Put away your magical powers now!.

Chapter 252 [When you encounter a reclusive master, you must flatter them!]

Chapter 246 [When you encounter a reclusive master, you must flatter them!]

Chen Yan had always thought that the spirit-sealing technique for making talismans was not a particularly impressive skill.

Well, maybe it's a little impressive, but it doesn't seem to be incredibly impressive.

While in the Badlands, Gu Jinjia saw the talismans he had created using the spirit-sealing technique during his battles.

I remember that Gu Jinjia seemed to admire me quite a bit from then on.

But because Gu Jinjia's reaction wasn't that outrageous, Chen Yan always thought that this method was just a bit more sophisticated... that's all.

But, judging from Nangong Sheng's reaction and Old Wang's reaction at this moment...

Chen Yan suddenly realized that he might have overlooked something.

Gu Jinjia's reaction was merely one of surprise, because he was the eldest son of the Gu family!

He is the eldest son of the Gu family, a top-tier wealthy family in the realm. If it weren't for Gu Qingyi's sudden emergence, Gu Jinjia would have been the number one heir to the family head position.

He stands among the most elite people in the realm—not in terms of strength, but in terms of status, position, vision, and knowledge.

Nangong Sheng is far inferior.

Well, the problem is coming.

What's wrong with Lao Wang?

·
With Lao Wang's interruption, and Nangong Sheng already somewhat drunk and not quite clear-headed, he casually put down the talisman in his hand, smiled, and pointed at Chen Yan: "Shanhe, you should be more careful when drawing talismans in the future. If you don't understand anything, you can come to the Refining Hall to ask me."

"What the hell are you asking?" Old Wang laughed and cursed, "You spend all your time on the sacred mountain, we hardly ever see you, yet you're spouting these cheap nonsense."

As he spoke, he got up, walked over, and pulled Nangong Sheng back to the table to sit down: "There's still half a bowl of wine left. Finish it and leave quickly. This old man needs to tidy up the yard."

Chen Yan's eyes darted around, and after glancing at Old Wang, he turned to Nangong Sheng and asked, "I still haven't asked, how come you are so familiar with Senior Brother Wang?"

"Ha! This old scoundrel is quite a character!" Nangong Sheng laughed heartily, his face showing a charming drunken expression: "The number one infatuated man in the sect, hahahahaha! When I first heard his story, I looked down on him a bit."

But after meeting him twice more, I realized he was actually a truly remarkable person! A remarkable person indeed!

As he spoke, Nangong Sheng picked up the last half bowl of wine in front of him and drank it down in one gulp. Still not satisfied, he picked up the wine jar and shook it. There was still some wine left inside. He then raised the wine jar high, tilted his head back, and brought it to his lips.

After gulping down two mouthfuls, I don't know if I drank more or vomited more, but the wine in the jar was all gone.

Nangong Sheng put the wine jar on the table and turned to look at Old Wang, whose face had darkened.

"Old Wang, what are you angry about? Are you blaming me for calling you the most devoted lover in the sect?"

"You've had too much to drink, get out of here!" Old Wang stood up and pushed Nangong Sheng aside.

Nangong Sheng waved his sleeves, laughing loudly as his robes fluttered in the breeze: "The wine has been enjoyed to the fullest today! I shall return and sleep soundly for three days!"

As he spoke, he retreated rapidly, disappearing from the courtyard in an instant, leaving behind a long string of laughter.

Nangong Sheng left, but Chen Yan sat on the bench, looking up at Old Wang with a complex scrutiny in his eyes.

"What are you still sitting there for? Clean up the table." Old Wang waved his hand with a dark face.

Chen Yan smiled, got up and cleared the bowls and chopsticks from the table, throwing them directly into the large pot on the stove: "I'm too lazy to do anything today, I'll wash them tomorrow."

Old Wang snorted, but wiped the table and then draped a rag over his shoulder.

Just as he was about to turn away, Chen Yan called out, "Senior Brother Wang."

"Ok?"

"You... are not simple." Chen Yan sighed.

Old Wang chuckled: "Speak your mind."

"You can see through my talisman-drawing technique, so why did you help me conceal it just now?"

Old Wang glared at Chen Yan: "I was saving you! You brat, you don't know your place. Do you think just anyone can do this spirit-sealing technique?"
If your technique is exposed, the sect will likely question your origins. How could a lowly rogue cultivator from Snow Cliff Pass possess such talisman-drawing skills?

Chen Yan's heart tightened, and he slowly said, "Is this technique so rare?"

"Only the Secret Service of Sendai possesses such talismans. Apart from that, they are rarely seen even among aristocratic families and sects. Would you say they are rare or not?"

Chen Yan was stunned.

This technique was taught to him by the great demon Yun Que; he truly had no idea that this thing was so rare.

