Chen Yan's heart tightened sharply.
He never expected that Song Mingde's name would be brought up by this seemingly simple and honest disciple before him.
After a moment of thought, Chen Yan decided to play dumb first.
"What happened to Steward Song?"
He asked.
"Senior Brother Chen's acting skills seem rather clumsy."
Zhang Xishun's expression and voice remained as humble and submissive as ever.
But his eyes had been growing increasingly sharp from the very beginning.
Chen Yan's heart sank further.
"Are you perhaps very familiar with Steward Song, Junior Brother?"
Chen Yan asked.
"No, I've never met him."
"Then why..."
"Senior Brother Chen, are you very familiar with the people from Qingchan Peak?"
...
Chen Yan didn't answer immediately.
"Let me ask you one final question, Senior Brother Chen."
The dark-skinned, simple-looking man asked Chen Yan, though his expression was becoming increasingly strange.
"Where is Song Mingde's list?"
"...I know who you are now."
Chen Yan didn't directly answer Zhang Xishun's question.
"Is that so?"
Zhang Xishun laughed.
In the next instant, Chen Yan immediately reached out to grab Zhang Xishun's shoulder, intending to subdue him on the spot.
Capture him alive!
This guy must know the inside information about the catastrophe that will occur in the outer court more than two years from now!
However, Zhang Xishun merely took half a step back and slightly turned his body, evading Chen Yan's attack.
"Why resort to violence, Senior Brother Chen? Haven't we been getting along quite pleasantly?"
Zhang Xishun said:
"I just want to know where Song Mingde's list is, or has it already fallen into Qingchan Peak's hands?"
He actually managed to dodge?
This guy's true cultivation level is definitely not just at the Body Forging Realm!
"Perhaps it's already in Qingchan Peak's hands."
Chen Yan said.
Hearing this, Zhang Xishun laughed:
"Senior Brother Chen truly doesn't know how to lie."
"What do you mean by that?"
"If that list had already fallen into that old man Fu Qian's hands, I definitely wouldn't be standing here talking to you as a living person right now."
"So, you're also on that list?"
"I don't know."
Zhang Xishun shook his head.
"How about an exchange? You answer my question, and I'll tell you what I know."
After a moment of consideration, Chen Yan said.
"Please speak, Senior Brother Chen."
Zhang Xishun said.
"Where is the Black Flood Dragon Demon Suppression Stone that was sealed in Qingchan Peak's Caijun Tower?"
Chen Yan asked.
Zhang Xishun fell silent, then shook his head:
"Senior Brother Chen knows more than I imagined, and your questions are sharper too."
"Is that so?"
"But I can tell you the whereabouts of that Demon Suppression Stone—it's hidden somewhere in a corner of the outer court."
Zhang Xishun said:
"Now it's your turn, Senior Brother Chen. Where exactly is Song Mingde's list?"
"I don't know. That's all I know."
Chen Yan said.
Zhang Xishun simply stared directly at Chen Yan standing before him, his simple appearance mixed with sinister cunning, giving off an indescribable sense of dissonance and eeriness.
"It seems Senior Brother Chen is telling the truth."
Then, Zhang Xishun sighed:
"Senior Brother Chen, do you know why I told you the whereabouts of the Demon Suppression Stone?"
"I can guess."
Chen Yan replied.
"Smart!"
Zhang Xishun laughed, but this time, not a trace of simple honesty could be seen in his smile.
Only cruelty and viciousness.
In a flash, Zhang Xishun charged toward Chen Yan, but Chen Yan had long been prepared.
Chen Yan raised his hand, the true energy in all his meridians rapidly circulating, ultimately gathering at his fingertips.
Kongshan Finger!
A highly penetrating burst of true energy shot out from the tips of Chen Yan's joined index and middle fingers, aimed directly at the space between Zhang Xishun's eyebrows.
Chen Yan watched as Zhang Xishun's head was pierced through, but in the next instant, Zhang Xishun's figure suddenly vanished.
"Martial Spring Realm?"
Zhang Xishun's voice came from behind Chen Yan, and his voice carried a note of surprise.
"You can actually conceal your cultivation level? How did you do that?"
According to Chen Yan's current knowledge, there were no techniques in this world that could conceal cultivation levels, except for the Hidden Immortal Art he obtained from his reincarnation rewards.
Chen Yan had previously tried to search for literature about the Hidden Immortal Art in the library, but found nothing in the end.
He had also casually asked Lin Qifeng if there were any techniques that could conceal cultivation levels, but Lin Qifeng had directly denied it.
"There are only pills in this world that can suppress cultivation realms, no techniques that can hide cultivation levels."
That's what Lin Qifeng had said, and he had given Chen Yan a strange look:
"Why are you asking about this? As a worthless Body Forging Realm cultivator, do you even need to hide or suppress your cultivation level?"
Chen Yan hadn't responded.
This also meant that as long as he didn't mention the existence of the Hidden Immortal Art, probably no one could determine his true cultivation level unless he voluntarily revealed it.
Back to the present.
"Senior Brother Chen, you certainly have quite a few interesting things about you."
Zhang Xishun said with amusement.
"Is that so?"
Chen Yan replied.
From the moment Zhang Xishun dodged his Kongshan Finger, Chen Yan immediately understood that he was definitely no match for Zhang Xishun.
The gap was quite substantial.
If there truly were no techniques in this world that could conceal cultivation levels, then the only possibility was that Zhang Xishun had suppressed his true cultivation level to the Body Forging Realm by taking pills.
And now, the restrictions on his cultivation had been completely lifted.
"Enough, enough."
Zhang Xishun shook his head:
"Time to set off on your journey, Senior Brother Chen."
"That's right, time to set off."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yan lowered his hand, stopped the circulation of true energy in his meridians, then slowly turned around and smiled as he looked at Zhang Xishun's face.
Zhang Xishun was slightly taken aback, and this time it was his turn to feel uneasy.
What's wrong with this guy?
Everything was under his control—he had lured him here and could kill him at any time.
Why was he so calm?
Didn't he feel any resentment?
Or was this a trap?
"Do it, Junior Brother Zhang."
Chen Yan said slowly, staring directly into Zhang Xishun's eyes, his gaze devoid of any emotion:
"And also, goodbye."
An inexplicable fear and unease surged from within Zhang Xishun's heart.
Kill him, kill him!
Quickly kill him!
"Ah!"
Zhang Xishun roared furiously, raising his right hand high, then gently slapped it through the air.
A tremendous force descended from the sky, directly crushing Chen Yan before him into a pile of flesh and mud.
...
[Reincarnation Ended.]
[This Reincarnation Rating: B- (When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you)]
[Accumulated Cultivation: Early Martial Spring Realm]
[Reincarnation Reward: Middle Grade Second Tier magical instrument, Shadow Binding Rope]
[Reincarnation settlement complete, host will return to the previous reincarnation record point, inherit the accumulated cultivation from this reincarnation, and restart life]