Chen Yan recalled what Lin Qifeng had once said to him on the ferry of Kongshan Sect.
Cultivators of the Immortal Ascension Realm could reincarnate and cultivate anew.
Although Chen Yan found the notion somewhat shocking, Lin Qifeng had no reason to deceive him.
Especially since Lin Qifeng seemed quite convinced that Chen Yan himself was a True Person of the Immortal Ascension Realm who had reincarnated.
The so-called "Cause of Calamity" in Lin Qifeng's eyes was precisely these Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators who had reincarnated to cultivate anew.
But as for the true nature of the Cause of Calamity, it remained shrouded in mystery to this day.
Now, right before him, this seemingly very young Rogue Cultivator, Mr. You, most likely possessed a cultivation realm above the Dao Union Realm.
Yet, the Dao Union Realm cultivators currently in Chenping Continent were almost all accounted for, with only six in total.
As for a Dao Union Realm Rogue Cultivator appearing out of thin air?
Unless he was an Immortal Ascension reincarnate, just like Yan Yunhe from Lin Qifeng's account.
One breath, from Unity to Divine Ability.
Two breaths, from Divine Ability to Dao Union.
Only this could explain why a Dao Union Realm great power would suddenly appear in this world.
As for why he could conceal his true cultivation level and even mobilize spiritual energy, although Mr. You had shown surprise at the time, he didn't seem particularly interested in that.
What truly piqued his curiosity seemed to be Chen Yan himself.
Mr. You raised his hand again, lightly closed his eyes, and pinched his fingers as if calculating something, then spoke.
"Come with me, or rather, I'll follow you."
He said:
"You, kid, are truly interesting. Things always inexplicably find their way to you."
Chen Yan, of course, knew.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so unlucky all along.
"Is Mr. You referring to Karmic Backlash?"
Chen Yan also completely dropped the pretense and asked Mr. You this way.
Hearing this, Mr. You was slightly taken aback, then laughed:
"You even know about Karmic Backlash?"
"Since it's something that happened to this junior himself, I have a superficial understanding of it."
Chen Yan said.
"However, I'm afraid what's happening to you is probably not as simple as just Karmic Backlash."
Mr. You said.
"What does Sir mean?"
Chen Yan asked.
"Heavenly Dao Fate."
...
Chenping Continent, Northwestern Region.
Kongshan Sect, Kongyuan Mountain.
Several immortal cranes flew through the sea of clouds above the summit of Kongyuan Mountain. A delicate and charming young girl was propping her chin with her hand, sitting outside the main hall of Kongyuan Hall, staring blankly at the sea of clouds in the sky.
She wore the pure white robes of Kongshan Sect, with gilded cloud crane patterns embroidered on her sleeves, and a token hung at her waist.
On the token, only four large characters were engraved—
Kongyuan Chief Disciple.
"Junior Sister Liu."
Suddenly, from behind the girl, came a voice very familiar to her.
Walking down the steps from inside Kongyuan Hall was a middle-aged man who appeared to be around forty or fifty years old.
He was the current Alchemy Hall Elder of Kongyuan Mountain, Lin Qifeng.
"Fifth Senior Brother, what did Master tell you?"
Liu Yantang asked Lin Qifeng this way.
"What else could he say."
Lin Qifeng let out an awkward-sounding chuckle:
"He said, if the Alchemy Hall has another accident, he'll throw me to the outer court to be an elder again. I say, Master is really getting muddle-headed in his old age. If he really dares to throw me to the outer court, I'll go to the Supreme Surveillance Court to file a complaint. Since ancient times, when has there ever been a Passable God Realm outer court elder..."
"Perhaps Fifth Senior Brother, you will be the first."
Liu Yantang sighed.
Five years had passed since the Outer Court Cataclysm occurred.
Thanks to the efforts of the cultivators of Qingchan Peak, the outer court had now been mostly rebuilt. Over these five years, the sect had opened its doors to accept disciples twice, replenishing many new outer sect disciples. Everything was developing in a positive direction.
And during these five years, significant changes and personnel transfers had also occurred within the inner sect of Kongshan Sect.
For example, in the Scripture Hall of Qingchan Peak, there was an instructor named Lu Li, who was quite close to Qingchan's True Dharma Elder Bai Qiming. Over these five years, he successfully broke through to the Passable God Realm and was now serving as the managing elder of Caijun Tower on Qingchan Peak.
Mingxiao Peak had also selected a new Chief Disciple, a female disciple named Cheng Ziying. It was said that when she first joined Kongshan Sect, she was an outer court disciple. Climbing from an outer court disciple to the position of a peak's Chief Disciple was not unprecedented in Kongshan Sect's history.
The most recent example was the former Kongyuan Chief Disciple, Chen Yan.
Even over nine thousand years ago, there was an outer court disciple of Kongshan Sect who climbed from outer court disciple to the position of Chief Disciple of Yibai Peak, then became the Sword Master Elder of Yibai Peak, and even eventually became a Grand Elder.
Just a few months ago, a candidate for the new Chief Disciple of Kongyuan Mountain was also decided.
The position was temporarily assumed by the former Chief Disciple of Kongyuan Mountain before Chen Yan, the Sect Leader's personal disciple, Liu Yantang.
This move drew skepticism from many on Kongyuan Mountain, especially the new generation of talented disciples there in recent years, who had been coveting this Chief Disciple position for quite some time.
Including Liu Yantang herself, she was actually quite puzzled.
But this was the final candidate jointly decided upon by Kongshan Sect's current Sect Leader Yun Yichen, Kongyuan Mountain's True Dharma Elder Zhong Yin, Kongyuan Mountain's Dignity Elder Yue Chi, and others.
"How can someone my age still occupy a Chief Disciple position."
Liu Yantang, holding her chin, sighed dejectedly:
"If word gets out, people will surely laugh."
Although Liu Yantang's appearance was that of a delicate teenage girl, her actual age was even over forty. In principle, the Chief Disciples of each peak should be held by young disciples in their teens or twenties. Even Chief Disciples over thirty were quite rare.
"It's just having you hold the position temporarily. Sorry to trouble you, Junior Sister."
Lin Qifeng said this, then casually swept his hand through the air. A heavy bag of high-grade spirit stones appeared in his palm, which he then tossed to Liu Yantang.
Liu Yantang's eyes lit up:
"Fifth Senior Brother, where on earth do you get so many spirit stones? Last time the Alchemy Hall had an accident, you also paid for the repairs out of your own pocket."
"Don't ask."
Lin Qifeng shook his head, saying nothing.
Indeed, an Immortal Ascension Realm True Person was truly an Immortal Ascension Realm True Person, foreseeing everything.
Those two carts of high-grade spirit stones Chen Yan gave him back then had been a great help over the past five years.
Lin Qifeng just sighed inwardly.
Having Liu Yantang temporarily assume the position of Kongyuan Mountain Chief Disciple was a result jointly pushed by Lin Qifeng, Yue Chi, and others.
Because for some reason, he always had a premonition in his heart—
Chen Yan would return.