Chapter 57: Divine Archer Liu Canglan
Shen Chen arrived at the first floor of the Star Pavilion but did not leave in a hurry. Instead, he waited by the entrance.
"Your time was almost up. Be more careful next time," Old Man Bei said, glancing up at Shen Chen. Shen Chen gave a slight nod.
"My time was almost up, so that kid must have definitely exceeded the incense stick's time. Let's see how he handles this." Shen Chen sneered inwardly, waiting for Lin Feng to come down.
Lin Feng, however, did not keep Shen Chen waiting long. Before long, he walked over, his expression calm as if nothing had happened.
"Old Man Bei, these are the martial techniques and cultivation methods I've selected." Glancing at Shen Chen, Lin Feng handed the chosen techniques and methods to Old Man Bei, a faint smile on his lips.
"Pure Origin Technique. Knowing to stabilize your foundation—a teachable student." Old Man Bei nodded with a smile as he saw Lin Feng's selections. "Eight Wastelands Palm is considered quite formidable among Profound Low-Grade martial techniques. It's somewhat difficult to cultivate, but with your talent, it shouldn't be a problem. As for this Annihilation Sword Art, it only has three sword techniques. Anyone can learn them, but almost no one has truly mastered them. You'll need to put in extra effort."
Old Man Bei commented on each of Lin Feng's choices. "However, if one day you can unleash the full power of these three Annihilation Sword techniques, not to mention Profound Mid-Grade techniques, even Profound High-Grade techniques can clash with them without falling behind."
Hearing Old Man Bei's words, Lin Feng revealed a hint of a smile. At the Profound level, even a single grade difference was immense. Old Man Bei's claim that the Annihilation Sword Art at its peak could rival Profound High-Grade techniques undoubtedly proved its power.
As Lin Feng and Old Man Bei chatted cheerfully, Shen Chen, standing nearby, grew increasingly grim. So this kid had actually gotten chummy with the old guardian, no wonder he was so brazen.
"It seems he spent more than an incense stick's time on the second floor of the Star Pavilion," Shen Chen interjected abruptly, causing Old Man Bei's smile to falter slightly as he turned his gaze to Shen Chen.
"I know," Old Man Bei said frankly.
"Since you know, he has violated the sect's rules. Shouldn't he be severely punished?" Shen Chen hadn't expected Old Man Bei to admit it so readily, and his heart grew colder.
Old Man Bei sized up Shen Chen and shook his head. "I've been here for years. Whether inner disciples or core disciples, anyone entering the Star Pavilion has to go through me. Who do you think you are? Do I, an old man, need you to teach me how to do my job?"
What kind of figure was Old Man Bei? Even Cloud Sea Sect's Sect Leader, Nan Gong Ling, had to treat him with respect. An ordinary outer disciple was nothing but an ant in his eyes. Even the number one outer disciple was still just an outer disciple—nothing at all.
But Lin Feng was different. Old Man Bei had been very impressed with Lin Feng from the start, finding him well-mannered. Later, he discovered Lin Feng's extraordinary talent when he rang the long-silent bell, earning his special regard.
Who was Shen Chen to speak to Old Man Bei with such a questioning tone? Old Man Bei wouldn't give him any face.
Hearing Old Man Bei's words, Shen Chen's face darkened instantly. "As the guardian of this pavilion, you dare to defy Cloud Sea Sect's rules. What crime should you be charged with?"
"Ah..." Lin Feng was truly speechless at Shen Chen. Was this guy so absorbed in cultivation that he'd lost all common sense? He didn't understand basic social dynamics. What was an outer disciple like him to question Old Man Bei's supposed crime? The number one outer disciple—it seemed he was used to being fawned over and had started thinking he was a big shot.
Old Man Bei looked at Shen Chen with a mocking expression. How many years had he been the guardian? It had been a long time since he'd lost his temper. Now even an outer disciple dared to question him about his supposed crimes.
Shaking his head, Old Man Bei's lips parted slightly. His expression suddenly turned stern as he uttered a single word: "Scram."
That one word, like a note, transformed into a surge of overwhelming power that slammed into Shen Chen. At that moment, Old Man Bei's eyes blazed with sharp, fierce light, and his entire being radiated an invincible, domineering aura.
Struck by that single word, Shen Chen felt as if five thunders had struck him. His body convulsed, and he fell directly to his knees, trembling uncontrollably.
