"Sect Leader! Sect Leader! You damn well better not go into seclusion! You won't Breakthrough even if you seclude for ten or eight years. Hurry up and come out!"
The highest peak in Qingfeng Sect was Zhao Qingfeng's Immortal Cave, the Sect Leader of Qingfeng Sect, and also the place with the densest Spiritual Qi in the entire Qingfeng Sect. This was because it contained the best Gathering Spirit Array in Qingfeng Sect, which was of Soul Transformation Stage Medium Grade quality.
The Grand Elder's was only Spirit Nurturing Stage Heaven Grade.
At this moment, Zhao Qingfeng was in seclusion inside.
There were very powerful Restrictions around the peak, and approaching them would trigger Formation attacks. The Grand Elder couldn't easily break these Restrictions, nor did he dare to approach.
Therefore, the Grand Elder flew through the air, shouting loudly from outside the Restrictions.
"Damn it, come out quickly! I've found a future prodigy for Qingfeng Sect! Your Qingfeng Sect is about to rank among the peak of the Nine Provinces!"
However, there was still no response from within Zhao Qingfeng's Immortal Cave. Spiritual Qi continued to gather inside, and the person in seclusion was still Cultivating.
"Zhao Qingfeng! Don't force me! Do you want me to use my ultimate move!"
The Grand Elder suddenly took a deep breath, and his chest swelled.
"Zhao Qingfeng, I %¥#•*&"
The Grand Elder suddenly started cursing, his voice like a great bell.
Although he looked a bit old, the Grand Elder's voice was still full of Qi. This voice spread all the way to the Sect square. Several Disciples on the square and Yang Licheng, who had just returned, all looked up at the main peak.
"Tsk tsk tsk," Yang Licheng clicked his tongue. "The Grand Elder is courting death again."
"Boom!"
From within Zhao Qingfeng's Immortal Cave, a terrifying pressure suddenly vibrated outwards. Even the Grand Elder, who was at the Nascent Soul Early Stage, felt a momentary shortness of breath, which made him stop cursing.
In the Grand Elder's vision, a black dot appeared at the entrance of the Immortal Cave. The black dot instantly enlarged, and Zhao Qingfeng's figure suddenly appeared before him.
The Grand Elder immediately retreated, drawing his sword to block in front of himself.
The next moment, a sword light suddenly appeared before his eyes. That sword strike looked light and airy, like a gentle breeze, but the Grand Elder knew that this was just an illusion.
The Grand Elder's body was thrown backwards, and the long sword in his hand was struck hard by something. The sturdy blade vibrated continuously.
His upper garment was torn to shreds, turning into ragged strips fluttering in the wind. The Grand Elder looked down and found a bloodstain on his chest. Although not serious, he knew that Zhao Qingfeng hadn't used his full strength.
"Are you insane?! Do you want my life?!"
The Grand Elder steadied himself, panting.
"What's wrong with you?!"
Zhao Qingfeng was dressed in blue, the color of the sky, with an angry expression.
If not for the wrinkles revealed by his anger, Zhao Qingfeng would have been considered a handsome uncle, but now he looked somewhat menacing.
"You come here every other day to curse at the Sect gate. Are you that idle?!"
"If I don't do this, will you pay attention to me? If an enemy Sect attacked, would you just stay in seclusion and not come out?"
The Grand Elder rolled his eyes at him, put on a new set of clothes, and stroked his sparse beard.
"I forced you out of seclusion this time because I have something important to tell you. You'll regret it for a lifetime if you don't listen!"
"When have you not said that? Before, it was the Sect being scammed when purchasing Medicinal Pills and Magical Artifacts, then several Disciples being injured by bandits, someone coming to challenge us... Can't you solve these things yourself?!"
Zhao Qingfeng was numb from being called out for such trivial matters every time.
Which of these matters couldn't the Grand Elder solve with just a slight effort?
"No, no, trust me, this time it's really important!"
The Grand Elder quickly tried to appease him.
"Didn't we open the Immortal Gate and recruit people two days ago? This time, we recruited a Genius with a High Grade Spiritual Root! That testing Magical Artifact can only measure up to High Grade. I felt it myself, he's still a little bit short of a Heavenly Spiritual Root, but not by much! Just a tiny bit! And his Heart-Nature and temperament are all top-notch!"
As the Grand Elder spoke, Zhao Qingfeng's expression changed again and again, from initial impatience and anger to surprise, and finally to stupor.
"With such good talent, why did he come to us?"
Zhao Qingfeng frowned, asking this question.
"He claimed to be from a village down the mountain, hadn't seen much of the world, and the closest Sect was ours. And he himself didn't know the level of his Spiritual Root. He even caught up to the carriage carrying the child recruits halfway, and that's how we met him!"
Zhao Qingfeng's face showed a look of sudden realization.
The Grand Elder then recounted An Chen's Cultivation for the day to Zhao Qingfeng, including the matter of a Primordial Spirit almost forming in An Chen's Sea of Consciousness.
"Order someone to go down the mountain and investigate this An Chen, but don't let him know. I'm still a bit uneasy, it just feels strange."
Zhao Qingfeng frowned, stroking his chin as he spoke.
"Alright."
The Grand Elder was actually uneasy himself. An Chen's terrifying Primordial Spirit had always been a hidden danger. Although Qingfeng Sect didn't have much worth stealing or plundering, it was still better to be careful.
"If, and I mean if, this An Chen's identity is fine, then how should we prevent others from poaching him?"
This was actually the Grand Elder's purpose in coming to Zhao Qingfeng.
"Do the Disciples, stewards, and Elders in the Sect know about An Chen's High Grade Spiritual Root?"
"Probably... it's definitely known!"
As soon as he released his Divine Sense, he could sense the Disciples in the Sect discussing An Chen's Spiritual Root. He didn't know who spread it!
"Then the grade of his Spiritual Root definitely can't be kept secret."
Zhao Qingfeng knew the character of his Sect's Disciples well. They probably already discussed it with friends from other Sects on their tongshen jade talisman yesterday.
"Later, I'll go and do some ideological work with him, and then take him as my Disciple. Once he's the Sect Leader's Disciple, other Sects shouldn't be too embarrassed to poach him... You can also spread some false information, saying that his Spiritual Root is decent, but not as good as imagined, just the lowest class among High Grade Spiritual Roots, so big Sects like Fire Phoenix Sect won't have any ideas."
"Interrupting you!" The Grand Elder suddenly interjected, "He's my Disciple now, don't try to steal him!"
Zhao Qingfeng was so angry he laughed instead.
"What kind of time is this, and you're still fighting with me over a Disciple?"
Zhao Qingfeng drew his sword halfway.
"Can you win?"
The Grand Elder shrunk his neck.
"Forget it, I can't beat you, you're the boss."
The Grand Elder suddenly noticed a notification on his tongshen jade talisman; someone had sent him a message.
He took it out, read the message carefully, and his expression changed.
"What's wrong?"
"Fire Phoenix Sect has summoned me for an urgent matter; they offered a price I couldn't refuse."
"You!"
Zhao Qingfeng pointed a finger at him.
"Hurry up and go. We'll split it fifty-fifty when you get back."