Novel Full Chapter 38: A New Beginning
Chen Yan’s heart was somewhat moved by Sun Lu’s words.
His master Lin Qifeng actually disliked Zheng Fuyue quite a bit.
He felt that this Spirit Plant Workshop steward was short-sighted, and even Chen Yan had recently begun to agree with Lin Qifeng’s view.
But today was different.
Just based on the fact that in Lin Qifeng’s current predicament, where all efforts were like throwing meat buns at a dog with no return, Zheng Fuyue and his disciple still chose to continue standing by Lin Qifeng’s side.
Chen Yan felt that Zheng Fuyue was definitely not an ordinary person.
If it were an average person, they would have long since drawn a clear line with Lin Qifeng.
After all, Xue Xiu was only acting outer court elder, and who knew when another elder might be parachuted in.
If the new elder had some connection with Song Wencheng, then everyone close to Lin Qifeng might face repercussions.
And Zheng Fuyue seemed to be making investments on a deeper level.
“The Immortal Gambling Den in Taiyun City…”
After Sun Lu left, Chen Yan muttered to himself.
He decided not to inform Chu Xiyao or Fu Qian about this matter for now, but would first make a trip to Taiyun City himself later.
“Junior Brother Chen, long time no see.”
Looking up, Chen Yan saw in the courtyard that young man in the yellow robe whom he had previously met in Kongyuan Mountain’s Alchemy Hall.
Today he was still wearing that eye-catching yellow robe.
“Senior Brother Zhao, long time no see.”
Chen Yan greeted him.
“Are you ready?”
Zhao Bin asked.
“I can leave at any time.”
Chen Yan replied.
“Good.”
Zhao Bin nodded, then pulled out a short flute from his sleeve. With a gentle blow, crane calls soon echoed from the sky.
A giant white crane appeared in the sky, its feathers reflecting flame-like colors under the sunset glow, truly beautiful.
The white crane circled in mid-air, then slowly descended into the courtyard.
Cultivators below the Qi Sea Realm cannot achieve aerial flight.
Like when Chu Xiyao took him to Qingchan Peak before, she used teleportation magic.
While Zhao Bin needed the help of a mount.
Zhao Bin’s current cultivation level remained at the Martial Spring Realm, and he was actually quite young, just twenty-six years old.
Compared to his cultivation talent, his alchemy talent was much more outstanding.
The reason he still looked like a youth was because he had the habit of taking Beauty Preservation Pills.
Beauty Preservation Pills were definitely not cheap items; placed in a treasure pavilion outside the sect, one Beauty Preservation Pill could sell for ten high-grade spirit stones.
Of course, not all cultivators would age.
As long as your cultivation speed was fast enough, your age couldn’t catch up to you.
For example, Kongshan Sect’s current sect leader Yun Yichen was said to still look like a young man in his twenties when he was two hundred years old.
For a closer example, like Lu Li.
When he was an instructor in the outer court, he was already nearly forty years old, yet still maintained a youthful appearance.
However, some cultivators, in pursuit of an immortal and dignified demeanor, deliberately made themselves appear older.
“Sit steady.”
Zhao Bin said.
The white crane’s spread wings stirred the flowing clouds, and Chen Yan’s robes flapped loudly in the fierce wind.
The outline of the outer court beneath them gradually shrank, a feeling he had only experienced before when standing in the mountain-top pavilion near the outer court.
But then, Chen Yan saw the mountain-top pavilion again, which soon became as small as the outer court settlement had been earlier, eventually turning into a tiny black dot.
Under the sunset glow, he suddenly noticed that Zhao Bin’s yellow robe revealed dark golden patterns in the evening light.
Those were also cloud crane patterns, representing Kongyuan Mountain.
“Why did you have to do this, junior brother?”
During the crane flight to Kongyuan Mountain, Zhao Bin suddenly said to Chen Yan.
“What?”
Chen Yan asked.
“Cheating in the outer court competition.”
Zhao Bin replied.
