The Man in the Room Was Old, the Tower Beyond the Woods Tall

The door opened, revealing the interior to Qiu Yan.

The furnishings are simple, with an old man kneeling in the center, wearing a tall hat and wide belt, his eyes closed, exuding an ancient and simple aura that seems to calm people's hearts.

Along the way, Qiu Yan had seen and heard many strange and bizarre things. Although he Guarding the One, he couldn't help but have many doubts. Even though he wasn't exactly restless, he was no longer calm. However, after sensing the old man's aura, Qiu Yan's State of Mind calmed down instantly, and even his thoughts became much clearer.

At the same time, he also sensed a sense of natural Heavenly Principle in the other person. Although he was kneeling, he gave people the feeling that he was expounding the meaning of scriptures, as if his actions and words contained profound truths.

Upon realizing this, Qiu Yan knew that the person in the room was no ordinary person. He suppressed the anger he felt towards Zhao You, stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Qiu Yan from Jiannan greets senior. May I ask how I should address you?"

"Oh?" The old man's eyebrows twitched slightly. Although he didn't open his eyes, a look of surprise appeared on his face, as if he had discovered something unusual.

However, before the old man could speak, Zhao You stepped forward first, glaring at Qiu Yan, and said righteously, "You newcomer, how rude of you! Speaking without permission is disrespectful; not addressing a sage as 'Sir' is a breach of etiquette; and you speak before I have even introduced you, this is overstepping your bounds."

As soon as he opened his mouth, he began to list Qiu Yan's faults, seizing on Qiu Yan's unintentional mistake, and relentlessly criticizing him. His words flowed like a torrent, merging with the Literary Thought around him, and pounced on Qiu Yan like an overwhelming tidal wave!

"Hmm? This Zhao You also possesses Literary Heart, and judging from his demeanor, he seems to have some skill in debate!"

Qiu Yan's expression changed as he sensed intense malice emanating from Zhao You, a clear indication that Zhao You wanted to suppress him and take the lead.

"His words were meant to intimidate me, but his real intention was for the old man. People say first impressions matter, and the first impression I made of the old man during our first meeting and conversation was very important. This old man's presence here must mean he's connected to Scholar Forest, perhaps even involved in some secret. If I leave a bad impression on him, there's no guarantee that something unexpected won't happen."

Recalling the words spoken before and after the resurrection of the deity, Qiu Yan narrowed his eyes, his gaze growing increasingly cold.

Sure enough, after hearing these words, the old man's brows twitched slightly, and he seemed about to frown.

Upon seeing this, Qiu Yan remained calm and looked directly at Zhao You, saying solemnly, "That is a misconception. It is only natural for me to ask a senior to speak first; this is out of respect. I did not address you as 'sir' because I was unaware of your identity and dared not address you rashly; this is out of caution. As for the claim of overstepping my bounds, that is utterly absurd. You have been quite hostile towards me throughout this journey, harboring ill intentions. How could I allow myself to be subjected to your slander? To submit passively is cowardice. You have shown me disrespect, and while I will not retaliate over trivial matters, I cannot allow you to act recklessly. Furthermore, it seems inappropriate for you to presume to speak before this senior has even had a chance to do so."

As soon as Qiu Yan finished speaking, the surging Literary Thought that had gathered around him instantly shattered.

"You!" Upon hearing Qiu Yan's words, Zhao You's face flushed red, and a chill ran through his eyes. He hadn't expected that Qiu Yan would directly confront him in the face of coercion, without any hesitation, catching him completely off guard.

After a moment or two, Zhao You took a deep breath and then lowered his voice, saying, "Your reckless words are merely a momentary outburst of anger, showing no manners whatsoever. However, there's plenty of time in the future, and I will eventually teach you a lesson about respect."

His words, seemingly restrained, contained a hidden threat, warning Qiu Yan that he would retaliate against Qiu Yan in the future.

Unexpectedly, Qiu Yan seemed not to understand at all, and solemnly replied, "Rank is not predetermined. If a person acts righteously and his heart is in harmony with the general trend, he can bring peace to his family or bring peace to the world. He doesn't need to emphasize his status; others will respect him. On the contrary, if he acts only for himself and disregards others, then no matter how high his status is, it is only superficial. In people's hearts, he is despicable and despised."

"Very well! What a brilliant debater!" Zhao Wandering Soul's soul dissipated slightly, clearly quite angry. He exuded a furious emotional fluctuation, causing the surrounding Literary Thought to stir with a sense of anticipation, as if they might pounce at any moment and tear Qiu Yan to shreds.

"There's no need to argue. It's just a small matter; let's not ruin our harmony."

At this moment, the old man in the house suddenly spoke. He looked at Qiu Yan and asked, "Your name is Qiu Yan? You do have some insight; you're a promising talent. Hmm, Zhao You, you should restrain your thoughts for now and wait quietly."

As the old man spoke, Zhao You's expression changed. He bowed his head, not daring to say anything more, but his eyes were full of anger, giving Qiu Yan a feeling of bearing a heavy burden of humiliation.

The subtle fluctuations in his Literary Thought around him subsided once again.

But Qiu Yan did not let her guard down because of this.

"This is a person who Yazi and seeks revenge!" A cold glint flashed in Qiu Yan's eyes.

