Chen Yan did not know if Li Haowen had truly prepared himself for death.
But this Chief Disciple of Yuanhua Mountain, who appeared rather dejected, seemed to have indeed resolved himself to fight to the death.
"So, why did Senior Brother Li specifically wait for me here? What is your purpose?"
Chen Yan spoke up.
"Just wanted to know why you came to Yuanhua Mountain today."
Li Haowen's voice was low:
"Junior Brother Chen, is it for the arrangements of the Imperial Law Court, or is it for your own personal matters?"
"Just personal matters. A sudden whim, wanting to see an old acquaintance."
Chen Yan smiled:
Then, Chen Yan turned around and looked towards the tranquil Jieyou Abyss beside them.
For some unknown reason, the true qi flowing through Chen Yan's meridians suddenly became chaotic for an instant.
Chen Yan frowned.
This was a very strange thing.
If it were the Chen Yan of the past, still in the Qi Circulation Realm, such an occasional fluctuation of meridian true qi would be nothing to pay attention to.
However, Chen Yan's current cultivation realm had already reached the peak of the Martial Spring Realm. Under normal circumstances, the true qi in his meridians should be extremely stable. Moreover, the cultivation art he practiced was the Hidden Immortal Art, a top-tier heart technique, and he had already achieved a high level of mastery in it.
"What's wrong, Junior Brother Chen?"
Li Haowen seemed to notice the unusual expression Chen Yan had just shown.
"It's nothing."
Chen Yan smiled like that, simply waving his hand:
"It's rare for me to visit Yuanhua Mountain. I'd like to stay a while longer and look around. Does Senior Brother Li have any recommendations?"
"It's just a black mountain. What is there to see?"
Li Haowen replied.
"Not necessarily. I'm actually very interested in one place on Yuanhua Mountain."
Chen Yan said.
"Where?"
"The General Affairs Office."
Upon hearing this, Li Haowen's expression changed slightly. He finally realized that Chen Yan's visit to Yuanhua Mountain this time indeed came with a certain purpose.
However, Li Haowen still shook his head:
"If Junior Brother Chen wants to go to the General Affairs Office, I'm afraid you will be disappointed."
"Why does Senior Brother Li say that?"
Chen Yan asked.
"After Supreme Elder Feng descended upon Yuanhua Mountain to temporarily serve as Yuanhua Mountain's Sword Master Elder, the people from the Imperial Law Court withdrew their control over Yuanhua Mountain... except for one place."
Saying this, Li Haowen paused slightly:
"That is the General Affairs Office."
The Supreme Elder Feng in Li Haowen's words, his full name is Feng Wei, a Unity Realm Supreme Elder from the Kongshan Sect's Supreme Surveillance Court.
Five hundred years ago, Feng Wei, who was a Myriad Transformations Realm cultivator at the time, had also served as Yuanhua Mountain's Sword Master Elder for a period.
Currently, Yuanhua Mountain is still in a period of turmoil, so having Supreme Elder Feng temporarily emerge to take charge of the overall situation is also logical.
"Why?"
Chen Yan immediately pressed on.
"The Imperial Law Court's explanation is that regarding the crimes of the former Yuanhua Mountain Supervisor, Pei Qingshan, there are still some details that have not been fully clarified. Therefore, the General Affairs Office still needs to remain sealed and cannot be entered or exited freely."
Li Haowen said.
An excuse.
Chen Yan was very clear about this.
All that talk about crimes not being fully clarified was a lie.
Because Pei Qingshan himself, just like He Furen, was a lackey of the Supreme Imperial Law Court.
Any charges, including evidence, the Imperial Law Court knew perfectly well.
Looking at it this way, there must be something fishy going on at the General Affairs Office.
"May I trouble Senior Brother Li to show me the way?"
Chen Yan said:
"Since the Imperial Law Court is still sealing the General Affairs Office, that's perfect. I am currently working for the Imperial Law Court."
Chen Yan had the Supreme Imperial Law Court's token.
Although Qi Yi gave this token to Chen Yan with the original intention of better controlling him, making him frame and falsely accuse those two unlucky souls on the forged list, to present a so-called "letter of submission."
Most likely, Qi Yi never imagined that Chen Yan would be so audacious, daring to misuse the Imperial Law Court's token to instead investigate the Imperial Law Court's own secrets.
After all, in the view of Huo Mu and his Imperial Law Court subordinates, the main reason the Heavenly Summit Mountain calamity failed was because several Myriad Transformations Realm cultivators from Kongyuan Mountain joined forces with Bai Qiming and Hu Tianyuan.
Especially Bai Qiming, who first ambushed and severely wounded Wen Hongli, then returned to defend the Water Mirror Pavilion and killed He Furen.
He was the greatest contributor to the Heavenly Summit Mountain calamity. It was only because the Black Flood Dragon Remnant Soul originally suppressed in Caijun Tower was stolen, and Bai Qiming had to bear some responsibility for that, that Bai Qiming's achievements were not widely publicized and rewarded.
Of course, that was only the official outcome.
Li Haowen agreed to Chen Yan's request.
Then he led Chen Yan towards the direction of the General Affairs Office on Yuanhua Mountain.
Along the way, they occasionally encountered many Yuanhua Mountain disciples. Some of these people recognized Chen Yan, while others did not.
But without exception, they all recognized Li Haowen.
"Senior Brother Li."
"Greetings, Senior Brother Li."
Those Yuanhua Mountain disciples all bowed and saluted towards Li Haowen's direction.
This scene was somewhat surprising to Chen Yan.
You must know, Li Haowen's master, Wei Mian, was executed by the Imperial Law Court as the chief culprit of the Heavenly Summit Mountain calamity. One could say that with this charge alone, his name could be reviled for ten thousand years across the entire Chenping Continent.
And Li Haowen, as Wei Mian's disciple, was also implicated and nearly stripped of his title as Chief Disciple of Yuanhua Mountain and the Yuanji Sword that had been by his side since the day he became Wei Mian's disciple.
Even so, Li Haowen still seemed to enjoy considerable prestige on Yuanhua Mountain.
"We're here."
Stopping before a courtyard, Li Haowen halted.
The two long swords hanging at his waist clashed, emitting a crisp metallic sound.
On the plaque outside the courtyard, five large characters were written: "Yuanhua General Affairs Office."
Standing before the gate were two disciples wearing Yuanhua Mountain's wave-patterned Daoist robes. Judging from their apparent age and the aura they displayed, Chen Yan roughly deduced they should be Qi Sea Realm cultivators.
Of course, it was just a deduction.
Only cultivators with a cultivation level above the Passable God Realm could see through the true cultivation level of cultivators lower than themselves.
"Chief Disciple Li."
One of the disciples standing at the gate of the General Affairs Office took two steps forward, then bowed to Li Haowen, before turning towards Chen Yan's direction:
"Chief Disciple Chen."
He actually recognized him too.
"I want to enter."
Chen Yan slightly raised his head, his gaze directed towards the gate of the General Affairs Office behind the two Yuanhua Mountain disciples.
"Well..."
That Yuanhua Mountain disciple showed an embarrassed expression, then forced a smile:
"Please, Chief Disciple Chen, don't make things difficult for the two of us. The elders of the Imperial Law Court have given orders, saying no one is allowed to enter..."
"What if I have this?"
Chen Yan once again took out that Imperial Law Court token.
"Of, of course, no problem."
The gate-keeping Yuanhua Mountain disciple hurriedly said.
It must be said, things from the Supreme Imperial Law Court are really useful.
No wonder He Furen was so domineering back on Heavenly Summit Mountain when he held Huo Mu's token.