Put away your magical powers now!.

Chapter 248 [Reward] (6400)

Chapter 242 [Reward] (6400)

Chen Yan's voice immediately alerted the disciples guarding the outer courtyard, and in an instant, the sound of something breaking through the air could be heard.

After the courtyard gate was shaken open, three or four disciples ran in one after another.

One of them, who had just been searched and knew Chen Yan, asked loudly, "Junior brother, what happened!"

Chen Yan smiled and pointed to the ground.

Donghai was covered in talismans, his face filled with despair, his eyes glaring at Chen Yan with resentment.

"Fellow disciples, take a look. Is this the thief you've been looking for who infiltrated the sect?"

After Chen Yan finished asking, the disciples' expressions varied. The one who recognized Chen Yan quickly walked over, glanced down at Donghai, and said in a deep voice, "I don't know. We've never seen that thief before, but this person..."

Chen Yan said calmly, "My cultivation is not advanced enough. Senior brother, you should think of a way to lock him up before we talk, lest he break free of my talisman and run away again."

"Hahahaha! He can't escape!" The disciple sneered and cursed, "This bastard ruined our cultivation today. We had to patrol and search the whole mountain. Now that we've caught him, how can we let him get away?!"

As he spoke, he pointed at the East Sea, and an iron chain flew out from his sleeve and tied it around the East Sea's body.

"Zhao Shanhe! Junior Brother Zhao!"

Zhao Wuji's shouts came from outside the courtyard. He rushed in, looked at Chen Yan, and laughed loudly, "I was almost at the Sutra Repository when I heard the whistle warning me that something had happened here. I rushed over as fast as I could..."

As he spoke, he stared at Chen Yan for a couple of seconds, then looked at Dong Hai, who was chained to the ground, and laughed heartily, "Junior Brother has only been in the sect for a short time, yet he has already made great contributions. His future is limitless!"

Zhao Wuji then waved for someone to take Donghai away.

"Wait a minute," Chen Yan said, stopping them.

"Hmm? Junior Brother, is there any other question?" Zhao Wuji was a little surprised, but then he remembered something and smiled, "Junior Brother, don't worry. Jing'an Hall has strict rules. Whoever's merit belongs to them. It will never be claimed by someone else!"

Chen Yan shook his head and smiled, "That's not what I'm worried about. What I'm concerned about is the thief who was caught. I have something to say to him."

Zhao Wuji touched his nose: "What is it?"

"Senior Brother Wuji should know my background. It was the cargo ship of the Gu family that was intercepted back then..."

Chen Yan slowly said, "This guy was among the passengers on that cargo ship. I met him on the ship."

Zhao Wuji's expression hardened.

He glanced at the East Sea on the ground and thought to himself, "This thief was able to sneak into the outer sect without making a sound by bypassing the mountain-protecting formation. This is already a headache enough."

Unexpectedly, this also involves the case of the Gu family's cargo ship being intercepted and killed?
The Heavenly Demon Yin Yang Harmony Sect is a sect of saints, so why is it involved with the Gu family? This is equivalent to adding another saintly family to the list.

Since this involves a family of sages, the matter cannot be handled casually. Even the punishment of this thief must be carried out by informing the Gu family and having them participate in the interrogation.

Headache……

Zhao Wuji sighed. Jing'an Hall was responsible for the safety of the outer sect and patrolling the nearby mountains and forests. With such a major case involving two saintly sects and aristocratic families, the next few days would probably be quite busy.

However, he was also a meticulous person. After thinking for a moment, he cupped his hands to Chen Yan and said, "Since things are as you say, junior brother, then I'm afraid we'll have to trouble you to come with us to Jing'an Hall. We should bring back everything you know about this person and make a formal record of it in the hall."

"Of course." Chen Yan was not surprised and nodded, "I can go with you now."

·
Two outer disciples picked up Donghai, who was bound by iron chains, and carried him away.

Chen Yan and Zhao Wuji walked at the back, and Zhao Wuji was even more affectionate towards Chen Yan.

This junior brother Zhao Shanhe is indeed quite capable—no wonder senior brother Nangong Sheng appreciates him so much, and went so far as to make an exception and introduce him to the outer sect.

Thinking of this, Zhao Wuji asked Chen Yan how he captured Donghai Qiren.

Chen Yan only said that after the disciples who were searching left, he was cultivating in the courtyard when he accidentally discovered the flaw in the blue stone that the East Sea had transformed into. After a fight, he captured the person.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wuji frowned.

