Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 273 Meeting the Sect Master
"Um……"

Song Yan pondered for a moment and decided that there was no need to hide what Xin Shan Sanren had said from his master.

He said, "According to Xinshan Sanren himself, it was Yang Wenxuan who sent him to kill me."

"I knew it was that old dog!"

Qin Xijun was filled with rage, her anger rising to the heavens. She wanted to confront Yang Wenxuan again: "I'm going to kill him!"

"Hey, Master, don't be in such a hurry."

Song Yan quickly stepped back to stop her and reassured her, "Calm down."

"When I reported to the mission hall, I only described in detail the incident of being ambushed by Xinshan Sanren, and did not implicate Yang Wenxuan."

Qin Xijun frowned slightly: "Why?"

Song Yan smiled and replied gently, "This matter concerns the cultivators of the Demon Ruins. If it involves the sect, it will be very troublesome."

"Moreover, this matter is only a speculation and there is no empirical evidence."

“Making accusations rashly will only alert the enemy and may even lead to a counterattack, with the elders being falsely accused, creating unnecessary trouble.”

He paused slightly, his voice turning cold: "Perhaps this person is using Xinshan Sanren to try and make the disciple disappear. Even if he fails, he will never leave any evidence against himself."

"Hmph." Qin Xijun's lips curled into a mocking smile. "He's quite the schemer! But if he does something, there will always be traces."

Song Yan took a deep breath: "This is my own business..."

"Master, please feel free to leave it to me."

Qin Xijun gave him a deep look and slowly uttered a single word: "Okay."

The two then chatted idly on the cliff, and when the topic of demonic cultivators came up, she asked about the fate of the Hu family.

Upon hearing about Hu's fate, Qin Xijun showed little emotion; she was already used to such things.

The last rays of the sunset had burned out, and the last magnificent purple was being quickly swallowed up by a touch of indigo on the mountaintop.

The mountain wind became even more biting, and the temperature on the cliff dropped sharply.

“Master, the spiritual energy here is terrible, you…” Song Yan looked at Qin Xijun’s thin, moon-white dress and couldn’t help but speak.

Although the forbidden area is a place for reflection, given Qin Xijun's cultivation level and status, he should have no shortage of ways to keep warm. He was only showing concern as a junior.

If possible, try to plead with the sect leader to release him.

Qin Xijun interrupted him, saying, "Mind your own business."

"I'm happy to stay here..."

"As for you, what are your plans upon returning to the sect?" she changed the subject.

Song Yan pondered for a moment: "Let's recuperate for a while and stabilize our cultivation. Who knows, we might have to go to the front line to defend against the demonic cultivators."

Qin Xijun nodded: "With Master not around, please be careful."

"It's almost time."

She suddenly spoke, looked up at the sky above her head, then looked at Song Yan, and suddenly took half a step forward.

Qin Xijun reached out her hand, but instead of tapping his head as she used to do, she didn't.

Instead, as if brushing away dust, it lightly patted Song Yan's shoulder.

"Go."

She withdrew her hand and turned back to face the bottomless valley.

"Cultivate yourself well, live well. Only by living... can there be a future."

Song Yan nodded, bowed to Qin Xijun's retreating figure, and then turned and left.

Backtrack.

He saw the deacon who was in charge of those reflecting on their mistakes at the Sky Falcon Cliff again.

"Senior Uncle Sun, this disciple will take his leave."

Faced with the restrictions, Song Yan stopped and bowed once more to the taciturn elder.

The other party must be Sun Zhengfu's father.

To Song Yan's surprise, Senior Uncle Sun frowned slightly and slowly shook his head: "Wait, you can't leave yet."

"Hmm?" Song Yan paused. "Does Uncle-Master have any further instructions?"

Senior Master Sun looked at him and said slowly, "It wasn't my order. The sect leader just sent me a message, asking you to go to the back mountain of the forbidden area immediately after you finish visiting Elder Qin."

"The back hill..."

Upon hearing this, Song Yan's heart skipped a beat.

The forbidden area of ​​Dragon Head Peak has the Sky Falcon Cliff on the front mountain as a place for reflection, and the back mountain is said to be the place where the sect leader cultivates in seclusion.

"Now?"

"Yes, this is the time. Just follow this path. You have entered the forbidden area. The barrier at the back of the mountain will not stop you. A spiritual guide will show you the way."

Uncle Sun spoke with certainty and left no room for doubt, pointing to a secluded path shrouded in spiritual mist beside him.

This path extends deeper into Dragon Head Peak, shrouded in mist, making its outline indistinct.

"Disciple accepts the order."

He agreed verbally, but his mind was already racing with thoughts.

