Novel Full Chapter 65: Yuanhua Mountain
Chen Yan couldn’t understand what the life or death of that disciple named Qian Xun had to do with him.
Even the injuries he suffered were caused by his own attempts to break free from the Shadow Binding Rope.
Li Hanzhou had invited him and Lu Li to go and assess the situation.
What role could a minor Qi Circulation Realm cultivator like him possibly play in such matters?
Chen Yan originally intended to refuse, but then he reconsidered. Li Hanzhou had seemingly mentioned before that he could also sense Qian Xun harbored some degree of discrimination against outer sect disciples, though Li Hanzhou had never openly displayed it.
Let alone directly confronting and arguing with outer sect disciples face-to-face.
Under normal circumstances, a person definitely wouldn’t go insane for no reason.
Moreover, his mental state inside the prince’s manor hadn’t been normal either.
Although the Cloud Prince of Qingque Kingdom wasn’t considered a significant figure in the eyes of Kongshan Sect cultivators, Qian Xun’s actions at the time had still caused Chen Yan, Lu Li, and the others to lose face.
All these behaviors were inherently illogical from the start.
And according to what Lu Li had just said, after Qian Xun woke up, his condition still seemed somewhat strange.
Could it be that Qian Xun’s situation was also connected to the various conspiracies that had been occurring recently?
Considering all of the above, Chen Yan decided to make the trip first.
……
Yuanhua Mountain was like solid cold iron throughout, its rocks pitch-black like ink. Compared to the lofty pride of Kongyuan Mountain, Yuanhua Mountain appeared even more austere and severe.
In the depression at the mountain peak, the Jieyou Abyss lay quietly like the eye of a giant beast. The pool water was pitch-black, its surface deathly still, resembling an abyss that could swallow all light.
Fortunately, numerous structures were situated atop the peak, and at this hour, there were still a few cultivators moving about the mountain, adding a touch of vitality to Yuanhua Mountain.
The overflowing black water of the Jieyou Abyss cascaded thunderously down the cliff face, transforming into a pure white waterfall over a hundred zhang wide. The water crashed against the mountain rocks, bursting into layers of mist.
“Is this Fellow Daoist Chen’s first time visiting Yuanhua Mountain?”
Lu Li stood before the mountain gate of Yuanhua Mountain.
Directly above the mountain gate, someone had carved four large characters with immensely vast and profound true energy:
Ming Yue Tong Xuan.
“Yes.”
Chen Yan gazed at the towering, knife-cut-like mountain peak before him and nodded.
“How does Fellow Daoist find it?”
Lu Li then asked.
“Awe-inspiring and intimidating.”
Chen Yan replied.
“Awe-inspiring and intimidating?”
Lu Li was momentarily stunned, then chuckled:
“It’s just a depressing, black mountain.”
As he spoke, he began to stride forward.
Watching Lu Li’s retreating back, Chen Yan furrowed his brows.
Deliberately mystifying things.
Chen Yan silently grumbled in his heart.
Yuanhua Mountain had once produced the second Immortal Ascension Realm cultivator in Kongshan Sect’s history, the True Person Minghua.
Kongshan Sect had produced a total of three Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators.
In chronological order, they were the True Person Kongmiao of Kongyuan Mountain, the True Person Minghua of Yuanhua Mountain, and the True Person Caiyun of Qingchan Peak.
Among them, True Person Minghua was the Immortal Ascension Realm cultivator who spanned the longest era in Kongshan Sect’s history.
This great Immortal Ascension Realm power controlled Kongshan Sect from behind the scenes for an exceedingly long period of over twenty-three thousand years.
This also established Yuanhua Mountain’s status within Kongshan Sect.
Chen Yan followed Lu Li’s steps, heading towards the direction of Yuanhua Mountain’s mountain gate.
Two gate-keeping disciples stood before the mountain gate. Seeing Chen Yan and Lu Li approaching, they promptly clasped their hands in greeting:
“Fellow Daoists.”
