Chapter 182: 182: Displaying Martial Arts

Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Displaying Martial Arts

Today was quite a grand occasion.

Even Liu Qingxian, who usually went about bare-faced, had applied a touch of makeup.

She dusted her fair cheeks with a thin layer of powder.

This made her skin appear glowing with a hint of red.

Rather than her usual bright purple or crimson attire, she had donned a pale white dress today.

Her hair black as a waterfall, her eyes as bright as snow.

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She stood elegantly in the morning breeze, like a solitary beauty in the vast wilderness, causing hearts to flutter.

Jiang Fan couldn’t help but be entranced.

“What are you staring at?” Liu Qingxian noticed Jiang Fan’s gaze and cast a quick glance at him.

She turned her head and led the way.

In an angle Jiang Fan couldn’t see, her lips curved in a smiling satisfaction.

Jiang Fan gave an embarrassed smile and hurriedly caught up to walk alongside her, unable to resist asking curiously:

“Senior Sister, what kind of person is our Supreme Elder?”

“Is he easy to get along with?”

Liu Qingxian answered without hesitation, “How could someone in charge of our sect be easy to get along with?”

True enough.

A lenient personality wouldn’t be able to oversee an entire sect.

There had to be an edge to command respect from everyone.

“However, this is his first audience with the disciples since he came out of seclusion, intending to see the current state of the disciples at Sect Master Peak.”

“He won’t lose his temper, so don’t worry.”

“Besides…”

Liu Qingxian’s eyes gleamed with hope: “For some promising talents, he will likely bestow some rewards generously.”

“Consider it a reward from the Supreme Elder for the diligent disciples.”

Rewards?

Jiang Fan felt anticipation grow in his heart.

The two of them walked to the grand hall.

As the Big Senior Brother, Wang Chengjian was registering the disciples one by one.

Seeing Liu Qingxian and Jiang Fan arriving side by side, he knew it was Liu Qingxian who had gone to invite Jiang Fan again.

He felt a sudden displeasure.

He couldn’t fathom why Liu Qingxian was so attached to Jiang Fan.

He casually registered their names.

Looking at Liu Qingxian, he discreetly took out a token with the number one from his sleeve.

“Junior Sister, I’m saving this number one seat for you.”

“These brats all want to get close to the Supreme Elder, if I don’t save this seat earlier, they would have taken it already.”

At every significant gathering, seating among the disciples was on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Obtaining their seating tokens from the registration point.

Today was a day to meet the legendary Supreme Elder, everyone wanted to be close to him.

Liu Qingxian was no exception.

She gladly accepted the number one token.

“Jiang Fan, choose the seat next to mine,” Liu Qingxian said expectantly.

She wanted to properly introduce Jiang Fan to the Supreme Elder.

Wang Chengjian, however, looked at Jiang Fan expressionlessly, and casually took an eighteenth token from the pile.

“Jiang Fan, you sit at the back.”

“You’re just a disciple without a Spirit Root, sitting too conspicuously might draw the Supreme Elder’s attention to you.”

“Knowing that the Sect Master accepted a disciple like you would surely ruin his mood.”

Liu Qingxian protested, “Why?”

Jiang Fan, however, was indifferent: “Senior Sister, sitting at the back is fine, I just want to see the true face of the Supreme Elder.”

“Whether or not I win his favor doesn’t matter.”

Liu Qingxian glared at Wang Chengjian: “Picking on Jiang Fan again and again, do you still deserve to be the Big Senior Brother of Sect Master Peak?”

“Let me tell you, don’t think so highly of your talents and look down on Jiang Fan.”

“Given time, you wouldn’t even be worthy to carry his shoes.”

Jiang Fan felt a warmth in his heart.

In Sect Master Peak, Liu Qingxian was the only one who treated him well.

For that reason, he didn’t want to cause her trouble, so he tugged her along: “Alright, let’s get inside quickly.”

Leaving Wang Chengjian with a face turned ashen.