This is a bit troublesome...

According to Chen Yan, this guy was in the courtyard when he led his men to search it, but they were completely blind to him, letting him slip through their fingers right under their noses...

If this is reported, although it won't necessarily result in any punishment, I'll definitely get a scolding from the elders.

However, these things couldn't be kept secret, and Zhao Wuji was helpless.

However, the more polite they looked at Chen Yan, the more polite they became.

This person is appreciated by Senior Brother Nangong Sheng of the inner sect, and he also has quite a few skills. Moreover, I had previously investigated him and found that his temperament was also very good when he listened to sermons.

This guy, once he enters the outer sect, he'll probably have a bright future. I should definitely make friends with him.

·
Upon arriving at the side hall of Jing'an Hall, a place Chen Yan had visited before, he saw Elder Qian, whom he had met before, standing there with a gloomy expression and his hands behind his back.

Seeing the two disciples carrying Donghai over, Elder Qian glanced at him and snorted coldly, "Take him to the forbidden room and lock him up."

Then, he looked at Chen Yan, who had been brought over by Zhao Wuji, and his expression softened slightly.

"Greetings, Elder Qian." Chen Yan bowed respectfully.

Elder Qian said calmly, "When I first met you a few days ago, you were an outsider, but now you're wearing the robes of an outer disciple of the sect—since you're an outer disciple, there's no need to be so polite."

After saying that, he deliberately paused: "I heard that you caught the thief in your yard?"

“That’s right.” Chen Yan said in a dignified tone: “I was fortunate enough to discover his whereabouts and captured him after a battle of magic—there are still traces of our fight in the courtyard.”

Elder Qian nodded and led Chen Yan into the hall. Just like the last time he came here, he summoned the brush and paper that could write automatically.

Chen Yan was also very straightforward, giving a general account of his fight with Donghai without holding back.

Elder Qian raised an eyebrow upon hearing this: "You're saying that he once tried to lure you with huge rewards, asking you to let him go? And you refused?"

"It wasn't exactly a refusal; I managed to swindle some benefits from him." Chen Yan said frankly, "I encountered him in the forest when the cargo ship was intercepted and crashed there. I fought with him—this man possesses a substitute puppet, and I'm very interested in this magical artifact."

So… after capturing him, I deliberately feigned a weakness, using the excuse of letting him escape, and tricked him into revealing the method for making this magical artifact.”

Elder Qian's expression remained unchanged as he stared at Chen Yan: "You did such a thing and didn't hide it from me, telling me the truth. Aren't you afraid of being punished by the sect's rules?"

"As long as one does not betray the sect or ruin anything important, if there is an opportunity to profit, one should naturally seek some benefits—this is one's own inner demon."

As a disciple of the Heavenly Demon Yin-Yang Harmony Sect, I must confront my inner demons!

Elder Qian's expression was strange, but he finally nodded: "You're right. Anyway, you haven't made any mistakes, and you've captured the person. So doing a little thing that aligns with your inner demons is harmless. But remember, you can face your inner demons, but you must never go against the principles of heaven."

"Understood! Integration, balance!" Chen Yan said with a polite smile.

He knew he had made the right bet; as expected, the sect wouldn't pursue the matter.

Then, Chen Yan recounted his past experiences of being neighbors with Donghai when he was in Xitai City, and how they met again on the Gu family's cargo ship.

“This disciple has some ideas. This thief named Donghai offended many people when he was in Xitai City. I heard that he also owed a lot of debts and then secretly escaped to leave Xitai City on the Gu family’s cargo ship… Perhaps the fact that the cargo ship was intercepted halfway was also related to his enemies outside.”

“We will naturally investigate these matters—well, if the Gu family is involved, we will also ask someone from the Gu family to participate.”

Fortunately, the garrison commander from the Gu family hadn't left yet; he was a guest at the inner sect of the Immortal Mountain. Once the news is relayed, they should send someone down to interrogate him together.

Elder Qian pondered for a moment, then quickly pulled out his sleeve, tucked the brush into his hand, and took out a piece of paper. With swift, flowing strokes, he wrote a few lines:
"Zhao Shanhe, a disciple of the Outer Sect's Weapon Refining Hall, bravely captured a thief who infiltrated the sect. His character is commendable. He is hereby awarded 500 jade coins, a Water-Fire-Yin-Yang robe, and a third-class merit."