"then you……"

"Don't pry into my secrets." Old Wang squinted. "Kid, did I ask you why you chose to enter the sect with a face made of shapeshifting magic? Heh! A shapeshifting ability created from a demon's inner core is not bad, it's enough for other places, but do you think no one will see through your disguise in a sect with the inheritance of a saint?"

Chen Yan was shocked! He could see through my shapeshifting technique!!

"I haven't inquired about your background, so don't bother asking me about this old man's affairs." Old Wang shrugged. "Let's just leave each other alone!"

After saying that, Old Wang turned and left. Just as he reached his door, Chen Yan suddenly laughed from behind and asked, "What's the deal with that sect's number one love-struck man?"

Old Wang stumbled, turned around and cursed angrily, "That talkative parrot Nangong Sheng! I'm never letting him into my yard again!"

After saying that, he rushed into his room as if fleeing, and slammed the door shut.

·
That day, Old Wang didn't leave his room again, so Chen Yan had to go to his own room to move his vital energy to cultivate.

He was already a third-realm cultivator, and his speed of transporting vital energy was getting faster and faster, and his efficiency was also greatly improved. As he cultivated in this place with abundant vital energy within the Saint Sect, his cultivation level slowly increased little by little.

Chen Yan roughly estimated that if this pace continued, it would take him about three or four years to complete the third realm, the Ascending Stage, and reach the Great Perfection realm.

but……

How can self-cultivation compare to the satisfaction of reaping rewards without sowing?
When I get back, I need to find more cheat codes and increase my merit points.

·
The next morning, Chen Yan was meditating in his training room when he heard the sound of a door opening coming from Old Wang's house outside the courtyard.

Chen Yan immediately got up and went out, only to see Old Wang just walking out of the west wing.

He did change his clothes; the dirty apricot-yellow robe he had worn for several days was gone. Now he was wearing a robe, which, although it looked old, was at least washed clean and no longer covered in grime.

Upon closer inspection, Chen Yan noticed that Old Wang had even combed his hair properly today. There were no stray hairs on his forehead or temples, and his hair was even neatly combed, close to his scalp. Even the tree branch that was originally stuck in his hair bun had been replaced with a polished wooden hairpin.

He carried a wooden bucket in his left hand and a broom in his right. After glancing at Chen Yan, he nodded and walked out of the courtyard.

Chen Yan followed him to the gate of the courtyard, only to see that Old Wang was heading towards the southwest cemetery.

After a morning of work, Old Wang seemed to finally remember his title as the cemetery manager and managed to properly fulfill his duties.

He walked among the tombstones in the cemetery.

Remove the weeds and wash away the dirt from the grave.

Afterwards, he even took out a bronze incense burner and lit a few sticks of incense.

Seeing that Old Wang had bowed earnestly to the bronze incense burner several times, he said solemnly, "I was busy with miscellaneous matters the other day and neglected to clean your homes. Today I have given you a good cleaning, so please don't blame me for the neglect I had shown you the other day!"
These incense sticks are my apology to the old man.

Dear senior brothers and sisters, if you know this from beyond the grave, please don't hold a grudge against the old man.

After the incense burned out, Old Wang put away the bronze incense burner, casually poured the water from the bucket into it, tossed the broom inside, picked it up, walked to the side, found a stone stool, sat down, and surprisingly pulled out a pipe from his pocket. He casually flicked his fingers to light it and slowly took a puff.

After taking two puffs of his cigarette, his eyes seemed to be hidden in the dark blue smoke. But after hearing footsteps approaching, Old Wang sighed helplessly, "I told you kid, don't be so curious about an old man like me. Why don't you listen?"

Chen Yan had already walked up to Old Wang, looked at the cluster of tombstones beside him, shook his head and smiled, "Who's asking about your secrets? I just felt bad that I hadn't come to pay my respects to the elders of our sect while staying here all these days, so I came to take a look."

"You cunning little brat, how could you be so kind?" Old Wang sneered. "Fine, go ahead and worship if you want. Let the senior sect members underground see if you, this kid who infiltrated the sect with a fake face, are up to no good. Maybe they'll see through your tricks and crawl out of their graves to strangle you."

Chen Yan didn't care about Lao Wang's vicious words. Instead, he chuckled and sat down on the stone stool next to Lao Wang, even squeezing in with his buttocks. "Move aside, make room."

Old Wang stared at Chen Yan with wide eyes, finally managed a helpless bitter smile, and moved away a little.

Once Chen Yan was comfortable, he reached into his hand and pulled out a cigarette, saying with a smile, "Want to try mine?"

"Tch, it's just cigarettes from another world. You can buy these in big cities." Old Wang waved his hand: "I don't like smoking these."