Then, his attention was drawn to a remark the old man made. "I didn't expect that after all these years, someone would finally come to Three-Gate Trial again. You say you're from Jiannan, but I've never heard of this place. May I ask which Continent it's located in?"

Qiu Yan pondered the meaning behind the words, grasped a clue, and then replied, "This junior comes from the East Flower Continent."

The name East Flower Continent refers to the land where Great Rui is located. Qiu Yan learned about it from Chen Yan of the Demon-Slaying Way.

"East Flower Continent? I see." The old man nodded, his face showing no change. "I've heard of this continent; it's a land where Human Path flourishes. No wonder it can nurture figures Literary Path Creation. You haven't been tainted by the thoughts of Scholar Forest, so you must have crossed the Sea of Learning to come here. In that case, I won't waste your time. Think carefully about the risks involved. If you can withstand the near-death experience, then come back. Otherwise, stay here and live peacefully. Go..."

"The Sea of Learning? The Ends of the Earth? The Three Passes?"

Hearing these somewhat familiar yet abrupt words, Qiu Yan narrowed his eyes, glanced at the old man's face, and nodded without asking any questions, as if he already knew.

Although the old man had his eyes closed, his expression was peaceful, giving him the air of a kind and venerable elder.

After turning his gaze away, Qiu Yan glanced at Zhao You again, a sense of vigilance rising in his heart.

Upon hearing the old man's words, Zhao You's expression changed drastically. He looked at Qiu Yan with an incredulous expression, and the anger in his eyes dissipated, replaced by intense jealousy!

I'm burning with jealousy!

The person's soul was even shaken and unstable due to the intense jealousy.

However, he ultimately suppressed his emotions, paid his respects to the old man, and left the bamboo forest with Qiu Yan.

"This Qiu Yan, he wasn't assimilated by the Scholar Forest, but came from overseas? And he's even Literary Path Creation? That's incredible!"

"Doesn't that mean this person came here to go to the Literary Sect Holy Land of literature?"

"None of us here have ever seen someone like this before."

Before long, news of Qiu Yan's affair had spread throughout the hills, and many people's gazes towards him had changed noticeably. Some even showed signs of wanting to come and inquire, but they dared not show it because of Zhao You's displeasure.

However, an undercurrent was gradually forming among them.

Qiu Yan did not show much concern for these situations, remaining State of Mind and composed.

Although the hill was surrounded by darkness, Qiu Yan felt something quite unusual about it. His senses traveled through the rocks, and what he felt was not an illusion, but something that felt real.

Besides the bamboo grove, in the center of the hill, there was a cluster of pavilions and towers, including several high-rise buildings. They looked simple and elegant and were the residence of the group of scholars. After Qiu Yan returned from the bamboo grove, he was led to one of the pavilions to rest.

The room was spacious, with carved beams and painted rafters. The walls were adorned with calligraphy and paintings, each imbued with a unique charm. Teacups sat on a mahogany tea table, their lids peeking out from a crack, from which wisps of steam rose.

Gazing at that wisp of steam, Qiu Yan fell into deep thought.

"Now it seems that Zhao You is the one in charge here, which explains his hostility towards me."

Qiu Yan snapped his fingers, organizing his thoughts.

"Assuming Zhao You's words are true, this is a refuge for those assimilated by the Scholar Forest, cut off from the outside world. Their original social status has become meaningless. But where there are people, there is conflict, hence arbitration, and thus power is held by some, distinguishing between the noble and the lowly. Zhao You is the one in power here, but his power is bestowed upon him by others."

Thinking of this, he turned to look out the window, his gaze meeting at the bamboo grove.

"The one who granted him that power was that old man. Zhao You's eagerness to suppress me was to cut off any possibility of me seizing power from him before I could establish myself firmly, leaving a bad impression on the old man so that I could no longer threaten him."

Thinking about it, Qiu Yan couldn't help but chuckle, "If that old man is of extraordinary status and erudite, he certainly deserves respect, but there's no need for him to fawn over him for the sake of so-called power. Zhao You clearly won over Literary Heart, yet his mind has been swayed, which is truly a pity, but..."

He suddenly narrowed his eyes, a chill creeping into his heart.

"Although the old man gave me a sense of peace and tranquility, even kindness and approachability, how many of those who have experienced so much are truly easy to deal with?"

The image of the old man he had encountered all along flashed through his mind—

The Person in the Painting, Tang Lai, Ma Yang, Han Yi, the elder in Ink Garb, the Book Elder...

"These elders may have the intention to mentor younger generations, but none of them are simple characters. It's difficult for others to understand their intentions. As for Zhao You, he's a bully who uses his power to intimidate others, making them angry but afraid to speak out. Could that elder not know about this? If he does know, yet still lets it go, then..."

With this thought in mind, Qiu Yan shook his head.

"This is something we must be careful about, but the most urgent task is to figure out the situation here, then leave and see if we can find any trace of the resurrected deity. Secondly, the battle at the Book Mountain was quite fruitful, and we need to find a secluded place to digest it. The souls in the river also need to be released as soon as possible. I wonder what Three-Gate Trial means, and why it was so life-threatening? Can we leave?"

But before he could think it through, a voice urging him on came from outside.

"Brother Qiu, the old gentleman requests your presence..." (To be continued...)