After he finished writing, he flicked his wrist, and a small golden seal instantly materialized in his palm. He gently pressed it onto the paper, leaving behind a mark that radiated a precious light.

"Take this and go to the Artifact Hall to collect your reward."

Chen Yan smiled and accepted the gift with both hands: "Thank you, Elder Qian."

"No need to thank me, you deserve it. My Jing'an Hall is in charge of rewards and punishments for the outer sect, and we will act fairly."

Elder Qian waved his hand at Chen Yan: "You may go now."

Chen Yan took the paper and was about to leave when he saw a burly, broad-shouldered fat man striding towards him down the corridor. He was dressed in the leather armor of a general from Xueya Pass and moved with incredible speed.

It was Gu Jiu, the same Gu Jiu who had questioned Chen Yan before.

As Chen Yan saw the fat man stride towards him, he immediately stepped aside, bowed, and watched the fat man enter the room before turning away himself.

·
This was Chen Yan's second visit to the Artifact Hall; he had previously come to collect the outer disciple's robes.

However, this time when he came to collect the reward, after he handed over the reward slip personally signed by Elder Qian, the deacon in charge of receiving him became much more enthusiastic.

Five hundred jade coins were placed in a wooden box and given to Chen Yan to accept.

And that water and fire yin-yang robe was actually a pretty good magic artifact!

Although its grade is not high, it is said to be woven from a type of spider silk unique to this realm, making it sturdy and durable. It also possesses a special attribute: it is impervious to water and fire.

It can separate water when it enters water, and it can avoid fire when it enters fire.

Of course, this only applies to ordinary water and ordinary fire.

If you insist on trying to create some kind of Samadhi Fire, it will still turn you to ashes.

But... it's not bad, I guess.

After accepting the jade, Chen Yan did not put it on immediately, but put it into his storage jade pendant along with the jade coins.

Just as Chen Yan was about to leave, the steward smiled and said, "Junior brother, you are now a walking disciple of the outer sect's weapon refining hall, so it's not appropriate for you to stay in the courtyard of the outer courtyard's prospective disciples forever."

"It's time to arrange a place for you to stay. Do you have any specific requirements regarding the accommodation?"

Chen Yan was taken aback.

He had no intention of changing his residence—he had originally planned to leave the Heavenly Demon Yin Yang Joyful Union Sect after things here were settled, and go to the Southern Frontier City of No Return to search for the Ghost Clan.

So I've been living in the outer courtyard for prospective disciples and haven't thought about moving.

But now that he had made a contribution and received a reward, the people from the Artifacts Hall took the initiative to ask him about it...

Thinking about the matter of the beautiful flower fairy, he knew he would inevitably have to return to the Heavenly Demon Yin Yang Joyful Union Sect in the future.

Having a place to live on your own is not bad.

"Hmm... as long as it's spacious, quiet, and undisturbed, that's fine."

The steward chuckled: "You're joking. Cultivators generally prefer quiet places to live. Spaciousness isn't difficult; the outer sect occupies a large area, so there's no shortage of space."

"Well, but you're only a low-ranking outer disciple, so you're not allowed to live in a separate courtyard. You can only share a room with other disciples of the same rank..."

Upon hearing the idea of ​​sharing a room, Chen Yan immediately lost all interest.

They show that they actually live in luxurious villas of several hundred square meters.

Even after reaching the realm, do I still have to share an apartment with someone?

Seeing that Chen Yan's expression showed little interest, the steward knew that he was not to Chen Yan's liking. He thought for a moment and then smiled and said, "But it's spacious... so it's not a bad thing."

I wonder if Junior Brother Zhao will find this place too damp?

"what?"

"There is a place that is spacious and secluded, and few people go there on weekdays. But the place is very damp and humid, so the disciples in the sect are not very willing to live there."

Chen Yan sighed.

Based on my reading of countless online novels and my own personal experiences...

"Senior brother, the place you're talking about, it's not another haunted house or cemetery, is it?"

"Don't worry, it's definitely not a haunted house!" Chen Yan: "..."

·
It's absolutely impossible for it to be a haunted house.

A sect of saints and sages has excellent fortune and luck, so there is no way that there are any claims of haunted houses.

Even if they did, which ghost would dare to operate within a saint's sect?
Isn't this like a mouse sneaking into a cat's nest?
but……

·
Half an hour later, Chen Yan was already standing in this place with "high humidity and moisture".

Standing with him was the butler from the artifact hall.