"Old Wang," Chen Yan said in a low voice, "since you saw through my disguise using shapeshifting magic—why don't you report me to the sect?"

"Report you? Why would I report you? What good would it do me?" Old Wang waved his hand. "You're not stealing or robbing, and you're not here to harm the sect. As long as I know those two things, I won't bother with you."

As he spoke, he looked at Chen Yan with some disdain: "Why do you always hang around this old man? I told you I won't bother you, so don't worry about me reporting you."

I don't want to get close to you either... Chen Yan sighed inwardly.

But, well, who told you to be a hidden master like a sweeping monk!
The fact that Old Wang could see through my spirit-sealing technique shows that, at least in terms of knowledge, he is stronger than Nangong Sheng, an outstanding disciple of the sect's inner sect!

Moreover, the fact that he could see through my transformation technique indicates that his cultivation level is at least at the Celestial Realm!

This kind of person, however, happens to be a low-ranking outer disciple within the sect, and is stuck with a menial job in the cemetery that no one cares about.

What else could this be but a hidden master monk!
"Hey Lao Wang, what level are you at exactly?"

"Mid-stage Returning to Origin Realm." Chen Yan curled his lip: "I'd never believe you!"

"If you don't believe me, then get lost. Didn't you want to pay respects to the seniors? Why are you wasting your breath here? Go and kowtow. There are more than two hundred tombstones here. Go and kowtow to them one by one."

Chen Yan actually stood up, calmly walked to a row of tombstones, and looked at them one by one...

Although he did not kneel down and kowtow, he casually cupped his hands in greeting and said loudly, "Fellow disciples and seniors, I just entered the sect and happen to live nearby. In a way, I am both a fellow disciple and a neighbor to you all."

I haven't had a chance to visit before, but I've come today to pay my respects. From now on, as neighbors, I hope you seniors will look after this junior!

He spoke in such a casual manner, bowing and clasping his hands as he walked down the road.

A moment later, Chen Yan walked to a spot, but suddenly froze.

Old Wang had spent the whole morning cleaning up most of the other graves in the cemetery, removing most of the weeds and dirt.

But this particular tombstone in front of me has faded and worn characters—it's even cracked, with clumps of weeds growing out of the cracks in the stone.

The ground in front of the tombstone was overgrown with weeds, and the dampness made the grave look dilapidated.

It was as if Old Wang had been busy all morning, cleaning up the surrounding area, but had deliberately overlooked this one!
Chen Yan was puzzled. As soon as he turned around, he saw that Old Wang had been standing silently behind him without him noticing. He said coldly, "You've finished looking and worshipping. Why don't you go back to your cultivation?"

"What's the point of cultivation?" Chen Yan shook his head.

"Hmm? Don't you spend all your time cultivating in your room?"

Chen Yan shook his head: "I don't want to practice today. I think you're right now, cultivation is something you can't force..."

Old Wang sighed: "Kid, don't bother this old man. There's nothing you can get out of this old man."

Chen Yan's tone was very sincere: "What are you saying, Senior Brother Wang! I only want to get close to you because I truly admire you."

Old Wang rolled his eyes so hard they almost touched the ground, and finally sighed: "Junior brother, here's what we'll do. You don't have to worry about your shapeshifting spell being seen through... Remember the little wooden sword I gave you the other day? As long as you keep it with you, your shapeshifting spell won't be seen through."

"That's all I can do for you, senior brother. You'd better save your energy and stop bothering me."

Chen Yan's heart suddenly stirred!
During his questioning yesterday, in the main hall of Jing'an Hall, he clearly sensed that Elder Nangong was using magic to look at him, but he couldn't see through his transformation spell...

That's it!

It wasn't that Elder Nangong's cultivation was insufficient to see through it, nor was it that he saw through it but deliberately kept quiet.

Rather, it was... the work of this senior brother, Old Wang!
Chen Yan didn't know the exact cultivation level of Elder Nangong Yuan, the top figure in the outer sect, but there was no doubt that he was above the Celestial Realm.

The wooden sword that Old Wang casually gave him was enough to block his magical prying!

A sweeping monk, it has to be a sweeping monk!
If he weren't at least at the Celestial Realm level, I'd crawl backwards!
·
Such hidden masters usually have some quirks, and ordinary methods certainly won't work if you want to get close to them or curry favor with them—otherwise, this old man wouldn't have been able to hide in the sect for so many years.

Moreover, it seems that he only has a slightly better relationship with Nangong Sheng these days; everyone else is just annoying to him.

Well, weirdos have weird quirks, and you only want to be close to weirdos.

Nangong Sheng is a bit strange.

Old Wang had treated him differently before, probably because of his somewhat eccentric behavior. As a cultivator, he had even cooked with him, indulging in the pleasures of food.

