To No Avail

Li Haowen slowly raised his head, his murky gaze settling on the young, handsome face before him.

In a daze, he seemed to have returned to several centuries ago, to the day he'd ridden the sect's ferryboat to Tian Ding Mountain to attend the Dao-Questioning Assembly of Chenping Continent.

That was the first time he'd met Chen Yan.

Back then, Li Haowen had been quite interested in the youth, who was three years younger than him.

It was because nothing in Chen Yan's gestures or manner had revealed the arrogance and pride that were so common among prodigies his age.

Instead, he seemed to value everything he had immensely, while also showing a hint of wariness and apprehension.

Li Haowen thought it probably had something to do with Chen Yan's background.

After all, just a year earlier, he'd been an Outer Court Disciple, and had even been caught up in the cheating scandal at the Outer Court Grand Competition.

Even if he had since achieved a place among the very best of Empty Mountain Sect's younger generation, it would surely be difficult to change his mindset overnight.

Perhaps I can give him a hand.

That was what Li Haowen had thought at the time.

It felt like a lifetime ago.

Now, Li Haowen raised his head and saw the same young face he'd seen centuries ago, seemingly unchanged.

Only, he could no longer read the thoughts of the young man before him in that tranquil face.

Because the other man had already become...

"True Person Chen."

Li Haowen's hoarse voice rang out.

The young man in a plain white Daoist robe standing before him merely smiled, pulled out the chair by the table, and sat down across from him.

"I didn't expect you to still remember the embarrassing things I