Let's say that.

The entire Heavenly Demon Yin Yang Harmony Sect is like cutting a mountain in half.

The upper half ascended into the air and became part of the inner sect of the immortal mountain.

The lower half is where the outer gate is now located.

The outer gate is located on the cut surface of this mountain.

This place, with its high humidity and moisture content, is located at the southwesternmost edge of this section.

Just a few steps away, there are sheer cliffs.

And is it because of the high humidity...?

The inner gate of the immortal mountain, which rises into the sky, has a waterfall cascading down its slopes year-round.

But that mountain was floating in mid-air! The waterfall falling from that fairy mountain naturally became rain falling from mid-air!

Coincidentally, the waterfall is located in the southwest of the mountain peak.

It landed right on the southwestern edge of the outer gate halfway up the mountain.

Chen Yan had only been standing there for a few minutes when he reached out and wiped his face, his palms damp with sweat.

Well, to call it raining wouldn't be quite right; it's more like a misty fog.

It's like the finest, most delicate drizzle of spring. You can stand in it for a while and your clothes won't get wet, but if you touch your hair, your hands will be soaked.

Moreover, what made Chen Yan look somewhat helpless was...

"This is what you meant by 'not a haunted house'?"

“Yes, junior brother, I told you it’s not a haunted house! But… I didn’t say it wasn’t a cemetery.”

Chen Yan stared wide-eyed at the small courtyard in front of him.

And...outside the courtyard, leaning against the cliff edge, a row of...

tombstone.

·
The steward took out a jade key and gently unlocked the door to the small courtyard.

As the key was inserted and turned, a faint light dissipated above the courtyard. Chen Yan recognized it as some kind of restrictive magic array.

As Chen Yan and the steward entered the courtyard, Chen Yan felt a little relieved.

The damp, rainy feeling disappeared as soon as I stepped into the courtyard; there was no longer that dense, misty feeling of the Western Regions brushing against my face.

Looking up, there was indeed a loose, arc-shaped air curtain above the courtyard, blocking the drizzle that had been transformed from the waterfall falling from the fairy mountain above.

Yes, the rain has stopped, but the air is still very humid.

Chen Yan sighed. In this place, an ordinary person would develop arthritis after living here for two months!

The courtyard is divided into east and west wings.

Chen Yan's room was on the east side, in a row of houses divided into three rooms.

Chen Yan glanced around; the room was fairly dry—but still quite humid. There was a gloomy feeling on the table.

One bedroom, one practice room, and one storage room.

To Chen Yan's surprise, there was a stove and an anvil in the storage room.

"Junior brother, look, it's convenient to refine pills or forge weapons here." The steward smiled. "Moreover, it's quiet here. No one comes here on ordinary days. There are only two fixed days each year when people come..."

"Hmm, one for Qingming Festival, and one for the Ghost Festival, right?"

Chen Yan said irritably.

The butler chuckled.

Chen Yan pushed open the window and pointed to the west wing, saying, "What about over there? Is that mine too?"

"Oh, that's not true."

The steward's eyes were somewhat strange. He pulled out a booklet from his sleeve, glanced at it, and then said, "Hmm, the booklet records that a tomb keeper lives in the west wing. He is responsible for cleaning the cemetery. He is an old disciple of the outer sect. The booklet says he has lived here for over sixty years. I suppose he is one of the outer sect disciples with the worst talent and no future in cultivation, and was assigned to do these things."

"Do outer sect disciples also do menial tasks?"

"It says in the booklet that he is the cemetery manager, a manager, not a handyman."

Chen Yan frowned: "So, besides this manager, are there any other servants here?"

"Uh……"

Okay, got it.

An old disciple of Deng, who was nominally in charge but actually had no real power.

What do you call this? You call him a nominal CFO, but he's the only person in the entire finance department.

His status was that of an outer disciple, but he did menial tasks.

“I haven’t met that person before, but according to the records, he’s the lowest-ranking disciple in the outer sect—just like you. So you don’t need to worry about him bullying you. Besides, junior brother, you’ve just earned merit this time, and your third-class merit has already been reported. In a few days at most, you’ll be promoted to first rank.”

"At that time, your rank here will be higher than his."

Seeing Chen Yan's indifferent expression, the steward smiled and said, "You don't really need to care about him. That person doesn't usually live here. I heard he likes to wander around the mountains and might not come back for ten days or half a month."

This courtyard is practically your junior brother's private property.