Chen Yan's eyes darted around, then he looked to his left and right before his gaze settled on the dilapidated grave in front of him.

"Um... Senior Brother Wang has been busy all morning and seems tired. There's still one senior's tombstone left to clean, so I'll have you do it for him..."

As he spoke, Chen Yan waved his hand to remove the weeds from the cracks in the tombstone.

"Don't!"

Old Wang grabbed Chen Yan's wrist in one go.

Chen Yan raised an eyebrow.

Although he only waved his hand casually, the strength of his body, nourished by the sap of the divine tree, had long surpassed that of Nascent Soul cultivators of the same realm! Even among cultivators who followed the path of body cultivation, he was not inferior.

Old Wang grabbed his arm immediately.

Chang Wei! You still say you don't know martial arts!

"This grave doesn't need to be cleaned," Old Wang said sternly.

Chen Yan's heart skipped a beat, and he deliberately lowered his voice: "Old Wang... could it be that your enemy is buried under this grave?"

"..." Old Wang shook off Chen Yan's hand and turned to walk away.

Chen Yan quickly followed and sat down with Old Wang on the stone stool.

Seeing Old Wang puffing on his cigarette, Chen Yan smiled and took out a jar of wine from his storage jade pendant.

It was the bulk Moutai that he had prepared.

"It's just ordinary wine, but the taste is alright. If you don't mind, senior brother, shall we have a couple of sips?"

As he spoke, Chen Yan took out a few more side dishes.

Old Wang snorted, but didn't refuse. He took the wine jar, and without even using a bowl, tilted his head back and took a swig.

After smacking his lips, he nodded: "Although it's just ordinary wine and lacks vitality, the taste is still acceptable."

Of course, it's genuine Feitian Moutai, poured into the jar and brought here.

Chen Yan pursed his lips, then took out another jar and drank a sip with Old Wang.

"Senior brother, that grave... is it really your enemy's?"

"……no."

"Then, is she a love rival?"

"Cough cough cough!" Old Wang stared wide-eyed at Chen Yan: "Nonsense!"

“Yesterday Nangong Sheng said you are the most devoted lover, of course I would think that way.”

Old Wang asked helplessly, "What exactly do you want?"

"I want to learn more about you, senior brother, and get along well with such a reclusive and accomplished person," Chen said frankly.

"...You don't even try to hide it," Old Wang snorted. "What do you want? Cultivation techniques? Magic weapons? Secret manuals of supernatural powers? Rare and precious treasures?"

Chen Yan was overjoyed: "Can I choose any one?"

"...I don't have any of those." Old Wang said with a stern face.

"Then... Senior brother's wood carving skills these past two days, the one he gave me for that little wooden sword... could you teach this skill to your junior brother?" Chen Yan's eyes lit up.

Old Wang snorted: "Teach you? Let's not even talk about whether I'm willing or not. Even if I were willing, would you have time to learn? I heard Nangong Sheng say at the dinner table yesterday that you were planning to leave the sect tomorrow, weren't you?"

"Senior brother, could you give me a jade slip? I'll take it with me and learn slowly."

Why should I teach you?

"Based on our deep camaraderie! Based on our harmonious neighborly relations!"

Old Wang was stunned. He stared at Chen Yan for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh and curse, "When I first started out, why didn't I encounter a scoundrel like you!"

Chen Yan chuckled and picked up a boneless chicken foot, chewing it in his mouth.

"Kid, you really want to curry favor with me?"

"What kind of flattery is that?! I genuinely want to be friends with you, senior brother!"

Chen Yan isn't stupid.

When you encounter such a mysterious and powerful person, is there any better choice than to curry favor with them?
Previously, he encountered the great demon of the skylark and went to great lengths to trick and abduct him. Later, he received many benefits from the great demon of the skylark!

The little girl taught him several spells and even gave him equipment and magical artifacts as gifts.

There's also the ability to travel by teleportation and such...

The only downside is that the Great Demon Lark cannot leave the Mirror World, so she cannot be used as a henchman.

When facing a formidable enemy, it's impossible for him to drag her out to fight for him.

Otherwise, a Nascent Soul Realm Great Perfection cultivator would be a half-step Venerable!
If they've all been lured to my side, wouldn't I be able to do whatever I want?
Fawning over a master, especially a reclusive master with an eccentric temperament who finds you agreeable, is an incredibly lucrative business!
"Alright! You do something for this old man first, as a pledge of loyalty, and then I'll take you on as my friend." Old Wang smiled.

"You said, as long as you don't let me attack the sect's sacred mountain..."

"Go now, to that grave just now, go and pee on that tombstone!"

"..."

Chen Yan was stunned.

Holy crap, Lao Wang, you've really crossed the line!

·
(End of this chapter)