He clenched his fists, making cracking sounds.

His eyes filled with fierce intensity: “She actually said that in the future, I would be inferior to Jiang Fan?”

“I’m at the Eighth Layer of Foundation Establishment, what realm is Jiang Fan at?”

“Liu Qingxian’s favoritism towards Jiang Fan is beyond reason.”

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.

Coming back to his senses, he regretted, “I really should have given the front token to Jiang Fan!”

“Let the Supreme Elder know right away what kind of person has arrived at Sect Master Peak.”

“Perhaps in a fit of anger, he would expel Jiang Fan!”

He felt he had made a mistake.

Not long after.

All the disciples gathered.

Each took out a mat to sit cross-legged in the center of the grand hall.

There were about twenty disciples at Sect Master Peak.

The eighteenth seat was exactly in the last row.

The front rows were crowded with several rows of disciples, forming a dense, dark mass.

It wouldn’t be easy for the Supreme Elder to notice anyone in the last row.

At that moment.

A robust voice echoed through the entire hall.

“The Supreme Elder arrives!”

A pure white crane flew in from outside the hall.

It swooped over the heads of the disciples and landed at the front of the hall.

First to descend was Liu Wuchen.

He respectfully supported an elderly man in a plain martial robe.

The disciples held their breath, their spirits high, gazing at the legendary former Sect Master, the Supreme Elder of Sect Master Peak.

Zhuang Yuanyin.

Jiang Fan was also excited in his heart.

What would his Supreme Elder look like?

In his mind, he visualized an immortal-like figure, with the demeanor of an ancient sage.

He craned his neck, finally managing to see over the heads of the senior brothers and sisters in front, catching a glimpse of the elder descending from the crane.

An elderly man in a white martial robe.

A round face with a blue mole on his forehead, resembling a Bodhisattva from a temple.

Wait a minute!

Jiang Fan’s face froze.

He rubbed his eyes, taking a closer look, and his face grew increasingly rigid.

This… wasn’t this the old man he had overcharged yesterday?

He was their Supreme Elder?

His first time being a ruthless merchant, he had overcharged his own Supreme Elder?

He felt the world spinning!

He almost toppled over!

At this moment, Zhuang Yuanyin kindly gazed at the gathered disciples.

“Not bad, not bad, everyone is full of spirit…”

While speaking, he suddenly noticed a disciple in the last row with his head bowed, almost buried in his chest.

He couldn’t help but pause.

Everyone followed his gaze, looking at Jiang Fan, all showing puzzled expressions.

Liu Wuchen furrowed his brow: “Jiang Fan, why are you behaving so poorly? Raise your head!”

In the presence of the Supreme Elder, what did it mean to bow your head like that?

When reprimanded, Jiang Fan lowered his head even further: “Master, I took the wrong spiritual medicine yesterday, causing facial paralysis.”

“To avoid offending the Supreme Elder, I have to do this.”

“Please forgive me, Master, please forgive me, Supreme Elder.”

Liu Wuchen gritted his teeth in anger.

This useless fellow!

Just as he was about to scold further, Zhuang Yuanyin waved his hand, showing tolerance: “It’s alright, it’s alright.”

“Who doesn’t have moments of discomfort?”

“This disciple’s presence despite the discomfort shows respect for me as the old Peak Master.”

“Do not scold him.”

Liu Wuchen sighed in relief.

Luckily, Zhuang Yuanyin didn’t bother with such details.

Otherwise, Jiang Fan would be in serious trouble today.

Upon hearing this.

Jiang Fan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and secretly sighed in relief.

What a close call!

If Zhuang Yuanyin had recognized him, he couldn’t imagine what would happen.

However, what made his mouth bitter was.

It was far from over.

After settling in, Zhuang Yuanyin smiled and said, “One by one, come up and show what you’ve learned in your life.”

“Those who perform exceptionally, I have rewards to offer.”

Jiang Fan’s face was filled with despair.

It’s over!

There’s no escape!