Chapter 67: [Senior!]

Chen Yan squinted at this woman: atop her head, primordial energy gathered, and within the gray primordial energy, faint, elusive silver threads could be seen flowing.

That meant she was, like him, still at the level of a mortal cultivator.

Judging by the intensity of the silver light… this woman's realm should be the same as his own, both at the 【Return to Origin Realm】, and… it seemed even slightly lower than his by a hair?

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This woman called Chu Keqing was clearly a bit thrown off by Chen Yan, but after all she was well-experienced; after taking a deep breath, she steadied herself: "Master Chen should know why I've come to find you, right?"

"Mm, why don't you say it first?" Chen Yan picked up a slice of whelk meat and put it in his mouth.

Chu Keqing said coolly: "My senior brother, Luo Qing!"

"Oh." Chen Yan nodded. Since they had come knocking on his door, he had no intention of hiding it either: "Earlier, burying talismans outside the shop to lure rats, and later tearing down his house — that was all me."

(You tore down his house twice.) Chu Keqing added silently to herself.

Still, there was no need to get into the details; it was enough that the other party had already confessed.

"Then, doesn't Master Chen feel he ought to give an explanation?" Chu Keqing stared into Chen Yan's eyes and asked slowly.

This woman's voice had something special about it — her natural tone was a bit cold, yet carried a hint of a natural nasal quality.

"Luo Qing isn't a good person. If he dares to do evil and harm people, shouldn't he be punished?" Chen Yan countered bluntly.

Chu Keqing was silent for a moment, then said slowly: "My senior brother's conduct has been unruly; he's offended many people and done plenty of wrong. He does deserve to be punished.

Still, before Master Chen took action, shouldn't he have reasoned things out first? I do have some small standing among fellow practitioners. If there was any matter, you could have come to me directly, and everything could have been discussed. For Master Chen to just strike directly… isn't that a bit…"

"This isn't the first time Luo Qing has done that kind of dirty work, is it?" Chen Yan smiled, then looked at this woman: "And it's definitely not the first time you've cleaned up after him. Call it punishment, call it whatever you like.

At his age, he's surely been doing bad things for quite some years — and this isn't the first time you've known about it, is it? Have you ever kept him in check?"

Chu Keqing's face flushed slightly at being cut off like this, and she said through gritted teeth: "My Cloud Sect has its own rules. If a disciple does wrong…"

"Go tell that to the police." Chen Yan cut her off directly, shaking his head: "I keep telling you, what era is this? Still going on about this sect and that faction. Today it was me who stepped in to punish Luo Qing. What if it wasn't me, and he was caught by the police for doing evil?

You'd go tell the police not to arrest him, that your Cloud Sect has its own rules?

Do you think you're filming a xianxia drama? Are you trying to be funny?"

A trace of anger gradually surfaced in Chu Keqing's eyes: "Our Mystic Gate has its own rules for handling trouble. What Master Chen just said is rather unreasonable, isn't it?"

Her tone softened: "I consider myself to have been very reasonable. My senior brother Luo Qing was taught a lesson by Master Chen coming to his door. I haven't come here screaming for a fight either — I've only come today to sit down and talk.

Or is it that Master Chen is too young, and the people in your sect never told you these rules of the jianghu?

Do you really think that learning a few decent talisman arts means you can act as you please?"

Asking about my sect?

Chen Yan's heart stirred, and he understood. This woman, seeing him young, assumed he was some minor disciple from some sect?

So it's still that same greasy jianghu trick?

The jianghu isn't about fighting and killing — the jianghu is about favors and face?

Bah!

"The things my senior brother Luo Qing did, I will compensate for in full.

The losses on President Fang's side — I will transfer the compensation today, not a cent less.

But you laid hands on a person of my Cloud Sect, and more than once. If you don't leave behind some kind of written statement, how am I to go find your sect elders and reason things out properly?"

Saying this, Chu Keqing let out a soft sigh: "Fine. I had originally thought you were a promising young man and wanted to observe proper courtesy with you. But since it's come to this, when I meet your sect elders later, don't blame me for the big bullying the small."

Chen Yan was not pleased.

You may be big, but damn it, I'm not small either!

Chu Keqing suddenly extended two fingers. With a light flick, a yellow talisman appeared at her fingertip and ignited without fire. She said slowly: "Junior, what sect under heaven is your sect, exactly?"

As the talisman fire burned rapidly, Chen Yan felt a surge of primordial energy rushing toward him. In an instant, his spirit wavered, and he almost instinctively felt compelled to speak the truth.

But in just the Blinking Skill, Chen Yan took a slight breath; after the primordial energy circulated once through his body, his mind cleared.

Looking at Chu Keqing, Chen Yan sneered: "Truth Talisman? Such a tiny flame — who are you trying to scare?"

Chu Keqing frowned slightly: "Not bad cultivation, to be able to withstand the force of a Truth Talisman. No wonder you're so bold at such a young age."

After a pause, she shook her head: "Since it's come to this, I'll have to restrain you first, and then go find your sect elders to argue the matter."

"Restrain me?" Chen Yan glanced at this Purple Old's hand… her fingers were slender and long, fair and delicate, looking as if they had no bones — the kind of hand that had clearly never done rough work.

A yellow talisman appeared once more between Chu Keqing's fingers and burned rapidly. Holding the talisman between her fingers, she pointed it at Chen Yan: "Talisman Command · Immovable as a Mountain!"

