Black-robed Elder Cangyuan

At the heart of the forest lay a clearing, surrounded by towering trees.

A thatched cottage stood in the clearing, enclosed on three sides by a fence. Before it sat a reclining chair, upon which a black-robed elder lay, gently rocking it back and forth.

"Grandpa Hei, these two accidentally wandered in here. Can you send them out?" Yaoyao asked.

Hearing Yaoyao's voice, the elder slowly opened his eyes. He gave Yaoyao a warm look before turning his gaze toward Mu Chen and Su Youwei.

The two of them shuddered slightly under his gaze.

Those eyes were filled with age, as though they had weathered endless years. A deep aura of decay and twilight shrouded him.

Mu Chen felt it most clearly. When the elder looked at him, the Ancestral Stone and the Eight Great Ancestral Symbols within his body uncontrollably concealed themselves. Even he could no longer sense them, as though they had vanished from his body.

He knew that the Ancestral Stone and Ancestral Symbols possessed spirituality and were preventing a powerful expert from detecting them. He was not sure whether a Twin Lotus Saint like Cangyuan would be able to discover them.

Both of them felt as if they had been completely seen through, with no secrets left to hide.

Little Marten did not even dare make a sound. This elder was simply too powerful—so powerful that a single glance could kill him hundreds or thousands of times.

"Interesting. The Zhou Clan's people have yet to arrive, but two little ones have come instead." The Black-robed Elder looked at them, his voice hoarse.

"Two meridians, a Late Void Realm soul cultivation. A special soul talent?"

"Three meridians, a Yin Yang Source Root. Not bad talent."

The Black-robed Elder saw through both their cultivation levels completely. Mu Chen was not surprised, but Su Youwei's expression changed.

His gaze stopped on Mu Chen's head. That fellow Tuntun was actually so familiar with a stranger?

Tuntun glanced at the Black-robed Elder, then jumped down from Mu Chen's head. Without Yaoyao even needing to say anything, he obediently leaped into the water vat and began scrubbing himself, looking utterly ridiculous.

"What have you two little ones come here for?" the Black-robed Elder asked with an easy smile.

When Mu Chen and Su Youwei entered, he had not noticed them. After all, a Saint would not concern himself with ants merely in the Meridian Opening Realm. Only when Mu Chen unleashed Devouring Power and confronted Tuntun did he leisurely turn his attention over.

"Hehe, greetings, Senior. The two of us merely wandered in here by accident, and now we're looking for a way out," Mu Chen said with a grin after calming his trembling mind.

Damn, a Twin Lotus Saint. Who knows whether he'll silence the two of us just to keep this place secret?

After all, Yaoyao's identity was of great importance. It was not only Holy Clan experts who wanted to find her; even experts from the Lower Five Heavens sought her.

And those searching for Yaoyao were at least Saints.

Even Cangyuan, a Twin Lotus Saint, could only hide away. He himself could flee whenever he wished, but taking Yaoyao with him was not so easy.

"An accident?" The Black-robed Elder looked at Mu Chen with an unreadable smile.

There were only two kinds of people who could reach this place: those from the Zhou Clan whom he had been waiting for, and Saint-level experts who had found him.

Mu Chen and Su Youwei clearly belonged to neither category.

"Grandpa Hei, is there something wrong with them?" Yaoyao asked.

"There's nothing wrong with them, but they should not have appeared here." Cangyuan slowly shook his head, confusion flickering in his aged eyes.

Neither of them carried the aura of the Holy Clan. They were pure humans, and aside from their good talent, there was nothing strange about them.

"We're good people." Mu Chen spread his hands, giving himself a good-person card.

Cangyuan: "..."

Cangyuan was rendered speechless. He had met many people, but this was the first time he had encountered someone like this. Had Mu Chen sensed his danger? His instincts were quite sharp.

Yaoyao found it rather amusing. To remain so calm before Grandpa Hei deserved some praise.

Was it because ignorance knew no fear?

She thought Mu Chen had likely sensed Cangyuan's strength and was therefore restraining himself.

"Whether you're a good person or not is irrelevant. Before me, the two of you are pitifully weak," Cangyuan said, shaking his head.

No one should have sent two little Meridian Opening Realm fellows in here. It seemed this truly was an accident.

He was indeed somewhat wary, which was why he had not immediately sent them out. Besides, the Zhou Clan's people had yet to arrive.

If he sent these two away, the resulting spatial fluctuations might very well draw those people's attention.

Mu Chen was not angered. It was the truth. Forget the Meridian Opening Realm—even if he and Su Youwei were Law Domain Realm experts, they would still be no match for a Saint.

But the future was another matter, so there was no need to fuss over it.

"Unfortunately, I cannot send you out right now," Cangyuan said.

The Zhou Clan's people would arrive after some time, so even if he were to send Mu Chen and Su Youwei away, it would have to wait until then.

He himself had nothing to worry about, but he had to consider Yaoyao.

Tuntun: So what about me?

"Senior, do you mean we'll have to wait for a while?" Mu Chen asked, pretending to ponder.

Of course, he knew Cangyuan was waiting for someone from the Zhou Clan—Zhou Yuan. There was still some time before the royal ancestral ceremony.

"Yes. It won't be long, less than half a year at most. Rest assured, I have no intention of harming you," Cangyuan said.

If a dignified Saint attacked two little Meridian Opening Realm fellows, people would laugh their teeth out.

"You need not worry about Source Beasts attacking you in this clearing," Cangyuan said.

What he meant was that the thatched cottage had no room for more people. Only Yaoyao had a room, while he himself slept on the reclining chair outside.

Mu Chen nodded and led Su Youwei to find a spot outside. They had even stayed in the Black Forest Mountain Range before; now, with a Saint beside them, their sense of security was completely maxed out. At least for the moment, they were very safe.

"Brother Chen, who is that old man?" Su Youwei asked softly.

Although Cangyuan had not displayed any might, simply lying there gave her an overwhelming impression.

Mu Chen smiled. There was no need to be so cautious; Cangyuan would not bother listening to what little ones like them said.

"A powerful senior. Over the next few days, we should see if we can get some good stuff out of him."

Since they were already here, Mu Chen had no intention of leaving empty-handed. Otherwise, would that not be a huge loss?

The wealth of a Saint—not to mention a Grand Venerable from Hunyuan Heaven—would definitely be immense. Even if a little leaked out, it would be more than enough for Mu Chen and the others at their current stage.

Cangyuan truly had not been eavesdropping. Though it would have been effortless for him, he disdained doing such things.

He also had not expected that Mu Chen, despite knowing his identity, would still be thinking about getting things for free.

If he had known, even he would have been amused. Not even Saints would entertain such thoughts, yet Mu Chen, a mere Meridian Opening Realm little fellow, was actually so audacious.