The expressions of these two Qi Sea Realm cultivators looked rather unpleasant, as if they'd swallowed flies.
Yet they could do nothing about Lin Qifeng.
Since when did outer court elders dare to be so arrogant?
Before inner sect members, outer court people should keep their tails tucked and behave properly.
But Lin Qifeng had a good master.
Hailing from Kongyuan Mountain, his master was none other than the current sect leader of Kongshan Sect, Yun Yichen.
Yun Yichen not only possessed unparalleled talent in cultivation among his generation, but his political maneuvering skills also surpassed all his peers.
Placing Lin Qifeng directly into Fate Inquiry Hall represented Yun Yichen's ability to achieve complete control over the outer court.
The outer court was particularly important for a sect, especially for a behemoth like Kongshan Sect.
The two Qi Sea Realm cultivators bowed to Lin Qifeng, then turned and left Fate Inquiry Hall.
"Damn it, those bastards from Qingchan Peak."
Lin Qifeng cursed while pouring boiling water into the teacup on the sandalwood table:
"They already pissed me off two months ago when they came to the outer court Scripture Hall to poach people, and now they're causing trouble again."
As he spoke, Lin Qifeng turned his gaze to Chen Yan who remained in the hall.
"You, an outer court kid, how did you get mixed up with those things from Qingchan Peak?"
Chen Yan truthfully reported the specific circumstances to Lin Qifeng, except for the part about going to the Enforcement Hall, which he fabricated. Everything else was reported honestly.
As for whether the Enforcement Hall duty disciple tonight actually knew Chen Yan, or whether Chen Yan had truly visited the Enforcement Hall tonight—it was all dead without evidence.
"That fellow Song Mingde only surrendered to the Enforcement Hall yesterday evening, admitting he embezzled thousands of spirit stones from the Merit Hall's public account and lost them all at the gambling den, which is why he was imprisoned in the detention center."
Lin Qifeng paused slightly:
"Now if Qingchan Peak gets dragged into this, and he was killed, everything seems to make sense."
Song Mingde possessed some very important intelligence, and he ultimately lost his life because of that information.
The reason he lost all the spirit stones from the Merit Hall's public account was because Song Mingde had already been targeted.
He faced the possibility of being killed at any moment, with no opportunity to contact the people from Qingchan Peak.
Therefore, he chose to be imprisoned in the detention center to protect himself.
Yet he still couldn't escape.
So, what exactly was the intelligence in Song Mingde's possession?
...Could these matters be related to the outer court calamity three years from now?
Chen Yan couldn't be certain, he only suspected it.
"Drink tea."
Lin Qifeng pushed the teacup on the sandalwood table slightly toward Chen Yan's direction.
Chen Yan froze for a moment, not daring to act rashly.
"I said drink tea!"
Lin Qifeng's tone intensified slightly. This sect leader's personal disciple, who appeared as a middle-aged man, seemed to have a somewhat peculiar personality.
"This disciple obeys."
Only then did Chen Yan step forward two paces, pick up the teacup, and drink it.
It was just ordinary Jade Vine Grass herbal tea.
"What's your name?"
"Reporting to Elder, this disciple is named Chen Yan."
"What's your cultivation level?"
Lin Qifeng was at the mid Qi Sea Realm, not yet reaching the Spirit Connection Realm, so he couldn't probe others' cultivation levels.
"Late Body Forging Realm."
Upon hearing this, Lin Qifeng remained silent for a moment before finally speaking:
"So you're trash."
"Hehe..."
Chen Yan forced an awkward laugh.
"But I'm also trash."
Lin Qifeng said:
"Among master's several disciples, I'm the most foolish and useless. Having me oversee the outer court is indeed making the best use of everything."
"Elder, you're being too modest."
Facing Lin Qifeng's "self-deprecation," Chen Yan appeared somewhat apprehensive.
"That's true though. Compared to you outer court disciples, I'm indeed on a completely different level."
Chen Yan had nothing to say, only offering awkward smiles in silence.
Although this was their first meeting, Chen Yan had long heard rumors about this sect leader's personal disciple's unconventional, unrestrained, and free-spirited personality.
"That old fellow Fu Qian can do whatever he wants stirring up trouble in the outer court. If things get out of hand, someone will naturally deal with him."
Lin Qifeng continued complaining, then suddenly changed the subject:
"Kid, do you have a master?"
"..."
Before Chen Yan could answer, Lin Qifeng provided the answer himself:
"You probably don't, since you're also trash."
The corner of Chen Yan's mouth twitched slightly. It seemed Elder Lin had been mocking him since the beginning.
But facing the gap in cultivation and status between them, Chen Yan could only feel angry but not dare speak out.
"In that case, how about becoming my disciple?"
Lin Qifeng continued.
Chen Yan stood frozen in place, appearing not to fully comprehend what Lin Qifeng had just said.
Did Lin Qifeng just mean he wants to take me as his disciple?
Why?
"Well?"
Seeing Chen Yan not responding, Lin Qifeng pressed again.
"This disciple is dull and unworthy..."
Chen Yan's first reaction was that Lin Qifeng was joking.
But as Lin Qifeng's expression gradually turned serious, Chen Yan quickly realized the situation wasn't right.
He had no right to refuse.
"Master above, please accept your disciple's bow!"
Chen Yan quickly knelt on the ground, knocking his forehead against the floor.
"Hmm."
Lin Qifeng nodded slightly, seeming quite satisfied with Chen Yan's reaction.
But Chen Yan felt no joy whatsoever in his heart.
He possessed no cultivation talent whatsoever. If Lin Qifeng's reason was something like recognizing talent, that was utterly impossible.
So what was Lin Qifeng's reason for wanting to take him as a disciple?
"Although you're an outer court disciple, as my disciple, you now count as an elder's personal disciple. So your cultivation resources and treatment should align with inner sect disciples."
Lin Qifeng said, then reached out and flipped his hand slightly in the air. A token appeared in his palm.
"Take this. Tomorrow go to Kongyuan Mountain's Alchemy Hall and get some high-purity Body Forging liquid from there. It will help pave your future path."
"This disciple thanks Master."
Chen Yan responded.
He couldn't figure out what medicine Lin Qifeng was selling in his gourd, but Chen Yan understood all too well that pies don't fall from the sky.
Lin Qifeng, a distinguished sect leader's personal disciple and outer court elder—what could he possibly gain from such a thoroughly mediocre Body Forging Realm disciple like himself?
For now, he could only take one step and see what came next.
Chen Yan took the token Elder Lin handed over. The texture of this token was quite similar to Fu Qian's token.
Only the characters engraved on it had changed from "Qingchan Strict Martial" to "Outer Court Administration."
Lin Qifeng was Sect Leader Yun Yichen's personal disciple, and Kongyuan Mountain, as Kongshan Sect's main peak, was also Lin Qifeng's home base.
Therefore, Lin Qifeng's outer court token could also be used as a pass to Kongyuan Mountain.