What business does this sect leader have with me?
During their trip to Longtan Mountain, they were ambushed by a fake elixir user, their life lamp went out, and they were also involved in a fight between Granny Qin and Yang Wenxuan...

These incidents, one by one, should be considered trivial matters in the eyes of a Golden Core cultivator like the sect leader.

The purpose of this summons is unclear...

Song Yan took a deep breath to suppress the turmoil in her heart.

He bowed to his senior brother Sun again to express his gratitude, then turned and stepped onto the secluded path.

As soon as Song Yan stepped inside, he felt the scene before him change once again.

A thick fog gently enveloped us, and as far as the eye could see, it was nothing but surging, flowing milky white.

The spiritual energy was exceptionally rich and pure, almost condensing into wisps visible to the naked eye.

The surroundings were completely silent, with only the faint sound of flowing water.

Following the sound of water, the path underfoot gradually becomes clearer, and the scenery of the stream becomes more distinct.

After about half a cup of tea's time, the path came to an end.

Suddenly, the view opened up, and the fog dispersed to both sides, revealing the heart of a valley.

The valley is not large, but it is lush with vegetation, dotted with exotic flowers and herbs, and the air is filled with a refreshing fragrance of grass and trees and the slightly moist scent of earth.

The chill and loneliness I felt along the way settled down here.

At the end of the valley, a steep, massive stone wall rises abruptly from the ground, like a natural screen.

Below the rock wall, the stream meanders to this spot, forming a small pool of water.

Beside the puddle stands an ancient blue stone tablet.

The stone tablet has a smooth surface but no words on it, and a figure stands in front of it.

The man simply stood casually beside the blue stone tablet, his figure seemingly more steadfast than the stone wall and the giant tablet.

In a daze, Song Yan felt that he himself was part of this valley, completely integrated with the stream, grass and trees, and stone walls, without any distinction between them.

The man was dressed in a simple long robe and had a tall and upright figure.

At first glance, this person seems to lack any intelligence and is just an ordinary person.

However, if one subconsciously directs their divine sense to approach, one can feel the profound and immeasurable aura emanating from the body, naturally drawing in the surrounding spiritual energy.

no doubt.

This person is Chen Linyuan, the master of Dongyuan Sect and Daoist Lijun.

Song Yan felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly stepped forward and stood respectfully ten feet away from the man, performing a formal disciple's salute with utmost care.

"Song Yan, disciple of Bamo Peak, pays respects to the Sect Master."

The figure in white robes slowly turned around.

This was, in fact, the first time Song Yan had met with this sect leader alone.

Upon closer inspection, Chen Linyuan's face appeared unexpectedly young, with clear and handsome features and a complexion as smooth as jade. From Song Yan's perspective, he lacked the overbearing aura of a superior; his expression was peaceful, and his eyes were gentle and clear.

He didn't speak, his gaze fixed on Song Yan.

This glance was unremarkable, without any fluctuation of spiritual power, without any overwhelming pressure, and without the appearance of a single hand seal.

Suddenly, Song Yan felt an invisible and intangible strange force pierce through his body.

Limbs, bones, internal organs, and viscera.

Flesh and blood, bones and muscles, and spiritual energy channels.

The Sword Palace of the Dao, the Sea of ​​Divine Sense.

It felt like everything about me was being looked down upon by the other person.

Every detail is clearly visible, leaving nothing to hide!

Song Yan's heart sank, and his body tensed instantly. Under the Zhendao Sword Mansion, sword energy surged spontaneously, about to burst through his body.

However, Song Yan had a sudden thought and suppressed it on his own.

Suppressing the turmoil in my heart, I desperately guarded my mind.

He knew that if the other party wanted his life, even if he could use the "Turning the Universe" technique ten more times, there would be no way for him to survive.

However, this feeling of being seen through from the inside out, without any reservations, is a hundred times more unsettling than any offensive.

Fortunately, the process only lasted for a breath or two, and the feeling of looking down quickly subsided.

"Um……"

Chen Linyuan nodded: "Don't be nervous. Just check if the soul inside this body is truly as it was before, and whether there is anything else residing within it."

How can I not be nervous?

Song Yan let out a long breath, his forehead covered in a fine layer of cold sweat, inwardly cursing.

However, now that the sect leader has verified his identity, a huge weight has been lifted from Song Yan's heart.

He was afraid that Yang Wenxuan would use this claim of being possessed by a demonic cultivator to his advantage.

With the authoritative endorsement of a sect leader at the Golden Core realm, there will be a basis for explanation later.

Song Yan maintained a respectful posture and said in a deep voice, "This disciple understands. Everything is up to the sect leader to decide."

Unexpectedly, the sect leader fell silent.