Chen Yan was slightly stunned, then thought for a moment and continued along Zhao Bin’s line of conversation:
“Master didn’t want to lose face, and I’m also concerned about my reputation, so I had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure.”
“In the current situation, it’s even more embarrassing. Isn’t it?”
Zhao Bin sighed:
“And not just you, Junior Brother Chen, but also Master-Uncle Lin and my master, making me lose all face recently in front of those fellow disciples who come to the Alchemy Hall…”
“Senior brother’s criticism is correct.”
Chen Yan said.
Immediately, Zhao Bin quickly realized something and hurriedly said:
“Sorry, Junior Brother Chen, I was somewhat out of line just now. Please forgive me. Also, senior brother has a request – please don’t tell my master what I just said.”
“Senior Brother Zhao, please rest assured.”
Chen Yan said.
Master-Uncle Yue Chi hadn’t told Senior Brother Zhao Bin the truth of the matter.
After all, the fewer people who knew about this matter, the better.
And for some reason, Chen Yan also felt that the truth of this matter simply couldn’t be let known to Zhao Bin.
Because Zhao Bin’s attitude toward the “Cause of Calamity” seemed quite thought-provoking.
Compared to himself, Master-Uncle Yue Chi, who was Zhao Bin’s master, should understand this better.
Soon, Kongyuan Mountain’s mountain gate appeared before Chen Yan.
Kongyuan Mountain in the twilight appeared even more majestic than in the morning.
The rolling sea of clouds was dyed crimson by the sunset, making the gilded characters “Kongyuan Freedom” at the mountain gate appear even more solemn and profound.
Until the last trace of lingering sunlight fell into the sea of clouds, Kongyuan Mountain finally became like a quenched sword, as if cleaving heaven and earth in two.
The white crane passed through the mountain gate, the bamboo leaves growing on the mountain walls appearing like dark brown blades in the twilight.
The disciples guarding the mountain gate, upon seeing the yellow-robed figure sitting on the white crane, quickly bowed in salute:
“Disciples pay respects to Alchemy Hall’s First Senior Brother!”
Alchemy Hall’s First Senior Brother?
This title sounded quite impressive indeed.
“Master-Uncle Lin is currently reflecting on his mistakes at the back cliff. I’m afraid you won’t be able to see him for some time, junior brother.”
Zhao Bin, sitting in front of Chen Yan, said:
“It’s already late today, I’ll first arrange accommodation for you, junior brother.”
“Thank you, Senior Brother Zhao.”
Chen Yan only replied thus.
Kongyuan Mountain truly lived up to being the inner court; the disciple residences compared to the outer court were on a completely different level.
Every inner court disciple lived in an independent courtyard, unlike the outer court where four disciples shared the same courtyard.
And the scale of the courtyards was more than twice that of the outer court courtyards.
As for Chen Yan’s residence, it was even better than what ordinary inner court disciples lived in.
Even though he had just been involved in a cheating scandal, his master Lin Qifeng was still the sect leader’s personal disciple, and his “close” master-uncle was the Alchemy Hall elder.
Arranging better accommodation was naturally effortless.
“From now on, this will be your residence, Junior Brother Chen.”
Zhao Bin said, then his expression turned serious as he tossed a jade tablet to Chen Yan:
“This is a communication jade talisman. If you encounter something you can’t handle, crush it and I’ll be there in an instant.”
“What kind of trouble might I encounter?”
Chen Yan asked.
“The Enforcement Hall people might cause trouble for you.”
Zhao Bin said.
Song Wencheng was Kongyuan Mountain’s Enforcement Hall elder, and Chen Yan had killed his personal disciple.
Although Song Wencheng was the dignified Enforcement Hall elder of Kongyuan Mountain and normally wouldn’t stoop so low as to trouble a junior like himself.
But who could really say for sure about such matters?
“Thank you for the warning, senior brother.”
Chen Yan said.
It didn’t matter anyway, since he wouldn’t be staying at Kongyuan Mountain for long.
Because soon, he would first need to make a trip to Taiyun City.