Chen Yan immediately felt the surrounding energy congeal; countless currents of energy pressed down, pinning his body to the chair.

Chu Keqing stood up, walked slowly to Chen Yan's side, reached out and pressed another talisman onto his body, patting it onto his shoulder.

"Talisman Command · Dragging Art!" Chu Keqing exhaled, glanced at Chen Yan: "Now, obediently come with me."

Chen Yan's body immediately stood up, and as if slightly stiff, he walked to Chu Keqing's side.

"Follow me out."

After Chu Keqing took two slow steps forward, she suddenly frowned — there were no footsteps following behind her.

She looked back and saw Chen Yan standing in place, a half-smile playing on his face as he looked at her.

"Leaving already? You haven't paid the bill yet. Your Cloud Sect's rules wouldn't happen to be eating at a restaurant without paying, would they?"

After saying this, Chen Yan suddenly took a light breath.

Holding a breath of primordial energy in his mouth, he suddenly chuckled softly: "Commandment · Word-Breaking Art! Law breaks all dharma."

That sound, falling into Chu Keqing's ears, was like a great yellow bell, bells and drums sounding together; her body instantly shuddered!

Then she saw Chen Yan raise both hands and slowly stretch, and there was not a trace of that stiffness on him anywhere.

"You?"

Chu Keqing's eyes went wide, and her voice couldn't help but tremble: "Cas-casting? You can actually cast spells?!"

She herself had just deployed three talismans, and not a single one had worked?

The other party could actually hold the Mandate of Heaven in his mouth and cast spells out of thin air?!

Chen Yan pursed his lips, gently plucked the yellow talisman from his shoulder, and glanced at it in his hand.

It did bear some resemblance to the set of techniques called "Command" recorded in his own booklet, but the talisman script looked far cruder.

As for that talisman command — Immovable as a Mountain just now, it was probably about the same as the Command — Body-Fixing Art recorded in his booklet. Only the efficacy was far inferior.

"Heterodox trifles," Chen Yan deliberately scoffed with a sneer.

He slowly walked up to Seeing Chu Keqing, gently exhaled a breath, urged his vital energy, rapidly formed a hand-seal with his fingers, then made a sword-finger and pointed it at Seeing Chu Keqing.

"Command — Fix!"

Seeing Chu Keqing instantly felt as if her whole body had been swept over by an icy tide; her mind went blank, and she froze on the spot.

Chen Yan looked with satisfaction at the woman he had fixed in place.

Mm, one mustn't behave like the monkey — pinning down all seven fairy maidens only to busy himself picking peaches.

However…

I, Chen the Great Good Man, am no rogue either — out here in broad daylight…

No good, the server over there had already glanced over this way twice, looking a little puzzled.

After a moment's thought, Chen Yan extended a finger and gave Seeing Chu Keqing a hard flick on the forehead.

With a soft "pop" from the flick, a red mark gradually rose on the woman's originally fair, tender skin.

"You disturbed my meal, I flicked you once — we're even," Chen Yan waved his hand. "The matter with Luo Qing is already settled. If you don't come bothering me in the future, I won't go making trouble for you again. Also, since you can keep an eye on me here, you must already know where I live."

"Let me give you a word of advice — don't come looking for me at my home. The people in my house are fierce."

Seeing Chu Keqing's face flushed red, and she stared fixedly at Chen Yan.

Half of it was shame and fury.

The other half was shock!

Given her own cultivation, among the fellow Daoists and accomplished cultivators she had met in her life, those who could employ talisman arts — she had encountered a few.

But… casting spells out of thin air?

Casting spells with spiritual power out of thin air, without relying on talisman force?

This was simply the very realm Seeing Chu Keqing had long dreamed of, yet had only ever heard of in legends!!

Just as Chen Yan casually picked up his phone, scanned the code on the table to pay for the meal, and was about to head outside…

"Wait a moment!" Seeing Chu Keqing suddenly called out: "Honored sir, please wait!"

"Mm? Have we reached the cliché part where you throw out threats?" Chen Yan stopped and turned to look at Seeing Chu Keqing.

"N-no, I wouldn't dare." Seeing Chu Keqing's gaze flickered evasively, and her voice trembled faintly: "For Honored sir to be able to cast spells out of thin air without external aid — such cultivation is something this humble woman would never dare compare herself to. Today's matter was me overestimating myself. I beg Honored sir to… ah, wait!"

"With your cultivation, how could you possibly be this young?"

"I must ask Senior to leave behind a name. If you would be willing to instruct me, my Cloud Sect will surely fling open our gates and sweep the couch clean to welcome Senior!"

Senior?

Chen Yan was startled in his heart, then immediately caught on.

This Section Chief Jin was taking him for some old monster who had altered his appearance?

Well… fine.

He coughed, looked at Seeing Chu Keqing with a smile, and said in an old, pompous tone: "Hasn't this Seat's name already been made known to you?"

He really is a senior — by what method could he possibly be this young? Is it a mastery of preserving one's looks? Or the legendary return to childhood… Seeing Chu Keqing's thoughts were in turmoil. The name Chen Yan was most likely an alias too — the man truly wouldn't give his real Daoist title… She said slowly: "Then… may I ask Senior's age?"

"This Seat has idled away the years — ninety-one."

Ninety-one?

In the brief moment Seeing Chu Keqing was stunned, Chen Yan had already swiftly walked out the shop door and vanished.

"You're paying for the meal!"

That line from Chen Yan could still be heard from outside the door.

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