A stern, cold peak, its body like frigid iron, its rocks pitch-black like ink, stood before Chen Yan and Lu Li.
A waterfall over a hundred zhang wide cascaded down in front of them. The splashing water and the bursting mist made the temperature of the surrounding air drop several degrees colder.
The hem of Chen Yan's pure white Daoist robe was gently lifted by the wind churned up by the turbulent flow.
And Lu Li stood right beside him.
"Gentlemen?"
A Yuanhua Mountain gate-keeping disciple stepped forward two paces, blocking Chen Yan and Lu Li who were walking towards Yuanhua Mountain's mountain gate.
"What business do you have?"
"To visit an old acquaintance."
Lu Li said.
The gate-keeping disciple asked again.
"Qian Xun."
Lu Li replied.
Upon hearing the name Qian Xun, the gate-keeping disciple thought for a moment, confirmed he didn't know this person, and then asked:
"Might I ask, this Qian Xun you seek is..."
"Just an Energy Channeling Realm disciple."
Lu Li continued.
"His education manager is called Li Hanzhou."
"I see."
The gate-keeping disciple shook his head. Though not overtly obvious, Chen Yan and Lu Li could still sense the change in his attitude.
"Please turn back. I'm afraid you two cannot ascend the mountain."
"Why?"
Lu Li asked.
"The Enforcement Hall elders of Yuanhua Mountain have given orders. Yuanhua Mountain is still in a state of turmoil. Disciples from other peaks are not permitted to ascend Yuanhua Mountain unless absolutely necessary."
The gate-keeping disciple replied, placing particular emphasis on the words "Enforcement Hall elders."
Lu Li seemed to want to say something more to the gate-keeping disciple, but was stopped by Chen Yan.
Chen Yan strode forward a few more steps, took the token engraved with "Kongshan Imperial Law Court" from his waist.
Then, to the gate-keeping disciple's astonishment, he brushed past him and stepped through Yuanhua Mountain's mountain gate.
"..."
Lu Li also fell silent, simply following Chen Yan up Yuanhua Mountain.
The two walked on Yuanhua Mountain for a while longer before Lu Li finally couldn't hold back and asked Chen Yan:
"Could it be that Chief Disciple Chen is now working for the Grand Elders of the Imperial Law Court?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Yan did not speak, only remaining silent.
Neither affirming nor denying.
"Elder Bai previously told me some things concerning Chief Disciple Chen."
Seeing Chen Yan didn't answer him, Lu Li continued.
Bai Qiming?
That piqued a bit of Chen Yan's interest.
"What did Elder Bai say?"
Chen Yan asked.
"The elder said that if one day, Chief Disciple Chen came to find me, no matter what the matter was, or what request he made, I should just do my utmost to help."
Lu Li said.
"Oh? There was such a thing?"
Chen Yan said.
"Yes. But besides that, Elder Bai told me something else."
"What?"
"Elder Bai said I should be careful of people from the Imperial Law Court."
Lu Li said.
"That is indeed something one should be careful about."
Chen Yan laughed.
"So, Chief Disciple Chen."
Lu Li stopped his steps. His expression showed neither sorrow nor joy, he simply gazed at Chen Yan before him.
"Should I act according to Elder Bai's first statement, or the second?"
Chen Yan did not answer immediately. He also stopped and looked at Lu Li, a myriad of emotions surging in his heart.
There was a time when Lu Li, to him, was a major figure who could decide his life or death with a single thought.
Even in several cycles before, when he was still idling away in the outer court, just thinking of Lu Li would fill him with immense terror.
The shadow cast by that single Kongshan Finger strike from Lu Li, who was in the Martial Spring Realm, against his own Energy Channeling Realm self, didn't completely dissipate until later, when Chen Yan killed Lu Li with a single finger strike in the Cloud Prince Manor.
And as for now...
Chen Yan looked at the slender man before him and simply smiled.
"When you ask this question, haven't you already found the answer?"
"I will follow Chief Disciple Chen's arrangements in all matters."
Lu Li said, bowing with hands clasped.
...
Finding Qian Xun on Yuanhua Mountain wasn't difficult. After all, the entire Yuanhua Mountain, from the Peak Elders down to the ordinary inner disciples, only numbered a few hundred people in total.
"Chief Disciple Chen, Instructor Lu."
Seeing Chen Yan and Lu Li, Qian Xun stepped forward a few paces and bowed respectfully.
"How have things been lately?"
Chen Yan asked.
"In reply to Chief Disciple Chen, all is well. The injuries suffered at the Cloud Prince Manor two years ago have healed, not even leaving many scars."
Qian Xun replied.
"And your cultivation?"
Chen Yan asked again.
Upon hearing this, Qian Xun showed a somewhat embarrassed expression, lowering his head and speaking softly.
"...Still in the early stage of the Energy Channeling Realm."
Two years, still stuck in place at the early stage of the Energy Channeling Realm.
In truth, for the vast majority of cultivators in the world, this was perfectly normal, including for inner disciples of a behemoth like the Kongshan Sect.
Those who could break through to the Martial Spring Realm or above before the age of fifteen, in the entire current generation of Kongshan Sect, numbered only two: Li Haowen and Chu Xiyao.
Those who could cultivate to the Martial Spring Realm before the age of twenty were slightly more numerous, but even adding up all seven major peaks, there were only about twenty-some people.
Within the inner sect of Kongshan Sect, if one could advance to the Martial Spring Realm before the age of thirty, they would be worthy of an inner sect core disciple identity.
From this, one can see just how heavy a blow the deaths of so many heaven-chosen talents from various cultivation sects across Chenping Continent on Heavenly Summit Mountain—those who had broken through to the Martial Spring Realm before twenty—must have been for those ordinary sects.
Therefore, calling the consequences of this Heavenly Summit Mountain calamity more severe for the cultivation world than the chaos of the "Eliminating the Cause of Calamity" movement of the past is not an exaggeration in the slightest.
"Keep working hard."
Lu Li said flatly.
Chen Yan looked at Qian Xun's humble appearance before him and remembered him from back at the Cloud Prince Manor.
Back then, what exactly was going on...
"Chief Disciple Chen, Instructor Lu!"
Just then, a hurried voice came from outside.
A cultivator who looked to be around forty years old, all smiles, came bustling quickly into the room.
"My apologies for not welcoming you properly, my apologies!"
The newcomer was none other than Li Hanzhou.
"Manager Li."
Chen Yan looked towards Li Hanzhou's direction and smiled slightly.
He had been waiting for this guy.
"Chief Disciple Chen, if there was something, you could have just sent word. Why trouble your esteemed self to make such a grand visit?"
Li Hanzhou laughed.
He truly couldn't understand why a major figure like Chen Yan would suddenly, on a whim, come to Yuanhua Mountain to see a minor character like Qian Xun.
"After all, Junior Brother Qian was injured by me back then. I feel guilty in my heart."
Chen Yan said with a slight smile.
Of course, it was all an excuse.
"Instructor Lu, please stay here and give some pointers on Junior Brother Qian's cultivation. I'll go have a private chat with Manager Li."
Chen Yan added, then made a gesture of invitation towards Li Hanzhou, pointing outside the door.
"Manager Li, after you."