After the formalities concluded, it was time to arrange for the elders and disciples from each peak to be escorted to the separate courtyards specially prepared for them.
It wasn't clear whether Lin Qifeng did it intentionally or not, but he specifically assigned Chen Yan to escort Elder Lan Wei from Qingchan Peak and his disciples to Qingchan Peak's outer court courtyard.
"You're Elder Lin's disciple?"
On the way from Fate Inquiry Hall to the courtyard, Elder Lan Wei initiated conversation with Chen Yan like this.
"Yes."
Chen Yan replied.
"What's your current cultivation level?"
"Replying to Elder Lan, late stage of Body Forging Realm."
"Oh!"
"Promising future, very promising future."
This was the only praise he could muster for Chen Yan.
"But speaking of which, Elder Lin is truly a rare and remarkable person."
However, when it came to praising Lin Qifeng, Elder Lan Wei was not at all stingy.
Chen Yan thought so too—he also considered Lin Qifeng to be quite peculiar.
Lin Qifeng was only a Qi Sea Realm cultivator. Compared to the inner sect elders who started at Passable God Realm, his cultivation level was indeed somewhat too low.
Moreover, he had no advantage in age either—he was already in his late sixties this year and would soon be seventy years old.
But Chen Yan always felt that even if stripped of the halo of being the sect leader's personal disciple, very few people would dare to look down on Lin Qifeng.
Yet he didn't understand why he had this feeling.
It had been over two months since Chen Yan became Lin Qifeng's personal disciple. During these two-plus months, Chen Yan hadn't developed any feelings of genuine master-disciple affection for Lin Qifeng.
Because this master-disciple relationship was purely because Lin Qifeng needed a messenger between himself and Kongyuan Mountain.
But Chen Yan was indeed very grateful for the opportunity Lin Qifeng had given him—otherwise he wouldn't have obtained so many cultivation resources.
He was only one step away from reaching Martial Spring Realm.
Chen Yan was confident he could break through from the peak of Energy Channeling to Martial Spring Realm within a year. Although for those sect prodigies, going from Energy Channeling to Martial Spring Realm might only take a year in total.
However, Lan Wei seemed to genuinely admire Lin Qifeng.
Or rather, from beginning to end, Elder Lan Wei presented himself to others as a kind-hearted, agreeable person.
He praised everyone, offended no one, but his smoothness was somewhat clumsy.
This was Chen Yan's impression of Lan Wei as a person.
From their casual conversation along the way, Chen Yan learned that Elder Lan Wei's actual position at Qingchan Peak was Scripture Hall Elder of Qingchan Peak.
"Elder Lan, do you know an instructor named Lu Li?"
Chen Yan asked.
"Of course I know him. He's a quite good young man. The disciples all benefit greatly from his scripture lectures, it's just a pity..."
As he spoke, Lan Wei paused briefly:
"Pity that this young man might lack appropriate boundaries and sense of distance in certain aspects."
Being in his forties was naturally considered young for long-lived immortal cultivators—everything was just beginning.
But this was the first time Chen Yan heard Elder Lan Wei express a negative opinion about someone.
"When Instructor Lu was still teaching in the outer court, the disciples all liked him very much."
Chen Yan said.
"Hmm, it's the same in the inner sect. The disciples of Qingchan Peak also all enjoy Instructor Lu's scripture lectures and teachings."
Lan Wei said in a flat tone.
It seemed this Scripture Hall Elder of Qingchan Peak held rather deep opinions about his subordinate.
And Elder Lan Wei seemed to have already given his reason for disliking Lu Li.
Lacking boundaries and sense of distance.
Chen Yan believed this was referring to the relationship between Lu Li and Qingchan Peak's True Dharma Elder.
Strictly speaking, Scripture Hall should fall under the jurisdiction of Martial Elder Fu Qian, but anyone could see that Lu Li was True Dharma Elder's person.
This was bound to cause dissatisfaction among some people.
Yet under these circumstances, Lu Li actually managed to rise steadily—from a mere instructor to Scripture Hall Elder, replacing Lan Wei's position, and eventually decades later becoming Qingchan Peak's Martial Elder.
What exactly happened during all this?
Chen Yan was very curious, but he also understood this was absolutely not something he could figure out on his own.
For the remainder of the journey, Chen Yan and Elder Lan Wei didn't have much further conversation. Chen Yan simply escorted the Qingchan Peak group to their courtyard.
After exchanging a few more words, Chen Yan prepared to take his leave.
"Wait."
Just then, a cool, stream-like young woman's voice came from behind Chen Yan.
Chen Yan knew very well who owned this voice.
"Chief Chu, we meet again."
Chen Yan turned around, smiling as he bowed toward Chu Xiyao's direction.
However, Chu Xiyao didn't respond, only walking coldly to Chen Yan's side.
"Come with me."
The white-clad young woman said.
Watching the back that brushed past him, Chen Yan hesitated for a moment, then followed.
He had a feeling nothing good would come of this.
Chen Yan followed behind Chu Xiyao, walking along the outer court streets.
A sudden breeze stirred, tousling the black hair of the white-clad young woman. From three zhang away, one could catch the cold fragrance drifting through her hair.
It wasn't the cloying sweetness of cosmetics, but rather the clear, proud cold scent carried by chilly winds in icy, snowy landscapes.
Chen Yan couldn't help but gently sniff.
"What?"
Chu Xiyao turned around to look at Chen Yan.
This was the first time Chen Yan carefully observed Chu Xiyao's appearance. He had long known Chu Xiyao was beautiful, but he hadn't expected her to be so breathtakingly stunning.
Beneath eyelashes as dense as crow feathers lay eyes like deep autumn pools, unfathomably profound. In the depths of her pupils swirled scattered stardust, as if night itself had been crushed and embedded within.
For some reason, Cheng Ziying's appearance suddenly surfaced in Chen Yan's mind, causing him to quickly snap back to reality.
"Nothing."
Chen Yan laughed twice again:
"I wonder what matter Chief Chu has with me?"
"......"
Chu Xiyao showed displeasure, first remaining silent for a while, then slowly speaking:
"Was it Elder Lin who told you to inform me of Song Mingde's death that day and bring me back to Qingchan Peak?"
"No."
Chen Yan denied.
"I originally truly thought you were just an ordinary outer court disciple."
"I am just an ordinary outer court disciple."
"But you're a personal disciple of an elder."
"That happened later. On the day I met Chief Chu, I didn't know my master yet. It was Elder Fu's people who sent me to my master, and only then was I accepted as his disciple."
"So you mean Elder Lin recognized your talent?"
"Perhaps, or maybe..."
Chen Yan paused for a moment:
"Or maybe... he had other intentions."
Chu Xiyao stopped walking and turned her head. A flash of surprise appeared in her eyes.
"Do you know what you're saying?"
Chu Xiyao said.
"I know very well, but I also have something very important to ask you, Chief Chu."
Chen Yan's eyes were filled with seriousness and determination.