as he spoke.

"And where did all those Spirit Stones go?" Li Xiuxiu asked, her tone teasing, as if she were calling him out.

It seemed the two of them knew each other.

No wonder. Anyone who broke through to the Qi Condensation Realm at their age would stand out in the Outer Court. It was only natural that they knew each other.

Just like Sun Lu, who had once found it strange that he didn't know Cheng Ziying.