When Chen Yan returned to Kongyuan Mountain, it was already past midnight.
After dealing with those two assassins, he encountered no further difficulties or obstacles on his way back to the sect.
He hadn't hesitated at all when he killed those two assassins.
After all, they had come for his life in the first place.
Moreover, when preparing to kill someone, one must also be prepared to be killed.
What's more, those two assassins already knew his true cultivation level was above the Martial Spring Realm, which meant he absolutely could not let them leave alive no matter what.
As for who exactly sent them?
Elder Fu Qian?
Chen Yan thought the possibility was low.
He believed Fu Qian must also be very keen to know what information exactly Steward Song had grasped that would make the enemy hidden in the shadows attach such importance to it. Otherwise, Fu Qian wouldn't have handed over his own token to him so cleanly and decisively.
At the very least, before he brought the information back to Qingchan Peak, Fu Qian probably wouldn't make a move against him.
As for Song Wencheng?
There was a certain possibility, but it wasn't very high either.
Rather than making random guesses and speculations like this, Chen Yan had a better method to determine who exactly wanted to make a move against him.
Early the next morning, Chen Yan first went to the Alchemy Hall on Kongyuan Mountain.
Zhao Bin, wearing a yellow robe, was still behind the counter, looking utterly bored as he lightly tapped on the counter in front of him.
"Junior Brother Chen?"
Hearing footsteps entering the Alchemy Hall, Zhao Bin looked up.
"Senior Brother Zhao, there's something I'd like to ask you about."
Chen Yan got straight to the point.
"What is it?"
"Have you heard..."
As he spoke, Chen Yan glanced at the other ordinary Alchemy Hall disciples not far away in the hall who were sorting medicinal herbs, then lowered his voice:
"About last night, on the official road between the sect and Taiyun City, two Martial Spring Realm cultivators wearing ordinary mortal clothes were killed?"
"Two Martial Spring Realm cultivators were killed?"
Zhao Bin frowned, his face full of disbelief:
"Haven't heard about it. Where did you get this news?"
"Don't worry about that, Senior Brother Zhao. I can only say the source is extremely reliable."
Chen Yan said this.
Of course the news was reliable—after all, he was the one who killed them.
"Those two Martial Spring Realm cultivators are from our Kongshan Sect."
"From Kongshan Sect?"
Zhao Bin's expression looked even more surprised than before:
"How is that possible?"
In Kongshan Sect's territory, daring to kill Kongshan Sect cultivators?
Even disciples from the other four great sects wouldn't have the guts to do such a thing!
"I guarantee this truly happened."
Chen Yan stated.
"If what Junior Brother Chen says is true..."
Zhao Bin hesitated for a moment:
"With something this big happening, it's impossible for there to be no rumors at all."
That was indeed true.
Martial Spring Realm cultivators, even within Kongshan Sect which was one of the Five Great Sects of Chenping Continent, could already be considered core strength.
In the outer court, they could hold positions like steward or ceremonial official. In the inner court, they could serve as manager disciples.
Two Martial Spring Realm cultivators dying violently on the road was undoubtedly a major event for the currently relatively peaceful Kongshan Sect.
Especially since this happened within Kongshan Sect's sphere of influence. Not investigating it thoroughly would undoubtedly be equivalent to Kongshan Sect getting slapped in the face in its own territory and not daring to make a sound.
Therefore, if there truly were no rumors leaking out, it could only mean one thing—
The news had been suppressed by some quite powerful people within the sect.
To be able to do something like this, one would need to be at least at the level of one of the Four Great Peak Elders or higher.
"Senior Brother Zhao, I have a favor to ask of you."
Chen Yan said.
"What is it?"
Zhao Bin asked.
"Help me investigate which Martial Spring Realm cultivators in the sect have recently gone missing or died."
The young man in the yellow robe didn't respond immediately, just stared at Chen Yan for a few more moments.
"Alright."
Zhao Bin replied.
As Elder Yue Chi's only personal disciple, Zhao Bin naturally knew that his master and Uncle-Master Lin Qifeng wanted to recommend Chen Yan to become Kongyuan Mountain's Chief Disciple.
Although he didn't understand why, since his master and the others had made this choice, they must have their reasons.
...
Chen Yan left the Alchemy Hall.
It had to be said, those people who wanted his life were definitely all seasoned veterans, their actions almost flawless.
If it weren't for his ability to re-enter the cycle of rebirth, he probably wouldn't even have the qualifications to contend with them.
But unfortunately, he did indeed have this practically unreasonable cheat.
Walking on the streets of Kongyuan Mountain, two disciples suddenly approached from ahead, walking toward Chen Yan.
"Might we ask, fellow Daoist."
They stopped Chen Yan:
"Are you Chen Yan, disciple of Lin Qifeng, the Lin Personal Disciple?"
"That's me. What's the matter?"
Chen Yan asked.
"At the mountain gate, a fellow Daoist from Qingchan Peak wants to see you. He calls himself an instructor from Qingchan Peak's Scripture Hall, named Lu Li."
Lu Li?
Why was he looking for him?
Just as well, after getting the list, he did indeed need to make another trip to Elder Fu Qian.
"Thank you for informing me, fellow Daoists."
Chen Yan said, and bowed in salute to the two Kongyuan Mountain disciples.
"You're too polite, fellow Daoist."
The two disciples returned the salute.
Afterward, Chen Yan headed straight for the direction of Kongyuan Mountain's mountain gate.
"Fellow Daoist Chen."
Seeing Chen Yan arrive, Lu Li called out this way.
Nowadays, Lu Li didn't put on any airs in front of Chen Yan, instead treating him almost as an equal peer.
One reason was because Chen Yan was Lin Qifeng's personal disciple.
Another reason was Elder Yue Chi's attitude toward Chen Yan, which forced him to pay attention to this junior who had once been unknown in the outer court.
Elder Yue was a Myriad Transformations Realm cultivator. Although his status within the sect wasn't as high as the Four Great Peak Elders, his reputation was even more prominent.
For such a major figure to personally make a trip to Taiyun City because of Chen Yan...
Even the most foolish person could see that Chen Yan was no ordinary individual.
Addressing Chen Yan as an equal peer, Lu Li didn't feel he was losing out at all.
"Instructor Lu."
Chen Yan bowed in salute toward Lu Li's direction, still maintaining the etiquette a junior should have:
"Might I ask why Instructor Lu has specially come to Kongyuan Mountain to find me?"
"It's not that I have any particular matter."
Lu Li replied:
"I wonder if Fellow Daoist Chen still remembers, some time ago when we went to Taiyun City to visit Cloud Prince Manor, there was also a Yuanhua Mountain disciple named Qian Xun?"
Of course Chen Yan hadn't forgotten Qian Xun. That guy's behavior back then was practically like a madman.
"This disciple certainly remembers."
Chen Yan replied:
"What about him?"
"He woke up last night, but the situation is very strange."
Lu Li said:
"Yuanhua Mountain's disciple manager Li Hanzhou sent a letter saying he wants to invite both me and Fellow Daoist Chen to go take a look at the situation."