Sitting on his bed, Chen Yan gazed at the moonlight falling before his window.
This cycle's save point stopped shortly before he would encounter Chu Xiyao, the Chief Disciple of Qingchan Peak, at the pavilion on the mountain near the Outer Court.
"The gears of fate are slowly turning."
This was the evaluation for this reincarnation cycle.
In other words, during the past twenty-plus cycles, he had never truly stepped into his real destiny.
But this time, he had finally escaped from the wrong cycles.
So what exactly was his true fate?
This was a question Chen Yan couldn't possibly figure out at this moment, so he shifted his attention back to the rewards he had obtained from this cycle.
Hidden Immortal Art.
Beyond that, when Chen Yan began circulating the Hidden Immortal Art, he clearly felt the energy flow through his meridians was much smoother than when he practiced the Kongshan Art.
Chen Yan knew exactly what smoother energy circulation represented.
It meant higher efficiency and greater power when he cast spells.
It also meant it could, to some extent, accelerate his cultivation speed.
This cycle's evaluation was C-grade.
After more than twenty cycles, Chen Yan's reincarnation evaluation level had finally improved.
"So there's a possibility that changes in the reincarnation save point can affect the evaluation grade?"
Chen Yan murmured to himself.
This was quite likely.
But if the reincarnation save point could change...
As the save point advanced, he might lose the opportunity to save Cheng Ziying.
There were still three years until the Outer Court Cataclysm.
"......"
No, now wasn't the time to dwell on this.
Chen Yan redirected his attention back to reality.
What should he do next?
Should he go up the mountain to meet Chu Xiyao, or should he stand by and do nothing?
Truthfully, Chen Yan didn't believe he had any obligation to help Chu Xiyao with the detention center matter.
But he suspected that tonight's events at the detention center might be connected to the upcoming disaster in the Outer Court.
If when the catastrophe struck, he could do nothing...
Then what if he could eliminate the source of the disaster today?
Chen Yan's suspicion wasn't baseless; his reasoning came from Chu Xiyao's expression when he was killed by that man with the soft, feminine voice.
Full of self-blame and guilt.
Exactly the same expression Chu Xiyao had shown outside the Training Grounds several cycles ago.
Why would Chu Xiyao feel responsible for the Outer Court catastrophe?
Perhaps, was there a possibility that the Outer Court disaster was related to Chu Xiyao?
Otherwise, she would have no reason to feel guilty about the consequences of that catastrophe.
Eventually, Chen Yan arrived at the mountain pavilion in the Outer Court.
Not long after, light footsteps sounded from behind him.
"Why are you still here so late?"
The white-robed young woman behind him spoke the exact same lines as in the previous cycle.
"Don't kill me, don't kill me!"
Chen Yan pretended to be shocked and panicked, covering his head as he crouched on the ground.
"...Kill you?"
Chu Xiyao showed a slightly confused expression, then she simply shook the token at her waist toward Chen Yan, catching the moonlight.
"......"
Seeing the white-robed young woman's token, Chen Yan acted as if he had finally found a lifeline.
"Senior Sister, the detention center, something happened at the detention center!"
Before Chu Xiyao could speak further, Chen Yan immediately cut in.
"Something happened?"
Hearing this, Chu Xiyao's expression shifted slightly.
"I couldn't sleep, so I went to the Enforcement Hall to chat with a disciple I know who was on duty, but no one was there. Then in the detention center, I saw Steward Song from the Merit Hall, he..."
Chen Yan spoke somewhat incoherently.
When Chu Xiyao heard the words "Steward Song," her eyes suddenly sharpened.
"Speak slowly, no need to rush," Chu Xiyao said.
"In short... Steward Song died in the detention center! I found his body!"
Chen Yan shouted loudly.
"How is this possible? Steward Song, could he be..."
"......"
Chu Xiyao stood still, silent.
She was thinking.
If Chen Yan was working with those traitors, then rather than persuading her to leave the Outer Court and return to Qingchan Peak for reinforcements,
it would be more beneficial to lure her into a trap.
Therefore, Chu Xiyao chose to tentatively believe Chen Yan's words.
She raised her hand and lightly reached into the air, and a talisman paper appeared between her fingers.
A storage treasure.
Such spatial law-based magical treasures were quite precious in this world.
But as the Chief Disciple of Qingchan Peak, it wasn't surprising at all that Chu Xiyao could produce such a valuable item.
Chu Xiyao softly chanted an incantation while forming a hand seal with her other hand, and the talisman paper between her fingers began to burn.
A light red circle appeared on the ground, enclosing both Chu Xiyao and Chen Yan.
It was a teleportation talisman.
The next instant, red light shot skyward, separating everything inside the circle from the outside world.
When the red light disappeared, Chen Yan suddenly realized their surroundings had completely changed.
The nine-story dark tower appearing in the distance particularly caught Chen Yan's attention:
"That is..."
"Caijun Tower," Chu Xiyao answered.
"That's where our sect's Patriarch Caijun ascended to immortality over fifteen thousand years ago. Later, to commemorate Patriarch Caijun, the disciples of Qingchan Peak built that tower."
Patriarch Caijun was the third cultivator in Kongshan Sect's history to reach the Great Perfection of the Upper Three Realms and then step into the Immortal Ascension Realm.
His influence on Kongshan Sect, especially Qingchan Peak, was profound, continuing even fifteen thousand years later.
"Come, follow me to see the Elder," Chu Xiyao said.
"Elder?"
"Qingchan Peak's Martial Elder, Fu Qian."
...
Qingchan Peak, Cangwu Residence.
This was the residence of Fu Qian, the current Martial Elder of Qingchan Peak.
No plaque hung above the door, only an incomplete line carved by sword energy: "Enlighten oneself, enlighten all living beings."
Chen Yan followed Chu Xiyao into the courtyard of Cangwu Residence. In the center of the courtyard was a cold pond, and in the middle of the pond stood a square platform. On the platform sat an elderly cultivator wearing blue Daoist robes, his temples graying.
"Elder Fu, this disciple has matters to report!"
Chu Xiyao took two more steps forward and bowed toward the Daoist in the center of the cold pond.
Chen Yan quickly followed Chu Xiyao's action, also bowing to the Daoist.
Fu Qian, who was meditating in the center of the cold pond, slowly opened his eyes, with strands of innate true energy drifting within his pupils.
Chen Yan's heart trembled.
Innate true energy!
This meant Martial Elder's cultivation realm was at least above the Myriad Transformations Realm!
Below Immortal Ascension, there were nine major realms.
The Lower Three Realms were: Body Forging, Energy Channeling, and Martial Spring.
The Middle Three Realms were: Qi Sea, Spirit Connection, and Myriad Transformations.
The Upper Three Realms were: Unity, Divine Ability, and Dao Union.
All cultivators knew that innate true energy could repair flesh and blood deficiencies and was the foundation of a cultivator. It was said that cultivators above the Myriad Transformations Realm could regenerate their heads even after being decapitated, relying on their innate true energy.
This was the first time in all his cycles that Chen Yan had seen a cultivator above the Myriad Transformations Realm.
He knew that even the Outer Court elders of Kongshan Sect only had late-stage Qi Sea Realm cultivation.
"What has happened?"
Fu Qian's voice boomed like a great bell as he slowly spoke.
Then, Chu Xiyao slightly turned her head and gave Chen Yan a look.
"Outer Court disciple pays respects to Elder Fu!"
Chen Yan stepped forward and spoke.