The two Yuanhua Mountain disciples pushed open the black-lacquered main gate of the General Affairs Office for Chen Yan.
Chen Yan turned around, looked in the direction of Li Haowen, and then bowed respectfully toward the direction of this dejected chief disciple of Yuanhua Mountain, saying:
"Thank you, Senior Brother Li, for bringing me here. From here on, I can handle the rest by myself."
"Take care, Junior Brother Chen."
Li Haowen didn't say much either, simply returning the gesture toward Chen Yan.
"You too, Senior Brother Li, take care. The road ahead is long, and there are many variables yet to come. Who knows what might happen again one day."
Chen Yan said.
With that, Chen Yan turned and stepped into the General Affairs Office.
Then, Li Haowen watched as Chen Yan walked into the General Affairs Office, wondering what exactly was going through the mind of this heaven-chosen talent who had suddenly encountered such a drastic change of fate.
A smell mixing aged ink fragrance with the corrosion of metal assailed his senses. The floor tiles of the General Affairs Office seemed to be sourced from Yuanhua Mountain itself, paved with smooth, polished, and uniformly cut black mountain rock.
The courtyard of the General Affairs Office was empty.
Devoid of people.
Simultaneously, it was also devoid of any objects.
And just as Chen Yan took another step forward, an unexpected voice suddenly came from behind him.
"Well?"
Chen Yan gave a start, then hastily turned around. Under the suppression of the Hidden Immortal Art, the Martial Spring rapidly circulated, surging vast amounts of true qi from the Martial Spring into Chen Yan's meridians.
Appearing behind Chen Yan was a young-looking figure, approximately thirty years old, wearing a pure white Kongshan Sect Daoist robe without any peak insignia on it.
"...Grand Elder Qi."
Chen Yan said warily.
"So, have you found anything here?"
Qi Yi smiled, took two leisurely steps forward, and then softly asked Chen Yan.
Chen Yan said nothing.
"It seems not."
Saying this, Qi Yi slowly walked over to the completely empty rosewood table in the main hall of the General Affairs Office, then extended his slender right index finger and lightly tapped on the tabletop.
Golden ripples spread through the air, and then over ten thick ledgers began to slowly materialize on the previously empty rosewood table.
"What you were looking for should be these."
Qi Yi said. Then, with a gentle flick of his Daoist robe sleeve, the thick ledger on the very top of the rosewood table flew into Chen Yan's hands.
Chen Yan didn't stand on ceremony at all and directly began flipping through it right in front of Qi Yi.
Information was paramount.
Especially in a situation like now, where Qi Yi could kill him at any moment.
After glancing through a few pages, Chen Yan quickly understood that what he held in his hands was the ledger of Yuanhua Mountain's General Affairs Office.
The inflow and outflow of spirit stones and various cultivation resources used by Yuanhua Mountain in recent years were all recorded in this ledger.
"Did you find the information you wanted?"
Qi Yi asked.
"No."
Chen Yan replied.
This ledger seemed completely normal;
all expenditures and income matched up.
So then, what was the purpose of the Imperial Law Court sealing off the General Affairs Office?
"I've already given you one chance to live, Chen Yan."
This Grand Elder of the Imperial Law Court said, placing his hands behind his back and then pacing within the courtyard of the General Affairs Office.
"I've seen the Purple Mansion Kongshan Art you modified. A very peculiar approach. A talent like you might only appear once in ten thousand years."
As he spoke, Qi Yi paused briefly again:
"The sect thinks highly of you. Why keep forcing yourself down a path of certain death?"
"I am merely doing what I believe I should do, Grand Elder Qi."
Chen Yan closed the ledger in his hands and said this.
"Look at you."
Qi Yi laughed again:
"Young people, always so prone to acting on impulse."
Chen Yan was certainly not acting on impulse;
he was extremely calm right now.
Because Chen Yan had long since prepared to trade his death in this current cycle of reincarnation for more information.
But it seemed his life was going to be wasted in vain again.
He hadn't obtained any truly effective information at all.
Life and death were completely inconsequential to Chen Yan. What he cared about most right now was at which point in the past his current reincarnation save point was located.
Some point within the last half month?
Or during his period of unconsciousness?
Or perhaps... directly back to a year ago on Heavenly Summit Mountain?
"So, is there anything else you want to see?"
Qi Yi picked up another ledger from the rosewood table beside him, casually flipped through a few pages, then closed it again.
"No."
Chen Yan replied very calmly.
He was already prepared to welcome death once more.
"Then I'll give you another chance to live."
Qi Yi said with a smile, then placed the ledger in his hand back on the table:
"You don't need to concern yourself with the matter of those two people on the list. I have a new task for you."
Hearing this, Chen Yan was slightly taken aback:
"What task?"
"Two years ago, the incident where the Immortal Gambling Den in Taiyun City was wiped out. You are well aware of it, correct?"
Qi Yi said.
"Yes."
Chen Yan answered.
"Go and dig out the mastermind behind that incident."
Qi Yi added.
"......"
Chen Yan said nothing.
The face of Fu Qian instantly surfaced in Chen Yan's mind.
That's right, the mastermind behind wiping out the Immortal Gambling Den was none other than the Martial Elder of Qingchan Peak, Fu Qian.
In fact, this wasn't much of a secret.
Because Fu Qian sending people to wipe out the Immortal Gambling Den was practically done openly, unafraid of anyone knowing.
A mighty Myriad Transformations Realm cultivator, a Peak Elder of Kongshan Sect's Qingchan Peak, wiping out a measly little gambling den—why would he need to hide it?
Yet, Qi Yi was now telling him to dig out Fu Qian.
Could it be he was trying to sow discord between him and Fu Qian?
This Unity Realm Grand Elder before him likely knew that the reason he could investigate his way to Yuanhua Mountain's General Affairs Office had Fu Qian's shadow behind it, hence...
"What's wrong? Your expression suddenly turned so uncertain."
Qi Yi, with his hands behind his back, said with a smile:
"Relax, the person I want you to investigate is someone else, someone who can lead to some deeper truths. How far you can dig depends entirely on you."
Chen Yan realized he was understanding the Grand Elder before him less and less.
"How should I investigate?"
Chen Yan asked.
"That is your own affair."
Qi Yi said:
"As for that token I gave you before, try not to use it unless absolutely necessary. If you abuse it too much, that old man Huo will definitely come to give me trouble."
"...This disciple understands."
Chen Yan said.
"Good."
Qi Yi nodded.
"Still three months?"
Chen Yan asked.
"No, only fifty-eight days. During these fifty-eight days, you may do as you wish."
Qi Yi said with a smile:
"As long as your conscience is clear."