Fu Qian remained silent, simply shifting his gaze onto Chen Yan.
Chen Yan's breathing instantly hitched, and the flow of his true energy throughout his body was severely restricted.
The Martial Elder of Qingchan Peak was using his spiritual sense to probe Chen Yan.
In this world's cultivation system, when a cultivator reaches the Passable God Realm or higher, they can use their spiritual sense to investigate others' cultivation levels.
Of course, this method is ineffective against cultivators whose realms are higher than the investigator's.
Chen Yan, whose current realm had stagnated at the Qi Circulation Realm even after more than twenty reincarnations, should have appeared like a blank sheet of paper before Fu Qian.
But he had recently obtained the Hidden Immortal Art.
This allowed Chen Yan to disguise his cultivation level.
In Fu Qian's eyes, Chen Yan's current cultivation level was at the late stage of the Body Forging Realm.
Soon, the Martial Elder lost interest in Chen Yan's mediocrity.
"Reporting to the Elder, this disciple personally witnessed Steward Song of Qingchan Peak's outer court Merit Hall die in a detention center cell," Chen Yan said.
Hearing this, Fu Qian's expression showed no ripple of emotion.
"Xiyao, what do you think?"
Then, he slowly spoke.
"This disciple doesn't know, only feels that rashly going alone to the detention center for verification might be inappropriate, hence I returned to report to the Elder," Chu Xiyao replied.
"Hmph."
Fu Qian snorted contemptuously:
"Now you know to be steady?"
Chu Xiyao showed an embarrassed expression:
"Elder..."
"Enough, go to the Hidden Edge Pavilion to find Elder Li, have him bring some capable helpers, and go verify this in the outer court now."
As he spoke, Fu Qian turned his head again, returning his gaze to Chen Yan:
"As for this child, I'll have someone escort him back to the outer court."
As soon as the words fell, Fu Qian's sleeve moved without wind, then a spell seal emerged from his sleeve, shining with golden light.
Immediately, Fu Qian crushed the spell seal in his hand.
In the next instant, two figures appeared under the eaves of Cangwu Residence. Both wore black martial attire and beast-faced masks with fangs.
Their cultivation levels were all above the Qi Sea Realm.
"Take this child to the outer court to find Lin Qifeng, and on my behalf, properly ask that fellow how he's managing the outer court, allowing someone to kill a prisoner right under his nose."
Fu Qian said to the two Qi Sea Realm cultivators.
Chen Yan slightly raised an eyebrow.
Lin Qifeng was the name of the outer court elder.
It could be said that in the entire outer court, Lin Qifeng held the greatest power.
But Lin Qifeng had only just reached the Qi Sea Realm in cultivation.
For Fu Qian, cultivators of realms like the Qi Sea Realm could essentially be summoned and dismissed at will.
Rather than saying Fu Qian wanted to escort Chen Yan back to the outer court, it was more appropriate to say he wanted to send people to hold the outer court elder accountable.
However, no matter how dissatisfied Elder Fu might be with Lin Qifeng, at most he could only engage in verbal battles, send a couple of people over to annoy Lin Qifeng with a few words, without being able to take any substantive measures.
Because Lin Qifeng was the personal disciple of Kongshan Sect's current sect leader, Yun Yichen.
Although he was the least accomplished among them, Yun Yichen's placement of him in the position of outer court elder could be considered making the best use of his abilities.
Of course, no matter how untalented or useless Lin Qifeng might be, in Chen Yan's eyes he was still like a celestial deity.
The gap between the Qi Sea Realm and Qi Circulation Realm was truly enormous.
If the difference between Qi Circulation Realm cultivators and Martial Spring Realm cultivators was already more than tenfold.
Then the gap between Martial Spring Realm cultivators and Qi Sea Realm cultivators of equal talent could still reach more than tenfold.
"Let's go."
The two Qi Sea Realm cultivators walked slowly to Chen Yan's side and spoke to him.
"Troubling you two, Seniors."
Chen Yan respectfully said.
Thus, Chen Yan left Cangwu Residence, carried through the air by the two Qi Sea Realm cultivators back to the outer court.
The outer court elder's residence was the Fate Inquiry Hall located at the very center of the outer court.
Simultaneously, this was also the outer court's core power institution.
The hall's upturned eaves sliced through the moonlight as Chen Yan followed the two Qi Sea Realm cultivators to land on the bluestone steps, without stirring a single speck of dust.
The hall doors silently swung open, revealing a middle-aged man wearing a loosely draped crane cloak sitting behind a red sandalwood desk.
He first slowly raised his head to look at the three people at the door, then continued grinding tea:
"Two from Qingchan Peak, and one from the outer court?"
As he spoke, Lin Qifeng chuckled lightly:
"Really picking your timing, coming to my Fate Inquiry Hall so late for what?"
"Elder Fu Qian of Cangwu Residence ordered us to deliver this outer court disciple to you, and also instructed us to bring a message to Elder Lin."
The Qi Sea Realm cultivator on the left spoke with considerable respect.
Although their cultivation realms were similar to Lin Qifeng's, all at the Qi Sea Realm, their status within the sect was worlds apart.
After all, Lin Qifeng was the personal disciple of the current sect leader, Yun Yichen.
Never mind that he was currently the outer court elder - even if he were a menial laborer at the mountain gate, ordinary people would still have to treat him with respect.
"Old Man Fu?"
Lin Qifeng slightly raised his eyes:
"What message did he have you bring?"
"How exactly are you managing this outer court, allowing someone to kill a prisoner right under your nose?"
The Qi Sea Realm cultivator on the right said.
"Oh?"
Lin Qifeng paused his tea-grinding motion.
"Ahem... Elder Lin, these were Elder Fu's exact words that he asked us to convey to you," the cultivator quickly added.
"I'd like to hear, who exactly was killed while imprisoned in the detention center?" Lin Qifeng asked.
"Steward Song of the outer court Merit Hall."
"Song Mingde?"
As the outer court elder, Lin Qifeng naturally knew who the Merit Hall's Steward Song referred to.
The outer court elder was the de facto highest authority in the outer court, but Lin Qifeng didn't participate in daily outer court affairs.
Daily affairs were all handled by the outer court supervisor, with the various hall stewards being subordinates of this outer court supervisor.
Below stewards were administrators, who held equal status with instructors and disciplinarians.
Then came managers selected from ordinary disciples, responsible for grassroots work.
"Yes, it's him," one of the Qi Sea Realm cultivators behind Chen Yan said.
"I also have a question I'd like to ask you."
Lin Qifeng smiled.
"Even if Song Mingde died, what does that have to do with your Qingchan Peak?"
But his smile didn't reach his eyes:
"Or are you people from Qingchan Peak playing some shady little games?"
The two Qi Sea Realm cultivators fell into brief silence, then spoke again:
"Song Mingde had some very important intelligence, intelligence that's crucial to the sect..."
"Speaking in riddles with me?" Lin Qifeng said.
"No, it's just that we don't know the specific details either..."
"Then return to Qingchan Peak and send someone who knows clearly to speak with me."
Lin Qifeng said thus.