It wasn't just Shen Chen. Everyone in the Star Pavilion was stunned by Old Man Bei's furious shout. They came over and saw Old Man Bei, now exuding a fierce and overbearing presence. One by one, they fell silent in fear. So this lazy old guardian was actually this powerful.
That single word just now seemed to carry true essence power, didn't it?
It was said that when a martial artist broke through the Spirit Martial Realm and entered the profound and powerful Mysterious Martial Realm, their essence, energy, and spirit merged, allowing them to condense true essence.
True essence was formed from the purest heavenly and earthly energy. Each breath of true essence contained immensely powerful, compressed, and refined pure Yuan Gang energy. When true essence was expelled, mountains could crack and the earth could split.
Old Man Bei's shout just now was somewhat like spitting true essence. Although the power wasn't overwhelming, it might have been deliberately suppressed by Old Man Bei. That meant this old guardian could be a tremendously powerful Mysterious Martial Realm expert.
The Mysterious Martial Realm—that was a true powerhouse, someone who could become an elder of the sect.
"I'll scram." Shen Chen's face was ugly. He shot a venomous glare at Lin Feng. "You, relying on others, you're also participating in the sect competition, right? When the time comes, I'll make sure you pay."
With that, Shen Chen turned and left.
Lin Feng watched Shen Chen's retreating figure and shook his head slightly. This man might be the number one outer disciple, but he was arrogant, ignorant of his place, and lacked even the ability to think. Old Man Bei was so powerful and had no regard for him, so why would he favor Lin Feng? Whatever the reason, if Shen Chen were smart, he would forget today's events.
Besides, today's matter was entirely Shen Chen's own doing—he had brought humiliation upon himself.
"It's been so long since I've stretched my muscles. Those old fellows are probably getting restless," Old Man Bei muttered to himself. "Xue Yue, the Star Pavilion is yours from now on."
With those words, Old Man Bei's body trembled, and he transformed into a crane, soaring into the nine heavens in an instant, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
"Boom!" The crowd's hearts trembled violently as they stared at the disappearing figure. Such terrifying strength.
Leaping ten thousand meters, crossing the void in flight, disappearing in an instant—how powerful did one have to be to achieve that? The crowd had never dreamed that the unremarkable old guardian of the Star Pavilion could be this formidable. Now, they all regretted being blind and not seeking more guidance from Old Man Bei.
Lin Feng was also stunned, his heart shaken. So powerful—far, far stronger than he could imagine.
A middle-aged man stepped into the Star Pavilion and walked straight to Old Man Bei's seat, sitting down. He was likely the Xue Yue Old Man Bei had mentioned.
………………
At that moment, on the main peak of Cloud Sea Sect, within a grand and magnificent hall, the atmosphere was imposing.
Several people were gathered in the hall, seemingly discussing something.
"Fei Fei, I will consider this matter carefully. Rest assured," Cloud Sea Sect Leader Nan Gong Ling said with a smile to Liu Fei, who was seated in a lower position.
Behind Liu Fei stood a group of elite riders in matching uniforms. These people were none other than the Crimson Blood Iron Cavalry that Lin Feng had seen at the foot of Cloud Sea Sect.
Hearing Nan Gong Ling's casual agreement, Liu Fei's beautiful brows furrowed slightly. The more readily Nan Gong Ling agreed, the less sincere it seemed. But Liu Fei also understood that getting Nan Gong Ling to hand over the sect's most outstanding disciples to her was extremely difficult.
Every outstanding junior disciple of a sect was the foundation of its future. How could Nan Gong Ling easily give them away?
"Uncle Nan Gong, you know my father has no selfish motives. He only cares about the dragon vein's fortune of the Snow Moon Kingdom. When these disciples achieve success in the future, my father will surely send them back to Cloud Sea Sect. By then, they will all be capable of standing on their own and become the pillars of Cloud Sea Sect," Liu Fei continued to persuade.
"Your father and I cultivated and grew together, as close as brothers. If he had stayed in Cloud Sea Sect, the position of sect leader might have been his. Do I not know what kind of person he is? But now, as the sect leader of Cloud Sea Sect, I must prioritize the sect in everything I do. I cannot act on impulse," Nan Gong Ling said, no longer brushing off Liu Fei.
Thinking back to the two geniuses of Cloud Sea Sect in those days—himself and Divine Archer Liu Canglan—how wild and unrestrained they had been. But now, sitting in different positions, they could no longer be as they were back then.
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