Was Chen Xuan arrogant? Not necessarily.
His words carried a hint of truth.
Peak Master Lan would never lay a hand on him or the Yin Yang Peak as a whole.
Of course, this was not because of Chen Xuanâs strength.
Rather, it was because of his identity:
The only disciple of Mu Xuanyin, the former Master of the Yin Yang Peak, and a mysterious cultivator.
Although she had suddenly gone missing a few years ago and no one knew where she was, no one dared to underestimate her.
That was because Fairy Mu was not a real member of the Jade Pure Sect.
She appeared out of nowhere more than a century ago and established the Yin Yang Peak.
Rumors had it that the Sectâs Ancestors and the former Sect Leader were unwilling at first.
But after a battle with no witnesses and the mysterious disappearance of the Sect Leader, they stopped opposing her idea and let her do as she wished.
Since then, Fairy Muâs legend had spread throughout Tianxuan Domain.
There were many rumors, some supported by evidence, others not.
A rumor claimed that Mu Xuanyin was a powerhouse who had been injured and forced to escape to Tianxuan Domain.
Another rumor said she was an Immortal hailing from the Immortal Realm.
Either way, her strength was beyond doubt.
Chen Xuan enjoyed a transcendent status as a result.
No one in the Sect would dare punish him even if he slightly stepped out of line.
In the current situation, where he stood on the side of righteousness and did nothing wrong, no one in the Jade Pure Sect would blame him.
Still, Chen Xuan couldnât help but feel a little hesitant when he remembered Xiao Huo and his previous actions.
Especially when he recalled Xiao Huoâs clash with his disciple, his eyebrows couldnât help but furrow.
But soon, he relaxed.
Staring at Huo Lingâer, who was looking at him with admiration in her eyes, he reached out and gently patted her shoulder.
"You should be careful in the future. I can see that that boy, Xiao Huo, is quite extraordinary."
"Iâm afraid that he will be your biggest rival in the future. Although your strength has increased and youâve broken through to the Qi Refiningâ"
Chen Xuan stopped halfway through his words. His gaze grew strange.
He stared at Huo Lingâer with astonishment.
He had just exited seclusion when Xiao Huo and his companions came to cause trouble.
It was only now, when he finally had some free time, that he subconsciously scanned Huo Lingâer with his divine sense.
The results of the investigation stunned him.
The other party had broken through Body Transformation and reached the Qi Refining realm once again.
This by itself was hardly surprising.
Huo Lingâer had both the talent and the experience, meaning that it was only a matter of time before she regained her full strength.
What caught Chen Xuan off guard was the short time it took for this to happen.
âCould it be that I was wrong? Have several months passed while I was in seclusion?â
His divine sense spread and scanned the Yin Yang Peak, hoping to find any evidence of the passing of time.
Unfortunately, he discovered nothing despite his many attempts.
All signs pointed to the fact that only a few days had passed.
His previous realization was not wrong.
Huo Lingâer had indeed only taken a few days to complete the journey that would have taken others several years.
It took a while for Chen Xuan to recover.
He had to admit that the power of a Holy Body, assisted by its accompanying technique, was beyond his expectations.
Even he, with all his experiences, found it difficult to retain his composure.
Despite this, he couldnât show this to his "untalented" disciple. He forced himself to remain calm and nodded his head casually.
"It seems that you havenât slacked off while I was in seclusion. Although youâre only at the Early Stage, youâve at least managed to reach the Qi Refining realm again." He patted Huo Lingâer on the head and said, ignoring her subconscious reaction to dodge his palm.
As he ruffled her red hair under her annoyed gaze, he continued.
"But you shouldnât be too proud. Your cultivation base is still the lowest among your peers. You should continue working hard," he lectured in a strict tone.
Then, as he recalled Xiao Huo and the faint sense of prying he had noticed whenever he came close to him, Chen Xuanâs expression turned solemn.
He glanced at Huo Lingâer for a few seconds before making a seemingly tough decision.
"Thereâs going to be a Sect Competition next week. Only the disciples enrolled in this Disciple Ceremony can participate. The Sect Leader has promised several rewards for the winners. Thereâs even a chance to enter the Aurora Lake."
"Since youâve already regained your strength, you should participate and represent the Yin Yang Peak."
"It doesnât matter if you fail. The competition itself can serve as a lesson for you." Chen Xuan instructed.
"Yes, Master." Though he gave her a chance to refuse, Huo Lingâer didnât try to shirk responsibility.
"Donât worry! I wonât embarrass you! Iâm going to represent the Yin Yang Peak and compete for first place!"
She quickly agreed.
Her clenched fists and flushed face showed that she was not doing it for Chen Xuanâs sake.
Rather, she was truly looking forward to the competition.
Chen Xuan noticed this, but he didnât understand why she was so excited.
It took him a bit of thinking to find what he considered the most plausible explanation.
He let out a sigh.
âIâve failed my responsibilities as a Master. It must be the influence of that old hag, Mu Xuanyin. She also acted without a care for me.â
âHuo Lingâer should be really lacking in resources. No wonder she wants to enter the competition.â
Chen Xuan slapped his forehead.
Although Huo Lingâer was allocated resources just like all disciples were, these resources were based on her cultivation as a mortal.
Now that she had reached the Qi Refining realm, she required more precious pills to rapidly improve her cultivation!
Ignoring the strange grimaces Huo Lingâer made and the intense bloodlust she exuded, which he explained as greed for pills, Chen Xuan took several bottles out of his space ring.
"This should be enough for now." He handed them to her, "You might be able to break through the Middle Stage of Qi Refining before the competition begins."
"If you do, you will indeed have a chance of achieving first place," he comforted her naive dreams.
Huo Lingâer woke up from her previous stupor.
She immediately concealed her bloodlust and fighting intent. She hopped in place and smiled gratefully at him.
"Thank you, Master! Donât worry! I will never fail your expectations!" Her sweet voice rang out.
--
Chen Xuan watched Huo Lingâer leave with faint worry in his eyes.
Unlike what his previous tone would suggest, he was not as confident as he seemed.
âThat kid, Xiao Huo, is extraordinary. Why did my intuition warn me of danger every time the thought of crippling him arose?â
âMoreover, a 7 Star Talent with the chance of becoming an Immortal. Causing people around him to suffer from misfortune...â
This series of coincidences, combined with the invisible sense of prying, allowed him to form a guess.
Although that guess seemed outlandish, it perfectly matched everything that had happened so far.
The more he thought about it, the more worried Chen Xuan became.
Not for himself, but for his disciple.
If things were as he thought, Xiao Huo and Huo Lingâer were destined to have a conflict in the future.
Only one of the two would survive in the end, while the loser would perish.
Chen Xuan was making plans on how to confirm his suspicion.
Just then, he suddenly raised his head and looked at the courtyard next to his.
He sensed the Spiritual Energy surge and gather over there.
A powerful aura emerged, standing at the Peak of the Foundation Establishment realm.
He instantly recognized the person responsible for this phenomenon.
It was Su Ying!
After several days of seclusion, she had finally succeeded in her breakthrough!
However, Chen Xuan was not as happy as one might expect.
He finally remembered what the "small matter" he had forgotten about was!
âDamn it! No wonder the atmosphere of the Yin Yang Peak has deteriorated in just a couple of days!â