Chapter 509

“Oh, do you know all the inner sect disciples? I find your brother somewhat unfamiliar.” Wang Yu replied coolly.

“I’ve trained in the palace since childhood; though there are thousands of inner sect disciples in Bi Shui Palace, I can’t possibly know them all—but most I recognize at least vaguely. Though you wear the attire of an inner sect disciple, I’m certain I’ve never seen you before.” The young man surnamed Mi scrutinized Wang Yu from head to toe before giving a firm reply.

“You have an excellent memory, Master Wang. I’ve only recently entered the palace and now study under Master Yan, the head of Jinghuo Peak.” Wang Yu fell silent for a moment, then smiled faintly in reply.

“So Master Wang is a direct disciple! My apologies—I’m Mi, and my junior brother Gao shares the same inner sect status on Huayuan Peak. To meet you here is clearly fate.” The young man surnamed Mi stiffened, immediately bowing and changing his address.

Clearly, the status of a direct disciple under a Jin Dan peak master differed greatly from that of an ordinary inner sect disciple—so much so that the young man surnamed Mi no longer dared to address Wang Yu as “brother.”

Their conversation drew the attention of others.

The two outer sect women both showed expressions of surprise, and the brother of the doll-faced girl hurried over after taking a vial of pills from the acolyte.

“So you’re a senior brother from Jinghuo Peak! I’m Gao Hu, and this is my younger sister Gao Miao. Miao, come and pay your respects to Senior Brother Wang.” The young man surnamed Gao bowed to Wang Yu with a broad smile and gestured to the doll-faced girl.

“Greetings, Senior Brother Wang.” The doll-faced girl walked forward obediently and performed a light curtsey.

“So you’re Brother Gao. And who is this young lady?” Wang Yu nodded, then turned his gaze to the elegant girl, asking casually.

“Ah, this is my cousin, Murong Lan. Cousin, come and greet Senior Brother Wang.” The young man surnamed Gao paused in surprise, then quickly recovered and gestured to the elegant girl.

“Murong Lan, greetings, Senior Brother Wang.” The elegant girl, moved inwardly, stepped forward without refusal and bowed lightly, speaking softly.

“Murong Lan—what a fine name. I’m Wang Yu. If you have time in the future, feel free to visit my cave on Jinghuo Peak.” Wang Yu glanced at the elegant girl’s familiar face, then smiled faintly.

These words caused not only the young man surnamed Mi to change expression, but also the Gao siblings to look strangely uneasy.

“Thank you for the invitation, Senior Brother. If I have time in the future, Murong Lan will certainly pay a visit.” Murong Lan hesitated, but after a few quick thoughts, she forced a smile and accepted.

“Since both junior brothers are finished, I’ll go exchange my pills now.” Wang Yu nodded to the elegant girl, then addressed the other two inner sect disciples before striding toward the counter.

Gao Hu and the others naturally did not block him; they stepped aside to let him pass, then exchanged a glance before summoning the two girls to leave the pill hall. But as they walked away, Wang Yu, with his back turned, moved his lips silently.

Murong Lan, among the four, suddenly trembled, a look of extreme shock flashing across her face—but the next instant, she returned to normal, and none of the other three noticed her brief anomaly.

As soon as the four stepped outside the door, Gao Miao couldn’t help asking Murong Lan:

“Cousin Murong, you and this Senior Brother Wang…”

“Enough. This isn’t the place to talk. Come with me.” Gao Hu cut his sister off sharply, cast a glance at the others, then formed a hand seal and murmured incantations.

A layer of misty white vapor rose from the ground, swirling around the four of them and lifting them into the air—speeding swiftly.

Yet they didn’t fly far; the mist carried them down soon after, landing in a forest several miles from the pill hall.

“This is far enough. That man is at our same realm—such distance ensures he can’t overhear our conversation.” Gao Hu finally released his hand seal, his expression relaxing slightly.

The young man surnamed Mi nodded in agreement.

“Brother, you’re being too cautious. Even if that Senior Brother Wang is a direct disciple, he’s still just Foundation Establishment—what are you afraid of?” Gao Miao pouted, sounding displeased.

“What do you know, girl? If this were any ordinary direct disciple, we wouldn’t be this careful—but what time is it now? Have you forgotten the great event six months from now?” Gao Hu glared at his sister, exasperated.

“You mean the palace competition? What does that have to do with this Senior Brother Wang?” The doll-faced girl blinked in confusion.

“You’re an outer sect Qi Condensation cultivator—what do you understand?”

“You only need to know: this Wang, as a newly appeared direct disciple, is almost certainly someone of great background—even among direct disciples, he’s the kind our Gao family dare not provoke lightly.” Gao Hu scolded sternly.

“Could this Senior Brother Wang be like the late ‘Senior Brother Bing’?” Murong Lan interjected.

“Cousin Murong, you’re remarkably perceptive. Yes, that’s precisely why Gao and I have treated him with such caution.”

“Better safe than sorry. If this man is truly one of the Jin Dan masters’ secret disciples, cultivated outside the palace and only recalled just before the competition to compete for the True Disciple title, his strength is likely extraordinary. Gao and I truly don’t wish to provoke him lightly.”

“Senior Brother Bing, now third among the True Disciples, appeared suddenly in the palace years ago. As a direct disciple, he represented Xingdou Peak in the competition for the first time—and seized the True Disciple position outright. Since then, his cultivation has surged forward, eventually becoming the current third True Disciple.” The young man surnamed Mi explained slowly, eyes glinting.

“Not just Senior Brother Bing—Senior Brother You, now twenty-seventh True Disciple; Senior Sister Hong, fifty-first True Disciple; and Senior Brother Chong, who only recently earned his True Disciple rank—all were exactly like this: suddenly becoming peak masters’ direct disciples just before the competition, unheard of before.” Gao Hu added.

“So you two think Senior Brother Wang is a secret disciple cultivated by Jinghuo Peak, meant to compete for a True Disciple position?” Gao Miao’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Most likely. That’s why I told you not to speak of him outside the pill hall. These direct disciples aiming for True Disciple status are far stronger than you outer sect cultivators can imagine—it’s normal for their spiritual sense to be two or three times ours, even if he’s at the same realm as me.” Gao Hu sighed.

“Could Senior Brother Wang really be that strong? Then, Cousin Murong—have you met this Senior Brother Wang before? He seemed especially attentive to you.” Gao Miao blinked, then turned to the elegant girl with a deceptively innocent tone.