Chen Yan squinted and thought for a moment, then nodded, took the jade key from the steward, and cupped his hands, saying, "In that case, thank you, Senior Brother!"

The steward nodded, not wanting to linger either, and said with a smile, "Junior brother, you can stay here peacefully. If you need anything, you can go to the Artifact Hall to get it. For minor things, just say the word to me. For other things, you can go to the Refining Hall and ask the elder in charge to give you a slip to pick up from me."

Chen Yan thanked him again and then watched the steward leave.

Looking back at the courtyard, Chen Yan grinned.

It's alright, at least I have a place in the Heavenly Demon Yin Yang Joyful Union Sect.

·
The tomb keeper's quarters in the west wing were still quiet. Chen Yan went over to take a look. There was no one in the room, but the windows were covered in condensation.

Judging from the looks of it, it must have been quite a while since anyone came back.

That makes sense. Guarding the cemetery, apart from Qingming Festival and Ghost Festival, there really isn't much to do each year.

Chen Yan walked out of the courtyard and stood in front of the gate.

The terrain here is actually higher than most of the outer gate area.

Although it is a cross-section that cuts out a large mountain, it is not completely flat, but has a slight curve. The southwestern edge is the highest point in the entire outer gate area.

Hmm, probably the powerful being who used his supreme magic to carve out this mountain back then...

His eyes are slightly crooked?

That's how you cut a sloping surface.

To Chen Yan's surprise, standing at this vantage point at the entrance of the courtyard, one could look down and have a panoramic view of most of the outer gate area!

The Weapon Hall, the Weapon Forging Hall, the Alchemy Hall, the Jing'an Hall, the Scripture Repository, the Training Grounds, the Outer Courtyard, the Lecture Hall...

I've visited each area in turn.

Suddenly, a slit appeared at the corner of Chen Yan's eye.

He saw an area shrouded in mist, which seemed to adorn the numerous buildings and palaces with a white, misty haze.

It was the pond where the beautiful flower fairy, Meirenxia, ​​was!

From here, you can look down and see that place.

·
Chen Yan returned to the courtyard, which was empty and devoid of any furnishings.

However, most of the plants in the row of flowerpots placed in the corner had withered, and some had even rotted due to the moisture.

Occasionally, one or two pots might still be alive, but they would be crooked, half-dead, and barely clinging to life.

Chen Yan didn't know much about the plants in the realm—he had only seen the names of many of them but had never actually seen the plants, so he wouldn't recognize them even if they were placed in front of him.

After a quick glance, I guessed that they were probably the offspring of that gravedigger, but they weren't well cared for and were almost wiped out.

He turned back to his east wing and took a look at the training room.

There are no energy transmission arrays inside—the energy in a saintly sect is already abundant, so there is no need for energy transmission arrays.

However, the futon on the ground was obviously rotten. Chen Yan picked it up and threw it outside. Then, he picked out a cushion from the pile of supplies in his storage jade pendant and threw it on the ground.

After thinking about it, I decided to lay out a blanket first.

Back in the bedroom, the bed was made of stone, carved from bluestone slabs.

That's really unique!
In such a damp place, the bed was carved from stone, making it cold, hard, and damp.

If you stay here for a few months, all sorts of ailments like rheumatism, internal dampness, and herniated discs will probably appear.

Take out a latex mattress and put it on, then cover it with two blankets; it's soft now.

Chen Yan lay down on it and breathed a sigh of relief.

I started to think about my own affairs.

With Donghai captured, his fate now rests entirely on his own—this guy didn't recognize his own voice, so he probably wouldn't connect himself to the Fairy of the Clouds.

Then there's really nothing to be afraid of.

Chen Yan had no qualms about arresting Dong Hai—that guy was no good!
The only pity is that after capturing Donghai, Donghai's storage equipment was also handed over—he couldn't keep that thing himself.

I remember that guy from the East Sea had quite a few good things on him!

I've seen two substitute puppets alone! And the spirit sword he uses is no ordinary item either; it was able to break through my Golden Light Technique.

It's a pity... we can't refuse to hand over the storage equipment.

Chen Yan lay on the bed for a while, reviewing his experiences at the Heavenly Demon Yin Yang Joyful Union Sect over the past few days, before making his next decision.

Tomorrow, I will go to Jing'an Hall to ask for instructions. If the Gu family does not intend to ask any more questions, I will leave!

It's time to go to southern Xinjiang.

(End of this chapter)