Chapter 761 - 229: Guest or Prisoner?
Chen Yan took nearly ten minutes to recount the sequence of events, then looked at Zhao Wuji.
Zhao Wuji nodded and said loudly, "Is that so...do you have anything to add?"
"No," Chen Yan shook his head.
In fact, he had concealed something—the part about throwing the East Sea toward the murderer, which he had omitted.
This detail, Chen Yan now actually regretted omitting a bit—only when he first met Jiang Mo, during the narration, he had already omitted this part—the idea at the time was not to leave a bad impression on Jiang Mo.
Actually, at this moment, saying it wouldn’t hurt, but since he hadn’t spoken before, saying it now would instead create more trouble.
Zhao Wuji nodded and turned to look at Elder Qian.
Only then did Elder Qian open his eyes, staring at Chen Yan’s face, and suddenly began to speak softly, "You saw that fierce man with your own eyes. Describe his appearance to me."
Elder Qian’s voice, surprisingly, was calm, lacking the imposing aura that matched his dignified appearance, and his tone even had a hint of friendliness.
Chen Yan pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "The man was covered in a golden aura. My cultivation was insufficient to see through his protective light, so I couldn’t discern his appearance.
As for anything else...he used a Flying Sword, which glowed with golden light and was extremely sharp. I saw with my own eyes that the steward on the cargo ship also summoned his Flying Sword to confront it, but in just one clash, the steward’s Flying Sword was shattered.
Anything else..."
Chen Yan thought again, "The man had a spell to search using Primordial Spirit Power."
Elder Qian nodded, glanced at the swiftly moving brush, and asked, "Is there anything else?"
"No," Chen Yan shook his head.
Elder Qian pondered for a moment and suddenly asked, "How did you board the Gu Family’s cargo ship?"
Chen Yan exhaled and recounted his experiences of disguise, mentioning how he managed to board the ship by spending money and pulling strings in West Platform City.
Only then did Elder Qian nod again, glancing at Chen Yan, and said lightly, "So you returned from Snow Cliff Pass. Presumably, you’ve experienced your share of battles and formations there, which explains last night’s quick response during the attack. Out of everyone on the ship, you were the only one to escape alive."
Chen Yan nodded slowly and said, "As you mentioned, Elder, indeed, at Snow Cliff Pass, I have killed a few Fierce Beast Race members, and beheaded a few."
"I won’t inquire about spending money to board the ship...Though it’s against the rules, such things are common among families with mixed backgrounds. Besides, it’s not a matter of our sect."
Elder Qian sighed and said, "Alright, I’ve recorded what happened. As for you..."
He looked out the window and then said softly, "Zhao Wuji, take him to the Outer Sect disciple area and find a place for him to stay for now."
"Understood!" Zhao Wuji quickly cupped his hands.
Yet Elder Qian waved a sleeve, and the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table vanished, as did his figure, like a gust of wind, leaving no trace.
Chen Yan paused for a moment, then turned to look at Zhao Wuji, who sighed, "Alright, the inquiry has ended. There shouldn’t be any problems now. Let’s go, I’ll take you to your living quarters."
Chen Yan frowned, "Are you telling me to stay here? For how long?"
Zhao Wuji pouted, "How would I know?"
No! Chen Yan felt a bit anxious inside, but he knew this was a sect with the legacy of a Saint, a place where he couldn’t afford to resist, so he could only suppress his emotions and ask quietly, "I’m just a victim here, I can’t stay here indefinitely, I need to go to the City of No Return..."
Zhao Wuji looked at Chen Yan with some surprise, chuckled, and said, "You are quite unusual. Most Loose Cultivators would consider it a great fortune to have the chance to enter our sect, yearning to stay indefinitely, hoping for the opportunity to be accepted into the sect and find a foothold."
Chen Yan felt a stir in his heart.
Zhao Wuji sighed, "As for how long you’ll stay, don’t ask me. Elder Qian didn’t give any further instructions, so how am I to know? He instructed me to arrange your stay, and that’s what I’ll do."
But he paused for a moment and then finally added some helpful words.
"Fellow Daoist Zhao Shanhe, I’m being candid with you. You are indeed unfortunate, but we’re also helpless when faced with such events...If it had happened elsewhere, it would have nothing to do with our sect.
However, it just so happened to occur in the mountains outside our sect, within a thousand miles of our territory.
That forces us to get involved.
You’re impatient; we’re more impatient.
This matter involves the Gu Family, who are a Family of Venerables, with Saints and Venerables backing them. They will definitely send people to investigate, and at that time, they will need to negotiate with our sect.
Whatever we find, whatever we record, we will present it all to them.
Let me explain it to you this way: you may have to stay here until the Gu Family sends someone to negotiate, at which point we can hand over the recorded statements, the remnants of the cargo ship, and you, the witness, to the Gu Family."
Chen Yan: "..."
This...doesn’t it just mean he’s effectively under house arrest here?
Chen Yan took a deep breath and with a polite tone asked, "So, could you tell me, Fellow Daoist, when might the Gu Family send someone to negotiate?"
"I don’t know. The event has just happened, and as you saw earlier, Senior Brother Jiang Mo returned with us. He should report to the Outer Sect Steward Elder. Once the Steward Elder finishes the inquiry, he will also need to review the notes Elder Qian made earlier when questioning you.