“That’s all for today, Senior Brother, let’s head back now!”, An Chen smiled as he saw the two of them to the door.
After two days of exchange, plus the information he had previously exchanged with Su Xiaojiu, with the cross-verification of information from both sides, An Chen had pretty much fully understood the information a Qingfeng Sect Cultivator should know.
No longer needing to be cautious due to insufficient knowledge, An Chen also let out a sigh of relief.
Before this, he was very worried that his oversight would expose his identity as someone not from this world, but from another.
But now, he no longer had to worry.
“Oh, right, Junior Brother, take this.”
Jiang Cheng suddenly remembered something, turned around at the door, and took out a Talisman from his qiankun bag, handing it over.
“This is?”
An Chen felt a pang of toothache.
Why was it another gift?
“Junior Brother, don’t misunderstand! I’m not giving you something, but asking for your help!”
“Help?”
An Chen was puzzled.
“You just arrived, you don’t know what kind of person this guy is!”
Chen Sheng laughed heartily.
“Jiang Cheng knows how to Draw Talismans. He once bought a cheap Talisman book from the second-hand market on the tongshen jade talisman. The Talismans recorded in that book were all strange and useless ones, so the previous owner sold it after only a few glances. He felt that since he had spent the money, he had to learn all the Talismans.”
Then, he pointed at the Talisman Jiang Cheng handed over, and then at the somewhat embarrassed Jiang Cheng.
“This Talisman is a new gadget he concocted based on that book.”
“I just want you to help me test if this Laughing Charm is useful… This Talisman takes effect when pasted on a person. It’s not for you to paste on yourself. If you have a chance, just paste it on someone you don’t like!”
Jiang Cheng shoved the Talisman into An Chen’s hand.
“Just consider it helping your Senior Brother out!”
“Alright…”
An Chen looked at the somewhat crudely made Talisman, a little dazed.
What kind of Talisman was a Laughing Charm?
“Then we’re off!”
The two quickly left, even helping An Chen close the door.
An Chen chuckled, put away the Talisman, took out the Formation Plate Manager Yang had given him, placed it on the ground, and infused it with Spiritual Qi.
The Spiritual Qi infused might not be much for someone like Manager Yang, but for An Chen, it consumed half of the Spiritual Qi in his Dantian.
This was probably no longer a Gathering Spirit Array for the Qi Refinement Stage, but very likely a Formation for the Spirit Nurturing Stage.
An Chen recalled Manager Yang’s expression. At that time, he had glanced at the Formation, and a hint of longing almost showed in his eyes.
Something that could make even a Manager long for it must be of good quality.
An Chen quickly entered a state of Cultivation, beginning to restore the Spiritual Qi in his Dantian, but before he could Cultivate for a few minutes, the door was knocked on again.
An Chen’s face was full of black lines.
Could it be that once he returned to his room, he couldn’t get any peace?
The visitors just kept coming, one after another.
An Chen opened the door and found a middle-aged man he had never seen before. The middle-aged man’s face, however, showed no traces of time, and his features were handsome, making him look like a charming middle-aged uncle.
“Are you An Chen? The Grand Elder said you live here.”
“I am. May I ask who you are…?”
An Chen had no impression of this person at all, but by feeling, this person was at least an existence above the Manager Rank.
“I am Zhao Qingfeng.”
An Chen was startled.
He knew Zhao Qingfeng. Wasn’t this the Sect Leader of Qingfeng Sect?
According to Chen Sheng, the Sect Leader was currently in seclusion, attempting to break through to the Late Stage of Soul Transformation Stage. This kind of seclusion was not the first time, and it would take at least three to five years to come out.
It had only been about a year since Zhao Qingfeng went into seclusion, hadn't it?
“You are the Sect Leader?”
“Yes.”
Zhao Qingfeng smiled slightly.
An Chen quickly stepped aside, allowing Zhao Qingfeng to enter the room.
The two sat facing each other, and Zhao Qingfeng spoke first.
“What do you think of the Nine Continents?”
An Chen was stumped by this question.
“This Disciple’s vision is narrow, like looking at the sky from the bottom of a well. I dare not comment on the Nine Continents.”
“Then, in these Nine Continents, there are countless Sects. How do you think my Qingfeng Sect compares to other Sects?”
An Chen’s eyelid twitched.
Was this a trick question?
“This Disciple does not know about other Sects, but Qingfeng Sect is the Sect that took in this Disciple, and it holds a special meaning for me, one that other Sects cannot compare to. Perhaps other Sects have better resources and better Secret Manuals, but it was Qingfeng Sect that took me in, and I will not forget that.”
When An Chen said these words, Zhao Qingfeng was also a little surprised, then narrowed his eyes.
These words were seamless, which was good, but they came from the mouth of a seventeen-year-old boy.
This indicated that the young man named An Chen in front of him had a very meticulous and delicate mind, and had already discerned the purpose of his visit.
Zhao Qingfeng did not feel relieved because of An Chen’s words; instead, he became more worried.
People like An Chen, what they say does not necessarily mean what they will do. Such people are not necessarily bad, nor are they necessarily good, but they are definitely not honest and simple-minded.
Being smart sometimes also means having many tricks up one’s sleeve.
It was difficult to deal with someone so young yet full of schemes, because Zhao Qingfeng was also afraid that he wouldn’t be able to see through the other party, and not only would he fail to do good ideological work, but he might end up being outsmarted without even realizing it.
“I’m very happy that you think that way.”
Zhao Qingfeng still maintained a smile.
“Although my Qingfeng Sect’s power is not as great as the well-known major Sects, my Qingfeng Sect is by no means an unranked School. We have Spiritual Veins, medicine fields, territories, Sect Legacy, and even Secret Realms that many Sects more powerful than us have never controlled. We possess the foundation to grow into a First-Rate Power.”
This was utter nonsense.
An Chen silently complained.
Spiritual Veins, medicine fields, and Sect Legacy did exist, but Zhao Qingfeng didn’t mention their quality or scale. Could they compare to those of a First-Rate Power?
Secret Realms did indeed exist, but he also knew their Rank; at most, only those in the Spirit Nurturing Stage could enter, and Cultivator in the Soul Transformation Stage couldn't and wouldn't go there.
This was indeed beneficial for Cultivator in the Qi Refining and Spirit Nurturing Stages, but to Cultivate high-end combat power, it was far from enough.
“I understand.”
An Chen nodded, showing an appropriate expression of longing and anticipation, as if he truly had grand visions for the Sect’s future.
“And what we lack now is just that one pivotal person to lead us upwards, to develop and strengthen Qingfeng Sect, to join the Ranks of the Nine Continents’ First-Rate Powers, and become a well-known orthodox School?”
Zhao Qingfeng kindly stood up and extended his right hand towards An Chen.
“An Chen, are you willing to become that future hope of Qingfeng Sect?”
An Chen was slightly surprised. Before he could respond, Zhao Qingfeng spoke again:
“An Chen, are you willing to become my Disciple?”