Looking up, Chen Linyuan's gaze fell on him, then over his shoulder, landing in the mist of the distant valley.

His eyes flickered, as if he were only looking at a fallen leaf drifting in the stream.

After a moment, he seemed to come to his senses, looked away, and slowly said, "I summoned you here not for trivial matters."

"Now that the demonic cultivators have invaded, the war has begun in the northeast of Chu. All six major sects have dispatched their disciples to the battlefield to defend it. You cannot stay out of it either."

His gaze lingered on Song Yan's face for a moment: "Your cultivation foundation is solid, and the path you are cultivating is beginning to show its sharpness. Your temperament... has been tempered by life and death, and can be considered to have settled down to a certain extent."

Chen Linyuan's tone was calm, yet left no room for doubt: "Now that we have returned to the sect, we must be prepared."

"You won't have much time to recover, at most six months, before reinforcements are needed on the front lines."

"I have already mentioned your name to Zhang Guangyuan, and you are on the shortlist. I hope you will make the most of your time, eliminate any hidden dangers, and recover as soon as possible."

Hearing this, Song Yan was not too surprised.

Elder Zhang Guangyuan had already hinted at this in the mission hall, and Granny Qin had also reminded her of it during their conversation.

Now that the sect leader has personally confirmed it, it's practically a done deal.

The Dongyuan Sect, which gathers the elites from various peaks, is called the Demon-Slaying Peak.

Now that the demonic cultivators are right before us, going to the battlefield is simply our duty.

For Song Yan, this is also an opportunity to hone his swordsmanship and seek a breakthrough.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his chaotic thoughts, and bowed, replying, "Disciple will obey the sect leader's orders and await the sect's command."

Chen Linyuan looked at him, his face revealing neither joy nor sorrow, but his eyes held an indescribable emotion.

He casually took two steps forward, getting closer to Song Yan.

As those two steps drew closer, the invisible pressure seemed to subtly increase as well.

"You survived by the hand of a demonic cultivator at the Pseudo-Core Realm in Dragon Pool Mountain, which means you have experienced true life and death."

"No matter what means you used to achieve this, it seems there is no chance for a second time."

"Now, you are to leave the protection of the mountain gate and venture deep into the perilous battlefield, to face the true surging demonic tide and encounter even more unpredictable and powerful enemies..."

He paused slightly at just the right moment, then continued, "Do you still have the guts?"

Song Yan raised his head, his eyes calm: "There's no such thing as courage or not."

"Even if the sect doesn't mention it, the disciples will go to the battlefield to help their fellow disciples."

“This disciple is of mediocre talent and only seeks stability, so he will only live a mediocre life.”

"If I were to die on the battlefield, it would only mean that I was not skilled enough and lacked ability."

"They deserved to die."

Chen Linyuan looked at him quietly, a faint ripple seeming to spread across the depths of his eyes, but it was so fleeting that it was impossible to catch.

He nodded slightly.

"very good."

He then withdrew his gaze, turned around again, and faced away from Song Yan.

My gaze fell back into the depths of the stream, returning to that desolate place that no one could understand.

"I will not speak on your behalf regarding your matter with Yang Wenxuan."

"You have to solve your own troubles. You can ignore him or kill him... but not within the sect, understand?"

Having said that, he raised his right hand and casually waved it in Song Yan's direction, causing a gentle breeze to rise from his sleeve.

Song Yan was taken aback, but then he understood.

He composed himself and bowed deeply to the departing figure with utmost respect.

"The disciple retire."

After speaking, Song Yan did not linger at all. He slowly took three steps back while maintaining his bowed posture, then turned around and strode away along the misty valley path he had come from.

Only after Song Yan's figure completely disappeared into the swirling mist deep within the path did the white-robed figure in front of the blue stone tablet move slightly.

"The Daoist heart is being tempered, and the sword intent is at its peak... Good."

"hiss……"

"However, that sword intent doesn't seem like something he cultivated himself."

He pondered for a moment: "But why did he use it so effortlessly that day, as if he was born with it?"

After thinking for a moment, he shook his head and put the question out of his mind.

He looked down at the stone tablet.

"Junior sister, this person looks just like me when I was young..."

"His sharpness is fully revealed, yet his heart is pure."

"Although his qualifications are a bit lacking, and of course, he's not as handsome as me..."

"However, it's strange, he seems smarter than me, more composed than me, and more like a 'human being' than me."

"I wonder what his future holds."

He slowly sat down in front of the blue stone tablet, and suddenly a wine jar appeared in his hand, which he poured into the empty bowl in front of the tablet.

"what?"

He glanced at the wine jar in his hand; it was empty.

"..."

"Time to go buy some wine."

(End of this chapter)