Lu Li and Chen Yan also clasped their hands in greeting towards the two disciples.
“Yuanhua Mountain disciple manager Li Hanzhou has invited the two of us to Yuanhua Mountain to visit disciple Qian Xun, who was injured during a sect mission not long ago.”
“Might we ask for the affiliation and names of you two Fellow Daoists?”
The gate-keeping disciples asked.
“Qingchan Peak Scripture Hall instructor, Lu Li.”
“Disciple of Kongyuan Mountain’s Lin Qifeng, Chen Yan.”
The two answered in turn.
“Manager Li has already informed us gate-keeping disciples, saying that if you two arrived, you may proceed directly inside.”
The gate-keeping disciples said:
“Do you two require a guide?”
“Thank you, but it’s unnecessary.”
Lu Li said.
For Lu Li, who was once a disciple of Yuanhua Mountain, finding the disciple quarters was absolutely no difficult task.
……
Yuanhua Mountain, disciple quarters.
Compared to the disciple quarters of Kongyuan Mountain or the outer sect, the courtyards of Yuanhua Mountain’s disciple quarters were noticeably narrower.
Including the plants and vegetation within the courtyards, the colors of the leaves were also darker.
The air was slightly damp, due to the water mist splashed up when Yuanhua Mountain’s Jieyou Abyss waterfall fell.
“Instructor Lu, Chen, the Personal Disciple.”
Li Hanzhou was standing before the door of a dwelling, waiting there for Lu Li and Chen Yan.
He addressed Chen Yan as Chen, the Personal Disciple.
He had probably done some investigation into Chen Yan’s background beforehand.
In reality, Chen Yan currently couldn’t live up to such a title at all, because the term “Personal Disciple” was a specific form of address for disciples within the sect who held the status of being a personal disciple of an elder.
Lin Qifeng had long been removed from his position as outer court elder.
And although most people wouldn’t say it out loud, there was a consensus in their hearts.
That was, what kind of elder was an outer court elder, anyway?
“Sorry to have kept you waiting, Manager Li.”
Lu Li said:
“What is Qian Xun’s current condition?”
“It would be better for the two of you to come in and see for yourselves.”
Li Hanzhou said.
He then turned around and led Chen Yan and Lu Li into that dwelling.
Although from the appearance of the outer courtyard, Yuanhua Mountain’s disciple quarters were indeed, as Lu Li had described, a depressing, black mountain.
The interior environment and structure of the dwelling, however, were no different from the disciple quarters of other mountain peaks.
The internal layout of this disciple dwelling was slightly smaller than Chen Yan’s dwelling on Kongyuan Mountain, and slightly larger than the one he had in the outer sect quarters.
The decorations were simple, like a place an ordinary inner sect disciple would live.
A figure lay on the bed inside the dwelling, wearing a white, close-fitting plain garment, covered with a quilt, appearing frail and weak.
It was Qian Xun.
“Instructor Lu, Senior Brother Chen.”
Qian Xun, lying on the bed, strained to turn his head, revealing an apologetic smile:
“Please forgive me for being unable to rise and greet you properly.”
On his exposed neck, there were many scars that were still scabbed over, left from his attempts to break free from the Shadow Binding Rope back in Taiyun City’s prince’s manor.
Chen Yan was slightly taken aback.
Was this the same Qian Xun from the prince’s manor who had been ready to fight him to the death?
Although he had the same face, his personality seemed like that of two completely different people.
“Manager Li.”
Chen Yan asked:
“What exactly is the strange situation you mentioned?”
“Qian Xun.”
Li Hanzhou didn’t answer directly, instead calling Qian Xun’s name:
“How much do you remember of what happened before?”
“I remember everything.”
As Qian Xun answered, a flicker of shame seemed to cross his face.
“Why did you do that?”
Li Hanzhou continued to ask.
Immediately, an expression of difficulty appeared on Qian Xun’s face:
“… I don’t know.”